What kind of passion burns inside you?

I do not mean to offend but...



You know the story of Jesus in the temple when He showed His righteous anger at what had been occurring in His Father's house-right? You find the story in John 2. In reviewing it I paused to reflect on our own churches. How many out there fit the "cookie-cutter-model"? You know...the same kind of congregation, maybe with the same required dress code, maybe even very similar types of worship styles to the same God on Sunday mornings but with a people so very different or should I say indifferent to each other? Judgemental? Legalistic? Maybe even controlling?

If Jesus walked into your church today...what would He see? What would He hear? What would He experience?


Mark Batterson in his book "In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy day" encourages Christians to live more foolishly and with a child-like faith. Has your "caution-alert" siren just gone off? Hang in there with me...



Sometimes being "foolish" in the worlds eyes is just the opposite in God's. Look at David when he danced over the return of the Ark of the Covenant to it's rightful place. His wife found him to be foolish, God called him a man after His own heart. What about Noah and that ark? People laughed at him and called him crazy-they later drowned. Or Sarah pregnant in her 90's? Imagine the talk. What about the wise men following a star, or a man hanging on a cross for the sin of others? All things the world would see as foolish but God sees as faith. "A childlike faith that believes in limitless possibilities" as pen by pastor Batterson. That's the kind of faith I want.

I know you have read and heard John 2:16&17 multiples times but read it in the New Living Translation:

Then, going over to the people who sold doves, he told them, “Get these things out of here. Stop turning my Father’s house into a marketplace!”
Then his disciples remembered this prophecy from the Scriptures: “Passion for God’s house will consume me.”

Yes. Powerful, deep words. For you see, God's house is not limited to the building we call church. God's house is each and every believer. We each represent a brick that builds His house. We each are vital to His kingdom work. We may claim a different faith denomination but we claim the same God. We may serve in different capacities but we are laborers for the completion of His house.


Do you want to see this project complete? I do and the only way it is going to happen is if we allow a passion for God's house to consume us. Then we follow His lead in His kingdom work. Serve. Minister. Introduce Jesus to others. Live foolishly out of a compassion for the one who hung on that cross and has given you more grace and mercy then you deserve.

Be passionate for God's house friend-foolishly passionate.

Jeremiah 23:18 (Holman Christian Standard Bible)

For who has stood in the council of the LORD to see and hear His word? Who has paid attention to His word and obeyed?

His Maidservant~Pamela


P.S.
I wrote this post last weekend and have been mauling over it all week. Then later in the week I came across a similar topic to what God laid on my heart here at "At the Well...In Pursuit of Titus 2". I encourage you to go visit if you have not been there already.