Cleaning Time

IT'S CLEANING TIME!

So, here we are, a couple of weeks from moving out of our home that we have sold. While we are building, we will move in with our daughter and son-in-law for 4 months. As you all know, the packing and moving process is exhausting. 

We have been married for almost 42 years and though we've moved several times, it's still amazing how much stuff we've accumulated. Some we keep, some is given to charity and some things just need to be thrown in the trash...hmmm...Is there any trash in your life that's been accumulating over the years? 

Maybe it's time for some house cleaning. I'm not talking about your physical house but how's your spiritual house doing? Are there things that you've carried with you for far too long and now it's dragging you down? Maybe it's a recurring sin that you have yet to repent of, addictions, or is it guilt, shame and condemnation? How about unforgiveness and offense, deep rooted bitterness or the unrelenting pain that was inflicted from horrific experiences?

Our life's journey takes on so many different forms, some good some not so good. Our experiences make us into the person we become but that's not always who God intends us to be. 

For me there was anger and unforgiveness that weighed me down. It attached itself to me through abuse as a child and was manifested in the form of attitudes and rebellion. The pain of my past affected my present and it prevented me from moving forward with God. I had to make a conscious decision to put Christ first and allow Him to do a deep work in my heart and life. As He began to reveal the dark areas of my soul, I had to make the decision to crucify my flesh of the things that were not a reflection of His glory, beauty, and love. 

Layer by layer He would show me things that were ugly and with His help I would deal with them and purge myself of their effects on my life. It wasn't an easy process, He didn't just wipe my weaknesses away, but as I grew in my relationship with Him... the closer I got the more His glory revealed what needed to be removed. Sometimes that meant coming against demonic forces that I had unknowingly given access to my life by my own actions, behaviors, and agreements. Other times it was just a matter of crucifying my flesh...

Crucifying the flesh is dying to the things that come naturally, but not His best for our lives. Pride must be eliminated, anger must be dealt with, and intentional sin must be removed. When your desires go from pleasing your flesh to glorifying Jesus... change will follow. No, we'll never completely arrive, but holiness and purity should be our goal. 

Ask Him to reveal the garbage that has accumulated in your life. What's slowing down your growth process? He desires to lead us into the paths of righteousness for His namesake. As you take time to seek Him, listen and obey, He'll lead you there. Though the process may seem difficult at first, the freedom from the bondage of sin, rebellion, pain, and mediocrity is life changing. You'll soon be going forward... deep into the Secret Place and His will for your life feeling lighter and moving at a much faster pace.

Psalm 23:3 (NKJV) He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.

James 4:7-8 (KJV) Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

Colossians 3:5-10 (NKJV) Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them. But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him.