Friday, March 25, 2011

"Money Changers"

"And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves." Matthew 21:13

Most churches have lots of programs, entertainment, fellowships, social gatherings, music concerts, counseling sessions and so on, but the main thing that Jesus said that His church/house was to be is rarely found in it. The only time He ever defined the purpose of His house He called it a "house of prayer". So I wonder, "Why isn't there prayer in His house?". Some churches have no prayer time and others have very little. A thirty minute prayer meeting once a week or month equates to no prayer at all. Where are the prayer meetings? Where are the all night prayer vigils? Where is the prayer time around the altar? Prayer is the engine that runs it all. Prayer is the communication lines to the Head of the church- Jesus. In prayer is where the will of God and His direction is discovered. A church without prayer becomes a place for the money changers to set up business.

The money changers represent many things: dead religious practice, greed, compromise, insincere worship, fleshy work, etc. When a church does not pray, the "money changers" come in and "set up business". At that point it ceases to be about the One whose House it is and becomes about self and promoting our "business" instead of "His business".

Let me put this on a more personal level. The Bible says that every born again believer becomes the dwelling place of God- His temple, His house. So the result of prayerlessness that we are talking about in the physical church can take place in the "spiritual" church as well. (Just because you pray a quick prayer when you are in trouble, or spend ten minutes in prayer a day, does not constitute a prayer life.) If your life is prayer-less then the money changers will come in and set up "business" in your life. Without prayer you become selfish, greedy, compromising, offering up insincere worship, no praise comes from your lips, the joy is gone, the peace isn't there, confusion enters in and you are reduced to living by the dictates and desires of your own flesh.

When Jesus entered the temple, He drove the money changers out. It is time for you to start driving them out too. He gave us the answer as to how to do that--- "My house shall be called the house of prayer". Start praying again. Start setting aside time for prayer. Set up a prayer altar in your life. Go into your prayer closet. Make your life a "house of prayer" again.

Have a great day. Prayerlessness opens the door for the money changers to set up business.

For further reading:
Matthew 21:12,13; 6:5,6
Mark 11:15-17
1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19

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Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell
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