Spring Cleaning

With spring comes that urge to make everything fresh and clean - to see things 'sparkle' in the sunshine that pours in through windows open to the warm breezes and wonderful smells they carry. Equipped with pails, brooms, mops, dustcloths, sponges, scrubbrushes and every cleaning product that promises to renew, shine and 'beautify' in some way - the task begins! On my knees with pail and scrubbrush, standing with mops and brooms and stretching with arms reaching as high as I possibly can - I work on my house. It isn't the large and visible surfaces that need the attention. They are tended to in the 'normal' cleaning and tidying of each day. It's the corners, the 'high places', the 'behind the scenes' areas that require the special attention. They are easy to overlook. They are out of the way and don't intrude on my senses, they are - for the most part - unnoticeable. But, as I get close and the light of the springtime sun shines upon these areas I can see plainly where a more thorough cleaning is needed. This is hard work. The bending, the stretching, the kneeling - this is not 'fun'! I would much rather be enjoying the refreshing springtime air sitting on a lounge chair and reading my favorite book - or taking a walk in the woods - or sitting by a stream watching the brightness of the sun reflected in the rushing water. I choose today to clean my house.

Cleaning my physical house can be compared to cleaning my spiritual 'house'. Just as the corners and windows of my physical house tend to collect unwanted dirt and dust, so the 'hidden places' of my heart can accumulate unwanted debris that needs to be 'cleaned' out. Offences, anger, depression, sickness, impatience and judgmental attitudes accumulate in the corners and become imbedded and overlooked. A coating of prayerful wax is spread on top - sealing them in rather than cleaning them out! Justifying the corner accumulation by saying I have 'prayed about it' does not remove it. These corner dwellers must be dealt with honestly and openly. We must be willing to look straight at them with the light of God's Holy Spirit and remove them! Don't accept the grime that has attached itself to your spirit any more than you would accept a garbage truck backing into your kitchen and dumping its contense there! Catch it before it starts - if it has started, stop it! If it has already dumped a load of trash - clean it out with a excited enthusiasm that is based in the 'cleaning power' of the Holy Spirit. After all - God said "... Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts. Zech. 4:6".

Don't complain about the 'stuff' that has accumulated in the corners. Don't call everyone around you and point it out. Don't cry and moan about it and talk about not understanding 'why'. Don't get together with others who have 'stuff' in the corners of their spirit and discuss the 'stuff' and give it 'place' in your lives. Don't ignore it either! It won't 'just go away'! Deal with it. Get out every piece of 'cleaning' equipment that the Lord has given you for that particular situation. USE them! It is not our words that will make a difference. It is not simply our hoping that will make a difference. It is His Word - and our faith, our belief and trust in His Word, joined with His Word - that will put the 'cleaning' process into action.

Come on! Lets grab those 'cleaning' supplies and get going!

I encourage you to find scripture that you can use as the basic ingredient in your prayer (these are our cleaning supplies!). Find the Word that applies to the situation in your life and claim the promise - speak God's Word back to Him. He said-
Isaiah 55:11
so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
So pray His Word!! It can not fail!

When we read about all the miracles Jesus performed there was only one time where He was limited in what He could do.
Mark 6:1-6
Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples. [2] When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. "Where did this man get these things?" they asked. "What's this wisdom that has been given him, that he even does miracles! [3] Isn't this the carpenter? Isn't this Mary's son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren't his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him. [4] Jesus said to them, "Only in his hometown, among his relatives and in his own house is a prophet without honor." [5] He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. [6] And he was amazed at their lack of faith. Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village.

If you feel offended by someone -
John 12:47-48
If anyone hears my words and doesn't follow them, I don't condemn them. I didn't come to condemn the world but to save the world. [48] Those who reject me by not accepting what I say have a judge appointed for them. The words that I have spoken will judge them on the last day. (Don't expect someone who doesn't know Jesus to live as though he does! That person will live according to the principles of the 'god' of their life.)

Here are just a few scriptures that we can claim in our spiritual 'house cleaning'. Use "I" instead of "you" ---
....I thank you Father that as I pray I yield to the power and love of Your Holy Spirit and forgive ___ for the wrong done to me. I release the hurt and the pain and in its place receive Your comforting peace and loving acceptance.....

Mark 11:25-26
And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. [26] But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

Luke 6:37
Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:

Luke 23:34
Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.

Romans 5:1
Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

Romans 14:17
For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

Romans 14:19
Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.

Romans 15:13
Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

Matthew 4:24
And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatic, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.

Matthew 8:16
When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:

Matthew 12:15
But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all;

Matthew 14:14
And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.

Matthew 15:30
And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus' feet; and he healed them:

Matthew 19:2
And great multitudes followed him; and he healed them there.

Hebrews 12:13
And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.

James 5:16
Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

John 7:24
Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment."

Oh That You Would

Oh that you would seek Me at every hour of the day,
That you would let me cherish you and carry you away~
Oh that we would be one, that you would let Me fill your heart,
Locked together in our love, nevermore to part.
Oh that My Words would be eternally on your lips,
Hidden in your heart and at your fingertips.
Oh that you would be a vessel drinking deeply from My well
Of the Spirit’s living water and never get your fill.
How many times must I ask, how much longer will it be?
Before you let My fire fall and you give yourself to Me?