The other day I was spending some time just sitting with the Lord and He began to show me a vision. I suddenly began to see snowflakes slowly drifting through the ski. They were all different shapes and sizes but they all worked together for a common purpose, to blanket the rough ground in a soft sea of white.
It didn’t take long before all I could see was the snow surrounding me. It was clean and brilliant, and undisturbed. It was without wrinkle or spot. Then I heard the Lord tell me that it’s nothing for Him to make something that’s rough, course, full of divots and potholes, new and pure. I was amazed at how something could be changed so completely so quickly.
Our reality is shaped and molded by what we decide to believe. Paul tells us in 2 Cor. 4, that the god of this world is working hard to blind us with lies so that we will not be able to discern the truth, preventing us from seeing the illuminating light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ.
Much like deep stains we find on our clothing, our adversary works very hard to show us that some stains just cannot come out of us no matter what. He shows us that the best we can ever hope for the stain to be masked or hidden so that nobody will notice.
But we notice. In fact, our adversary never lets us forget it. We constantly look at the stain we can’t make disappear and it even seems to grow before our eyes. We resign ourselves to the stain and the resulting guilt and condemnation attached to it. We feel it’s weight and ugliness even while professing that God loves and forgives us.
But, the god of this world comes only with lies. His only source of power is his deception. He says that the stain is too much. But God says there is no stain that can stand against the power of His perfect love.
Come now, and let us reason together, says the Lord. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be like wool. Isaiah 1:18
You may be familiar with this verse. But what you may not be familiar with is that the word scarlet refers to the worst possible stain one could have.
The Dake says this:
The word scarlet here refers to a deep dye obtained from a small worm found on the leaves of an oak in Mediterranean countries. The idea is that one’s sins have been double dipped in the deep scarlet dye of the coccus worm and they have become permanent.
Though our adversary would have us believe the deep scarlet stains are permanent that’s not the truth. When we confess we ARE forgiven! It takes just one swipe of God’s hand to cleanse us, purging us of the stains forever. If we still see the stain it’s only because we’ve chosen to believe a lie, a façade, an invention from the one who seeks to destroy us.
So let’s forgive ourselves and fix our eyes on the truth. The stains are gone. We have been made white as snow, white as wool. The scarlet and crimson have been removed.
Jesse and Kara Birkey
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Jesse and Kara Birkey are committed lovers of Jesus who seek to show others the extraordinary life of Jesus is available for everyone. They have authored two books, been featured in films and seek to serve the Lord in whatever ways they can. Follow their blog here.
Bring Jesse and Kara to your venue. Find more information here.
Life Resurrected, Extraordinary Miracles through Ordinary People has been endorsed by Sid Roth and Mark Virkler and is a collection of inspiring stories making it clear that the extraordinary life of Jesus is available to all who love Him. It’s also the testimony of Jesse’s life, the road he travelled bringing him into the arms of Jesus. Get the paperback here. Get the Kindle Version Here. View the trailer here.
Marriage What’s the Point? One couple finds meaning in a crazy mess is the story of their marriage—The tragedy and the restoration. They bear their hearts in an attempt to get others to bear theirs and finally receive the freedom they’ve longed for. Get the paperback here. Get the Kindle Version Here.
Jesse is also featured in the film DeadRaiser, a movie shining the spotlight on resurrection testimonies across the nation. Find more information here.
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