Tag Archives: filthy rags

Making God Proud

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There is a saying among men that is worthy of inspection.  Anything that’s worthy is simply worthy.  Come on, let’s get after it.

“Be the kind of man of which God can be proud.”

On the surface it sounds pretty good.  It’s inspirational.  It provokes a never-ending stream of good behavior.  As far as I know, it’s grammatically correct.   But it is also seriously wrong.

A mother may be proud of her ugly and inept son.  But her pride is not due to the fact that he is a supreme representation of humanity.  She is proud of her responsibility.  She is proud of her gift from God.  Frankly, she is proud of God.

God is no respecter of any man.  To say that he is proud of any man, can be considered pure folly.  This is the same God who said all our righteous deeds are as filthy rags (let the reader understand the meaning of the words “filthy rags”).

What can a man possibly do that would make God proud of him?  Every righteous deed we do is as if under duress.  For every man will readily tell you that if he does not behave he will be punished.

There is One of whom God is proud.  His name is Jesus.  As we obey and praise God’s Holy Son, the Pride God has for him is enhanced.  Let us then, revamp the saying. 

“Let us be the kind of men who honor the One who has roused God’s pride.”

By His Grace

Wicked to the Core

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I believed, long before I started writing, that man is wicked to the core.  This hope of a man-made utopia is a pipe dream that will never come true.  And those who put their trust in men to design it, and bring it to be, will find themselves disappointed.

I write this because it just occurred to me that over the years, my writings have given proof for my belief. 

Before I begin to write, I was often in debate over this issue.  In my heart I knew it, but I lacked the longevity of proof.  Since I could not substantiate, with examples, what I proposed to be, they simply referred to me as cynical.  I was relegated to a room in the hotel called “Pessimism”.

Before this, I relied on my own perception; the proof that man supplied by driving me to a dark corner of society.  But it is impossible for me to stand alone as a witness with my own perception. 

What good is it if I point the finger at them?  It is simply my finger; the weakend finger of an unhappy camper. And so the proclamation required many examples.  Let them point their fingers at themselves.

But there is proof in the volume of this place.  And isn’t that the very reason why this is not an amazingly popular blog?

I used to think it was the name of Christ that drove people away.  And I was perplexed, for millions attend church every Sunday.  Where were my brothers who believe the same as I?  Why was I shunned by those who profess the name of Christ?

But there is one item in these writings that sides with Christ very strongly; all of our righteous deeds are as filthy rags.  For this the masses have been driven away.  (no pun intended)

By His Grace

“Blessed is the man . . .”

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Psalm 1, Verse 1 and 2 in Biblia Hebraica Stut...

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I used to think that a man could consider himself blessed by God if he did certain things which pleased God.  I equated “blessed” with God being thankful for our work/s.  And to a small (very small) extent this might be true.  But I remember that nothing we do actually pleases the Lord.  “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.”  (Isa. 64:6)  So I am forced to reconsider what blessed means from God’s point of view.

Psalm one says, “Blessed is the man who . . .”.  And the psalm goes on to describe what this man’s blessing will manifest itself as.  The blessing is not a future promise as much as it is a present and real way of life.  The Lord causes a man to become what He desires.  Man did not know to do good.  It was the Lord who caused the man to do good.  There will be no boasting before the Most High God that a man has done a good thing.  God prompts us to desire Him.  We react with some action, according to our personality.  He rewards that reaction with another prompt.  And so it goes as we develop the fruit He desires to produce on us.  Eventually we are to become holy, even as our heavenly Father is Holy.

If you do not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners, or sit in the seat of the mockers, then the Lord has caused you to be like this.  Perhaps you thought or think that you choose to do these things.  But you are blessed by God to bear His desired fruit.  So praise Him, for this is your function.  Humble yourself to worship Him.  For He has been kind to you.  He has allowed that you should not be a fool in your actions.  He has blessed you.  You have not become a righteous man on your own.  You did not desire to serve Him or read His word on your own.  It was His Spirit which has brought you to this place you now live.  So render to God what is His due.

By His Grace.