Intro: In our reading yesterday, Stephen told us about how the Jewish leaders had made an idol out of the temple. In our reading today, Jesus has entered Jerusalem to perform the Messianic action of restoring people to the true worship of God. His first act is a dandy; he identifies and drives false worship out of his Temple. Luke tells us the Jewish leaders driven out had made the temple about everything but prayer and the genuine worship and enthronement of God in the heart.

The act of cleansing the Temple was symbolic of the judgment Jesus—the Word of God—had pronounced against Israel (Luke 19:41-42). People would come to worship at the Temple and they would purchase animals for sacrifice. These leaders were financially fleecing the people over the sacrificial animals they were offering to God for worship. As well, Jesus drove out the money-changers who were converting currency for the Temple tax. These acts of offering to God were not the problem; rather, it was the exploitation of the Temple for commercial gain. The Temple was to reflect the glory of God, but it had instead become as corrupt as the world.

According to Scripture, this is the second time Jesus has driven the merchants out of the temple. Therefore, he meets intense opposition. Ponder that for a minute…Jesus’ biggest opponents are religious people who do not want to follow the Word. A true Christian is a follower of the Word of God. “God’s Word is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and morrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires” (Hebrews 4:12). God’s Word can distinguish between godly and ungodly; good and evil. God wants the Word to cut away the ungodly things that try to cling to his people; this is how we worship in Spirit and Truth (John 4:24).

Luke 19:45-48 NLT Jesus Clears the Temple
45 Then Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out the people selling animals for sacrifices. 46 He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be a house of prayer,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves.”

47 After that, he taught daily in the Temple, but the leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the other leaders of the people began planning how to kill him. 48 But they could think of nothing, because all the people hung on every word he said.

Prayer: Lord, worship is for you alone. Help us as your children to remember worship is loving you with every aspect of our being and resting in the work of the Word to make us whole. May we gather to worship and bring glory to your name. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: Have you ever noticed how many churches there are in even small communities? I’m from a very small town in Michigan [one traffic light ‘downtown’] and within the city limits there are five different churches. This is not an unusual thing; even in the city of Seminole you will see two or three churches within one block. Sadly, the fact that there are many churches available does not mean people are faithfully attending them.

Sometimes people minimize the value of Christian assembly; they feel it is not important to gather as One in the church because they can experience God elsewhere. Sometimes people magnify the holiness of the sanctuary; they only experience God’s presence when in the church building. Neither mindset by itself is a healthy one. It is true, Christ lives in us and we can enjoy His presence every day no matter where we go; however, when we gather at church to worship we can enjoy the fullness of Christ’s presence with us operating as we share His many gifts and graces.

In Chapter 7, Stephen has been falsely charged with blasphemy against the temple. Stephen recognizes the importance of the temple—he never seeks to minimize the value of a structure in which to gather and worship—but he exalts the supreme importance of God above the temple. Stephen tries to impart a greater wisdom to the Pharisees about blasphemy; the charge they have leveled against him. Stephen recounts the history of the Tabernacle in order to guide the Jewish leaders to see they are actually blaspheming against God by confining Him to a temple.

I realize you and I can enjoy the loving presence of God every day, but please don’t forget how important it is to share your gifts and graces with other believers in worship, as well as your witness to unbelievers in your day to day. Make the most of each day as you live in this world—it’s God’s footstool.

Acts 7:44-53 NLT
44 “Our ancestors carried the Tabernacle with them through the wilderness. It was constructed according to the plan God had shown to Moses. 45 Years later, when Joshua led our ancestors in battle against the nations that God drove out of this land, the Tabernacle was taken with them into their new territory. And it stayed there until the time of King David.
46 “David found favor with God and asked for the privilege of building a permanent Temple for the God of Jacob. 47 But it was Solomon who actually built it. 48 However, the Most High doesn’t live in temples made by human hands. As the prophet says,
49 
‘Heaven is my throne,
    and the earth is my footstool.
Could you build me a temple as good as that?’
    asks the Lord.
‘Could you build me such a resting place?
50 
    Didn’t my hands make both heaven and earth?’

51 “You stubborn people! You are heathen at heart and deaf to the truth. Must you forever resist the Holy Spirit? That’s what your ancestors did, and so do you! 52 Name one prophet your ancestors didn’t persecute! They even killed the ones who predicted the coming of the Righteous One—the Messiah whom you betrayed and murdered. 53 You deliberately disobeyed God’s law, even though you received it from the hands of angels.”

Prayer: Father, please make me mindful of your precious presence, today. Don’t let me carry you around in my spirit and not acknowledge what a Gift you are in me. Let me be your temple and resting place where you can speak the Truth to my soul. I love you, Lord! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Do you find yourself being drawn to a Biblical figure or Biblical moment, to the point where you spend a good portion of time learning and growing from that person or moment? That tends to happen to me, and more recently I have been drawn to the life, heart, and teachings of our brother Paul.

Paul reminds us within 2 Corinthians 5:17, that when someone becomes a Christian, they become a brand-new person inside; and they are no longer the same anymore, because a new life in Christ has begun! It is within this new life, through salvation, that we begin to understand the blessing of divine forgiveness by God’s grace. We must remember that “If we say that we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and refusing to accept the Truth. But, if we confess our sins to Him, He can be depended on to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong. And it is perfectly proper for God to do this for us because Christ died to wash away out sins.” (1 John 1:8-9).

In today’s Psalm, David expresses the relief that comes from being forgiven of sin. David sinned with Bathsheba, then he sinned by attempting to cover up his crimes. David initially refused to acknowledge his sin, but once he finally confessed his adultery and murder, the Lord graciously forgave him.

Friends, we are no longer the same as we once were, like Paul reminds us, and we are forgiven of our sins, as David reminds us. So, we must remain obedient to God’s Word. Remember, the world is rebellious and enjoys lawlessness against God’s Word, but we are faithful to follow it and to lead others into the loving and forgiving arms of Jesus.

Psalm 32 NLT

A psalm of David.

1 Oh, what joy for those
whose disobedience is forgiven,
whose sin is put out of sight!
2 Yes, what joy for those
whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt,
whose lives are lived in complete honesty!
3 When I refused to confess my sin,
my body wasted away,
and I groaned all day long.
4 Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me.
My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. Interlude

5 Finally, I confessed all my sins to you
and stopped trying to hide my guilt.
I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.”
And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone. Interlude

6 Therefore, let all the godly pray to you while there is still time,
that they may not drown in the floodwaters of judgment.
7 For you are my hiding place;
you protect me from trouble.
You surround me with songs of victory. Interlude

8 The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.
I will advise you and watch over you.
9 Do not be like a senseless horse or mule
that needs a bit and bridle to keep it under control.”

10 Many sorrows come to the wicked,
but unfailing love surrounds those who trust the Lord.
11 So rejoice in the Lord and be glad, all you who obey him!
Shout for joy, all you whose hearts are pure!

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for Your unending forgiveness. If there is anything that I need to be forgiven for, that I have not brought to You, please shine a light on it so that I can lay it down at Your feet. I want to live as one with You and to not carry sin. I love You, Lord. I ask all of this in Your Name, Jesus. Amen.

Intro: In Scripture, you will frequently find the word persecution and it is alway associated with pressure, harassment, mistreatment, betrayal or intimidation for the purpose of entrapment or even going so far as killing people. In the Old Testament, persecution came against the Jews as intense pressure to cause them to renounce their faith in God. In the New Testament, Jesus was harassed, mistreated, betrayed and entrapped. Jesus told his disciples they could expect the same, because the world is evil and hates God’s Word or authority (John 15:20).

Over the past few weeks in our LIFE Lessons Bible Study, we have been exploring the Words of Christ about the end times and how we can discern where we are on God’s calendar regarding Christ’s return. Night before last, we looked at the persecution Jesus said would affect his disciples in the last days. An escalation of persecution is one of the signs that we are approaching the time of Christ’s return. Holding onto our faith is wisdom; choosing to trust Christ and patiently endure in the midst of any persecution we may face as His followers will cause our faith to grow. It is through faith that we trust what Christ has done for us in the past for salvation; it is also through faith that we trust Christ for what he will do today, as well as what he will do for our future. Live by faith! Have a wonderful weekend.

Hebrews 10:32-39 NLT

32 Think back on those early days when you first learned about Christ. Remember how you remained faithful even though it meant terrible suffering. 33 Sometimes you were exposed to public ridicule and were beaten, and sometimes you helped others who were suffering the same things. 34 You suffered along with those who were thrown into jail, and when all you owned was taken from you, you accepted it with joy. You knew there were better things waiting for you that will last forever.
35 So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! 36 Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.
37 
“For in just a little while,    the Coming One will come and not delay.
38 
And my righteous ones will live by faith.    But I will take no pleasure in anyone who turns away.”
39 But we are not like those who turn away from God to their own destruction. We are the faithful ones, whose souls will be saved.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for preparing your disciples with the truth about the persecution all your disciples face. Help us patiently endure as we live for your glory. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: Pride hinders people from abiding or communing with God. It also sets people up for destruction (Prov 16:18). In fact, Scripture teaches God detests a prideful or haughty spirit (Prov. 8:13). If a person is prideful, he or she is arrogant. A prideful person truly sees himself or herself as humble and always right while degrading other people—pride is the foundation of self-centeredness.

In his sermon on the Mount of Beatitudes, Jesus taught the “poor in spirit” or humble are blessed to inherit the Kingdom of God (Matt. 5:3). If we are poor in spirit, we understand our spiritual emptiness apart from the work of Grace, as well as our inability to save ourselves. Pride is a constricting spirit that seeks to hinder the exaltation of God who is Love. Pride tempts the human soul seeking to induce self-worship; rather than worship God from whom all things are provided. As well, the enemy uses pride to restrict sacrificial love in our relationships; pride brings division to the Body of Christ. So, we need to be mindful of how pride works against our relationship with God and others. Once we identify a wrong spirit of pride, we know the answer is agape.

Peter understood the destructive work of pride, because he suffered from it before Christ delivered him. In Christ, Peter learned the power of love. Agape—sacrificial love—overcomes pride. So, let the love of God take down any pride that tries to exalt itself in your life. Humble yourself, worship, and exalt God above all things.

1 Peter 3:8-12 NLV Teaching for All Christians
8 Last of all, you must share the same thoughts and the same feelings. Love each other with a kind heart and with a mind that has no pride. 9 When someone does something bad to you, do not do the same thing to him. When someone talks about you, do not talk about him. Instead, pray that good will come to him. You were called to do this so you might receive good things from God. 10 For “If you want joy in your life and have happy days, keep your tongue from saying bad things and your lips from talking bad about others. 11 Turn away from what is sinful. Do what is good. Look for peace and go after it. 12 The Lord watches over those who are right with Him. He hears their prayers. But the Lord is against those who sin.”

Prayer: Lord, thank you for this lesson on spiritual pride; a mindset that hinders fellowship with you and my connection with others. May I willingly humble myself under your mighty hand each day. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: Rejection is a painful experience for the soul. Anyone who has experienced rejection knows it leaves scars and memories that are difficult to work through. Healing takes time; it takes divine Love.

If you have felt the sting of rejection, there is Someone who knows all about your wounds and wants to heal them. No one has experienced rejection more than Jesus. Seriously, I want you to think about Jesus—the Son of God—for a minute. Jesus experienced rejection from his biological family, friends, religious leaders, as well as his spiritual family. Scripture teaches Jesus was rejected by an entire generation (Luke 17:25). And, every time people reject the Word of God as Truth even today, they are rejecting Jesus the very One who can heal them, as well as save them from eternal destruction (Acts 4:12).

In our passage today, the writer of Hebrews shares about this rejection of Christ and the judgment people will face because of it. “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Heb 10:31).

Hebrews 10:26-31 (TLB)
26 If anyone sins deliberately by rejecting the Savior after knowing the truth of forgiveness, this sin is not covered by Christ’s death; there is no way to get rid of it. 27 There will be nothing to look forward to but the terrible punishment of God’s awful anger, which will consume all his enemies. 28 A man who refused to obey the laws given by Moses was killed without mercy if there were two or three witnesses to his sin. 29 Think how much more terrible the punishment will be for those who have trampled underfoot the Son of God and treated his cleansing blood as though it were common and unhallowed, and insulted and outraged the Holy Spirit who brings God’s mercy to his people.

30 For we know him who said, “Justice belongs to me; I will repay them”; who also said, “The Lord himself will handle these cases.” 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for blessing me with your grace and forgiveness through the blood of Jesus. Help me to honor the work of the Spirit who extends mercy. When I feel a sense of rejection, help me to remember I am in divine company. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

August 9, 2022
Intro: Most every day we encounter problems to be solved; therefore, we must seek Christ who has been made Wisdom for us (1 Cor 1:30). Whenever possible, we usually try to avoid trouble, but when that isn’t an option we need to face the adversity with Wisdom. In Scripture, Jesus teaches this fallen world provides tribulations [trouble, adversity, grief, setbacks, etc], but we are to take heart and hold onto the supernatural peace he has given us (John 16:33). Have you ever been tempted to run away from adversity and trouble?

In our passage today, David deals with his problems and fear by applying a strategy of trust and confidence. In fact, the opposite of fear is confidence. Now, placing confidence in our own abilities to deal with the adversities of life is precarious at best. Instead, we need to place our confidence in Christ; in so doing we are automatically taking a stand against fear. Every time you prevail over fear, you are growing stronger spiritually. Problems and troubles are opportunities for growth no matter how hard we try to avoid them. The next time you face something difficult, place your confidence in God. Realize the righteous, as well as the wicked face adversity; no one can avoid tribulation. However, Jesus makes all the difference in how we manage adversity. Place your confidence [trust] in God and be victorious, today.

Psalm 11 (NLT) For the choir director: A psalm of David.
1 
I trust in the Lord for protection.So why do you say to me,    “Fly like a bird to the mountains for safety!
2 
The wicked are stringing their bows    and fitting their arrows on the bowstrings.They shoot from the shadows    at those whose hearts are right.
3 
The foundations of law and order have collapsed.    What can the righteous do?”
4 
But the Lord is in his holy Temple;    the Lord still rules from heaven.He watches everyone closely,    examining every person on earth.
5 
The Lord examines both the righteous and the wicked.    He hates those who love violence.
6 
He will rain down blazing coals and burning sulfur on the wicked,    punishing them with scorching winds.
7 
For the righteous Lord loves justice.    The virtuous will see his face.

Prayer: Lord, when I face tribulation, please help me turn to place my confidence in you. I know you will provide Wisdom and help me through every problem I face. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Today’s devotion is the first part of Hebrews 11. In the previous chapter, a warning and a word of encouragement were given specifically to “those who have faith”; and now a direct definition of faith and examples are given in a letter to the Hebrews, and to all believers.

So, what is faith? Everyone talks about it, but how many people actually live out the true Biblical meaning of godly faith each and every moment of their life?

We read the “definition” of faith within the first three verses of today’s passage; and it’s clear that faith is not simply knowing a few Bible verses and believing that God exists. Rather, godly faith is based on trust. In order to truly trust God, we have to intimately know Him. The only way we do that is by daily growth in His Word, by understanding our direct oneness with God’s Son, Jesus, through our salvation, by growing in the understanding that our existence is not in this world but is eternal in God’s Kingdom, by our obedience to all that God has revealed through warnings and promises in the Word and not picking and choosing how we live, but by living out ALL of the Word for ALL to witness. Once we are on this path, we are growing in our godly faith.

Below, we see that “by faith” a few Biblical brothers set the example within the Old Testament for us:
· By faith, Abel was commended as righteous (v. 4)
· By faith, Enoch was commended as having pleased God (v. 5)
· By faith, Noah received righteousness (v. 7)

The faith of these men points us directly to our own salvation in Jesus. The only reason anyone can be righteous is because Jesus is righteous and by faith we share in His righteousness. The only way anyone can be pleasing to God, is because Jesus is pleasing to God and by faith, we share in that same spirit of being pleasing to God. Simply put, faith joins us to Jesus. Friends, we want to be joined to Jesus by faith, because in Him and only Him will you and I be carried through the judgment of God. I don’t know about you, but I want my Master to be full of praise and to hear Him say: ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful…’ (Matt 25:21).

Hebrews 11:1-7 NLT
Great Examples of Faith

1 Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see. 2 Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation.

3 By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.

4 It was by faith that Abel brought a more acceptable offering to God than Cain did. Abel’s offering gave evidence that he was a righteous man, and God showed his approval of his gifts. Although Abel is long dead, he still speaks to us by his example of faith.

5 It was by faith that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying – “he disappeared, because God took him.” For before he was taken up, he was known as a person who pleased God. 6 And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.

7 It was by faith that Noah built a large boat to save his family from the flood. He obeyed God, who warned him about things that had never happened before. By his faith Noah condemned the rest of the world, and he received the righteousness that comes by faith.

Prayer: Jesus, Thank You for being the One who helps me to grow with You. Please strengthen my faith and keep me focused on eternity with you and make me strong in the spirit against this dark and failing world. I love You, Lord, and I ask this in Your Holy Name, Jesus. Amen.

Intro: The times in which we live are disconcerting; there are so many things happening in the world for which we must pray. Deception, corruption, violence…yes, evil is busy at work in the hearts of those who live only for this world [lost spiritually]. Believers and people of faith see and know what is going on, yet we are not really surprised at the present level of darkness. As much as I pray and want God to move in mighty ways to bring salvation to this world, I know Scripture reminds us that this world will never be built on truth, integrity, or peace until Jesus is our governing Ruler. All that being said, we must never forget Christ’s promise, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. (John 14:1-3).

Are you watching for the return of Christ? In our Bible Study last night, we were sharing about being prepared for Christ’s return, because He tells us He will come unexpectedly and suddenly like a thief in the night. Unfortunately, many people tend to think Christ’s return is far off in the future; after all, people have been talking about His return and expecting Him a long time. Be careful with that kind of thinking, because if you are lulled into indifference, you will not be living ready when the Lord returns.

In our passage today, Jesus tells his disciples to be waiting and ready: 1) to live as sincere people of integrity; 2) to walk by faith being led by the Spirit; 3) to trust God in all things; 4) to delight in being generous to others; and 5) to be diligent and hardworking as we serve, because we know we are working for God! As we live this way, we will be filled with joy when we see our Savior. Be ready all the time!

Luke 12:35-40 NLT Be Ready for the Lord’s Coming
35 “Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning, 36 as though you were waiting for your master to return from the wedding feast. Then you will be ready to open the door and let him in the moment he arrives and knocks. 37 The servants who are ready and waiting for his return will be rewarded. I tell you the truth, he himself will seat them, put on an apron, and serve them as they sit and eat! 38 He may come in the middle of the night or just before dawn. But whenever he comes, he will reward the servants who are ready.

39 “Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would not permit his house to be broken into. 40 You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.”

Prayer: Lord, thank You for the Word of Truth that keeps our lamps burning. We believe You are coming to get Your loved ones. So, we are going to do the things You teach that will keep us ready. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: The first eight chapters of the Book of Romans teaches us about humanity’s great need for a Savior and the work of the Holy Spirit. Without salvation through Christ’s atoning work on the cross and the leading of the Holy Spirit guiding us toward righteousness, humans self-slaughter in sin. In chapters 9-11, the Apostle Paul addresses the problem of Israel’s sin since they rejected the arrival of Messiah whom God sent to save them. Paul is burdened because he knows, without faith in the redeeming Savior, the people of Israel are separated from God’s love by sin and unbelief. This is true for all humanity who rejects the work of Christ and the Spirit for salvation.

In Paul’s letter, he expresses his great concern for the souls of the people of Israel. Paul is burdened for them and the eternal future they could face being separated from God. God blessed Israel with such a rich legacy; He gave them His Word. He delivered them from the bondage of sin time and time, again. But, even though Israel, by God’s Hand, experienced spiritual freedom, they returned to their old ways of serving other gods. Does that mean God’s Word was not powerful on behalf of Israel? It is not an issue of the Word being powerless; rather, it is a problem of the hardened human heart fighting God for control. We cannot serve two masters.

Paul goes on to identify the chosen. The Jews think their heritage as descendants of Abraham makes them the chosen of God. However, Paul sets them straight by telling them the chosen are obedient sons and daughters of faith who ‘choose to have their lives governed by God.’ Because Israel rejected the Word of God in Christ, God allowed the hearts of the Jews to be hardened until the full number of non-Jews have come to salvation as the chosen. In God’s original plan, the Jews were to be a blessing to the Gentiles. They missed this mission and blessing, but they are not far from God’s love. Israel will be saved—God will continue to have mercy on whomever He chooses.

Scripture teaches us one day ever knee will bow to the Word of God—Christ; we will be judged by Him (Phil 2:10). Our lesson today is to remind us to live authentically as the chosen. It is much easier to bow our hearts and lives in obedience to the governing of God’s Word now, than to bow later when all hell rages against the Word. Pray for Israel; pray for the world to accept Christ.

Romans 9:1-8 NLT God’s Selection of Israel
With Christ as my witness, I speak with utter truthfulness. My conscience and the Holy Spirit confirm it. My heart is filled with bitter sorrow and unending grief for my people, my Jewish brothers and sisters. I would be willing to be forever cursed—cut off from Christ!—if that would save them. They are the people of Israel, chosen to be God’s adopted children. God revealed his glory to them. He made covenants with them and gave them his law. He gave them the privilege of worshiping him and receiving his wonderful promises. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are their ancestors, and Christ himself was an Israelite as far as his human nature is concerned. And he is God, the one who rules over everything and is worthy of eternal praise! Amen.

Well then, has God failed to fulfill his promise to Israel? No, for not all who are born into the nation of Israel are truly members of God’s people! Being descendants of Abraham doesn’t make them truly Abraham’s children. For the Scriptures say, “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted,”though Abraham had other children, too. This means that Abraham’s physical descendants are not necessarily children of God. Only the children of the promise are considered to be Abraham’s children.

Prayer: Father God, thank You for salvation in Christ and for the assurance of what it means to be Your chosen. Help us to live each day being governed by Your Word and led by Your Spirit. In Jesus’ name. Amen.