Ants! Yikes!

 

I got back Friday evening to my little home from a week in Parkersburg West Virginia to find ants all over the kitchen counter.  Now, I keep my kitchen clean (most of the time), but those tiny invaders were looking for any tiny morsel of food that they could find.  And I like all of God’s creatures, but only outside of my house.  I got out a vial of ant bait, snipped off the end, and set it out.  I’ve used this bait effectively, and I knew the process.  But the first time that I used it I was worried.  The ants were attracted to the bait like it was candy.  And for a day or two, my ant infestation actually increased!  Word got around to the rest of the ant colony that Whitely had a giant trove of food right on his kitchen counter!  But the word on the street was only half true: the food was laced with poison.  And after feasting, the ants took the bait back to their home and fed everyone else in the whole colony.  But within 2 days, the entire colony was wiped out.  And what a great lesson for us!  Hey, sin has consequences!  Sin is fun … for a season, but afterwards it destroys!  Proverbs 14:12, “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”  Don’t take the bait!  Think before you fall for Satan’s lies.  God’s way is always the best way; Satan’s way is the way of death.

Stains

 

Yesterday, I was working at church again, and last night, I noticed that I had white spots in several places on my tee shirt.  I couldn’t tell if they were from wallboard mud or white primer paint, because I used both yesterday.  But I’ll know shortly, because I just put the washed clothes (including my tee shirt) into the dryer.  The mud will have washed out, but the white paint will still be there.  No big deal, because it’s an old tee shirt, but it reminded me of my sins.  All of my sins are washed by the cleansing blood of my Savior and are hidden by His blood.  But some sins, like the primer paint, have more far-reaching consequences.  You can be forgiven for drunkenness, but the damage to your body will still be there.  You can be forgiven for an abortion, but the baby will still be dead … forever.  You can be forgiven for promiscuity, but the STD that you contracted will be there.  Sin has consequences, and there are no “little sins”, but some sins leave terrible scars.  Hey, I’m glad for the cleansing power of Jesus Christ!  I Timothy 5:24, “Some men's sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after.”  Today, think and choose carefully.  Mud or paint, make good choices.  You’ll be glad that you did, and so will the dear Lord.

Jesus Is the Light!

 

I got back from West Virginia late Friday evening and enjoyed sleeping in my own bed.  I enjoy traveling, meeting new people, and seeing old friends, but getting home is a good feeling.  Bible Baptist church had a great Vacation Bible school, and everyone was over-the-top friendly.  They are serious about loving others and loving Jesus.  They gave me a VBS tee shirt to wear, and after washing it, I wore it to bed Saturday night.  But when I turned off the light to get into bed, I noticed that the shirt printing glowed in the dark.  Very appropriate, because the theme of the VBS was Illumination Station.  The tee shirt read, “Jesus is the Light!”.  Good job, Brother Dan!  Matthew 5:16, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”  So, I let my light shine Saturday night … to bed!  Ha, ha!  I am reminded that Jesus truly is the light to show us the way.