God Enabled Generosity

We are encouraged to be generous, to give freely to others, to share what we have. Yet do we consider that God gives us the ability to be generous? All that we have is given to us by the grace of God. In 1 Chronicles 29, David acknowledges this before God: “But who am I […]

Inner Beauty

As I was reading 1 Kings 6, I realized that so much of the inner beauty of the temple built by Solomon would be seen by only a handful of people. The elaborate carvings, cedar walls plated with gold, and cherubim statues were not built for show, but for God: It happened that when the […]

Faith Under Construction

I’ve been watching a new house being built down the street from us. Week by week, I could see the house take shape from the laying of the foundation to the walls and roof. It reminded me of our Christian walk as we grow in our faith in Christ Jesus. Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:8: […]

The Motives Behind Faith

What is your motivation for following Jesus? Is it for personal gain, or is it driven by devotion to Him? People can profess loyalty, a belief in Jesus, but their actions express something else. Jesus saw this played out in the temple. “And He found in the temple those who were selling oxen and sheep […]

Worried in a City of Fear

Son, why have You treated us this way? Behold, Your father and I have been anxiously looking for You.” And He said to them, “Why is it that you were looking for Me? Did you not know that I had to be in My Father’s house?” – Luke 2:47 (NASB) It had been years since […]

#WednesdayWalk — Leaping for Joy

I stood in awe as I watched my friend stand, then walk with the two men into the temple courts. I followed them, watching my formerly lame friend walking and jumping, and praising God. I was filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

Marketplace Faith

#WednesdayWalk
Suddenly I heard a snap like a whip. I turned to see a man approaching the tables. There was another crack of the whip and he started to overturn tables as he began to drive people out of the temple courts…

Building the Temple Within

2 Corinthians 6:16 reminds us that we are the temple of the living God. Building our lives as a temple is not a do-it-yourself project.

Seeking to Build a Dwelling Place for God

I want them to experience the joy of the Lord; to experience the peace that comes from the Spirit of God dwelling within. Yet like David, sometimes God tells me “no,” that someone else will build it and I will not see it in my lifetime.