"But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you our potter, and we all the work of your hand"

"Behold, as the clay is on the potter's hand, so are you in my hand"

"Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor?"

We all start out as "earth,  without form, and void" until the Master Potter gets his hands on us. But lots of water is needed to keep us soft enough that he may shape us - by his own hands into the vessels he desires us to be. Humility  is the water that keeps the clay of our hearts soft and pliable  - and our tears, mixed with his own.

If we harden our hearts we can never become who he made us to be. We can never be remade in his image.  

If we're too hard, we must be shattered into a thousand tiny pieces  - then thrown in the fire of affliction  till we're melted again,  and able to be reshaped again. 

 How does Jesus recognize those who are His? Those who are truly following Him, not the spirit of this world? He sees the scars. His soldiers are covered in scars -  for they've been attacked,  again and again.  Their footseps are filled with blood, like His were. He sees them bearing their Cross  -  as He did. He sees them crucified on it by the lost and by their own brethren, yet they willingly continue to bear the sins of those crucifying them for the same reason He did -  love. He sees them excommunicated from the thoughts of all mankind,  their names cursed by men, as His is.

Oh God  -  You are my God  -

                and i will ever love You.

Oh God,  You are my God - 

                 and no other god will do.

You are the only God who loves me. 

You are the only God who cares.

You'll always be above me,

                  my heart will always be Yours to share.

Oh God, You are my God -

                  my mind is fixed on Thee  -

Oh God, You are my God,

                   I'll love you through Eternity. 

                   Please keep my heart from failing 

                    to do whatever You please,

                  and step by step You'll lead me

                   in all that is good and holy.

 "Show me Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth"

In Yellowstone National Park every single year, people stray off the paths and they die. The paths are clearly marked and they are warned repeatedly  -  when they arrive,  when they check in, in brochures,  numerous signs along the paths - DON'T LEAVE THE PATH! DANGER! Yet, every year, people do -  and they die. The same thing happens in the Grand Canyon.  

In this life  -  we must all heed the warnings the Holy Spirit gives us -  when we stray off the path of Life -  the path of righteousness He puts us on. For if we do, we will die. And yet many do. Every year, many do. Don't be one of the many - be one of the few. Stay in His presence,  don't find a fig leaf to hide behind. 

"You will show me the path of life: in Your presence is fulness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forever more"

Don't do as the many do,

instead be one of the few.

Don't stray where the many stray,

but on God's path remain. 

The road may be lonely. 

The road may be long.

You may be the only

one doing right not wrong,

but in the end it's worth

all the heartache,  all the hurt,

for the pleasures of the Lord -

they last forevermore;

while the pleasures of sin

are very soon ending.....

 People who aren't humble or teachable will cut you off -  if you try to teach them. They do not seek wisdom nor welcome it when they hear it -  and they'll start avoiding you, hardening their hearts against you. Wisdom often contains correction.  Which is why many pastors stop sharing wisdom-  they refuse to bring correction because it offends people and they will leave the church. So many pastors preach watered down sermons -  sometimes void of truth -  so people won't get upset and leave. "I'd rather preach truth to an audience of one than falsehoods to an audience of thousands".

"He that rebukes a man afterwards shall find more favour than he that flatters with the tongue "

"Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser; teach a just man and he will increase in learning"

"A fool hates reproof"

"They that seek the Lord understand all things"

"Show me Your ways, O Lord, teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth"

 One of the primary results of preaching the Gospel is not salvation but damnation.  The Lord knows those who are His. They are predestined to receive salvation through the preaching of the Word. But God doesn't say "preach the Gospel to those I choose for you to speak to" -  no, He says "preach the Gospel to every creature ". "He that believes and is baptized (in the Spirit,  not just water) shall be saved; but he that believes not SHALL BE DAMNED".  See, if everyone hears the Gospel  - then they are without excuse.  If a donkey's tongue will speak God's words but a man refuses to, he is without excuse. If even the rocks cry out when they see the Gospel,  but man refuses to,  he is without excuse.  So remember  -  you who preach the Gospel to every creature,  those who are predestined to damnation  will run from you, hide from you, if they can and many will crucify you, with their thoughts and with their tongues, and some day on crosses again,  perhaps.