A Stain that Cannot be Removed but Can Be Completely Covered

Jeremiah 2:22 – “‘For though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before me,’ saith the Lord God.”

Have you ever gone to a dinner with your best clothes and spilled something onto it? Maybe it was some pasta sauce on a beautiful tie. Maybe it was some wine or juice onto a lovely dress. What did you do to try to remove the stain? Many people try different things. Some will just wipe it off and wait until they get home, where they will spray the stain with Spray and Wash to remove it completely. Others will take out their “Stain Away” pens and mark the stain until it is gone. Some will even use tried and true traditional methods like soaking it in soda or something. Whatever the case may be they try to remove the stain with whatever they can find.

In our passage today, we find the Lord addressing His people Israel and telling them that no matter what they do to try to remove their iniquity it would not be removed; instead, it would stand marked before God like an unremovable stain. Whether they tried acid to remove the stain or soap and water, nothing could remove the stain of sin on their lives. Just like the people of Israel so many of us try to hide our sins. We know that we have done wrong before the Lord. We know that we have failed before Him, so instead of confessing it to Him, instead we try to cover it up with whatever we can find. Adam and Eve did this when they hid in the garden after eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil when they were clearly told not to. David did this when he tried to cover up his adulterous relationship with Bathsheba by killing her husband. But no matter who it was and how hard they tried to cover up, certainly their sin had found them out. We like many of these Bible heroes, also try to cover up our sins, but we must realize that we cannot. Our sin is a blatant mark that has destroyed the hopeful perfection in our lives. Because of this sin, we are up for the judgment, for God can only have perfection in His sight. So seeing this hopelessness, what can we do?

In the midst of this hopefulness, there is something greater than nitre or soap or a Tide bleach pen – Jesus Christ. When Jesus Christ came to this earth and died on the cross for our sins, His blood was shed so that it could cover the mark of our sin. This stain of sin was not just erased temporarily with a stain removal pen. This stain of sin was not just rubbed a little away still leaving traces of its permanent mark on our lives. No, when Jesus Christ died for us, He covered sin completely so that there would be no trace of it. We would be seen as completely perfect in the sight of God, for Christ is what God the Father sees and nothing else and there is no mark of sin in Christ. So tonight, meditate, dear friends, on the sins that you may be hiding before the LORD. He knows them and sees them. You cannot hide them, so instead run to the cross. Confess them to Him and allow His blood to wash you clean and cover that stain completely, so that there would be no mark, no blemish, no stain in His sight.

A Staff? Nope, the Staff of God!

Exodus 4:2 – “And the LORD said unto him, ‘What is that in thine hand?’ And he sadi, ‘A rod.'”

Exodus 4:20 – “…And Moses took the rod of God in his hand.”

So recently I have been attending a Bible study with other people around my age on Tuesday nights. Today, we were looking at the beautiful passage of Exodus 4. Most times, when reading this passage people focus on vs. 11, where the LORD tells Moses, “Who hath made man’s mout? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD?” It is a great verse and warrants much attention, but what is great about reading the Word of God is seeing the new intricate details and how the LORD wants to speak to you through them as well.

One of these details deals with the rod/staff that Moses used. In vs. 2, we find that God as He is speaking to Moses asks Moses what is in his hand to which Moses quickly replied, “a rod.” In this verse, we see that Moses only sees the rod for the physical thing it is. It was just a plain old stick that is used to protect the sheep and help in the daily activities of a shepherd. It was nothing special, just a rod. But interestingly enough, God would use this rod in amazing ways. God turned this rod into a snake as a sign that Moses was sent by God. The rod would be used to help part the Red Sea and bring water from a rock. This rod became a powerful tool used by God to do amazing things that would bring Him glory. Interestingly enough, Moses also took notice of this rod so that in vs. 20, the rod is no longer referred to as a rod but the “rod of God.” Moses realized how this ordinary shepherd’s tool became God’s chosen extraordinary tool to be used for His service.

In a similar manner, we as Christians need to take notice of what Godhas given us. Sometimes in these little ordinary things, God can do extraordinary stuff. For example, Lottie Moon, a famous missionary to China, was under five feet tall, yet God took this little woman and revolutionized world missions through her. God has also taken a unknown Sunday school teacher by the name of Edward Kimball and used his faithfulness to Christ to create a legacy of great preachers that include Dwight L. Moody, F.B. Meyer, Billy Sunday, and Billy Graham. God took these ordinary people and made them extraordinary. But the key thing to realize is that they were made extraordinary not because of any great skill they had but because they were willing to be used by God. They gave their bodies as living sacrifices to be used by God for His purpose, in other words, they became rods of God instead of just plain old rods. We as Christians have been filled by the Holy Spirit and touched by the power of God in our lives. We who used to be ordinary are now extraordinary in Him. But the key is to now allow HIm to have our lives completely so it is not our lives but His, it is not my rod, your rod, Moses’ rod, but the rod of God. Have you given yourself fully to Him? Have you given Him your talent? Have you given Him even your weakness and ordinary everyday things? He can take your ordinary and make it extraordinary.

I Matter!

1 Thessalonians 5:18 – “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”

June is the one month of the year where you see many people make big transitions in their lives. For students, it is usually the month of graduations, in which, they take the next step in their education or their careers, depending on whethey they are graduating from college or high school or elementary school. For couples, it is usually the month of marriages, where engaged couples take the leap into their life together. My parents for example got married in June. Some people take June as the start of the summer where they begin their first internships or missions trips outside of the nation, giving them a whole new perspective in life. June is just one of those months.

Due to this month being associated with so many of these events, recently on my Facebook newsfeed, I keep seeing pictures of graduating people, friends getting engaged, and others getting new jobs. And as I saw all of this, I began to think about how inadequate I am. I started to think of how useless and worthless my life has been to this point. For those of you who have yet to know me personally, I am twenty-three years old and still without a girlfriend (so no chance for marriage any time soon), still without direction for a career choice in life (so no chance in making something of a career any time soon), and still without accomplishing anything of real value. When I thought of myself in that light, truthfully, I began to become depressed, especially knowing that my readership on this blog, probably is little to none as well.  I felt like I did not matter.

But interestingly enough, the Lord shared a great lesson from His Word for me today. It is our passage today above – 1 Thessalonians 5:18 – “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” What it got me to think about is how ungrateful I really am and how covetous I have been to have some other people’s lives, when the Lord has given me a great life already – one that is sitting in His will. Unlike many who are without jobs and still searching, I have a great internship at the NIH doing unprecedented research. Unlike many who are without close family ties, I have been given an encouraging family who has helped me. Unlike many who are walking their own paths in life, I have God leading my every direction.   Unlike many people who have not yet been given the opportunity to lead someone to Christ, I was given that chance.  And even when I think about not having many people read this blog, I am reminded that I am lucky enough to have the Lord speak to me personally every time I write this, so that I can grow in Him. I realized that I am not inadequate. I am not a Loser. I am not a person who has nothing going for him. But I am something great – I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I am being led by the one Person who knows the future and knows what would be best for me. HOw can I not give thanks?  I mattered in the sight of God.  I mattered!

Dear readers, I have no clue how you have been feeling lately, but if you are anxious about the future, if you feel inadequate and inconsequential, if you feel like you are not much, remember that you are placed in God’s will if you are living as His disciple and that He will work all circumstances for good to those who love Him. Take joy and comfort knowing that if you are sitting on the will of God, you are in the best place you can be.

Happy Father’s Day

Psalm 139:21-22 – “Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate Thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.”

Today is Father’s Day. It is the one time of the year, in which, we acknowledge our fathers for all the great things that they have done for us and their influence on our lives. This is the one day of the year that children bring their father breakfast in bed, give them “I’ll mow the lawn” coupons, and wrap up ties and socks in little packages to hand to their daddies. One of the things I remember about my Father’s Days is that I don’t usually buy my dad a present. He is one of those people who are really hard to shop for, because he usually already buys what he wants and would rather you not spend on something trivial. One year I got him a belt. He wore that for the longest time.

But I think the best present I ever gave him began two years ago. I wasn’t home for Father’s Day, since I was doing an internship in Boston, while my home was in Los Angeles, so I decided to write him a letter instead (electronic letter so it wouldn’t take forever to get to him). This was kind of a suggestion by my mom and boy was it a good idea. In that letter, I told him how much he influenced my life and how he was a huge impact in my becoming a Christian. He ended up framing the letter and sending it to all his friends. The next two years, I did the same thing. But in addition to the letters, I drew him a little cartoon of some sort with superheros in it). That became my habit and is probably what I will be doing for him again.

But aside from that, what we as disciples of Jesus Christ need to focus on is the influence our Heavenly Father has on our lives. When we accepted Christ as our Lord and Savior, God became our Father, that means that He now should be a key influence in our lives. His heart should mold our heart. What does that mean? That means that His desires become our desires and His enemies become our enemies. Just as how a father really ends up molding his children. For example, I know much of what I like today stems from my dad’s interests. For example, I really enjoy basketball, because I see my dad play even now when he is in his fifties. I really enjoy photography, because he was the one that gave me my cameras and taught me how to shoot. He hates cats, and I hate cats. The question we need to ask ourselves is “How do our desires line up with our Heavenly Father?” The Lord hates sin. He hates wickedness. He hates immorality, lust, covetousness, and idolatry. He hates pride, a lying tongue, feet that are quick to shed blood, and many more wicked things. Do we hate those things? Do we count those our enemies? Or are we playing around with them still, avoiding the good and guiding influence of our Father?

On this Father’s Day, take some time to reflect on how our Heavenly Father loved us so much that He gave His only begotten Son to die on the cross for our sins, while we were yet to be His adopted children. Reflect on how much He loved you that He took a complete enemy and made you His child. Should you not allow Him to influence every single part and portion of your life? Please do so. Have the Father’s influence take over you, so that when others see you, they will say, “He is a perfect reflection of His Father.”

Christ Your Life

Colossians 3:4 – “When Christ, who is our life, shall apear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory.”

A common phrase used to describe complete devotion to something is to say that a certain object is “a person’s life.” By saying this, they are basically making the statement that he lives and breathes that passion/obsession. For example, many basketball players say basketball is their life. A young married couple may say that their spouse is their life. It is definitely a common phrase, which I am sure that you have even used within the last year.

But in our passage today, we as Christians are reminded that nothing in this world should be our life. Our life should be one thing and one thing only – Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is our life. As disciples of Jesus Christ, we must be fully consumed by Christ. Every moment should be used to honor and glorify Him. Our passion must be Him. Our devotion must be Him. Our desire must be Him. We should become like crazed madmen, whose sole obsession is Christ. We must be like the pirates in Pirates of the Carribean who are consumed by their lust for gold. People when they look at you should be able to tell that Christ is your life, that every action and every word brings honor and glory to Him, as if you were no longer living but Chrits was living through you, for He does live in you.

Paul said it best in Galatians 2:20, “I am curcified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.” To Paul, only one person occupied his time and effort, Jesus Christ. Ask yourself today, what has your devotion? What have you recently been saying is “your life”? Is it work? Is it school? Is it family? Whatever it is, if it is not Jesus Christ, you have a problem. Correct it today and make Christ your life.