A HOUSE OF PRAYER 2

 

A HOUSE OF PRAYER 2

Matt. 21:13 He said, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a place of prayer,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves!” NLT

We notice first of all, that Jesus referred to the Scriptures. Isn’t that what we should be doing, standing on the authority of God’s Word? Ours should not be to debate it, but to live by it. God says what He means and means what He says. Do we believe the Scriptures well enough to stand on what it says?

The Scriptures determine what God’s house is. God’s house is a place of prayer. We must ask ourselves then, “How much praying really goes on in the church we attend?” Is the praying we do limited to a couple of minutes during our worship services? Do we actually invite people to come to an altar of prayer to pray? Is prayer vital to the life of our church? Do we pray out of hearts of love for God, or is it a duty we feel compelled to do? Do we really believe that our prayers make a difference?

The Scriptures make it very clear what God’s house is not. It is not a place of commerce. It is not a place where people get rich. It is not a place where people exploit others. It is not a place where self-righteousness flourishes. It is not a place where people puff themselves up and tear others down.

When we get our eyes off of Christ as the head of the church, we develop all kind of practices the Lord despises. When we let things become a part of church life that keep people from exalting and worshiping Christ in the church, we are stirring up the anger of God against the church. When we let prayer lose its prominence in the church, we are stripping the church of its power and reason for being. When prayer becomes an afterthought in the church and our lives, we no longer can be a people pleasing in God’s sight.

Pray for the restoration of prayer in the church. II Chron. 7:14