St. Matthew, Chapter 21, verse:13b; The Den.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Cleansing of the Temple) Part 4. 

God's place was defiled.  It was invaded and unclean.  The people did not know but the evil doers knew.  The high priest allowed it.  The scribes wrote about it and considered it workable and necessary.  They did not consider that evil and greed would come into the holy place.  They did not think that the temple was a holy place meant for the worship of God the Father.  They only considered how it would help the merchants of the day.

But even with the best of intentions, evil used those intentions to come into the temple and defile the holy place of worship.  God's house is a place of worship.  His house is a place of prayer.  His house is a place of peace where the people can come and send up their wants and needs to the Father.  But the priests and the guardians of this holy place allowed it to be defiled.   "But you have made it a den of thieves." 

What do we believe today?  We have churches on every corner on every street, of every denomination, of all beliefs.  Are they places of worship, places of peace, places to go and give thanks to God our Father for all that he has done for us? 

I grew up in a church and there I found peace and happiness.  But then I left that place and went out into the world and lived the way of the world.  And I lost my way.  For many years I wanted to return to that place of peace, that place of comfort, that place of happiness.  But I felt cast out, without a home, no place to go.  I would drive by the church many times afraid to go in, not having the courage to return.  Then I overcame my fear; I knew that I needed the church in my life.  My life was out of control and I had lost something I needed to find.  So I returned, little steps at a time.  At first once a month, then later, more often.

It was a monk who encouraged me to return completely and take up my place in God's family.  And so I started to come more often and to participate in the service.  I was thankful that throughout all the years away from the church that my Father held my hand and did not let go.  I am grateful that now I have a place to go, a place to worship, a place to find peace in my life.  I am blest to be a member of the body of Christ and to have a church family.  

Most of all I am blest to know who I am in Christ and nothing can change that knowledge.  The world has nothing to offer that I do not already have.  For now I know that the Father loves me, provides for me, and cares for me.  I know that that for which I long for is not of this earth but with Christ Jesus in heaven and his love is the only thing that can fulfill my longings.  My house is clean and is not a den for evil to dwell in.  Come!  Clean your house and become one who knows the truth of who you are in Christ.

Read the sign of the times! Read the Highlighted New Testament Bible and lift the scales from your eyes that you may see, that you may know, that you may find the truth of who you are in Christ. Read it as though you would read a good book, from cover to cover, and see for yourself. Do not study it in parts reading one passage nd then skipping to another, but read it for understanding. Read it for knowledge. Read it for faith. Read it that your eyes may be opened, that your ears may hear, that your heart may be filled with the light of Christ .   The Holy Spirit awaits you. Christ seeks to know you. Open the door and let him in.

St. Matthew, Chapter 21, verse:13a; It is Written.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Cleansing of the Temple) Part 3. 

Christ entered the temple with anger, horror, and frustration at what he saw.  They were selling and buying of gifts for sacrifice.  They were changing of monies and lying and deceiving the purchasers of their money, money that is meant for the purchase of gifts for the praise of God.  The thieves and the robbers had entered the holy place used for prayer and thanksgiving and Christ was horrified at what he saw.

He saw evil.  He saw those who were influenced by evil practicing greed and deceit.  Their only goal was to make money and revel in the praise of mammon for the wealth that it brought to them.  They were not concerned that it was a house of prayer.  They were not concerned that it was a house of worship to the creator.  They were only concerned with greed and deceit, how much could they cheat the customer out of their money meant for God the Father.  And he said to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer'." 

The word is written for all to see.  The word is patient for the time for completion.  The word is fulfilled for all to know that the time had come.  And it came to pass that evil was overturned in the temple.  It came to pass that evil would not take by force the house of God.  It came to pass that the time for redemption was at hand and no longer would evil be allowed to rule the day.

He came to walk among us.  He came to show us his love.  He came that we would have a witness as to the truth.  He came that we would have forgiveness and a new life.  He came and he is our Lord and Savior.  The word is written.  The word is truth.  The word awaits for completion.  The word will be fulfilled.  The choice is ours to believe.  The choice is ours to accept.  The choice is ours to know the truth of who we are in Christ.

Let not the world deceive you as it did me.  Let not the world turn you away from the truth of who you are.  Let not the world turn you away from the life that is freely given you by the sacrifice of his love.  It is written for you to believe.  It is written for you to accept freely.  It is written for you to see and know him in truth and honesty.  The word will be fulfilled.  The word will be completed.  The word will return to the Father having finished it's purpose.  Will you receive the word and be renewed?  I do, I have, I am, I know.  Do you?

Read the sign of the times! Read the Highlighted New Testament Bible and lift the scales from your eyes that you may see, that you may know, that you may find the truth of who you are in Christ. Read it as though you would read a good book, from cover to cover, and see for yourself. Do not study it in parts reading one passage nd then skipping to another, but read it for understanding. Read it for knowledge. Read it for faith. Read it that your eyes may be opened, that your ears may hear, that your heart may be filled with the light of Christ .   The Holy Spirit awaits you. Christ seeks to know you. Open the door and let him in.

St. Matthew, Chapter 21, verse: 12b, The Money-Changers.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Cleansing of the Temple) Part 2.  

He entered the temple and was inflamed at what he saw, buying and selling, money changers, men practicing deceit and trickery, dishonesty and greed, arrogance and pride.  Instead of prayer and worship, they were practicing evil.  It was as if evil had taken over the house of the Lord.  The people would come to worship their Father were required to purchase gifts for their offerings.  And in the purchasing, the men who sold the items to be sacrificed were practicing deceit cheating the worshippers out of their gifts, stealing from God himself.

Christ saw this.  He was angry.  He was enraged.  He knew that evil had taken over those who were doing the selling.  He saw them.  He cast them out.  For evil can only practice it's sins through man.  It can only influence man to do evil.  And those men had taken over the temple all in the name of making money.   And he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold the doves. 

The people came to worship.  Some had offerings to make.  Others did not, so they had to buy what was sold at the temple.  It was not that these thing were being sold.  It was that they were being sold inside the temple where people came to pray and to worship their father, their creator.  They came to give thanks.   They came to show gratitude to the lord for what he had given them.  They came to receive his blessings. 

Just as we do today, when we go to our lord's house to worship, we come to give praise and worship our Lord for that which he has given us.  We show gratitude and thanks.  For he is the reason that we have the abundance of life today.  We are alive.  We who believe have the promise of salvation.  We who know can see and feel that which is within us.  The spirit lives and he comes to be with us.  He comes to teach us.  He comes to guide us in our daily lives that we do not become evil doers in the world. 

Throw off the old self and take up the new self in Christ.  He will provided for us.  He will delivered us.  He will take us home when the transformation comes.  For he has given us his words to live by, to breathe by, to know by, to see the miracles by his hand in our daily lives.  He is Lord and deliverer.  He is the giver of new life, love eternal.  Come!  Find your peace within and know the truth of who you are in Christ.

Read the sign of the times! Read the Highlighted New Testament Bible and lift the scales from your eyes that you may see, that you may know, that you may find the truth of who you are in Christ. Read it as though you would read a good book, from cover to cover, and see for yourself. Do not study it in parts reading one passage nd then skipping to another, but read it for understanding. Read it for knowledge. Read it for faith. Read it that your eyes may be opened, that your ears may hear, that your heart may be filled with the light of Christ .   The Holy Spirit awaits you. Christ seeks to know you. Open the door and let him in.