Maranatha Monday

“He said to them, ‘It is written, My house shall be called a house of prayer, but you make it a den of robbers.’” Matthew 21:13

“Jesus cleansed the temple with a whip; today He would probably cleanse it with a microphone.” Leonard Ravenhill

The Monday before Jesus was crucified, He went to the temple and dealt with corruption in the house of God. The people running the religious system thought they were close to God, but their hearts were far from Him. They had turned a place of prayer into a place of profit, religion, and control.

Jesus died for the sins of the world, but before He went to the cross, He first addressed the corruption in the religious system. That should get our attention.

It is sad to see so many Christian leaders today exposed for corruption, manipulation, pride, and immorality. But we shouldn’t be surprised — God always cleans His house first. Jesus is serious about His Church being pure. Sometimes the cleansing is painful, but it is necessary.

If we want corruption dealt with in government, in culture, and in the world, it must first be dealt with in the house of the Lord and in our own hearts. The Bible says judgment begins with the house of God. Before we point fingers at the world, we need to examine our own lives.

Jesus didn’t cleanse the temple to destroy it — He cleansed it so it could become what it was always meant to be.

Let’s ask God to cleanse our lives, our homes, and our churches so that we can truly be a house of prayer for all nations.

Maranatha — this is an early Christian word that means “Come, Lord Jesus.” It was a prayer of the early church, longing for Jesus to return, make things right, and establish His kingdom.

Come, Lord Jesus. Cleanse Your temple. Start with us.