DEN OF THIEVES CHURCH – (part 2)

(For part 1 Click Here)
(Isaiah 56-58; Matthew 21:13)
When true worship, true praise and prayer, true Christian living and values, and strong, clear biblical teaching and preaching have been ROBBED from a nation as in Isaiah’s day and ROBBED from our churches as it is today – what can be done? When His house that was to be an house of prayer has become a den of thieves – what? When the nation, when our churches are filled with blind watchmen, “dumb dogs, sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.” (Isaiah 56:10) When”the righteous perisheth and no one layeth it to heart.” – what? (Isaiah 57:1)) When the nation, our churches have forsaken the Lord and continuously commit spiritual idolatry and adultery – what must be done? (Isaiah 57:3-12)

First, we must return to the place where strong biblical preaching is truly the central point of our ministries. We must “cry aloud, spare not, lift up (our) voice like a trumpet, and shew … people their transgression, and … their sins. “(Isaiah 58:1) One well known TV preacher said, “we try not to use the word, sin.” And that is exactly the root of our problem. All of this counterfeit, tawdry, diluted and false praise and worship that has replaced the true worship of God must be exposed with plainness and fidelity.

Secondly, we must get back to making the main thing, the main thing. In Isaiah’s day they had exacting rituals connected with their worship. These had evolved to become of such great importance that each tried to out do the other to the point that with their fastings and religious activities they felt confident that they could manipulate God to accept THEIR worship and meet THEIR expectations. (Isaiah 58:2-5) Does this sound familiar? It is as if many today have told God – “Look God, this is my plan, this is the type of worship I intend to give, this is what I want, this is what the community wants. Accept our worship; accept our religion on OUR terms.” But Isaiah told his nation –“ God has chosen” (verse 6). This is what God wanted: “to loose the bands of wickedness.” He did not want his people to stay in the grips and captivity of the world, the flesh and the devil. His people are changed people. Different. He said, Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” “Undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke.” But many churches today instead of breaking the yoke of the world work together with the worldly or those who at the very least are questionable in their Christianity. The well known Bono may be top billing for some of the churches of our land, but I wonder if he would show up where only two or three were gathered in his name? I am glad that Jesus does not despise the small gatherings! He has promised to show up if even two or three are gathered in His Name. We must get back to the main thing. “Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? (Isaiah 58:7) Souls are spiritually starving in our days because there is a famine of hearing the word of God. But they are being brought into “thy house” and served that which is poison to their souls and spiritually unfit for consumption.

Thirdly, when we get back to this right way I believe the light will break forth. (verses 8-14) Our spiritual health will improve. The righteousness of the Lord will be known. The glory of the Lord will be important to us. We will start hearing from heaven again. We will again experience the presence and the guidance of the Lord. We can began to repair the breach. We can begin to restore the right paths. The Lord’s day will again be a delight. There will be a return to the holiness of the Lord. We will once again be able to honor Him as we should. “Not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words …” But living in victory by delighting ourselves in the Lord, traveling with Him upon the high road where we find the spiritual feast is not in pseudo praise and worship and frivolous religious activity but upon that which the Lord has spoken. So friend, will it be house of prayer or den of thieves? He has already chosen. What will you do?