1 Corinthians 6:19-20

John 2:19-21 records a question the Jews asked Jesus: “What sign do You show us as your authority for doing these things?” The “things” Jesus had done included driving sheep and oxen out of the temple, overturning the money changers tables, ordering them, “Stop making My Father’s house a place of business,” and in Matthew 21:13 chiding them, “My house shall be called a house of prayer; but you are making it a robbers’ den.” Jesus’ comment in John 2:19, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up,” wasn’t understood. The people didn’t know Jesus was talking about His body, the temple of God living among men.

There are two points Jesus is driving home. First, the stone temple wasn’t divine because of the rocks but rather because of God’s presence and it being a place of prayer. The stone temple no longer exists. Rather, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 explains that God lives among believers through His indwelling Holy Spirit. Every Christian houses the glory of God and is a temple of God, of prayer. What does that mean for us? First, it’s a reminder that Jesus drove from the temple things that weren’t supposed to be there. Likewise, He wants to purify us of anything that hinders God’s glory from shining in us.

Second, since we are temples of the Holy Spirit and a place of prayer, we’re to not only be pure, but we’re also to be prayerful. We’re to seek Christ’s will, intercede for others, and listen and obey God’s voice, as Jesus did when He tabernacled among men. 

Lord Jesus, thank You for being the TEMPLE of God, of glory, and prayer who lived among men. Cleanse me of anything that hinders Your glory from shining in me and me being a place of prayer.

Debbie talked about Jesus driving out the money changers from the temple in her teaching on John 2. Listen to her teaching on the subject HERE.

 

The other day as I was watching some deer out my window, I wondered how they knew which plants to eat and which to avoid because they’re poisonous. After some research, I discovered that instinct, experience, and training keeps them from eating harmful things. What about us? Are we discerning as deer about what we eat? I’m afraid too often I haven’t been. I’ve selected the chips instead of the apple, the fast food instead of fresh food. Does it make any difference to God? Yes. 1 Corinthians 6:19 tells us that the believer’s body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. If we haven’t been discerning as deer about we eat, we can ask Christ to fill us. We can pay attention when He prompts us, “Eat this. Don’t eat that.” To learn how to better discern Christ’s voice, get a copy of my study, Listen UP. Let’s move toward being discerning.

Prefer to listen to today’s UpLIFT?  A new UpLIFT Minute Podcast is available every Tuesday. Follow and subscribe on Podbean or Apple ITunes.

UPLIFT is a blog that focuses on ways we can please the Lord by living our lives before Him in an UPLIFTing way. We can:

• Wise UP and benefit by living according to His teachings.
• Lift UP our eyes to Him when we don't know what to do.
• Armor UP to be equipped to resist temptation.
• Stand UP for our convictions.

But, how about the everyday subject of how we're eating? Ouch! I don't like to talk much about this topic, but bear with me. In a day where food is genetically engineered and super-sized, isn't it important that we eat UP healthily as unto the Lord? After all, the Bible does discuss this. Whereas the word "love" occurs 348 times in the Bible, "eat" occurs 527 times.
Read more...