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Will The Clay Say …

16 You turn things upside down! Shall the potter be regarded as the clay, that the thing made should say of its maker, “He did not make me”; or the thing formed say of him who formed it, “He has no understanding”? ~ Isaiah 29:16

When you put it that way, it is ludicrous. The Clay could never say to the Potter, “You did not make me.” The Clay would sound like a real simpleton because everybody would see the stupidity in it, and the Clay would be the laughing stock. But it is you, oh man, whom the LORD has thus addressed. It is today’s society that claims there is no God and has raised a rebellion against their Creator. It is today’s people that claim that they were not created, but evolved.

The truth is God did create us, and we are the work of His hands. He has created us to be who we are and has a plan for us. Our job, therefore, is to find out what that plan is and to follow that plan as best we can, for the LORD is our Helper and our source of strength. Apart from Him, we can do nothing; even our breath is borrowed from Him. So, why would we rage against Him? Why would we say He never formed me? Or the LORD God never created us. I assure you, God takes care of that which belongs to Him. He will keep in perfect peace, which He has formed. If you want to be taken care of, or if you want to have perfect peace, submit to God; no one can pluck you out of His hand, and nothing can steal your peace.

Heavenly Father, thank You that You are God and that You have created me. For if You have created me, You will take care of me. I accept Your care right now, in the name of Jesus, amen.

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Trust The LORD

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. ~ Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. Easier said than done. When things go wrong, the first thing we do is to look at our circumstances, and then our understanding of what we see automatically kicks in. But God said, “Do not lean on your own understanding.” Far too often we evaluate our coming and going by what we see.

Today, I took my car in to have it serviced for a factory recall, and they will have to keep it overnight. They gave me a shuttle ride home and said that they would come back tomorrow to pick me up so that I could get my car. We only have one car. When I got home, my wife reminded me that our daughter had to get her packages to the Post Office before 5 pm today. I had totally forgotten that it was absolutely vital that the packages be sent out today before the Post Office closes at 5:30 pm.

We had no way of getting them there unless we took an Uber or something. Then the LORD—it would have to be the LORD—put it in my spirit to get everything ready and ask the postperson to please take it for us since we had a label, and the packages were all packed and ready to go. The problem was that one had to go to FedEx as well, something that never usually happens.

But as the LORD’s fate would have it, a FedEx van drove by at the very same time and stopped two doors down. I ran out and asked the driver if he would please take it since it was packaged with a label and ready to go. He said, “No problem at all.” We gave him the package, along with some water, some chips, and a frozen fruit bar to show our gratitude. Now for the Post Office. We didn’t know whether or not they had come and gone as yet.

About ten minutes later, the postperson drove by, and I asked her the same thing if she would take the package, and she said, “Yes, no problem.” Long story short, everyone was super stressed out because both packages had to be out today, and according to our understanding, there was no way they would be able to go. But the LORD provided what seemed impossible, and within 20 minutes, everything was done. The stress was gone. The joy of the LORD was back, and everyone was happy again.

And to top it all off, about 3 hours later, the service department called and somehow, they worked it out that not only did they start working on my car right away but told me it would be ready in about another two hours. Way enough time for them to come, pick me up, and take me back for me to pick up my car and still have plenty of time to make it to the Post Office if the need was still there.

What am I saying? God not only solved our impossible problem, but He gave us not one but two ways of getting the impossible done. Lean not on your own understanding, but rather, trust the LORD and acknowledge Him and everything you give Him, He will work it out for you.

Father, thank You that You are a good, good Father. Thank You that we can trust You and know with full confidence that You will work the impossible out for us. Teach us how not to be shaken by what we see or to be stressed by what we understand our circumstances to be. For You are a God that does the impossible, deals with the difficult, and brings hope to the hopeless. Thank You, Father, in Jesus’ mighty name, amen.

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Silence Them

3 Then the sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came out to Elisha and said, “Do you know that the Lord will take your master away from you today?” He said, “Yes, I know. Be quiet.”

5 Then the sons of the prophets who were in Jericho came up to Elisha and said, “Do you know that the Lord will take your master away from you today?” He said, “Yes, I know. Be quiet.” ~ 2 Kings 2:3, 5 CSB

It was time for Elijah to be taken up. It wasn’t private knowledge; others knew of this, and they came to Elisha to tell him Elijah was being taken away that day. They were the sons of the prophets of Bethel and Jericho. Two different times. Two different locations. Two different sets of people came to discourage Elisha, but he stood firm.

They came to him and asked if he knew his master was being taken away from him that day. The man who called Elisha and taught him everything he knew was being taken away, and these two sets of men came to let Elisha know.

Now, their prophecy could’ve discouraged him, but he didn’t allow their words to penetrate his heart or his mind. He silenced them.

Sometimes, people will come up to you to tell you how hard something is going to be or weigh in on how they believe your life will turn out. They may even have your best interest at heart, even though their words are discouraging. Sometimes, people in your life unknowingly allow the devil to use them in order to discourage you, and they don’t even realize it. They may think they’re doing what’s best for you when, in reality, they are defeating you before you can even truly get started.

Just as these sons of the prophets may have thought they were doing good by warning Elisha, so may other people feel the same way when they tell you discouraging things. But just as Elisha silenced them, you have to silence others. Not physically, but spiritually. You give the words they spoke to you and on you to the Lord. You don’t allow their discouraging words to penetrate your heart or mind. Instead, you cover yourself with the armor of God so that you might be protected from the attacks of the enemy. So that you can fill your mind with Truth and not lies. With hope and not fear.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Silence Them.

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Don’t Miss A Thing

1 The time had come for the Lord to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind. Elijah and Elisha were traveling from Gilgal, 2 and Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here; the Lord is sending me on to Bethel.” But Elisha replied, “As the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel.

6 Elijah said to him, “Stay here; the Lord is sending me to the Jordan.” But Elisha said, “As the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on.

9 When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me what I can do for you before I am taken from you.” So Elisha answered, “Please, let me inherit two shares of your spirit.” 10 Elijah replied, “You have asked for something difficult. If you see me being taken from you, you will have it. If not, you won’t.” 11 As they continued walking and talking, a chariot of fire with horses of fire suddenly appeared and separated the two of them. Then Elijah went up into heaven in the whirlwind. 12 As Elisha watched, he kept crying out, “My father, my father, the chariots and horsemen of Israel!”  When he could see him no longer, he took hold of his own clothes, tore them in two, 13 picked up the mantle that had fallen off Elijah, and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. ~ 2 Kings 2:1-2, 6, 9-13CSB

Elijah had completed his work for that time, and now it was time for him to leave. The LORD was calling him to cross the Jordan so that he could be taken up in a whirlwind, so he told his apprentice, Elisha, to stay where he was. He didn’t tell him once, but twice. Twice Elijah told Elisha to stay, while he went on alone, but twice Elisha refused to depart from him.

Elisha could have easily taken that as Elijah not wanting him around, getting offended, and staying where he was instead of trucking on. If he had allowed his flesh to become offended, he would have missed out on his blessing and his inheritance.

Elisha didn’t care what was said to him. He didn’t care if it was something he could be offended about, and people would understand. He didn’t care if he was wanted there or not. Elisha knew that Elijah was a blessed and highly favored man of God. He was his mentor, and he was soon going to be taken away by God. So, he refused to leave him and clung tightly to his presence. He stuck so closely to Elijah that two chariots of fire had to separate them in order to take only Elijah to heaven.

This is called dedication and perseverance. He didn’t care how far they had to walk, how long it would take, or even where they were going. Elisha knew that his time with Elijah was running out, and he didn’t want to miss anything.

Aerosmith wrote a love song called “I Don’t Wanna Miss A Thing,” and in it they say this:

Don’t wanna close my eyes
I don’t wanna fall asleep
‘Cause I’d miss you, babe
And I don’t wanna miss a thing
‘Cause even when I dream of you (Even when I dream)
The sweetest dream would never do
I’d still miss you, babe
And I don’t wanna miss a thing

Now, they, of course, were writing a love song about a woman, but just imagine feeling that way about Jesus. The desire to be with Him as much as possible. The desire to spend time with Him, learn from Him, and interact with Him is with more than sleep. That’s how Elisha felt about Elijah, not a romantic desire, but a disciple desire. He knew that Elijah had more to teach and show him, and he didn’t wanna miss a thing.

That was just a man; we today have the opportunity to have an even closer relationship with the living God, and we pass it up for temporary, unsatisfying things of this world. Imagine if we clung to Jesus the way that Elisha clung to Elijah or with the same kind of passion Aerosmith wrote about. There would be nothing stopping us because nothing can separate us from the love of God. A chariot of fire came and separated Elisha and Elijah, but nothing can come and separate us from God. He dwells in us and with us.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Don’t Miss A Thing.

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Divorce The World

30 And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord, more than all who were before him. 31 And as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, he took for his wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and went and served Baal and worshiped him. 32 He erected an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he built in Samaria. 33 And Ahab made an Asherah. Ahab did more to provoke the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him. ~ 1 Kings 16:30-33

Not only did Ahab walk in all of the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, but “…he took for his wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and went and served Baal and worshiped him.” What was so bad about that?

Jezebel was a worshipper of Baal and a woman of great wickedness who killed the prophets and urged her husband to do more to provoke the anger of the LORD than all the other kings that were before him, according to verse 33.

Ethbaal, Jezebel’s father, was king of the Sidonians, whose land belonged to Israel, according to the Promise. He, too, worshipped Baal. So, instead of being an enemy to God’s enemy, Ahab joined them, uniting with them in marriage. He took a sacred covenant God Himself established and perverted it by marrying not only himself to evil but the entire nation of Israel.

King Ahab didn’t see the evil, nor did he understand the weight of his actions. His entire household perished in the end because he refused to be an enemy to God’s enemy. That doesn’t mean that he needed to hate them, but that he needed to make a stand against them. That he needed to refuse an alliance with them and, even more so, to refuse to welcome and endorse their evil customs.

Today, many of us are marrying the enemy. We’re not just supporting evil, but we are promoting it. And just as Ahab used the sacred covenant of marriage to turn from God, we are perverting the sacred love of God to turn away from God. We are called by God to love people, but not their sin. We don’t accept nor do we endorse sin. We don’t give it a sign of approval and then say, “Well, God loves everybody.” This is called perverting the love of God.

Peter told us to be sober-minded and watchful because the Devil prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour. We can’t allow the world to lull us to sleep with lies of unity because, in reality, the Devil doesn’t truly want unity; he wants division between us and God. Therefore, wake up from your spiritual slumber and pay attention to the Word of the LORD. Don’t allow the world to convince you that it’s wrong to follow Jesus and believe every word that comes from the LORD.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Divorce The World.

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Forgiveness

1 Be gracious to me, God, according to your faithful love; according to your abundant compassion, blot out my rebellion. 2 Completely wash away my guilt and cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I am conscious of my rebellion, and my sin is always before me. 4 Against you—you alone—I have sinned  and done this evil in your sight. So you are right when you pass sentence; you are blameless when you judge. ~ Psalms 51:1-4

David wrote this Psalm at the time Nathan, the prophet, confronted him about sleeping with Bathsheba and then killing her husband, Uriah the Hittite. From the get-go David throws himself on the mercy of the LORD. He says, “Be gracious to me, God …” But David does not leave it there; he qualifies it. “…according to your faithful love.” Not just any love, but His faithful love. In other words, it is a steadfast love that lasts forever. David asks for forgiveness in accordance with God’s abundant compassion. Please blot out my rebellion and take away my sin is basically what he is writing.

God has a steadfast, everlasting, compassionate love that we can always depend on. No matter what we have done, when we come with a repentant heart, God will have compassion and forgive us. So, never doubt His love for you.

David wrote that because he knew and understood that God is kind and merciful and that His love has no limits and no end. That is what God wants from us. He wants us to forsake our rebellious ways. He wants us to turn from our sin and follow after Him. He will forgive our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

When we sin, it’s not against someone else; it’s against God, and David understood that as well. Against You and You alone, he writes. It is in your sight that I have done evil, LORD. David realizes that he does not have a leg to stand on, so he submits. He wants forgiveness.

It is not God’s will that any should perish but that all come to repentance so that we can all have eternal life. That is why Jesus came, and that’s why He died. Do not be intimidated or afraid; God will not leave you but will come to you, and He will come quickly. So, if you are away from God, do not fear, and do not doubt, God is for you and not against you.

Just say:

Father, forgive me, for I have sinned. Cleanse me and make me whole. Jesus, I accept You, and I will live for You, the one true King. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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Crucified With The Christ

20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose. ~ Galatians 2:20-21

Righteousness is not through the law, but through Jesus. Paul explained that if he continued to seek righteousness through keeping the law, then he would nullify, or render void, the grace of God. But instead, he says, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.”

What he is saying here is, he no longer lives for himself, the things he now does is not for his own self benefit, but he is totally and completely led by the Holy Spirit. He lives his life as a sacrifice to Jesus so that others may benefit and see his good deeds and glorify the Father who is in heaven. Paul realizes the greatness of the love of Jesus, and because of that love, he confidently puts his trust and hope in Jesus, the Son of God.

As for us, whenever we become angry when someone insults us, or say some manner of evil against us, we are not living a crucified life. Road rage is not of God, it is not characteristic of being crucified with Christ. Whenever we want to return lashing for lashing, hit for hit, and insult for insult, we have not been crucified with Christ. When we are crucified with Christ, we do not live to fulfill our own lusts, or greeds, but rather we live to please Jesus.

Let us turn our lives over to Jesus, and live a Crucified life with Him, so that when the trials of this life comes they do not knock us off track, or blow us off course.

Dear Heavenly Father, please help me to live a crucified life and not try to fulfill my own selfish desires, in Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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Prepare For Wolves

16 Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. ~ Matthew 10:16

Jesus said He was sending His disciples out amongst wolves. Today, He is still sending His disciples out amongst wolves, in His command, “Go ye into all the world…” We are commanded to go into all the world and preach the Gospel.

We aren’t called to stay comfortable in our Church circles, never meeting, communicating with, or discussing God with other people. We are to allow the Light of Christ to shine through us. We are to shine the Light that darkness cannot overcome. This doesn’t mean it’ll be easy. That’s why Jesus warned His disciples of His day and us today about the ravenous wolves.

Because there are ravenous wolves out there, and even more so as the end of time approaches. So, don’t just take their word for it. Don’t just believe it is all about you and your best interest; look at the facts and do what is right for you, no matter the consequences. Do what is right for you and what is right for your family in the sight of Jesus.

Learn who Jesus is. Learn who the Spirit is. Learn who the Father is. Learn who God is. Don’t just believe something because your family or friends do. Seek an understanding of what you believe and why you believe so that when a ravenous wolf comes near to attack, you will be able to defend yourself with the Word of God, which is sharper than any double-edged sword.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Prepare For Wolves.

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It Takes Love

32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. ~Ephesians 4:32

This is a very tall order when you couple that command, be kind and tenderhearted to one another, with forgiving them just like God forgave us. We have to remember that after those Roman soldiers nailed Jesus’ hands and feet, and after the Jews turned on Him and asked for a murdering thief to be set free and for Jesus to be crucified for literally nothing that He had done wrong, He had done only good, He cried out, “Father forgive them…” And that is what we are asked to do. That is what we are expected to do.

Sometimes, it is hard to overlook someone who has hurt us deeply with just words, much less with physical abuse or who has sexually abused us. Now, we are being commanded to be kind and tenderhearted to each other, even to those who have abused us, and not only that but to forgive each other our faults and trespasses. It doesn’t say that they have to change, feel remorse, or repay our jester; we must be kind, tenderhearted, and forgive even though we have been hurt so deeply. It doesn’t sound fair, but it will be worth your while in eternity. There is so much stored up for us in eternity that this now big thing will seem like a little thing.

I know that it is hard now, but not impossible. Once you have the love of God in your spirit, it will be easier. Stephen, the first recorded martyr of the Church, was being stoned to death, and just before he died, he cried out to God to please forgive those who were stoning him. It takes the love of God in you to do something like that. Because all of our God-given primal instincts scream the opposite, they scream, “Survival at all cost.” But again, it takes love to overlook, to put someone else first, and to forgive those who have deeply hurt us. It takes love to be kind to those who hate you for no good reason. It takes love to be tenderhearted to those who are closed-fisted toward you and others. It takes love to forgive those who have grievously caused you harm.

I read a story about a mother whose only son was killed by another young man. She visited him in prison and forgave him. She began to pray for him and when he got out of prison, she got him an apartment right next to hers. In essence, he became her son. That is true forgiveness. That is what we are asked to do here, be kind, be tenderhearted, and forgive. And because of her forgiveness, the young man’s life was radically changed. He is now serving the LORD. A soul saved is the main goal.

Heavenly Father, please give us the strength to be kind and tenderhearted towards others, even those who are rude and unkind to us. To forgive those who have deeply hurt us. It is not easy, but with You all things are possible. Thank you, LORD, in Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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Things Aren’t Always What They Seem

7 Now it was told Saul that David had come to Keilah. And Saul said, “God has given him into my hand, for he has shut himself in by entering a town that has gates and bars.” 8 And Saul summoned all the people to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men. 13 Then David and his men, who were about six hundred, arose and departed from Keilah, and they went wherever they could go. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he gave up the expedition. 14 And David remained in the strongholds in the wilderness, in the hill country of the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God did not give him into his hand. ~ 1 Samuel 23:7-8, 13-14

I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, “You can’t judge a book by its cover.” In other words, appearances can be very misleading. This is where King Saul found himself. David, his faithful servant and a man after God’s own heart, was anointed king in his place because God had rejected him (Saul) as king. Now, he wanted to kill David.

David heard that the Philistines were fighting against Keilah and he inquired of God whether he should go and fight against the Philistines and save Keilah or not. The LORD said go and he and his men went and dealt the Philistines a mighty blow and saved the city of Keilah. Then someone went and told Saul that David was in Keilah, a city with walls and gates so that he was trapped inside. Saul said to himself, “God has given him into my hand, for he has shut himself in by entering a town that has gates and bars.” So, Saul gathered his army around him and marched down to Keilah in order to besiege David and his men.

It looked as if God had indeed handed David over to Saul to be killed. The Scriptures never said that God did hand David over; Saul only assumed He had but never inquired. He went on looks alone, but looks can be deceiving.

David, on the other hand, consulted God again, this time about whether or not the people of Keilah would backstab him and hand him over to Saul and his army. God said that they would. So, David and his six hundred men departed and left Keilah and stayed in the strongholds in the hill country of the wilderness of Ziph.

Saul looked at the circumstances and saw what appeared to be a good opportunity, but he did not consult the LORD; he only assumed because it lined up with what he wanted. It fit his plans. David, on the other hand, sought the guidance of the LORD and planned accordingly. The Scriptures say that God did not give David into Saul’s hand to be killed as Saul originally had thought.

Things aren’t always what they appear to be. So, the next time you see an opportunity and believe that it is from God, seek Him for confirmation. The Scriptures says in Matthew 7:7-8

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, it will be opened.

Heavenly Father, help me not to take things for granted, nor to go on feelings alone, nor to make decisions based on what it seems like only, but to ask, seek, and knock before I make decisions, even those that seem to be a no-brainer. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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