Filthy Rags

Questions for us today...What is our purpose in living life this very minute?  Wow, Keith, what a way to start a conversation, right?  Well.  I came across this verse from the Old Testament that was very insightful for me as I continue to follow God and seek His will for my life.  Take a look with me.

Simple TRUTH...

Our purpose on this earth is not to do good works.  Our purpose is not to work our way to make God happy with us, or for that matter, to make others happy with us.  If our purpose on earth were based on our works, as good as those works might be, they would fall exceedingly SHORT of our ultimate purpose.  We must realize this very fact - None of us are righteous, no not one – we are all sinners in need of the supernatural work of God in our lives.

Read what Isaiah tells us about who we are…

Isaiah 64:5-7

⁵ You come to the help of those who gladly do right, who remember your ways.  But when we continued to sin against them, you were angry.  How then can we be saved?
⁶ 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.
⁷ No one calls on your name or strives to lay hold of you; for you have hidden your face from us and made us waste away because of our sins.

If all of us are unclean – FILTHY RAGS – this means that there is not a single act of good works that brings purpose to life.  How can we be created in God’s image for His purpose, yet be a filthy rag?  I AM CONFUSED!! 

Tune in next week for the conclusion of this devotional!  Keith

Fight the Culture

What is worship?  Whatever we set our minds attention to and our hearts affection on...this is worship.  Maybe a better illustration is "WORTH"ship – what do you place most of your worth on?  What ever is the answer to this question will be what you worship.  What does Scripture say about worship?

God created you in his image for the purpose of worship.

Romans 12:1-2

12 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. ² Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

We are taught here that worship is about simply not doing good for the sake of pleasing God, but giving up our lives and our acts of goodness and offering ourselves – ALL OF OURSELVES – as a sacrifice to God.  This means our talents, dreams, families, jobs and more – ALL OF IT!  Other friends might be conforming to the things of this culture, but FIGHT THE CULTURE and be transformed by RENEWING YOUR MIND to the things of God – WORSHIP GOD.

Question – What do you set your minds attention on:

• In the morning time?
• Throughout your day at work?
• When you are in your car?
• When you visit with friends on the phone?
• When you coach your teams?
• When you think of your wife?
• When you think of your kids?

Question – What is your heart affectionate about?

• What motivates you?
• What excites you?
• What do you enjoy spending time doing?

WITHOUT GOD TRANSFORMING OUR MINDS, then our lives are filled with distractions and truly, stuff that have no purpose or direction towards God and worship.  Remember, you were created in God’s image – for HIM!

Living a lifestyle of worship is the most counter cultural thing we do as believers and followers of Jesus.  It is difficult for sure, but we were created for this reason!!  Embrace it and live it!