Scripture March Madness: Day 4

There are many reasons to say thank you.  

REJOICE! God is with us always so don't worry.  Give thanks , follow Jesus' example, and help others.

"Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses ALL understanding, will guard your heart and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Philippians 4:6-7

    Imagine never worrying about anything!  It seems like an impossibility; we all have worries on the job, in our homes, at school.  But Paul's advice is to turn our worries into prayers.  Do you want to worry less?  Then pray more! Whenever you start to worry, stop and pray.

    God's peace is different from the world's peace.  True peace is not found in positive thinking, absence of conflict, or in good feelings.  It comes from knowing that God is in control.  Our citizenship in Christ's Kingdom is sure, our destiny is set, and we can have victory over sin.  Let God's peace guard your heart against anxiety.

Related:

John 14:27

Colossians 3:15

  

JESUS CLEANSES the TEMPLE

19th Day of Lent:  The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went to Jerusalem.  In the temple, he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves and money changers seated at their tables.  Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle.  He also poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables.  He told those who were selling doves, "Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father's house a marketplace!"  

His disciples remembered that it was written: Zeal for your house will consume me.

The Jews then said to him, "What sign can you show us for doing this?"

Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up."

The Jews said, "This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and will you raise it up in three days?"

But he was speaking of the temple of his body.  After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered he had said this; and they believed the scripture and the word Jesus had spoken.

John 2:13-22

    The outer court of the temple, accessible to non-Jews, encompassed a huge area the size of ten football fields.  Some business there was legitimate:  Out-of-town pilgrims needed a way to obtain sacrificial animals and to change money into local currency.  Jesus was obviously angry at the merchants who exploited those who had come to God's house to worship.  There is a difference between uncontrolled rage and righteous indignation - yet both are called anger.  We must be very careful how we use the powerful emotion of anger.  It is right to be angry about injustice and sin; it is wrong to be angry over trivial personal offenses.