As we read your Word today, we bow down and worship you. Help us see this reality that we are the temple of the living God and that his Spirit lives in us. Amen. (John 4:23-24, John 2:18-21, Revelation 21:22, 1 Corinthians 3:16)
Scripture Reading - Mark 11:11-25 (ESV)
And he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple. And when he had looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.
On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry. And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.
And he said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard it.
And they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. And he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple.
And he was teaching them and saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.”
And the chief priests and the scribes heard it and were seeking a way to destroy him, for they feared him, because all the crowd was astonished at his teaching. And when evening came they went out of the city.
As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots.
And Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.”
And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”
Father, thank you for making us your temple, living in us by your Spirit. We rest in your calling upon us to be a house of prayer for all nations! The promises of Isaiah have come to pass and will come to pass into eternity!
“And the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord,Lamb of God, we ask for your merciful, cleansing ministry in our lives. By your power, cleanse the temple! Remind us that we are not our own, we were bought at a price. Forgive us for joining ourselves to another, a prostitute - anything that distracts us from loving you first. Never! Have we forgotten that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two will become one flesh.” But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. (1 Corinthians 6:15-20)
to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord,
and to be his servants,
everyone who keeps the Sabbath and does not profane it,
and holds fast my covenant—
these I will bring to my holy mountain,
and make them joyful in my house of prayer;
their burnt offerings and their sacrifices
will be accepted on my altar;
for my house shall be called a house of prayer
for all peoples.” (Isaiah 56:6-7)
Father, help us to remain in Christ and his words to remain in us. By faith in you, we ask that you would prune us so that we may bear more fruit for your kingdom. We believe that you who began a good work in us will bring it to completion at the day of Christ Jesus to your glory! Amen. (John 15:1-8, Philippians 1:6)
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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