Clean up the temple of your heart”
Do not let God’s temple—your heart and your body—become a place where sin, bitterness, or spiritual coldness can take root. God desires hearts that are clean, soft, and filled with love. He invites every person to draw near to Him and experience His renewing presence.
As you walk—or begin to walk—with Jesus each day, learn to guard your heart, turn away from what does not lead to life, and ask God to help you grow in love and truth. God is patient and gentle with all who seek Him, and He will guide and transform you as you trust Him and choose to follow His ways.
The Bible consistently teaches that God desires holiness, reverence, and obedience in the place where He dwells—both physically and spiritually.
In Matthew 21, Jesus entered the temple and drove out what defiled it.
“My house shall be called a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves.” (Matthew 21:13)
This was not merely an act of anger—it was an act of restoration. Jesus cleansed the temple because it was set apart for God’s presence.
Likewise, when our hearts become cluttered with sin, bitterness, pride, or compromise, the Lord calls us to cleansing and repentance.
👉 God does not ignore defilement in His dwelling place.
In 2 Chronicles 29, King Hezekiah reopened and purified the temple after a season of neglect:
“Sanctify now yourselves, and sanctify the house of the Lord God of your fathers, and carry forth the filthiness out of the holy place.” (2 Chronicles 29:5)
Before sacrifices were offered, the filth had to be removed. Restoration began with cleansing.
👉 True worship begins with a clean heart.
Your Body Is God’s Temple
The New Testament makes this truth deeply personal:
“Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you… therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” (1 Corinthians 6:19–20)
God no longer dwells in temples made with hands alone—He dwells within His people.
This means:
- What we think
- What we allow
- How we live
- How we care for our bodies and hearts
—all matter to God.
God Desires Holiness, Not Neglect
“Be holy, for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:16)
Holiness is not perfection—it is intentional separation from sin and dedication to God. Allowing spiritual “trash” to remain is a form of neglect, not humility.
“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10)
“I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit.” (Isaiah 57:15)
God’s presence is not forced—it is invited through humility, repentance, and obedience.
Daily Maintenance Is Required
Just as physical spaces require cleaning, spiritual temples require daily care:
“Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” (2 Corinthians 7:1)
This includes:
- Repentance
- Renewing the mind (Romans 12:1–2)
- Guarding the heart (Proverbs 4:23)
- Living intentionally for God’s glory
God does not desire to dwell in a neglected temple. He calls His people to clean up, restore, and honor the place where He lives.
You are God’s temple.
Clean it daily—not out of fear, but out of love, reverence, and devotion.
“If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.” (1 Corinthians 3:17)
Pastor Loran Livingston
