Bible Reading: Deuteronomy 5,6,7; Mark 11:1-17.
“And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves” Mark 11:17 (KJV).
In the days of Christ on earth it was physical buying and selling activities so He could physically pursue the usurpers who turned God’s house into avenue for buying and selling. We were not told that they were thieves but Christ called them so. Christ knows that in every market gathering stealing and thievery are associated activities. What has become of the church – the Body of Christ, the gathering of believers to pray and praised God? What has the church metamorphose into? House of prayers or den of thieves? A place where 419ers, cocaine peddlers go for prayers to succeed in their illicit business, is it a house of prayer or a den of thieves? In recent times How many pastors have been convicted of fraud in the church. That is to mention but the few that came to the public domain. How about the ones that was handled without publicity? More in number are those yet to be caught.
Societal deviants have crept into the church having found it to be a veritable environment to practice their trade – stealing. Worshippers handbags , phones and valuables are being stolen right in the Church. Activities of thievery are thriving in the church because the church has lost its prayer fire. In an environment where intense and vigorous prayer is taking place, the atmosphere will be too charged for criminals to operate. So much dilution is creating an enabling environment for miscreants to operate in the house of God.
The dressing pattern, attitude and behaviour have become so worldly that you cannot differentiate a Christian from an unbeliever. There is mix multitude in the church and as we continue to copy worldly activities these miscreants feel comfortable and at home to launch their arsenal of criminal activities. Persons that are not genuinely born again are ordained as pastors and when they are placed in position of finance their true colour appears. What of a pastor who is supervising a church project asking members to offer bribe before they are given supply contract? In the present state of the Church what can we say the church has become? A house of prayer or a den of thieves?
Jesus is coming back to take with Him a church without wrinkles. The bible stated clearly that the end time move will be likened to a net. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into the vessel, but cast the bad away” Matthew 13:47-48 (KJV). A proper and dispassionate examination of the church today calls for some concerted prayers among believers for God to birth the end time revival that will separate the sheep from the goats. A revival that will produce fire that will consume the chaff for the seed to emerge. It is time for us to put on our true salt identity. The need to travail in prayer is urgent. It is time to rise and hold on to and stand firmly with the word of Christ in Matthew 16:18b (KJV), ”…. and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” It is time for us to answer to the clarion call, “But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation. Because it is written, be ye holy; for I am holy” 1 Peter 1:15-16 (KJV). Again it says in 2 Corinthians 6:17 (KJV), “Wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,” In 1 Peter: 17 the bible admonish us to pass the time of our sojourning here in fear.
Prayer: Father, give me the grace to work out my salvation with fear and trembling.
Bro. Joel Ezeugo