Extreme Makeover: New Year's Edition Day 3

Jeremiah 18::4
And when the vessel that he made of the clay was marred in the hand of the potter, he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.

In the Hand of the Potter

We understand that we are made of clay and that we are human, but we have assurance of all things because we are in the potter's hand. Even messed up, broken and useless clay can be made into a vessel.

What do you do when what's in your hand is not what's in your head? What do you do when the job you once celebrated, you're now praying to God for another one? What do you do when the child you have raised is calling you from jail?

Celebrate the fact that not only are we being made, we're being made by the potter. If you have nothing to shout about, shout about the blessing of being in God's hands. In His hands, your able to be formed, kept and molded.

So remember, though we're marred and messed up, God has never taken His hands off of us.

DAILY LOVE FROM HIM ABOVE
Extreme Makeover: New Year's Edition

Extreme Makeover: New Year's Edition Day 2

Jeremiah 18::4
And when the vessel that he made of the clay was marred in the hand of the potter, he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.

Even though we have struggles in life, we find happiness and joy in the fact that we are in the potter's hand. Even while following God's plan and God's rule, we will still face trouble and trials. We still will end up marred.

When you began the year 2010, you high hopes that this would be your year. And, for some of us, the end seemed to take a turn in another direction. Yet, we still know that God is still God. We trust that He is still on the throne. But, this year was not the year we thought it would be.

That's what happened to the potter. He started out with something on the wheel. All of a sudden, the clay took a turn and began to become marred in the potter's hands. That's how life does us sometimes. We seem to know what we're doing, yet somehow things took a turn and got out of control.

The challenge yesterday was "what are you willing to sacrifice?" Today I ask, "what are you willing to take with you?" The potter didn't give up. The potter continue to work with the clay. What are you willing to keep and work on?

See how far God can take you.

DAILY LOVE FROM HIM ABOVE
Extreme Makeover: New Year's Edition

Extreme Makeover: New Year's Edition

Jeremiah 18:4
"And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make."

We are human. And, there is constant conflict going on inside of us, because of our flesh. We fight the enemy on the outside, but, someone can attest to the fact that there is an even greater enemy on the inside of us. Some of what we seem to fight most are habits that we have created within ourselves.

Going into 2011, I've began a DAILY LOVE theme, "Extreme Makeover: The New Year's Edition", and the first question I want to ask is, "What are you willing to sacrifice to make a change?"

We are made of clay (flesh), and our flesh can never be perfect, but this doesn't mean that I shouldn't strive to be better. There is a saying, "Never tell me the sky is the limit when there are footprints on the moon."

So, to start off your extreme makeover, I challenge you to set goals. Remember that you are clay, but never forget that in this scripture, the clay was being formed into something. It was being formed into a vessel. So, even though you may not be where you are trying to go, continue to allow God to form and shape you.

You'll never know how far you can go as clay, until you have been made into a vessel.

DAILY LOVE FROM HIM ABOVE

I will trust in the Lord

Psalm 31:1

In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness.

God is a wonderful God. We often have dealt with people who have misused and abused our trust. But, God is someone we can put our trust in. He always goes over and above what we ask of Him.

Put all of your trust in God. Trust Him to deliver you from whatever you feel is weighing you down.

DAILY LOVE FROM HIM ABOVE

It's Good To be Covered

Psalm 32:1

Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.

God has been so good to us. It's amazing to know that the sins we have committed, that should have killed us....God has covered them.

So, as you go throughout your day, wondering why things are the way they are, remember that God has you covered. He will continue to keep you covered because you are His child.

God has called us blessed. He has forgiven us and covered our sins.

DAILY LOVE FROM HIM ABOVE

All In His Hands

Job 2:9 Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die. But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.


We try to control so much, and when it doesn't turn out like we think it should, we begin to stress out and worry. Then, worry turns into complaining.
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God showed me, if we stop trying to be the owner of our lives and let Him be God, when moves need to be made, He will make them. Not only that, we have to learn to do as the songwriter says and "accept what God allows."

That's not always easy to do, but why do we question God during testing time and never during blessing time?

So, when we trust God, it goes beyond day to day. We have to trust Him to carry us when when we cannot carry ourselves.



"I will trust in the Lord"

DAILY LOVE FROM HIM ABOVE

"I'm Trading My Worry for Worship."

Romans 8:18
"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."



This weekend has been one of great memory. And still, I received some news that rocked my world to the core. I left a celebration to spend the day at the hospital with family. I sat for hours in the waiting room dealing with the fact that my grandmother, my heart, may never wake up on this side. I couldn't forget that in May of 2009 I lost my grandfather.

Yet, I heard God ask me, "Am I still worthy?" I just sat there a while and looked around and all I saw was family. I found assurance, because I realized that my grandmother knew the God that asked me this question. My mind went to Roman 8:18. And I read "for I consider", which means that is not a random though,t you had to sit there and put some time into it. This scripture was not a question, it was an conclusion.

So, the rest was a final thought. "That the suffering of this present age" I'm going through, but I'm not through. I don't praise Him because He only gives me sunny days, He keeps me in the suffering of this present age.

"...is not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us " To say we will have suffering is an understatement. The glory is coming and when it is revealed in me, the trouble I have right now won't have anything on what He is about to do in me.

So, do I trust Him? Yes. Do I still praise Him? Yes, because the one thing I have learned in this life is, God knows what He is doing.

DAILY LOVE FROM HIM ABOVE

So, You're Going To Tell Me What I Said?

I recently witnessed a conversation between a mother and her daughter, who was about 8 years old. The daughter began to tell her mother that she wanted McDonald's for dinner. The mother said, "No, we're going somewhere else." The daughter then begin to argue, "Mom, but you said we would go to McDonald's."

Some things begin to go off in my mind, saying that this is how we should approach God sometimes. When we feel like things in our lives are going crazy, we can remind God that His word says, "Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but you will deliver us from them all." Instead of always asking God for a new thing, ask Him to do what He's already said in His word. Step out on God's word, and know that He will do what He said He would. His word is a firm footing to stand on.

So, the next time you have an issue or problem, and you don't know what to do, remind God of what He's already said. Speak God's word.

DAILY LOVE FROM HIM ABOVE

A Big Picture Praise

Romans 8:28
"For we know that all things work together for the good of them who love the Lord, to those who are called according to His purpose."


Sometimes we look to praise God only once He has delivered us out of something. The bible is filled with scriptures of others being delivered from things. Some times your praise has greater depth once you've been through something. The Hebrew boys were delivered out of the fiery furnace. Daniel was delivered out of the den of lions. Paul and Silas were delivered out of jail.

Through this, I've realized that God is able to keep us, even at times when we don't feel like we're being kept. Even in unfavorable situations, He's keeping you.

He's worthy to be praised!

As I have matured in life, I've found that there are two times when praise is necessary; when you feel like it and when you don't feel like it. When you feel like praising, you should because you recognize that God has been so good to you. When you don't feel like praising, you should because praise will turn your perspective around.

DAILY LOVE FROM HIM ABOVE

Think of His Goodness to You

When waves of affliction sweep over the soul, and sunlight is hidden from view....Whenever you're tempted to fret or complain, us think of His goodness to you.

You're only a thought away from having a good day. We spend too much time stressing about the negative. I often wondered how people can allow one negative thing to ruin their day. It doesn't matter how many good things have previously taken place, we allow the one bad thing to take over and ruin our day. We focus on it alone.

However, today I want to encourage you. Whenever you're tempted to complain, think of God's goodness. When you feel overwhelmed about where you are or where you think you should be, just think of His goodness to you.

You're only a thought away from having a good day.

DAILY LOVE FROM HIM ABOVE

Got to be right

Psalm 51:10
Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

This was a request made by the psalmist, David. He wanted to be cleansed by God. I believe that in this day and time, we don't all necessarily want to be right, we just want to be okay.

David knew he needed to be in right standing with God, and he knew that the heart he had needed to be cleansed.

We spend time in denial, instead of accepting the fact that we need to be made over. Though we get new mercies everyday, sometimes we need a clean heart. We need a transplant, because the heart we have has turned black. Not because we are such horrible people, but, just like a car needs a oil change every now and then, we need a cleansing.

So, let's ask God to create a clean heart in us, so that we may get back to Him.

DAILY LOVE FROM HIM ABOVE

Accept It

Mark 5:25
Now, a certain woman had an issue of blood for twelve years.



Sometimes in life we go through the motions of name-it and claim-it. In this generation, we've been taught to simply name your healing, claim your deliverance. However, there comes a point where we have to accept that there is a problem. What do you have to give God if you haven't accepted the fact that you need Him?

If the woman had not acknowledged the fact that she had an issue of blood, she would have never pressed her way to Jesus. So many times we pray for deliverance from the very thing that is meant to make us press our way to God.

This woman knew she had this illness for twelve years. She knew and appreciated the keeping power of God. Though she had been bleeding for twelve years, she hadn't bled to death, which says to us, no matter what we may be going through, we should thank God for His keeping power.

Throughout your day today, thank God for sustaining you, because, whatever it is that makes you press closer to God isn't that bad after all.

Just do it

John 2:5
His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it. ”


Some of the best advice that we could ever receive comes at the most awkward times. The verse was actually lifted out of the passage where Jesus turns water into wine. Mary is speaking to the servers. When I read it, I begin to think that this is the best advice, we as Christians, could ever have. Whatever Jesus says do, do it.

God doesn't always do exactly as we think He should or what we think He would, yet, Mary didn't know how Jesus was going to turn the water into wine. Likewise, we don't know how He's going to heal our issues or how He's going to work out our problems.

Whatever it is that you feel like you can't deal with, whatever He tells you to do, do it.

Sometimes we spend more time plotting, than praying. Then, we spend more time praying, than listening. God has answered us many times, but we're still on our knees talking, when we already know the answer. It's common to advise someone to pray when they need something from God. However, we should learn to hear from Him.

We may have an abundance of water and no wine. But, we can't get to the wine if we don't fill our water pots.

So, in order to get what you need from God. Go to Him and whatever He tells you to do, do it.

DAILY LOVE FROM HIM ABOVE