Wasted Life

What would you think if I took a twenty dollar bill and set it on fire and then blew it out, and asked the question "is it still worth twenty dollars? Then I would repeat the act until there was nothing but ashes left. Who in their right mind would do such a thing? Why not give it to someone who could use it instead before it's too late? That would be a tremendous gift one might say and it would to someone who had nothing; but instead it was wasted and for what? Now let's look at it a different way; what about you? God has given each of us gifts of life, talents and abilities we all have them and they are not all the same; we are all different and our abilities are too. When the twenty dollar bill was burned up it was worthless and gone forever, but God is in the business of re-creating squandered lives. There is not one so far gone that God is not able to restore and rebuild their life and it's never too late to recognize waste in our own lives, and ask God for His forgiveness and grace, and get back on the track. That is what God showed Jeremiah down at the potter's house. Jeremiah 18:3
Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.

Jeremiah18:4
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.
It is a wondrous thing when God can make a life that we have; for whatever reason squandered, and make it new again. Many times we are told that we will never amount to anything useful and that's not true. But we have been told that so many times that we now believe it. NO! No! Don't you ever believe such as that; let me show you. Remember Elijah? He went right up to the King and put his finger in his face and said there will be no more rain and it didn't rain for three and half years. When no one had water God made sure that Elijah did; in other words God took care of him for that three and half years. At the end of three and half years Elijah met with 850 prophets on Mount Carmel and this is the question he asked them 1Kings 18:21
And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? If the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word. Before that day was over it was raining and the prophets were dead. But it is what happened next that has always puzzled me. When Elijah heard this

1Kings 19:1
And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword.

1Kings 19:2
Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.

1Kings 19:3
And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there. Here are some mistakes Elijah made; he ran, he left his servants, and then he separates himself by going a day's journey away from everyone and began to feel sorry for himself. What had happened to Elijah happens to many, he just quit, and he was tired, sad and lonely. But what God did for him while he was in that state of mind God had done for many. The clay had been marred and God takes the time to make it new again and it's not long before we see this man Elijah showing up and putting his finger in the Kings face again. You see the King had killed and taken possession of something he should have left alone and when he thought all was well God sends His servant Elijah to give the King some more bad news. 1Kings 21:19
And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Hast thou killed, and also taken possession? And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, thus saith the LORD, in the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine.

1Kings
21:20
And Ahab said to Elijah, Hast thou found me, O mine enemy? And he answered, I have found thee: because thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the LORD. Think you are too old, unusable; something has went on that now you feel you are finished. Someone told you that didn't they? Stop letting others do your thinking for you get back up dust off your pants and let God use you again. He wants to you know; know how I know He'll do that? Because He said He would Proverbs 24:16
For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief. Don't quit now for the best is just ahead! Be responsible with the gifts God has given you and
put them to use for the cause of Christ!