Mark 11:¹⁵ So they came to Jerusalem. Then Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. ¹⁶ And He would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple. ¹⁷ Then He taught, saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’”

Be sure you are not making the House of God everything apart from what it is meant to be. Jesus took this matter very seriously indeed. He did not compromise on it at all. Look at what He did:

"He drove out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seat of those who sold doves. And He would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple."

Somehow these people had failed to recognise that God had a sacred and far more important purpose for His house. They took the fact that people gathered in the temple as another opportunity to buy and sell, but the attitude of Jesus was No! No! - not only in words, but in deed. You can shop and sell outside of the temple, but not in God's house - ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations’. The house of God is not a market! You cannot serve both God and mammon.

God's house will not be called a house of prayer just in name but by virtue of what goes on in there. The next time you are in church, be careful to ensure that your motive is not to buy, sell or 'exchange money', because you can be sure that Jesus' view on this is the same yesterday, today and forever.

A house of prayer is not necessarily one that has a name inscribed on it to identify it as such, but one in which prayers are offered to, and are answered by, God. It shall be called a house of prayer for all nations, because everyone is welcome and God gives them JOY in exchange for their prayers (Isaiah 56:7). Glory!

Instead of a place where people come to exchange money, to shop or sell perishable goods - the distinguishing mark of the house of God is that it is a place where you can come and pray, and through your prayer to God receive in exchange:

• Beauty for ashes.
• Oil of joy for mourning.
• Garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.
• Rest for labour and heavy burdens.
• Health for sickness.
• Freedom for bondage.
• Hope for despair.
• Light for darkness.
• Life for death.
• Encouragement for disappointments.
• Security for vulnerability.
• Comfort for distress.
• Direction for confusion.
• Boldness for fear.
• Honor for shame.
• Strength for weakness.
• Forgiveness for sins.
• Mercy for Judgment.
• In short, good for evil.

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