♪♪♪ WELCOME TO LOVE WORTH
FINDING WITH PASTOR, TEACHER,
AND AUTHOR, ADRIAN ROGERS. REACHING OUT WITH GOD'S LOVE,
BRINGING PEOPLE TO CHRIST, TOUCHING LIVES AROUND THE WORLD,
AND HELPING YOU FIND
THE ANSWERS YOU NEED TODAY. JOIN US AS WE PREPARE TO OPEN
GOD'S WORD AND DISCOVER HOW YOUR
LIFE CAN BE CHANGED FOREVER BY HIS GREAT
LOVE WORTH FINDING. [ AUDIENCE APPLAUSE ] WELL, TAKE GOD'S HOLY WORD AND
TURN IF YOU WILL PLEASE TO
MATTHEW CHAPTER 21, AND IN A FEW MOMENTS WE'RE GOING TO
BEGIN TO READ FROM VERSE 12. NOW, WHEN YOU GOT SAVED, GOD
CAME INTO YOU TO LIVE IN YOU. YOU HAD BECOME A TEMPLE
OF THE LIVING GOD. WHERE IS GOD'S HOUSE? IS THIS GOD'S HOUSE? THE BIBLE SAYS,
"GOD DOES NOT DWELL IN
HOUSES MADE WITH HANDS." YOU ARE GOD'S HOUSE. HE LIVES IN YOU. YOU ARE
A TEMPLE OF ALMIGHTY GOD. THE OLD TESTAMENT TEMPLE
WAS ONLY A PROPHECY, ONLY
A PATTERN FOR THE BELIEVER. ALL OF THESE THINGS HAVE A
SPIRITUAL LESSON THAT GO FAR
BEYOND SIMPLY JEWISH RITUAL. NOW, IN THE OLD TESTAMENT,
LISTEN, IN THE OLD TESTAMENT,
GOD HAD A TEMPLE FOR HIS PEOPLE; IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, GOD
HAS HIS PEOPLE FOR A TEMPLE. SAY RIGHT NOW TO YOURSELF,
"I AM A TEMPLE OF GOD." HAS THAT EVER REALLY ENTERED
YOUR HEART AND MIND? YOU KNOW, MOST, WHAT MOST PEOPLE
THINK ABOUT GETTING SAVED IS,
AH, THEY THINK THAT GETTING SAVED IS GOING TO HEAVEN. WELL, THAT'S NOT GETTING SAVED. THAT'S THE RESULT
OF BEING SAVED. SALVATION IS NOT GETTING MAN
OUT OF EARTH INTO HEAVEN; IT IS GETTING GOD
OUT OF HEAVEN INTO MAN. DO YOU UNDERSTAND THAT? WHEN YOU GET SAVED,
GOD MOVES INTO YOU. YOU BECOME A HOLY TEMPLE OF GOD. NOW IF YOU ARE A TEMPLE OF GOD,
ARE YOU A FIT TEMPLE? I MEAN, CAN GOD BE PLEASED
TO DWELL IN YOU? [ SILENCE ] SOME COLLEGE STUDENTS HAD FOR
THEIR TEAM MASCOT A GOAT. THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANYWHERE
TO KEEP THE GOAT. AND SOME OF THE COLLEGE BOYS
SAID, "WELL, HE CAN STAY
IN OUR ROOM IN THE DORM." SOMEBODY SAID, "BUT
WHAT ABOUT THE SMELL?" "WELL," HE SAID,"
THE GOAT CAN GET USED TO THAT."
[ AUDIENCE LAUGHTER ] COLLEGE BOYS MAY LIVE IN A DIRTY
HOUSE, LISTEN TO ME, BUT GOD WILL NOT LIVE
IN A DIRTY HOUSE. "WELL," YOU SAY,
"GOD'S GOING TO MOVE OUT."
NO, HE WON'T MOVE OUT. HE COMES IN YOU TO
DWELL IN YOU FOREVER. BUT I'LL TELL YOU WHILE
GOD MIGHT NOT MOVE OUT,
I'LL TELL YOU WHAT GOD WILL DO. GOD WILL CLEAN HOUSE. YOU'RE THAT HOUSE, AND GOD WILL
DO A WORK ON YOU, A CLEANSING
WORK, IF YOU'RE TRULY HIS. NOW LOOK IF YOU WILL IN MATTHEW,
AH, CHAPTER 21 VERSE 12, "AND
JESUS WENT INTO THE TEMPLE... GOD WILL NOT MOVE OUT,
BUT GOD WILL CLEAN HOUSE. THREE BASIC THOUGHTS I WANT
TO LAY ON YOUR HEART TODAY. FIRST OF ALL,
THE PROFANING OF THE TEMPLE. LOOK IF YOU WILL AGAIN IN VERSE
12, "AND JESUS WENT INTO THE
TEMPLE OF GOD, AND CAST OUT ALL THEM THAT SOLD AND BOUGHT IN THE
TEMPLE, AND OVERTHREW THE TABLES
OF THE MONEY-CHANGERS, AND THE SEATS OF THEM
THAT SOLD DOVES." WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO THIS
GLORIOUS, WONDERFUL TEMPLE IN
THE OLD TESTAMENT, WHICH IS A, A TYPE, A PROPHECY OF THE
NEW TESTAMENT, WAS THEY HAD
MADE IT A DEN OF THIEVES. NOW HE'S SPEAKING TO
THE MONEY-CHANGERS. THE MONEY-CHANGERS WERE VERY
CLEVER AND VERY DISHONEST. PEOPLE WOULD COME TO THE TEMPLE
TO WORSHIP GOD, AH, AND TO MAKE
A FINANCIAL OFFERING, BUT THEY HAD THIS ROMAN MONEY,
AND THEY COULD NOT USE THIS
ROMAN MONEY IN THE TEMPLE. THEY HAD TO USE THE KIND OF
MONEY THAT THEY WORSHIPPED
GOD WITH IN THE TEMPLE. SO WHEN THEY CAME TO THE
TEMPLE, THEY HAD TO GO TO
THE MONEY-CHANGER, AND HE WOULD CHANGE THE
ROMAN COINS FOR TEMPLE COINS. SO FAR-SO GOOD! BUT HERE'S THE WAY IT WORKED. WHEN THEY CHARGED FOR SELLING,
FOR MAKING THIS TRANSACTION, THEY DID NOT GIVE
AN EVEN TRANSACTION. IT WAS NOT, AS YOU WOULD SAY,
DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR, BUT IT WAS $1.15,
OR WHATEVER, FOR A DOLLAR. AND THEN WHEN THE PEOPLE WOULD
TAKE THIS MONEY INTO THE CHURCH
TREASURY, OR INTO THE TEMPLE TREASURY AND LEAVE IT THERE,
THEY WOULD TAKE IT BACK OUT AND
SELL IT TO SOMEBODY ELSE AND ALL THE TIME JUST
RAKING OFF THE PROFIT.
PRETTY GOOD DEAL, WASN'T IT? I MEAN, FOR THEM IT WAS
A LOUSY, WICKED THING
THAT THEY WERE DOING. THEY WERE STEALING
FROM THE PEOPLE. THEY HAD MADE THE HOUSE
OF GOD A DEN OF THIEVES. THEY PROFANED THE TEMPLE. NOW WHAT DOES THE
TEMPLE EXIST FOR? THE TEMPLE EXISTS
FOR ONE PURPOSE. WHY ARE YOU HERE? WHY ARE YOU SAVED? WHAT IS GOD'S PLAN FOR YOU? ONE PURPOSE, AND THAT
IS TO GLORIFY GOD! NOW PUT IN YOUR MARGIN
FIRST CORINTHIANS
CHAPTER SIX, VERSE 19, "WHAT? KNOW YE NOT THAT YOUR BODY IS
THE TEMPLE OF THE HOLY GHOST,
WHICH IS IN YOU, WHICH YOU HAVE OF GOD," NOW LISTEN TO THIS,
"AND YE ARE NOT YOUR OWN? YOU ARE BOUGHT WITH A PRICE,"
NOW LISTEN CAREFULLY,
"THEREFORE, GLORIFY GOD IN YOUR BODY AND IN YOUR SPIRIT,
WHICH ARE GOD'S." NOW YOU DON'T BELONG TO YOU. JESUS SUFFERED, BLED, AND
DIED UPON THAT CROSS FOR YOU. WHEN I SAW THE FILM, "THE
PASSION," IT BROKE MY HEART. AND WHILE I HAD PREACHED ON THE
CRUCIFIXION OF THE LORD JESUS
CHRIST MANY TIMES, TO SEE THAT GRAPHICALLY PORTRAYED ON
THE SCREEN MOVED ME DEEPLY. AND THE ONE THOUGHT
THAT I HAD WAS THIS; NOT ONE THOUGHT, ONE THOUGHT
AMONG MANY, BUT PERHAPS
THE PRIME THOUGHT, "ADRIAN,
ARE THE THINGS YOU ARE LIVING
FOR WORTH JESUS DYING FOR?" NOW WHY DID HE BUY
US WITH A PRICE? WE'RE BOUGHT WITH A PRICE,
"THEREFORE, GLORIFY GOD IN YOUR
BODY AND IN YOUR SPIRIT, WHICH ARE GOD'S." NOW WHAT WERE
THESE PEOPLE DOING? THEY WERE TAKING THE TRIBUTE
THAT BELONGED TO GOD, AND THEY
WERE USING IT FOR THEMSELVES. THEY WERE STEALING AWAY THE
TRIBUTE THAT BELONGS TO GOD. NOW YOU'RE BOUGHT WITH A PRICE. DON'T YOU KNOW THAT YOUR BODY IS
THE TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT? NOW MAY I ASK YOU A
PERSONAL QUESTION? DON'T ANSWER IT OUT LOUD,
BUT FOR GOD'S SAKE, ANSWER IT. IS YOUR BODY AND YOUR
SPIRIT GLORIFYING GOD? ARE YOU TRULY A TEMPLE OF GOD? WELL, YOU SAY, "PASTOR ROGERS,
YES, I GLORIFY GOD IN MY SPIRIT. GOD KNOWS MY HEART. GOD KNOWS THAT I LOVE HIM." BUT THIS, THIS SCRIPTURE
SAYS, "GLORIFY GOD IN YOUR
BODY AND IN YOUR SPIRIT." NOW YOU CAN'T SEE MY SPIRIT. ALL YOU KNOW ABOUT ME
YOU KNOW FROM MY BODY. WELL, YOU SAY, "I KNOW ABOUT
YOU FROM WHAT YOU WROTE." MY BODY WROTE THAT. YOU SAY, "I KNOW ABOUT YOU
FROM, AH, WHAT YOU THINK." NO, YOU CAN'T TELL WHAT
I THINK UNTIL MY BODY
SPEAKS WHAT I THINK. FRIEND, ALL YOU KNOW ABOUT ME,
I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU THINK YOU
KNOW, THE ONLY THING YOU REALLY KNOW IS WHAT YOU SEE IN MY
BODY, WHAT MY BODY EXPRESSES. NOW MAY I ASK YOU A QUESTION? ARE YOU GLORIFYING
GOD IN YOUR BODY? YOUR BODY IS OUT WHERE
PEOPLE CAN SEE IT. WHAT ABOUT YOUR EYES? ARE YOUR EYES GLORIFYING GOD? THE NEXT TIME YOU WANT TO KNOW
WHETHER A TELEVISION PROGRAM IS
FIT OR NOT, JUST ASK YOURSELF THIS QUESTION, "IS WHAT I'M
WATCHING TO THE GLORY OF GOD?" THE MUSIC THAT YOU LISTEN TO. ASK YOURSELF THIS QUESTION,
"IS THIS MUSIC GLORIFYING GOD?" CAN YOU THANK GOD FOR IT?
CAN YOU SAY, "LORD,
THIS IS FOR YOUR GLORY." THE THINGS THAT YOU
TAKE INTO YOUR MOUTH, WHETHER YOU BE OVEREATING,
OR USING NICOTINE, OR TAKING SOME TERRIBLE
SUBSTANCE INTO YOUR BODY, CAN YOU DO THAT TO GLORIFY GOD
IN YOUR BODY? THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE SMOKING
CIGARETTES, FOR EXAMPLE;
I DON'T WANT TO PICK ON YOU, BUT YOU NEED TO QUIT. YOU SAY, "I CAN'T QUIT." THAT'S A LIE. YOU CAN QUIT.
NOW, LISTEN. IT WOULD BE ALL RIGHT FOR YOU TO
SMOKE IF YOU COULD LIGHT UP AND SAY, "NOW, JESUS, THIS IS
FOR YOUR GLORY. THIS IS."
YOU CAN'T DO THAT. YOU SEE, WHAT YOU TAKE INTO YOUR
MOUTH, WHAT YOU SEE WITH YOUR
EYES, WHAT YOU HEAR WITH YOUR EARS, WHAT YOU DO
WITH YOUR HANDS. THOSE OF YOU WHO'VE BEEN GOING
DOWN TO THE CASINO TO GAMBLE,
AND I HOPE IT'S VERY FEW OF YOU, BUT DO YOU THINK THAT GOD
GAVE YOU THOSE HANDS TO
MANIPULATE A SLOT MACHINE? LISTEN, YOUR FEET; DO YOU
GLORIFY GOD WITH YOUR FEET? WHERE ARE YOU GOING? ARE YOU GOING TO PLACES THAT
A CHRISTIAN HAS ABSOLUTELY
NO BUSINESS GOING TO? NOW WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY? THE BIBLE SAYS THAT WE SOMETIMES
CAN MAKE OUR BODIES PROFANE. HERE WAS A TEMPLE IN THE, IN THE
TIME OF JESUS, AND WHAT THEY HAD
DONE THEY HAD TURNED THE TEMPLE INTO A DEN OF THIEVES. YOU SAY, "AT LEAST, I'M, I'M
GOING TO HEAVEN, PASTOR, BECAUSE
I MAY NOT BE GLORIFYING GOD IN MY BODY, BUT I AM GLORIFYING
GOD IN MY SPIRIT." ONE MAN TOLD ANOTHER MAN, "LOOK,
I KNOW I'M NOT LIVING RIGHT. I KNOW MY EYES, MY EARS, MY
HANDS, MY FEET, I KNOW THEY'RE
NOT RIGHT, BUT I AM SAVED. AND REMEMBER THE
THIEF ON THE CROSS. HE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING FOR JESUS,
AND YET HE WENT TO HEAVEN." THE FRIEND RIGHTLY SAID TO HIM,
"SIR, THERE'S A DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN YOU AND THE THIEF ON THE CROSS. HE WAS A DYING THIEF;
YOU ARE A LIVING THIEF. YOU ARE LIVING A LIFE THAT
IS STEALING THE TRIBUTE THAT
BELONGS TO JESUS CHRIST." I AM TELLING YOU THAT GOD
SAVED YOU FOR ONE PURPOSE,
AND THAT IS TO GLORIFY HIM. AGAIN, LISTEN TO THE
SCRIPTURE, "WHAT? KNOW YE NOT THAT YOUR BODY IS
THE TEMPLE OF THE HOLY GHOST,
WHICH YOU HAVE OF GOD," NOW LISTEN, "YOU'RE NOT YOUR OWN;
YOU ARE BOUGHT WITH A PRICE;
THEREFORE, GLORIFY GOD IN YOUR BODY AND IN YOUR SPIRIT,
WHICH ARE GOD'S." YOUR LIFE IS TO BE A LIFE
OF PERPETUAL GLORY TO GOD. AND WHAT IS REVIVAL? REVIVAL IS WHEN THE GLORY OF
GOD RISES UP IN US INDIVIDUALLY
AND THEN CORPORATELY. THAT'S THE PROFANING
OF THE TEMPLE. SECONDLY, I WANT YOU TO NOTICE
THE PURGING OF THE TEMPLE. WHAT DID JESUS CHRIST
DO IN THAT DAY? LOOK IN MATTHEW 21 VERSE 12,
"AND JESUS WENT INTO THE TEMPLE
OF GOD, AND CAST OUT ALL THEM THAT SOLD AND BOUGHT IN THE
TEMPLE, AND OVERTHREW THE TABLES
OF THE MONEY-CHANGERS, AND THE SEATS OF THEM THAT SOLD DOVES." NOW PUT IN YOUR MARGIN JOHN TWO
VERSE 15, "AND WHEN HE HAD MADE
A SCOURGE OF SMALL CORDS, HE DROVE THEM ALL OUT OF THE
TEMPLE, AND THE SHEEP, AND
THE OXEN; AND POURED OUT THE CHANGERS' MONEY,
AND OVERTHREW THE TABLES." NOW JESUS WILL NOT LIVE
IN A DIRTY HOUSE,
BUT HE WILL CLEAN HOUSE. AND LET ME TELL
YOU HOW HE DOES IT. FIRST OF ALL,
HE DOES IT WITH A WHIP. NOW, YOU SAY, "THIS
IS THE LOVING JESUS?" YES. JESUS LOVES YOU AS YOU ARE,
BUT HE LOVES YOU TOO
MUCH TO LEAVE YOU THAT WAY. AND SO HE TAKES A WHIP OUT. THE BOOK OF HEBREWS
TELLS US ABOUT THIS. LOOK IF YOU WILL IN HEBREWS 12
VERSES FIVE THROUGH EIGHT, "HAVE YE FORGOTTEN THE
EXHORTATION WHICH SPEAKETH UNTO
YOU AS UNTO CHILDREN. 'MY SON, DESPISE NOT THOU
THE CHASTENING OF THE LORD, NOR FAINT WHEN THOU
ART REBUKED OF HIM. FOR,'" LISTEN TO THIS NOW,
"'FOR WHOM THE LORD LOVETH HE
CHASTENETH, AN, AND SCOURGETH EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVETH.'"
A SCOURGE IS A WHIP. DID YOUR DADDY EVER CARRY
YOU TO THE WOODSHED? MINE DID.
DO YOU KNOW WHY? HE GOES ON TO SAY THAT,
"WHOM THE FATHER LOVETH,
HE CHASTENETH, AND SCOURGETH EVERY SON
WHOM HE RECEIVETH. IF YE ENDURE CHASTENING, GOD
DEALETH WITH YOU AS WITH SONS; FOR WHAT SON IS HE WHOM THE
FATHER CHASTENETH NOT? BUT IF YE BE WITHOUT
CHASTISEMENT, WHEREOF
ALL ARE PARTAKERS, THEN ARE YE BASTARDS,
AND NOT SONS." NOW WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? IT MEANS THAT IF YOU MAKE
THIS TEMPLE A DEN OF THIEVES, AND JESUS DOES NOT TAKE A WHIP
TO CHASTISE YOU,
DON'T BOAST ABOUT IT. IT'S A SIGN THAT YOU
HAVE NEVER BEEN SAVED. GOD WILL CHASTISE HIS OWN.
GOD WILL CHASTISE YOU.
WHO ARE THE PARTAKERS OF IT? WHY, HE SAYS, LOOK, "ALL
ARE PARTAKERS," TALKING
ABOUT ALL CHRISTIANS. WHAT IS THE PROMISE OF IT? HE SAYS IN VERSE EIGHT THAT
IT IS GOING TO COME TO YOU. AND IF YOU'RE NOT, IF YOU DON'T
HAVE IT, IF GOD DOESN'T TAKE A
WHIP TO CLEANSE YOUR TEMPLE WHEN YOU'RE LIVING IN SIN,
YOU DON'T BELONG TO GOD. NOW YOU MAY SIT IN CHURCH. YOU MAY APPLAUD THE MUSIC. YOU MAY HEAR THE SERMON. BUT GOD SAID,
"I NEVER FATHERED YOU. I NEVER SIRED YOU. YOU HAVE NEVER BEEN
BORN FROM ABOVE. YOU'RE ILLEGITIMATE. YOU'RE NOT A TRUE SON OF GOD." AND I WANT YOU TO NOTICE
THE PURPOSE OF IT. THE PURPOSE OF IT IS TO
MAKE US HOLY BEFORE GOD. LOOK IF YOU WILL IN HEBREWS 12
VERSES 10 AND 11, "FOR THEY," THAT IS, OUR FATHERS, "VERILY
FOR A FEW DAYS CHASTENED US
AFTER THEIR OWN PLEASURE," HA, HA. THAT DOESN'T MEAN
THEY ENJOYED DOING IT.
THAT'S JUST OLD ENGLISH. IT MEANS BECAUSE THEY
THOUGHT IT NEEDED TO BE DONE. "BUT HE FOR OUR PROFIT,"
THAT IS, GOD CHASTENS US
FOR OUR PROFIT, "THAT WE MIGHT BE PARTAKERS
OF HIS HOLINESS." NOW WHY WOULD GOD CHASTISE YOU? BECAUSE HE WANTS YOU TO
BE HOLY, "THAT WE MIGHT BE
PARTAKERS OF HIS HOLINESS. NOW NO CHASTENING FOR THE
PRESENT TIME SEEMETH TO
BE JOYOUS, BUT GRIEVOUS; NEVERTHELESS, AFTERWARD IT
YIELDETH THE PEACEABLE FRUIT OF
RIGHTEOUSNESS UNTO THEM WHICH ARE EXERCISED THEREBY." NOW NO CHASTENING FOR THE
PRESENT TIME IS JOYOUS. DID YOU EVER SAY
WHEN YOU WERE GETTING
A SPANKING OR A WHIPPING, "BOY, THIS IS WONDERFUL.
[ AUDIENCE LAUGHTER ]
I'M HAVING A GREAT TIME." OF COURSE NOT! BUT YOUR FATHER,
YOUR MOTHER HAD A PURPOSE. THEY WANTED YOU TO GROW UP
TO BE THE KIND OF A CHILD THAT THEY COULD BE PROUD OF AND
REJOICE IN. GOD HAS A PURPOSE. NOW SOME OF YOU RIGHT
NOW ARE BEING CHASTENED. I MEAN, IT'S AS THOUGH HAD, GOD
HAS A WHIP AND HE IS CHASTENING
YOU IN SO MANY WAYS. BUT I TELL YOU, DEAR
FRIEND, THAT THAT CHASTENING
IS PROFIT AND NOT LOSS. NOW ONE WAY THAT GOD
CLEANSES THE TEMPLE IS
THROUGH CHASTISEMENT. ANOTHER WAY THAT GOD
WILL CLEANSE YOUR TEMPLE
IS THROUGH DISRUPTION. LOOK, IF YOU WILL, AGAIN
IN JOHN TWO VERSE 15.
I REFERRED YOU TO THAT BEFORE, "AND WHEN HE HAD MADE A SCOURGE
OF SMALL CORDS, HE DROVE THEM
ALL OUT OF THE TEMPLE, AND THE SHEEP, AND THE OXEN; AND
POURED OUT THE CHANGERS' MONEY,
AND OVERTHREW THE TABLES." NOW THIS IS JESUS. GOD IS A GOD OF ORDER, AND
JESUS IS A SAVIOR OF LOVE, AND
YET YOU SEE HIM WITH A WHIP. AND YOU SEE HIM, HA,
TEARING UP THE WHOLE THING. HE'S LETTING THE DOVES
OUT OF THE CAGES. HE'S TAKING THE MONEY
OF THE MONEY-CHANGERS AND
THROWING IT ON THE FLOOR. AND THEN HE FINDS THESE TABLES
AND HE TURNS THEM OVER. HE TURNS OVER THIS TABLE. HE TURNS OVER THAT TABLE. HE TURNS OVER THIS TABLE. THIS IS THE TEMPLE! AND HERE IS THE LORD
JESUS CHRIST IN THE TEMPLE
DISRUPTING EVERYTHING. [ SILENCE ] DO YOU KNOW WHAT JESUS
WILL DO TO YOUR PLANS? HE'LL TURN OVER YOUR TABLES. HE WILL TURN OVER YOUR TABLES. HE LOVES YOU TOO MUCH TO
LET YOU SUCCEED IN YOUR SIN. HE'LL TAKE A WHIP AND A
SCOURGE, THAT'S CHASTISEMENT. AND THEN HE'LL COME
INTO YOUR LIFE AND HE
WILL BRING DISRUPTION. AND YOU'LL SAY, "WHY DOESN'T
ANYTHING WORK OUT RIGHT FOR ME?" WHEN MY CHILDREN DON'T SEEM TO
BE WALKING WITH THE LORD AS MUCH
AS THEY OUGHT, I PRAY FOR THEM. I DON'T PRAY THEY'LL
SUCCEED; I PRAY, "LORD,
LET THE CHARIOT WHEELS DRAG!" WHY? I DON'T WANT SOMEBODY TO HAVE A
WELL THOUGHT OUT PLAN IN LIFE
AND SUCCESS AND PROSPERITY WHEN THERE'S SIN IN THEIR
HEART AND IN THEIR LIFE. I WANT JESUS TO OVERTURN THEIR
TABLES. [ AUDIENCE: AMEN ]
HE'LL OVERTURN YOUR TABLES. FRIEND, YOU MAY HAVE
IT ALL FIGURED OUT. YOU SAY, "WELL, AH,
WHY WOULD HE DO THAT?" WELL, USE A LITTLE COMMON SENSE. DO YOU THINK THAT JESUS
WOULD HAVE GONE INTO A
PAGAN TEMPLE AND DONE THAT? NO, NOT AT ALL!
HE GOES INTO HIS OWN TEMPLE.
"YE ARE THE TEMPLE OF GOD." NOW, THIRDLY,
I WANT YOU TO NOTICE NOT ONLY
THE PROFANING OF THE TEMPLE AND THE PURGING OF THE TEMPLE,
BUT THE PURPOSE OF THE TEMPLE. I BRING YOU BACK AGAIN TO THE
PURPOSE FOR WHICH YOU HAVE BEEN
SAVED AND BOUGHT WITH A PRICE. WHAT IS THE PURPOSE
OF THE, OF THE TEMPLE? NUMBER ONE: IT IS TO BE A PLACE
OF PRAYER. LOOK IN VERSE 13, "AND HE SAID UNTO THEM,
'IT IS WRITTEN, MY HOUSE
SHALL BE A HOUSE OF PRAYER, BUT YE HAVE MADE
IT A DEN OF THIEVES.'" NOW IN THE TEMPLE THERE
WAS AN ALTAR OF INCENSE, AND THAT INCENSE WAS RISING
CONTINUALLY TO GOD. AND THE BIBLE TEACHES US CLEARLY
AND PLAINLY THAT INCENSE RISING
FROM THAT ALTAR OF INCENSE IS A PICTURE OF OUR PRAYER
CONTINUALLY RISING TO GOD; I MEAN, CONTINUALLY. YOUR HOUSE IS TO BE
A HOUSE OF PRAYER. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE PRAYER
RISING CONTINUALLY FROM YOUR
HEART, YOU NEED REVIVAL. NOW I'M NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT:
"NOW-I-LAY-ME-DOWN-TO-SLEEP." YOU HAVE NO GREATER CALLING
THAN TO MAKE THIS HOUSE,
THIS TEMPLE THAT YOU ARE, A HOUSE, A PLACE OF PRAYER. NOW IT'S TO COME UP CONTINUALLY. LUKE 18 AND VERSE ONE, "AND HE
SPAKE A PARABLE UNTO THEM TO
THIS END," NOW LISTEN, "THAT MEN OUGHT ALWAYS TO PRAY,
AND NOT TO FAINT." THAT IS,
NOT TO QUIT PRAYING. THESSALONIANS FIVE VERSE 17,
"PRAY WITHOUT CEASING." YOU SAY, "HOW CAN YOU
PRAY WITHOUT CEASING?
YOU HAVE TO SLEEP." YOU CAN BE IN COMMUNION
WITH GOD IN YOUR SLEEP. A MOTHER MAY HAVE A CHILD WHO
HAS BEEN SICK FOR A LONG TIME. AND FINALLY THAT CHILD
GOES OFF TO A FITFUL SLEEP. SHE'S BEEN UP PERHAPS A,
A WHOLE DAY, A WHOLE NIGHT,
TWO DAYS, NURSING THAT CHILD. FINALLY THE CHILD GOES TO SLEEP,
AND THE MOTHER GOES TO SLEEP. HER BODY IS, IS
DESIRING REST AND SLEEP. AND THERE CAN BE
ALL KINDS OF NOISE. SOMEBODY CAN BE
PLAYING THE TELEVISION. SHE PAYS NO ATTENTION TO IT. THE SIRENS MAY GO BY WITH
A FIRE TRUCK OUTSIDE. SHE PAYS NO ATTENTION. SOMEBODY MAY COME IN
AND SLAM THE DOOR. SHE PAYS NO ATTENTION.
BUT LISTEN TO ME. ONE WHIMPER FROM THAT
CHILD AND SHE'S AWAKE. WHY? SHE'S TUNED, EVEN IN HER
SLEEP, TO THAT CHILD. YOU ARE TO PRAY WITHOUT CEASING;
THAT IS, OUT OF YOUR HEART. THE INCENSE IS TO BE
RISING ALL OF THE TIME. DO YOU FIND YOURSELF JUST
DRIVING ALONG SAYING,
"JESUS, I LOVE YOU?" I DO. "LORD, I LOVE YOU." WHEN I, WHEN I GO THROUGH LIFE
TO DO THIS THING OR THAT THING,
I HAVE A TASK, A COMMITTEE MEETING, WHATEVER IT
IS, I WANT TO PRAY ABOUT IT. IT WAS SAID OF DWIGHT L. MOODY, "HE NEVER MADE LONG
PRAYERS, BUT HE WAS NEVER
LONG WITHOUT PRAYER." AH, WE ARE TO PRAY
WITHOUT CEASING. LISTEN. PHILIPPIANS CHAPTER FOUR VERSE
SIX, "BE CAREFUL FOR NOTHING,"
THAT IS, DON'T WORRY ABOUT ANYTHING, "BUT IN EVERYTHING,
EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING, BY
PRAYER AND SUPPLICATION WITH THANKSGIVING, LET YOUR REQUESTS
BE MADE KNOWN UNTO GOD." YOU PRAY ABOUT EVERYTHING. NOW DON'T, DON'T DIVIDE
YOUR LIFE BETWEEN
THE SACRED AND THE SECULAR, BECAUSE HE SAYS YOU'RE TO PRAY
ABOUT EVERYTHING. CHARLES STANLEY, FRIEND OF MINE, BECAME THE PASTOR OF
THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH
OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA. AND THEY WERE GOING THROUGH SOME
DIFFICULTY WHEN HE FIRST CAME,
SO HE HAD THE DEACONS AND THE FINANCE COMMITTEE THERE.
AND THEY HAD A REAL PROBLEM. AND HE SAID, "GENTLEMEN,
LET'S PRAY ABOUT IT." AND ONE OF THOSE BUSINESSMEN
SAID, "NOW LISTEN, PASTOR, AH,
HUH, THIS IS NOT SOMETHING SPIRITUAL; THIS IS BUSINESS,
[ AUDIENCE REACTION ]
THIS IS BUSINESS." NOW WHAT HAD HE DONE? HE HAD TRIED TO SEPARATE THE
SACRED FROM THE SECULAR. YOU WILL NEVER FIND THE WORD
SECULAR IN ANY CONCORDANCE. "IN EVERYTHING, BY PRAYER AND,
AND SUPPLICATION, LET YOUR
REQUEST BE MADE KNOWN UNTO GOD." YOU WANT ME TO TELL YOU A
GOOD TEST AS TO WHETHER OR
NOT YOU CAN DO SOMETHING? CAN YOU PRAY ABOUT IT? CAN YOU SAY,
"GOD, HELP ME TO DO THIS?" SOME OF YOU MAY BE SO FOOLISH
AS TO PRAY WHEN YOU GO TO THE
CASINOS I MENTIONED BEFORE. BUT, FRIEND, THAT IS FOOLISH.
THAT IS RIDICULOUS. AH, WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT
WE NEED TO PRAY FOR. GOD PUTS THOSE UPON YOUR HEART
FOR WHOM YOU'RE TO PRAY. FIRST SAMUEL CHAPTER 12, VERSE
23, "MOREOVER, AS FOR ME, GOD
FORBID THAT I SHOULD SIN AGAINST THE LORD IN CEASING
TO PRAY FOR YOU." THERE'S NO SUBSTITUTE;
NOT INTELLECT, NOT WORK, NOT EMOTION. THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR
INTERCESSION AND FOR PRAYER. SO WHAT IS THE
PURPOSE OF THE TEMPLE? IT IS TO BE A PLACE OF PRAYER. "MY HOUSE IS A HOUSE OF
PRAYER FOR ALL PEOPLE." NOW DO YOU NEED REVIVAL? IF YOU FIND IT HARD AND
DIFFICULT TO PRAY, IF PRAYER IS
NOT WELLING UP AND COMING OUT, I CAN TELL YOU YOUR HEART
IS NOT RIGHT WITH GOD. YOU HAVE NOT USED THE
TEMPLE FOR THE PURPOSE
FOR WHICH YOU ARE SAVED. YOU ARE TO BE A PLACE OF PRAYER. NUMBER TWO: YOU'RE TO
BE A PLACE OF POWER. LOOK IN VERSE 14, MATTHEW 24,
UH, 21 VERSE 14, "AND THE BLIND
AND THE LAME CAME TO HIM," LISTEN, "IN THE TEMPLE,
AND HE HEALED THEM." PEOPLE WHO WERE BLIND AND
PEOPLE WHO WERE BROKEN,
AND HE HEALED THEM. YOU SAY, "WELL, PASTOR ROGERS,
IF I HAVE THE LORD JESUS IN ME, DOES THAT MEAN THAT I CAN
LAY HANDS ON THE SICK
AND THEY WILL RECOVER?" WELL, THAT HAPPENS. I BELIEVE I'VE LAID HANDS
ON THE SICK AND PRAYED FOR
THEM AND THEY'VE RECOVERED. I, I BELIEVE I'VE
SEEN GOD DO MIRACLES. BUT ALL OF THOSE THINGS
WERE PICTURES AND PROPHECIES
OF THE GREATER THINGS. THE INCENSE IS A PICTURE OF THE
GREATER THING, WHICH IS PRAYER. THE HEALING OF THE BLIND
AND THE LAME IS AN ILLUSTRATION
OF THE GREATER THING, WHICH IS SOUL WINNING. YOU SAY, "YOU JUST SAY THAT
FOR AN EXCUSE, PASTOR, 'CAUSE
YOU CAN'T HEAL ANYBODY." THAT'S NOT RIGHT. THE BIBLE SAYS OF JOHN THE
BAPTIST, AND BY THE WAY, JE, JESUS SAID, "THERE WAS NOT A
GREATER THAN JOHN THE BAPTIST." AND THE BIBLE SAYS OF JOHN THE
BAPTIST, "JOHN DID NO MIRACLE, BUT MANY BELIEVED ON JESUS
THROUGH HIS WORD." I'D LIKE TO HAVE THE
POWER TO HEAL THE SICK. I DON'T. BUT I'M GOING
TO TELL YOU SOMETHING. GOD HAS GIVEN ME A GIFT,
AND GOD HAS GIVEN YOU A GIFT. GOD HAS GIVEN ME A COMMAND,
AND GOD HAS GIVEN YOU A COMMAND THAT WE MIGHT BRING
SOULS TO JESUS CHRIST. WHAT IS THE GREATER MIRACLE? OPENING BLIND EYES?
STRAIGHTENING BROKEN LIMBS? THE GREATER MIRACLE IS WHEN
SOMEBODY IS BORN AGAIN.
[ AUDIENCE: AMEN ] NOW YOU SAY,
"WELL, THAT'S JUST RHETORIC."
NO, IT'S NOT. LISTEN TO ME. WHEN GOD MADE THIS WORLD,
HOW DID HE DO IT?
BY, OF HIS OWN WILL. FROM HIS FINGERTIPS CAME PLANETS
AND, AH, MYRIADS OF GALAXIES. OF HIS OWN WILL HE
SCOOPED OUT THE OCEANS AND
HEAPED UP THE MOUNTAINS. HE SPOKE AND IT WAS SO! A COLLEGE BOY ASKED HIS
PREACHER, "PREACHER, DO YOU THINK THERE'S
LIFE ON OTHER PLANETS? THE PREACHER SAID,
"NO, I DON'T." HE SAID, "WELL, NOW,
PREACHER, WAIT A MINUTE. IF, IF THERE'S NO LIFE ON OTHER
PLANETS, WHY DID GOD GO TO ALL
THAT TROUBLE TO MAKE THEM?" THE PASTOR SAID, "WHAT TROUBLE?
[ AUDIENCE LAUGHTER ]
WHAT TROUBLE?" GOD SPOKE AND IT WAS SO!
BUT [ CLAP ] TO SAVE A SOUL, HE PUT HIS DARLING SON ON
THE CROSS IN AGONY AND BLOOD.
[ AUDIENCE: AMEN ] AND THE ONLY TIME GOD HAD ANY
TROUBLE, IF WE COULD SAY IT
REVERENTLY, WAS BLOODY CALVARY. AND I'M TELLING YOU THE
GREATERST, THE GREATER MIRACLE
IS THE SALVATION OF ONE SOUL. ONE LITTLE TEENAGE GIRL THAT
COMES DOWN THIS AISLE THIS
MORNING TO GIVE HER HEART TO JESUS CHRIST IS A GREATER
MIRACLE THAN ALL OF THE HEALINGS
THIS WORLD HAS EVER SEEN. [ AUDIENCE: AMEN ]
YOUR HOUSE IS TO BE A HOUSE,
A PLACE OF PRAYER. IT IS TO BE A PLACE OF POWER.
AND, FRIEND, IT IS TO BE
A PLACE OF PRAISE. LOOK, IF YOU WILL, NOW IN, AH,
CHAPTER 21 VERSE 15: "AND WHEN
THE CHIEF PRIESTS AND SCRIBES SAW THE WONDERFUL WORKS THAT HE
DID, AND THE CHILDREN CRYING IN
THE TEMPLE AND SAYING, 'HOSANNA TO THE SON OF DAVID!'
THEY WERE VERY DISPLEASED. AND THEY SAID UNTO HIM, 'HEAREST
THOU NOT WHAT THEY SAY, AND
JESUS SAITH UNTO THEM, 'YEA; HAVE YE NEVER READ THAT OUT
OF THE MOUTHS OF BABES AND SUCKLINGS THOU HAST
PERFECTED PRAISE?'" WHEN YOUR HOUSE
BECOMES A HOUSE OF PRAYER, AND WHEN YOUR
HOUSE BECOMES A PLACE OF POWER, IPSO FACTO,
AS DAY FOLLOWS NIGHT, IT'LL BE A PLACE OF PRAISE. YOU WILL BE CONSTANTLY
PRAISING THE LORD. PSALM 34 VERSE ONE, [ SILENCE ] "I, DEAR LORD,
WILL CONSTANTLY PRAISE YOU; YOUR PRAISE WILL BE
CONTINUALLY IN MY MOUTH." WHEN YOU HAVE GIVEN THE TEMPLE
OF YOUR BODY OVER TO HIM, PRAISE WILL BE RISING UP
FROM GOD CONSTANTLY. YOU CAN'T HELP IT. YOU'LL BE SAYING,
"THANK YOU, LORD, THANK YOU. PRAISE YOUR NAME. YOU'RE GREAT.
I LOVE YOU, JESUS. GLORY TO YOUR HOLY NAME."
I DON'T MEAN JUST IN CHURCH. YOU SAY, "WELL, I COME TO
CHURCH TO WORSHIP GOD." FRIEND, YOU BRING YOUR
WORSHIP TO CHURCH. SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, TWENTY-FOUR
HOURS A DAY, NIGHT AND DAY YOUR
TEMPLE IS A PLACE OF PRAISE. NOT ONLY WILL YOU PRAISE HIM,
BUT OTHERS WILL PRAISE
HIM FOR YOU, BECAUSE OF YOU. NOW DON'T MAKE
THIS JUST A SERMON. I'M ASKING YOU A QUESTION,
AND IT'S A SERIOUS
QUESTION RIGHT NOW. WHAT IS THERE IN YOUR LIFE
THAT WOULD CAUSE SOMEBODY
ELSE TO PRAISE GOD? WHAT IS THERE IN YOUR LIFE THAT
CANNOT BE EXPLAINED BY YOUR WILL
OR BY YOUR MANNERS OR BY YOUR EDUCATION OR BY YOUR CULTURE
OR BY YOUR FRIENDSHIP,
WHERE IS THE DIFFERENCE? ARE YOU CONSTANTLY PRAISING GOD? AND IS YOUR LIFE CAUSING
OTHERS TO SAY, "HOSANNA, TO THE SON OF GOD!" THE PROFANING OF THE TEMPLE; STEALING THE TRIBUTE
THAT BELONGS TO JESUS. THE PURGING OF THE TEMPLE; A WHIP OF CHASTISEMENT
AND A WORK OF DISRUPTION. HE'LL DO THAT IN YOUR
HEART AND IN YOUR LIFE. THE PURPOSE OF THE TEMPLE;
IT'S TO BE A PLACE OF PRAYER, IT'S TO BE A PLACE OF POWER,
IT IS TO BE A PLACE OF PRAISE. I REMIND YOU ONE MORE TIME. I'M NOT TALKING NOW ABOUT
THE OLD TESTAMENT TEMPLE. THAT'S ONLY A PICTURE.
THAT'S ONLY A TYPE. FIRST CORINTHIANS CHAPTER
SIX VERSE 19, "WHAT? DON'T YOU KNOW THAT YOUR BODY IS
THE TEMPLE OF THE HOLY GHOST, WHICH YOU HAVE OF GOD,
AND YOU ARE NOT YOUR OWN?
FOR YOU'RE BOUGHT WITH A PRICE; THEREFORE, GLORIFY GOD IN YOUR
BODY AND IN YOUR SPIRIT,
WHICH ARE GOD'S." AND, FRIEND, WHEN WE DO THAT,
THAT'S REVIVAL, WOULD YOU AGREE? AND WHEN WE DO THAT
INDIVIDUALLY, THEN WE'RE
GOING TO DO IT CORPORATELY. AND THIS WORLD WILL
SEE A DIFFERENCE. BOW YOUR HEADS IN PRAYER. YOU SAID, "PASTOR, SALVATION
IS GETTING GOD OUT OF
HEAVEN INTO MAN, INTO WOMAN. HOW CAN I GET GOD OUT
OF HEAVEN INTO MY LIFE?" WELL, REVELATION THREE VERSE
20, JESUS SAID, "BEHOLD, I
STAND AT THE DOOR AND KNOCK." DID YOU KNOW HE'S KNOCKING AT
YOUR HEART'S DOOR RIGHT NOW?
"IF ANY MAN HEAR MY VOICE." YOU SEE, HE'S OUT THERE NOT ONLY
KNOCKING; HE IS SPEAKING, "IF
ANY MAN HEAR MY VOICE AND OPEN THE DOOR, I WILL COME
INTO HIM "HAVE SUPPER
WITH HIM AND HE WITH ME." HE'LL COME IN TO FELLOWSHIP
WITH YOU, THE DEAREST, SWEETEST
FRIEND YOU'VE EVER KNOWN. JESUS HAS BEEN SPEAKING
TO SOME OF YOU TODAY
THROUGH THIS MESSAGE. HE HAS BEEN KNOCKING AT YOUR
HEART'S DOOR, IN MANY WAYS
TELLING YOU THAT YOU NEED HIM. NOW WHAT IS YOUR JOB? WHAT IS YOUR PRIVILEGE? IT IS TO OPEN THE DOOR. IT'S NOT ENOUGH TO SLIDE AN
OFFERING UNDER THE DOOR, NOT ENOUGH TO WHISPER
A PRAYER THROUGH THE KEYHOLE. OPEN THE DOOR! OPEN THE DOOR AND SAY,
"LORD JESUS, COME IN," AND HE WILL COME IN AND MAKE YOU
HIS HOLY, WONDERFUL TEMPLE. HE WILL DO THAT, I
PROMISE, ON THE AUTHORITY
OF THE WORD OF GOD. PRAY A PRAYER LIKE THIS:
"JESUS, YOU SHED YOUR BLOOD ON
THE CROSS TO PAY MY SIN DEBT. YOU WERE RAISED FROM THE DEAD
TO SHOW YOU'RE THE SON OF GOD. YOU PROMISED TO SAVE ME
IF I WOULD TRUST YOU. I DO TRUST YOU, I DO. I OPEN THE DOOR. COME INTO ME, LORD JESUS,
AND TAKE CONTROL OF MY LIFE. AND I GIVE MY LIFE BACK TO YOU. AND YOU WILL HAVE
SUPPER WITH ME, AND I'LL
HAVE SUPPER WITH YOU. WE'LL WALK TOGETHER,
DEAR JESUS. AMEN." ♪♪♪ WE PRAY GOD HAS BLESSED YOU AS
YOU'VE WATCHED THIS MESSAGE. IF YOU'D LIKE ADDITIONAL COPIES
OR INFORMATION ON OTHER
RESOURCES, WRITE US AT: LOVE WORTH FINDING
P.O. BOX 38800
MEMPHIS, TN 38183 YOU CAN ALSO VISIT OUR ON-LINE
BOOKSTORE AT LWF.ORG. IN THE U.S., YOU CAN PLACE VISA
OR MASTERCARD ORDERS BY CALLING: 1-800-274-5683 MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, 8:30 AM
TO 4:30 PM, CENTRAL TIME. THANK YOU AND MAY
GOD RICHLY BLESS YOU. ♪♪♪
