Week 6: Ignored stains.

 

Ignored stains are the worst kind of stain. It is an ugly thing to look at; especially on top of a beautiful wood table where everyone can see. It leaves an aftertaste for the onlookers and spoil an immaculate life. No matter how hard you ignore it, it will mark your life unless you deal with it.

We all have our reasons why we don’t want to deal with it. It is harmless and won’t hurt anyone, we might think. Or it will take too much time to remove it and will take you away from what you love to do.

Others will say, “I just don’t let it bother me,” but it won’t solve the problem. It will just increase the problem.

In Acts 24, Paul was preaching to a ruler named Felix. Paul reasoned with Felix of “righteousness,” “temperance,” and of the “judgment to come” (v. 25). This caused Felix to tremble. Clearly, he was affected by what Paul had said. Instead of acting on what he had learned, he responded, “Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.” Felix chose to do nothing about his sins. Instead, he chose to ignore them. As far as we know, Felix never found a convenient season to obey God.

We don’t escape responsibility from our sins by ignoring them. Ignoring sin will cause us to be lost eternally. Instead of ignoring sin, a non-Christian must believe (Jn. 3:16), repent (Acts 2:38), confess Christ (Rom. 10:10), and be baptized (Acts 2:38, Mk. 16:16). The Christian who sins must repent, pray, and confess his sins (Acts 8:22, I Jn. 1:8-10).

Don’t find an excuse or allow more time to laps, before you do something about it. Do it now while the time is now.

Prayer

Father, I humbly bring my sin……. (name it) to your table of grace and confess my unwillingness to deal with this. Lord, give me the wisdom to come clean and to allow the Holy Spirit to do his perfect work of healing and restoration in me. Wipe my slate clean, Lord, and show me how not to sin anymore.

I confess Romains 10: 10 over my life: For it is with my heart that I believe and are justified, and it is with my mouth that I profess my faith and are saved.

In Jesus Name, Amen.

©LynelleClark2023

Week 5: Hidden Stains

Stains can be stubborn, so much so that we have to hide them. Then we concoct a reason of why we hide them.

Have you seen these hiding devices in other homes? Maybe it hides your own; crochet lappies, vases, books; they are all things we can use to hide that persistent stain.

We usually hide them out of shame or because we are too busy to handle it. However, both can rob us from the joy of a clean table.

We get stains that really struggle to get out. Stains that you need to revisit, scrub just to cover it once more because of its stubbornness. You try every cure that you can buy, but nothing seems to help.

Are we not like that as well?

Hiding our stains because of shame and fear. What will the people say, or what will God do when He sees it? These are some reasons that motivate us to hide it. (Sounds familiar? Hint: Adam and Eve) I know I do.

Hidden stains can rob you from the freedom to be yourself, your confidence, and can rob you from your relationship with the Heavenly Father and others.

But once you have confronted it, it has lost its hold on you. That feeling of accomplishment, once you have faced it, feels invigorating. As if a heaviness was removed and you can breathe with uncanny freedom.

Do not go through another day hiding your stains from God. He knows it. So, why not confess, and throw away the excuses and live a life of freedom and confidence?

Christ has done a perfect work in us. Nothing is hidden before Him. He knows all, sees all, and wants to take it from you. No stain is so big that it cannot be removed by the blood of the Lamb. Use your stain removal rather than hide it another day. Look that stain in the eye and say, today is the day that I will be set free from your smear. I am cleansed; I am healed, and I am free.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank you for your faithfulness. Thank you for your ultimate sacrifice that set me free from this stain (name it). Thank you for the victory of the Cross.

I confess my shame and fear and accept your loving kindness. Thank you for removing every stain from my heart, mind, and body. I declare it powerless. Thank you, that all shame and fear has been lifted, and permanently removed from my life by the blood of the Lamb.

I pray for wisdom to be more vigilant in my choices. That I will walk in Godly insight with the full armor as my protection and shield. I choose to stay in the Light of your Word, all the days of my life.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen

©LynelleClark2023

Devotional: Week 4 Stubborn Stains

Job 1:22 caused me to pause and reevaluate my own life. It says, “Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God”. https://my.bible.com/bible/6/JOB.1.22

How often do we struggle with the stubborn stains in life?

The unanswered prayers, the persistent struggle that goes on for years without results? For some, it is sickness, financial difficulties, continuous work loss, addictions: the list goes on.

My burden of continuous financial lack and work loss is a heavy burden that has played havoc in my mind and my life. Sometimes I would cry out to the Lord, lay out the best argument, but still no genuine answer comes.

It seems there is no remedy to cure this stain in my life.

When I read the scripture in Job, it knocked me off a peg or two. Never did he sin nor did he blame God for any of his difficulties.

I, on the other, blame God for my problems at least once a week. Sometimes, I am frightful and grumpy. Days that I think this new plan/work will work just to fall flat on my face. Only when I read this scripture did I realize why Job was blessed. He never sinned nor blamed God and we know that his wealth was restored to him many times over.

Instead of trying every means possible to get the stains out, we should stop and pray. We should get the attitude of Job and praise God, close our ears off from those good intention friends, but who bring no value to our life. Ignore the nay-sayers and those that try to intimidate us.

Look to God. He is our only solution. His word has not failed us, we have failed him.

Only when we stop shifting blame and listen can we truly be satisfied.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I confess my sin towards you. I confess I have sinned before you. Help me get my attitude right. Help me stay focus on your Word.

Father, I trust you to keep me secure in the knowledge of who you are and to stay focus. Help me see what you do in my life. Close my ears to the nay-sayers and the doubters. Keep them far from me.

Thank you for your understanding and wisdom, but mostly Lord, for provision and healing in my life.

In Jesus Name, Amen.

 

Image obtained from Pexel.

Week 3: Patterns of Faith

 

Each coffee stain has a unique pattern and can be pretty.

If by any chance you stay calm and forget the mess of the coffee stain to focus on the beauty, it will amaze you. You will notice the elegant swirls, the graceful splatters that create the most interesting images, and like when you see a snowflake, it will fill you with awe.

That is how our faith stains are as well. To us, being so close to the mess, we think of our faith path as one confused muddle. We cannot see any pattern or beauty within. But when a friend points out how your story inspires her, you will notice the graceful patterns and hopeful seasoned splatters that make up your life.

Looking back at our lives, we miss the small things that have made up the faith stains. Things we despise or look down at because of their insignificance. But it is in the small and insignificance we find the truth. A truth, so astounding that it leaves us speechless.

It is called character building. People will see you with fresh eyes. Your manners will change, the way you act changes, and your mind will think anew. You will find a strength you never thought you have, but mostly you discover that your life has meaning.

It sneaks up to you quietly that you miss the small moments where faith has become a mature substance. Your faith will have a newfound hope and new avenues had to open up. You will even find yourself on Straight street where you face your fears and do what you never thought possible. You will become a message bearer with a warrior like quality and every step will be sure.

These patterns can only be observed with a deep knowing of who you are and what you have become. It will swirl around you with a heavenly grace that supersedes any earthly garment. A garment rich with colour, fragrance, and harmony.

These are the stains I want to be remembered for. Not for the messes and the stickiness, but for how I handled myself within each part of my life. May you be an accurate reflection of the Father and your messes be a testimony of your faith.

Look, God makes all things new.

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for the fruit of insight in my life. Thank you for equipping me with faith. Even though my knees are scuffed, and my back is bent, I know these stains only emphasize the journey I walked with you. Help me see this and be glad about the stains. Thank you, that these stains enrich my life and strengthen me.

Thank you, that you make everything new.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

 

Who is Your Stain Remover?

Week 2.

We all know the feeling when we spill coffee/water over a project or laptop. The complete mortification and panic when it hits makes you believe that your entire world just crashed.

What you do next determines the extend of the mess.

Each of us reacts differently to this. For some, it triggers an uncontrollable rage, and we wipe it away with one angry sweep of the hand. Even screaming at the offensive cup. They disregard the warning signs and create a greater mess.

Then there are others who act from a place of peace and, with a calm rationale, grab a clean cloth and clean it. With the greatest of care, they make sure each sticky droplet has been removed. I envy people that can do this but with practise it can happen.

We all have those moments that we react without thinking. Refusing to calm down and evaluate it from a place of peace. And the stain becomes a permanent feature in your life.

To stay level-headed when our life falls apart is not always easy. It can be daunting and depressing. A time of turmoil which affects our choices from that moment forward.

Instead of changing our approach, we add more problems to it, so much that we have to throw it away. Creating more stress on the growing pile. Not thinking there are better ways to clean it.

Life is messy, sometimes ugly. And there are no do overs. Once a decision is made or an accident has happened, we cannot retrace the tracks or erase it. It is done. Then the mess leaves us disorientated and depressed. Instead of dealing with it, we add more layers to the growing stains.

Layered stains cause greater problems, and it is only with a very good stain remover that we can remove the damage.

But… I know that the blood of Christ is a good place to start. It is the only place that gives you peace and removes the stains. Through this mess you learn to be stronger, find the peace within the Blood and know that you can do it over. Because He strengthens you. 

Peace can only be found from a deep sense of belonging. A peace that comes from the highest authority: God. The more we spend time with Him, the calmer the storm.

May you act from a place of peace and find wisdom in the many rings on your table.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I thank you for the blood of Christ that removes all stains. Thank you, that you have washed away my sins and give me eternal peace.

Thank you, that I can turn to you in my hour of need. Your attributes are true, you uphold me with your righthand. Your loving kindness calms the stormy seas and heals my wounds. Therefore, I can stay strong and act in wisdom in all situations life throws at me.

Teach me your ways, Lord, and calm the raging sea.

In Jesus Name, Amen.

Devotional: Week 1: Coffee stain Faith

Week 1

As I contemplate the Word, I notice the coffee stains left from the many empty cups at my desk. A niggling thought surfaced; does God see my coffee stains in the same light as tree rings?

The rings from a tree tell us about its age and its nourishment throughout the years. When it had experienced lean years and when it had blossomed. The thicker the trunk, the more the rings, the greater the story.

Then another thought struck. Is my life measured by the faith stains on my heart or is the rings evidence of a lazy woman?

Besides the fact that I will not get the medal for the world’s best housewife. It has a deeper meaning. It speaks about my daily faith walk and not about the messy rings left on the glass top. It speaks of a deeper faith that is not confined by time or space. We can look at it from two different perspectives. The many wrong choices I have made or my enjoyment of another good cup.

Faith is messy. Just as coffee stains are messy. Though coffee stains could be cleaned, our daily walk leaves stains not easily cleaned. Its telltale signs showing our human side in stark realism.

Faith test us to where we cannot see past anything but the stains. Sometimes it drains us of the very essences of who we are. Sometimes it leaves us in wonderous speechlessness. It is during those moments that we discover our purpose and receive a better understanding of the quality of our lives.

This prompted me to have a closer look and see if I can find the comparisons between my heart stains and my faith walk and what it says about me.

Maybe you can identify with this comparison. So, I want to invite you to join me on this walk. I cannot promise that I have the answers for any of our messes, but I can promise we will find our path among the messy stains and sticky moments to become stronger. And appreciate the stains just as much as the clean table. Each has a story to tell.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I bring all my stains to you. Wipe them away with the blood of Jesus and give me a robe of righteousness. Thank you, Father, for a steady hand and strong knees to navigate through my life. Thank you for strengthening me, just like a good cup of coffee and help me turn my mess into a message of hope, in Jesus’ Name, Amen. 

Copyright Lynelle Clark 2023