SCRIPTURE:
12 “Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. 13 ‘It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’” Matthew 21:12-13
TESTIMONY: (Written by Jay Cabassa)
Being a lover of music and experiencing the industry on both a local and professional level, I have been able to encounter different sides to it. As a child, my love for singing was an innocent one and a gift that I didn’t embrace until I was in high school. My intentions were not really centered on God; I just knew that I loved the arts and I wanted nothing else than to succeed in it. I was given opportunities to travel professionally and even had opportunities to perform with the likes of Whitney Houston, Michael Bolton, and Alicia Keys. However, I never recognized the Gift-Giver, just the gift.
It wasn’t until I gave my life to Christ that I recognized the Gift-Giver. I was using my talents for the world, and I was exploiting my gifts and my desires for me and not for God. A lot of times we are robbing ourselves of what our gifts were truly intended for by operating in a selfish mode of what we feel is best and in turn, we rob God from the true blessing he called us to be in His world. When Jesus entered the temple, he saw nothing but selfish people trying to profit and gain, not for God, but for self. They were not thinking of how they could best serve, but rather how much they could gain and profit from others.
Mark 8:36 says, “What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?”
RESPOND:
- Where is your heart today?
- What are your goals?
- How are you incorporating and including the Father into your plans, goals, and future?
- Are you just passing through life or are you truly seeking the will of the Father?
PRAYER:
Jesus, I believe that if we hold you as the single most important factor in our lives, then we will care about the will of our Father. Today that is my prayer. That we will be in the Father’s will and that it will please you Jesus. Amen
