A Lump of Clay - Who's in control here anyway?

You turn things upside down,
as if the potter were thought to be like the clay!
Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it,
“You did not make me”?
Can the pot say to the potter,
“You know nothing”?
Isaiah 29:16


But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God?

“Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it,

‘Why did you make me like this?’”

Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay

some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?
Romans 9:20-21

My Prayer for the Children- Word Filled Wednesday

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,

from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named,

that according to the riches of his glory

he may grant you to be strengthened with power

through his Spirit in your inner being,

so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—

that you, being rooted and grounded in love,

may have strength to comprehend with all the saints

what is the breadth and length and height and depth,

and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge,

that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think,

according to the power at work within us,

to him be glory in the church

and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations,

forever and ever. Amen.

Ephesians 3:14-21

Join others at the Internet Cafe for other inspiring words.

AH Stubborn Children....A study of Isaiah 30

What a way for God to begin speaking. Do you know any stubborn children? Are you perhaps one yourself?

As I've read Isaiah 30 it struck me again how God instructs, warns, disciplines and forgives. I would love to show you what God showed me. If you see yourself also, let's together "return and find rest".

God starts out calling his children stubborn (obstinate), why? Because (vs 1):

1. They carry out a plan that is not his.

2. They make an alliance, but not of his Spirit. (Hezekiah makes an alliance with Egypt to fight against Assyria, 2 Kings 18:19 -21 and 2 Chronicles 32:10-15) They did not ask God blessing, but fear drove them to it.

3. They keep piling up wrongs (adding sin to sin).

They return to those who formally enslaved them and who have ulterior motives for the alliance (self preservation).

God tells them it won't work the way they think it will. They put their faith in everything else but the God who has proven he is faithful and who is the only one able to secure their salvation. Do we do the same thing?

Who are these people?

1. They are rebellious (vs. 9)


2. Lying children (vs. 9)


3. Children unwilling (note: not unable) to hear the instruction of the Lord. (vs. 9)


4. They do not want to hear the truth. (vs. 10) "Speak smooth things to us, prophecy illusions"; (vs . 11) "leave the way, turn aside from the path LET US HEAR NO MORE ABOUT THE HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL"

Does this sound familiar? Could it be society today? Could it be "the church"? Could it be you & me?

I love who speaks after this proclamation! Verse 12 says "Therefore (Nevertheless) thus says "The Holy One of Israel". (You may not want to hear anything about me, but you will hear from me) my emphasis add.

They are going to get (for a while) what they deserve and desire. Their protection will be destroyed. Not a piece of it will be found. It reminds me of the verse: Psalms 20:7 "Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
but we trust in the name of the LORD our God."

Then God again speaks loving instruction, using the name they used (The Holy One of Israel): "In returning and rest you shall be saved, in quietness and in trust shall be your strength."

But.....you were unwilling! Again unwilling, not unable.

God again is speaking to them (to us) come to me all who are weary & I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

But what was their answer? NO.......let's flee.

God's grace put off - Verse 18 - Therefore (Nevertheless) the LORD waits to be gracious to you.....

Verse 19-22 is a picture of God's future grace:

• A people will dwell in Zion, in Jerusalem.


• You shall weep no more. (Revelations 21:4 "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away."


• At the sound of their (our) cries, he will answer.


• Though the LORD brings adversity and affliction He (The Teacher) will not hide himself anymore, but their (our) eyes will see Him (The Teacher).


• He will give clear instruction for the way you are to walk.
  

Finally you will destroy your (our) idols. Finally you (we) will understand God's great love!(Vs. 22)

God's continued blessings (Vs 23-27)...

• He restores the balance of nature.
• God's glory will shine "in the day" the LORD binds our brokenness and heals our wounds inflicted by his blow.

Picture His healing presence will you! He disciplines but one day he will not only restore (make right), but he will heal wounds cause by His disciple then.....

God takes care of our adversaries (Vs. 27-33)...

• God took care of the Assyrians and he will take care of every earthly power that is in opposition to him. No one is a match for the Holy One of Israel!

What does it all mean?...

• Who are you putting your faith and trust in? Are you (and I) unwilling (as the Israelite's were) to trust God with your adversaries? Do you see God's great goodness in his patience as he waits for you to return and rest?

Let us all return and go to the mountain
of the LORD, to the ROCK OF ISRAEL!

HE ALONE IS ABLE!

Dear God, from the dog.

My very good friend Diane sent me this in an e-mail and I just had to share! I hope it makes you smile!!!!!

From: THE DOG Dear God: Is it on purpose our names are the same, only reversed? Dear God: Why do humans smell the flowers, but seldom, if ever, smell one another? Dear God: When we get to heaven, can we sit on your couch? Or is it still the same old story? Dear God: Why are there cars named after the jaguar, the cougar, the mustang, the colt, the stingray, and the rabbit, but not ONE named for a Dog? How often do you see a cougar riding around? We do love a nice ride! Would it be so hard to rename the 'Chrysler Eagle' the 'Chrysler Beagle'? Dear God: If a Dog barks his head off in the forest and no human hears him, is he still a bad Dog? Dear God: We Dogs can understand human verbal instructions, hand signals, whistles, horns, clickers, beepers, scent ID's, electromagnetic energy fields, and frisbee flight paths. What do humans understand? Dear God: More meatballs, less spaghetti, please. Dear God: Are there mailmen in Heaven? If there are, will I have to apologize? Dear God: Let me give you a list of just some of the things I must remember to be a good Dog. 1. I will not eat the cats' food before they eat it or after they throw it up. 2. I will not roll on dead seagulls, fish, crabs, etc., just because I like the way they smell. 3. The Litter Box is not a cookie jar. 4. The sofa is not a 'face towel'. 5. The garbage collector is not stealing our stuff. 6. I will not play tug-of-war with Dad's underwear when he's on the toilet. 7. Sticking my nose into someone's crotch is an unacceptable way of saying 'hello'. 8. I don't need to suddenly stand straight up when I'm under the coffee table 9. I must shake the rainwater out of my fur before entering the house - not after. 10. I will not come in from outside and immediately drag my butt across the capet. 11. I will not sit in the middle of the living room and lick my crotch. 12. The cat is not a 'squeaky toy' so when I play with him and he makes that noise, it's usually not a good thing. P.S. Dear God: When I get to Heaven may I have my testicles back?

I will yet Praise God!

I came across a wonderful passage of scripture in Habakkuk that I wanted to share.

Habakkuk 3:17-19

Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines,the produce of the olive failand the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the foldand there be no herd in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.
GOD, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer's; he makes me tread on my high places.

In this day and age of uncertainty we should take great comfort and be able to rejoice as Habakkuk did, that though all our earthly comforts may fail, when our hope and vision is set on God, we recognize that He is our salvation. He is our strength. Even in the midst of what could surely make one heavy with worry, he makes our feet like that of a deer. Can you picture a deer leaping? I can. They are so "sure of foot", and can climb the steepest hills or mountains. That my friends is what God gives us.

Yes the external forecast may look bleak by human standards, and there may be times of trouble, but resolve within yourself to say:

I will take joy in the God of my salvation. GOD, the Lord, is my strength

The wonderful Symmetry of Scripture!

There are so many people in our culture today that say that the Bible is fragmented and contradicts itself. Those of us who are learning each and every day the wonderful interweaving of scripture know better.

Below is just one place that I've come upon recently that shows how wonderfully the scriptures flow and compliment each other. I use the word Symmetry to describe it. Here is the definition of Symmetry:

1.

the correspondence in size, form, and arrangement of parts on opposite sides of a plane, line, or point; regularity of form or arrangement in terms of like, reciprocal, or corresponding parts.

2.

the proper or due proportion of the parts of a body or whole to one another with regard to size and form; excellence of proportion.

3.

beauty based on or characterized by such excellence of proportion.

Don't you just love #3, I do!! Any way here is the scripture:

Isaiah 8:18
Here am I and the children the Lord has given me. We are signs and symbols in Israel from the Lord Almighty, who dwells on Mount Zion.

John 17:2
"Father the time has come, Glorify your Son, that your Son may Glorify you. For you granted Him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him.

Hebrews 2:13
And again I will put my trust in Him. And Again Behold I and the children God has given me.

Just another wonderful reason to dive into scripture.

1.

the correspondence

Peter's denial of Jesus in 4 parts

I am almost done with my study of Matthew! 2 more chapters to go! It has taken me on a few tangents and today's post is another one. When I got to the part of Peter's denial of Christ I decided to look at all 4 versions and how different each author wrote things, and how they observe different things. Again this is very simplistic, because that is who I am, (I wish I didn't always feel compelled to state that!!!), but I hope it blesses any of you.

Matthew 26: 69-75

• 1st Peter just denies knowing Christ. He claims he does not understand
• 2nd Peter denies with an oath. (Getting stronger)
• 3rd Peter invokes (calls out) a curse on himself and begins to swear
• Then the Rooster crows
  

Mark 14:66-72

• After the first denial, Peter leaves the courtyard and hangs out by the gate.
• The rooster crows once.
• Marks account says the same servant girl who first asked him, speaks to people around her about him, and this brings the 2nd denial.
• The bystanders begin to question Peter, and he invokes the curse.
• The Rooster Crows a 2nd time.
  
• (This is different from Matthews account of the Rooster crowing just at the end)

Luke 22:54-62

• Peter followed at a distance - He ran but not far.
• Luke's is mostly facts, except for one BIG detail - After the Rooster crowed it says in verse 61 - "And the LORD turned and looked at Peter". Can you imagine it!!! To not only hear the Rooster crow, but at that very moment Christ turns and looks at you!! As I write this I feel such intense sorrow! How often do I deny Christ, and he turns to me, and what I see is pain brought on by great LOVE!
  

John 18: 15-18, 25-27

• Peter is with another disciple (most likely John)
• This disciple is "known by the High Priest". It says this twice, within this context. I wonder how he was know by him, don't you?
• Because he was known by the High Priest, he was able to go into the court with Jesus. He returned after he ran, and walked the rest of the way with Christ to his crucifixion.
• This disciple was the one who got Peter into the courtyard in the first place, because he was known by the High Priest.
• A servant of the High Priest, who just happened to be a relative of the servant whose ear Peter cut off was one who was observing that Peter was one of those with Jesus.
• At once the Rooster crowed

But thanks be to God that was not the end of the story, and it isn't for me as well. Christ restored Peter and gave him a job to do:

John 21:15-19

¹⁵When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?"
"Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you."
Jesus said, "Feed my lambs."

¹⁶Again Jesus said, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me?"
He answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you."
Jesus said, "Take care of my sheep."

¹⁷ The third time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?"
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love me?" He said, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you."

Jesus said, "Feed my sheep. ¹⁸ I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go." ¹⁹Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, "Follow me!"