Have you ever watched someone flip a pool table like it was nothing? I got to see that happen one evening as I was playing pool with my cousins at one of their houses. My cousin’s older brother walked in and didn’t like something and just flipped the pool table. Needless to say we all decided to all somewhere else. Has there ever been a time in your life where everything was turned upside down? It was probably a very painful experience to go through. As I look back on mylife, the painful moments were when my life was turned upside down. What was happening? As you read Mark 11:15-19 where Jesus cleanses the temple we read how he turns everything upside down so that the temple could be restored to God’s original intended purpose. God’s original intended purpose for his temple was to be a house of prayer for the nations but the religious leaders had made it a den of thieves. (Isaiah 56:7 & Jeremiah 7:11) Jesus as been given the authority to turn your world upside down and inside out. He does so with your best interest in mind. You see we are all born dead in trespasses and sin and are not only sinners by nature but also rebellious against the Lord God of heaven. When Jesus turns your world upside down he is bringing you to the place of surrender and submission to his lordship over your life. He wants what is best for you. In order for you to be restored, he has to cleanse your life not only from sin but restore you to himself. When we are restored to the Lord we can come into his presence and worship him. Adore him for who he is. He is the sovereign God of the universe who ways are righteous and true. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom and his dominion is from generation to generation. No one can hinder him from accomplishing what he wants to accomplish in and through your life. Even when people sin against you God has a way of working it for your good and his glory. He will use the painful moments in your life to purify your faith in him because your faith is more precious than silver or gold which perishes. When your world is turned upside down what will you do? The Bible instructs us to submit to God. To resist the devil and he will flee from us. You and I are to draw near to God and he will draw near to you. You and I are to cleanse our hands, because we are sinners in need of cleansing, we are to purify our minds and not be double minded. In another words we are to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God and let him have control over our hearts and minds. (James 4:1-12) Next week we will learn from Jesus how to have an effective prayer life.
Categories: Ministry