The Potter, Genesis 2

Good Morning

Stand with me and lift up your bible and repeat after me.

This is my Bible.

I am what it says I am.

I can do what it says I can do.

I am going to learn how to be what it says I can be.

Today I will learn more of the word of God.

The indestructible, never ending, living word Of God.

I will never be the same.

I will never be the same.

In Jesus Name

FIRST THINGS FIRST

A young ensign had nearly completed his first overseas tour of duty when he was given the opportunity to prepare his ship to "Set Sail." With a stream of crisp commands, he had the decks buzzing with sailors and soon the ship churned slowly out of the channel.

The ensign's efficiency was remarkable. In fact, the talk was that he had set a new record for getting the ship underway.

But his captain was not as pleased. A message delivered to the young officer read, "My personal congratulations upon completing your underway preparation exercise according to the book and with amazing speed. But next time, you might wait until your captain is aboard before setting off."

What good is a ship without the captain? The ensign did all the right things, but he never did the most important thing.

It is a matter of priorities.

I know that I may accomplish a great deal every day.

I may do the right things, but am I doing the best things?

To borrow language from author Stephen Covey, “do I put first things first?”

With all that is transpiring in life today, maybe we need to slow down.

You just thought as I said that, “Slow down? Is he crazy? All the things I have to do.”

No. I am not.

I am just sharing.

Turn with me to the book of Genesis chapter 2 and say, “Amen” when you are there.

Let’s read verse 2 and 3.

Genesis 2:2. “By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so, on the seventh day he rested from all his work. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.”

Being fully alive in a relationship with Jesus Christ requires a deep relationship with the God.

All of us hunger for things that will take us to a deeper place with Christ.

It is a place where we taste meaning from life.

It is a change or the creation of a habit where we learn to believe that we can do things for ourselves as well as honoring God.

It requires changes in our lives

It is a transformation.

It is a renewal of strength.

It is being in awe of our God and what He has done in our lives.

It is forgiveness from those we have hurt and forgiving those that have hurt us..

It is hope of things to come.

It is companionship with the Lord and those we love.

It is peace, knowing that He is in control.

It is fulfillment by acknowledging Him for what he has already done.

It is intimacy with the Lord, listening and talking to Him.

It is stepping forward in the life that He is walking us through.

Those treasures and many more could be found in Jesus Christ if we are committed more than we have ever been.

This requires a commitment of the biggest things that we have in life.

Our heart.

Ancient mariners would find quiet water in which they could spend time and look at their compass and maps to decide where they would go next in their journey.

We all need to regularly stop and look at the compass in our heart.

We need to keep our eye on it and remember that every step is important.

Everything we do and every breath we take are things that are important.

If you have ever seen someone make pottery at a pottery wheel, it is not an easy thing to do.

You sit and get used to the wheel spinning and you learn that you are the one who controls the on and off switch and the speed of the wheel.

You place the clay in the center of the wheel and then start the process.

As the wheel turns, you can make the width and height of the pot that you are creating.

The faster the wheel goes, the faster you have to go with your part of moving your hands and fingers to create what you hope to make.

Life is like that.

We spin around and go at different speeds to try and accomplish what we want.

As we make our piece of pottery look better and better, we learn to shape and craft what we want to do.