Giving Your Home a Spiritual/Biblical Cleaning

Ideally I like to do a Spring and Fall cleaning around my home.  A time to dig deep into the corners and recesses of my home and tidy them up.   It doesn't always happen but that is the goal.  A time twice a year to open up windows, remove and wash the jams and screens.  I empty cupboards of pots and pans, dishes and pantry items and thoroughly scrub out any accumulated grim or crumbs.   In the Fall I usually take this time to freshen my linens by washing extra blankets and bedding so that they are ready to put on beds when the nights turn crisp.
 
As important as it is to be good stewards of our homes and belongings by seeing to their physical upkeep, it is equally important to give diligence to its Spiritual upkeep. 

Many years ago I found a blog post on cleaning house.  I felt it was a very important reminder and so I took the time to write it in the back of my Bible.  Unfortunately I did not make note of the author or blog where I found it and can no longer remember.  If anyone recognizes this please let me know so that I can give proper credit.  
 
Cleaning House

Every few months go through the house and examine it according to these Scriptures:
 

• Psalm 101:3
• 2 Corinthians 7:1
• Proverbs 3:33
• Philippians 4:8
• Deuteronomy 7:26
• 1 John 5:21
• Psalm 101:2
• Psalm 119:37

Clean out those things that are not pleasing to the Lord.  It is very easy for worldly distractions to creep into our home.  Look at:

 
* Books and magazines
* Art, personal pictures
* Videos and DVD's
* Music
* Toys
* Anything immodest or crude in speech, manner or suggestion
* Immodest clothing
* Miscellaneous things that the Lord might reveal to you.

(I would also add that you should examine your online and social media activities.  Are they pleasing to the Lord?)

Replace items with things that would inspire and draw you, your family and others to God.
Strive to make your home a safe place that honors the Lord by carefully discerning and guarding the things you allow into it.

 
** The Right Questions to Ask **

The following questions are ones that I wrote down from a women's Bible study I attended and I think they go beautifully with the context of Biblical Housekeeping.
 
1.  Will this strengthen my faith and help me love Jesus more?
2.  Will this advance me in warfare against sin?
3.  Will it help me be more resolved to pray?
4.  Will it embolden my faith and help me to share the gospel with others?
5.  Does this bring glory to God?

I hope this will be an encouragement to you as you think about doing your Fall cleaning.  God bless you as you work in your homes, may all you do there bring glory to the Lord and your family closer to Him.

Making Your Home a Haven, Week 2 - Music

 

It's week two of the Making Your Home a Haven challenge.  Hosted by Courtney at Women Living Well. 

 

Have you been lighting your candle?  We have - the boys are taking turns each morning lighting the candle and praying for peace in our home before we begin family worship time.  We've read Romans 12:9-21 a few times over the last week. 

 

My Holiday Spice Yankee Candle is just about  burned through and before weeks end I'll need to get another.  ☺  I'm not sure if I'll get the same scent or look for a new one. 

 

 

Over the last few months I've purchased a few new cd's and I've been playing those throughout the day.  In years past (and still) I've enjoyed listening to George Winston but I recently found Paul Cardall and downloaded a selection of his music as well as some Fernado Ortega from Amazon and onto my cloud storage.  I can play it through an app from either my computer or my iPhone which is nice because because its mobile and I can listen to it whenever and wherever I want.  :)

 

 I also have two cd's that I purchased from the Revive Our Hearts ministry with Nancy Leigh DeMoss that I love!  The first is a cd collection of Hymns.  The cd title is Be Still.  The second is Hidden in My Heart:  A Lullaby Journey Through Scripture.   Don't let the lullaby part fool you.  These are beautiful Scriptural truths set to music that are soothing to any age.

 

This summer I watched a talk by Michelle Duggar.  She opened by having everyone sing (a capella) a beautiful hymn titled A Christian Hymn.  I am not sure where this hymn originated but over the summer I've taken it as my own and have sung it to the Lord and a prayer for my family and home.

 

 

A Christian Home

(sung to Be Still My Soul)

 

O give us homes built firm upon the Savior,

Where Christ is head and counselour and guide;

Where every child is taught His love and favor

And give his heart to Christ, the crucified:

How sweet to know that , tho' his footsteps waver,

His faithful Lord is walking by his side!

 

O give us homes with godly fathers, mothers,

Who always place their home and trust in Him;

Whose tender patience turmoil never bothers,

Whose calm and courage trouble cannot dim;

A home where each finds joy in serving others,

And love still shines tho' days be dark and grim.

 

O give us homes where Christ is Lord and Master,

The Bible read, the precious hymns still sung;

Where prayer comes first in peace or in disaster,

And praise is natural speech to every tongue;

Where mountains move before a faith that's vaster,

And Christ sufficient is for old and young.

 

O Lord, our God, our homes are Thine forever!

We trust to Thee their problems, toil and care;

Their bonds of love no enemy can sever

If Thou art always Lord and Master there:

Be Thou the center of our least endeavor

Be Thou our guest, our hearts and homes to share.

 

 

Isn't it lovely?!  May God bless you this week as you work towards building a haven for your family.

 

Making Your Home a Haven - Week 1 was the #1 read post at the So Much at Home Link up!  How fun and welcome to all the new readers who came through the link-up.  I hope you'll stop by again, leave a comment so I can return the visit.  Please click below to visit and read the posts submitted to this week's link-up. 

  

This post may be shared with some or all of the following link-ups: The Art of Home-Making Mondays, Marriage Monday, Titus 2sdays, Titus 2 Tuesdays, Raising Homemakers, Wise Woman Link Up, Coffee and Conversation, So Much at Home, Homemaking Thursdays, Home Sweet Home, Hearts for Home Thursdays, Growing in Grace Link-up,  Front Porch Friday Blog Hop, Simple Meals Friday, Making Your Home a Haven,  Thank you to each of the lovely ladies listed above for hosting.

 

Making Your Home a Haven - Week 1

 

Each Autumn I've followed along with the Making Your Home a Haven challenge at Women Living Well.  Courtney gives some practical ways in which we can help make our homes a haven for our loved ones.

 

Here is the challenge for week 1

 

 "Go buy an extra large candle and light a candle everyday in your home. I will be starting mine in the morning but you can start yours at dinner time or whenever is convenient for you.  I will be placing mine in the kitchen – the main hub of my home.  Each time the glimmer of the candle catches your eye, say a prayer for peace and patience within your home."

 One of the things I especially love about this challenge is lighting our candle each morning. Although we don't do it everyday, we've continued with this practice all throughout the year.    Our candle is pictured above and is part of the centerpiece on our living room coffee table.  Our living room is open to our school room and the kids spend quite a bit of time here reading and working on school. 

 

One morning this week as we were preparing to have family worship time, the Holy Spirit spoke to me.  I was to have the boys each take turns lighting the candle and then praying for peace in our home rather than my doing it.  I think it has made a huge impact on them as they are realizing that we are each responsible to do our part.

 

Here is a picture of my youngest praying this morning after he lit our candle.

 

 

 

I shared this quote earlier in the week in my Daybook post but I'll share it here again because it fits so beautifully. 

 

 

So how do we go about creating a foretaste of heaven in our homes.  First through prayer - pray daily for your marriage - the earthly visible example of Christ and the church.  This relationship is the most important one you will have aside from your personal relationship with Christ.  Next pray for your relationship with each of your children.  Ask the Holy Spirit to help you find creative ways to love on and encourage them.  Pray for the relationships of your children one with the other.  If you are noticing conflicts or issues, make them a matter of prayer. 

 

Living peaceably with others begins in our homes, amongst our families. 

 

Romans 12:9-21 (KJV)

 

"Let love be without dissimulation.  Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.  Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; Distributing to the necessity of saints, given to hospitality.  Bless them which persecute you:  bless, and curse not.  Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.  Be of the same mind one toward another.  Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate.  Be not wise in your own conceits.  Recompense to no man evil for evil.  Provide things honest in the sight of all men.  If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.  Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath:  for it is written, Vengenance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.  Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink; for in doing so thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.  Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good."

 

I'd love to hear from you in the comments... how do you work to create your home a haven?

 

 

 

This post may be shared with some or all of the following link-ups: The Art of Home-Making Mondays, Marriage Monday, Titus 2sdays, Titus 2 Tuesdays, Raising Homemakers, Wise Woman Link Up, Coffee and Conversation, So Much at Home, Homemaking Thursdays, Home Sweet Home, Hearts for Home Thursdays, Growing in Grace Thursdays,  Front Porch Friday Blog Hop, Simple Meals Friday, Making Your Home a Haven,  Thank you to each of the lovely ladies listed above for hosting..