Clay or Iron?

[4afaithfulone]

Some us believers are clay and some are iron.
The difference between the two are that while one moved forward growing in the Word being formed inwardly by God to become firm in the Word being made in his image.
The others came just as they are, but just stood there and never picked up their cross to follow Christ.
And even though they confessed to receive Christ as their Lord, they never really got to know the Word, neither allowed God’s Word to indwell them to bring them in line with him to renew their minds to be transformed into his image as the one new man of which he is the head, and the Father is the Head of Christ.
Just looking at the carnal Word uplifted on the cross changes no one that is why God had mercy upon us and forsook His natural Word to die, to be resurrected as the spiritual Word as a better covenant Word.
We must humble ourselves at the feet of Jesus allowing the spiritual Word to take residence in us so we can be lifted up(in righteous) by us carrying our own cross, as he did but with the strength of him.
Offering ourselves up to God as living sacrafices by allowing our old flesh man of our carnal nature( that holds us back from entering into and seeing our promised land in the kingdom of God) to be burned and cut away by fire of tests and tribulations in life to purify us and by the Word of God which is a spiritual sword which also brings us victory. For flesh and blood of the carnal nature can not inherit the kingdom of God.
Judas was of this clay type. He had known the Word, ate with the Word, followed him for the 3-½ yrs and heard the Word, yet in the end he was still carnal in unbelief.
He sided with the ungodly to betray Jesus for he didn't really have faith in him. He even accepting money for it, as if the money was more valuable to him, than Christ.
Totally turning against his own whom he walked with of the faith, as most carnal men (unformed clay)do. This is what is called the great falling away, they have lost faith and returned to the enemies of Christ, being anti-Christ, hating the Word.
It always seemed better to them in the land of Egypt for they sought instant gratification, instead of training up in faith so that God could bless them.
They put more trust in the hands of man and their money to help them with trials and tribulatios come against them, when they should be trusting in God whom is the only true help and all the gold and silver in the world belongs to Him and He can distribute it as He sees fit.
The last empire is made of part clay, part iron. God is shaking the heavens(rulers of this world) as the Stone falls on this last empire who are of many nationality as a united people, yet not united in the love of God to be made in Christ‘s image. But in immoral and corrupt ways, as a pretense love for one another outwardly, but inwardly, they are in the image of the beast whom God has turned them over to a reprobate mind to worship the creature instead of the Creator. They are the giants the devils offspring, being puffed up in pride to look larger than life to intimidate, who‘s goal is Self survival like the beasts do, to steal, kill and destroy to compete for the top positions in life, fame, business, power, etc.., no matter who they must step on or destroy.
The Stone is coming in the clouds as we see him daily and is shaking up the world, to see which vessels shatter and break(unformed clay) and who remains standing firm in their faith as vessels of Iron firm and immovable in Christ the living Word trusting that God will keep them separate and safe from the things that are coming upon the earth.
Which one will you prove to be?

 

[ezrider]

Some us believers are clay and some are iron.
The difference between the two are that while one moved forward growing in the Word being formed inwardly by God to become firm in the Word being made in his image.
The others came just as they are, but just stood there and never picked up their cross to follow Christ.
And even though they confessed to receive Christ as their Lord, they never really got to know the Word, neither allowed God’s Word to indwell them to bring them in line with him to renew their minds to be transformed into his image as the one new man of which he is the head, and the Father is the Head of Christ.
Just looking at the carnal Word uplifted on the cross changes no one that is why God had mercy upon us and forsook His natural Word to die, to be resurrected as the spiritual Word as a better covenant Word.
We must humble ourselves at the feet of Jesus allowing the spiritual Word to take residence in us so we can be lifted up(in righteous) by us carrying our own cross, as he did but with the strength of him.
Offering ourselves up to God as living sacrafices by allowing our old flesh man of our carnal nature( that holds us back from entering into and seeing our promised land in the kingdom of God) to be burned and cut away by fire of tests and tribulations in life to purify us and by the Word of God which is a spiritual sword which also brings us victory. For flesh and blood of the carnal nature can not inherit the kingdom of God.
Judas was of this clay type. He had known the Word, ate with the Word, followed him for the 3-½ yrs and heard the Word, yet in the end he was still carnal in unbelief.
He sided with the ungodly to betray Jesus for he didn't really have faith in him. He even accepting money for it, as if the money was more valuable to him, than Christ.
Totally turning against his own whom he walked with of the faith, as most carnal men (unformed clay)do. This is what is called the great falling away, they have lost faith and returned to the enemies of Christ, being anti-Christ, hating the Word.
It always seemed better to them in the land of Egypt for they sought instant gratification, instead of training up in faith so that God could bless them.
They put more trust in the hands of man and their money to help them with trials and tribulatios come against them, when they should be trusting in God whom is the only true help and all the gold and silver in the world belongs to Him and He can distribute it as He sees fit.
The last empire is made of part clay, part iron. God is shaking the heavens(rulers of this world) as the Stone falls on this last empire who are of many nationality as a united people, yet not united in the love of God to be made in Christ‘s image. But in immoral and corrupt ways, as a pretense love for one another outwardly, but inwardly, they are in the image of the beast whom God has turned them over to a reprobate mind to worship the creature instead of the Creator. They are the giants the devils offspring, being puffed up in pride to look larger than life to intimidate, who‘s goal is Self survival like the beasts do, to steal, kill and destroy to compete for the top positions in life, fame, business, power, etc.., no matter who they must step on or destroy.
The Stone is coming in the clouds as we see him daily and is shaking up the world, to see which vessels shatter and break(unformed clay) and who remains standing firm in their faith as vessels of Iron firm and immovable in Christ the living Word trusting that God will keep them separate and safe from the things that are coming upon the earth.
Which one will you prove to be?

Very nice analogy. Though may you consider this one thing. If you read the sermon on the mount, you will see that Jesus informed us that God chose the weak and meek to inherit his promises, not the strong and proud. God chooses us as the clay, for are as but a lump of clay in the potters hand (Rom 9:21). If a rock should fall upon the clay it does not break, it receives an impression and continues to be molded. But iron on the other hand, for all of its strength and resolve, when the rock fall upon it, it is shattered into pieced and left broken and destroyed.

 

[4afaithfulone]

Very nice analogy. Though may you consider this one thing. If you read the sermon on the mount, you will see that Jesus informed us that God chose the weak and meek to inherit his promises, not the strong and proud. God chooses us as the clay, for are as but a lump of clay in the potters hand (Rom 9:21). If a rock should fall upon the clay it does not break, it receives an impression and continues to be molded. But iron on the other hand, for all of its strength and resolve, when the rock fall upon it, it is shattered into pieced and left broken and destroyed.

Good morning ezrider,
We all begin as clay in this life, that is why we must give our life over to God for Him to form it in a good way being made ready to serve in His kingdom. We don't really have to do it all on our own, but we must choose to be pliable to conform by obeying the works of the Master's Hand if we want to be in the image of Christ. Those in the end, in which I am referring to in my post, are still in their clay form. They are either the godless who never accepted Christ, or the Orpahs in the book of Ruth, who began to walk with the Word to inherit the heavenly promise of new Jerusalem above(restored Israel/Naomi). But in the end they fell away when it seemed hopeless in a future by faith and returned to the old way of life, with their own flesh and blood people, instead of continuing on with God's people. Keep in mind, that not all who say Lord, Lord are ready for heaven, and they will be left behind.
Ruth 1:14 And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her.
15 And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law.
16 And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:
KJV

 

[ezrider]

If I may, the phrase out of the book of Daniel from which the image iron and clay is taken. I might remind you that the iron was mingled with clay. But Iron begins a simple element that exists by nature with the clay. Its element is Fe. The iron that has strength is not in its natural state. It is extracted form the clay by the will of man and it is formed into the metal that has strength, made by the hand of man according to his own will. In the end, the ROCK will break all things created by the hand of man, and the iron will be beaten down until it returns to the natural element that resides within the clay.

By the way, I like the way you think. I would like to extend an invitation to come and participate in the thread I have started in the A&T forum call What do we believe about the Resurrection. I would like to hear some of your thought.

 

[4afaithfulone]

Dan 2:40 And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.
41 And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay.
42 And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.
43 And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.
KJV
I thought I would use the scriptures to help.
America is the melting pot of many nations in one, a mighty tree who is stretching out her roots and bringing her corrupted fruit of idolatry etc.. to other nations such as we are seeing in her do in Babylon. When a country over takes another country, they do not leave them with the same traditions or values they have, they sow their seeds into that nation, to turn the son's and daughter's into their image by bringing their ways.
I understand that America began strong as iron in God's Word, in God we trust. However, as we mingled our seed(as Solomon did) with foreigner women(people of other lands) who brought with them,many gods. We allowed them to set up places of worship in our GOD given nation, and America defiled her self. She little by little put God our Father and His Word on the back burner, no longer letting Him be the Potter of His sons and daughters, shaping them into His image, but instead, gave rights to man made gods to change our godly laws that kept American strong and moral, to take on a different image of the beastly kind which has weakened the nation and even all nations. Turning into a Untied nation by polluting the world with a false love, one of which where men marry men, women marry women in perversion walking contrary to God, where we go to the outer limits to save a whale or a dog's life, while we condone the murder infants who are a gift from God without conscience, and even go as far as to calling it good and as showing love to others, but evil if you don't allow the option of choice.
Not all of America, since many claim to be Christian, have total carnal thinking of the beast as in Self survival as (unformed) clay, some are part iron, they have the Word, but they also love their lives more.
A house divided can not stand. America is a nation of many colors and when the Stone crushes this last world power with the Rod of iron, each nation will prove that they were not the "United" States but the United Nations in a false sense of what love means and really in the image of the beast, for each seek their own roots in reality, but have defiled America who started out born of The SEED which is Christ, but mingled with women of other gods, proving unfaithful in the end. Those who are fully iron who are immovable in the Word/Stone, standing firm in their faith, will not be completely destroyed for they recognize the mighty works of their God such as we are seeing in the news daily and are not in fear as those who have trusted in men's hands. The world is experiencing daily as every eye is seeing Christ coming in the clouds and as lighting from the sky, and most all men are standing in fear and not faith. Jesus said, when I come, will I find faith?
If you fall on the Stone(Cling to the Rock) you shall be broken (repentant heart), but if you don't, the Stone will fall on you and grind you into Dust!
Matt 21:43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.
44 And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.
KJV
Thank you for your comments, but I take no credit, All glory unto God whom is my Teacher. I know nothing on my own, yet still learning.

 

[Sinthesis]

I'm always amazed at how much some Christians hate America. A hatred deep enough that they believe they see America within biblical prophecy, when in fact these prophecies were long ago fulfilled, as they are actually about the temple Judaism of Christ's generation coexisting poorly within the pagan Roman Empire.

 

[Fish Catcher Jim]

I just wanted to add something about clay and the potter.........
We are all to live as a clay pot so the Potter (GOD) can continuously mold us and shape us into His desire in us. The problem is that too many Christians refuse to be as the clay pot and never give them selves totally over to God.

 

[4afaithfulone]

I just wanted to add something about clay and the potter.........
We are all to live as a clay pot so the Potter (GOD) can continuously mold us and shape us into His desire in us. The problem is that too many Christians refuse to be as the clay pot and never give them selves totally over to God.

That is so true Fish Catcher,
We confess to want to receive Christ to live in us, but most stop there thinking they are complete, and won't allow God to mold them into his image(attributes) which is a work in progress, that is a daily walk with Jesus.
Sadly, that is why he will say to them when they say Lord, Lord... Away from me you workers of iniquity, I never knew you!

We can cast out demons in others and bring sandwiches to the hungry, and do many good outwardly works to help others, but totally neglect that God wants to do an inwardly work within us to renew our minds to have the mind of Christ.

I hear people say, Oh, I never pray for myself, I use my prayers for others. They error in their thinking, because they think that prayer is meant for physical needs or healing. They do not realize that God wants us to pray for our self, asking Him to do a work within us, to give us more of the Holy Spirit to fill us with godly wisdom and convict us of our sinful ways to bring them to light so that we can see our faults and deal with them and turn from them, with His help.
Most people think they are good people, even when they lie, cheat, fornicate, murder unborn babies,jump from spouse to spouse,etc... but they only fool themselves. Man is full of sinful thinking that we think is ok. Jesus died to give us opportunity to really be good. Once we are born again from above, our spirit is then united to God's Spirit. This brings us into a right standing with God because we are now seeking God. Noah was righteous, Abraham was righteous, David was righteous, Job was righteous, but Jesus had to die for them also, for fallen man can never achieve holiness in our fallen nature, for without God's Spirit to guide us in all Truth, we can not know God, nor able to receive Him.
When we agree to receive Christ, we are not instantly holy, just able to receive from God in hopes of holiness as He is holy.
God's Word reveals the sinfulness of man, that is hidden to our carnal eyes. I was blind, but now I see, and so grateful for my sight! Yet still growing in Christ daily.

 

[4afaithfulone]

I'm always amazed at how much some Christians hate America. A hatred deep enough that they believe they see America within biblical prophecy, when in fact these prophecies were long ago fulfilled, as they are actually about the temple Judaism of Christ's generation coexisting poorly within the pagan Roman Empire.

I do not hate America, I hate the sinfulness she has allowed her children to grow. God calls nations, "women" and He is to be GOD over all nations by their rulers (which He sets up) seeking God as their Head wisdom to rule their nations to keep them upright, safe, prosperous, healthy and whole. When a nation turns aside from the Creator whom is Boss, they are turned over to reap what they have sown, to eat the fruit of the trees they have produced. There are no other gods and The Almighty will not share His glory with them as IF!
If you watch the news and ask your self, what is wrong with these crazy people in the world?
Know that they walk like drunk men having no self control and disgrace themselves, as they drink from the cup from the Lord's hand, being turned over to their reprobate minds. Adam could not find a suitable companion among the animals, but here we are, like the days of Noah, where the giants of large stature due to power and money, bully tyrants,that we have taught our generations to be, rule over the innocent, and man is finding refuge, companionship, comfort, love with animals over their own family.

Dan 4:24 This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the most High, which is come upon my lord the king:
25 That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
26 And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots; thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule.
KJV