A Presence A Day: Homemade Rag Garland: Day 5

Day 1: A Presence A Day: Homemade Scrubs

Day 2: A Presence A Day: Homemade Hot Chocolate

Day 3: A Presence A Day:  Homemade Felt Christmas Tree Pin

Day 4:  A Presence A Day:  Homemade Paper Wreath



The Nesting Place



A great project to complete is this SHABBY CHIC garland.  You have all of the materials at home (if you have old clothes or clothes you/kids have outgrown).  Tie strips of material to an old towel, jute, ribbon, chord, etc (whatever you have).  The most time consuming part is cutting and tying, and tying, and tying (you get the picture).   The tutorial is here!



I love this for a boy's room...use old men's or boy's dress shirts--even the cuffs!

Rags rags rags.  While you are tying endless rags, think about this scripture:

Isa 64:6  But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

Even at our very best OUR righteousness is as filthy rags.  Wow, does that put our righteousness in perspective!  Isaiah goes on to say that we fade out as a leaf and our sins a.k.a. iniquities take us away from righteousness.  Why does Isaiah write this oh-so-hard-to-take verse to us?  Well, Isaiah has been preaching and preaching to the people (God's chosen people, that is) and they all ignore, rebel, and act superior to God's instructions.  These very acts are tearing Isaiah's heart into pieces.  He is also pleading with God to spare them even over their sin.  God answers Isaiah a few verses down:

64:8 ¶ Thus saith the LORD, As the new wine is found in the cluster, and one saith, Destroy it not; for a blessing is in it: so will I do for my servants’ sakes, that I may not destroy them all.



God doesn't destroy them all...there is a seed in Jacob that is chosen and we came through that line, too. There is also another reply from God:

64:11But ye are they that forsake the LORD, that forget my holy mountain, that prepare a table for that troop, and that furnish the drink offering unto that number. 12 Therefore will I number you to the sword, and ye shall all bow down to the slaughter: because when I called, ye did not answer; when I spake, ye did not hear; but did evil before mine eyes, and did choose that wherein I delighted not.

I much favor verse 8, don't you?  I want to be in the number with Jacob.  Furthermore, I am in the number with Jacob.  God called me one night, and I answered and now I am part of the ELECT.  BUT, even though I am part of God, MY righteousness is as FILTHY RAGS.  My righteousness is my sinful flesh.  Everything that I do in my flesh is sin.  That is just part of me.  I have another part (no, I am not schizophrenic -Or am I?).  A better part.  The best part.  I have THE spirit (not a spirit, and let me tell you there are many spirits, so try them (test to see if they are really GOD) to see if they be OF GOD.  And it sins...NOT!  IT never sins...It is perfect, it has Jesus there, and IT is also sealed to the day of redemption (Eph 4:30...whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption).

Now, don't get me wrong, we can put our flesh in subjection to that of the holy spirit.  We should most definitely do this.  But, when someone acts righteous within themselves, take heed, and be mindful around them (pray for them and watch your very soul around them).  They are very convincing and they do have a spirit....but not necessarily THE SPIRIT (Spirit of God).  I have always wanted to inspire a great crowd and get them into a great mind-blowing epiphany.  And here I would be moving this great crowd toward blissdom...sounds great, right?  Could be bad, I am not perfect (although I do strive to attain this characteristic), and in my imperfectness I have (unintentionally) led a huge group of people in a wrong way.  Are you getting my drift?  We have some great orators today, don't we?  TAKE HEED!  PRAY FOR THEM on the one hand and WATCH YOUR VERY SOUL AROUND THEM on the other!  To worship God, he has given us two criteria:  1.  Spirit (the Spirit not A spirit)   2. Truth (according to God's holy word...a.k.a. Bible --you know, the one book with dust on it.)  Keep these two criteria in mind when you are listening to someone's great swelling words.  IF they are not SALTED,  cast it out.

My righteousness is as filthy rags...don't point others to the Lord by your righteousness because, after all, they are as filthy rags.  Point others to Jesus by HIS righteousness.

God bless your Christmas!