JoAnn's Spiritual Lessons

1 Corinthians 7:21/22, Philippians 1:6, He is the potter we are the clay.

1 Corinthians 7:21-22

"Were you called while a slave? Do not be concerned about it; but if you can be made free, rather use it. For he who is called in the Lord while a slave is the Lord's freedman. Likewise he who is called while free is Christ's slave."
NKJV

We often think our circumstances in life are our problem. Whether it is our job, friends or family situations, we often think these are the source of our issues. Life can be uncomfortable at times, but friend, if you are a Christian, God has allowed circumstances in your life because he is forming Himself in you.

God is trying to help you in your circumstances and trials. By allowing you to go through difficult challenges in life, you can grow to be more like Him. Sometimes, trials can be painful. Is there anybody in your life that God is trying to use to remove what does not resemble Him in your life? You are precious to God and He loves you. He wants to grow you through your challenges. As you mature in the Lord, you should ask Him what He wants you to learn through them and allow Him to change you.

Consider a clay pot. The potter forms the clay to create a beautiful masterpiece. Once he forms it, he fires the clay to make it hard and usable for the tasks for which it was created. What if the potter pulled the clay out too soon? It would be half-baked and the clay pot would not be usable. The potter would then have to break the pot, re-wet it, form and fire it again. Life is a lot like this clay pot. Who wants to be a half-baked Christian? When we do not learn a lesson that God is trying to perfect in us, we have to go through it again and again until He forms Himself in us.

Philippians 1:6 "being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;" NKJV

Friend, God has called you to serve Him. He is using your circumstances to free you from the bondage of the shame, guilt and sin that separates you from Him. Whatever is going on in your life--trust Him! God is willing to do whatever it takes to reach you. He wants to set you free.

Life Lesson: Our circumstances are usually not the problem; it is our response or attitude to the circumstances that is the problem.

Dear Father,
Thank You for loving me. Thank You for the opportunity to go through circumstances that form me to be more like You. Lord, You sentenced and punished Yourself for me so I could be forgiven. I thank You that You were willing to pay such a high price for me. I choose to walk in the incredible plans You have for me instead of the plans I have made. Help me to be faithful in the small things by listening to You. You are my hope, my love and my peace. Help me to hear Your voice and to discover my own call and adventure in life. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Living to tell what He died to say, Pastor David McGee Senior Pastor The Bridge aboutthebridge.com crossthebridge.com My comments: We all need reminding as I was reminded today by one of our daughters, that we are His to mold and shape and the more pliable we are the more we can be shaped as He wants us to be shaped and the better vessel we can become in His hands. I see Him working in my life and useing the trials and sufferings He allows in my life to shape and mold me into the person I am.  Of course He has also, used the choices I made to give me some lessons as well and I know He would have shaped me anyway yet because of my wrong choices I am probably not what I could have been yet He has made me and shaped me inspite of my choices. There is a movie of a carpenter who moves into a town. A lady who is "broken" comes to him and a beautiful crystal object is broken. She leaves thinking there is no hope for her because she is broken. When he leaves she finds the vase redone. He had gathered all the broken pieces and put them together again and when the sun or light touched the object it shone and refracted the light in many beautiful colors all over the place. I am like that vase. I was broken through my choices and the choices of others and God took all the pieces and I refract His light. He has made or if you will remade me through my being Reborn In Him and accepting His sacrifice on the Cross and He is my Resurrection and Life. He is the Way the Truth and the Life and none can go to the Father except through Him and believing on the Gospel of Jesus the Christ. Abba, I pray for all who are broken and hurting that You will mend them and heal them and when they cll on You that You will let them know You are there for them and that You will lift them up on wings like eagles and cover them with Your wings when times are tough. Mold us Father and may we be the vessels you have wanted us to be from the beginning. Amen