Better Than Perfect
Notes
Transcript
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.
Better Than Perfect
Better Than Perfect
Question: Why would a perfect potter choose imperfect clay to make something from?
Paul tells us the potter uses the same clay to make all his different vessels.
21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?
22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:
23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,
24 Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
Everything He creates, in its original condition, is perfect.
He created Lucifer.
15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.
He created a perfect being, but one with the ability to deceive himself and fall.
A being fitted for destruction.
13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
Lucifer was an angel, but Adam was a son.
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
Adam was perfect. When God made him He said “it’s very good”.
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
You say “but Eve wasn’t perfect”. I beg to differ. She was a byproduct not an afterthought.
Eve was the most beautiful woman that was ever on the earth. She was God’s perfect thought of a woman. And Adam was the most perfect man that lived. When he was made manifest in Christ proved it. 56-0120 - "Fellowship With God Through Reconciliation"
64 Neither would Adam’s shoulders ever shag, or hair turn gray, or any deterioration to him, walking perfect with friendship, and fellowship with the Father. What a beautiful picture. 56-0120 - "Fellowship With God Through Reconciliation"
In the original clay Adam was the capacity to be marred by sin.
God chose to make men that way.
He made man in His image, knowing he would fall, and then made man partner with Him. He does nothing outside of man.
The fall was the permissive will of God.
Bro. Branham tells us: “He will make His permissive will to work out, together, to glorify His perfect will.”
The clock is ticking exactly right.
Now, to be a Saviour, there has to be something lost. And God cannot purposely lose anything and then redeem it. It wouldn’t be becoming to His holiness and His great judgment. But He put man on free moral agency, knowing that man would fall. And in that, then, He became man, Himself, in order to redeem back man that fell. 65-0427 - "Does God Change His Mind?"
Redemption is better than perfection.
The angels are perfect, but we are redeemed.
Christ was already better than the angels, but He was marred in the hands of the potter, and made better than perfect.
14 As many were astonied at thee; His visage was so marred more than any man, And his form more than the sons of men:
He made Him the perfect Masterpiece, and then He was marred in His hand.
He was better than angels.
1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
4 Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.
5 For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?
Go to chapter 4
14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
1 For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins:
2 Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity.
3 And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins.
4 And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.
5 So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee.
6 As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
7 Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;
8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;
9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;
10 Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.
The perfect lamb was made more perfect by suffering.
He grew by suffering into the role of The Great High Priest
When He was in a body created out of dust he could not suffer, but when He was born of a woman He was made subject to suffering.
Whatever God is wanting you to do, He makes you perfect for the job in the fire of suffering.
Moses, John the Baptist, and Elijah were prophets, but they were made ready for the job in the wilderness.
God’s ways leads right through the deep sea, into the wilderness, and up over the hills, through the wilderness of sin, and so forth. But God will bring you out, if you’ll just follow Him and not try to use your own thoughts. Just do what God says do, and you’ll be all right. 53-1204 - "At Thy Word"
6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
Note the word “endure”
8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;
13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
Healed is better than perfect.
Obedient is better than perfect.
In his own personal life, contending with Himself, He overcame by obedience to the Word of God.
Now then, there will not be one person who will sit in the throne of the Lord Jesus Christ unless he has been living that Word. Your prayers, your fastings, your repentances — no matter what you present to God — none of that will gain you the privilege of sitting in that throne.
It will be granted only to the WORD Bride. As the throne of the king is shared with the queen because she is united to him, so only they who are of that Word even as He is of that Word will share that throne. An Exposition Of The Seven Church Ages (9 - The Laodicean Church Age)
We are already perfect by the blood, but now we are made better by suffering.
2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
Why does He want you to be better than perfect?
1 Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?
2 Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?
How shall we judge angels? By being sons and daughters of God. Angels are servants; we are sons and daughters of God. And the Bible said that we’ll judge angels. 57-1006 - "Questions And Answers On Hebrews Part III"
As redeemed, obedient, patient sons and daughters, we are going to judge the angels that fell.
They fell from a perfect place by the deception of Lucifer, we faced the same deception and did not fall.
Even when we couldn’t prove it scientifically we still believed.
12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:
to endure (withstand) v. — to face and withstand with courage.
Everybody suffers, but sons endure.
The same word:
7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
There is a hope for the one who endures:
12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
11 Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.
Now, the only thing that you can, is to do like Abraham. “After he had endured a fight, he obtained the promise.” Satan just don’t just let you take it easy. You’ve got to have faith. You’ve got to believe It. You’ve got to endure. 54-1212 - "He Swore By Himself"
God doesn’t promise a flower bed of ease. Don’t falsify a Christian. And don’t falsify the Message, by telling them, that, “Everything is going to be all right. There nothing going to harm you. There’s nothing going to. Ain’t no trials or nothing.” That’s wrong.
As the poet said, “Must I be carried on to Heaven on a flower bed of ease, while others fought to win the prize and sailed through bloody seas?” No, sir.
God doesn’t promise ease and prosperity. But He promises grace, to endure in every time. It’s the grace that we look to. 56-0115 - "The Junction Of Time"
God doesn’t make any difference between His children. Every son that cometh to God must first be tried or chastised. You get it? First be tried, or chastened, corrected, child trained, schooled, every one, not one exception, every son.
Have you went through trials? Have you went through tribulations? Have you suffered persecution? Then you endure these things, you are real children of God.
But when you can’t bear chastisement, when the rod comes down heavy, and you run off and back into the world, the Bible said you’re illegitimate children, and not the children of God.
For when a man is born of the Spirit of God, he expects those things, and he loves those things. And the Bible said that the trials that come upon us, fiery trials, is more precious than gold to us. 56-0223 - "God's Covenant With Abraham And His Seed"
We endure because we are obedient to the Word, and we are the Word.
24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:
25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.
It was when Abraham was enduring the plain of Mamre that Elohim appeared to him.
22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.
Herein is now set forth the love of God. He desired in love a family of His own, a family of sons — sons like Himself. There before Him lies all mankind as ONE lump of clay. Out of that same lump He will now make vessels unto honor and unto dishonor. The CHOOSING will be His own choosing. Then those chosen ones, born of His Spirit will be trained to conform to His image in their walk.
He REPROVES with all long-suffering and gentleness and mercy. He CHASTENS with nail scarred hands. Sometimes this Potter must take the vessel He is working on and thoroughly break it down in order that He may rebuild it exactly as He desires it. BUT IT IS LOVE. THAT IS HIS LOVE. ANOTHER WAY OF HIS LOVE THERE IS NOT. THERE CANNOT BE.
Oh, little flock, do not fear. This age is fast closing. As it does those tares will be bound together, and as a three-fold cord is not easily broken, they will have a tremendous three-fold strength of political, physical, and spiritual (Satanical) power, and they will seek to destroy the bride of Christ. She will suffer, but she will endure.
Fear not those things that are coming upon the earth, for He “Who loved His own, loveth them unto the end.” An Exposition Of The Seven Church Ages (9 - The Laodicean Church Age)
Conclusion
Conclusion
Illustrate: Paul Rader’s dream
And, brother, sister, I know the trials are hard. I’m getting old, and I’ve preached. I’ve done everything that I know to do. I’ve got to a place, to where I see I can’t do no more. I’ve just laid the whole thing in the lap of the Lord Jesus, and I’m riding on it. I’m riding on God’s promise, “I the Lord hath planted It. I water It, day and night, lest some should pluck It from My hand.” God’s Church will endure forever. 57-0407M - "God Keeps His Word"
If you are His son or daughter, He will make you better than perfect, just yield yourself into His hand. You will endure.
