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Woe to the One Who Quarrels with His Maker

Mark Virkler's picture

"Woe to the one who quarrels with his Maker … Will the clay say to the potter, 'What are you doing?'” (Isa. 45:1-13)


The setting

  • Isa. 45:9-10 – A woe is pronounced on those who would question Jehovah's right to use a foreigner (Cyrus the Great) to redeem Judah and release them from their Babylon captivity and return them to Israel to rebuild Jerusalem and the Temple. If Almighty God wants to set His children free, how about using some supernatural events like He did when he freed Israel from Egyptian captivity?
  • Isa. 45:11 MKJV – Says Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel … do you give command(s) to Me about My sons, and about the work of My hands

The answer is NO! I am God and there is NO OTHER!!! Read Isaiah 45 (and 46) and count how many times God expresses this sentiment, in one way or another, that He alone is the Ruler.

Our problem develops when we respond improperly to life’s hits and get ourselves into a quarrel with God.

Have you observed individuals, yourself included, who have had any of the following quarrels with God?

  1. I haven’t spoken to God since my spouse/child died.
  2. I haven’t spoken to God since He allowed this terrible accident to happen.
  3. I believed God for healing, and I wasn’t healed, so now, I’ve stopped believing.
  4. I believed God told me an event would happen, and it didn’t, so now I don’t trust Him anymore.
  5. I don’t understand how a loving God could allow …
  6. If I were God, I would …
  7. Since I can’t figure out why God allows these things to happen, I am offended and have withdrawn from Him. I am no longer passionate to follow, love and obey Him.

The life-sucking results of quarreling with God

I lose love, trust, and passion. I enter into depression and darkness. Infirmity and negativity attack and overwhelm me. Life is no longer worth living. I am simply existing, not living, not thriving.

My Wife's Solution – Patti is convinced of two things

  • The two key truths that keep her and me are: God is Almighty and God loves us.
  • The corollary is that I need to lay down my demand that my mind be able to fully comprehend God’s ways.

"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts." (Isa. 55:8-9)

My personal experience

I have had journaling that did not work out like I thought it should. Re-journaling it to try to figure things out does not work well. I have found I just need to lay it aside as a “mess” that I just don’t understand or know the answer to. It is fine. I choose to continue in faith, even when my mind is too small to fully comprehend God’s ways.

I have some theological disputes with God on the way He runs His universe. I have told Him that I have some ideas for improving things, and I even have ideas on improving eternity. He tells me to trust Him and reminds me I don’t know everything. Often He shows me insights from Scripture that will help relieve my troubled mind, troubled pictures, and troubled emotions.

For example, I shared with God how unfair it was that Israel had to spend 70 years in Babylonian captivity for the sins of their ancestors, and that the Israelites had to spend 40 years in the wilderness before entering the Promised Land. His response, "Mark, it takes a while to get the world of sin and unbelief out of a generation of people, so this is a time of shedding the old and a deepening of faith and belief." 

The light bulb went on, and I recognized how true that principle was in my life, and it is only as I step into new faith that a new reality appears for me.

If I make a decision that I will NOT believe if I can't understand, then my spiritual life becomes damaged. Generally, within a day or two, I will feel the depression and repent of my DEMAND that I MUST UNDERSTAND. I let God know I am back to Patti's two foundational beliefs: God, You are Almighty and You love me. That is all I know.

Journaling application

  • Lord, have I withdrawn from You over the hurts I have experienced?
  • What would You speak to me so I can be restored to faith, hope, and love?

Hearing God's voice is as simple as: 1) quieting down (Ps. 62:1-5), 2) beholding Jesus at my right hand (Ps. 16:8; Acts 2:25), 3) asking for His revelation and tuning to flowing thoughts and flowing pictures (Jn. 7:37-39; Jer. 2:13), and 4) recording this flow (Hab. 2:1,2; Rev. 1:9-11). I then test it, ensuring it lines up with Scripture (Ps. 1:2; Jn. 10:35; 1 Thess. 5:2;) and is affirmed in the hearts of my three spiritual advisors (2 Cor. 13:1; Prov. 11:14). See this link.


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Rivers of Grace DVD Package

by Mark and Patti Virkler | 1 Book | 1 LEARN Notebook | 1 DVD

You can be the parent God wants you to be: loving, encouraging, trusting and able to raise up your children in the way they should go, fulfilling their own unique destinies. Parenting was not intended to be a burden, and anyone who tells you differently has bought into a lie. You will learn to enjoy parenting as an exciting, joy-filled, divinely-ordained opportunity, not a wearying responsibility.

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Take Charge of Your Health DVD Package

by Mark and Patti Virkler | 1 book | 12 Video Sessions

Discover how you can take charge of your own health — keeping yourself young, energetic, attractive, and free of degenerative diseases! Discover the biblical injunctions on diet and health, and the amazing correlations between them and modern scientific research. Updated in 2015 with 20 years of fresh insights since recording the previous "Go Natural" series!

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Through the Bible 1: Pentateuch DVD Package

1 DVD Set by Dr. Andrew Hardy | 1 Book by Mark and Patti Virkler

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Through the Bible 6: Life of Christ DVD Package

4 DVDs by Dr. Andrew Hardy | 1 Book by Mark and Patti Virkler

Dr. Andrew Hardy takes you through the Life of Christ in 10 sessions. This package contains part six of our Through The Bible series, which offer you an in-depth overview of the entire Bible. You may choose to begin with the Life of Christ and work your way through the entire New Testament, and then follow this up by going through the Old Testament.

Why are there four Gospels describing Jesus' life? How are the three synoptic Gospels different from John? What does God want to say to me through the life of Jesus? Can I really imitate Christ and be like him? Yes, Jesus came to model the lifestyle God has empowered us to live!

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Through the Bible Discounted DVD Package

Through the Bible Discounted DVD Package

1 Book | 8 DVD Sets | 1 Single DVD | 1 Single CD

This package gives you the tools to transform your study of the Scriptures into encounters with their Author Who will personally reveal what He wants to say to you through them each day! First is a CD which teaches you how to meditate on Scriptures so you receive revelation from the Holy Spirit as you prayerfully read the Word (Josh. 1:8; Eph. 1:17,18). You will discover how this is different from, and much deeper than, simple western study. Next is a Through the Bible workbook which guides you chapter-by-chapter through the entire Bible. Finally, we provide the cultural, historical and linguistic insights of Dr. Andrew Hardy, a British scholar in the eight DVD sets which are all part of this discounted package.

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Through the Bible New Testament DVD Package

3 DVD Sets by Dr. Andrew Hardy | 1 Book by Mark and Patti Virkler

Dr. Andrew Hardy takes you through the New Testament in three modules. This package includes parts six - eight of our Through The Bible series,  which provide you an overview of the entire Bible. You may choose to begin with the Life of Christ and work your way through the entire New Testament, and then follow this up by going through the Old Testament.

Why are there four Gospels describing Jesus' life? How are the three synoptic Gospels different from John? What does God want to say to me through the life of Jesus? Can I really imitate Christ and be like him? Yes, Jesus came to model the lifestyle God has empowered us to live!

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Through the Bible Old Testament DVD Package

5 DVD Sets by Dr. Andrew Hardy | 1 Book by Mark and Patti Virkler

Dr. Andrew Hardy takes you through the entire Old Testament in these five modules. This is a part of our Through the Bible series, which gives you an overview of the entire Bible. This package contains five DVD modules which span the Old Testament and includes the Through the Bible workbook

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Unique Gifts Make Winning Teams DVD Package

2 books | 1 card | 1 DVD set

Can I succeed like others have? What do I need to do? How do I go about it? What if I don't have the gifts necessary to do something great?  The wonderful truth revealed in Scripture is that God uses ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary feats, especially when they say, "Yes, Lord" to the destiny He has prepared for them!

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Unleashing Healing Power Through Spirit-Born Emotions DVD Package

Book | 14 DVD sessions | CDs of 5 devotionals set to music

Experience Healing for Your Body, Soul, and Spirit through Kingdom Emotions!

In Christianity, emotions are often considered to be misleading and untrustworthy—a lingering part of our fallen nature that distract us from God’s truth. But our emotions were created by God, and though the enemy may seek to manipulate our hearts, Jesus sets us free! This practical teaching will empower you to see emotions as unique channels through which the Holy Spirit works to bring miraculous life-transformation, deliverance and healing.

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