Have you been washed white as snow?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©

“Come now, let us settle the matter,”
     says the Lord.
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
     they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red as crimson,
     they shall be like wool.
(Isaiah 1:18 (NIV))

Have you ever gotten something red on a white article of clothing? Perhaps you have accidentally washed a red article of clothing with something white! What were the results in these situations? Where you ever able to get the red out or was the pristineness of the white ruined?

The purity of white, once tarnished, can never be restored without ruining the white garment in question. It is true that you can bleach the article of clothing back to a close proximity of white, but in most cases, if this is done, the article is never the same pristine white that it once was. Quit often, if the red doesn’t completely ruin the garment, the treatment to remove it does! If it doesn’t, there is always a telltale mark, there is always a guilty stain.

Think about that in context to human nature and our sinful, fallen ways. We are covered in the red of sin and death. There is nothing that we can do to clean ourselves. There will always be a guilty stain. We may be able to hide it at times, but it is always there. It is always a reminder of our shortcomings. It is a reminder of our sin! It is this very stain of sin that Isaiah foretold of being washed as white as snow. It is this very stain of sin that Jesus came to this earth to redeem us from. It is this very stain of sin that will be completely removed from our lives so that the Lord will not see it any more.

Returning a white garment that has been stained red back to its original state requires some very powerful cleansing. Jesus came to this earth to offer us the power and the way to return to our original sin free life. How do you claim that power? It is as easy as ABC!

A is for admit that you are a sinner in need of a savior.

B is for believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and that God raised Him from the dead.

C is for call upon the name of the Lord Jesus.

It is time to accept the cleansing power available through Jesus!

Have you been washed white as snow?

Copyright 1998 – 2021 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Have you allowed God to make you pure?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living

“Come now, let us reason together,”
says the LORD.
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red as crimson,
they shall be like wool.
(Isaiah 1:18 (NIV))

There is something about snow that reminds us of purity. Looking out over the surrounding area after a snowfall, you become amazed at the freshness and the newness of everything. The virgin snow is pure and without blemish, just as humanity was in the beginning. Then, we start to see footprints and the effects of the sun and we see little patches of brown starting to show through.

It only takes a little blemish to start the process of degeneration. Soon, everything is muddy and brown and how we long for the purity of the way it used to be. This is the same in our lives. We cannot do anything about the snow, but we can do something about our lives.

After many years of living in this sinful world, our countenance is very muddy, but God has promised us that we will be made white as snow. He has sent us a Savior in Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son. Through God’s grace and mercy, He is willing to exchange our muddy, sinful nature for a pure, snowy countenance in which all things have been forgiven. All it takes is a simple, heartfelt longing and an acceptance of this God given grace and mercy.

The purity of the snow is only temporary. God gives a purity that lasts an eternity.

Have you allowed God to make you pure?

Copyright 1998 – 2018 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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What do you have?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living

No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.
(1 John 2:23 (NIV))

What do you do when you hear people say that they don’t need Jesus to be close to God? Do you agree with them or does your heart break over their reluctance to accept the truth?

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
(John 14:6 (NIV))

Why do people still reject Jesus? Honestly, I believe that this is the same mentality that makes people reach out and touch the wall when they see a “Wet Paint” sign. They simply cannot accept things at face value. They believe that God would not limit how someone can come to Him. They don’t want to accept the simplicity of God’s plan. You can show them the truth but they refuse to believe. They refuse to accept what is right in front of them. They refuse to recognize the fallacy in their thinking. I started to use the word reasoning instead of the word thinking, but if you truly reason, if you truly apply all aspects of your intellect, then your conclusions would be completely different.

“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 as wool.
(Isaiah 1:18 (NKJV))

Perhaps you are on the fence about accepting or denying Jesus.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.
(John 3:16-21 (NIV))

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,
(Romans 8:1 (NIV))

Accepting Jesus means that there is no condemnation!

What do you have?

Copyright 1998 – 2018 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Do you desire a new you in the new year?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”
(Revelation 1:8 (NIV))

God is good all the time! Yesterday, today and tomorrow, He is the same. He is the Alpha and the Omega. Now that we are facing a new year , we must remember that God is God and He never changes. No matter what happens when January 1 comes, God is still God.

Rejoice in the certainty of the promises of God. January 1 is the day that we look forward to as being able to have a new beginning. Rejoice that we can be washed as white as snow and be just like new any day that we accept Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior.

Are you ready to be a new creature in the New Year?

Do you desire a new you in the new year?

Happy New Year!

Copyright 1998 – 2017 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Do you desire to have a clean heart?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living

Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
(Psalms 51:10 (NIV))

Do you realize that the birth of Jesus took this passage, this prayer, and made it possible to have a clean heart in the eyes of God?

Think about that with respect to David’s desires when he wrote these words. David was described as a man after God’s own heart, yet he was not able to be made clean in the eyes of God. David’s salvation had not come into this world when these words were written. It may have been David’s desire, but because of humanity’s sinful nature, he, like all of us, was unclean in the eyes of God. Nothing that he could do could change that.

All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.
(Isaiah 64:6 (NIV))

Thankfully, God had other plans!

God made it possible for David’s desires, and ours, to become reality. Through the birth, life, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, we have the ability to be washed clean.

Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
(Psalms 51:7 (NIV))

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
(John 3:16 (NIV))

God’s love for us provided the plan. Jesus’ obedience provided the way. The Holy Spirit’s prompting us provides the question. It is our desire that provides the answer. With this in mind, do you desire to have a clean heart? Do you desire to be made clean in the eyes of God? Jesus is the way!

Copyright 1998 – 2017 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Will you see the glory of God?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living

Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?”
(John 11:40 (NIV))

Will you see the glory of God?

I know that many profess a belief in God and in Jesus, but, how deep is your belief? Do you believe that Jesus is the only begotten Son of God? Do you believe that through Him, all of your sins can be washed white as snow? Do you believe that grace and mercy are yours through the blood that He shed on the cross? Now, let’s take that one step further. Do you have the faith that will allow mountains to be moved?

There is a difference between believing and putting your belief into action. It is one thing to believe that Jesus is who He says He is. Even the demons know that Jesus is the Son of God.

Moreover, demons came out of many people, shouting, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew he was the Christ.
(Luke 4:41 (NIV))

How do you see the glory of God? Belief is mixed with faith. This faith knows that God will work no matter what. This faith earnestly seeks the glory of God. It recognizes the miraculous in the events that make up our lives. This faith knows that God is in control. This faith manifests itself by allowing your eyes to be open to what God is doing. It allows you to be a part of God’s plans. It allows you to not only claim your salvation, but to share it with others.

God’s glory is boundless. Belief allows faith to flourish. Faith allows us to expect God’s glory in the unexpected. Faith allows us to be ready for whatever God calls us to. God’s glory may be missed if all that you give Him is an hour on Sunday morning. Give Him your all and expect to see your belief confirmed.

Copyright 1998 – 2017 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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