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Friday, February
15, 2008
I Rest My Case
Genesis 1:31-2:3 And God saw every thing
that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the
morning were the sixth day. CHAPTER 2:1 Thus the heavens and the earth were
finished, and all the host of them. (2) And on the seventh day God ended
his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his
work which he had made. (3) And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified
it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created
and made. (KJV)
God rested the seventh day from all His
work not because He was tired, but rather everything that needed to be done
and accomplished was completed. God saw His creation and came up with a
plan of salvation for mankind and a way to present His spiritual evidence
to us so that we could operate in His image and likeness. Although His plan
has been rejected at times, even by us the believers who sin and fall short
of the glory of God, His mercy and forgiveness provided a way of escape
from our fallen nature and restoration back to His path of life. Take note
of verse 31, which tells us that God saw everything that He made and from
His standpoint it was very good. That everything He is referring to
includes you the individual believer who our Father considers precious in
His sight. Have you ever looked at yourself and thought if you could only
be someone else or look like someone else? I know I have in the past, and I
have tried to imitate other people thinking if I could be that someone else
I would find peace. The peace and confidence I was seeking wasn’t found
until I let the Lord show me who I really am and where my place is in the
body of Christ. The more I was able to look to the inward man, Christ in me
the hope of glory, the less I was concerned about my outward man. Now that
doesn’t mean we just let ourselves go and not maintain our temples, good
health is important, but that begins spiritually and then manifests in the
physical. The problem is sometimes people concentrate more on the outward
than the inward and find themselves lacking and not at peace with the
Creator thinking He made a mistake with the creation. God did not make a
mistake with you, He saw you as a very good creation of His; now it is a
matter of allowing Him to have His way by entering into His rest and
ceasing from your own works.
Isaiah 29:15-16 Woe unto them that seek
deep to hide their counsel from the LORD, and their works are in the dark,
and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us? (16) Surely your turning of
things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter's clay: for shall the
work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say
of him that framed it, He had no understanding? (KJV)
Have you ever seen the people that work
with clay, how they set it on a wheel and spin it and shape it? They basically
mold it into the intended design that they had pictured the finished
product to be. We are like that clay which needs a dose of water to keep it
pliable, soft enough to shape and mold it. We can also resemble the clay by
not getting enough water, or living waters, becoming hardened and the
Potter is no longer able to work with us. That is exactly what we do when
we question and doubt the working of the Lord in our lives, we start second
guessing Him and become double minded which the Bible says is unstable and
unable to receive the things of God. Some people don’t find their place in
the body of Christ that the Lord intended for them because they have
preconceived notions or a desire to be the head or the leader, when in
reality they are still acting like the tail end. We need to learn to be
faithful in what many may consider least or trivial things, before the Lord
will move us on and allow us more responsibility. But just like going to
school, you didn’t start out in college but had to work your way up. We
have those in the ministry who think they are college grads, but operate
like preschoolers and brats. Are you willing to let the Potter work with
you, or have you jumped off His wheel and your life is broken in pieces?
Jeremiah 18:1-6 The word which came to
Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, (2) Arise, and go down to the potter's
house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words. (3) Then I went down
to the potter's house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. (4)
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. (5) Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, (6) O house of
Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the
clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.
(KJV)
We all sin and fall short of the glory of
God at times. Now it is not a matter of wallowing in our shortcomings, but
rather getting back to the Potter’s house and letting Him continue His
work. We are all a real piece of work in the Lord, and every time we try to
be someone else or desire to look like someone else we are calling God a
failure, telling Him He made a mistake with us. Sure you might look in the
mirror and realize you may have added a little too much clay to the vessel,
but ask the Creator how together with Him you can mold and shape the vessel
back to its intended size. I have found for myself that the reason I was
carrying a bit too much weight around in the past is because it was a
result of some spiritual weight and baggage I had been hanging onto. Once I
was able to hear the Lord and eliminate the excess spiritual baggage it was
then that the physical came in line as well. Now keep in mind that it is not
a matter of how much weight one can lose, or trying to go over board and
get to thin, but rather finding that just weight and balance the Lord
intended, what He considers healthy and not mankind’s ridiculous standards.
No matter what area the Lord is working with you on it is a matter of
staying put and holding fast your profession of faith without wavering so
you don’t get caught up in the lies and deceptions of the devil by making
you think you should be or resemble someone else. The more you stay seated
in the Potter’s house which is located in the heavenly realm of faith, the
more you will resemble and act like one of His people.
Philippians 2:12-13 Wherefore, my
beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much
more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
(13) For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good
pleasure. (KJV)
The word work means to accomplish, finish
or fashion. It is up to you on a daily basis to spend time in our Father’s
house and let the spiritual Potter shape and mold you into His image and
likeness, no longer being conformed to this world and what man decides is a
success. God did rest His case on the seventh day and would like you enter
into that rest as well so that you can cease from your own works and allow
Him to complete His work in you. Don’t show up for your heavenly trial and
get your case and you thrown out for lack of evidence, but continue in the
faith, the real substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things
not seen by the carnal sight or mind.
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