Bible Questions Answered:
“Pastor I don't see where you might have addressed politics in the church. We had a Republican speaker in our church, but I was thinking if we really a people of truth, shouldn't we also have a representative of the Democratic party as well. What do you think?”
Edward/ Boston, Massachusetts U.S.A.
Bible Answer:
Bible Text:
Mark 11:15-18 NLT
15 When they arrived back in Jerusalem, Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out the people buying and selling animals for sacrifices. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves,
16 and He stopped everyone from using the Temple as a marketplace.
17 He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a House of Prayer for all nations,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves.”
18 When the leading priests and teachers of religious law heard what Jesus had done, they began planning how to kill Him. But they were afraid of Him because the people were so amazed at His teaching.
Oh, how, indeed, the mighty have fallen!
Pastors, there is coming a day soon, when you will stand before the Lord, the Husband of the church, and give an account.
James 3:1 KJV
My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.
When a powerless church finds it needs something to keep the attention of its people, such as rock music, interpretative dancing, talent hour, great orchestral manifestations, politicians or anyone else with given agendas, God help us!
Jesus Christ said it Himself, “My Temple will be called a House of Prayer for all nations,” which of the above fit that category? Answer, none, and these list only a few of the factions that exhaust the church of Jesus Christ of her strength, and blessing.
Nehemiah 9:1-5 NLT (Be sure to read the whole chapter.)
1 On October 31 the people assembled again, and this time they fasted and dressed in burlap and sprinkled dust on their heads.
2 Those of Israelite descent separated themselves from all foreigners as they confessed their own sins and the sins of their ancestors.
3 They remained standing in place for three hours while the Book of the Law of the LORD their God was read aloud to them. Then for three more hours they confessed their sins and worshiped the LORD their God.
4 The Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Kenani—stood on the stairway of the Levites and cried out to the LORD their God with loud voices.
5 Then the leaders of the Levites—Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah—called out to the people: “Stand up and praise the LORD your God, for He lives from everlasting to everlasting!” Then they prayed: “May your glorious name be praised! May it be exalted above all blessing and praise!
Reading this story of Israel in true worship, and observing some cold lifeless churches today, is like comparing light to darkness, warmth to cold.
Revelation 3:16 KJV (Our Lord warned the church of Laodicea, saying...)
So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of My mouth.
Daniel 9:3 KJV (Godly Daniel)
And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:
Joel 2:12 KJV
Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:
I Thessalonians 5:6 KJV
Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober (alert).
I Peter 4:7 KJV
But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.
I Peter 5:8 KJV
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
Ephesians 5:16 KJV
Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
Nehemiah 8:4-6 NLT
4 Ezra the scribe stood on a high wooden platform that had been made for the occasion. To his right stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah. To his left stood Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam.
5 Ezra stood on the platform in full view of all the people. When they saw him open the book, they all rose to their feet.
6 Then Ezra praised the LORD, the great God, and all the people chanted, “Amen! Amen!” as they lifted their hands. Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.
No, these were not Muslims at prayer, they were the people of God, Israel.
Sounds like the church today..............................................................................where?
Friends we have lost the glory and the presence of Almighty God.
Don't think so?
I Kings 8:10-14 KJV (Solomon dedicates the temple to the Lord.)
10 And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD,
11 So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the House of the LORD.
12 Then spake Solomon, The LORD said that he would dwell in the thick darkness.
13 I have surely built thee an house to dwell in, a settled place for thee to abide in for ever.
14 And the king turned his face about, and blessed all the congregation of Israel: (and all the congregation of Israel stood;
II Chronicles 5:11-14 KJV
11 And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place: (for all the priests that were present were sanctified, and did not then wait by course:
12 Also the Levites which were the singers, all of them of Asaph, of Heman, of Jeduthun, with their sons and their brethren, being arrayed in white linen, having cymbals and psalteries and harps, stood at the east end of the altar, and with them an hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets:
13 It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of musick, and praised the LORD, saying, For He is good; for His mercy endureth for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the LORD;
14 So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of God.
Could the church of the Lord Jesus Christ, in this late, late hour see what Ezra and Solomon saw?
II Chronicles 7:14-22 KJV
14 If My people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
15 Now Mine eyes shall be open, and Mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.
16 For now have I chosen and sanctified this house, that My name may be there for ever: and Mine eyes and Mine heart shall be there perpetually.
17 And as for thee, if thou wilt walk before Me, as David thy father walked, and do according to all that I have commanded thee, and shalt observe My statutes and My judgments;
18 Then will I stablish the throne of thy kingdom, according as I have covenanted with David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man to be ruler in Israel.
19 But if ye turn away, and forsake My statutes and My commandments, which I have set before you, and shall go and serve other gods, and worship them;
20 Then will I pluck them up by the roots out of My land which I have given them; and this house, which I have sanctified for My name, will I cast out of My sight, and will make it to be a proverb and a byword among all nations.
21 And this house, which is high, shall be an astonishment to every one that passeth by it; so that he shall say, Why hath the LORD done thus unto this land, and unto this house?
22 And it shall be answered, Because they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold on other gods, and worshipped them, and served them: therefore hath He brought all this evil upon them.
Salvation Prayer
