ZEAL FOR THE LORD

His disciples remembered that it was written “Zeal for your house will consume me. John 2:17

What is zeal: ardently passionate (literally "boiling" with interest or desire); "to be deeply committed to something, with the implication of accompanying desire – 'to be earnest, to set one's heart on, to be completely intent upon' ", very fervent(zēlos). To seethe or bubble,' and is therefore used figuratively of mental states and emotions. 

Jesus is speaking to the Jewish, educated leaders – they KNEW scripture – yet they were so blinded to the TRUE LIGHT. Psalm 69:9 says: “For zeal for your house has consumed me, and the reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me.” The leaders would have known this verse, yet they still could not accept who Christ really was when he cleansed the temple. People were wrapped up in worldly business and using the temple/church for personal gain. Christ put a stop to this by cleansing the temple, which showed his rightful authority. Christ wants the church to be used for pure, authentic worship and prayer. Matthew 21:13 says: “He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.”

Have we every truly been “ZEALOUS” over anything, according to the definition? If so, are we about the WRONG things? Would God and Christ approve of our use and worship in His house? When we gather together are we here with deep, boiling desire; to offer prayer and intense worship to the Lord; or do we enter into His House half-heartedly? If we are not here to zealously worship and pray then we are just as bad as the Jewish leaders of the days of old.

Father God, thank you for the splendor and glory you show us every day. You alone are mighty to save and worthy of our praise. Help me to be more ZEALOUS for You and not for things in this world. Help me to be 100% committed to serving You alone. Guide my mind to have clear thoughts and intentions when I enter into your House of Worship and Prayer. Help me to not get distracted by worldly things that Satan can use to derail me during our precious times of being able to assemble together. Lord, help us not take these times for granted as, as many around the world are not able to have a time of worship, prayer and studying Your Word without persecution. Forgive me for the times I have entered your house with the wrong frame of mind. Thank you for all blessings you grant me every day, even without my realizing them. Thank you for sending Jesus to die and rise again for everyone. Thank you for your inspired word that you sent to us through faithful men who taught others so that we could learn about You. Be with the missionaries around the world who are continuing to zealously share your salvation message and disciple those they encounter. Help me to disciple those you put in my path. I ask these things in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Abide in Me

So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples” John 8:31

To abide is to live, continue, or remain. So, to abide in Christ is to live in Him or remain in Him; to know or have a relationship with Him: To abide in Jesus’ word means to continue believing what Jesus has said and walking in obedience to Him. This verse shows that continuing to trust Jesus and obey Him is a way to test who is truly disciples of His. Abiding in Christ is not a special status for a few believers as a process of sanctification. True believers ABIDE! The difference between those abiding in Christ and those not abiding in Christ is the difference between the saved and unsaved. John 15:4 tells us: "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me." Believers ABIDE!

Are we truly abiding in Christ? The phrase abiding in Christ means an intimate, close relationship, and not just a superficial acquaintance. Are we going through the motions or do we have an intimate, authentic, love relationship with Christ? Do we bear fruit, or do we need to be cut off and tossed into the fire? Yikes! If we have no fruit, or rotten fruit, woe is us…we are abiding in the world and not in Christ! Many in this world may be fooled by just going through the motions, and never truly experiencing an abiding relationship with Christ.

Father God, help me to always ABIDE in You. Help me to rely on You and glean from Your Word. Thank You for the godly people you place in my life. Help me to continue to grow and to have others hold me accountable. Thank you for the privilege to teach children about Your Love, Your Son and Your Word.

Inviting Others to Christ

“Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?”  John 4:29

Witnessing 101 - In this passage we see an example of inviting others to Christ. It in not hard, but we must be intentional. The woman at the well, dropped all she was doing, she left her watering pot, she went into town, thinking about OTHERS instead of HERSELF. She was thinking about who else needed the living water of eternal life.

Do we have this same urgency to witness to others? Do we truly care for lost souls? We drop what we are doing to share the Gospel? Do we go and say, "Come see what Christ is doing in my life,? Let me tell you about Him!" What the women had to share was very simple, but it was effective. We don't have to be Bible scholars to share what the Lord is doing in our lives. We have a living testimony, our personal story He is writing every day.

Father God, help us be committed to memorizing your Word and sharing it with the world around us. Help us to say to others, "Come and see" what the Lord is doing in and through me, for His Honor and His Glory. Help us boldly proclaim your Word to all the nations. What is we each one were to reach one as Babbie Mason sings?

"He tells them that God is able to make their house a home.
He wants to win this world for Christ, but he can't do it alone,
but each one, can reach one,
As we follow after Christ we all can lead one.
We can lead one to the savior
and together we can tell the world that Jesus is the way.
If we each one reach one…" ---Babbie Mason