"Vessels - Valor or Vanity"

I came across this verse a while back "What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory," ~ Romans 9:22-23. During this short life of mine, I've seen many people fall. I grew up with three older siblings who left my parents house as young teenagers. I've seen them make a lot of wrong choices. And I've learned from their mistakes. We all have made bad choices at one point or another in our lives. God can use those choices to mold and shape us. "But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour." ~ 2 Timothy 2:20. No one wants to be a vessel of dishonour. But God can use vessels of dishonour to teach otheer vessels. And even vessels of dishonour can be broken and molded again. "And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it." ~ Jeremiah 18:4. The key to being changed is this "Be yielded to the Potter's hand." As Children of God, we are to be holy vessels. But too often the World calls our name and we answer that call. We run to the World by listening to its music, its movies and its method of thinking. The World's philosophy penetrates our minds and consumes our being. Music plays a big part in brainwashing Christians. The sad sappy love songs make us long for a relationship. It's girl wants boy / boy wants girl themes cause us to dive into shallow relationships or worse. Everywhere we turn, the lights are flashing ... huge neon signs are telling us what we absolute must to have to live. The Word of God simple says: "Be ye holy, even as I am holy." Today, I am saddened at the lack of concern we, as Christians, have for the things of Christ. The more we listen to the world music, the harder it is to listen to good Christian music. And We find ourselves thinking like the World. God took me out of the gutter when he saved me, why would I ever want to go back there? Why would I want to think that way again? Why are there so many boarder-line Christians? What is missing here? The Christian that yields their life to Christ is broken and molded into a vessel of honor. That Christian is a vessel full of valor. But the Christian that runs back to the World is a vessel of dishonor. They are full of vanity and pride. Dear friend, which one are you? "Now set your heart and your soul to seek the LORD your God; arise therefore, and build ye the sanctuary of the LORD God, to bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and the holy vessels of God, into the house that is to be built to the name of the LORD." ~ 1 Chronicles 22:19.

"Which in His times He shall Shew"

Have you ever wanted to rush God's timing? Did you ever think God was taking His good old time and you wished He hurry up? Have you ever thought that you could help the LORD by doing your own thing. When we rush God's timing and when we take things in our own hands, we are ultimately saying to God, "I don't trust you, Lord." 1 Timothy 6:15 says, "Which in His times He shall shew, who is blessed and only Potentate, the KING of kings, and LORD of lords." In truth, We Can Trust The LORD with Our LIfE!!! O foolish Christians, are your times in your own hand? O foolish Christians, Alone? Do you think you can stand? Weary friend, You act as if you are your own Master, Not trusting God? You're setting yourself up for Disaster. Can you not trust the Great, Almighty Maker? Can you not see the Works of Our Wonderful Creator? The LORD hath made all things beautiful in His time. You think you can do much better than this God of mine? Trust in the LORD will all thine heart, the Bible does say. Are you still resting in you, or will you Go God's Way? O Dear Friend, God knows so much better than you. Let go, let go! Trust your life with the God who's TRUE!

"Speaking Things They Ought Not"

Ever find yourself saying something you shouldn't? Ever realize that the conversation your involved in has turned to gossip or backbitting? Have you ever walked away from a conversation and thought "Lord, Why did I say that?" In 1 Timothy 5, Paul addresses how the older and younger widows are to conduct themselves. Look at Paul's description of the older widows. "Well reported of for good works; if she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints' feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work." These older widows are praised for their good works. Paul proceeds to say that the younger widows need to remarry because they are prone to gossip and being busybodies. He wants them to remarry so that they "give none occasion to the adversary"... "For some are already turned aside after Satan." Look at the difference between the older widows and the younger. The older haven't let their circumstances get the better of them. The haven't become so ripened with age that they are rotten. No, instead they have used their time wisely to help others. Those older women knew that complaining about their circumstances wouldn't change anything. Instead, they were uncomplaining servants. The younger widows that "turned aside" allowed their circumstances to consume them. They were bitter and hateful. They weren't loving servants. They were cold, uncaring, cynical women. The Bible says in Philippians 4:4, "Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice." And Philippians 4:8, tells us what we should think about so that we will change what we talk about. "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." 1 Thessalonians 5:8 says, "But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation." Someone once said, We never PRAY for People we Gossip about and we never GOSSIP about people we Pray For. And let me add... We never really Pray for people that we don't love with God's Love. If your tongue is out of Control... there is a problem with your heart. Where is your first love? Have you left Christ to pursue other dreams? When you get overwhelmed by your circumstances look at the characters in the Bible who faced great challenges. Look at those who overcame like Daniel. Daniel never complained, nor did he get bitter or critical because of his circumstances. Instead, He just obeyed God and continued where God put him. He did this without compliant. The attitude opposite of complaining is praising. Will you ask the LORD to help you reflect on His Blessings this week?

"More Than a Head Knowledge"

For a long time in darkness I wandered, Truth had no meaning the longer I pondered. I did my duty and had my check list, But there was no light found in the midst. Then one day, I saw my eyes held no light, They were closed and black as the night. I finally yielded my ways to the LORD, Putting my complete trust in God's Word. More than a head knowledge now it is clear, No more doubts, nor darkness; no more fear. Now I can see; the light of truth did heal, And I know, I know, Yes, I know it's real! Dedicated to all those that recently have come out of the darkness and into the Light.

Dreams.... hopes... wishes and waiting?

Waiting... waiting is a huge part of the Christian Life. We have to wait on God for a lot of things... Such as, answers to prayer, God's timing, the right mate...etc. God wants us to wait, but while we are waiting, we should be loving others with God's love. In this time of waiting, we should not be pinning away or having self piety parties. This is a time when God wants to use us and direct us. While listening the radio today, I heard Phil Vischer tell his testimony on what happened after he lost "Big Idea"... He said his dream was gone. Everything that defined him as who he was had been taking away from him. He wrote about his experience after losing VeggiTales in his book "Me, Myself, and Bob"... One of things he says: "Sometimes God asks you to give up your dreams. He tests you to see if you love your dream more then God." Phil said that when "Big Idea" was gone, he realized that the only thing that matter was His relationship with God. His dream defined him, but God took his dream away to show him that his relationship with God was suppose to be the only thing that defined him. I read 2 Thessalonians 5:5 this morning and the words leaped off the page at me. "And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ." And the LORD Direct YOU(r). Where is the Lord directing me? Where is He leading me? Am I listening? Or am I trying to do things my own way? Look at the rest of that phrase. And The LORD direct your hearts. God's needs to have our hearts. He needs to be our first love. Sometime we get ideas in our heads that the LORD may give us but He might require us to give those ideas back to Him. Christ needs to be our everything. God wants to direct your hearts into the Love of God. He wants you to rest and wait patiently on Christ. Let God take over in your heart. Yield your dreams my friend!

Ye Careless Women - Isaiah 32:10

What does it mean to be careless? Webster's 1828 Dictionary states that carelessness is having no care; heedless; negligent; unthinking; inattentive; regardless; unmindful; followed by of or about; as a careless mother; a mother careless of or about her children, is an unnatural parent. When I think of carelessness I think of a house disorderly and un-kept with trash everywhere and a stink that penetrates the whole house. I recently was in Florida. One day, the Florida Newspaper showed pictures of a house so full of trash that it was amazing that anyone had actually lived there. Yet someone had lived there, a Floridian woman. I have never seen a house so atrocious in my life. Cigarettes were piled two or three feet high. There was not one part of the house that was not covered with pizza boxes, old food, dirty diapers and cigarettes. The Newspaper also took pictures of the bathroom and kitchen, these rooms looked the same as the rest of the house, except for a few more items.... Cleaning Products! Seems that this woman had good intentions of cleaning her house, but never got around to it. CARELESSNESS! That house was in disarray because of that woman's carelessness. This was a physical home, but here is my question to you: "How is your Spiritual House?" When is the last time you or I did some spring cleaning in our lives? Have we gotten careless? It is so easy just to let sin slide... a thought fester. You know, that lady didn't one day have huge mounds of trash appear in her house. No, it was just neglecting to clean up one thing and then neglecting to clean up another... until her house had three feet of trash all the way around it. We need to check and guard all our thoughts. One at a time. If we get careless over time they will pile up. That house so full of junk was beyond an easy clean. The only way to get the stink out of that house would be to gut it and start anew. Someone once said, "Keep Short Accounts With God." This means that you need to confess your sin as soon as you do them. But can I challenge you not to just keep confessing your sin on a daily basis, but to guard against carelessness? Keep so close to the LORD and capture every thought. Apply Philippians 4:8 to your life and you will begin to clean out the mess in your heart. "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." Beware of Carelessness!