Jehovah's Witnesses Straight Talk - Forum/Blog

Exceeding Greatness in Clay Vessels

2Cor. 4:7 But we have this treasure in clay vessels, that the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God, and not from ourselves.

Clay vessels have purposes, in ancient times they carried many products for daily life; valuable treasures. Formed by their creator, filled by their owner, each vessels had it own intrinsic strength created and relied upon, not for itself, but its owner and their purposes.

A new creation, not of the will of man, or by the hands of men, but just as it is written, by the will of the living God, formed into a vessel filled with life of Christ Jesus.

John.1:9 The true light that enlightens everyone was coming into the world.
1:10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, and the world didn't recognize him.
1:11 He came to his own, and those who were his own didn't receive him.
1:12 But as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become God's children, to those who believe in his name:
1:13 who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

The intrinsic value and for what purpose it would serve all in the hands of God. Human flesh, human will, human thoughts played no part in what God has created by Spirit and truth for his eternal glory.

John 8:15 You judge according to the flesh. I judge no one.

Humans judge what is of the flesh, by their physical sight God has not revealed his treasures in heaven to flesh, flesh cannot be in subjection to God, flesh can’t know the things of God.

1Cor. 2:4 My speech and my preaching were not in persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,
2:5 that your faith wouldn't stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
2:6 We speak wisdom, however, among those who are full grown; yet a wisdom not of this world, nor of the rulers of this world, who are coming to nothing.
2:7 But we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, the wisdom that has been hidden, which God foreordained before the worlds for our glory,
2:8 which none of the rulers of this world has known. For had they known it, they wouldn't have crucified the Lord of glory.

Paul is saying although appearing to the world of flesh as scum unfit for any purposes, rejected by this world, you brothers and sister did not created yourselves.

2Cor.4:16 Therefore we don't faint, but though our outward man is decaying, yet our inward man is renewed day by day.
4:17 For our light affliction, which is for the moment, works for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory;
4:18 while we don't look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

You were created by God for his purpose the world did not know Christ Jesus they thought they did and still do, but he was not known to them because he was created by God’s will, not for this world, but for a new heavens and new earth.

1 John 4:4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world.

1 John 4:5 They are of the world. Therefore they speak of the world, and the world hears them.

1 John 4:9 By this God's love was revealed in us, that God has sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.

Being accepted by this world as a “Christian” a name mocked and hated by the world is a refutation of God. God did not create or ask this world before he created the new creation, why?

Because He knew what is in mankind that there is no salvation in any human born of the sins of Adam. Thus, what is of Spirit is Spirit and what is of flesh is of flesh.

John 5:41 I don't receive glory from men.

John 5:44 How can you believe, who receive glory from one another, and you don't seek the glory that comes from the only God?

John 14:17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world can't receive; for it doesn't see him, neither knows him. You know him, for he lives with you, and will be in you.

The burden is found in the intrinsic value God creates His vessels to carry, the flesh downheartedly disagrees demanding the wisdom of the world to determine the uses, glory and direction of the vessel.

Fleshly vessels are broken, dashed to piece but not those created by the will of God, the power beyond this world is not of humans, but of God who does not grow wear, or tire out.

Vessels of God can’t judge themselves they didn’t created themselves or do they have a choice in what they carry. What they have is the love of God, in Christ Jesus by a faith proven and tested by fire the treasure of Christ Jesus faith, not of their own righteousness, but the righteousness of the body of Christ Jesus.

Isa.40:28 Haven't you known? Haven't you heard? The everlasting God, Yahweh, The Creator of the ends of the earth, doesn't faint. He isn't weary. His understanding is unsearchable.
40:29 He gives power to the weak. He increases the strength of him who has no might.
40:30 Even the youths faint and get weary, and the young men utterly fall;
40:31 But those who wait for Yahweh will renew their strength. They will mount up with wings like eagles. They will run, and not be weary. They will walk, and not faint.

Matthew 6:19 "Don't lay up treasures for yourselves on the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal;

Matthew 6:20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consume, and where thieves don't break through and steal;

Colossians 2:3 in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden.

Hebrews 11:26 accounting the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he looked to the reward.

1 Peter 1:7 that the proof of your faith, which is more precious than gold that perishes even though it is tested by fire, may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ--

The Flesh Dead in Christ Speaking Back to God

What is dead in Christ Jesus? The old person born of the sins of Adam, Paul speaks not to the old but the new creation, those born again, not from corruptible things nor the flesh, but of God who is a Spirit person.

Can our flesh know God? No! Can our flesh be in subjection to God the Spirit? No! But you might say why? God is light, he is without darkness, that is, the corruption of human flesh found in sin. God does not share his glory with corruption, no! God reveals his glory to the new creation created by him for his will, his works.

Nothing within us, not one thought, not one achievement, not one good work merits that God reveal his glory to us, let alone birth us new into a spirit person in Christ Jesus.

Thinking otherwise from our flesh is the heart of false religion, Babel, one must Babel because the flesh cannot know God he is a mystery to the flesh; the Spirit sounds like parables, a foreign language to ears that can’t hear or see the invisible glory of God.

1Cor.:9 But as it is written, "Things which an eye didn't see, and an ear didn't hear, which didn't enter into the heart of man, these God has prepared for those who love him."{Isaiah 64:4}
2:10 But to us, God revealed them through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.
2:11 For who among men knows the things of a man, except the spirit of the man, which is in him? Even so, no one knows the things of God, except God's Spirit.
2:12 But we received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is from God, that we might know the things that were freely given to us by God.
2:13 Which things also we speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual things.
2:14 Now the natural man doesn't receive the things of God's Spirit, for they are foolishness to him, and he can't know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
2:15 But he who is spiritual discerns all things, and he himself is judged by no one.
2:16 "For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he should instruct him?"{Isaiah 40:13} But we have Christ's mind.

Such Babel fills the world with false Christian’s called weeds, not planted by the Father YHWH, but by God’s enemy wicked spirit forces in heavenly places.

Matt.13:11 He answered them, "To you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but it is not given to them.
13:12 For whoever has, to him will be given, and he will have abundance, but whoever doesn't have, from him will be taken away even that which he has.
13:13 Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they don't see, and hearing, they don't hear, neither do they understand.

Takers of God’s field, demanding and talking back to God,but the true wheat of God’s planting should know they are affected by weeds and their teaching because they have permeated all the world, all the worlds system of things from government, commerce, and religion. Formed not from God’s will but by the will of humans in darkness under the power of the flesh that resist and wars against the Spirit of God demanding rights and privileges like they are god!

13:24 He set another parable before them, saying, "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field,
13:25 but while people slept, his enemy came and sowed darnel weeds{darnel is a weed grass (probably bearded darnel or lolium temulentum) that looks very much like wheat until it is mature, when the difference becomes very apparent.} also among the wheat, and went away.
13:26 But when the blade sprang up and brought forth fruit, then the darnel weeds appeared also.
13:27 The servants of the householder came and said to him, 'Sir, didn't you sow good seed in your field? Where did this darnel come from?'
13:28 "He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' "The servants asked him, 'Do you want us to go and gather them up?'
13:29 "But he said, 'No, lest perhaps while you gather up the darnel weeds, you root up the wheat with them.
13:30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and in the harvest time I will tell the reapers, "First, gather up the darnel weeds, and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn."'"
13:31 He set another parable before them, saying, "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field;
13:32 which indeed is smaller than all seeds. But when it is grown, it is greater than the herbs, and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in its branches."
13:33 He spoke another parable to them. "The Kingdom of Heaven is like yeast, which a woman took, and hid in three measures{literally, three sata. 3 sata is about 39 litres or a bit more than a bushel} of meal, until it was all leavened."
13:34 Jesus spoke all these things in parables to the multitudes; and without a parable, he didn't speak to them,
13:35 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet, saying, "I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden from the foundation of the world."{Psalm 78:2}
13:36 Then Jesus sent the multitudes away, and went into the house. His disciples came to him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the darnel weeds of the field."
13:37 He answered them, "He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man,
13:38 the field is the world; and the good seed, these are the children of the Kingdom; and the darnel weeds are the children of the evil one.
13:39 The enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels.
13:40 As therefore the darnel weeds are gathered up and burned with fire; so will it be at the end of this age.
13:41 The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will gather out of his Kingdom all things that cause stumbling, and those who do iniquity,

Vessels Speaking Back!

Rom.9:18 So then, he has mercy on whom he desires, and he hardens whom he desires.
9:19 You will say then to me, "Why does he still find fault? For who withstands his will?"
9:20 But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed ask him who formed it, "Why did you make me like this?"{Isaiah 29:16; 45:9}
9:21 Or hasn't the potter a right over the clay, from the same lump to make one part a vessel for honor, and another for dishonor?
9:22 What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath made for destruction,
9:23 and that he might make known the riches of his glory on vessels of mercy, which he prepared beforehand for glory,
9:24 us, whom he also called, not from the Jews only, but also from the Gentiles?

The judgment, the burden of this world laid upon vessels of mercy created for that purpose to set creation free from the corruption of sin of this world, a freedom prepared from the founding of this world, in Christ Jesus for God’s eternal glory.

Romans. 8:18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which will be revealed toward us.
8:19 For the creation waits with eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed.
8:20 For the creation was subjected to vanity, not of its own will, but because of him who subjected it, in hope
8:21 that the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of decay into the liberty of the glory of the children of God.
8:22 For we know that the whole creation groans and travails in pain together until now.
8:23 Not only so, but ourselves also, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for adoption, the redemption of our body.
8:24 For we were saved in hope, but hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for that which he sees?
8:25 But if we hope for that which we don't see, we wait for it with patience.
8:26 In the same way, the Spirit also helps our weaknesses, for we don't know how to pray as we ought. But the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which can't be uttered.
8:27 He who searches the hearts knows what is on the Spirit's mind, because he makes intercession for the saints according to God.
8:28 We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose.
8:29 For whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.{The word for "brothers" here and where context allows may also be correctly translated "brothers and sisters" or "siblings."}
8:30 Whom he predestined, those he also called. Whom he called, those he also justified. Whom he justified, those he also glorified.
8:31 What then shall we say about these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
8:32 He who didn't spare his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how would he not also with him freely give us all things?

Completed: November 23, 2023

by: Daniel a Slave in Christ Jesus