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The Pottery Maker

  • Then I went down to the potter's house, and behold, he was making something on the wheels. When the vessel that he made of the clay was marred in the hand of the potter, he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it. Then Yahweh's word came to me, saying, 'House of Israel, can't I do with you as this potter?' Jeremiah 18:3 WEB

    I was always amazed at how beautiful the pieces of pottery were when they came out of the kiln. A friend of mine owned a potter's wheel and was always making something beautiful. She was efficient and never wasted resources.

    If the plate that she was making got ruined, she would just take it back to the wheel and add a little water. In a few minutes she would spin a work of art out of the mess of clay. When she had it just like she wanted, she would hand paint it with a glaze then heat it in a furnace. After being heated, it would always come out so beautiful.

    Many of us have become wrecked works of art. We start out with so much potential and promise but all of that can become broken. The dreams that we once had can be shattered into a million pieces. What was once beautiful, can become dark despair. You then begin to wonder whether you should get out of bed at all.

    Know today that the Lord is able to put you back together. No matter what your life looks like now, there is still hope, there is still a future for you better than you ever expected. When the furnace comes on, do not panic, it is just part of the process. I have seen God take my broken life, and put it back together. He will do it for you as well.

    Prayer: Father, mold me into what You think would work best for I know that You are always right. You can see the big picture of time where I can only see what has passed. Lead me out and I will follow. Fix it Lord, in the name of Jesus Christ I pray.

    Note: Happy Sunday and thank you so much for being part of Refreshing Hope Ministries! We so appreciate each of you for taking part in this devotional and in our online church. Your prayers, participation, and support mean more to us than you can know. As always, if you are in need of prayer, please send in your requests by clicking on the Prayer link in the site menu. We and our prayer team would love to lift you up. Have a blessed and restful Sabbath!

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62 comments
  • 1
Martin Snyder
Martin Snyder At the end of your note you say, "Have a blessed and restful Sabbath!". I did have a blessed and restful Sabbath yesterday, on the true Sabbath established by the creator on the last day of the creation week. Note that it was also Passover of which Jesus said, "Do this in rememberance of me." The influence of the appostate church of the Roman Empire has done it's best to pervert everything pertaining to God's chosen people and it makes me want to vomit. They even have Jesus crucified in effigy hanging over their alter in their trophy room they call a "sanctuary". How much more blatant could their conatempt of God be?
April 24, 2016
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Dion Todd
Dion Toddedited: April 24, 2016 Thank you for sharing Martin. I am sorry that mentioning the word Sabbath in the note offended you. From now on we will try to use the word "Sunday" in its place which is technically correct. But please understand that we attend church on Sunday here, always have, and probably always will. If you go to our church on Saturday you will only find the janitor there. Also we are not the first to do this, Paul and the disciples met on the first day of the week, had communion (the breaking of bread) and then he gave a message that lasted until midnight. So let us not look for reasons to disagree. “Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight.” (Acts 20:7 NKJV)
April 24, 2016
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<i>Deleted Member</i>
Deleted Memberedited: April 24, 2016 I too go to church on Sunday, always have, I had a friend that went on Saturday, but that didn't make us have differences between us, we all worship the same God, so our Sunday is what we call our Sabbath, God bless you Pastor Dion for being so kind when others try to hurt and cause conflict. Love y'all so much. Blessings to y'all on our Sabbath. 
April 24, 2016- Edit- Delete
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Twila Stierwalt
Twila Stierwalt Old things will pass away, behold all things will become new. The Body of Christ the new corporate church was for the Jews and gentiles. God gave Paul a new gospel, the gospel of grace. Jesus Christ death and resurection, was to all, to the Jews first and then to the gentiles. The Jews did meet on Saturday, the Jewish sabbath, and some still do. when the new came the first Christians were meeting daily reading Gods word and fellowshiping together. I believe that as a Christian I can meet any day to worship, but I just take a day and rest and go to worship on sunday, because I am not under the law, It isn't meet to be kept as a sabbath, where nothing could be done, no work of any kind. The Jews were telling Jesus He should not even heal any one on the sabbath. They did not understand the new freedom in Christ,  of the new gosple of Grace. What is really important is to love one another, as Jesus Christ loved us.
April 24, 2016
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Cheryl Hepler
Cheryl Hepler Yes, I hear you.  I had different Nuns as friends and I am not Catholic.  I attended a Lutheran Church my Dad brought us to(my brother & I).  I had a lot of questions growing up.  Confusion too.  I quit cathechism too.  I didn't fit.  They help me know it.  I visited a Catholic Church with my friend.  When it came to communion I wasn't allowed to take it.  I was a definite outcast.  The ladies I knew who were nuns I respected.  I enjoyed them for theirselves not their belief system.  They talked about Jesus too.  Yet later I felt great sadness & hurt when sitting with some Christians & Catholics a question of how we see Jesus & they are taught as to how they look at Jesus is diiferent right...they said to my nun friends?  The nuns looked at me & my Chrisitian friends and said yes to those Catholic ladies.  The nuns looked at me then put their heads down.  A great hurt came over me & my friends.  Wonder why we were there?  A book reading group where they were reading Forty Days of Prayer.  We thought it would be interesting.  The shunning that took place was great.  The Catholic ladies in the group did not know we weren't 't Catholic.  My nun friends left it as such.  Never returned.  I knew the belief system was different yet in friendship I never experienced it.  The Lord lives them.  He is use to being an outcast among the religious.  He said on the cross "forgive them for they know not what they do".  Many years I knew not what I was dong.  What is the difference?  Soo many religions....it's as bad as politics.  Nothing I want to enter.  I know to serve Him, read His Word, reflect Him as I go along the day & forgive one another as the Father in Heaven forgives me.  The rest is His to take care of for I have enough on my plate now.  That's all I have strength today for & tonite, etc.   He's got the whole world in His hands...I am glad!   
April 25, 2016
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David and Dianna Wyles
David and Dianna Wyles Amen! Thank you:) I must be in the fire still ;) No good things are happening but with every good step I am getting hit with some hard resistence. Satan likes it that way I guess. Standing strong on the promises of a good future with God's plan for me! Thank you for this inspired message. Pastor's Prayer: Father, mold me into what You think would work best for I know that You are always right. You can see the big picture of time where I can only see what has passed. Lead me out and I will follow. Fix it Lord, in the name of Jesus Christ I pray.
April 24, 2016
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<i>Deleted Member</i>
Deleted Member Prayers going up for you my precious friend. It's going to be alright. God has great plans. Love you bunches.
April 24, 2016- Edit- Delete
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Twila Stierwalt
Twila Stierwalt God will mold you into exactly what He wants you to be. He formed you in your mothers womb and has a awesome plan for your life. He will make you What His will is for you. I think in my life He keeps fixing me, putting me back on the wheel and forming and reforming me in to what He can best use me for.
April 24, 2016
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Cheryl Hepler
Cheryl Hepler Sorry to hear of your pain.  I appreciate your honesty Dianna.  It is something not found often.  Like a  jewel in a treasure chest.  No religion... No faking it...no lying or denying ...just flat out honesty.  What a quality to find in a human.  I have some friends(I don't talk with often) who have been open & honest but I guess it's hard or something for they go back to everything is great while bailing their adult children out financially.  She talks about her children when I say, "how are you"?  One day she got it and then all came out.  Not to talk misery understand ...just honesty.  I love the Lord sharing that on earth such as the garden of "much prayer".  (I call it).  A broken spirit & contrite heart.  Change happens there.  Jesus can enter in such a place as that.  Hunger & thirst for one "who gets it".   As I am sure...we all have these moments of being vulnerable looking something like squishy clay with water/tears mixed in.  A great timing for molding as hand to hand back & forth then pressing down on it to shape it with some brokenness all ready started & strength drained out to be pliable.  Ego free. Somewhere in this I describe myself also.  Just wanting to be without resistance to say .."go ahead, Lord". I said to my psyc, "I don't feel like I am back yet". "Does it make sense"?  He said, yes".   When one goes threw a lot of pain those are the words that describes it.  Even now as I say it, I see it saying a part of me died and therefore I believe a new part will come forth.  No excitement...just acknowledging that is about all I have for now.  God is GOOD!!  That I acknowledge.  Recently my body/spirit speaks out I feel "shell shocked".  More new stuff.  I looked it up & words as these I read...battle fatigued...exhausted because something happened recently...excessive stress...&/or unexpected difficulty.  More pliable clay I say, Lord, yes?  I have stopped driving right now during this new tunnel I am going thru.  I take meds that would make me a weapon on the road.  My strength is drained at times also.  Yes I do deal with depression yet that's been known along time.  Funk is a good description or some other catchy word.  Go with flow with eyes on the Lord so flow doesn't take me under:).  About two weeks too with sinus head ache issues & a chest pain.  Finally a Z Pack tomorrow.  I wonder if anyone experiences a change within ones self during Spring?   Blessings Dianna to you....Psalm 42 speaks about God in the pit with us....isn't great!  We are not alone in our pits!  
April 25, 2016
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Kealtis &quot;Key&quot; Austin
Kealtis "Key" Austin Hi Cheryl, I do know that I'm so late with my reply to you, but a word has been put on my heart for you.  "I feel your pain and suffering.  You are not alone, I know what you are going through and I will take care of you.  Your best days are right in front of you, and I'm getting ready to do a new thing in you.  I'm purging you right now, so stand still and see My salvation." I pray those words will help to encourge you.  As soon as I read your post they were put on my heart for you.  Also, you may be literaly walking through hell, but it's not what you're going through, but how you go through it.  Go through everything with a grateful heart and holding on to God's unchanging hand. When I was told I had a heart murmur and needed open heart surgery I began to praise God for that.  That's truly not what I wanted to do, I just began doing it.  As time went on I just truly felt blessed that God was getting ready to use me for His purpose.  I was taken off work, haven't been able to go back, but I'm still thanking and praising God.   We all know within us that God is on our sides and He will always be there for us, because He created us in His image and He engraved Himself on our hearts.  So please take heart my sister.  The enemy is so afraid of you and what you might see in your seeking of the Father.  I love you dearly and will be praying for you constantly.  In Jesus Name!
April 28, 2016
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Cheryl Hepler
Cheryl Hepler Thank you, much.  I pray you are healing well in Jesus name.  Peae...peace.
April 29, 2016
  • 3
Tracy Carroll
Tracy Carroll I pray that you have a blesed Sabbath day as well Pastor & Sylvia!! God bless y'all for all of your hard work on having, keeping, and maintaning this site. I think God would find it a good work!!! <3  :)
April 24, 2016
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Twila Stierwalt
Twila Stierwalt I agree.
April 24, 2016
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<i>Deleted Member</i>
Deleted Member Amen.
April 24, 2016- Edit- Delete
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Penelope Rhome
Penelope Rhome Hallelujah amen
April 24, 2016
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<i>Deleted Member</i>
Deleted Member Amen, God is so good.
April 24, 2016- Edit- Delete
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katrina harrell
katrina harrell Amen thank you God for molding me
April 24, 2016
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Twila Stierwalt
Twila Stierwalt Amen.
April 24, 2016
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<i>Deleted Member</i>
Deleted Member Amen
April 24, 2016- Edit- Delete
  • 3
Samantha Greer
Samantha Greer Lord Thank you that you are able to turn our broken messes into beautiful master pieces!  In Jesus name  Amen!!
April 24, 2016
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Twila Stierwalt
Twila Stierwalt Amen.
April 24, 2016
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<i>Deleted Member</i>
Deleted Member Amen, God is so awesome.
April 24, 2016- Edit- Delete
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Mari Kaufmann
Mari Kaufmann Fixit Lord in the name of Jesus Christ amen 
April 24, 2016
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Twila Stierwalt
Twila Stierwalt He will.
April 24, 2016
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<i>Deleted Member</i>
Deleted Member Amen
April 24, 2016- Edit- Delete
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<i>Deleted Member</i>
Deleted Member He will fix all things for you and He will give you the peace and joy and happiness that you so need. Look up for your Redemption draws nigh. He will never ever leave you, so don't worry, give it to Jesus, lay it at His feet and ask Him to carry your burdens, because you no longer can. He loves you so much and He will take care of you. Love you my precious friend.
April 24, 2016- Edit- Delete
  • 5
Kealtis &quot;Key&quot; Austin
Kealtis "Key" Austin Pastor and Mrs. Todd, I truly and sincerely thank God for you.  Thank you for being used as an instrument of His.  God is working in my life right now and remolding and reshaping me into whom He has created me to be.  He is going to change my circumstances like water in a dry desert waste.  He is going to let me who sow in tears reap in joy.  He is going to let me who go out crying holding my seed in my hand, come home shouting joyfully with bales of grain (Psalm 126:4-6).  He is the author and the finisher of my faith (Hebrews 12:2). All that to say that today's message has really touched my heart, and renewed my strength.  Thank you so much for being His willing vessel.
April 24, 2016
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Twila Stierwalt
Twila Stierwalt Amen. well said.
April 24, 2016
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<i>Deleted Member</i>
Deleted Member Amen
April 24, 2016- Edit- Delete
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<i>Deleted Member</i>
Deleted Member Beautiful, God will come and make all things new for you and bless you abundantly in everyway, look for great things. God is right there with you and He will never, ever leave you. Love and blessings my precious friend.
April 24, 2016- Edit- Delete
Comment deleted
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Dion Todd
Dion Todd Thank you Key for taking a moment to encourage us. 
April 24, 2016
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Mike OBryan
Mike OBryan                        Thanks Pastor-exciting to realize this indeed!!!!!!!!!!
April 24, 2016
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<i>Deleted Member</i>
Deleted Member Amen and Amen
April 24, 2016- Edit- Delete
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Twila Stierwalt
Twila Stierwalt Amen! God is not finished with me yet. I want to be willing for God to make something beauyiful out of my life even if it is for common use.
April 24, 2016
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<i>Deleted Member</i>
Deleted Member You are a beautiful masterpiece my precious friend. Love you bunches.
April 24, 2016- Edit- Delete
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Joan Joseph
Joan Joseph Thank you Lord for molding me into a work of art, I know its not done yet but I trust that it will be a beautiful miracle.
April 24, 2016
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<i>Deleted Member</i>
Deleted Member Amen, You will be The Perfect Masterpiece that Jesus molds you into. God bless you and may many many blessings come to you. Love you my precious friend.
April 24, 2016- Edit- Delete
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MP (Mary Pat) Taylor
MP (Mary Pat) Taylor Love this!    Having studied both art and biology in college, I had come to think of God as an artist so I really relate to this. I always think of the Lord when I listen to Coldplay's "Fix You".  "Light will guide you home, and ignite your bones. And I will try to fix you."   :)  
April 24, 2016
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<i>Deleted Member</i>
Deleted Member Amen
April 24, 2016- Edit- Delete
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<i>Deleted Member</i>
Deleted Member An awesome devotion. Such a blessing. 
April 24, 2016- Edit- Delete
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Kathie Byram Lopez
Kathie Byram Lopez Please fix it Lord.I pray
April 24, 2016
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<i>Deleted Member</i>
Deleted Member Amen, He will surely fix whatever you need. Just give it to Jesus and let Him take whatever troubles your heart and soul have and lay it at the feet of Jesus and He will pick them up and carry them for you. Love you my friend, blessings and prayers.
April 24, 2016- Edit- Delete
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Beatrice &quot;Raye&quot; Huth
Beatrice "Raye" Huth Beautifully said; reminds me of the song "I'm just an ole chunk of coal; but I'm going to be a diamond one day". In his name I pray for molding and am thankful for his guidance. Amen.
April 24, 2016
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Richard Mondello
Richard Mondello I'm thankful for the Holy Spirit speaking through you Pastor Dion directly pertaining to what I also have been going through. Grief,broken dreams,dark despair and not even wanting to get out of bed or even live for that matter.My late wife Doniell was my world and when she passed on at the young age of 37,it seemed like my world came crashing down. All of the dreams and our plans for her, I,and our children were shattered to peices.I lost a lot then,the wife of my youth,our home,much finanances and had to file for bankruptcy.But God is the one who easeses my pain and gives me hope with a reason to continue on living. God has helped me not to take the way out of this life by my own hand. He is the one who gives beauty for ashes. I thank Him, I praise Him and I will trust in God always.
April 24, 2016
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Dion Todd
Dion Todd Richard, you are amazing. I can hardly imagine what you have been through, but there will be a light at the end of this tunnel. You will be happy again. 
April 24, 2016
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Richard Mondello
Richard Mondello Thank you and praise God for a timely word of encouragement.
April 26, 2016
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Cheryl Hepler
Cheryl Hepler Many blessings to you and your family in your loss.  May the Lord lift your heavy heart & spirit.
April 25, 2016
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Richard Mondello
Richard Mondello Thank you. It's been almost 6 yrs.since my wife Doniell went home to God but I just get overwhelmed some times with missing her presence in my life,her being such a large part of me and the love of my life. 
April 26, 2016
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Carol Pady
Carol Pady Amen He will give us beauty for ashes! Isaiah 61:3 New King James Version 3 To console those who mourn in Zion,To give them beauty for ashes,The oil of joy for mourning,The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;That they may be called trees of righteousness,The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”
April 24, 2016
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Rosemary Marsh
Rosemary Marsh Amen.Thank you Father that we can come to you broken,feeling deafted,and down trodden.Thank you that we can put our Hope in you.You are the potter and we are the clay,help us to be willing to let you have your ,knowing that you will restore us to be the person you want us to be.In Jesus name I pray.
April 24, 2016
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Karen Pasquinelli
Karen Pasquinelli Amen!!  Father God, thank you for molding me
April 24, 2016
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Wesley Paulus
Wesley Paulus Amen! Fix me Lord in Jesus name Amen!
April 24, 2016
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K K
K K Please fix me Lord, so I can do more in your service. Amen! 
April 24, 2016
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Audry Reddy
Audry Reddy Amen!!
April 24, 2016
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Diane Symborski✝
Diane Symborski✝ Amen!!! Thank you Pastor Dion. :-)
April 24, 2016
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Sylvia Schmidt
Sylvia Schmidt Thank you. I needed to read this today over and over again to let it sink in.
April 24, 2016
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Rick Doran
Rick Doran I
April 25, 2016
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Ticardo Williams
Ticardo Williams Praise God and thank you Pastor!  Lord, Hold me and Mold me.  Take me and Make me what You would have me be Today!
April 25, 2016
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Linda Cella
Linda Cella Amen
April 25, 2016
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Cheryl Hepler
Cheryl Hepler And all of us are uniquely wonderfully made!  The Lord is amazing!  All the birds, animals, plants & gorgeous flowers.  Let alone all that is describe as to what a Heaven looks like.  A blow the mind sight!!
April 25, 2016
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Schalk  de Beer
Schalk de Beer Amen Jesus.
April 25, 2016