Topic: Wrong Motives Exposed
TEXT: Mark 11:11-27
11 And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple: and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve.
12 And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry:
13 And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet.
14 And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it.
15 And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves;
16 And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple.
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.
18 And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought how they might destroy him: for they feared him, because all the people was astonished at his doctrine.
19 And when even was come, he went out of the city.
20 And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.
21 And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away.
22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.
23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.
27 And they come again to Jerusalem: and as he was walking in the temple, there come to him the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders,
KEY VERSE: “And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves; And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple.” – (Mark 11:15,16)
DCLM Daily Manna 22 September 2021 Devotional
Nowadays, it has become a common practice for many people to put business above the word of God in His house. Every religious event of the church presents an ample opportunity for them to make brisk business. Rather than plan to profit from God’s word from such programmes, the major preoccupation is how much to be made from commercial activities.
From the text, the money changers and merchants had created a religion based on their own materialistic desires. Without appealing to conscience, these money-changers worked in the temple area by giving unfair exchange rates to foreign travellers who had come to honour the feasts of Passover and Pentecost. The merchants were selling at inflated prices the needed animals that were to be sacrificed. To them, what they were doing was religious, but in the words of Jesus, they had made the house of prayer “a den of thieves”.
When one creates a religion with impure motives, such religion will justify the adherents to do things that are contrary to the word of God. Many people engage in many good and noble ventures but with wrong motives.
The money changers and merchants at the temple had the mind that they were rendering essential services to those who came to worship; but they were ripping the people off with their exorbitant charges. Making too much gain at people’s expense was exploitation that put the merchants in the class of thieves. We must consciously decide not to be swayed by the fads and fancies of this age in order not to lose sight of what God wants from us.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: No man pleases God by doing what He hates.
THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Proverbs 18-20
MFM Devotional 22 September 2021 Wednesday – The Children’s Bread
DCLM Daily Manna 22 September 2021 Deeper Life Devotional Message was written by Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.
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