Manna from John

(ESV) John 2:13 The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. 15 And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. 16 And he told those who sold the pigeons, "Take these things away; do not make wmy Father's house a house of trade." 17 His disciples remembered that it was written, "Zeal for your house will consume me."

I am probably going out on a limb here, so let me know how your feelings...This is still the bain of the Church, I go to a very conservative church in the country, we do not have anything for sale. I'm not really saying that selling a cup of coffee or a book in a church building is necessarily bad. The temple was where Jews went to fellowship with God through sacrifice and held the very presence of God.

Understanding that your body is now God's temple, not the church building, we need to be careful about the motivation in our hearts about which ministies we support and where we place our church membership. Too many times, especially in big churches, it becomes a business decision as to which body you join with in service to the Lord.

Do we hold the temple of God now in high esteem as Christ did? I do not think so, the local body that are Christ's hands and feet are 80% inactive. If you look at George Barna's numbers, that may be generous. We cannot reach the lost when we are chasing dimes around...God is our provider, not our career or our ability in salesmanship. I have seen it too many times, when we need work, we get it, a project just "falls out of the sky" for no reason. Prayer to the Father does more than becoming a member at "First Business" Church.

For Him,
Steve

Steve Amos

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