Spring has sprung and with it comes warm weather, vacation plans, and – wait for it – SPRING CLEANING!
Millions of people view this time of year as a symbol of newness. They take advantage of the warm breezes and step out into the sunshine to soak up its soothing light. Trips are planned for well deserved vacations to places dreamed of over many cold winter days – and then there is the cleaning.
To clean means to free from dirt, foreign or irrelevant substances. To make useful or moral; to bring to bodily or general well-being. To edify, restore, nourish, honor, and strengthen.
As we look at Matthew 21:10-17 we see that Jesus discovered a problem as He went to the Temple of God in Jerusalem. He went there to set some things right before His crucifixion. To do some SPRING CLEANING.
At this time, it was necessary for people to purchase animals and other items for the sacrifices but only Temple currency was accepted. Therefore, an exchange of currency had to take place. The Temple was created to be a place of worship for God but had become a common marketplace where moneychangers and bargaining took place. This angered Jesus and He drove out all those who bought and sold there and turned over the tables. Jesus did some "SPRING CLEANING.”
After all this we are told in verse 14 that the lame and blind came to Jesus to be healed. Pure ministry can begin after cleansing.
We also have a Temple that needs to be cleansed.
I Corinthians 6:19-20 tells us that our bodies are Temples of the Holy Spirit and that He lives in us and because of that we are to glorify God with our body (our Temple) and spirit. This means that even you have to do some SPRING CLEANING before true authentic ministry can take place.
To go through this process there are some things you will need to be successful, and you must keep in mind that this cleansing doesn’t just happen once but happens various times over the course of your lifetime.
You need to be aware that sin can desensitize you to the point that you’ll begin to accept your sinful thoughts and behavior as normal when in reality they go against what God has laid out in His Holy Bible. You also need to understand that you can be at church and not be AT church because your motives are wrong. You must be sure that your motives are pure and that you are there to praise and worship God, to hear a message from His Holy Word, and to fellowship with His people so you can be equipped to go out and spread the good news about Him. Your are NOT there to be a people watcher, a finger pointer or a bench warmer.
There are several ways you can take steps to do your SPRING CLEANING. Here are a few:
CHECK YOUR LOCATION
Psalm1:1-3
Who do you hang around? Who influences you?
GET RID OF THE WEEDS
Matthew 18:9
Remove from your life those things that you know cause you to sin.
ALLOW GOD TO PRUNE YOUR HEART
John 15:1-8; Hebrews 12:1-11
When God shows you things about yourself that need to be addressed, make sure you make the effort to make those changes. Allow God to correct you when you are in error.
CREATE BOUNDARIES
Proverbs 22:24-25; Proverbs 16:17-30
Be careful who you let into your close circle of friends.
GET RID OF THE TRASH
Ephesians 4:31-32
Don’t allow evil and negativity to linger in you.
But most importantly,
YOU MUST KNOW WHO YOU ARE IN CHRIST
I Peter 2:9-10
But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.
It’s that season, brothers and sisters.
It’s time for some SPRING CLEANING.