November 9, 2025
“Zeal for your house will consume me.”
Summary of the Gospel:
Jesus is fuming mad 😡 He makes a whip out of cords & he drives the gentiles with sheep & oxen out of the temple area. He spills the money changers coins & overturns their tables.
Jesus was/is mad for two reasons. The first reason was money changers were ripping off the people who were being forced to buy special certified animals at highly inflated prices. These greedy business people were making money off religious sacrifices. The second reason was by selling animals (right there at the temple), the people were making it easy and convenient so they could buy their way into good standing before God. But with God there are no shortcuts! We can’t buy our way into good standing! The point of the God-mandated animal sacrifices for the Jewish people (& Jesus’s sacrifice), was to cleanse people of their sins so they could be Holy, to worship (praise) God.
Mrs. Smith’s Testimony
World History proves the Jewish people had two earthly temples. The first one was built by Solomon and was absolutely breath taking but was destroyed by the Babylonians when the Israelites were taken into captivity. The second temple was built by the prophet Ezra in perfect timing for Jesus’s birth, death & resurrection. This is the temple where Jesus was mad and driving all the money changers out. This temple was destroyed about 40 years later in 70 AD when the Roman army burned Jerusalem but of course after Jesus’ life purpose was accomplished.
God’s/Jesus’ goal was never a physical temple! In Ephesians 3 Paul said God had revealed his plan from the beginning to him. God was weaving everyone’s unique personalities into a great plan (even our mistakes), to show his wisdom & creativity to all the heavenly authorities! All heavenly authorities? I don’t know if my mind can grasp this! Are these heavenly authorities on earth? Or in heaven now? Or the new heaven that Jesus is creating??? Obviously this is a great mystery but blows my mind!
Oprah has said as she was on the elevator up to her show in Chicago (because it was such a big responsibility), she would pray and say to God, “Use me.”
That is a great prayer! Wether we are aware of it (as Oprah was) or not God is using our bodies, unique personalities, passions and talents (even our mistakes) to show his wisdom and creativity to heavenly authorities! Surrendering to God’s plan for each of us is the most fulfilling way to go, even with the inevitable persecutions it brings. We were “Born This Way” to show His wisdom and creativity to authorities in heavenly places!!!!
Prayers for Our Children:
Our prayer for our children is they pray for God to use their bodies as their temples (minds, hearts & souls). We are praying that they don’t waste time on screens but they use their time wisely and get 8-10 hours of sleep at night, eat nutrient-rich foods and exercise. This way, they can be fully engaged (minds & hearts) in our family Bible study, at school, work and other extra-curricular activities based on their own unique personalities, talents, passions and interests to do whatever God has planned for them each day! You were all Born this Way!