Five Men That Perished On The Titan Submersible Relied On Equipment That Failed. Our Lives Are A "Vapor." And Those Five In The Sub Are Assumed To Have Been Vaporized As The Vessel Imploded. Fighting Against The Plan Of God Is Pointless. This Is Why!

Mark. 8 Verses 34 to 38

[36] For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? [37] Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

Prov. 3 Verses 5 to 6

[5] Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. [6] In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Fighting against the plan of God is pointless. “There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan / that can succeed against the LORD” (Proverbs 21:30). This is why the Tower of Babel was never completed (Genesis 11:1-9), why Daniel’s detractors were thrown to the lions (Daniel 6:24), why Jonah spent time inside a fish (Jonah 1:17)

These five men that perished on the Titan Submersible relied on equipment that failed. What happens in an implosion? “When a submarine hull collapses, it moves inward at about 1,500mph (2,414km/h) - that's 2,200ft (671m) per second, says Dave Corley, a former US nuclear submarine officer. Human bodies incinerate and are turned to ash and dust instantly.” They become vaporized.

And Psalm 39: 11 confirms this: " Surely every man is vapor.”   “We are not to boast about tomorrow. Our lives are a "vapor.". " Come now, you who say, ' Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away." (James 4: 13-14).  

Their destiny is destruction” (Philippians 3:18-19). “This is the fate of those who trust in themselves” (Psalm 49:13). Each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.” “A man’s own folly ruins his life, / yet his heart rages against the LORD” (Proverbs 9:3). This is a very insightful verse. When a man foolishly wrecks his life, he may yet insist on blaming God, or perhaps “Fate.” In this way, he persists in his folly.

What do you think when the unthinkable happens? We read in Isaiah 1:18a, “Come, now, let us reason together. . .” While this verse declares God’s ability to cleanse us from sin, it also teaches in principle about His willingness to reason with the crown of His creation, within reason. Isaiah further exhorts, “Seek the Lord while He may be found, / Call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, / And the unrighteous man his thoughts; / Let him return to the Lord, / And He will have mercy on him; / And to our God, / For He will abundantly pardon. ‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, / Nor are your ways My ways,’ says the Lord. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, / So are My ways higher than your ways, / And My thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:6-9). We read in Isaiah 26:3, “You will keep him in perfect peace, / Whose mind is stayed on You, / Because he trusts in You.”

The focus of our reading, as someone explains, is “about that other ‘unsinkable ship’—the frail boat on the Sea of Galilee, unsinkable because the Master of land and sea was asleep on a pillow in the after part of the vessel. Thank God He still lives and rides the billows and controls the storms, and when the children of men take their only true Pilot back on board, we will ride out the present storms and He will bring the vessel through to the fair harbor of our hopes.”

We read in Mark 4:35-41, “On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, ‘Let us cross over to the other side.’ Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat so that it was already filling. But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, ‘Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?’ Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, ‘Peace, be still!’ And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. But He said to them, ‘Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?’ And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, ‘Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!’”

Russell L. Kelfer (1933-2000) Into His Likeness, explains, “His message was about another unsinkable ship— a tiny frail fishing boat, which was being tossed and beaten upon the waters of the Sea of Galilee. This one was unsinkable because there was asleep on a pillow in the after part of the vessel, the Master of land and sea— His name was Jesus.

What a comfort to know that it isn't the size of the ship or the value of its cargo that guarantees its safety through life's waters. It is the credentials of the captain that assures its safety. For there is nothing in life of less value than a ship that leaves the harbor with fanfare and festivities, with high hopes and elevated expectations; with pomp and circumstance and promoted promises, but never reaches its destination. Somewhere along the way the contrary winds begin to blow, and the ferocious waves of life begin to beat against it, and suddenly down into the frantic waters it goes, taking cargo and crew to a watery grave, burying with it all those dreams and all of those promises.”

We read in Hebrews 4:14-16, “Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses but be in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us, therefore, come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

Many all over the globe have been fascinated, and are now grieved, at the news of the implosion of the submarine carrying 5 men seeking to view the Titanic wreckage.

Please forgive me if I'm commenting too early during a time of grieving. But time is of the essence. I see key lessons here that you and I need to share with our neighbors, as the media continues to focus on this tragedy. I have heard people say that the Lord has allowed this tragedy, despite the many prayers, so that we will rightfully focus on Him, Almighty God, the Creator, the giver of life. We're also to focus on the Good News, the gospel of Yeshua the Messiah, Jesus the Christ, by which we have an opportunity to reject the world and instead choose eternal life with Him before we die. The time is short before His soon return.

We are not to boast about tomorrow. Our lives are a "vapor." And those five in the submarine vaporized as the vessel imploded. " Come now, you who say, ' Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away." (James 4: 13-14).

Those five men now are lost souls, adding to the 1,300 or more who were lost on the Titanic over a century ago.

These recent five relied on equipment that failed. Question: did they rely earlier on the Risen Christ? Had they repented and come into His Kingdom? Were they converted, truly born again? Were they saved from an eternity without Him?

Several aboard reportedly were billionaires. Make the voyage costs $250,000 a person. In that sense, they had "gained the whole world." One can be wealthy and be a Christian, seeding into Christian ministries. But our Lord Yeshua/ Jesus makes a vital point for each of us: " Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man will also be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels." (Mark 8: 34-38)

One other point. There were five in that vessel. The number five and vessels point us to the key parable in Matthew 25: 1-13, the Wise and Foolish Virgins. It's worth reviewing His Word, here in the amplified version:

Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.

Five of them were foolish (thoughtless, without forethought) and five were wise (sensible, intelligent, and prudent).

For when the foolish took their lamps, they did not take any [extra] oil with them.

But the wise took flasks of oil along with them [also] with their lamps.

While the bridegroom lingered and was slow in coming, they all began nodding their heads, and they fell asleep.

But at midnight there was a shout, Behold, the bridegroom! Go out to meet him!

Then all those virgins got up and put their own lamps in order.

And the foolish said to the wise, give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.

But the wise replied, 'There will not be enough for us and for you; go instead to the dealers and buy for yourselves.'

But while they were going away to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were prepared went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut.

Later the other virgins also came and said, Lord, Lord, open [the door] to us!

But He replied, I solemnly declare to you, I do not know you [I am not acquainted with you].

Watch, therefore [give strict attention and be cautious and active], for you know neither the day nor the hour when the Son of Man will come.

Did you know you have an enemy who wants to target you? He wants to hit you at the right place at the right time. He’s hanging around at your port, listening to your words. If you’ve been struggling with the same sickness, disease, financial trouble, or relationship woes, the likely culprit behind your current struggles is your very own mouth. Now it’s time to make a change! 

“Mordecai Ham used to say that the sinking of the Titanic in 1912 was God's object lesson to America, but we never learned it. Many ships have gone down, but that this 'unsinkable' masterpiece of shipbuilding should go down on its first trip and that simply encountering a massive hunk of ice, still seems uncanny - not just an accident -- but an event accompanied by strange and sinister circumstances that allow no explanation. We are living in an hour when we seem to be on a toboggan slide out of control, worshipers of ourselves in the putridity of this age of humanism. 'Judgment day' and 'the end of the world’ have disappeared from our vocabulary. The remedies for the world's troubles proposed by experts are pitiful. Recently, I heard the observation that the remedies offered for our malignancy are about as sensible as changing chairs on the deck of the sinking Titanic. One day each man must face death whether he likes it or not. The Scriptures envision judgment day and heaven and hell. We have a date with destiny and an appointment with the Almighty. Every person has such an hour in God's Book whether he has noted it or not. We could be nearing that time, and only faith in the Christ who believed it and taught it can save us. Any effort to arrange for eternal life otherwise is like changing deck chairs on a sinking Titanic."

Paul the apostle writes in Galatians 5:16-26, “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such, there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.” [Emphasis mine]

Do you have an unsinkable relationship? From Romans 8:28-39 we read, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to conform to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died and is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, or sword? As it is written: ‘For Your sake, we are killed all day long; / We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.’ Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Are you a part of an unsinkable fellowship? Jesus Christ says, in Matthew 16:18b, “On this rock, I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.” We desire to be a part of “The Fellowship of the Unashamed” and “The church within the church”.

Are you partnering in unsinkable stewardship? We read in 1 John 2:15-17, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.” Are you wasting, spending, or investing your time, talents, and treasures? Under the Lordship of Jesus Christ, we will give an account of our life to Him.

May we heed the warning of the unsinkable ship. We must use wisdom and discernment, stop jumping on every bandwagon that shows up, and stop running after the church in-crowd or the world in-crowd. Stop it with the itching ears. We know what happened to the people who followed Jim Jones, itching ears, worshipping man and not God. Worshipping people, places, and things will get us in trouble, it will also get us killed. When you lean on your own understanding, the enemy will set you up to set you up, and people will try to sell you a bag of goods. Listen, God's guidance never fails. 

This is a very complex issue, and we will start with what the Bible does not teach. Fate is usually thought of as a predetermined course of events beyond human control. A typical response to a belief in fate is resignation—if we can’t change destiny, then why even try? Whatever happens, happens, we can’t do anything about it. This is called “fatalism,” and it is not biblical.

Fate and Destiny - Our Free Will

The Bible teaches that Man was created with the ability to make moral choices and that he is responsible for those choices. The Fall of Man was not a predetermined event in which Adam and Eve were hapless victims of a Puppet-Master God. On the contrary, Adam and his wife had the ability to choose obedience (with its attendant blessing) or disobedience (with its consequent curse). They knew what the result of their decision would be, and they were held accountable. (Genesis 3).

Often, when the Bible speaks of destiny, it’s in reference to a destiny people have brought upon themselves: “Many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction” (Philippians 3:18-19).  “This is the fate of those who trust in themselves” (Psalm 49:13). “When tempted, no one should say, ‘God is tempting me.’ For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.”
“A man’s own folly ruins his life, / yet his heart rages against the LORD” (Proverbs 19:3). This is a very insightful verse. When a man foolishly wrecks his life, he may yet insist on blaming God, or perhaps “Fate.” In this way, he persists in his folly.

Fate and Destiny - God’s Sovereignty

Lest we get the wrong idea, we are not the sovereign masters of our fate. Only God is sovereign. His sovereign control is called “providence.” He has chosen to give us free will, and He has created a moral universe in which the law of cause and effect is a reality. But God is God alone, and there are no “accidents” in the universe.

An all-wise, all-powerful God must have a plan, so it should be no surprise that the Bible speaks of a divine plan. God’s plan, since it belongs to God, is holy, wise, and benevolent. The providence of God is working to bring about His original plan for creation.

God speaks in Isaiah 48:3, “I foretold the former things long ago, / my mouth announced them and I made them known; / then suddenly I acted, and they came to pass.” What God announces, He does (and He may announce it centuries ahead of time!).

Fighting against the plan of God is pointless. “There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan / that can succeed against the LORD” (Provers 21:30). This is why the Tower of Babel was never completed (Genesis 11:1-9), why Daniel’s detractors were thrown to the lions (Daniel 6:24), why Jonah spent time inside a fish (Jonah 1:17), and why I get in trouble when I sin.

Even what we would normally call “chance” or “fate” is under God’s control. “The lot is cast into the lap, / but it's every decision is from the LORD” (Proverbs 16:33). In other words, God does not take a “hands-off” approach to running the world.

Everything that happens in the world is made to work out according to God’s purpose. Evil exists, but it is not allowed to thwart God’s providence. God uses even sinful men for His purposes. God’s plan includes a reward for those who trust in Him, and He promises to glorify His children. “We speak of God’s secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. As it is written: ‘No eye has seen, / no ear has heard, / no mind has conceived / what God has prepared for those who love him’” (1 Corinthians 2:7-9). Note the use of the word destined in this passage—and that it’s a destiny based on our love for the Lord.

Fate and Destiny - An Individual Plan
David recognized that the Lord had a plan for him. “Your eyes saw my unformed body. / All the days ordained for me / were written in your book / before one of them came to be” (Psalm 139:16). Because of this knowledge, David sought the Lord’s specific guidance in many situations, such as in 1Samuel 23:9-12).

Fate and Destiny - Putting It All Together

In (Acts: 9), Jesus appears to Saul of Tarsus with an interesting statement: “It is hard for you to kick against the goads” (verse 5). Jesus had a plan for Saul, and Saul had been (painfully) resisting it. Exercising our freedom against God’s plan can be painful.

Later, Jesus tells Saul that a man named Ananias would come to visit —and then Jesus tells Ananias (verses 11-12)! Jesus had a pre-arranged plan for Ananias as well. Now, Ananias didn’t want to visit Saul (verses 13-14). He could have been like Jonah and run the other way. If that had been his choice, God would have had a “fish” prepared to bring him back. Fortunately, Ananias obeyed (verse 17). Exercising our freedom to follow God’s plan brings a blessing.

In summary, the Bible teaches that God is in charge. At the same time, He has given us the freedom to obey or disobey Him, and there are some things that God does only in answer to prayer (James 4:2).

God blesses the obedient, and He is patient with those who disobey, even to the point of seeming laxity. He has a plan for our lives, which includes our joy and His glory both in this world and in the world to come. Those who accept Christ as Savior have accepted God’s plan (John 14:6)). From then on, it’s a step-by-step following of God’s best for us, praying for His will to be done (Matthew 6:10), and avoiding the sidetrack of sin (Psalm 32: 1-11; 119:59. (Hebrews 12:1-2

Blessings

J.P. Olson

www.thewordwithjpolson.com

Join Journey Into The Word each Sunday morning at 5:30 AM CST & 6:30 AM EST on The Now Network http://www.theNOWnetwork.org

ROKU, Cable & Online

https://www.thenownetwork.org/sunday

Make Sure You’re Not Too Close For Comfort! The Things And People That Can Grab A Hold Of Us, Is Only Because We Keep Ourselves Within Their Reach. Imagine How Protected You Would Be, If You’re In Communication With The Holy Spirit: “UNCEASINGLY.

Genesis 39:2-10, “As it turned out, God was with Joseph and things went very well with him. He ended up living in the home of his Egyptian master. His master recognized that God was with him, saw that God was working for good in everything he did. He became very fond of Joseph and made him his personal aide. He put him in charge of all his personal affairs, turning everything over to him. From that moment on, God blessed the home of the Egyptian—all because of Joseph. The blessing of God spread over everything he owned, at home and in the fields, and all Potiphar had to concern himself with was eating three meals a day.  Joseph was a strikingly handsome man. As time went on, his master’s wife became infatuated with Joseph and one day said, “Sleep with me.” He wouldn’t do it. He said to his master’s wife, “Look, with me here, my master doesn’t give a second thought to anything that goes on here—he’s put me in charge of everything he owns. He treats me as an equal. The only thing he hasn’t turned over to me is you. You’re his wife, after all! How could I violate his trust and sin against God?”  She pestered him day after day after day, BUT HE STOOD HIS GROUND. HE REFUSED TO GO TO BED WITH HER.” (MSG).

There are too many believers falling away from their faith and giving in to temptation. This should not be. We must stay close to the Man, Jesus Christ. Jesus was tempted, but He did not sin.

Make Sure You’re Not Too Close For Comfort! The Things And People That Can Grab A Hold Of Us, Is Only Because We Keep Ourselves Within Their Reach. Imagine How Protected You Would Be, If You’re In Communication With The Holy Spirit: “UNCEASINGLY; PERSISTENTLY; NEVER STOP; And AT ALL TIMES”?!

Truthfully, the Things and People that Can Grab a Hold of Us, Is Only Because We Keep Ourselves Within Their Reach! Think about it: It’s hard for them to touch you when they can’t text you, call you, write you, or visit you.

The NIV says verse 10 like this: “And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her OR EVEN BE WITH HER.”

Genesis 39, beginning at verse 7. You see, Joseph is about to be a Jewish transplant; picked up and sold as a slave into Egypt. He’s working for Potiphar, a military leader. He’s been trusted with total responsibility for the man’s household!

Now, Potiphar’s wife gets an eye on this good-looking young man. And if you don’t believe Joseph looked good, check out his Biblical Description found in verse 6:

“…Joseph was an ATTRACTIVE PERSON AND FINE-LOOKING” (AMP).

So, now that we’ve established PHYSICALLY why girlfriend lost her NATURAL mind, the Bible goes on to say, “After a while, his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, ‘Come to bed with me.’ But he refused.” Verse 10 of Genesis 39 says– “And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her.” However, if that wasn’t bad enough notice this, the Bible says, “…or even be with her.”  OUCH! But Joseph? He didn’t even want to be with her or around her!

Now, this has got to be for Joseph a tempting temptation. Think about it: He’s lonely; he’s away from home. I would guess that a powerful man’s wife is probably attractive, and he is totally trusted in the man’s home with all the man’s stuff! And the truth of the matter is…He may very well get away with this and no one even know that he’s done it!

BUT, he says, “How could I sin against God.” Joseph knows…Ultimately if no one else will know…GOD WILL! He knows that he and his conscience will know too! And had he said ‘yes’ to this temptation, it would have been a Spiritually Fatal Mistake – probably Disqualifying him from being God’s hero as we know him today! AND WHAT FOOL WOULD SACRIFICE ALL OF THAT?

Temptation is always out to bite you, to discredit you, to scar you. Therefore, do you know what your “Potiphar’s Wife” is right now? It could be watching pornography, throwing all the videos out, not just some of them. It could be the apparent advantages of compromising your integrity just a little bit; being a little dishonest; it could be hanging out on “Shady Lane” a past scene of drugs & alcohol, maybe it’s the urge to retaliate or a compromise that seems better than losing this person, or that old habit, or going back to the old friends, places or things. Whatever your “Potiphar’s Wife” is…remember this: THE ADVANTAGES OF SINNING ARE ALWAYS SHORT LIVED, HOWEVER THE PRICE YOU PAY ALWAYS LASTS A LONG TIME!

That may be why the pull of temptation is so strong on you! You haven’t burned your bridges to it! Oh, you may distance yourself a little bit, but you remain connected. So, when do you plan to disconnect from your attachment to ‘Potiphar’s Wife’? When are you going to distance yourself from the people, places, and things that's a temptation to you? When are you going to remove things from your life that are tempting you, things that are within hands reach?

Listen, Joseph got away from his temptation, however, not before his temptation was able to take something from him! She didn’t get what she wanted, but she did get something! The Bible Says: “And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me! But he left his garment in her hand and fled and got out [of the house]. And when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and had fled away, She called to the men of her household and said to them, Behold, he [your master] has brought in a Hebrew to us to mock and insult us; he came in where I was to lie with me, and I screamed at the top of my voice. And when he heard me screaming and crying, he left his garment with me and fled and went out of the house. And she laid up his garment by her until his master came home.” (Genesis 39:12-16 AMP) The Message Bible Says It Like This: “On one of these days he came to the house to do his work and none of the household servants happened to be there. SHE GRABBED HIM BY HIS CLOAK…” (MSG)

The danger of even entertaining temptation is that you’re still close enough for it to take something from you!, it was his cloak; however, for many it grabbed their character, integrity, dignity, testimony, witness, and influence. For some, it grabbed their family, their marriage, their jobs, their friends, their ministry and even their mind! Being Too Close Is Still Too Much Of A Compromise! Don’t let your temptation take the very thing that your Father Gave You to Distinguish You in the First Place! Think about it: Isn’t it amazing that Joseph’s brothers were angry and jealous and abused and banished him because of a coat, and yet he was still so close to temptation that another coat was snatched off him?! Joseph was well known for his coat of many colors that was given to him by his father, because of his great love for him. When you get too close to temptation, it will likewise attempt to take from you all that the Father gave you to distinguish you as His Favored Child! 

Joseph Had Two Coats Taken From Him, His Coat Of Many Colors By His Brothers Who Hated Him; And His Cloak By Potiphar’s Wife, A Woman Who Was Hot For Him But Couldn’t Have Him! A Temper Took His First Coat, Temptation Took His Second! And He Never Got Either Of Them Back! Temptation Will Take From You And Never Return! In fact, the loss of his cloak stayed with Potiphar’s wife and was used against him in a lie and false imprisonment! How do you get in this much trouble, for doing Nothing?!

Seriously, think about it, our phone maps not only give us directions, but some of them also let you know in advance that there’s an accident ahead of you on the same road you’re on. And what does it do? It gives you another route to take! Truth is, sometimes that new route is a lot longer and sometimes even unfamiliar. You may not like it, but at least you get to bypass the accident that could delay and detour you from your God-Intended destination! Likewise, you must strengthen your relationship with the Holy Spirit! He’s not just your comforter but He’s your counselor! He lives on the inside of you! When it comes to communicating with someone in an emergency, how much closer can a person get than to talk to the person living inside them?! The Holy Spirit is there to lead you, guide you, direct and redirect you when necessary! But just like your GPS doesn’t work without being activated, neither does the Holy Spirit! You build a relationship with Him and give Him permission to change your route when you’re heading for danger! And you know what strengthens this relationship? Prayer! And what’s prayer? Communication! Keep it simple or you will complicate something that can help you! Prayer is communication! And the more you do it, the more consistent you are at it, the more you’ll stay out of dangerous places and away from dangerous people!  

Your prayer life and relationship with the Holy Spirit will save you from the attacks of ‘Potiphar’s Wife’! You’ll begin discerning what people, places, and things you have to avoid for your own mental, emotional, physical, spiritual and even financial well-being! However, this will require you to run from temptation and retreat in prayer with the Holy Spirit! And how long should you retreat in prayer with the Holy Spirit? The Bible admonishes: “Pray Without Ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17) Let’s see this verse in a few translations: 

 “Pray continually.” (CEB);

“pray at all times” (GNT);

“Always keep on praying.” (TLB);

Imagine how protected you would be, especially from the temptation of sin, if you’re in communication with the Holy Spirit: “UNCEASINGLY; PERSISTENTLY; NEVER STOP; and AT ALL TIMES”?! Truth is, temptation will NEVER CEASE, which is why your prayer life can NEVER CEASE! And remember, there is absolutely no temptation powerful enough to FORCE you to surrender! 

Because let’s be honest, you are NEVER forced to surrender to a temptation! James 1:13-15, “Don’t let anyone under pressure to give in to evil say, “God is trying to trip me up.” God is impervious to evil and puts evil in no one’s way. The temptation to give in to evil COMES FROM US AND ONLY US. If You Give In, You Wanted to. If You Give In, You Decided to. If you allow the temptation to sin, to be conceived in your life; and then you nourish it so it grows up to adulthood and becomes a real killer of your marriage; integrity; family; character; calling; anointing; dignity…It Was Your Choice!

You Don’t Get to Complain About What You’ve Condoned! Remember, Your Choice…Your Consequence! 

Which is why it’s so important to remember Joseph’s example: “…The only thing he hasn’t turned over to me is you. You’re his wife, after all! How could I violate his trust and sin against God?”  She pestered him day after day after day, BUT HE STOOD HIS GROUND. HE REFUSED TO GO TO BED WITH HER.” (MSG). “And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her OR EVEN BE WITH HER.” Listen: Temptation doesn’t knock once then walk away from the door! Potiphar’s Wife “PESTERED HIM DAY AFTER DAY AFTER DAY! She spoke to Joseph DAY AFTER DAY!” Every day you will be faced with the opportunity to accept temptation, which is why every day you have to remain praying without ceasing so you can receive clear directions on how to get away from Potiphar’s Wife, the ‘Cujo’ On a Mission to Kill You!

“If you don’t want temptation to follow you, stop acting as if you’re interested.” (Author Unknown)

 “Every time you are tempted to react in the same old way, ask if you want to be a prisoner of the past or a pioneer of the future.” (Deepak Chopra)

“Every time you defeat temptation you become more like Jesus.” (Rick Warren)

“Opportunity may knock only once, but temptation leans on the doorbell.” (Author Unknown)

 “Tis one thing to be tempted, another thing to fall.” (William Shakespeare)

“When fleeing the scene of temptation, do not leave a forwarding address.” (Jeffrey R. Holland)

“Temptation will knock at your door; don’t ask them to stay for dinner.” (Author Unknown)

“The Devil did not tempt Adam and Eve to steal, to lie, to kill, to commit adultery; he tempted them to live independent of God.” (Bob Jones, Sr.)

 “Temptation is the devil looking through the keyhole. Yielding is opening the door and inviting him in.” (Billy Sunday)

“Temptation usually comes in through a door that has been deliberately left open.” (Author Unknown)

 “The best thing to do when there is temptation is run.” (Johnny Hunt)

“If evil were not made to appear attractive, there would be no such thing as temptation. It is in the close similarity between good and evil, right and wrong, that the danger lies.” (Billy Graham)

Matthew 26:40-41, “When he came back to his disciples, he found them sound asleep. He said to Peter, “Can’t you stick it out with me a single hour? Stay alert; be in prayer so you don’t wander into temptation without even knowing you’re in danger. There is a part of you that is eager, ready for anything in God. But there’s another part that’s as lazy as an old dog sleeping by the fire.” (MSG)

Luke 22:39-40, “Leaving there, he went, as he so often did, to Mount Olives. The disciples followed him. When they arrived at the place, he said, “Pray that you don’t give in to temptation.” (MSG)

Galatians 6:1-3, "Brothers, if anyone is caught in any sin, you who are spiritual [that is, you who are responsive to the guidance of the Spirit] are to restore such a person in a spirit of gentleness [not with a sense of superiority or self-righteousness], keeping a watchful eye on yourself, so that you are not tempted as well. Carry one another’s burdens and in this way, you will fulfill the requirements of the law of Christ [that is, the law of Christian love]. For if anyone thinks he is something [special] when [in fact] he is nothing [special except in his own eyes], he deceives himself." (AMP)

Galatians 5:16, "But I say, walk habitually in the [Holy] Spirit [seek Him and be responsive to His guidance], and then you will certainly not carry out the desire of the sinful nature [which responds impulsively without regard for God and His precepts]." (AMP)

Matthew 6:13, "‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.]’" (AMP)

Blessings

J.P. Olson

www.thewordwithjpolson.com

There Is Nothing About You Or Your Life Or Your Past That Is Powerful Enough To Hinder The Hand Of God’s Work! Understand That Whatever God Has Spoken Over Your Life, He’s Not Stopping Until He Sees It All Come To Pass! It Will Manifest In your Life

There Is Nothing About You Or Your Life Or Your Past That Is Powerful Enough To Hinder The Hand Of God’s Work! Understand That Whatever God Has Spoken Over Your Life, He’s Not Stopping Until He Sees It “All Come To Pass”! He’s Still Working On You Because All That He Has Spoken Has Yet To Manifest In Your Life.

When you see a "Cannot in Yourself," GOD SEES A “CAN”. When You See Will Not in Yourself, GOD SEES A “WILL”. When You See Do Not in Yourself, GOD SEES A “DO” When You See Shouldn’t in Yourself, GOD SEES A “SHOULD”. God Will Always Put Your Potential on A Pedestal!  In Other Words, He Will Always Lift Up What You Will Be, Not What You Have Been! Cracks and all, you are still becoming “…a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.”

The Devil’s Not Intimidated by Your Caterpillar Stage, Because You are on The Ground, Low, At His Level, Defeated, And Struggling to Crawl By. But What Intimidates Him Is Your Butterfly Stage Because You Then Possess the Ability to Fly, To Soar, To Excel, And to Reach Altitudes He Cannot Reach! You see, some snakes can sliver through trees, but when they reach a certain height, it can reach no further. But the Butterfly Is not Limited to Where the Tree Top Stops! And Neither Are You! That is why you cannot get distracted from what you are becoming! Children of God, it is time for you to soar, but if you keep allowing your past, the devil, discouragement, and low self-worth to hinder you, you will remain in a cocoon with undeveloped wings that were designed and destined to soar! You were never meant to stay on this level! The cocoon is only for a time; then you break out of it fully developed and soar to new heights!

Understand that Whatever God Has Spoken Over Your Life, He’s Not Stopping Until He Sees It “All Come to Pass”! And If That Takes Smiting, Buffeting and Polishing…He’s Committed to Doing Whatever It Takes, For However Long It Takes and No Matter How Painful It Will Be…” Not A Word Failed of Any Good Thing Which the Lord Had Spoken. All Came to Pass!” He’s Still Working on You Because All That He Has Spoken Has Yet to Manifest in Your Life. And He Has to Keep His Word! So, Endure the Wheel, the Spinning, the Hammering, the Smiting, the Buffeting, and the Polishing! In the End It Will Be Worth It to Possess All God Has Promised You! God is the Greatest of Silversmiths.

Highlight for yourself from John 1:12, “to them gave The Power TO BECOME…” That is what the devil is after to destroy, WHAT YOU WILL BECOME! Do not let him do it! Do not let the devil distract or discourage you! Stay focused on what God Said no matter what the devil would want you to see! You are Becoming a wonderful, useful, cracked vessel unto honor, sanctified and meet for your master’s use, for He is preparing you for every good work! Do not lose sight of the big picture, stay focused on what you are becoming! 

If You Are Asking Today, “Why Am I Going Through All That I’m Going Through?” The Answer Is: You are “In the Hand of The Potter!”

Knowing that alone helps, especially when you are on the wheel and everything in your life seems to be spinning and spiraling completely out of control! I use the word “seems”, because your life is not spinning and spiraling completely out of control. All You Need to Do Is Look Under the Table and See Whose Foot Is on The Wheel! “…Behold, He (The Potter) wrought a work ON THE WHEELS” Many of us have seen wheels spin on bikes, motorcycles, cars, trains, and the like, and when those wheels get to spinning, if you stare at them long enough it can make you dizzy! The speed is swift as it goes around and around in circles! And sometimes as believers that is how our lives feel when God has His foot on the potter’s wheel! Everything feels like it is spinning completely out of control, but the potter has been doing this far too long to not know how to control the speed of the spin! And God, likewise, has not loss control of your life even when the marriage, kids, family, job, finances, health, business, and church all seem to be spinning at 200 MPH in all different directions at the exact same time! But Be Encouraged, The Potter’s Foot Knows How to Handle the Speed of The Wheel!

“…behold, He (The Potter) Wrought a work on the wheels” Now the word “Wrought” means “Beaten Out or Shaped by Hammering.” This may hurt you, but it will eventually help you, listen, the pain you THINK is the devil, is Really Just the Potter Reshaping You! Think About It, If the Enemy Had Been in Control of Your Situation, He would Have Thrown You Off the Wheel a Long Time Ago! But He Cannot, Because the Potter Controls the Process, The Wheels and The Wrought! And all this time you have been giving the devil credit for work he did not do! The devil wants to steal, kill, and destroy you, not work on you for the better! Yes, the hammering hurts, it is painful, it is difficult, it is uncomfortable, but it is God’s process! And most important, the Hammer is in the Hand of God! This should serve as great encouragement to you that no hurt, harm, or hindrance will come of it. He is simply shaping you to become the masterpiece He already designed you to be! Ephesians 2:10, “For we are His workmanship [His own master work, a work of art], created in Christ Jesus [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, ready to be used] for good works, which God prepared [for us] beforehand [taking paths which He set], so that we would walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us].” (AMP) That is what all the hammering is about! It is transforming us, renewing us, and making us ready to be used by God for good works as His workmanship, His own Master Work, His own Work of Art! And you really thought the devil was behind all that goodness?! Absolutely not! Stop adding skills to the devil’s resume for work he could not and did not do!

But Listen to What the Devil Would Have You Focus On: “… And the vessel that he made of clay was MARRED in the hand of the potter…” The devil does not want you to focus on the Masterpiece God is creating you to be, he wants you to focus on the fact that you have become Marred in the Potter’s Hand! But what he does not know, however, is that God is Monitoring Your Every Move! Now, I know how messed up you think you are because you have been “Marred” but understand that when something is “Marred” it is defined as “to Harm the Appearance or Quality of.” And let us be honest, the devil is not trying to simply Harm You, Or Harm Your Appearance, Or Harm Your Quality, he is trying to DESTROY YOU! Which is why the Bible forewarns us: “The Thief’s Purpose Is to Steal, Kill and Destroy…” (John 10:10 TLB). Therefore, If It Were the Devil’s Foot on The Wheel, You Would Be Dead by Now! But since he cannot kill you, he tries to distract you by getting you to focus on stuff that matters to you, but does not matter to God, stuff like your marring, your mess up, your mistakes, and especially your past! But beloved, before you go and lose heart, know this, you are simply “Marred” and Fortunately, God is Not Intimated by Your “Marring”. He is not intimidated by the clay regardless of where He finds it or how flawed and out of shape it is. Truth is: We Seriously Give Our Past Way Too Much Power Because God Is Not at All Intimidated by It or What It Has Caused Us to Look Like! He is not intimidated by our past promiscuity, addictions, mess-ups, screw-ups, or mistakes. He is not intimidated by our ex-friends, lovers, or spouses. He is committed to working on us until we become what He wants or better yet, “As Seemed Good to the Potter…”  

Listen: I do not care what you have done, who you did it with, how long you did it or where, no man has the right or authority to hold you captive by your past, neither the devil, not even you! Your “Marring” did not mess you up for all eternity! There is no accidental mistake, or deliberate bad decision that you have ever made (or will make) that the Potter cannot make over into what seems Good to Him! You still have use, you still have value, you still have worth, and you still have purpose! So, let nothing and no one (not even YOU) allow your past to make you believe that you have no future! The Word of God still holds true for you, regardless to your past: “This is God’s Word on the subject…I’ll show up and take care of you as I promised and bring you back home. I know what I am doing. I have it all planned out – plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the FUTURE you hope for.” (Jeremiah 29:10-11 MSG). In the words of my pastor, you need to start saying daily to yourself: “I See Myself in The Future and Things Look So Much Better. I’m Expecting A Miracle, And My Miracle Is Expecting Me!” (Bishop James R. Chambers). So, you see if God Himself is not hindered by your Past, why should you be? “He has removed our sins as far away from us as the east is from the west.” (Psalm 103:12 TLB). Therefore, marred vessels keep moving forward, “Marred” and all! God can still make you the light of the world, no matter how dark your past was! God Still Uses Cracked Pots!

For example, Benjamin felt small; Gideon felt insignificant; Moses felt his speech hindered him from being God’s mouthpiece, and yet God used each of them in a big way, flaws, and all, and He is using you the same way! God never asks for our perfection, just our availability. The question is, are we willing to give God our flaws that He may use them to bring Himself Glory?

To take it further, bear in mind: John 1:12 “As many as received Him, to them gave the power TO BECOME the sons of God.” Always Remember: The Battle Is Over Who and What You are Becoming! Regardless of what you have been up until now, God Sees in You the Potential to Become! And what are you to become? “…a vessel unto honor and sanctified for the master’s use and prepared unto every good work.” (2 Timothy 2:21). Listen: When You See Cannot in Yourself, GOD SEES A “CAN”. When You See Will Not in Yourself, GOD SEES A “WILL”. When You See Do Not in Yourself, GOD SEES A “DO” When You See Shouldn’t in Yourself, GOD SEES A “SHOULD”.

“The Lord God is my Strength, my personal bravery, and my invincible army; He makes my feet like hind’s feet and will make me to walk [not to stand still in terror, but to walk] and make [spiritual] progress upon my high places [of trouble, suffering, or responsibility]!” (Habakkuk 3:19 AMP)

You Were Made for High Places, So Stop Settling for Low Positions!

Notice also, that even though the vessel was “Marred”, It Was Still in The Potter’s Hand! God Never Throws Us Away, Nor Is His Plan for Us Thwarted Because We Have a Flaw of Struggle in Certain Areas! Understand that whether you are being lifted from the mud, turned on the wheel or made over again, Always You Are in His Hand, and Always Will Be! “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall Never Perish, Neither Shall Any Man Pluck Them Out of My Hand.” (John 10:28) So, Be Encouraged: You Are in The Potter’s Hands, And His Hands Never Stop Working!” “But Jesus said, “My Father Has Never Stopped Working…” (John 5:17 CEV) Therefore, even if you continue to mar in the master’s hand, which you will if you are still flesh and blood, but the good news is, that can’t hinder the Hand of God on your life! From birth to death and everything in between, God never stops working on you and your life! So even when you make more mistakes, and even deliberate sinful choices, God never stops working on you! Do not let the devil, your past, or yourself make you believe anything different! There is nothing about you or your life or your past that is powerful enough to Hinder the Hand of God’s Work!

I found yet another little nugget too! Did you know the word “Smith” in “Silversmith” comes from the Old English word “Smite”? Well, in case you did not know, Silversmiths are very Accomplished Smiters! AND SO IS GOD! You see the word “Smite” is defined as “Striking a Firm Blow”. In other words, God Knows the Weight of the Hammer and the Force of the Blow Required to Produce in You Christ-Like Character! And absolutely no one yanks the hammer out of His hand and says, “Go easy on that silver; you’ve pounded it enough!” No, He Buffets the Metal Until He’s Finished with It! And when you “Buffet” something, it means you “Strike It Repeatedly and Violently”. In other words, there is a Determination on the part of the Silversmith to Beat the Silver into the Design He Envisioned It to Be! And He Will Beat It Until It Conforms to What He has Constructed in His Mind! He Will Beat It Until the Blueprint Comes Off the Pages and Stands Before Him Fully Erected! He Will Beat It Until He Sees with His Eyes What He Saw in His Thoughts! And the Same Goes for You!  

Please Understand that Your God Will Bless You, But Never Forget, Your Father Will Buffet You Too!

I know the Blows come Fast and Hard, and it seems like they will never end, but you must Trust that God Knows What He’s Doing! 

However, sadly enough, I wish I could tell you that after the Hammering and Buffeting is Done, you are Finished, BUT…then there must be POLISHING!  And when you “Polish” something you “Make It Smooth and Shiny by Continuously Rubbing It!” And the Best of Silversmiths will tell you that they Keep Polishing Until They Can See Their Face in The Finished Product! So, When Will God Stop Polishing You? When He Sees His Nature and His Likeness Reflected in You! In other words, when He looks at you, He ought to see, Integrity, Faithfulness, Dedication, Power, Consecration, Diligence, Obedience, Honor, Loyalty, Leadership, Commitment, and the like. He ought to see “…the Fruit of the Spirit…Love, Joy, Peace, Longsuffering, Gentleness, Goodness, Faith, Meekness, Temperance…” (Galatians 5:22-23). 

Simply put, He’s Done When He Looks at You and Sees Himself! 

And if we are all to be Real Honest, God Is No-Where Near Finished Smiting, Buffeting or Polishing Any Of Us! Jesus said, “My Father Never Stops Working.” Therefore, you need to understand that: The Pounding You Feel Does Not Suggest God’s Distance, It Proves His Nearness! So, Stop Attributing Everything to the Devil! 

Lastly, after a lifetime of walking with God, Joshua said, “Not a Word Failed of Any Good Thing Which the Lord Had Spoken…All Came to Pass.” (Joshua 21:45 NKJV). 

Trust Him as you imagine what you are going to look like When He has All Done. In the meantime, remember: The Potters Hands Are Not Finished Molding You Yet! So, do not Be Discouraged in The Process, You Will Produce Something Great After This Is All Over!  

Jesus may be preparing you to step up to something far more supernatural than you have ever been or you have ever done before. In fact, He has made your heart restless for more so you would get out of the boat and start walking toward Him in an exciting new way. Truth is, there are quite a few endeavors that you’ve your heart set on for quite a while now. And fear and nervousness about stepping into something new, uncomfortable, and unfamiliar is honestly terrifying! But you do not want to miss a moment because of a minute of insecurity.

Peter found out that day that if Jesus wants you to do it – no matter how beyond your capability it may be – He will give you whatever it takes to get it done!

We are settling for the mediocre when we are wired for the miraculous.

Who knows what will happen if you finally decide to get out the boat and apply for the mortgage, the business, student, or car loan? Who knows what will happen if you finally decide to get out the boat and head that ministry or start a new one? Who knows what will happen if you finally decide to get out of the boat and try that, or go there? Truth is, being inside the boat, especially during a storm, seems like the safest, best, and most comfortable, and sensible place to be. But if Jesus isn’t in the boat, do you really think it is the best place to be? If He is outside the boat, even in the storm, don’t you think it is better to be where Christ is than where your Cushion is?

You have the Holy Spirit of Almighty God living in you. You have backing you up the authority that Jesus has over everything in this universe. You have Jesus’ resurrection power in your life. The question is: So why aren’t you living like it? Are you settling for only pushing a couple of God’s buttons when there are so many more that could open a whole new frontier for you?

You need to be reading the Manual. You know that is the Bible, and you need to be reading it every single day. Not just for theology, not just for a lesson to teach or a Word to preach. But looking for the keys to powerful faith and then using them. And tell the Lord, “Lord, I want the “something more” you’ve made my heart hungry for. Then surrender yourself in a new, fresh way to Him. With all the things that are going on in your life now, update that old surrender. Let go of those areas that you have insisted on controlling. Get out of that safe little boat and dare to walk where you have never walked before!

You are becoming a vessel of honor in the master’s Hand and for the master’s use, cracks, flaws, imperfections, and all. So, do not hate the process, because you are going to love the product! Noah got drunk…Jacob lied…Moses murdered…Rahab was a prostitute…David had an affair…Peter denied Jesus…yet God still used them for His purpose….and He can use you too. Be encouraged, my Friends.

As Painful as This Is, Be Encouraged My Friend You May Have Been Marred, but Now You are Being Molded and Made into a Masterpiece Cracked Vessel of Honor for the Master’s Use and Glory!

Blessings

J.P. Olson

www.thewordwithjpolson.com