CSE Blogs

From: Kent Hovind
Sent: July 16, 2008
To: The Vase and the Potter
Subject: Why did you do it?
First Read: “If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work” (2 Timothy 2:21).
“But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand” (Isaiah 64:8).

Vase: Mr. Potter, now that it’s over and I can see the final result, I’m so glad you kept working with me. Here I sit on the amazing banquet table holding flowers for the Master. This is beyond my wildest dreams. Thanks.

Potter: You’re welcome.

Vase: I’m sorry I complained so much along the way as you worked on me. When you first took me out of that horrible pit (Psalm 40:2) and set me on solid ground I was so happy! It was great to see the light of day for the first time in my life! There are still a lot of things I don’t understand though. Soon after you dug me out, you began crushing me with your feet (Isaiah 41:25). Why? It hurt me so.

Potter: I was looking for rocks or dirt or any impurities in you. If I had not gotten the impurities out, they would have surfaced as I shaped you on the spinning wheel. The minute those impurities hit my hand, they would have destroyed you (Jeremiah 18:4).

Vase: But you kept on poking and prodding and crushing me for a long time. Was all that necessary?

Potter: I had to get out even the tiny impurities because I knew you would be a tall, thin, beautiful vase for the Master’s table. If you were only destined to be something thicker like a toilet bowl, I wouldn’t have been so picky (Hebrews 12:5-11).

Vase: I see now, but I sure didn’t like it or understand it at the time. Then, after you spent all that time shaping me so carefully, you set me on that shelf. I was so fearful that you were displeased with me and couldn’t use me. You just left me there. I wept day and night for weeks. There is probably still a wet spot where I sat. Why did you do that to me?

Potter: The process of drying out slowly is essential for your long life and strength. You were full of moisture that would have destroyed you if I had taken you out too soon. I was very pleased with you and often watched you weep. You couldn’t see it, but I was even controlling the temperature and humidity so you wouldn’t weep too fast or too slow or too much. I knew what was best.

Vase: Oh, I’m sorry I complained. After I had wept for days you put me in that oven. It was so hot in there! I felt myself getting a tough skin at first, then I became hardened all the way through. I thought the oven time would never end. Why so long?

Potter: The heat gave your internal crystalline structure time to realign. You had thousands of tiny flaws and cracks that had to be fixed, so you would be strong as well as beautiful. By leaving you in so long, I annealed and hardened you so that you will last for centuries. Without it, you would be useless for the Master.

Vase: Oh! Then thank you…even though it hurt at the time. After you painted and glazed me, I was back in the oven again. Why?

Potter: Your colors won’t fade that way. Look at yourself in the mirror.

Vase: Wow! Is that really me?

Potter: Yes. I know what is best. I know it was a long, painful process, but it’s over now. Do you know what you look like?

Vase: Yes, I look like I’m fit for the Master’s use (2 Timothy 2:21).

Potter: That’s what I intended all along.

From: Kent Hovind
Sent: July 14, 2008
To: The Axe
Subject: Why are you doing this to me?!

Axe: Hey! What on earth are you doing? Why are you clamping me in the vice? We have work to do. That big oak is only half done. Why did you stop chopping?

Woodsman (WM): Oh, I know all about the work that needs to be done. The oak will wait. I just need you to hold real still (Psalm 46:10) for a little while so I can work on you.

Axe: I don’t understand. Did I do something wrong? I never flew off the handle. I enjoy cutting wood for the master. I cut as deep as I could every time. Why did you stop using me? Are you angry with me?

WM: Now, my dear axe, have I ever mistreated you?

Axe: No, never.

WM: Have I ever left you out to rust or struck you against a rock?

Axe: No, you have always been good to me and have only given me jobs I could handle (1 Corinthians 10:13).

WM: Do you trust me to know what is best even now?

Axe: Well…I want to, but…I really don’t understand why you stopped cutting and clamped me in this vice. I can’t move. I can’t cut trees like this. This vice hurts my sides; it is merciless. My cutting edge is tempered steel and can handle all the cutting the master wants. I can chop pine, poplar, and oak. Go ahead, hit me against the hardest wood you can find, but my sides aren’t made to handle this pressure. I really don’t like this.

WM: I know all about it. Hold still and trust me.

Axe: Wait! What’s that grinder for? No! Not my cutting edge! Ouch! You are hurting me! Please, stop!

WM: I’m almost done with this part. Just trust me and hold still (2 Corinthians 12:10).

Axe: I can’t do anything but hold still! This heartless vice won’t let me move. Ouch! That file hurts. You have already ground off lots of my cutting edge. Why do you have to keep hurting me with that file? Haven’t I been through enough?

WM: It’s for your good. You still have a few rough edges to knock off.

Axe: Oh, no! What’s that torch for? Ouch! That’s hot! Stop! You are going to ruin my cutting edge. I’ll never be good for chopping again. I can feel my steel heart getting soft. I’ll be ruined forever.

WM: You’ll be fine. I know what is best. I’m tempering you. Hold still. Then…this cold water will be a real shock to your system.

Axe: Oh! That water felt great on the outside, but I’ve still got a burning and stirring in my heart. Please pour more water on me.

WM: I know what is best. You are being annealed. I need to let your heart burn for a few more minutes…

Axe: Ahhhhh! That water feels great! Am I ruined? My cutting edge, my pride and joy, has been ground down, filed on, heated extremely hot, and finally quenched. Why did you do all this to me? Are my cutting days over? Will I ever be able to do what I love to do and was designed to do, again?

WM: I know you didn’t like all those things that happened to you and I know you don’t understand. I also know this has hurt you terribly. I never would have done any of it if I didn’t love you (Ecclesiastes 10:10; Hebrews 12:5-13). My dear axe, I know what is best. If you think we could cut wood before, you are about to be amazed! It’s over. Now I’ll take you out of that awful vice…OK, let’s get back to work for the master.

From: Kent Hovind
Sent: July 13, 2008
To: Simon the Cyrenian
Subject: Unexpected Circumstances
First Read: Matthew 27:35; Mark 15:21; Luke 23:26

Simon the Cyrenian (SC): Hey, Kent, God asked me to knee-mail you to help you learn something today.

Kent (KH): Hey, Simon. I’m always up for learning things. Especially today, the two-year anniversary of my arrest. I read about you in the Bible. You carried Jesus’ cross, didn’t you?

SC: Yes, but there is a lot more to the story than you realize.

KH: I’d love to hear it.

SC: Well, as you can see, I’m black. I’m from North Africa. For several years, I had been asking God to show me how to know His will and how to go to heaven (James 1:5). Nobody in my country served the true God. We were all brought up in our pagan ways and worshiped many gods. I knew there must be truth out there somewhere, but I couldn’t find it. God answered my prayer in a way you would never believe!

KH: Please tell me about it.

SC: Well, I went to Jerusalem on a business trip many years ago. I took my two boys with me. From the moment we arrived, we could tell that the whole city seemed to be stirred up about something important that was happening. We had no idea what it was. Suddenly I saw a man carrying a cross down the street right toward us. He had been beaten beyond recognition. He was being followed by a huge crowd of people. Some were laughing and jeering at him and others were crying. He was surrounded by Roman soldiers. They had pulled out his beard (Isaiah 50:6) and beaten a crown of thorns down on his head. It was awful! The soldiers were calling him a king and mocking him. He was a bloody mess. It was hard to tell that he was even a man (Isaiah 52:14).

KH: So what did you do?

SC: They were coming at us, so I stepped back into a doorway with my sons as they got close. I guess the soldiers thought that Jesus, the guy carrying the cross, was going too slow to please them—so one of them grabbed me (Luke 23:26) and ordered me (Mark 15:21) to carry his cross for him.

KH: Did he stumble or something? I heard that he fell down under the weight of the cross.

SC: I never saw him stumble or fall. Who told you that?

KH: Oh, never mind. There is a huge church organization I used to go to that adds all sort of things to the Bible stories. I should know to check out anything they say about the Bible. Go ahead with the story.

SC: Anyway, that Roman soldier made me carry that blood-soaked cross. It was awful! I had no idea who this Jesus guy was. All I knew was that his blood was getting all over my business suit and that rough wood was tearing holes in it as I dragged the cross down that bumpy street. I didn’t say anything because Romans are not the guys to argue with!

KH: That’s what I’ve heard too. So, what happened next?

SC: Well, there was a huge crowd following me (Luke 23:27) and Jesus turned to preach to them (Luke 23:28-31)! I couldn’t believe it! He was beaten and bleeding all over the street and headed to die, but he seemed more concerned about his followers! Wow! Some of the people in the crowd were calling him the Messiah. I wondered if God was answering my prayer. I had read some of the Hebrew Scriptures and knew they were expecting a Messiah (Isaiah 9:6-7). I guess I didn’t understand that He would have to die first (Isaiah 53). I carried the cross out to where he was to be crucified on the northwest side of the city. My boys, Rufus and Alexander, were with me. We sat down and watched them nail his hands and feet to the cross and then drop it into the hole with a sickening thud. It was awful! I now know that he had to be wounded for my transgressions (Isaiah 53:5), but at the time I was in shock.

KH: How did it affect your boys?

SC: They were shocked as well. We all became believers that day. It caused all of us to really search the Scriptures. We went on and served God for the rest of our lives (Romans 16:13).

KH: Why did God send you to tell me this?

SC: Boy, you are a little slow! Don’t you see? I was just passing by (Mark 15:21) minding my own business and trying to seek God’s will when government officials grabbed me (Luke 23:26) and forced me to go places I didn’t want to go to and see things I never would have seen otherwise. Even though the experience was traumatizing in many ways. It brought us all closer to God and caused my boys to dedicate themselves to serve God. It looked like a tragedy, but God worked it out for good (Romans 8:28).

KH: He always does, for those who love Him.

SC: He’s doing that for you right now. God also told me to remind you that He’s got everything under control and that He’s got your back.

KH: Thanks!

From: Kent Hovind
Sent: June 12, 2008
To: God
Subject: God Prepares You For a Greater Purpose
First Read: Ephesians 1:10 “That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:”

kh: God, I want to go home! What on earth are You doing in my life? I don’t like it here!

GOD: Come with me, Son…What is it that you see, Son?

kh: It looks like a big punch press in a machine shop.

GOD: It is, Son. Go see what comes out of it.

KH: Excuse me, sir, what are you doing here?

Machine Operator: I’m punching out Tinnerman nuts. This machine makes about fifteen thousand per hour. Here, take one.

KH: Thanks.

GOD: Let’s go, Son…Have you ever seen one of these nuts before?

kh: Oh, yes, Lord! When I worked at General Motors I personally installed a million of them. I put ten on each truck front end to hold the grill and windshield squirter. We did two hundred and fifty trucks each day for two years. Yes, Lord, I have seen plenty of Tinnerman nuts! I had two big bins of them where I worked. I used to crawl in and sleep on them for fifteen minutes during break time each night. I was so tired I could sleep on anything in those days!

GOD: How long did they sit in the bin, Son?

kh: Oh, that varied. Some were made months before they were used, some only a few days. They were used as fast as we got them on some days.

GOD: Do you think someone was preparing parts ahead of time so others could “gather together in one” place all the parts to assemble the truck?

kh: Yes, Lord.

GOD: Did the nut have to understand why it was being prepared, punched, pressed, and painted?

kh: No, Lord…I see it now. You are preparing me to be a small part of a bigger project.

GOD: Yes, Son. I have the big plan all figured out. The nuts like you don’t need to see the finished product yet. I’ll gather all my parts together when I need them. You need to trust Me to know what is right. What would happen if a Tinnerman nut jumped off the press half way through the process?

kh: It would be considered scrap, Lord. It would be useless. It would not be properly prepared to do the job it was called to do.

GOD: You are a little slow, Son, but you are getting it. Each nut had to go through a lot to be prepared. The iron was dug out of the pit (Psalm 40), heated in the furnace to remove impurities (Job 23:10), mixed with other elements to be alloyed to the right strength, and then run through the mill to be prepared for its real job. The part doesn’t need to know why. I’m preparing you, Son. I know what I am doing (Romans 8:28).

kh: What should I do now, Lord?

GOD: Hold still, Son. This is only going to hurt for a minute. You will be fine. Don’t get off the press, and don’t get ahead of Me. I’m about ready to blow the trumpet (I Thessalonians 4:16) and gather the whole body together ( John 11:52, Ephesians 4:16). Go jog around the track. You are getting a little flabby. I’ve got your back.