December 29, 2010

• Rejoicing here on the Potter's Wheel (Psalm 66) | Letter 96 on assurance & joy

  
  Isaiah 29:13 Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men: 14  Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid. 15  Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the LORD, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us? 16  Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter's clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding?

  Jeremiah 18:1  The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, 2  Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words. 3  Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. 4  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. 5  Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 6  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.

  On the Potter's wheel
  You have placed me here
  You spin me
  I cry, My Father, Stop! This is trying. Have mercy on me!

  You cry, My daughter, Stop! My mercies cause me to spin you! I try you only if need be. I spin you only if need be. Remember how you prayed to know Me?

  Yes, Lord.

  This is My answer.
  Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee to take you out into a wealthy place!

  But verily You have heard me! You have attended to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, which has not turned away my prayer, nor His mercy from me!

  On the Potter's wheel
  You have placed me here
  You spin me hard
  I cry, My Father, Stop! This is too hard! Have mercy on me!

  You cry, My daughter, Stop! My mercies cause me to spin you hard! I try you only if need be. I spin you only if need be. Remember how you prayed to know Me?

  Yes, Lord.

  This is My answer.
  Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee to take you out into a wealthy place!

  But verily You have heard me! You have attended to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, which has not turned away my prayer, nor His mercy from me!

  On the Potter's wheel
  You have placed me here
  You spin me harder
  I cry, My Father, Stop! Do not break me! Have mercy on me!

  You cry, My daughter, Stop! My mercies cause me to spin you harder! I try you only if need be. I spin you only if need be. Remember how you prayed to know Me?

  Yes, Lord.

  This is My answer.
  Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee to take you out into a wealthy place!

  But verily You have heard me! You have attended to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, which has not turned away my prayer, nor His mercy from me!

  On the Potter's wheel
  You have placed me here
  You spin me even harder
  I cry, My Father, Stop! Do not forsake me. Have mercy on me!

  You cry, My daughter, Stop! My mercies cause me to spin you even harder! I try you only if need be. I spin you only if need be. Remember how you prayed to know Me?

  Yes, Lord.

  This is My answer.
  Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee to take you out into a wealthy place!

  But verily You have heard me! You have attended to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, which has not turned away my prayer, nor His mercy from me!

  On the Potter's wheel
  You have placed me here
  You spin me even harder still
  I cry, My Father, Stop! Do not cast me off. Cling to me. Have mercy on me!

  You cry, My daughter, Stop! My mercies cause me to spin you even harder still! I try you only if need be. I spin you only if need be. Remember how you prayed to know Me?

  Yes, Lord.

  This is My answer.
  Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee to take you out into a wealthy place!

  But verily You have heard me! You have attended to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, which has not turned away my prayer, nor His mercy from me!

  Here on the Potter's wheel, You, O God, are holding my soul.
  Here on the Potter's wheel, You, O God, will not let my feet slip.
  Here on the Potter's wheel, You, O God, are proving me.
  Here on the Potter's wheel, You, O God, are trying me, as silver is tried.
  Here on the Potter's wheel, You, O God, have brought me into the net.
  Here on the Potter's wheel, You, O God, have laid affliction upon my loins.
  Here on the Potter's wheel, You, O God, have caused men to ride over my head.
  Here on the Potter's wheel, You, O God, are sending me through the fire.
  Here on the Potter's wheel, You, O God, are sending me through water.
  Here on the Potter's wheel, You, O God, know the ending from the beginning.
  Here on the Potter's wheel, You, O God, are bringing me out into a wealthy place, a place of rich fulfillment.
  Here on the Potter's wheel, You, O God, are causing my cup to overflow, I do not want.

  Blessed are You, O my Father, You have not turned away my prayer, nor Your mercy from me.

  Here on the Potter's wheel, you who fear God, come and hear me.
  Here on the Potter's wheel, hear me declare what my God is doing for my soul here.
  Here on the Potter's wheel, O bless our the Lord our God with me, all His people, and let all the world hear His praise!
  Here on the Potter's wheel, even here, my God never fails to hear me and lead me and feed me like a Shepherd.

  
  Psalm 66:8  O bless our God, ye people, and make the voice of his praise to be heard: 9  Which holdeth our soul in life, and suffereth not our feet to be moved. 10  For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried. 11  Thou broughtest us into the net; thou laidst affliction upon our loins. 12  Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place. 13  I will go into thy house with burnt offerings: I will pay thee my vows, 14  Which my lips have uttered, and my mouth hath spoken, when I was in trouble. 15  I will offer unto thee burnt sacrifices of fatlings, with the incense of rams; I will offer bullocks with goats. Selah. 16  Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul. 17  I cried unto him with my mouth, and he was extolled with my tongue. 18  If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me: 19  But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer. 20  Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.

  "On October 7th [1836] the chapel was opened, Bernard [Gilpin] preaching from the 66th Psalm, "Blessed be God which hath not turned away my prayer nor His mercy from me". Referring also to the methods by which God teaches and perfects His work of mercy, set forth at large in that Psalm - "Thou, O God, hast proved us; Thou hast tried us as silver is tried . . ." and through all this God brings His people into "a wealthy place". This wealthy place is verily spiritual enlargement in Christ."

  – "More than Notion," by J.H. Alexander, (London: Fauconberg Press, 1961), 138.

  Isaiah 40:9 O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God! 10  Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. 11  He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.

  Psalm 78:70  He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds: 71  From following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance. 72  So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.

  I Peter 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4  To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, 5  Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6  Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: 7  That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: 8  Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: 9  Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

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  Related:

  Psalms 23, 66
  I Peter 1:1-9; James 1:1-18; Zechariah 9:9; Hebrews 12:1-17
  Micah 5:1-6, Matthew 2:5-6; Isaiah 40

  end of the year ... in the midst of heartbreak
  All things (even bad things) work together for good...
  The Often Unwanted but Necessary Gift: The Gift of the Broken Heart
  What is your attitude toward trials and sufferings? ~ Whitefield's Journals
  The story of Job: bad luck, God's sovereign will or ?
  Lent V. - You follow me! (Are we steadfastly setting our faces to His will?)
  my 3rd Xangaversary: "His grace abounded to this chief of sinners"
  Advent #1 WHY HAS JESUS COME? that we might have life & life more abundantly
  Advent #4 WHY HAS JESUS COME? "I have not come to bring peace, but a sword"
  suffering & temptation provide us with "constant errands to go to Jesus" (M'Cheyne)
  temptation
  the two yokes
  some reflections about prayer
  Do My Prayers Glorify God?
  Where do you go when the world is unlovely? (Psalm 84 & the theology of Biblical counseling)

  My other letters on assurance & fighting for joy including:

  Letter 16 - to have fullness of joy I must be about my Father's business
  Letter 24 on assurance and fighting for joy (the Father's discipline)
  Letter 25 on assurance and fighting for joy (a strong craving ≠ His joy)
  Thank you, Lord Jesus, for . . . (Letter 30 on assurance & fighting for joy)
  a conversation with Jesus about trials & joy (Letter 34 on assurance & fighting for joy)
  Shall we not drink the cup the Father has given us? (Letter 53 on assurance & fighting for joy)
  O prowling lion, Know this ... O my downcast soul, Know this (letter 57 on assurance & joy)
  Will you finish your course with joy? (Acts 20:24) - letter 71 on assurance & joy
  Doubting one, do you know Me as a rewarder? | letter 78 on assurance & fighting for joy

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