"A Place For The LORD"

"Until I find out a place for the LORD, a habitation for the mighty God of Jacob." (Psalms 132:5)

  Until we can seriously make Jesus the Lord of our lives, the rest we are looking for is not going to be felt; we are going to struggle with each and every single area of our life, until we can actually give Him all of it! I remember something that my mom would talk about, how she believed that Jesus did actually sin, because He lost his temper and drove out the money changers from the Temple. I truly believe that she received that belief from the J.W.'s, from her time spent fellowshipping with them; because you cannot even come close to that understanding by just reading the Bible on it's own. To help make that point, there are so many verses in the Bible that clearly say: "He that knew no sin, was made sin," but the problem is that there are many cults and groups that do not accept the deity of Jesus Christ. This is a pretty good example of the passion of the Lord to not only clean out the Temple, but that the Temple would be place for the people to be made clean. No, I am not saying that the actual place can make us clean; this is about Sanctification, which means that there is reverence and respect for the place where God is given habitation. I say that with all seriousness, because it is up to us to open up our hearts and give Him the place and space to inhabit it; to clean out all the stuff that is offensive and displeasing, not only to Him, but to the power of the Gospel message. The message that Pastor Rick spoke on last Sunday was a good example of what I am talking about; that the place where restoration though Christ is found, it is not found in any particular place: It is found in Christ, and in Christ alone! The power of the Gospel message is that of His Church, that which is His Body! Each and everyone of us that are His, we are all part of His Body; a Body of believers that have something in common with one another, and each and every one of us must watch out for and show concern for the other. I was listening to a little bit of a message from Pastor Jon yesterday, as he was speaking about Paul's letter to Philippi. He said over and over, with the congregation repeating him, "Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice." Then he went on to talk about the 'What Comes Next,' part of that process. I am so guilty of letting the world rob me of my joy, not day in and day out, but more like, minute by minute! It never ceases to amaze me, how that I can have so much joy in my heart one minute, but then let the most ridiculous thing ever, simply take that joy away...

"Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds though Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of a good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." (Philippians 4:5-8)