Clean Heart Giveaway
Published November 5, 2010Perhaps you’ve popped over due to the devotion I have running at Proverbs 31. If so, welcome! If not, to get caught up with the rest of us, click here. Don’t forget to come back for the giveaway and rest of the discussion!!
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Cleaning before the cleaning lady comes! Is that crazy?
Nope.
We all do it.
Oh, maybe not in our physical homes, but in other areas of our lives. Something in us just doesn’t want others to know the nitty-grtty details of where we sometimes pause our hearts and idle our brains; those places we choose to dwell and thoughts we choose to dwell on that are, well, less-than-lovely.
So as promised, here is a list of 10 heart-sanitizing scriptures for you to ponder and peruse; maybe even memorize, like we chatted about here.
Oh, but first…the giveaway! One commenter, chosen randomly, will win. Here is all that is included in this “clean heart’ giveaway 
~ A fun pair of cleaning gloves, for cleaning your home in style!
~A “ringdex” (yes, that is the real name of it) of 80 index cards with plastic dividers for jotting down verses you’d like to commit to memory. You can easily tuck it in your purse or leave it in your car for those times you are waiting in the carpool line, etc…
~ A copy of The Passion of Jesus Christ by John Piper to study how Jesus’ action in laying down His life made a way for us to be clean before God and gain entrance into heaven. If you have no clue what I’m talking about or you understand the concepts of religion and church, but don’t have a clear picture of what it means to have an actual relationship with God, click here to learn more!
~Some cotton blossom body wash by Bath & Body Works–for a clean body.
~Some fluffy, new white lounge socks to keep your newly cleaned feet from getting dirty again.
~A crisp, white votive candle in vanilla coconut for a fresh, clean scent in your home.
Okay…here are the verses for you!
CLEAN HEART SCRIPTURES:
Psalm 66:17-19, “I cried out to him with my mouth; his praise was on my tongue. If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened; but God has surely listened and heard my voice in prayer.” (NIV)
Psalm 36:5, “Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.” (NIV)
Psalm 24:3-5: “Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? Or who may stand in His holy place?He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, Nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive blessing from the LORD, And righteousness from the God of his salvation.” (NKJV)
Hebrews 10:22-23: “… let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.” (NIV)
Psalm 51:10 “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” (ESV)
Psalm 51: 1-2: ” Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.” (NIV)
Psalm 51:7 “Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.” (NIV)
Psalm 51:16-17: “You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart
you, God, will not despise.”
Hebrews 9:14: “How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!” (NIV)
Romans 8:1-2: “So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.” (NIV)
Okay everyone….leave a comment today on any aspect of this devotion or post. Or tell us what Jesus first cleaned up about you when you came to Him. Or why you think we feel we need to “clean ourselves up” so God will accept us? Or, as always, if time is tight, just say, “I’m in!”. Winner will be announced Monday!
Cleaned-Up Blessings,
130 Responses to Clean Heart Giveaway
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My Family
Jesus is working on me to remove the stronghold food has over my life.
Joanne
1holycow2@gmail.com
Jesus helped me clean up my act at work, you see I worked in a steel mill with foul mouth hard nosed men ( I was one of them ) I knew I was differant when my speech improved ( slowly but surely ), and I started having compassion for others. That was 25 years ago, and I am still being cleaned by the power of the holy spirir.
Wow… It’s like you looked right inside my life and saw me… The me who wants everything to be cleaned up, but I just can’t seem to keep it all together in a perfect little world.. I clean up, wash up, fold up, pick up, scrub up, dust up, vacuum up, sweep up, hang up, fuss up, and yep, stack up but it is never enough.. With a husband,his kids, my kids, unexpected company,and work, sometimes I feel I need to clean up my heart when I am overwhelmed….. I have asked those very words.. Create in me a clean heart oh God.. or please don’t let company stop by… The kids have destroyed this place!! God doesn’t leave us stranded by the wayside with all this cleaning up to do.. It feels so good to just pour my heart out to him, and he is right there in the midst of my kitchen with loads of dishes, or in my car as I head to work, praying as I drive… He is there and cleans me all up inside AGAIN…
I experienced God’s cleaning when I was going through tough times in my marriage, I felt myself spiralling down a dark tunnel, without using curse worse I found myself being able to make the nastiest comments and responses to my now ex-husband. Most times I surprised myself with the mean things I said, I became bitter and hard, then God called me to order one morning – He questioned who I was serving, I immediately saw what I had become and called out to Him and His cleaning began immediately. I felt refreshed, anew, alive as soon as I began focussing on Him. Praise God
I’m in!!
Thank you for that devotional and the scriptures on clean heart. When I started reading the devotional I thought that sounds just like me. I want to be clean and I invite the Lord into my heart today to do just that.
Oftentimes when I pray I ask God to create in me a clean heart, because I know throughout the day that I have gotten dirty from just the things of the world, from just watching TV with all the profanity that comes across the screen even in cartoons. I was one of those that used a lot of profanity growing up and God cleaned my mouth up from doing that. God is an awesome God and He can do anything but fall. Whatever we stand in the need of, if you are His child, He will provide.
I’m a clean freak – I like everything in it’s place and if it’s out of sorts, then I’m a mess. Sometimes, though my life gets out of sorts and I cannot do anything to straighten it up. I can’t, but God can. I have to acknowledge that the mess is to big for little ole me and I have to call in help. Letting go and letting Him in is the only way to get my life straight.
I love the 10 verses!
Thanks for sharing… I needed to read those verses this morning.
This post was written for me! Wow! Thank you Lord! I’ve really been trying to clean up my heart for my husband lately…I feel like I’m almost self-sabotaging my marriage with my negativity. I have written all of these Scriptures down to go home and really study and dig into…I’ve been praying for a cleansed heart and mind, and I know it will only be through Him that I get back to that right and “clean” place in my heart!
Thanks for sharing. You hit it right on the head, I thought about the many times I’ve surfaced cleaned the house even my car when I thought I’d have company. I’m so thankful I have a God who can clean me whiter than snow.
I’m in!
Thanks for the encouragement this morning!
I was in high school when Jesus saved me. It was a small yet obvious change in my heart. My brothers would ask me to get them a drink and I would always bristle and say no or do it mad. But after I came to know the Lord I was doing what they asked joyfully. And I also began to love God’s word. I couldn’t get enough of it at home or in Bible Studies. This was all a surprise to me!
Just clean me God, even though I don’t always know what needs cleaned.
Love me my P31. Thanks for the great devotional.
Happy weekend!
I’m in!
I feel like I am constantly ‘surface cleaning.’ My house is NEVER really clean… it is just good enough if I know someone is coming over. If my life… it is unfortunate that this is mostly the case too. I go along with day to day living…..possibly, habitually doing a devoption or too, but how often do I really sit down and ‘read the Word?’ Prayers become quick throw ups to heaven…..instead of conscience effort to open up our hearts with our praise and our concerns.
This was a wonderful devotion!!! Thank you!
Jesus is still helping me clean up my act. This past week I have really had to do not what I wanted to but what I knew was right.
I can so relate to this devotion, as I am always trying to tidy my house, “just in case” someone pops over. Between teaching full time (and then some), raising 3 girls, and battling a 2 week cold, there hasn’t been time to clean up the house and I’ve felt like I haven’t been doing what I should – maybe because I just don’t have any energy left. That’s how I used to feel about the time I spent with God. I knew I needed to do it, but would put it off and put it off, because I was “too busy.” Not anymore. I realize God takes the top spot and spending time with him is the FIRST thing I do in the morning (after I start my coffee, after all, I’m human.)
God meets me right where I am – clean house or not. Thank you for the reminder!
I have a private matter that I am really working on getting cleaned up and this devotion really helped me this morning – reminded me that I can come to Jesus “just as I am” and He will help clean me and make me a new person!!
Thank you for the Scriptures… I surely need His grace to clean up my cluttered heart and restore/renew my tangled thoughts. I am thankful for the Blood of Jesus and the power of His Spirit. In Him I overcome!
Another great devotional Karen – I can relate to the going home to clean before someone comes over to help you really clean!
Love how you tied it to presenting our clean heart to our Savior. Thank you for the scriptures too! Asking God to reveal the areas I need to clean up in my heart – and for His help to do it!
Okay, I admit this devotional is for me. I’m not cleaning for the mother in law but I’m cleaning for an event I’m having at my house tomorrow – a Fall Shopping Extravaganza with 10 vendors coming to my house from Pampered Chef to custom jewelry to a massage therapist. 400+ have been invited but we know only about 10% ever show up to things like this, but the perfectionist in me feels like I have to get every dust bunny out of here. Went to bed late last night cleaning and got up early to start again. Have hired maids in the past but felt this time I’ll just do it myself. My jewelry vendor tries to help me put it in perspective because she could see what was happening but I still feel I’ve got to get it just right. And she’s right nobody will even notice or care. Another way I can relate to today’s devotional is about waiting to come to God. I was a preacher’s kid gone wild and I can remember really searching for God in my own ways during my 20′s, but never came to Him until 40. Why? Because I didn’t think he could love me because of all I had done. My parents never preached condemnation to me or my siblings. I hid my wild child side from them but no way my brother could because he got caught too many times. I was the one who preached condemnation to myself for way too many years. I am so thankful God broke me 15 years ago in that area because I KNOW without a doubt I am truly and completely forgiven. God still has work to do on me and I love the way Karen called him the Cleaner.
Good one!
God has put in my heart a certain word of the fruit of the Holy Spirit. I need to work on this fruit and be conscience of this word and faithful in carrying this word out in my daily life. I have been trying to memorize more scripture. I think another hard part of memorizing scripture is the book and verse number it belongs to.
I’m in! The verses are wonderful. This was right on time!
I pray Psalm 51:10 daily. Thank you for sharing the great devotion and other heart cleansing Scriptures!
Since reading the book “Radical” I, along with God, have been doing a lot of cleaning up of my heart and my attitudes. I have fallen into a very American view of who God is and my eyes have been so opened to the plight of others in the world. My prayer is that I will be willing to cast aside all the clutter that America tells us we need and just share Jesus with the world.
I think we feel like we need to clean up before we come to Jesus because we dn’t realize that it’s just that simple. Come as you are, dirty, tired, hungry, wanting something new, something that hasn’t been in your life before. But, we think it’s not that easy so as humans we hurry about trying to do all we can to get ready. In the end it only took saying “Here I am, take me as I am, I’m ready.
I have been fooling myself, but not God, for many years thinking I am not a control freak, however, it is becoming crystal clear to me that I do in fact have a problem with trying to control that which is completely out of my control. i.e. my children. I am praying that God will clean up that part of my heart once and for all and teach me ways to replace the controling thoughts that plague me w/acceptance of my kids unique personalities, flaws and all. Ironically, I think that kind of acceptance is what I desire for myself and have yet to truly experience, even in my relationship w/God.
thank you for your insight. it has stirred me up and i am trusting God in this area.
Thank you for your devotion. I am so humbled and glad that I don’t have to clean up myself. I am thankful that God cleanses me from all unrighteousness. I’m in!
This devotion is really hitting home for me. This has been on my mind. Thanks for providing me with key scriptures to use over a Heart Cleaning Weekend!
I’m in! I too am praying that God will create in my a clean heart.
I’m in & thanks for the much needed verses.
Thanks for the scriptures to help take captive other thoughts! Such an encouraging and searching post.
Psalm 51:10 “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” (ESV)
This is one I am jotting down right now! As a mom, I feel the need to pray this continually as I deal with my kids.
Loved the devotion today and the verses were awesome. in fact, I’m posting one on my FB status today. I needed this today. Thanks!
Jenny F.
Hi Karen,
I’m in. Thanks for a great post and all of the wonderful verses.
Great post! I think the thing Jesus has most recently made real to me or cleaned up for me is my tendency to hang onto the memory of my transgressions. Pslam 51:3 reads “For I know my transgressions and my sin is always before me.” This summed me up to a tee. Even though I knew Jesus forgave me, I somehow didn’t really feel it because I held onto the past. I think I was afraid to let go or just couldn’t quite get how He could really love me and remove my sin. I think it is my perfectionistic nature, but through the help of a friend, it is more REAL to me now.
I’m in and I sure did enjoy your post!
I had to laugh at today’s devotion. I think I’ve done all of those pre-cleanup things–the dust bunnies, the dentist. And I just scheduled a mani/pedi appointment yesterday and then started thinking about when I’d have time to do my pre-appointment filing and soaking! It feels good to know there are other women out there who think and feel the way I do in a lot of crazy ways. Thanks for the reminder that we don’t need to pre-clean for God!
Oh, I can relate very much with this devotion. I appreciate the reminder that it is not me who has to do the ‘cleaning’ of my heart.
Love the 10 verses.
And, I’m in.
I’m most assuredly guilty of not bringing to God the good, the bad and the ugly. I know He knows, but I act like He really doesn’t. I need to bring it ALL to Him and not try to compartmentalize my craziness.
Danette
I’m definitely a “clean before the cleaning lady comes” person…in just about all aspects of my life. I’m trying to break the habit but I’ve been this way a long time and it’s hard to change.
Your devotion was such a great reminder to me. I’ve been hiding from God, trying to clean up my act, before I come to Him. I haven’t spent time in the Word in about a month. I thought I would start by doing a Proverbs 31 devotion as my first step. And boy did He speak loudly through your words. Thank you! And praise Him, who is ready and waiting to create a clean heart and renew a steadfast spirit within us, if we JUST ask!
Thank you for the devotion and the great verses to remind me how great and merciful our God is! What a great reminder that He does the work if I allow Him to.
Thank you for being BOLD enough to step on my toes!
Boy does this hit home – how many times have I been going to go to God with something, but I have to wait until I’ve worked through the problem? These verses are the first steps in a looong walk I need to take.
Great devotion today! I love that is was amusing and touching at the same time. Thanks for reminding me to let God do my “house” cleaning.
Karen, just wanted to say thanks for sharing so much of yourself with us. It makes me feel better to know there are others with similar struggles. Thanks for being a good role model for us!
O dear Lord create a clean heart in me…..life can be so over whelming at times….but HE can always pick us up and clean us off and get us right back on our feet.
THANKS SO MUCH FOR BEING YOU:)
Thank you for pointing us to Him and His Truth, Karen!
Awesome devotional! Too many times we try to clean up our heart and soul before allowing God to do it. And by doing that we just seem to mess it up more and make it more dirty!!
I was as low as low could get. Been a Christian for almost 14 years, but just let life control me instead of God. Yet, no matter how far I had gotten away, God was right where I left Him.
AND He was just waiting for me to ask Him back.
Is my life all better and perfect now? NO.
God is working on that.
But my SOUL & my SPIRIT is!! Never felt so light, and full of REAL life…it’s amazing!!
Karen, what an awesome and timely post. I love all the scriptures you listed. A friend and I have started meeting once a week to pray for our adult college age children and ourselves to be Godly examples to them and to surrender anything in our lives not pleasing to God. These verses will be wonderful to commit to memory and use against satan’s attacks as he surely tries to defeat us before we meet and soon after we get victory over a prayer. We claim God’s promises and have already seen God’s hand working in the short time we have been accountable with each other. I love the giveway items. And, yes, I’m guilty of not wanting others to see the nitty gritty details of the less-than-lovely in my life. But, praise God, He sees it and washes it clean and gives us second chances and so much grace. I love getting your emails into my inbox and look forward to your honesty, transparency, inspiration, encouragement, and that great sense of humor of yours!
I think we feel the need to clean ourselves up for God because we are still holding onto the notion (even slightly) that we are in control.
There is such truth in your words today. I want God to use me, and I think oh, let me learn that first so I’ll be more prepared. I need to remember that God can use me and can equip me to do all that He has planned for me, and I don’t need to get ready but just be willing and ready to say YES to God.
Thanks for the reminder : )
what true words! thanks!
Funny, I came from a religion that was all about works, and trying to be ‘good enough’ to earn your way to heaven. Even though it is easy to see the error in most of those old teachings, it is so easy to fall back into that way of thinking. The good news is, it just takes one little prayer to let Jesus to the cleaning and get me back on track. Thank you!
This week God has shown me where I’ve been in a bad attitude without realizing it. Bad perspective has messed with my mind and I’ve been humbled this week. God wants to cleanse my spirit and renew in me a right mind! I have so much to be thankful for and want to please God.
God is working in me to ‘clean’ up my thoughts.Most of the time they don’t turn into actions, I am working on this and praying to God to cleanse me from this negativity that lives in my mind, some in my heart as well.
Wonderful devotional today, Karen! It was “spot-on” with what I needed to hear. I can’t even begin to count the number of times I’ve cleaned the car out before getting the car professionally cleaned, etc. But its a wonderful peace that comes from knowing I just have to ask and God will do the inner cleaning for me..better than I could ever try.
Thanks!
This is one of my favorite verses. In Jesus’ time they washed the feet of guests because they got dusty on the roads. Our hearts get “dusty” living in this world. We take things in that we don’t realize sometimes and if we don’t daily “clean”, it becomes part of us. I desire that daily cleaning even if I don’t seek it all the time. Thanks for the great reminders. I am also one of those that clean before the cleaners get there. Blessings
“Your love O Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.” This verse always brings to mind the song by Third Day which quotes this scripture, and continues, “I will lift my voice, to worship you my king. And I will find my strength in the shadow of your wings.” Each time I read this, I have to SING! It really fills me with hope.
Thanks Karen, I’m in! Isn’t it awesome that He can clean anything! Have a blessed weekend! Karen Blum
Thanks Karen-love the verses!
Thank you for offering this giveaway. I really love the Romans 8:1-1 verse.
Thanks again
You just cant know how applicable this is in my life right now!!!
First of all…Oh how I dream of the day that I wont have to LOOK for something…I will just KNOW where it is!!!!!!Oh and I do the SAME thing!!!!!Clean up before someone comes… I do the sleeve/sun test… If the sun hits the shelf just right and you can see the dust I use the sleeve to give it a quick wipe! That whole surface shine thing rings so true! Even in my own life! All the rooms in my heart that I keep closed in fear of what bugs might run out! Thank you for these verses… I am going to print them out and paste them on the fridge… a place I frequent often 
… and I pray for that Springclean to happen in not only my home but my life too! Thank you for your blessed ministry!!! 
Have a splendid day!!
Thank you for the devotion at P31 and the list of verses listed on your blog. It is hard at times to fight our flesh and the need to present the best face to God, friends, our church family, coworkers, etc. Praise God that we do not have to clean up our act before He accepts us.
I love this giveaway. What a cool idea. I love the “ring-dex” idea for writing Scirptures on taking it with you wherever you go. Awesome! Thank you for the chance to win. God bless!
koinonia572001@yahoo.com
Great ideas and verses Karen!
Thank you for the devotion and the giveaway!
Isn’t it awesome to know that there is nothing we can do to earn a clean heart or our salvation! Jesus has already paid the price! Thank you, Jesus for my salvation and create in me a clean heart each day!
I love that today I had a dentist appt and I did the whole flossing thing plus used my hubby’s special sonicare toothbrush (I do have my own top for it!) all in anticipation of that appointment. My hygenist was thrilled. I’m thrilled that God has cleaned out all the icky places of my heart and is constantly filling it with joys – like the joy of clean teeth and a hygenist that didn’t mind my 17 month old sitting on my lap the whole time I was in the chair! It’s a good thing my heart is clean because my house…well that’s a whole ‘nother story!
Just when I was thinking that since it was my bday and the past year has been sort of crappy, it was time to “clean house and clean heart”! God picks the funniest ways to get my attention sometimes! Thank you.
I’m memorizing verses from I Cor. 13 with my grandkids, and it is so convicting about the actions and attitudes of real love!
I’m in~!
I’m In! <3
(and Thank you!)
I can totally relate to this. Thank you for the scriptures!
He is still “cleaning” me…what I do, what I watch on TV, how much time I spend on the computer, the words I say (and the tone I use to say them)…Create in me a pure heart is always a prayer of mine…if we ask, He is faithful..
I’m in!!! I am working on trying to memorize verses now. I was told to meditate on one throughout the day and week; before long it will be stuck with me because I can apply it to my eveyday life. We shall see how that goes.
I think we feel the need to get cleaned up before God will accept us because He’s…God! You think He won’t accept your ugliness and sin, but that is why He sent Jesus!
I’m in!
I try to remember to pray this verse each day: “May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.” And then I know that He will nudge me immediately when I do or say something that does not measure up – and I can clean up that mess while it is still easy to get up!
I’m in!!!
ur mesage touched my heart God Bless
ThanK God for ue Lyf and Wonderfull message m blessed
I’ve been memorizing bible verses for a few years now. I don’t have a ton memorized but the ones I have committed to memory are very comforting in trying times. They’ve gotten me through some tough days!!
What a challenge! I really should be memorizing more scriptures. It’s never been a priority, but I’m going to make it one.
Great (and much needed) reminder that we can’t do it on our own and need to depend on Jesus. Thanks for sharing this devotion!
Thank you for the encouragement! I’m so thankful for His mercy and willingness to forgive and cleanse me time and time again!
I’m in!
Great devotion! That Ringdex is cool. I want one to put those verses on to memorize. Thanks for all you do!
Kim
I just read the P31 devotional today as I made it through my email inbox- I popped over to your site because I wanted to tell you how much I really enjoyed today’s devotion. I am definitely one of those that does floss right before the dentist appointment, so it really spoke to me!
Wonderful article and verses. Thanks for reminding us that we need to let God clean our house (body) also. Hope you have a good weekend.
Thanks for the great devotion today and I enjoyed the verses that you listed today.
What a great devotion. I’m in~
Thank you so much for posting this. I just stumbled on your blog and read it for the first time, just now.
I definitely need to “clean house” in my heart. And my home.
Thank you for the verses, I definitely needed that.
Oh, yeah, and: I’m in.
I love Psalm 51:10 (“Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”) Looks like Psalm 51 in general is a good one for learning about “clean” hearts!
I also love Psalm 139:23-24 for a reminder to go to God for my cleaning!
“Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.”
Thanks so much for the devotion!