Potsherd (Part 4 of 4)-Self Reflection

Part 1 of 4 Link Deception

^{Part 2 of 4 Link Hypocrisy}

Part 3 of 4 One Nation Under God

Proverbs 26:23 KJV

Burning lips and a wicked heart are like a potsherd covered with silver dross.

Burning Lips; fervent lips in some translations

Potsherd- broken earthen vessel;  broken piece of pottery

Dross- impurities, waste, worthless matter, scum or from the melting process of metals

Likened to a piece of pottery covered with silver to mask the brokenness and impurities by which it is truly covered.

Isaiah 6:1-6

6 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. 2 Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one cried to another and said:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;

The whole earth is full of His glory!”

4 And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke.

5 So I said:

“Woe is me, for I am undone!

Because I am a man of unclean lips,

And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips;

For my eyes have seen the King,

The Lord of hosts.”

6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. 7 And he touched my mouth with it, and said:

“Behold, this has touched your lips;

Your iniquity is taken away,

And your sin purged.”

What a sight to behold and one that reminds us that God is Holy, holy, holy!  Repeated in Isaiah 6 as well as in Revelation 4:8 8And each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around and within. Day and night they never stop saying: “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!”   God's holiness is the one attribute in the word of God you see repeated in this manner.  You never see any other attribute repeated in such a manner.  Holy means to be "set apart".  God is set apart from all of creation, Incorruptible, Indestructible, Eternal and Immortal, seated high and exalted, pure and perfect in every way.  There is no darkness in Him.  He is the only one worthy of our worship.    

Seraphim comes from the root word "saraph" which means "burning ones, to burn, or fiery angels"  These angelic beings aren’t giving God empty praise they're worshipping the LORD and serving him with purity, with lips that burn with love for The Holy One.  Isaiah sees the splendor, greatness, glory and vastness of God.  He hears the proclamations being made of God so powerfully that it shook the doorpost and his response is not outward first it’s inward.  Woe is me! 

Self- Reflection, Conviction & Awareness

Proverbs 25:4  Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer. Remove the dross from the silver, and the silversmith can produce a vessel. 

We all fall short of the glory of God.  From the Old to the New Testament we see man has a tendency to stray away from God and we are no different.  Isaiah recognized it wasn't just those around him that needed to be cleansed of unrighteousness, he too needed it.  After Isaiah acknowledges his sin, his iniquity was taken away and his sin purged.  God was able to use him to do great things for His kingdom that still bless us to this very today.     

If you have found your lips to be burning with hatred, scoffing, mocking, accusations, slander, gossip, and the like know that God is ready and willing to cleanse you, remove your sins, and make you whole.

Agate

Agate-  an agate is a sparkling gem found on the high priest breast plate (ref. Exodus 28:15-21)and the Greek word for agate is “kadkod” which means "sparking gem, precious stone or what is produced when striking fire from a metal forge." 

The wrong words, attitudes, and actions can diminish your witness for Christ.  Especially now in the body of Christ we should be using our words to build others up not be verbal assassins. Instead, share the word of God with those who have no relationship with Christ and sharpen each other as iron sharpens iron.  

Our lives should glorify God, testify about Christ, and bring people into the light not  put them into darkness.  The process of refining and purifying causes others to recognize who we really are.  It prepares us for who is to come, Christ.  We belong to Christ.  We are the bride preparing for our Groom.  Made in God's image, His workmanship, precious in His sight, set apart, born again of incorruptible seed, royalty and made to shine like the precious gems we are.  

I Peter 2:9  9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;                                                                                                              

Revelation 1 To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, ⁶ and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

With resounding voices declare to the nations:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;

The whole earth is full of His glory!”