Be honest and trustworthy – Prayer for September 21. Praise the Lord everybody!
There’s a practice in the Church today that Jesus addressed when He overturned the tables of the money changers in the Temple. He didn’t like it then and doesn’t like it now. He wants us to be honest and trustworthy in everything we do.
Bible Verse for Today
When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple courts, he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” (John 2: 13-16)
Fundraising in the Church is one thing, but Jesus was upset because some in the Temple were trying to turn a profit by selling “merchandise” in the form of sacrifices to their fellow Jews who had come to worship.
In today’s Church, the “money changers” have quietly crept in from the outer courts into the sanctuary itself. You may be asking yourself, who are these “money changers”?
They are our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. It started about 20 years ago when the first ads began to show up on the church bulletin board describing this lifesaving drink that had healed many people. It was called “Noni juice,” and all you had to do to get your “body right” was go and see sister or brother “Smith.” They advertised their wares in the church bulletins and even on the backs of the Sunday Programs.
Since “Noni Juice,” the amount and variety of “merchandise” have grown by leaps and bounds. Many Christians have been approached by their fellow brothers and sisters in Christ about everything from vitamins to “Christian” car insurance.
All these things are designed to line the seller’s pockets and are offered to you as if God were using them to bless you. Some even came with “testimonies” from the seller.
God understands that some of us want to augment our salaries by selling Avon, Noni juice, and whatever merchandise is trending at the time. But what is not acceptable is selling things to other Christians, whether they need them or not, just to boost your sales and then adding insult to injury by telling them that “God put it in my spirit to offer this blessing to you.”
Don’t be the reason your sister or brother is not a good steward of God’s money by persuading him or her to buy something they don’t need or that doesn’t fit the advertising.
If there is a specific need make that need known and God will make a way to meet that need
If you want to be an entrepreneur, get a website and send out e-mails. Stop shaming your brothers and sisters into buying your products while at church. If there is a specific need, make that need known, and God will find a way to meet that need.
LET US KEEP THE HOUSE OF PRAYER A HOUSE OF PRAYER! God Bless You All.
Be Honest and Trustworthy Prayer for Today
Father God, help us always to maintain your house as a house of prayer. Lord, help us overturn the tables of the new money changers. Please maintain good stewardship over the things you have blessed us with. God helps us to be honest and trustworthy. We pray all these things in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Also read: Prayer for September 20
