I've been giving God my third, fourth, even fifth best.

And I just wrote my edit (on the latest post) about this issue. Your post is perfectly timed for me...

"We read of how Jesus cleansed the temple and threw out the moneychangers and all who were dishonoring the temple. This teaches us that God wants us to have respect for His house. Do we treat our church with respect? Yes. It is just a building, but it is the place we come to for worshiping God together."

buildings are fine, but we are the body, the temple of God, do we respect each other, or do we betray and berate? i could open up a cutlery store with the knives i've had to remove from my back, and i've seen it done to other people as well. it's well and good to say we must forgive,(i've had this demanded of me many times as well), and true we should, but should we also not rebuke those who do evil? should we not be taught to stay our hands(voices) from violence against one another(i speak specificly of verbal, emotional, spiritual violence.)? why is the answer i always get no? why do people condemn me as a violent man, when all i do is stand up for those who are being attacked?

I'm afraid we often give God the left-overs... left-over time, left-over energy, left-over money... whatever's left, well, here you go, God... but He deserves our very BEST. Thanks for inspiring us... yet again.

The beauty and mystery of God in Christ is so profound. God, whom the Bible says is a Spirit, with no flesh and bones, needed a way to come and redeem fallen humanity... and so, His Holy Spirit overshadowed Mary and she miraculously conceived and the angel told her, that which is in you shall "be called the son of God," or as one version says, "the flesh of God." That gives me goose-bumps just thinking about it. God in flesh. God with us. God in Christ. Wow!

@ionekoa - 

@ionekoa - I messaged you. Thanks for your comment.

@EyeHatePeas - i understand what you are saying. and i have a problem with it. not in the sense that i think you shouldnt say it, or that i wholeheartedly dissagree, but in the sense that i struggle with hatred and violence. pre-Christ, they were my most valuable tools in keeping safe.

physically, i have not acted violently in years, verbally, i can not say the same. as for hatred, well, thats a deep root, isnt it?

and it is fed when i see "christians" who profess to love, God, profess to love and value people, being the aggressors. ironicly at times mocking peoples convictions(how can a christian mock a christian for being a christian?). 

and i will admit, regarding the violence, there are times i believe it is warranted(the Bible says there is a time for everything, including killing) such a time in my view is the instance of the trafficking of people for the purposes of sexual slavery. i am doubly frustrated that there are Christians out there who would show more grace to an unrepentant murdering rapist who mocks God, than to one who seeks to protect the victims and potential victims of such a person. though i shouldnt think about it at this time, it only serves to frustrate and anger me more.

You just want to make me think don't you?! I'm not sure I CANyet this morning... ugh.

Thanks Doll for giving me a little food for thought.

@ionekoa - 

The Bible teaches so many wonderful things, I really can't pick just one without really getting into it. But, thanks so much for the wonderful insite you shared! And. ...Hey friend...that is one of my favorite water colors, I own an ink print...as if you don't know, but it's by Jean-Honoré Fragonard it's called (very imaginatively) "Young Girl Reading".

The life of Jesus tells me that God is willing to come to the place I am to bring me out of the mess in my life. He is a patient God and he does see the heart and its need.

I know this because of how Jesus related to people, just look at the many kind of disciples he chose, everything from a physician to a fisherman. He loved to go to people and places that others have given up on, I know this because I see him going to the woman at the well, and the woman who was taken in the throws of adultery, he ate with tax collectors. All these he restored. 

I also know that God sees the physical needs in our lives, Jesus went to those hurting in spirit as well as body. He knew he could reach them best after he met their physical need. Be that food, or healing for blind eyes, crippled legs or diseased skin, he always met every need.

My list could go on, if we read about who Jesus was and the way he did things, then we also know the Father.

BTW: that print you put up is one that my Grandmother gave me. She kept it for many years next to her bed and now its by mine!  

@firefighterswife - Preach it, Sistah!   That is a nice picture, isn't it? I found it on Google Image.

@tkperito - I like your comments! MSG stands for The Message. It is a modern paraphrase version. Although it isn't really a good study Bible, every now and then I like it's fresh approach to a scripture I have heard many times. Blessings!

"We learn that when God does anything, He does it with excellence."

soooo, he even made Spazzzz with excellance??   

Compassion and forgiveness... that is something I am dealing with now.

Max (our dog) is barking in his sleep as I type this. It is so funny.

Please continue to keep our daughter Ashley in your prayers. It got worse this week.

Love ya, Tracy

@ionekoa - I have read your words with great interest and compassion.  I just want to remind you that we do not have to battle against flesh and blood.  I will be praying today for your peace. 

"The just shall live by faith."

@jillcarmel - I know what you mean! I heard a story about a little boy who was scared of a bad thunder storm and wanted his mommy to sleep with him. She told him Jesus was with him, and he said, "But I want somebody with skin on 'em!"   That is why we have such a responsibility to love with the love of the Lord. We are sometimes all the Jesus people will ever meet. He can't hug us right now, but He can send one of His own to give us a hug. I pray you get a hug today, friend!

@DanishDoll - yes, that is so true