Proverbs 25:14 Whoso boasts himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain.

       I was going through the small sheds that are at the back of my yard. I noticed a lot of stuff that is not used anymore and just not wanted. I started marking things to give away and stuff to throw away. As I was wondering how all this stuff had made its way into my sheds, it occurred to me that I had allowed stuff to accumulate over time. 
      At that moment I thought of the Lord looking at me and wanting to do the same thing I was planning and that was a spring cleaning. God might want to do a literal spring cleaning in my heart. All this stuff that was taking up room and had no value was clogging up the space. 
      I could see that we Christians might have to do the same kind of spiritual inventory in our hearts. What is taking up room that is not being used for the Kingdom of God? What has become useless and of non-effect in our walk with Christ and yet we hang on to it? What have we been boasting about that is not of God but we think it is? Have we become clouds with no rain? Is our walk in Christ becoming insipidly dry and tasteless? Hag. 1:6 Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earns wages earns wages to put it into a bag with holes. 7 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.
      Yes, saints, a spring cleaning of the heart is in order. How do we submit to God so that He can begin the clean up in our hearts? We get under the hot focus of God’s word and obey the corrections God is pointing out. Psalm 139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: 24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. 
      We allow God to take away the stuff that no longer brings joy or blessing to ourselves and others. We stop collecting hurts and slights that have happened to us over time. We stop boasting of accomplishment in God that are not so. We let the Holy Spirit heal our wounds that we often use as an excuse for our misbehavior and unbelief. We grow up!
       We read the story of the children of Israel deciding on whether they will believe the encouraging report of Joshua and Caleb or the discouraging report of the other ten spies. The stories told of the land being full of milk and honey are correct and the size of the fruit they bring back is visual proof, but the stuff that is in the hearts of the people of God is clogging the faith that will be needed to take the land. Num. 13: 27 And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sent us, and surely it flows with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it. 28 Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there. 
      At this point, Caleb, who is of a different spirit and courage tries to rally the faith of the nation of Israel. Num. 13:30 And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it. The report that is chosen is the one of the ten who are full of fear. Num. 13:33 And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.
      Caleb continues to present the case that God is with them and they can take the promised land because it is a promise from God who cannot lie. Caleb is trying to show these people that taking the land will build their faith and be a strength to them over time. Num. 14:9 Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not. Wow, what a statement Caleb makes when he says, “They are bread for us.” 
      Caleb sees the need to overcome giants because it feeds the power of God that is within each person. That is the same thing we have in Christ. The Lord cleans us up and makes us ready to battle the giants that come our way in life so that we can look at the trials and tribulations of life as bread for us to grow up on. 2 Cor. 10:4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds.
      We don’t have to look for trials and problems, but we do not have to run from them or fear them either. The thing is how do we overcome when we are full of stuff that is not of God? That is why we need our heart kept clean so that we see clearly what and who we are in Christ so that when we speak we are declaring words that heal and bring rain to a parched soul. 
      Yes, Lord, go ahead and get rid of the stuff in my heart that causes fear of the enemy. Someone said, “Blessed is the man who digs a well for which another may draw faith.” May we be that man.