If you have ever watched a potter work, as Jeremiah did in today's passage, you know the wonder of seeing a lovely vessel take shape from a lump of clay. God's object lesson to the prophet was that the nation of Israel--as well as every person from the beginning of time--was to be shaped by His hand. We are all lumps of human clay waiting for the touch of the master Potter. 

            When clay is placed on the wheel, the potter already has a specific design in mind. The same is true of us--God has determined how He plans to work in our life and what part we are to play in building His kingdom (Ephesians 2:10). He shapes with His hands and cuts with His tools so that our character begins to look like that of His Son Jesus. Each believer will be shaped differently to carry out the unique service God has in mind for him or her. But regardless of our special equipping, we all bear the unmistakable imprint of our Potter. 

            Too often we look around at the talents and abilities of others and wish to be more like someone else. But we have been perfectly designed for the purposes God has for us, and He makes no mistakes. If we spend our time wishing for talents that do not suit God's plan, or if we refuse to use the spiritual gifts He's given us, we waste His effort and our opportunity to serve Him. 

            The Master is pleased with the way He's designed our life and the abilities He has poured into us. To honor the Potter as a vessel should, we must submit to being molded and used as He desires.

2 Timothy 3:16-17

(16) All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: (17) That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

So the Scriptures are profitable for the purpose of reproving and correcting us!

But how many people are even willing to be corrected when they are in error be reproved for the wrong things they do? People simply do not like to be corrected. They love praise like flattery reproof and correction they surely hate!

Now we can see why it is so difficult for people to understand the Bible and to agree on just what it says. The Bible is God's great spiritual mirror. It shows up every flaw in our thinking, reveals every spot on our characters. It pictures us as we really are God sees us, not as we like to think we are, or as we like to have other people look upon us.

"For the word of God," we read in Hebrews 4:12, "is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword" cuts deep, and it cuts both ways is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." Yes, it opens up and exposes our innermost thoughts.

When little children do things that are wrong have been forbidden they usually admit it freely and frankly? Or do they usually deny it as long as possible, then try to cover it up, excuse it, justify it, or place the blame on somebody else?

We are all only little children grown up. When our heavenly Father speaks to us, through His Holy Scriptures, and reproves, rebukes, or corrects us, we usually do not like to admit our errors, our faults, our wrong ways.

And so men began, centuries ago, to interpret the Bible. As a result, the Word of God has become twisted, wrested, perverted, with almost every false and counterfeit meaning imaginable being read into it.

 Luke 6:46-49   "Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and still don't do what I say? Some people come to me and listen to me and do what I say. I will show you what they are like. They are like someone who builds a house. He digs down deep and sets it on solid rock. When a flood comes, the river rushes against the house. But the water can't shake it. The house is well built.  "But here is what happens when people listen to my words and do not obey them. They are like someone who builds a house on soft ground instead of solid rock. The moment the river rushes against that house, it falls down. It is completely destroyed."

 Many churchgoers will be alarmed to discover that ministry work does not earn a place in heaven. Good deeds mean nothing to God unless they are the outgrowth of a relationship with Him. Only those who have received Jesus Christ as their Savior will enter heaven, no matter how many acts of kindness or charity they have performed. 

 The definition of the word "believe" is what often confuses church members who lack genuine faith. They believe in God, Jesus, and heaven. But there's a difference between giving intellectual assent to an idea and spiritually acknowledging Christ as God's Son and one's own personal Savior. In the Bible, every time someone truly believes in Jesus, he or she changes. It is impossible to remain the same after realizing one's desperate need for Him. 

 An earnest desire for salvation begins with the recognition that we have sinned against God. We must also be aware that there is no hope of salvation apart from the Lord. Having understood these two facts, we need to trust in His sacrifice for the payment of our sin-debt. Some people use the terminology "ask Jesus to forgive your sin" or "ask Jesus into your heart." It doesn't matter how we describe the experience--if we repent of sin and make a decision to receive Christ, we are saved. 

 God promises to respond to a humble acknowledgement of His Son's sacrifice. If you desire to be in heaven with Him for eternity, ask yourself this question: Have I been saved? If not, now is the time.

Acts 4:11-13

"He is 'the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone.' Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.

The reference Peter makes to "the stone you builders rejected which has become the capstone" refers to Psalm 118:22. Tradition has it that in Solomon's day during the construction of the temple, the engineers called the quarry for the capstone (cornerstone is another translation). They responded saying, "We sent it to you weeks ago." But the builders, not knowing what it was (it didn't fit), rolled it into the Valley of Gehenna -- the place where all the refuse or waste went. They went searching and indeed found it there, this vitally important component of construction -- upon which everything else is based.In other words, they received something they didn't understand, so they rejected it -- sent it away with all the garbage. But Peter tells us, "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men, by which we must be saved." This man Jesus, the foretold messiah -- like the capstone was thrown away -- yet had great value.Verse 13 tells us that when the Jewish leaders saw the courage of Peter and John, as well as the scholarly approach to scripture they were astonished -- they took note of the fact these men had been with Jesus. Those words are worth repeating, "these men had been with Jesus". We too are changed from the inside out when we spend time with Jesus.

Be honest with yourself, how much time do you spend with Jesus each day? If you are struggling in any area of your life, the solution will start with one-on-one time spent with the Lord. Begin slowly at first, commit to a time and a place, then stay committed. This time you spend with Jesus will become the most valuable part of your day. It will become the "cornerstone" in the construction of your life -- from which everything else is measured, adjusted, and built upon.

            God is sovereign, and God is good. Knowing this, many believers struggle to understand why painful things happen in life. They wonder, Why wouldn't the Lord stop me from experiencing such heartache? 

            The question deepens when we read a Bible passage like Psalm 121:7-8: "The Lord will protect you from all evil; He will keep your soul. The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forever." Many people interpret this to mean that God will keep them from difficulty. But what the words say is that He promises to keep their soul.  

            The Lord allows pain. Sometimes He even orchestrates it. God understands the hurt, but He also looks into the deeper meaning of the situation. Trials often strengthen our faith, make us more like Jesus, and give us compassion for others. At times, God may even use difficulties to keep us from living mundane lives or wasting opportunities. With His help, we profit immensely more from walking through the pain than from avoiding it. When our heavenly Father knows it is best, He doesn't keep us from the pain; instead, He enables us to endure the hardship by giving us wisdom and strength. And when we get to the other side, we can often see--with great gratitude--how His gentle and gracious hand guided us through the whole situation. 

            We have tremendous hope, knowing that God will keep us through the most difficult times. Read Psalm 124, and ask the Lord to remind you of its truths when painful situations arise in your life.

Ephesians 2:8-10

(8) For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (9) Not of works, lest any man should boast. (10) For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Along with a multitude of other verses, Ephesians 2:8-10 makes it abundantly clear that, though works do not save a person, they are nonetheless required by God. Since works are required, understanding this aspect of the works issue comes down to comprehending when they are required and the reasons God requires them. While being called of God and led to faith in Jesus Christ and repentance toward God, every person is performing some measure of work to reach those states. We are, after all, called upon to present fruit fit for repentance even before being baptized! We work to bear fruit that provides evidence that we believe God by turning toward giving our lives to Him.

As a means of producing that fruit, we study God's Word diligently and meditate to grasp and arrange our accumulation of truth in its proper order. We begin to keep the Sabbath and perhaps to clean up our language and to tithe as well. We might also set in motion making many other changes in our marriages or our labors on the job.

Nevertheless, even though we may work to make many changes as a direct result of the new information God reveals, none of it will justify us before God. No change of conduct or attitude can erase the stain of our conduct before His calling. We cannot "make up" for what we have done in the past any more than a young man or woman can erase the loss of virginity once it is given away. We may do a multitude of works before baptism, but nothing can erase our past record before God the blood of Jesus Christ.

The works done at that time are good, even necessary, to give evidence of belief and repentance. Yet, what carries the day and provides forgiveness and entrance into God's presence is His grace in allowing Christ's sacrifice to prevail before Him.

There comes a time in Christian life, though, when works have a far different and exceedingly more important application. Hebrews 12:14 says, "Pursue peace with all men, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord." Is this not our goal in life? Do we not want to spend all eternity working with and under God and our Lord Jesus Christ in God's Kingdom as He proceeds with His plans to expand his rule throughout all He has made?

Without holiness, we will not be fit for living within that Kingdom. We would be miserable round pegs in square holes, intensely disliking the pattern of life necessary for God's plans to be carried out. We would be as the demons are today, constantly fighting to impede God's work and making everybody else as miserable as possible. In God's mercy, He will not condemn any of us to that. We must be holy as He and His Son are holy. That is why we must work with the Father and Son now by yielding to Their purpose for us.

            In elementary school, we learned how to subtract: take away, and you have less than when you started. Contrary to the laws of mathematics, God tells us that when we give, we will receive even more in return. "Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure--pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return" (Luke 6:38). 

            God's design for giving requires that we depend on His revelation rather than our reason. Logic would check the bank account before deciding how much is available to tithe. The Bible, however, states that all wealth belongs to the Lord and we are to give back to Him the first fruits of our labor (Deuteronomy 10:14; 18:4-5). When we obey, we trust Him to take care of us--which sometimes means choosing to ignore what makes sense, humanly speaking. God doesn't always provide in the manner we expect or hope. Instead, He satisfies our needs and blesses in the way He knows will truly be best for us. 

            When facing hard financial circumstances, we can be tempted to justify hoarding our resources. But God, who understands the situation perfectly, requires that we give not simply out of our surplus, but out of our need. The Macedonian church, for example, gave generously even while experiencing affliction (2 Corinthians 8:2). This pleased the Lord because they were giving in faith. 

            Ask God what He would like you to give. Pray for the courage to obey. Then eagerly await His blessings.

            God has many reasons for asking us to give. First, by returning a portion of our wealth to the Lord, we are acknowledging that everything actually belongs to Him (Psalm 50:10). Second, giving is a way to obey (Exodus 25:2). Third, when we contribute to a ministry or reach out to help the needy, we participate in kingdom work, which brings deep joy. Fourth, our offerings are an opportunity for God to reveal His character; as we demonstrate generosity, He faithfully provides for our needs and blesses us abundantly (2 Corinthians 9:8). Over and over again, the saying, "You can't outgive God" proves true.

            Giving involves more than money. God has blessed us with talents, time, and resources-- along with plenty of opportunities to share them with others. It is important to rely on the Holy Spirit's guidance so we will know what, to whom, and how much we should give.

            Remember, the Lord is continuously giving to us: salvation, comfort, encouragement, breath, life, and countless other blessings. We are indebted to Him and should give back, not just out of obligation, but with gratitude and joy (2 Corinthians 9:7). Ask God to reveal any selfishness or other hindrance to sharing--and to help you become more skilled at giving.

Acts 3:21-26

Thoughts for Today:

Peter is preaching on the porch of the temple, referencing Genesis, Deuteronomy, and 1 Samuel. How is it possible that Peter can speak with such force, confidence and clarity? He was certainly empowered by the Spirit, but he also knew the Scriptures and had paid careful attention to what Jesus said and did. In these verses, Peter is providing his listeners with an Old Testament prophecy road map to Jesus, the Messiah.What do you think Moses meant when he said,

Questions to Ponder:

Are you guilty of listening to some things in Scripture, yet disagreeing or ignoring other Scripture? What needs to change? Are you paying careful attention? How can you pay more careful attention?