In Isaiah 64:6 we are reminded that, “…we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf.”  Those are powerful words and should completely obliterate any pride that might otherwise take root in our lives, and yet oftentimes we forget the significance of what this verse is telling us. It is only when we come to the humbling realization that our own righteousness is as a filthy rag in contrast to God’s that the words of David in Psalm 8:4 can really take on their full meaning: “What is man, that thou art mindful of him?”

“Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.”

              -Isaiah 6:5

Most people consider themselves to be decent and moral individuals, and, judging by the world’s standards, perhaps they are. If we compare ourselves to men like Adolf Hitler or even the neighbor across the street, it’s easy to feel proud of our accomplishments and perceived morality; yet when we examine ourselves in the light of God’s absolute holiness, we can do nothing less than echo Isaiah’s words, “Woe is me! For I am undone…for mine eyes have the seen the King, the Lord of hosts.”

“Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”

              -Isaiah 1:18

Not only is God holy; He is eternally holy. He has always been and will forever be without fault. Those without Christ, on the other hand, “…grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes: we stumble at noonday as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead men.” (Isaiah 59:10) Even those with Christ are nothing more than members of a fallen race, made to “sit in heavenly places in Christ Jesus” through grace and grace alone (Ephesians 2:6, 8), so that no flesh should glory in His presence (1 Corinthians 1:28, 29). It’s not that we’re innocent; we’re simply forgiven. Let us never be so deceived to believe that it’s the other way around.

Do you wonder why you have to
Feel the things that hurt you
If there’s a God Who loves you where is He now

Maybe there are things you can’t see
And all those things are happening
To bring a better ending
Someday somehow you’ll see, you’ll see

Would you dare would you dare to believe
That you still have a reason to sing
Cause the pain that you’ve been feeling
It can’t compare to the joy that’s coming
So hold on you gotta wait for the light
Press on and just fight the good fight
Cause the pain that you’ve been feeling
It’s just the dark before the morning

My friend you know how this all ends
You know where you’re going
You just don’t know how you’ll get there

So say a prayer
And hold on cause there’s good for those who love God
But life is not a snapshot
It might take a little time but you’ll see the bigger picture

Once you feel the weight of glory
All your pain will fade to memory
It’s just the hurt before the healing
Oh the pain that you’ve been feeling
It’s just the dark before the morning*

*Song by Josh Wilson

We all worship something. Whether you’re a Christian, an atheist, or anything in between, you have a god somewhere in your life that you, though perhaps indirectly, are worshipping. How do you identify what that is? Simply ask yourself this question: “On a day-to-day basis, where do I seek shelter? Where to I look for comfort, happiness, and fulfillment?” You answer is your god.

“And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

                -Joshua 24:15

As foolish as it would be for us to serve anyone but the Lord, it’s a choice God has nevertheless left us the option of making. We can serve anything or anyone we want, for God has given each of us a freewill to make that decision. Joshua’s words, though spoken to the Israelites, apply just as much to us today as they did to Israel then: “choose you this day whom ye will serve.” His own, personal choice was made clear with the famous words, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

“I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.”

                         -Revelation 3:15-16

God would rather us not serve Him at all than to do so half-heartedly. In reality, though that lack of commitment may not seem like much at any given moment, it will manifest itself at crucial times in your life that give clear evidence of your spiritual condition. You might seem “committed” when surrounded by your Christian friends, but are you committed when peer pressure strikes or witnessing opportunities come your way? As it was said by C.S. Lewis, “The virtue of courage is a prerequisite for the practice of all other virtues; otherwise one is virtuous only when virtue has no cost.”

Where do you seek shelter from day-to-day? At you computer desk? At your school, or the town square? If so, know that those things provide a temporary and incomplete satisfaction. Only those who find shelter under the shadow of God’s wings are fully protected (Psalm 17:8).

“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.”

              -John 13:34

When Jesus came, He completely redefined the essence of true obedience to God’s Word. In Old Testament times people thought it was enough to simply abide by the letter of the law while pretty much ignoring Its spiritual implications, and yet we are reminded numerous times throughout the four Gospels alone that our God wants more than just an outward show of religion; He wants inward commitment and devotion that goes far beyond the outward aspect of things (Mark 12:30).

As Paul reminded us in Romans 13:10, “…love is the fulfilling of the law.” He explained that none of the commandments we find in Scripture would ever be broken if we would simply love our neighbor as ourself, for “love worketh no ill to his neighbour.”  Unlike many of us today who tend to focus solely on outward evidences of inward sin, Jesus and Paul both sought to treat the problem once and for all by removing the cause of the undesired effect. They recognized that sins such as adultery, murder, lying, and revenge all begin in the heart and that, like a weed, they would continue to spring back up until being plucked out by the roots.

“This is My commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.”

        -John 15:12

Notice here that Jesus didn’t just ask us to get along, or to try and be nice to each other; no, He said plainly that we must love one another. Learning to put the needs of others before our own, though often difficult to emulate, is a sign of true and undefiled Christianity (James 1:27; Romans 12:10), and is perhaps the greatest testimony we can give of our faith in Christ. It shows the world that we’re serious about serving God, and do so for more than just personal gain. It is then, as Christ said, that the world can know with certainty that we are His (John 13:35).

“Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.”

            -Philippians 2:3

When we come to the place of loving God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, people are going to notice. When we intentionally sacrifice our own agenda for His, our priorities for His purpose, and think of others before worrying about ourselves, the world around us will see that there is indeed something special about us. More importantly than that, they will see that there is something special about Jesus. After all, if God is love (1 John 4:8), doesn’t it make sense that His followers should be known for expressing it?

Who doesn’t like to win free stuff? If you’re anything like me, then you probably find it difficult to pass up a good giveaway when you see one, right? If so, then you’re going to love the new contest I have going over at my photography blog, Dakota’s Nature Photos. Unlike most giveaways you’ll find on the web, everybody who participates is a guaranteed winner and will get to pick between 4 unique prizes! Want to find out how you can win? Click on over and find out!

“And if Thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray Thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in Thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness.”

                    -Numbers 11:15

“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;”

                         -Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4

“Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.”

              -Philippians 4:4

“And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let me fall now into the hand of the LORD; for very great are his mercies: but let me not fall into the hand of man.”

                          -1 Chronicles 21:13

The other night as I was reading in the Old Testament, I came across this verse in 1 Chronicles that I just couldn’t seem to get over. Israelites were dying by the thousands as a result of David’s rebellion against the Lord, and he knew very well that it was his own fault. His plea, however, was not one of anger or bitterness; it was one of true humility and repentance as he asked that, if he must fall, he could do so on God’s mercy. He recognized that the only safe place to land was in God’s own hand.

Anyway, last night I wrote this song based on this passage of Scripture and what God has been teaching me through it. I don’t write music too often, but when you put a guitar in my hand and a Scripture in my heart you never know what might happen. I hope you like it.

 

You lift me up when I am cast down

You bring me peace when none can be found;

You satisfy my soul with Your love

I’m falling on You, Your grace is enough

Your grace is enough

 

When the shadows hide the sun

When I cannot see and I don’t feel Your love

When the peace I know departs from my soul

I will trust in You, and Lord I won’t let You go

Lord I will never let you go

 

When I fall I’ll fall on You God

When I stand I’ll stand with You God

When I trust I’ll trust in You God

When I fear I will fear you God*

*Words and music © 2011 – Dakota L.