Avoid superficial Bible study . Unfortunately, some Bible studies consist of nothing more than person's saying, "I guess this verse means..." or "What does this verse mean to you?" Basically that's a pooling of ignorance--a lot of people sitting around telling what they don't know about the verse. To have a successful Bible study, someone has to study the passage beforehand to find out what it really means. Only then can you discuss it intelligently and apply it. Interpretation requires work. Don't take the easy way out and believe what everyone tells you the Bible says. Check the facts out yourself. Don't assume there are many interpretations of a biblical passage. There may be many applications, but there is only one true interpretation. God's Word is precise. It is not ambiguous. God has given us the ability to discover its meaning.

CRACKED POTS

The story is told of a water bearer in India who had two large pots. They hung on each end of a pole which he carried across his neck, but one of the pots had a crack in it. While 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 master's house, the cracked pot arrived only half full. For two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots of water to his master's house.

Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect to the end for which it was made. 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 a 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."

"Why?" asked the bearer. "What are you ashamed of?"

"I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your master's house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don't get full value from your efforts," the pot said.

In his compassion, the water bearer said, "As we return to the master's house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path."

Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it some. But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because it had leaked out half its load, and so again it apologized to the bearer for its failure.

The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of your path, but not on the other pot's side? That's because I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you've watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master's table. Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house."

It is an amazing thing (but true) that God is able to accomplish some wonderful things through our efforts, in spite of our imperfections. Paul said of his role as a preacher of the gospel:

"But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us." (2 Cor. 4:7).

Though we may often feel inadequate and useless, if we will continue about the task that God has given us, we will produce fruit and influence lives in ways we may not even be aware of.

"Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord." (I Cor. 15:58).

May your life "abound" this day in the work of the Lord! Though you may sometimes feel like a "cracked pot", your efforts are not in vain.

-- Alan Smith

We All Will be Surprised on Judgment Day - Mark Altrogge

We All Will be Surprised on Judgment Day - Mark Altrogge

Sometimes believers are slow to understand what Jesus is saying. When Jesus told the disciples that He must suffer many things, be rejected by the elders, chief priest, and scribes, be killed and three days later rise again, Peter rebuked Him. Jesus said, "Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men." Mark 8:33. Peter's rebuke of Jesus was because of his still incomplete understanding of the true mission of the Messiah. Jesus said, "you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men." He was not setting his mind on the things of God. How many believers and churches are like this? Their minds sees things from man's point of view and not God's. The Old Testament had predicted a Messiah would suffer for the sins of the people. See Isaiah 53. This message became the central focus for the early Church. See Acts 17:2-3. Jesus is the suffering Messiah. The Bible says if we believe in Him then we shall be forgiven for our sins and saved from the wrath to come.