Tag Archives: Jesus

God the Master Potter

Posted on November 11, 2012 | Leave a comment

“…….”You are our Father; we are the clay, and You our potter; and all we are the work of Your hand.” (Isaiah 64:8)

The potter was working the clay and suddenly he threw it back on the bench. It was too hard and needed water, so he started all over again.  The final result was an elegant Japanese teacup which the potter put into the hot kiln for a few hours. When the teacup had been fired, one could see the image of the crown princess of Japan.

The Bible says that God is the Master potter . We, like the clay, become stubborn and resist when God is molding us to fit His design. We, like the clay, have hard hearts and  parched spirits due to a lack of obeying His Word. He may have to begin again and again to teach us the same lesson until we “get it”.When, like the Japanese image, we are held up to the light, others will be able to see the image of Jesus in us. So do not despair–the best is yet to come as long as we remain in the Potter’s hand……..    (Judy Whittaker)

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God With Us

Posted on October 19, 2012 | Leave a comment

Due to a serious illness I haven’t written a Bible message for four months. Now that I am in recovery I would like to share with you some of my spiritual reflections on my journey from illness to good health:

God strengthened me when I was so weak I couldn’t even walk. “Wait on the Lord; be of good courage and he shall strengthen your heart…” (Psalm 27:14

God taught  me that there is a time to rest. “Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him.” (Psalm 37:7)

God brought me to the “river of living water” by a visit from a pastor friend who sang “Amazing Grace”, a Eucharistic minister who presented me with a  Gideon Bible ,and  a praise and worship band.

God showed me His love through family and friends who prayed and comforted me. “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” (James 5:16)

God inspired me with card messages, flowers, and encouraging words. “Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy–meditate on these things.( Philippians 4:8)

And now that I am in recovery God sends me to bring His healing light to others and share His Word with the hurting and the lost. ” Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord for as much as you know that your labor is not in vain. (1Corinthians 15:58)

I believe that God spared my life because my work on earth is not yet finished. I must continue to serve Him until Jesus calls me home. There is so much to do–what about you? ” Let  your light shine before men so that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)   Judy Whittaker

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Come to Jesus

Posted on May 3, 2012 | 1 Comment

Jesus said, “Come to me all who are burdened and heavy laden and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)

When we come to Jesus wonderful things happen!

One Sunday morning about 20 years ago I was fidgeting in my church pew trying to decide whether to respond to an altar call. Suddenly I broke down and cried, thinking I wasn’t worthy enough to go receive my salvation because there was too much sin in my life. The lady next to me (a total stranger), put her hand on my shoulder and said to me, “Jesus wants you to come to him just as you are. Come to Jesus.” I got up from my seat and with shaky legs walked to the altar, knowing that I would never be the same again.  I came to Jesus that day and received forgiveness for my sins. He still lives in my heart today.

A woman who had a bleeding problem for 12 years came to Jesus, touched the hem of his robe, and was immediately healed. (Matthew 9:20-22) This woman came to Jesus and received a physical healing.

Crowds of hungry people came to Jesus and he fed them because he had compassion on them. (Matthew 14:14-16) These people came to Jesus and received a provision.

Peter came to Jesus and was able to walk on the water-until he took his eyes of Jesus and began to sink and Jesus had to rescue him. (Matthew 14:28-29) Peter came to Jesus and received a miracle of faith.

The lepers, the lame, the blind, and the deaf came to Jesus and he healed them. (Matthew 15:31) They came to Jesus and were healed of their physical handicaps.
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Little children came to Jesus and received love. (Matthew 19:13-15)

Mary Magdalene came to Jesus and he cast out 7 evil spirits from her.  (Luke
8:2)  Mary came to Jesus and received deliverance. and was the first to see Jesus in His resurrected body! (Mark 16:9)

Jesus meets us where we are at, but this doesn’t mean that if we come to him that we will receive what we desire—–only if our request is in accordance with His will. To God, our spiritual healing is much more important than our physical healing. Will he heal our ailments, provide for us, deliver us, etc. ? Maybe, but He is under no obligation to do this. After all he is God and His ways are a lot higher than our ways.

When we  come to Jesus, we will always be blessed in some way. What is your blessing? You’ll never know unless you come  and see! (Judy Whittaker)

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Reflections of His Light

Posted on April 26, 2012 | 2 Comments


Before we knew God we lived in darkness (sinful nature), but when we follow Jesus we live in God’s Light. How can that be?

The Bible says that Jesus is the light of the world and those who follow Him will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life. (John 8:12) Light dispels darkness.

Jesus tells us that not only do believers have His light inside of us, but that we are called to be  the light of the world! (Matthew 5:14) This is a pretty difficult command since the world wallows in darkness—sin, greed, lust, and unbelief. Yet we are called to reflect the light of Jesus, the same way the moon reflects the sun’s light.

We become light reflectors by staying close to God, doing good works in Jesus’ name, and developing the character of Jesus. Even our suffering causes us to see the face of God more clearly so we can be better reflectors of His light. “Let your light shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)

Our light shines brightest when our sins have been confessed and forgiven. Any unconfessed sin casts a shadow on our light, and if our sin remains we may return to the darkness. “If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from unrighteousness.(1John 1:9)

Those who come to the light desire truth. In Jesus’ time many people did not respond to His light because their deeds were evil and they loved the darkness.

Making a decision to follow Christ is not easy. It will cost us something, just as it cost Jesus everything. But it’s worth it—isn’t it?  (Judy Whittaker)

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I Can’t—–But God Can

Posted on April 20, 2012 | Leave a comment

“And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain and his disciples came to him. And he taught them saying……” (Matthew Chapters 5,6,7)

In his sermon on the mount, Jesus shows us that His absolute standards are impossible to reach. The best people will always fall short. We can never measure up to God’s righteousness. Our behavior might be excellent but God knows the motive behind our actions.

The sermon on the mount sets goals toward which followers of Jesus Christ must strive to attain. It is not an ideal whereby we must be perfect and give up because we’re not, but the goal is to help us master a new way of life.

As we glimpse who we really are, we mourn. According to what is required in the sermon on the mount, we see ourselves as spiritually bankrupt, desperately in need of God’s forgiveness and grace.

And this is just where God wants us! He can’t use us if we are puffed up in our own glory. We need to be emptied,broken, humble–like clay in the Master Potter’s hand to be shaped into the likeness of Christ. When we realize we cannot live up to God’s standards, we also realize that we need God in our life. In fact the Bible describes our own righteousness as “filthy rags.”. We only become right with God because of what Jesus did on the cross for us. He took our sins, died in our place, and is now alive in heaven. He gives those who trust in Him the gift of eternal life and makes us right with God.

The sermon on the mount illustrates the need for God in our life. I wouldn’t want to be without Him for one minute!  Would you? (Judy Whittaker) 

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Unforgiveness—The Enemy Within

Posted on April 5, 2012 | Leave a comment

“….forgiving one another even as Christ has forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4:32)

Joseph was his father’s favorite son of his old age and was hated by his jealous brothers. So they decided to kill him. One of his brothers showed mercy and convinced the other brothers to spare his life and throw him in a pit with no water instead. Arab traders came along, rescued Joseph from the pit, and sold him to the pharaoh of Egypt’s captain of the guard.

Years passed and because Joseph loved the Lord, God raised him up through many trials to be second to the pharaoh in governing Egypt. Due to a harsh famine in Israel, Joseph’s brothers came to him to beg for food. They didn’t know he was Joseph but Joseph recognized his brothers. He forgave them for their cruel conspiracy against him, gave them food and land, and said, “What you meant for evil, God meant for good.” (Genesis 50:20)

Forgiveness is a process. We can’t forgive by ourselves, but with God working through us we can. Unforgiveness is like a cancer that attacks our spirit, generating hate, resentment, and bitterness in our soul. When we forgive, we are free from the bondage of sin. Yes, according to the Bible, unforgiveness is a sin. “But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.” (Mark 11:26)

On the cross, after being brutally beaten, Jesus said, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34) If we want to be more like Jesus we must learn to forgive, even if the other person doesn’t apologize. When we do not forgive we hold something against someone—as if that person owes us something. Andy Stanley, a noted theologian, pastor, and author wrote, “The essence of forgiveness is a decision to cancel a debt.”

Forgiving someone does not mean that all the breaches in the broken down walls of the relationship have to be restored, setting ourselves up for possibly more hurts and disappointments. We don’t want to allow ourselves to be doormats either. It simply means letting go and moving on if necessary.

When we forgive, we are forgiven. It is as simple and as complex as that. (Judy Whittaker)

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The Second Mile

Posted on March 28, 2012 | Leave a comment

“Whoever shall compel you to go a mile, go with him two.” (Matthew 5:41)

During the Roman Empire, when a Roman soldier wanted a Jewish boy to carry his pack for a mile, the boy would .have to obey. However he would never be required to carry the pack for more than a mile. That was until Jesus’ radical teaching  required those who were compelled to go one mile now  go two!

Jesus tells us to go the second mile. Not literally  in our culture, but symbolically, meaning for us to do a little more than what is expected. Jesus knew we couldn’t have an abundant life without going the second mile. The blessing that comes from it leaves a deposit of happiness on our heart. Also by traveling the second mile we influence others to do so as well.

God went the second mile when He gave His Son Jesus. God had created a perfect world with a guidebook that showed how to live it, but man turned away from God. So God sent Jesus to die for us.He travels with us on our second mile.

The next time we are asked by God to do something, let us do it wholeheartedly,then wait and see what happens.There is a blessing in heaven waiting just for you!  See you on the second mile……(Judy Whittaker)

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Rest in God

Posted on March 14, 2012 | Leave a comment

“For in him we live and move and have our being.” (Acts 17:28)

Why do so many of us babies grow into restless adults , always wanting more —more toys, more money. more possessions, more power, etc., instead of appreciating what we already have? If we could only be more like Paul who wrote while in prison, “…for I have learned in whatever state I am to be content.”(Philippians 4:11) Paul realized that only God’s presence could satisfy the longing in his soul.

We are like the child on the beach who is trying to make a swimming pool out of sand and the water keeps seeping out. Then he finally discovers that right in front of him is a huge swimming pool–the ocean! He dives in and is content.

We strive after the wind to find that there is only one desire and fulfillment–the presence of God. In Him is perfect rest. If we build our nest on human effort we remain rest-less, but if we build on the foundation of the greatness of God, we will be satisfied and at peace. Our restlessness impels us to seek the goal of divine rest. It is the force that carries us forward until we find ourselves in the arms of Jesus. What a comforting place to be! (Judy Whittaker)

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Reap the Harvest!

Posted on March 7, 2012 | Leave a comment

“In the morning sow your seed………..” (ecclesiastes 11:6)

Where I live it’s almost spring—a time for seed catalogues and  redirecting our focus from indoor to outdoor planning.  The more time we spend in designing the gardens , choosing our seeds carefully, and watering the delicate plants, the better chance of having an array of colorful blossoms from May to October.

In order to have an abundant harvest the farmer must choose wisely what to plant and where, long before the ground is ready for sowing. He keeps in mind an old biblical saying, “Whatever a man sows he will reap.” (Galatians 6:7)

Uncultivated ground will not remain a vacuum for long because nature will bring forth a primitive plant life, and in a few days there will be a crop of weeds decorating the landscape. Our mind is like the barren field. If we sow our thoughts carefully, there wan’t be any room for “weeds” or an unproductive life. We can choose what we wish to experience. If we wish to have our needs met and our prayers answered, we have to decide what crops to raise. Let us plant seeds of hope, joy, peace, and faith that will produce strong crops that will withstand the forces of nature.

Jesus spoke in parables about vineyards, fig trees, mustard seeds, olive branches, etc. because he knew that the people were in touch with the world around them and they would be able to understand his message.We also can learn a lot by observing the order of God’s creation and the cause and effect patterns left by the footprints of man. God created a perfect world; it is man who is destroying it as he plants the seeds of greed, lust, and self-exaltation. 

We need to cultivate seeds of goodness, righteousness, and  wholesome thoughts.  Paul wrote, “ …whatever things are true,honest, just, pure, lovely, and of a good report, think on these things.” Philippians 4:8) There is no room for negativity in God’s kingdom, and to be able to sow good seed we must pray to our Creator, heed God’s Word, and make every thought obedient to Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:5)  So as the fallow ground is being prepared, choose your thoughts wisely. Then you will reap the harvest! (Judy Whittaker)

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The Word of God

Posted on February 16, 2012 | 1 Comment

God spoke the Word and the earth and heavens were made. (Genesis 1) The Word is like rain and snow coming down from heaven, watering the earth, giving “seed to the sower and bread to the eater.” (Isaiah 55:10,11,12) The Word becomes a tree and the birds of the air lodge in its branches.

Flowers, in order to find air and breathe, break through rocks with a pulverizing force, just like the Word pierces through the soul. It sharpens the believer for prayer and from sin as a whetstone sharpens a tool. (Psalm 119:28) “Is not my Word like a fire and a hammer which breaks the rock in pieces?” (Jeremiah 23:29)

Faith grows by hearing the Word of God .(Romans 10:17), and according to the Bible, Jesus is the Word that became flesh and dwelt among us. (John 1:1,14)

The Word is like a bottomless sea, and the more we explore its caverns, the deeper we want to go……. (Judy Whittaker)

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