The Potter and the Clay

O. T. #1770 "The Potter and the Clay"
Sept. 3, 2020
Jeremiah 18-Part 3

LET IT GLOW

Hey ya'll, I can't move on with our study until I share some valuable lessons Jeremiah learned down at the potter's house. I ran across a message on You Tube that spoke to my heart and wanted to share the main points.

The Potter's Wheel, by Van Moody
1. The Potter's Choosing
     A. He selects the clay type to use, usable and pliable for His service and purpose. God chose us to
          be His child and for His service to fulfill His purpose.
     B. He separates the clay from everything else. God may separate us from some things, some
          people, and some places that a dedicated Christian should not have.
     C. He sanctifies the clay, washing and cleansing it. Imperfections and impurities are revealed as
          Jesus sanctifies us, setting us apart from others for His service.
2. The Potter's Cycling
     A. Clay is on the spinning wheel as the Potter is working with it and makes it stable. Our life may
          be spinning us around as the Jesus works in us. The Word of God may bring challenges in our
          life. The Holy Spirit changes us from the inside out. The Potter works on us to get us a ready  
          vessel for kingdom work.
 3. The Potter's Touch
      A. With His hands, the Potter applies an amount of pressure for molding the clay. Our decisions 
            can be different from usual. He uses situations and circumstances to influence those.
      B. The Potter uses water (Holy Spirit), His hands, and mind. His design is in His mind for our
           life. We live by faith, not by sight.. God knows what He is doing.
      C. The problem with marred clay is sin. It prevents us from doing His purposes. Call sin, sin and
           repent.
      D.  Clay can't fix itself. It can't change its blemishes, defects, and certainly can't save itself. Only
            Jesus can clean our heart of sin. If God doesn't do it, it won't get done.
4. The Potter's Choice
     A. He can destroy the marred clay and start over with another.
     B. He can reshape the clay that has flaws and mistakes. That is grace! God loves us so much that
          He doesn't give up on us, broken vessels, but continues to spin the wheel. God has our future,
          destiny, health, finances, family in His hands. The enemy wants to steal and destroy the clay.
5. Clay's Choice
      A. Stay on the wheel, allowing God to shape us into something beautiful. He wants to show the
           world what He can do with a lump of clay, a sinner that is moldable; that we are a beautiful
            lump of clay, a useful vessel, that brings Him honor and praise.
      B. Let God use us on His wheel for His will. Clay can't do things without the Potter, neither can
           we without God. Don't go off the wheel when in an uncomfortable season. Allow God to
            mold  us and shape us as He sees fit, into the vessel that He can use.

The Potter wants to put us back together again, even when we mess up and are a broken vessel. So go down to the Potter's house. Don't resist the working of the Potter in our life. Remember, He sees the finished product.

LET IT GROW

Poor Jeremiah. He was a faithful prophet, speaking the messages that God gave him to say to Judah. They devised devices (verse 18), slandered him, and plotted to take his life. They put Jeremiah into the bottom of a dungeon, a pit of mire. We can read about his rescue in chapter 38.

Jeremiah did not pray for his enemies, for God told him not to do so. Their destiny had already been determined because they would not repent of idolatry.

Jesus taught us to forgive our enemies, to love our enemies, and to do good to them. That would burn them up in attitude. (Heap coals of fire upon their heads.) In doing so, we show the forgiveness of Jesus, His grace and mercy.

LET IT GO
                    ... and let God mold us into vessels of honor.
                              ... and let Him put our broken life back together again.
Have Thine own way, Lord.
Father, You are the Potter and we are the clay.
Mold us and make us after Thy will, while we are waiting, yielded and still.
Have Thine own way, Lord.