Join our Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/2183117951984132/?source_id=181918175166472

August 12th

Our Bible reading today includes some of my “sugar stick” passages that God has brought to my mind in very timely fashion over the years Jeremiah 18-22.

“The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord:”

‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭18:1‬

O friends and family in the faith, this first verse in the reading takes hold of my soul’s desire every time I read it. “To hear God’s words”...for instruction, direction, encouragement, and promise. Jeremiah’s experience with God included conversations with God, personal ones, and very often initiated by God.

I don't pretend to be of the spiritual advancement that Jeremiah must have been. But we do share the same calling to preach God’s message to God’s people. We share lapses in faith and tears for friends and family on their own difficult journey of faith. And we share a desire for the Lord, and an expectancy to hear God speak to our hearts. May we never lose that expectancy, friends.

“Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will let you hear my words.”

‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭18:2‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Would you and I leave what we are doing and go down to the potter ‘s house to hear God’s voice? O dear ones, may we be willing to obey God’s instructions, the Holy Spirit’s promptings like Jeremiah, and go down to “wherever” in order to hear God’s words!!!!

Remember with me Jesus gave a hard message to a great crowd following Him and His disciples and the vast majority of the great crowd turned and went away. Then Jesus asked of those who remained...” Will you leave too?” And Peter spoke up, “No...Why would we? You have the words of life.”

Early in my Christian life, some teammates and some other friends at North Texas State University would ask me why I was so determined to go to church on Sundays. At that time I didn't know the Bible much at all. So I couldn't quote some bible verse to them. So I just said that Jesus used my pastor to speak his words and that I didn't want to miss a single one.

And by the way...that girlfriend that became my wife, Beverly, she first told me that.

O, Lord...”You do” have the words of life, and we don't want to miss a single one. So we will be listening to the Jeremiah’s you put in our lives. So bless our pastors with hearts that hear You speak, and we will be listening too.

One more piece of the text...“So I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was working at his wheel. And the vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter’s hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to do. Then the word of the Lord came to me:

“O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter has done? declares the Lord. Behold, like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.”

‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭18:3-6‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Can I not do with you as this potter has done? God to Israel then.

God our Savior to us now...“You are my clay”...”in my sovereign hands”to make you the vessel of my choosing and for my purposes.”And you will become marred by sin”...“But I will remake you as you stay on the wheel...” “That you may better serve Me.”

O Lord, we are the clay. Help us stay on the wheel so that You can make us fit for your service and your glory.

Have a great day