Tag: Mark

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House of Prayer vs Den of Thieves

Matthew 21:1-17
Focus verse 13
(same story in Luke 19:45-48 and Mark 11:17)

Initial

The Temple of God is meant to be a “House of Prayer”

  • A place to come to God
  • A place of teaching, and therefore a place to learn
  • A place of healing (body, mind, soul)
  • A place to give praise to God
  • Humilty
  • Meekness
  • Compassion
  • a desire to learn
  • with reverence, respect (understanding our frailty)
  • light
  • quiet
  • private

Being described as a “Den of Thieves” removes the glory we are meant to give to God, and the temple becomes a place of convenience, an extension of our natural life, removing the opportunity of spiritual growth and the ability to focus on God.

Thinking of a “Den of Thieves”

  • To rob, steal, collude
  • be a reprobate
  • steal from each other
  • steal from God (time, praise, effort)
  • Darkness
  • Rowdy
  • Secretive
  • with Attitude (own thoughts/thinking)

When we look in the scriptures to see an example of approaching the Lord
Luke 18:9-14 – Pharisee vs Publican

Ecclesiastes 7:4
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.

An example of HoP vs DoT

Scriptures that Jesus used

House of Prayer

Isaiah 56:7

Chapter 55 and 56 further expand on the point that Jesus Christ is trying to illustrate.

  • 55:1 Those that trust …
  • 55:3 Incline your ear …
  • 55:6 Seek the Lord …
  • 55:7 Forsake unrighteousness …
  • 55:8-9 God is above, His thoughts are higher
  • 56:1 Righteousness to be revelaed
  • 56:2 Blessing in doing
  • 56:7 House of Prayer, for all people

Den of thieves

Jeremiah 7:11

The whole chapter is a reminder of the blessing of God, and a warning for those that walk in there own ways

  • v11 the Lord sees what happens and asks the question of us
  • v13 called and answered not
  • v15 cast out
  • v16 will not hear

Whats next?

So how do we pray? When Jesus gave his sermon on the mount, he gave direction of the way we should approach prayer.

Matthew 6:5-13 (Example of prayer)
Matthew 6:19-24 (Don’t follow the thieves example)

Perfected Praise

Matthew 21:15-16

Once again Jesus Christ refers to another scripture to give an answer and direction.

Psalms 8:1-9

King David is showing admiration of God, recognising the small unworthy stature that mankind has. So when Jesus refers to this scripture, he not only declares that the simplicity of a child’s praise, but he also reminds those that life themselves up of the minute stature they really have.

1 Corinthians 1:27-29
But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
That no flesh should glory in his presence.

Supporting Scriptures

Matthew 10:34
Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.

Luke 12:40
Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.

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The Last 10 Days

Find some recent events that highlight attributes in the world and more specifically thats points to the near return of Jesus Christ.

Mark 13:28-29
28. Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near:
29. So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors.

Luke 21:9-11
9. But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by.
10. Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:
11. And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.

2 Timothy 3:1-5
1. This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3. Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4. Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5. Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

2 Peter 3:2-4
2. That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:
3. Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
4. And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.

2 Peter 3:9-10
9. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
10. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

Luke 17:26-30 (also Matthew 24:36-39)
26. And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.
27. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.
28. Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;
29. But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.
30. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.

Luke 21:25-30
25. And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;
26. Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
27. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
28. And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
29. And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees;
30. When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.

Matthew 24:6-13
6. And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
7. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
8. All these are the beginning of sorrows.
9. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.
10. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
11. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
12. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
13. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

Mark 7:20-23
20. And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.
21. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
22. Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:
23. All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.

Acts 28:26-27
26. Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive:
27. For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

Ecclesiastes 8:11-13
11. Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.
12. Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him:
13. But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow; because he feareth not before God.

Proverbs 12:20
20. Deceit is in the heart of them that imagine evil: but to the counsellors of peace is joy.

Ezekiel 11:21
21. But as for them whose heart walketh after the heart of their detestable things and their abominations, I will recompense their way upon their own heads, saith the Lord GOD.

Ephesians 5:16
16. Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

1 Thessalonians 5:1-6
1. But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
2. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
3. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
4. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
5. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
6. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.

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Still Small Voice

Elijah on the mountain:

1 Kings 19

  • Wind
  • Earthquake
  • Fire
  • distracted from the still small voice (maybe it was always there, but we weren’t listening)
  • Still Small Voice (expounded from the Hebrew
    • a whisper
    • thin, small, fine
    • sound, voice

God has it covered; peacefully, reassuringly.

Remove ourselves from the drama. Stop – be still and listen.

Psalms 4:4
Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.

Psalms 46:10
Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

Mark 4:39-40
39. And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
40. And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?

Tree of knowledge of Good and Evil (Genesis)

Genesis 3: 1-7
1. Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
2. And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
3. But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
4. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
5. For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
6. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
7. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons

Desire to know everything

Human Beings have a desire to know everything. Technology these days has enabled us to be able to get any knowledge at our fingertips whenever we want. We want to know details as soon as they are found out. If we know something that someone else doesn’t we are one better, we have a leg up. The competitive edge! (Cain & Abel)

There is not just knowing the information, but also knowing every single aspect of it.  And despite that, it doesn’t matter because the other person has the wrong opinion anyway !! So it’s not just a battle of information, but opinions  about that information and how persuasive it is or how you can make it!!

All this points to is our lack of being content. It is never enough. We are never satisfied. Our desire for more is insatiable, because when we speak of something new we becoming “popular” and gain attention for the individual.

1 Timothy 6:6
But godliness with contentment is great gain.

John 3:30
He must increase, but I must decrease.

Extremely appealing, but by allowing it (distractions, useless noise & information) into our lives we also become distracted.

So we are consumed by “information” that we have no need for. Knowledge where its main purpose is just to fill our mind. Self satisfying news that serves to push out any useful understanding like “How to live forever!”.

Daniel 12:4
But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.

Competing for our attention

With all the information feeding our thirst for knowledge, our attention gets drawn in this way and that way. Competing and grading for our every second of consumption. And if we allow it to, it pushes out the knowledge of God and so WE can fix everything ourselves with OUR own knowledge.

Romans 1:28
And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

What is happening in our life?

Elijah had a series of good runs. These periods of incredible boldness and being used to demonstrate the power and authority of God … but through all this it appears as though he had a thought in his mind that he was “the only one” (that was doing good, being used by good, going through this situation, etc etc) and there came this moment in his life where he was challenged and fear took over. And the result – he ran.

Maybe we can relate to this. Maybe we feel like we are alone and all we are feeling, seeing and experiencing is:
– The wind shaking the world around us
– Earthquakes trying to knock us off our feet
– And fire consuming everything we see

But none of these are God!

The Wind
  • Fierce strong winds can be incredibly damaging flattening buildings & trees, destroys crops
  • Makes it hard to walk and if (as in this case) it starts to moves rocks, it’s not only the wind that causes us difficulty, but the effects of that wind that we have to watch out for.
  • Once again, a light breeze can be hugely beneficial, by moving on bad weather, drying clothes, cools a hot day – but it’s a fine line.
The earthquakes
  • The things we thought were solid and unmovable
  • The noise and fear
  • The damage to things and people and daily life
The Fire
  • Looks spectacular from a distance but when you get to close it burns
  • In a small contained controlled environment it be hugely beneficial (heat, cooking) but that gives a sense of comfort and peace
  • A large fire is out of control, erratic

Maybe God is trying to speak to us, guide us, direct us, but because it’s doing it in such a quiet fashion we miss it over the glamour and glitz of us knowing everything?

… a still small voice …

I’m sure our first response is “well can’t God speak up?!” (aka Show us a sign and it suffices us – Matthew 12:38) but to seek out an answer (to pray) from God, requires us to remove the noise and allow our heart to truly seek Him out.

Matthew 6:6
But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

Thought:
Saul being made blind when Jesus spoke to him

Maybe part of the blindness was so that he became acutely aware of the voice of God. That it removed his default senses to allow him to actually hear ...

Job 22:21
Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.

Psalm 55:16-18
16. As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me.
17. Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.
18. He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me: for there were many with me.

1 Samuel 1:17
Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him.
(to Hannah asking God for a son – Samuel)

Jeremiah 29:11-13
11. For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
12. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.
13. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

Isaiah 26:3-4
3. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
4. Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:

Isaiah 54:10
For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee.

James 3:17
But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

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The Holy Spirit

The ONLY way to receive the Holy Spirit, is to ‘speak in other tongues.’

Isaiah 28:11-12
11 For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
12 To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.

Zephaniah 3:9
9 For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent.

Mark 16:17
17  And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;

Acts 2
1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
WHOLE CHAPTER APPLIES

Acts 8
26 And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.
27 And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship,
28 Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet.
29 Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.
30 And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?
31 And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.
32 The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth:
33 In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.
34 And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?
35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
WHOLE CHAPTER APPLIES

Acts 10
44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.
45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.
46 For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,
47 Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?
48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.
WHOLE CHAPTER APPLIES

Acts19
2 He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.
3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism.
4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.
WHOLE CHAPTER APPLIES

1 Corinthians 12
11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
WHOLE CHAPTER APPLIES

1 Corinthians 13
1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
WHOLE CHAPTER APPLIES

1 Corinthians 14
2 For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.
WHOLE CHAPTER APPLIES

Romans 8:9-11
9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
WHOLE CHAPTER APPLIES

Ephesians 1:11-14
11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Ephesians 4:29-30
29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

2 Timothy 1:7
7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Galatians 5:22-23
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Galatians 5:25
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

John 14:26
26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

Matthew 21:22
22  And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

James 4:5

James 4:5 (AMP)
5 Or do you suppose that the Scripture is speaking to no purpose that says, The Spirit Whom He has caused to dwell in us yearns over us and He yearns for the Spirit [to be welcome] with a jealous love?

2 Corinthians 9:7-8
7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

Jeremiah 29:11
11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.