I have come to realize even when doing the right thing if you are doing it for the wrong reason you are bound for change. Christian and world leaders alike have been heard telling their constituents “just do it” for they know the biggest hurdle is going from stand still to a forward momentum and once those who were not invested before take ownership their hearts and minds will change, hopefully for the better but that’s not always the case. I believe God’s view is a little different, Jesus said this. (Luke 16:10 KJV) “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.” I have seen this principle, both for the faithful and unfaithful take place with people I have worked for so I know it to be true and if that is the case it would seem leaders today with the “just do it” attitude may be missing the mark or at least not telling the whole story.
I would like to tell you a story about a vessel made by the master for his purpose but this vessel, like the others, did not understand the master’s will until a change was introduced. Once there was a master craftsman who made clay vessels for many different purposes, many different shapes and sizes and many different colors too. Some were made to display his handiwork and sat in places of honor while others were made to carry water from the well or hold things, still others were used for incense and the fragrance that came from inside them filled the room. While they were all different they had many similarities and among them there were beliefs that the master made them certain ways for certain reasons, while this was true there were also thoughts and ideals among them that were not true, evidence of an enemy.
One day as the master was working at the potter’s wheel his work, like always, captured the attention of all the vessels in the room. Anticipating the arrival of the newest creation they watched and waited to see what the master was up to. As the lump of clay began to take shape it looked much like the others but as the master went on differences was noticed. The master took his time carving and sculpting, painting, glazing, and baking much like before but all the vessels felt the new vase was different but could not yet explain it. When the master finished he placed it among the others on a table that was holding all the other newly formed vessels and on the rim of this vase was a name, it read “Messenger” but the newest vessel did not know what it meant. As time passed Messenger’s differences became more noticeable, some called him a loner for he did not talk or cut up as much as the others, he didn’t seem to enjoy himself as he should have, for the others were always laughing and having fun and when he did talk his point of view was different for it seemed the master had set him apart from the others for a reason still unknown. Regardless, there was plenty of work to be done and each one had expectations to meet for it was not a good thing to be considered one who did not pull their weight. Messenger had many duties to choose from as each new vessel did and as he put him whole self into it his options became better but as each one knew he or she was made for one certain purpose and it was up to them to figure out what it was, some were able to obtain this revelation while others never did. The vessels that discovered this special purpose for their lives are vessels that have the respect of all the master’s vessels everywhere and it did not matter what they did only that they had a closeness to the master for only he could reveal what they were created for.
Now Messenger worked hard at whatever he did but his daydreams were filled serving the master, unfortunately these dreams lacked clarity and left him without direction. In the meantime he too began to recognize differences between himself and the others. Messenger didn’t understand that these “differences” would one day provide the direction he had been looking for but instead he began to wish the master had made him more like the others so that way he could at least enjoy the same things the others enjoyed. Messenger was a good worker and he was selected many times because of his abilities and willingness to work but to Messenger everything seemed to be an effort while others appeared to be rewarded while putting forth very little effort, almost as if it were handed to them for some unknown reason. All of this left him with more questions than answers and the more he thought about it the more he grew weary from the burden he carried with him everywhere he went. It was one thing to be different and be surrounded by celibacy but to be separated in a sea of others unlike one’s self, alike but different somehow almost seems cruel. The question “why” became an undercurrent in the life of this vessel until it began to direct him but it was not where he was meant to go. Everything he did only shadowed the feeling that he was made to bear a hardship others were not required to carry.
Now Messenger loved the master and somehow he knew the master had a plan but many times he wondered what good was a plan if he became so wore out and broken down from the burden he was carrying before he was able to find out what the master’s plan was. The longing to be with the master became stronger almost daily, for the master understood and therefore held the keys to all the questions why but the reality was that he was made to exist among the other vessels the master made, apart from his creator. Over time Messenger took the master’s absence as further indication that the differences were not only obscurities but flaws as the others so many times reminded him, these flaws only served as evidence that he did not belong. Without realizing it resentment got a foothold in Messenger’s thoughts and way of living. Though he still did the work given to him he no longer did it with a joyful heart, he had nothing to live for. This went on for a while until one day his ability to hear and follow the master’s direction was crippled beyond his own ability to repair. You see Messenger did not realize that he had something the others didn’t – his daily relationship with the master. Even though the master was nowhere to be seen many times Messenger would hear his voice, providing the direction he so longed for.
One day tragedy struck, seemingly from out of the blue but it was really the result of wrong thinking and wrong motives. On this day Messenger was sitting on a shelf holding some flowers the master picked from his morning walk, the day seemed to be better than usual until all of a sudden the shelf shook and everything on it came crashing to the floor, including him. When Messenger awoke he realized what happened but couldn’t move. He was now exposed for all to see but he was powerless to do anything about it. Knowing the master kept a watchful eye over all his possessions Messenger wondered what possible good could come of this and why the master would allow this to happen, as if his life wasn’t hard enough already. Lying there for what seemed like eternity, knowing others were watching and making comments as to the extent of what he deserved based on yet again his differences Messenger worked up the strength to protect what little value was left, while his heart cried out for help but those around only ridiculed. The more he struggled, the more he was exposed until it ended in the total destruction of all he had known but then he remembered, “I am not in control, my job is only to do that which the master asks of me. Whether I am broken of fully functional I need only listen and obey and I know the master will not ask more of me than I am capable of giving.” He said to himself, “If this is the end so be it, for I know ultimately I will be with my master and on that day all my questions “why” will be answered.” As he lay still there on the floor thinking about all of these things he heard something he had not heard in quite a long time, the master’s voice or was he simply imagining it? This soft compassionate voice reminded him of a story he had not heard since he was young and full of dreams. He remembered it was a story that he heard over and over again but somehow forgot it as he became loaded down with responsibilities. The story which almost sounded like a fairy-tale now sounded a lot like his own… the main character was different from the others, separated from the one he loved most, crowded by others who did not understand him, and ultimately, like him, broken for all to see. This story the master told was the story of his own life and the book he read it from often sat on the shelf next to Messenger but always within view for as long as he could remember but somehow recently he had forgot all about it. Again, Messenger’s thoughts came back to his current state of being but no longer was his concerns on himself or what others thought of him but instead the things his loving master went through for the purposes not understood in his youth but now abundantly clear – it was so the master might purchase the old dried out lump of clay he used to be. It was from this same lump that the master made him and did it lovingly and uniquely, unlike any other. Now that which was a thorn in his side was the ultimate place of joy in Messenger’s heart.
Now this broken vessel still had many questions but the resentment had melted away and his “differences” now gave him strength because all of his life seemed to be especially designed to know how the master must have felt on his journey. Because of this Messenger felt closer to the master than he ever had, even in his youth, even though the master was nowhere in sight. Somehow he knew the master would once again make something unique out of nothing and all the unanswered questions didn’t seem so important any more. Yes the other vases, jars, and pots would still talk and misunderstand but that could not change the closeness he now had with the master. Messenger knew in his heart one day when the master restores his life this time the work he had would be done for the right reasons and though it took a disaster for his heart to change and much pain had been known it was all worth it because of the master’s touch, for that was Messenger’s reward and it was that day that Messenger came to know the meaning of his name and his true purpose. For his words were no longer his own but he was to tell the world about his master’s amazing love and ability to heal that which was broken.
Monday, August 5, 2013
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
My Source of Hope
(Rom 15:13 NLT) I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Have you ever been in a place without hope, feeling the weight on your shoulders is too much? Do not feel condemned for losing hope not everyone is tested the same, not everyone matures to the point where God can trust them to be tested to this extent but look up for this test will also pass and when it does the richness of God’s kindness will shine upon you. Paul’s prayer for the Romans was exactly what I needed to hear today, for my hope is in nothing less than Jesus Christ and His righteousness. Often I forget and think it is my own ability to be strong enough or smart enough to work through whatever the day may bring but God being a good Father allows us to come to the end of our own abilities so that He may gently lift our chins causing our eyes to meet His; this way we might know it is not our abilities but His that brings us through every situation that will ever confront us. Remember this, all this life is practice and preparation for what comes next and though it has not been revealed to us I know it is beyond our imagination! As wonderful as that may be the real treasure is being with our Lord, being able to walk hand in hand and talk with Him about how He cared for us through each one of these tests we go through now. My heart longs to be with Him in this way but inside I can hear Him say, “Just a little further, son.”
Have you ever been in a place without hope, feeling the weight on your shoulders is too much? Do not feel condemned for losing hope not everyone is tested the same, not everyone matures to the point where God can trust them to be tested to this extent but look up for this test will also pass and when it does the richness of God’s kindness will shine upon you. Paul’s prayer for the Romans was exactly what I needed to hear today, for my hope is in nothing less than Jesus Christ and His righteousness. Often I forget and think it is my own ability to be strong enough or smart enough to work through whatever the day may bring but God being a good Father allows us to come to the end of our own abilities so that He may gently lift our chins causing our eyes to meet His; this way we might know it is not our abilities but His that brings us through every situation that will ever confront us. Remember this, all this life is practice and preparation for what comes next and though it has not been revealed to us I know it is beyond our imagination! As wonderful as that may be the real treasure is being with our Lord, being able to walk hand in hand and talk with Him about how He cared for us through each one of these tests we go through now. My heart longs to be with Him in this way but inside I can hear Him say, “Just a little further, son.”
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Do You Have Convictions?
(Rom 14:23 NLT) But if you have doubts about whether or not you should eat something, you are sinning if you go ahead and do it. For you are not following your convictions. If you do anything you believe is not right, you are sinning.
Conviction is the agreement between a person’s soul and God about the line that should not be crossed. Unfortunately, our convictions are also influenced by people around us. As children this is good, for our parents guide us but as we become adults we too often spend time worrying about what the people at the office think, wondering how friends see us, and paying attention to family members who clearly think we should be doing things differently. All of this distracts us from the only opinion that matters – God’s. Yes Proverbs 22:6 tells us to “Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.” But the training you receive as a child are as tools to a carpenter, as he becomes more skilled his tools become more focused so that the work he does becomes more detailed. We too develop the guidelines set before us as children by our parents, so that as an adult when we depend more and more upon God to lead us we might fulfill His master plan for our lives. For each one is to develop the relationship with God for themselves so that His Holy Spirit may guide them. What Paul said in Romans is to help us realize this so that we might stop trying to influence others to believe as we believe, for each person belongs to God and God alone is responsible for guiding them and that brings us back to the beginning – conviction is the agreement between a person’s soul and God. What are you doing to make sure your spirit can hear what He is saying?
Conviction is the agreement between a person’s soul and God about the line that should not be crossed. Unfortunately, our convictions are also influenced by people around us. As children this is good, for our parents guide us but as we become adults we too often spend time worrying about what the people at the office think, wondering how friends see us, and paying attention to family members who clearly think we should be doing things differently. All of this distracts us from the only opinion that matters – God’s. Yes Proverbs 22:6 tells us to “Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.” But the training you receive as a child are as tools to a carpenter, as he becomes more skilled his tools become more focused so that the work he does becomes more detailed. We too develop the guidelines set before us as children by our parents, so that as an adult when we depend more and more upon God to lead us we might fulfill His master plan for our lives. For each one is to develop the relationship with God for themselves so that His Holy Spirit may guide them. What Paul said in Romans is to help us realize this so that we might stop trying to influence others to believe as we believe, for each person belongs to God and God alone is responsible for guiding them and that brings us back to the beginning – conviction is the agreement between a person’s soul and God. What are you doing to make sure your spirit can hear what He is saying?
Friday, July 12, 2013
Wisdom
(Pro 1:7 NLT) Fear of the LORD is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
Those who think themselves wise are blind for wisdom comes from God and God has many instruments that He uses to help us become wise, if we will listen. Why do you think God instructed Israel to honor their fathers and mothers? It’s not because parents are always worthy of honor, for they are people too and people fail but in honoring them you will listen, when you listen you gain experience beyond your own years. Those who don’t listen, those who don’t honor, are bound to repeat the same mistakes their parents made and if they still don’t listen they condemn themselves to things even worse.
You want to be wise don’t boast in your own abilities, rather be quiet and allow the Lord to honor you, for you are the apple of His eye and constantly on His mind. When God allowed Job to be tested was it because God did not like him? No, just the opposite God mentioned Job to the Accuser because Job was honorable and God had a great purpose in the changes that were about to take place in his life. When the test was complete Job’s faith increased and God’s blessings were beyond compare.
(Job 42:12-17 NLT) So the LORD blessed Job in the second half of his life even more than in the beginning. For now he had 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 teams of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys. He also gave Job seven more sons and three more daughters. He named his first daughter Jemimah, the second Keziah, and the third Keren-happuch. In all the land no women were as lovely as the daughters of Job. And their father put them into his will along with their brothers. Job lived 140 years after that, living to see four generations of his children and grandchildren. Then he died, an old man who had lived a long, full life.
All our hard work to become something doesn’t matter if we don’t honor our parents, if we don’t keep God’s commandments and how will we know His commandments if we don’t read His Word, if we don’t spend time with Him in prayer? No, you will work harder than anyone else and still not be fulfilled because wisdom comes from God and by doing things your own way you become a blind, foolish person… the very thing you fear.
Those who think themselves wise are blind for wisdom comes from God and God has many instruments that He uses to help us become wise, if we will listen. Why do you think God instructed Israel to honor their fathers and mothers? It’s not because parents are always worthy of honor, for they are people too and people fail but in honoring them you will listen, when you listen you gain experience beyond your own years. Those who don’t listen, those who don’t honor, are bound to repeat the same mistakes their parents made and if they still don’t listen they condemn themselves to things even worse.
You want to be wise don’t boast in your own abilities, rather be quiet and allow the Lord to honor you, for you are the apple of His eye and constantly on His mind. When God allowed Job to be tested was it because God did not like him? No, just the opposite God mentioned Job to the Accuser because Job was honorable and God had a great purpose in the changes that were about to take place in his life. When the test was complete Job’s faith increased and God’s blessings were beyond compare.
(Job 42:12-17 NLT) So the LORD blessed Job in the second half of his life even more than in the beginning. For now he had 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 teams of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys. He also gave Job seven more sons and three more daughters. He named his first daughter Jemimah, the second Keziah, and the third Keren-happuch. In all the land no women were as lovely as the daughters of Job. And their father put them into his will along with their brothers. Job lived 140 years after that, living to see four generations of his children and grandchildren. Then he died, an old man who had lived a long, full life.
All our hard work to become something doesn’t matter if we don’t honor our parents, if we don’t keep God’s commandments and how will we know His commandments if we don’t read His Word, if we don’t spend time with Him in prayer? No, you will work harder than anyone else and still not be fulfilled because wisdom comes from God and by doing things your own way you become a blind, foolish person… the very thing you fear.
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
To be clear
To be clear about my post this morning I am not judging, though I am not diabetic I have been guilty of too much sugar and though I am not obese too many times have I gone back to fill my plate more than once and I am certainly not rich though I am puzzled at the amount of time I spend looking and day dreaming about things I do not own. My point is though I listed three areas where people commonly fall into a trap I could have listed many more and so that the reader is clear I deal with the same things but it struck me this morning that even though we know ourselves pretty well God knows us better. To trust the Lord, whole heartedly is a rich blessing that goes beyond comprehension.
I know what is right for me
Romans 13
Have you ever heard someone say my body knows what it needs, the diabetic who’s consuming candy, the obese who’s portions are larger than others, the rich man blinded by the idea of more, the truth is we don’t gravitate towards healing but more hurt. To do what is right will always take a conscious effort, a trained mind set on God’s commands. It does not come natural to love those who treat you wrong yet Romans 13:10 says, “Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law.” God’s law is evidence of our misguided nature if we were righteous God’s law would not be necessary, yet that does not keep us from thinking we know best. We like to think with our vast experience and capable minds we make right decisions as choices present themselves but we simply do not. Verse 14 tells us to, “Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires.”
Lord, forgive me for thinking I know what is best and help me to have the mind of Christ, your Son. Things that upset me, let these be the things that remind me that You have a better way. Help me to repay evil with righteousness so that your presence will be known. Thank you for your instruction and your Word so that I may know your ways. Thank you for second chances when I get it wrong. Thank you for loving me as I am so that I may be more like you each day.
Have you ever heard someone say my body knows what it needs, the diabetic who’s consuming candy, the obese who’s portions are larger than others, the rich man blinded by the idea of more, the truth is we don’t gravitate towards healing but more hurt. To do what is right will always take a conscious effort, a trained mind set on God’s commands. It does not come natural to love those who treat you wrong yet Romans 13:10 says, “Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law.” God’s law is evidence of our misguided nature if we were righteous God’s law would not be necessary, yet that does not keep us from thinking we know best. We like to think with our vast experience and capable minds we make right decisions as choices present themselves but we simply do not. Verse 14 tells us to, “Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires.”
Lord, forgive me for thinking I know what is best and help me to have the mind of Christ, your Son. Things that upset me, let these be the things that remind me that You have a better way. Help me to repay evil with righteousness so that your presence will be known. Thank you for your instruction and your Word so that I may know your ways. Thank you for second chances when I get it wrong. Thank you for loving me as I am so that I may be more like you each day.
Monday, July 8, 2013
Don't Give Up
Back in May my computer crashed and the last good backup I had was October 2011. Recovering as much as I could from different sources felt more and more like something I didn’t want to do; I even was tempted to stop writing but God was working on my heart. Now I don’t know if my computer failing had spiritual meaning but God sure did use it to see if my writing and even my quiet time with Him was just a habit or if there was a deeper purpose. I knew in my inner being I wanted to pick up where I left off but wasn’t eager about copying all my journal notes from almost two years ago, still the longer I waited to get started the more this hunger from inside my heart grew. I have caught up now and this is what I have found – my notes, no my time with God is everything to me and though I had to work hard to gain the ground I lost my determination is stronger now than I think it ever has been. This is true in all areas of our lives, the things we live for, the things that compel us point to who we are. If our life is centered on Jesus then He is the thing we cling to when all else has been stripped away and as we work to once again be on the mountain top with Him we realize just how important those moments are when we are with Him even, no especially in the valley.
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