Jars of Clay

A water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on each end of a pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, and while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the master's house, the cracked pot arrived only half full. For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water in his master's house. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect to the end for which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do.

After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream. "I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you." "Why?" asked the bearer. "What are you ashamed of?" "I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your master's house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don't get full value from your efforts," the pot said.

The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his compassion he said, "As we return to the master's house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path."

Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it some. But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because it had leaked out half its load, and so again it apologized to the bearer for its failure.

The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of your path, but not on the other pot's side? That's because I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you've watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master's table. Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house."

Each of us has our own unique flaws. We are all cracked pots. But if we will allow it, the Lord will use our flaws to grace His Father's table. In God's great economy, nothing goes to waste.
So as we seek ways to minister together, and as God calls you to the tasks He has appointed for you, don't be afraid of your flaws. Acknowledge them, and allow Him to take advantage of them, and you, too, can be the cause of beauty in His pathway.

Go out boldly, knowing that in our weakness we find His strength, and that "In Him every one of God's promises is a Yes".

Shalom till Monday!
Anina

From a guest to God

Yesterday day’s jars of clay, made me think of the first miracle Jesus ever preformed.

It was at a wedding in Cana. The wine supply ran out during the festivities so Jesus’ mother told him, “They have no more wine.” “Dear woman, that’s not our problem,” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.” But his mother told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” 

Firstly it is interesting to note that Jesus initially said no, but because of His mother’s faith in Him she told the servants to do whatever He tells them. Jesus honored her, not only because of her faith, but primarily because Jesus will never go against the Word. He honored His mother – as the Bible commands us to do!

Standing nearby were six stone water jars, used for Jewish ceremonial washing. Each could hold twenty to thirty gallons. So Jesus told the servants to fill the jars to the full with water.

Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.”

The water in the six stone jars was turned into wine!

The pots needed to be filled up to the brim – in the same we need to be filled up with God’s presence. A filled up vessel, is a vessel ready for a miracle.

A filled up vessel is a person who not only invited Jesus as a guest in their life, but allow Him to be God in every part of your life!

John 2:11(NLT) says:

 ¹¹ This miraculous sign at Cana in Galilee was the first time Jesus revealed his glory. And his disciples believed in him.

Make sure Jesus is not only a guest in your life. Invite Him to fill you to the full each and every day then He will reveal His glory through you and miracles will take place!

Shalom!

Anina

Does God love me?

A few years ago, when I was really going through some tough times, I wondered if God really loved me.

I knew the Bible said He loved me and I heard many sermons on God’s love for His children; in fact, I think I even preached a sermon on the love of God!

There is however a big difference between knowing something and really experiencing it. At that stage I only had head knowledge about the love of God. To make matters worse, because of circumstances I did not feel worthy enough to be loved by Him!

It wasn’t until I read 2 Corinthians 4:7a(NIV) that I started to experience God’s love for me:

 ⁷ But we have this treasure in jars of clay…

I could identify with the “jars of clay” part; I knew I was just a broken vessel. But it totally blew my mind that there was a treasure inside of me and this treasure was actually God Himself! He, the Creator of heaven and earth, Almighty, all-knowing, was living inside of me!

This was the beginning of experiencing something of His love for me – knowing that He lives inside of me. But still there was some doubt about Him loving me…

One day, I took some guts to ask Him myself (you can actually do that). “Lord, how can I really know that you love me?”

The answer was simple, but it was enough to let me experience His love: “How can I not love you Anina, I live inside of you and I AM Love!”

We have this treasure of Love living inside of us… how can we not be loved?

Shalom!

Anina

What if I ask wrong?

Yesterday we saw that if you live and remain in Him and His Word, you will be able to ask according to His will, and it will be done for you!

But what happens if we ask something that is not His will? Will He be angry, will He reject our prayers or just withdraw His presence from us?

My daughter is seven years old and I love her to pieces! She’s my only child, so you can just imagine… she usually gets what she wants. But off course there are limits! Whenever she asks for something that is not beneficial or good for her, or it is just the wrong timing – there is just one thing I do… I say no! I am not angry; I do not reject her or send her away, I just say no!

Job 33:14 in the Message says:

 God always answers, one way or another…

Many a times we are confused when we ask God something and we don’t get what we’ve asked for. But, just like children, we don’t always know the best and we sometimes ask things that might not be beneficial for us.

God is however not angry at our requests. You are your heavenly Father’s child. You are allowed, as a child, to ask Him anything. This does not mean He will say yes to each and every request. Unfortunately the answer sometimes might be no!

No matter what you pray, God will always answer you. The New Living Translation says God speaks again and again, people just don’t recognize it. Verse 15 to 19 says He speaks through dreams and visions. He whispers in your ears, He warns and will sometimes even speak to you through sickness.

Whatever you have asked Him – He will answer you, one way or another. Just know that if you ask wrong and it’s not according to His will, the answer from your loving Father, will just be a no!

Ultimately He knows best!

Shalom!

Anina

Ask whatever you will…

Yesterday evening Kobus had a very interesting sermon – to be filled up with the Word of God.

One of the Scriptures he used is one of those that I have always wandered about:

John 15:7b(AMP)

…ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you.

If the Bible says, we can ask whatever we will, and it shall be done, why is it that we sometimes ask some things, and it is not done…?

The problem with this Scripture, like many others, is that it is read out of context. The beginning of this Scripture it vital to the understanding:

John 15:7(AMP)

⁷If you live in Me [abide vitally united to Me] and My words remain in you and continue to live in your hearts, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you.

You have to live in Him and His Words need to live in your heart!

You might say: “Well, I am in Him and I read His Word! Now I can ask whatever I want to!”

The way you will know that you are in Him and His Words live in your heart, is that your prayers will be in alignment with His will. You will not ask anything that is not His will, because you will pray according to His Word! You will pray out of your heart, and your heart will be full of the Word of God!

How do you live in Him? By asking Him to dwell inside of you through His Spirit!

How does His Words remain and continue to live in you? By reading the Word of God daily and allowing the Word into your heart!

Live and remain in Him and His Word! Then you will be able to ask according to His will, and it will be done for you!

Shalom!

Anina

He walks with me...

What a better way to end-off this week than with a song about His footprints, Him walking with you...                            


                                   

Shalom!
Anina

Different kind of footprints

Today I want to look at footprints from a different angle. Footprints are made in the sand, but as soon the waves comes over it, it withers. Soon the footprint will fade and nobody will ever know there was a footprint.

There are however some kind of footprints that are not so easily faded!

Flavia Weedn said: “Some people come into our lives and leave footprints on our hearts and we are never ever the same.”

The words people will speak to you will leave marks on your hearts. These marks will change you!

Eleanor Roosevelt said: “Many people will walk in and out of your life. But only true friends will leave footprints in your heart.”

I want to say; only true friends will leave pleasant footprints! Unfortunately there are also people that come barging into our lives with big boots, almost trampling on our hearts. Leaving footprints that hurt our hearts!

Proverbs 18:21(AMP) says

²¹Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it [for death or life].

Every word you speak leaves footprints in people’s hearts. These footprints make marks of death or life in a person’s heart.

Every condemning word you speak brakes down, destroys and hurts a person. Every uplifting word however will leave a mark that will leave the person with love and acceptance!

What kind of footprints are you leaving in people’s hearts? Remember, these prints will stay in a person’s heart! No way of taking back a reckless word. Think before you speak and know every word will leave a footprint!

Be a true friend that leaves pleasant footprints on a person’s heart!

Shalom!

Anina