• Proverbs 15:22 Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed.
• Isaiah 47:13 You are wearied with your many counsels; let them stand forth and save you, those who divide the heavens, who gaze at the stars, who at the new moons make known what shall come upon you.

My intention is not to do a bible study. This is not the right format for doing a bible study.

My perspective comes from a very damaged place. My experience might be worse than yours or heaven forbid, your life might have been harder. The intention here is to encourage new believers that there is a better way to live. What I did for myself is not the only way, just how I handled my problems.

I do not know what your needs are, God does. Believing in Him, trusting Him, and making decisions for yourself means you do not have to follow my roadmap. We come from a different place but are trying to find our way to the same goal. What I want for myself has changed as I have changed. It is very possible that the same can happen to others.

What do you want? At this moment in your life you may have a clear idea of what that is for now. Circumstances often change our focus on what is important and where our priorities lie. Back in 1965 I had no idea I would be where I am today. My wife of 37 years died in 2005. In my search for God’s will in my life it took nearly a year of signs and wonders to discover His will was for me to be married again to His choice for me.

That is my story, not yours.

My hope in bringing these last few posts into play is that someone might benefit from my witness and discover their own path to their journey with Jesus. We come from different places and sometimes our paths cross. Sometimes we walk the same path because God’s will makes that a necessary part of our lives in Christ.

Just remember this if you can. What you want isn’t always what you need. This is why I began this post with Proverbs 15:22. There are many people out there ready to help. Chose those who have your best interest at heart. That is what love does.

• Daniel 10:19 And he said, “O man greatly loved, fear not, peace be with you; be strong and of good courage.” And as he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.”
• John 13:34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.
• John 15:9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.

After making an accusation yesterday that many of my previous preachers and teachers got it wrong about the events surrounding the selling of sacrifices in the temple, I thought it best to investigate my own assertions. Here are the results

Numbers 15 English Standard Version

Laws About Sacrifices

1 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you come into the land you are to inhabit, which I am giving you, 3 and you offer to the Lord from the herd or from the flock a food offering or a burnt offering or a sacrifice, to fulfill a vow or as a freewill offering or at your appointed feasts, to make a pleasing aroma to the Lord,

14 And if a stranger is sojourning with you, or anyone is living permanently among you, and he wishes to offer a food offering, with a pleasing aroma to the Lord, he shall do as you do. 15 For the assembly, there shall be one statute for you and for the stranger who sojourns with you, a statute forever throughout your generations. You and the sojourner shall be alike before the Lord. 16 One law and one rule shall be for you and for the stranger who sojourns with you.”

Obviously God wanted everyone to worship Him no matter their lineage. He ordered that all should be treated alike. God’s love is universal. (my opinion)

The next comments are taken from the records of the great Hebrew historian Josephus.

But in Herod’s temple there was such hatred of the gentiles that they were not allowed into the inner court. Jesus saw the signs –  as did many of the early Christians. Stone blocks mounted on the wall that divided the “Court of the Gentiles” from the inner courts, where only Jews were allowed to enter, proclaimed in Greek: “No foreigner may enter … the sanctuary and the enclosure. Whoever is caught, on himself shall he put blame for the death which will ensue.”

The text of these warning signs was preserved by the ancient Jewish historian Josephus, and two of the actual signs still survive today in museums in Jerusalem and in Istanbul – so there is no doubt about what they said or the threatened punishment for any foreigner who attempted to enter the temple. (End of quote)

When we focus on words like den of thieves we might think about money and corruption and let our teachings be slanted in that direction. Human nature says corruption was likely and I am not saying that is not a possibility. I am saying that corruption isn’t a godly character. If we are to see what God is doing in the scriptures then we should not focus on the nature of man which is corrupt. We were all corrupt at one time and looking back keeps us from looking forward.