House

I really think that I'm going to start writing on here quite often now.

I decided to kind of stop writing in an actual journal for a while. Pretty much because, since its a bit more personal, I kind of used my journal as like a venting tool instead of going to God about a problem. Then I noticed that writing something down actually makes you dwell on something.. sometimes a bit more than need be. I'm not sure when I'll start writing in it again, but for now, I'll just use this blog as.. well.. whatever.

But in the meantime, because I've stopped writing in my journal, I've actually spent more time with God. By both reading my bible and praying. Here's the interesting thing about this, for however long I can remember, I would either just read my bible regularly, or pray regularly.. So... if I read my bible, I would have a challenge remembering to pray or something.. then the same with praying. But I find myself doing both.. and boy.. they definitely go hand in hand. I've definitely had a very clear thought process over the past week. So many things that God has revealed to me.

But over the weekend, God has definitely revealed a different approach to the importance of keeping His house in order. The bible mentions repetitively about things concerning the kingdom of God. He specifies that we are His kingdom: Our body is the temple of God. 1Cor. 3:16-17 in the MSG bible says: You realize, don't you, that you are the temple of God, and God himself is present in you? No one will get by with vandalizing God's temple, you can be sure of that. God's temple is sacred—and you, remember, are the temple. If you read through different stories in the Bible, you will come across the popular event of Jesus tossing over tables in the temple. Not a lot of things really affected Jesus. But when He got to the temple. Do you recall how he reacted? He was furious and very hurt because the house of God was being defiled. No one at that moment, like 1 Corinthians states, got away with doing that Its like, if you think about it in our modern terms, any tampering with the house of God, is His pet peeve. A MAJOR no-no. So if we are the kingdom of God, and we defile His temple in any way (to ourselves, or others), how is that going to affect us? We won't get away with it for sure.

God has given people authority positions over/in His kingdom. For example, family. He gives the man (father), complete charge, dominion, and responsibility over his family. The male leader.. well High Priest, has FULL responsibility of anything and EVERYTHING that comes in and out of his house. If a man has 3 kids and in some way one of them went to hell, God hold HIM responsible. But at the same time, if there are people who aren't even his children living in his home, he is still held responsible for what they do.

Then this is kind of similar to the instructions given to appointed ministers, well... actually it can apply to all of us because God has given all of us instructions to preach the gospel to everyone as well as being of help to His church in any way. Paul says in 1 Timothy 3 that "If anyone wants to provide leadership in the church, good! But there are preconditions: A leader must be well-thought-of, committed to his wife, cool and collected, accessible, and hospitable. He must know what he's talking about, not be overfond of wine, not pushy but gentle, not thin-skinned, not money-hungry. He must handle his own affairs well, attentive to his own children and having their respect. For if someone is unable to handle his own affairs, how can he take care of God's church? He must not be a new believer, lest the position go to his head and the Devil trip him up. Outsiders must think well of him, or else the Devil will figure out a way to lure him into his trap." Later on Paul clarifies that those who serve in the church in any way should follow under these same guidelines.

Its something to think and chew on.. keeping the House of God in order is of necessity...