TRANSPARENT AND WEAK VESSELS FOR HIS GLORY
4/07/22 TRANSPARENT AND WEAK VESSELS FOR HIS GLORY
Sometimes the Lord takes us through circumstances where He asks us to share our testimony in a way that makes us we feel vulnerable and naked. We want our testimonies to be pristine, without flaw and nicely colored within the lines. And yet God takes delight in pouring His glory through the weakest ones so that no man has reason to boast and take His rightful honor.
1 Corinthians 1:25-29 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 26 For you see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: 27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, has God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nothing things that are: 29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for you: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather boast in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
As I was pondering this, I heard the Lord say: Transparent vessel. For My glory. I immediately thought, God uses broken vessels for His glory and remembered the quote: Until I was broken, I was not open and I remembered the power of the broken jars when Gideon’s 100 men broke their jars in order for the flames in the hidden lamps to shine brightly.
Judges 7:19-20 So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and broke the pitchers that were in their hands. 20 And the three companies blew the trumpets, and broke the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands for blowing: and they cried, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon.
4/18/22 TRANSPARENT IS NOT NAKED
Today as I was pondering my recently being sent by Him and feeling vulnerable over my flaws and yet still being sent, I heard Him say this:
This is My daughter in whom I am not ashamed. Naked? No she is clothed in My glory. Rhema. Such a beautiful daughter. She has My heart. I sent her. Prophesy.
Luke 9:23-26 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. 25 For what is a man profited, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or suffer loss? 26 For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father’s, and of the holy angels.
He uses EVERY crack in our life for His glory when we are yielded to Him and available for His service! How amazing He is!!!
I was reminded of the cracked pot story:
THE CRACKED POT STORY
Author unknown
A water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole, which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it and 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 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 of water to his house.
Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments which was perfect for the task for which it was created. 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 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. I have been able to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don’t get full value from your efforts.”
The water bearer replied, “As we return to the master’s house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path. Do you notice that there are flowers only on your side of the path but not on the other pot’s side?”
“That is because I have always known about your flaw. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you have watered them. For two years, I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without your being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house.”
{end of story}
“For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.” (2 Cor 4:5-7 NKJV)
