{"id":44656,"date":"2020-11-10T22:11:34","date_gmt":"2020-11-10T19:11:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/?p=44656"},"modified":"2025-05-07T16:08:25","modified_gmt":"2025-05-07T13:08:25","slug":"do-not-turn-the-house-of-god-to-become-a-den-of-thieves","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/en\/2020\/11\/10\/do-not-turn-the-house-of-god-to-become-a-den-of-thieves\/","title":{"rendered":"DO NOT TURN THE HOUSE OF GOD TO BECOME A DEN OF THIEVES"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Praise <\/span>be <\/span>to <\/span>the <\/span>name <\/span>of <\/span>our <\/span>Lord <\/span>Jesus <\/span>Christ. <\/span>If <\/span>you <\/span>woke <\/span>up <\/span>safely <\/span>this <\/span>morning, <\/span>it <\/span>is <\/span>something <\/span>to <\/span>be <\/span>thankful <\/span>to <\/span>God <\/span>for. <\/span>I <\/span>welcome <\/span>you <\/span>to <\/span>meditate <\/span>on <\/span>the <\/span>words <\/span>of <\/span>life <\/span>from <\/span>our <\/span>Lord, <\/span>which <\/span>are <\/span>the <\/span>food <\/span>for <\/span>our <\/span>souls.<\/span><\/p>\n

The <\/span>Word <\/span>of <\/span>God <\/span>says:<\/span><\/p>\n

Jeremiah <\/span>7:<\/span>9<\/span><\/strong>
\u201c<\/span>Will <\/span>you <\/span>steal, <\/span>murder, <\/span>commit <\/span>adultery, <\/span>swear <\/span>falsely, <\/span>burn <\/span>incense <\/span>to <\/span>Baal, <\/span>and <\/span>follow <\/span>other <\/span>gods <\/span>whom <\/span>you <\/span>have <\/span>not <\/span>known,<\/span>
10 <\/span>and <\/span>then <\/span>come <\/span>and <\/span>stand <\/span>before <\/span>Me <\/span>in <\/span>this <\/span>house <\/span>which <\/span>is <\/span>called <\/span>by <\/span>My <\/span>name, <\/span>and <\/span>say, \u2018<\/span>We <\/span>are <\/span>delivered\u2019\u2014<\/span>only <\/span>to <\/span>go <\/span>on <\/span>doing <\/span>all <\/span>these <\/span>abominations?<\/span>
11 <\/span>Has <\/span>this <\/span>house, <\/span>which <\/span>is <\/span>called <\/span>by <\/span>My <\/span>name, <\/span>become <\/span>a <\/span>den <\/span>of <\/span>thieves <\/span>in <\/span>your <\/span>eyes? <\/span>Behold, <\/span>I, <\/span>even <\/span>I, <\/span>have <\/span>seen <\/span>it, <\/span>says <\/span>the <\/span>Lord.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Matthew <\/span>21:<\/span>13<\/span><\/strong>
He <\/span>said <\/span>to <\/span>them, “<\/span>It <\/span>is <\/span>written, \u2018<\/span>My <\/span>house <\/span>shall <\/span>be <\/span>called <\/span>a <\/span>house <\/span>of <\/span>prayer,\u2019 <\/span>but <\/span>you <\/span>have <\/span>made <\/span>it <\/span>a <\/span>den <\/span>of <\/span>thieves.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Have <\/span>you <\/span>ever <\/span>wondered <\/span>why <\/span>the <\/span>Lord <\/span>used <\/span>the <\/span>phrase, \u201c<\/span>but <\/span>you <\/span>have <\/span>made <\/span>it <\/span>a <\/span>den <\/span>of <\/span>thieves\u201d? <\/span>Have <\/span>you <\/span>taken <\/span>time <\/span>to <\/span>reflect <\/span>on <\/span>what <\/span>a <\/span>den <\/span>of <\/span>thieves <\/span>truly <\/span>means?<\/span><\/p>\n

Thieves <\/span>or <\/span>criminals <\/span>always <\/span>have <\/span>a <\/span>hideout <\/span>where <\/span>they <\/span>go <\/span>to <\/span>conceal <\/span>themselves <\/span>after <\/span>committing <\/span>their <\/span>crimes. <\/span>This <\/span>place <\/span>serves <\/span>as <\/span>their <\/span>temporary <\/span>refuge, <\/span>a <\/span>hiding <\/span>spot, <\/span>often <\/span>located <\/span>in <\/span>a <\/span>remote <\/span>place, <\/span>an <\/span>incomplete <\/span>building, <\/span>or <\/span>a <\/span>dark <\/span>cave. <\/span>The <\/span>purpose <\/span>is <\/span>simple: <\/span>once <\/span>they <\/span>have <\/span>stolen, <\/span>they <\/span>retreat <\/span>to <\/span>this <\/span>place <\/span>to <\/span>hide <\/span>until <\/span>things <\/span>calm <\/span>down, <\/span>only <\/span>to <\/span>return <\/span>and <\/span>commit <\/span>more <\/span>crimes. <\/span>These <\/span>hideouts <\/span>are <\/span>often <\/span>places <\/span>for <\/span>illicit <\/span>activities <\/span>such <\/span>as <\/span>gambling, <\/span>smoking, <\/span>or <\/span>engaging <\/span>in <\/span>illegal <\/span>business, <\/span>like <\/span>selling <\/span>drugs.<\/span><\/p>\n

A <\/span>modern <\/span>example <\/span>is <\/span>of <\/span>someone <\/span>who <\/span>commits <\/span>adultery <\/span>and <\/span>then, <\/span>on <\/span>Sunday, <\/span>goes <\/span>to <\/span>church. <\/span>The <\/span>same <\/span>person <\/span>will <\/span>return <\/span>to <\/span>their <\/span>sinful <\/span>lifestyle <\/span>during <\/span>the <\/span>week <\/span>and <\/span>once <\/span>again <\/span>appear <\/span>in <\/span>church <\/span>the <\/span>following <\/span>Sunday. <\/span>The <\/span>church <\/span>becomes <\/span>a <\/span>refuge <\/span>for <\/span>them <\/span>to <\/span>pretend <\/span>they <\/span>are <\/span>righteous, <\/span>to <\/span>deceive <\/span>themselves <\/span>that <\/span>they <\/span>still <\/span>love <\/span>God, <\/span>and <\/span>to <\/span>appear <\/span>as <\/span>though <\/span>they <\/span>are <\/span>part <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>community, <\/span>when <\/span>in <\/span>reality, <\/span>they <\/span>have <\/span>no <\/span>intention <\/span>of <\/span>giving <\/span>up <\/span>their <\/span>sinful <\/span>behavior. <\/span>It <\/span>is <\/span>as <\/span>if <\/span>the <\/span>church <\/span>becomes <\/span>a <\/span>temporary <\/span>hiding <\/span>place <\/span>for <\/span>their <\/span>sins.<\/span><\/p>\n

Similarly, <\/span>a <\/span>corrupt <\/span>person <\/span>or <\/span>a <\/span>scammer <\/span>might <\/span>attend <\/span>church <\/span>regularly, <\/span>not <\/span>to <\/span>seek <\/span>change, <\/span>but <\/span>to <\/span>use <\/span>the <\/span>church <\/span>as <\/span>a <\/span>cover-<\/span>up, <\/span>hiding <\/span>their <\/span>deceitful <\/span>activities <\/span>behind <\/span>a <\/span>facade <\/span>of <\/span>religious <\/span>practice.<\/span><\/p>\n

Let <\/span>us <\/span>remember <\/span>the <\/span>words <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>Lord:<\/span>
Matthew <\/span>21:<\/span>13<\/span><\/strong> \u2013 \u201c<\/span>It <\/span>is <\/span>written, \u2018<\/span>My <\/span>house <\/span>shall <\/span>be <\/span>called <\/span>a <\/span>house <\/span>of <\/span>prayer,\u2019 <\/span>but <\/span>you <\/span>have <\/span>made <\/span>it <\/span>a <\/span>den <\/span>of <\/span>thieves.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

We <\/span>must <\/span>not <\/span>turn <\/span>the <\/span>house <\/span>of <\/span>God <\/span>into <\/span>a <\/span>hideout <\/span>for <\/span>our <\/span>sins. <\/span>Instead, <\/span>it <\/span>should <\/span>be <\/span>a <\/span>place <\/span>of <\/span>prayer, <\/span>holiness, <\/span>and <\/span>spiritual <\/span>nourishment <\/span>for <\/span>our <\/span>souls. <\/span>The <\/span>house <\/span>of <\/span>God <\/span>is <\/span>not <\/span>a <\/span>place <\/span>for <\/span>revealing <\/span>our <\/span>physical <\/span>bodies <\/span>in <\/span>an <\/span>inappropriate <\/span>way, <\/span>wearing <\/span>revealing <\/span>clothing, <\/span>or <\/span>engaging <\/span>in <\/span>self-<\/span>advertisement. <\/span>It <\/span>is <\/span>a <\/span>place <\/span>of <\/span>reverence <\/span>and <\/span>respect <\/span>for <\/span>the <\/span>holiness <\/span>of <\/span>God.<\/span><\/p>\n

If <\/span>the <\/span>Lord <\/span>Jesus <\/span>overturned <\/span>the <\/span>tables <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>money <\/span>changers <\/span>in <\/span>the <\/span>temple, <\/span>He <\/span>will <\/span>certainly <\/span>not <\/span>hesitate <\/span>to <\/span>overturn <\/span>the <\/span>business <\/span>of <\/span>selling <\/span>our <\/span>bodies <\/span>and <\/span>our <\/span>sinfulness <\/span>in <\/span>His <\/span>house. <\/span>If <\/span>you <\/span>want <\/span>to <\/span>engage <\/span>in <\/span>the <\/span>business <\/span>of <\/span>sin, <\/span>there <\/span>are <\/span>many <\/span>other \u201c<\/span>dens\u201d <\/span>in <\/span>the <\/span>world, <\/span>but <\/span>do <\/span>not <\/span>turn <\/span>the <\/span>house <\/span>of <\/span>God <\/span>into <\/span>one <\/span>of <\/span>them.<\/span><\/p>\n

If <\/span>you <\/span>have <\/span>not <\/span>given <\/span>your <\/span>life <\/span>to <\/span>Christ, <\/span>today <\/span>is <\/span>the <\/span>day. <\/span>Repent, <\/span>and <\/span>He <\/span>will <\/span>forgive <\/span>you <\/span>freely. <\/span>Remember, <\/span>Christ <\/span>is <\/span>coming <\/span>back, <\/span>and <\/span>a <\/span>time <\/span>will <\/span>come <\/span>when <\/span>you <\/span>will <\/span>no <\/span>longer <\/span>hear <\/span>such <\/span>messages <\/span>as <\/span>this <\/span>one. <\/span>The <\/span>moment <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>rapture <\/span>will <\/span>have <\/span>passed, <\/span>and <\/span>you <\/span>will <\/span>not <\/span>be <\/span>disturbed <\/span>by <\/span>the <\/span>preaching <\/span>anymore. <\/span>However, <\/span>if <\/span>you <\/span>choose <\/span>to <\/span>repent <\/span>today, <\/span>Christ <\/span>will <\/span>accept <\/span>you, <\/span>as <\/span>His <\/span>Word <\/span>promises:<\/span><\/p>\n

John <\/span>6:<\/span>37<\/span><\/strong> \u2013 \u201c<\/span>All <\/span>that <\/span>the <\/span>Father <\/span>gives <\/span>Me <\/span>will <\/span>come <\/span>to <\/span>Me, <\/span>and <\/span>the <\/span>one <\/span>who <\/span>comes <\/span>to <\/span>Me <\/span>I <\/span>will <\/span>by <\/span>no <\/span>means <\/span>cast <\/span>out.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Maranatha (<\/span>The <\/span>Lord <\/span>is <\/span>coming).<\/span><\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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