Whitewash is a paint that contains powdered chalk. When applied to a building, it looks really nice…for a short time, until the weather strips it away. Then you’re left with the same old, nasty looking building. We do the same thing in our lives…we justify and gloss over mistakes and faults in others and ourselves all the time. If we keep making excuses for someone, we are in a way enabling them and not helping them in the long run. If we are always down playing our own problems, pretty soon we’re believing the lies we tell ourselves. Trying to whitewash the elephant in the room is very messy, and never works. Whitewash doesn’t last…Truth does.
Tag: God
Psalm 71:18 “Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your might to all who are to come.”
Don’t think for a moment that just because you’re “old and gray” that God can’t use you anymore – that you don’t have purpose. You have a very important endeavor and mission for God…it’s to make known to the next generations His mighty works. From your wealth of wisdom and knowledge, future generations will come to know the awesomeness of your Lord. Finally, don’t fear growing old…God will never abandon you, for He cares deeply for the elderly…you are His spokesperson for those to come.
Ephesians 6:13 ” Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.”
When you think of standing, you think of a stationary condition. But if your standing, you’re not retreating…you may not be forging ahead, but you’re not going backwards either. There are times in our lives when standing will be the only thing we can do at the time…but be encouraged, the Lord says to hold your ground and stand firm against the enemy, and you will be the victor.
Ecclesiastes 11:3 ” If clouds are full of water, they pour rain upon the earth.”
Don’t fear the gathering storm clouds. For out of the storm comes the rain that cleanses the air and waters the fields. So as in your life, don’t fear the storms that come your way. Refuse to focus on the clouds…but rather on the good that can come from them.
Psalm 100:4 ” Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name.”
First, I would like to wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving. May the day be filled with love,family and friends…not to mention lots of great food! As you are gathered around your table giving thanks for the bounty before you, when someone asks what you’re thankful for, think beyond the obvious…health, living in a free nation, family, etc, etc. I encourage you to be thankful for the simple and often overlooked things…the things you take for granted day in and day out. The Lord wants us to be thankful in all things, from a sunrise to a miracle…from a wonderful blessing to a great trial…thank Him for it all.
Song of Songs 8:6 ” Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave.”
When we married 26 years ago today, we had a most unusual wedding. It was the second marriage for both of us, so the wedding was going to be small and simple. The church we were part of had no building, we met on the campus of the University of Idaho. I had mentioned my lack of a venue to my Administrator of the Nursing Home where I was a Dept. Head, and suddenly the plans were launched for the wedding to take place there. I included many of the residents in the planning and preparation, and that evening a great number attended the service. So unique was the celebration, that a reporter from the local newspaper was there…so you can imagine our surprise when a picture and story was on the front page of the paper the next morning stating…”Nursing Home gives away Bride.”
II Samuel 24:24 ” But the king replied to Araunah, ‘No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.’ “
The Lord told King David to build an Altar to stop the plague brought about by his disobedience. The owner had not only offer his threshing floor, but his oxen, threshing sledges, and yokes. But King David refused…he knew that the Lord was looking for an acceptable sacrifice and not one that he had not paid a price for. The Lord is still looking for that type of offering…worthy sacrifices, full of blood, sweat, and tears that have cost us.
I Corinthians 15:33 ” Do not be misled: Bad company corrupts good character.”
As my Grandmother use to say…”You hang around the pig pen long enough and you’ll come out smelling like one!” You keep company with questionable people, and even if you don’t partake in ________ (you fill in the blank), others will find you guilty by association. Don’t be deceived and lead astray by the arrogant notion that you are too discerning, or too intelligent, or too spiritual to not be ensnared and lured in by sin. Sadly, your good character can be tarnished by the company you keep.
Matthew 22:37 ” Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ “
Jesus called this the First and Greatest Commandment- to love the Lord with all our mind, body, and emotions. He wants us to surrender it all to Him…every corner, every part, every area of our lives. Many of us though, put stipulations on giving everything to Him…”You can have all of me ,except for this area of my life that I want to still control.” To be wholly surrendered to God is to heed, listen and obey what He’s asking you to do.
I Samuel 16:7 “…the Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
Everyday we see people and make snap judgements about them, whether it’s correct or not, simply by how they look. Our first impression holds much weight in how we perceive others. It’s so wonderful then, that God doesn’t look at our crusty exteriors, but at our hearts. He searches and knows the secrets of our hearts and who we really are deep down inside. The God of all knowledge understands and knows us intimately…and yet loves us still.
Safetypinlove 