Saturday, March 31, 2012

The Cracked Pot

"Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand"
Jeremiah 18:6

How many of us started out with a perfect life? No flaws, no mistakes, perfect parents and siblings. I venture to say not many. We may have entered this world as wonderful little babies, but soon discovered the our surroundings were challenging! If not our surroundings, then possible something within us was amiss! We can liken our lives as a piece of pottery that became cracked! If you have ever watched a potter at work, it is quite fascinating! They slap the piece of clay on the wheel and start to a spinning! Slowly an image appears out of the hunk of clay. It resembles something like a bowl, a vase, a cup or dish. Whatever purpose the creator deemed for that particular piece of clay. If he is forming the clay into its purpose and a weakness in the clay somehow emerges; the potter may do something hard to believe. If a weakness occurs, a crack may appear in the clay. With one swift sweep, the potter will smash the clay image that was forming and begin anew!
Can you relate to this picture so far? Have you been a vessal being formed for the master's use only to find out you had a huge crack in your person? Perhaps a crack appeared because of some trauma or hurt. Perhaps you were the victim of a terrible situation. Perhaps sickness came upon you and caused a huge crack of weakness. Whatever the case, there it was! No matter how hard you tried to maintain a life of joy and peace, it always seemed to leak out! Now the potter has come along and smashed you altogether! It couldn't get much worse!
Do not fear. This is all in the master potter's plan."But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemd best to him." Jeremiah 18:4 "Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel." Jeremiah 18:6 While God was specifically speaking to Israel, we can take these spiritual truths and apply them to our lives.
Right now at this very moment God is remaking you into something beautiful. You still have a purpose and destiny. It may not have been what you thought. But that is O.K. Let God remake you into the beautiful vessal that only he can. Be pliable in his hands. Become a vessal fit for the master's use.
Do not despise being remade. It is for your best interest and for the will of God.
 



Monday, March 5, 2012

Get The Account of your Life Reactivated

"Many feel they have been "deactived" from God. Is your account with God active? God wants to have these "accounts" "activated" once again. Go to "your page" ("your life") before Him and tell him, you would like to have your "account" (your life) reactivated" once again. He will do it. Your reactivation might mean; where your healing as been paused, it will start up again, or where your ministry as been on hold, it will be restarted again. Your life in Him will come alive again.



Your activation is free, but it will cost your time, commitment and life!"

One of the things that could put our lives on hold is that we spend too much time looking back at our mistakes or hurts that have taken place. If we spend most of our time looking back we cannot see to move forward. If we spend our time looking back in the rear view mirror of life, we could crash, for not seeing what's ahead.

Let's do what the apostle Paul, said, "Forgetting those things that are behind and pressing forth to those things ahead.

We all have had hurts from the past. We all have made mistakes. But it is time to leave the past in the past and focus on those things that are in the future.

God wants you to forget those things that are in the past. Forgive any that has hurt you and start living in your future!




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Sunday, March 4, 2012

Photo Gallery of Friends and Family

IN my family I have a son and daughter. My son is married and lives in Georgia. He has 3 girls. My daughter is not married and lives in Charlotte.

Breaking up the Fallow Ground

Breaking up the Fallow Ground




After the long cold winter, the soil endured bitter temperatures, making the ground hard. Have you experienced bitterness and dissappointment in your life? Hurts, unforegiveness, betrayal are just a few things that can cause hardness of heart. The soil of the heart could become unfit for planting. Nothing will grow there if that is the case! Everything dies in its path. The flowers, grass, even weeds succumb to the winter blast. Where there is hurt and disappointment, there is no life; nothing can grow in a heart where these exist. But God does not give up on us that easily.

Everything in nature is shouting about the goodness of God and redemption, if we will but listen!

Where there is death; life and resurrection is sure to follow. Spring and new life are just around the corner.

It is not unthinkable to imagine a lovely vegetable garden where only dead weeds and grass lay. Even so in our lives, where there has been death, destruction, lies and hurts, God has only one thing on His mind; Resurrection life!

The soil is bare and lifeless. How can anything grow here again? Just wait and see. The process is not pain free though!

The soil must be broken up. The fallow ground must be softened.

When we experience hurts or disappointments, we just want to bury the pain and get on with our lives. But little do we know that we are causing our hearts to become hardened when we do this. Nothing will grow in a hardened heart. We must face the hurts and allow forgiveness to flow, softening up the ground of our hearts. Bring one and bring all past hurts and negative experiences to the Lord. He will heal, forgive, and deliver. He will whisper words of life and hope.

Listen, can you hear it? Maybe while you are digging up the hard ground in your backyard, He is speaking to you. “I love you too much to leave you this way.” He says.

The hard ground gives way to the gentle nudging of His words of life and love. “Cast all your cares upon him, for he cares for you.” Go ahead and give the hurts and disappointments to the Lord. He took them for each of us and wants us to be free. Simple words, yet such a powerful message that can change a life. One step at a time, we can feel our hearts giving way to softness. “I can feel love again”, we say. We are no longer numb!

Now that the soil is broken up and softened, it is ready for planting.

New life is just a seed away.

Friday, March 2, 2012

DeClutter our Lives

Have you ever noticed how fast stuff can accumulate? In the kitchen, at my desk, in the bedroom....it is a constant battle to keep things in it's place! If I let stuff get out of hand, I feel the effects of it in other areas of my life. I loose my focus. It is hard for me to concentrate too. Even though it seems everything is out where I can see it, it is more hard to find the things that I need. I am also less productive!
The same is true in the Spirit. If I let things clutter my heart, I can feel it. I lose clarity of mind and spirit. If I let irritations build up, it effects me. If I let unforgiveness build up, it will harden my heart. If I become cold toward the needs of others, I stop moving in compassion toward them. All this will break down into less prayer, less love, less connection with the Lord.
I know we all fight the clutter bug in our homes, our cars, and at our offices. It is important to address these areas. But most importantly, lets be sure we deal with the clutter of our heart! A clean heart is priceless
He desires a clean hands and a pure heart. By his grace we can do it:)

The Good Gardner

The good gardener

Psalm 20:2 “May he send you help from the sanctuary and grant you support from Zion.”

Amazing how a simple task like staking up tomato plants can speak a message from God.

How wonderful tomato plants are when they are growing. Through the soil, water and sun they get taller and taller each day. As any good gardener knows, they will eventually need to be tied to a stake to support them as they continue to grow and bear fruit.

Our heavenly Father is like a good gardener. He knows how to take care of his people. He wants his children to bear fruit too.

He will send you help from the sanctuary and grant you support from Zion.