1 Peter 2:24 "Christ carried our sins in his body on the cross so we would stop living for sin and start living for what is right. And you are healed because of his wounds."
Oh, my favorite time of year. As the days lengthen and the warm air sets in the outside begins to sing with new life. The buds begin to open, birds sing their melodies, flowers bloom, and new life comes to the outside critters.
As spring sets in and we see the new life outside our homes we may begin to feel it's time to bring the same newness to the inside of our homes too. With winter dying away we feel the urge to revive our house and bring a freshness to everything. So, we begin throwing open windows, dusting off the cobwebs, taking things apart, cleaning overdue rooms filled to the brim, and scouring and cleaning all the nooks and crannies we can find.
Remember our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit- 1 Corinthians 6:19. Overtime things get tucked away in our spiritual closets that aren't needed and our spiritual walls and floors can accumulate dirt and grime. As we clean our physical homes, we need to take time to clean our spiritual lives too. Turning things inside and out so we can present our bodies a “living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God” -Romans 12:1.
Let's look at how we can do some spiritual cleaning this spring.
First, we need to do some evaluating. When you look around your home you know the areas that need cleaning, the neglected rooms that have accumulated the most and what needs improvement. Your spiritual life is the same. Only you can evaluate yourself and your actions. In all you do and say, is it pleasing to the Lord? What has accumulated in your heart and mind you don't need anymore? Take time to see everything that needs some cleaning.
Colossians 3:17, “Everything you do or say should be done to obey Jesus your Lord. And in all you do, give thanks to God the Father through Jesus.”
Second, get rid of the junk. When you spring clean you usually find things you don't need or use anymore, and you usually toss it or have a garage sale. The same goes for your life. What has been cluttering up in you and may be in the way of you reaching your full potential in Christ. Does anger, bitterness, or bad habits take up room in your heart and mind? Let all you keep in your life pass the guidelines in Philippians 4:8, and if it doesn't, toss it out.
Philippians 4:8, “Brothers and sisters, think about the things that are good and worthy of praise. Think about the things that are true and honorable and right and pure and beautiful and respected.”
Third, gather some cleaning tools. To clean your house you use rags, mops, brooms, vacuums, buckets, and water. All these tools help you clean up the messes. In your spiritual cleaning you also have a tool. One all-purpose cleaning tool for everything you need - the Word of God.
Hebrews 4:12, “God’s word is alive and working and is sharper than a double-edged sword. It cuts all the way into us, where the soul and the spirit are joined, to the center of our joints and bones. And it judges the thoughts and feelings in our hearts.”
Fourth, get your cleaning solutions gathered. Window cleaners, bleach, waxes, floor cleaners, disinfectants, and so on. All these solutions help make your home fresh and smelling clean. To clean your spiritual home reach for the one all-purpose cleaning agent - the forgiveness of God. He will remove all grime, dirt and sin build up.
1 John 1:9, “But if we confess our sins, he will forgive our sins, because we can trust God to do what is right. He will cleanse us from all the wrongs we have done.”
Fifth, go to work! Now that you have everything you need, roll up your sleeves and get cleaning, right? If you just gather everything but do nothing, nothing will get done. The same goes for our spiritual lives. Although God provides all we need, we need to use them to stay clean.
Psalm 119:11, “I have taken your words to heart so I would not sin against you.”
Lastly, determine to keep it clean. Once we've got our homes clean, we contently smile and sigh, determining not to let it get messy again. Yet, in order to do that, we have to put the work into keeping it clean. How easy it can be to let our spiritual lives fall back into old habits and patterns when we don't daily take the time to keep our lives clean. The only way to prevent this is if we daily feed on God's Word and listen to the Holy Spirit's leading in our lives. We need to trust and follow Jesus to help us in our spiritual lives.
Galatians 5:16, “So I tell you: Live by following the Spirit. Then you will not do what your sinful selves want.”
So, now that spring is here how are you spending your spring cleaning around the house? Take some extra time to remember your spiritual cleaning too!
Regularly reading God’s word reorients our thinking so that we can grow in maturity, which is part of the Christian calling (Ephesians 4:14–16; Romans 12:1–2). While reading the Bible on a regular basis is a great start, it is also important to approach the Bible in a proper manner. It is easy to get into a habit of trying to focus only on application when reading the Bible. It is absolutely necessary for the Christian to apply the Bible to his or her life, but sometimes we can make applications that are forced or unintended. In order to avoid misapplication of texts, it is good to read whole biblical books and try to understand the text in light of both its immediate context and in light of the entire biblical book. Always ask what the text says about the character and nature of God.
Let's start our new study through 2 Peter and we will begin by reading 2 Peter 1:1-4 and, like all studies, there is a link you can click on to answer questions that may help enhance your study or just take the time to read and allow the Lord to lead you in what He wants you to learn.
Study 1, 1 Peter 1:1-4- https://www.docdroid.net/Mv20LNf/study-1-docx
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