February 29
	Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught.
	John 7:14
The first time Jesus went to Jerusalem, He cleansed the Temple (John 2:13-16). This time, He’s teaching in the Temple. And that’s always the way it is: Before Jesus can impart His Word effectively to me, there must first be a cleansing within me. The moneychangers must be driven out, the cattle chased away. That is why when you study the Word whether here corporately, or in your devotions individually, it’s always good to say, ‘Lord, before I even begin reading, search my heart. Show me that which needs to be confessed.’ ‘If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me,’ declared the Psalmist (Psalm 66:18). Why? Because our Father won’t allow us to live in sin which will hurt us and those around us, and still continue in intimate relationship with Him. He loves you and me too much for that. So He says, ‘I’m going to break communication with you not because I’m angry with you, not because I’m giving up on you, but because something’s amiss in your life — and if it’s not changed, it will bring pain into your life and problems into the lives of those around you. So when you don’t sense I’m listening, if your prayers aren’t being answered, or the Word isn’t speaking — call upon Me; let Me come in and cleanse your temple. And then I will teach; then you will hear My voice; then you will see My face.’ I think too many of us minimize the importance of quietly waiting on the Lord and asking Him to search our hearts. Before teaching, there must be cleansing.