JESUS SPEAKS
Then He went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in it, saying to them, “It is written, ‘My house is a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves.“ (Luke 19: 45 – 46)
INSPIRED THOUGHTS
Although Jesus would soon put an end to temple worship, He expressed a zeal for maintaining the purity of God’s house. As pilgrims arrived for the Passover festival, they were required to bring animals to sacrifice. The religious leaders however, chose to corrupt this process by forcing travelers to purchase animals from them in the temple; at outrageous prices, thus enriching themselves at God’s expense. Jesus restored order and purity by chasing these evil men and their livestock out of the temple.
One night many years ago, the television I was watching landed on a supposedly Christian station. Without giving it much attention, I walked around the apartment as a wealthy preacher expressed the fundamentals of a prosperity doctrine; a doctrine which claims that God wants to bless His followers with wealth and riches beyond measure, but first they must give money to the preacher before their blessing can be realized (this is different than tithing.) These corrupt individuals often prey upon vulnerable populations, such as the elderly. What I heard next was horrifying. The man began to pray, expressing his confidence that God was speaking to those who were watching. According to him, God was telling listeners to give to his ministry even if they were poor and couldn’t afford to donate. He continued, saying something to this effect; “And even if you don’t have money to give, you should reach into your pocket and take out your credit card and use it to give right now.” I promptly changed the channel in disgust.
The world is full of hypocrisy, corruption, and thievery. Some will seek to exploit Christ’s name and His message for their own personal profit. When confronted with such evil behavior, we shouldn’t shrink or fade away. But instead, like Christ, we must stand up and openly profess the truth; making every effort to purify what has been corrupted by man. May we be a light in the darkness, and an example of God’s goodness to everyone we meet.
“Lord Heavenly Father, may we always be zealous for You. Guide us through the power of Your Holy Spirit, that we might expose corruption and evil whenever and wherever we encounter it. May we submit to You and obey what is good and right, as we seek to spread the gospel message to the entire world. We love You Father, we praise You, and we thank You, and we ask and pray all of these things, according to Your will, in Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.” God bless all of you!
