I wish I could force people to change but I cannot, each person has a free will, all I can do is lead by example and hope they will follow. It is so hard to witness someone you love choose to go down the path of destruction. Sometimes learning the hard way is the only option. All I can do is pray and hope that when destruction comes they will truly surrender to God so He can help them recover.
Jesus in Luke 19:41-44 weeps over the city of Jerusalem. The people refused to receive it's Savior for they would not accept the package He came in. They wanted outward peace while He came to give them inward peace.
If we had a friend or family member who kept getting beat up fighting we would want to help them out, but if we realized they were the cause of the fight would it be just to fight with them when they are in the wrong. It is hard to see loved ones beat up but only when they get beat up bad enough will they eventually surrender. So sometimes letting God have His way is letting the devil have his way (so he thinks) for a time being.
Jesus in Luke 19:45-48 goes from weeping to yelling as He sees the temple being used as a market rather than a place of prayer. The reason for destruction as we see above is from separation from God. Jerusalem had religion but without any power for there was no prayer. People often use church for their own gain, as a marketing scheme for self-promotion. When the church is praying community transformation follows. We see so many communities with churches on every corner yet sinful activity prevails. Believers gathering together for whatever reason means nothing without the primary reason being prayer. Looking religious does not impress God. The bible says our faith is what pleases God. Faith is a verb meaning action, so prayer, responding in action is what impresses God. Christ the head brings forth His will to the body by prayer and moves as we respond in obedience.
Would Jesus respond the same way in our church today is the question we must ask, would He go around kicking over the useless self promoting junk we fill our churches with? Is communicating with Jesus the main object of our church commitment? The Pharisees response to Jesus was to kill Him. How many church leaders today do the same regarding the Holy Spirit because they have their own agenda in God's place?
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