Message summary: Cleaning a house is much like that of cleaning our heart and soul. There's a lot of junk we need to toss from our lives so that we make room for Christ to inhabit and rule our lives. It's the I made a decision in 1971 to accept Christ into my life and receive His forgiveness. In one sense my "house" was cleaned at that moment of conversion but in another sense the cleansing had just begun and is ongoing over 50 years later and will continue till I am called home.

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"Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work. So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart" (2 Timothy 2:20-22).

We just cleaned out our garden shed. It was a real mess since we hadn't thoroughly cleaned it for several years. In the process of building our house addition project this last winter it served as a catch-all where we just threw everything in to get it out of the way. We didn't have the foresight to take a "before" picture but were so pleased afterwards with the tremendous improvement that we took an "after" photo and share it with our readers assuming some may even be remotely interested! Many of you know the fulfillment of cleaning up and cleaning out a room.

Did you know the Bible has rules about cleaning houses? In fact the heading for a section beginning in Leviticus 14:23 is "Laws For Cleansing Houses" (ESV). These rules mostly pertain to ceremonial cleansing though practical hygienic aspects are still applicable today. In fact the NIV uses the heading, "Cleansing From Defiling Molds". We know how serious a mold problem can be in a house.

Cleaning our houses (garden sheds, garages, barns, etc.) is important for a well-ordered life but today we consider in our text a call from Peter that we are to cleanse the inner person, especially considering the portion, "if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable".

The first step to cleansing ourselves from what is dishonorable is when we confess our sin and accept Christ as a Savior. Everyone needs to begin with that step. "But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God" (John 1:12). Any attempt to clean up in a manner pleasing to God without this step will be futile. D. L. Moody said that "God doesn't seek for golden vessels, and does not ask for silver ones, but He must have clean ones."

But there is also an ongoing aspect to staying clean expressed to believers in 1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness". We know that even after the heavy duty cleaning of our garden shed it will get cluttered and dirty again. (Brooksyne would say I clutter more than her, but truth be told, we both need to tidy up our storage space regularly and return items to their assigned location. Overall with a tidy room we will waste a lot less time hunting for tools, have better inventory of our possessions, and do less finger pointing as to who did not return the tool!)

Cleaning a house is much like that of cleaning our heart and soul. There's a lot of junk we need to toss from our lives so that we make room for Christ to inhabit and rule our lives. I made a decision in 1971 to accept Christ into my life and receive His forgiveness.  In one sense my "house" was cleaned at that moment of conversion but in another sense the cleansing had just begun and is ongoing, now over 50 years later and will continue till I am called home. 

Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

Daily prayer: Father, I want to cleanse myself from that which is dishonorable, so that I can be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy and useful to You, the Master of my house, ready for every good work. Help me to flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those of the faith who call on You from a pure heart to not only cleanse me from sin but maintain a right spirit within me all the days of my life. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

"Lord Prepare Me To Be A Sanctuary"  Watch on YouTube  Randy Rothwell

"Vessel of Honor, Nearer I Am Thine, O Lord"  Watch on YouTube  Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir