“It is written, he said to them, My house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of robbers.” Matthew 21:13
During the time of a feast, the people were buying and selling in the temple courts. They were doing these things at high prices, robbing the people. Jesus goes in and makes a mess and tells them they had turned God’s house into a den of robbers. He quoted from Isaiah 56:7.
Some churches will take this verse and ban any type of selling in the church. This will even include fundraising for any ministries. I will not try to argue for or against fund-raising using this verse.
Often, however, in churches you will see the church as a den of robbers. Many people in the church will rob others of joy by placing great burdens on them. They will require certain dress codes, a long list of things to do and not do, and demands on ministry.
Others will rob the people by taking excessive amounts of money and not being wise stewards with it. Raising money for a ministry is not a sin. It is a sin to take that money and not use it properly or wisely.
People in churches will also rob God in the church. During the time of worship they are thinking about a situation at home or work, or what they will do after church service. During the service God should be the focus.
Be careful in how you act and what you say. What you say or do can rob others of what God has given them, or it could rob God of what is His.
Today, you are the temple of God. God’s temple should be a house of prayer. Do not allow God’s temple become a den of robbers. Do not rob others or God. Give all praise, prayer and worship to God. Build others up in the Lord Jesus Christ, not man-made rules.
I pray today that God will help you to focus on Him; that you will worship God at all times; that you will build up others in Jesus; that you will be a house of prayer to God; and that God will use you to build His kingdom.
Leave a Reply