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SAUL/PAUL OF TARSUS
by Lewis E. Thomas Paul said, "I have learned, that whatsoever state I find myself in to therewith be content!" Everything that happened to Paul was "allowed by God" and was Heaven sent. The apostle Paul was stoned until all believed him to be dead! He escaped a murder plot by decending down a wall in a basket where-after he fled. Five times he was beaten with forty bloody lashes save one! Three times he was beaten with rods as he served God's holy son! He was shipwrecked, lost at sea and stranded somewhere on a savage isle! He spent years "wearing a chain" in prison and endured things cruel and vile! Paul counted his old life as "dung" after that "Heavenly Light" brought him to his knees! Paul had one desire afterwards and that was his Savior to please! Paul suffered with an infirmity in his body that God refused to heal! Because God was shaping Paul on His Heavenly "Potter's Wheel"! Many Christians today would abandon God if they faced those same firery trials and tests! They would fail to "see the hand of God" working through those beatings and arrests! Paul endured "great suffering" as he walked in God's "perfect will"! And Paul never had one feeling towards his Lord that one could call ill. Study the life of Paul of Tarsus and you will surely find! You have " no right or reason" to ever complain to God or to fuss and whine! Paul fought the good fight, he finished his course, he kept the faith to the end! Now he walks with God and Jesus in that "Land with no Sin"! Lewis E. Thomas As given by God on 11/17/2016 Philippians 4:11King James Version (KJV) 11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. 2nd Cor 11: 18 Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also. 19 For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise. 20 For ye suffer, if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour you, if a man take of you, if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you on the face. 21 I speak as concerning reproach, as though we had been weak. Howbeit whereinsoever any is bold, (I speak foolishly,) I am bold also. 22 Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I. 23 Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. 24 Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. 25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; 26 In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. 28 Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches. 2nd Cor 12: 7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. 8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. Phil 3: 4 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: 5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; 6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. 7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 8 Yea doubtless, and I count all t6hings but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, 9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. 12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. 13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Romans 8: 18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. James 1:2-8King James Version (KJV) 2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. Shaping: verb (used with object), shaped, shaping. 14. to give definite form, shape, organization, or character to; fashion or form. 15. to couch or express in words: to shape a statement. verb (used without object), shaped, shaping. 21. to come to a desired conclusion or take place in a specified way: If discussions shape properly, the companies will merge. Verb phrases 22. shape up, to assume a specific form: The plan is beginning to shape up. to evolve or develop, especially favorably. to improve one's behavior or performance to meet a required standard. to get oneself into good physical condition. (of longshoremen) to get into a line or formation in order to be assigned the day's work. THE POTTERS WHEEL The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words. Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it. Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel" (Jeremiah 18:1-6). Of course Jeremiah is addressing Israel in the passage; however we can also make personal application of the spiritual principle. We find in this passage that God is the potter and that we are the clay. At one point in time. the church that I was in had a man who was a potter who vividly illustrated this passage. First, the potter chooses the clay, but not just any clay. He chooses the clay that he wants to use for a particular vase. The word says that God chooses those who become Believers. "According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love" (Ephesians 1:4). He takes the clay and lays it on a board and begins to knead it as woman would dough. He adds water to the clay as he works and softens the clay. Again, God begins to add the water of the Word to our lives. "That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word" (Ephesians 5:26). Once the clay become pliable, it works it into a ball. Then he does what is called, "Throwing the pot." The potter literally takes the clay and throws it on to the middle of the potter wheel. God in the same fashion throws us into the middle of His will. The potter "throws" the ball of clay to make it stick in the middle of the wheel. If the clay doesn't stick to the wheel, then it will be thrown off as the potter turns the wheel. The potter begins to turn the wheel using the pressure of his hands to shape the vessel and also to help keep the clay in the middle of the wheel. In the same way God uses His hands to keep us in the middle of His will. If the potter turns the wheel too slow the vessel become lopsided. If he turns the wheel too fast, the clay will be thrown off the wheel. In like fashion, God knows just how fast to put us in different circumstances. Again, we should note that the potter uses the pressure of his hands both on the inside of the pot and on the outside to shape the vessel. God uses both external and internal pressures in our lives to help shape our lives as well. It is important to use water throughout the process to keep the clay moist and smooth. God uses His Word to keep us pliable and make the transitions in our lives smoother. We should note that the clay doesn't get to tell the pot what vessel that potter is to make or how that vessel is to be used. Neither do we get to tell God how He is to shape our lives or how He will use our lives. If the potter discovers a hard lump in the clay, he crushes the pot in his hand, puts the clay back on the board, adds water and begins all over with the clay. He doesn't simply throw the clay away. If God finds hardness in our lives, He also crushes us and begins to start all over adding the water of the Word to make us pliable and begins anew in shaping our lives. Once the potter has shaped the vessel into the shape and purpose for which he has chosen, then he takes a string or wire and cuts the vessel loose from the wheel and places it into the kiln to set the shape of the pot. He may also glaze the pot. God also puts us into the kiln of life to set the shape of our lives. Then he may also glaze us with glory. We should again remember that God is the potter. He has chosen us the clay and He has a purpose in shaping our lives the way that He does through the experiences which we experience. Your life is as unique from another person's life as one pot is unique from another. We should also remember that the potter makes each vessel not just to look pretty, but to be for the beneficial use for others. "But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand" (Isaiah 64:8). *** One interesting fact which a client pointed out to me is that only the potter can see what is deep inside the pot. "But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine" (Isaiah 43:1). "Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?" (Romans 9:20-21). ... Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |