And he was teaching them and saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.” (Mark 11:17 ESV)

The feasts designed to honor The Lord had become a circus of money-making and swindling. The poor were being taken advantage of, the greedy were capitalizing on the requirements of the Law in order to make a personal profit.

That’s when Jesus cleaned house.

Tables were turning, coins were rolling, pigeons were flapping, and the chief priests and scribes were boiling with indignation.

Jesus’ zeal was followed by a verbal reminder, if not a rebuke: “My house shall be called a house of prayer!”

There are many things we do at church that meet social, intellectual, emotional, and physical needs; but one thing we MUST do is pray!

Prayer is one of the greatest privileges and responsibilities given to the Church.

Prayer brings God’s will from heaven to earth.
Prayer breaks satan’s strongholds from people’s lives.
Prayer builds our faith.
Prayer emboldens us to minister to others.
Prayer brings us through the valley of the shadow of death.

If the Church is to be known by anything, we must be known as people of prayer.

Jesus went on to say:

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. (Mark11:24 ESV)

Father,
Stir Your people once again to PRAY!
Amen.