FORK'S FOR SOUP ?

Jer 18:4 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.

Jer 18:5 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

Jer 18:6 O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.



IN THIS PASSAGE GOD WAS SPEAKING DIRECTLY TO ISRAEL, BUT IT CAN BE APPLIED TO US TODAY AS WE STRIVE TO MEASURE UP TO GOD'S CRITERIA.

I BELIEVE IT'S SAFE TO SAY THAT MOST, IF NOT ALL THAT ARE PROFESSING CHRISTIANITY, AND STRIVING TO LIVE A LIFE PLEASING TO GOD HAS AT SOME TIME OR ANOTHER WONDERED WHY THINGS WERE AS THEY WERE IN OUR LIVE'S AT SOME PARTICULAR TIME.

THOSE TIMES WHEN EVERYTHING SEEMS TO BE GOING WRONG EVEN THOUGH YOU ARE WALKING UPRIGHTLY, AND LIVING ALL YOU KNOW IN THE LORD.

THE TIMES WHEN WE FEEL AS THOUGH WE COULDN'T GO ONE STEP FURTHER, OR ENDURE ONE MORE TEST, OR TRIAL.

JUST AS IN THE ABOVE PASSAGES OF SCRIPTURE WHERE GOD WAS SHAPING, AND MOLDING ISRAEL, HE USES THE SAME PATTERN IN OUR SHAPING AND MOLDING.

WE, LIKE ISRAEL ARE ALREADY MADE VESSELS WITH OUR OWN WAY'S, AND HABITS.

THOUGH WE'VE DONE THINGS, AND HAVE LIVED WITH THINGS FOR YEARS AS THOUGH THEY WERE ALRIGHT, WE WERE ACTUALLY FAULTY, FLAWED, OR WARPED JUST LIKE SOME POTTERY IS.

SINCE THIS POTTERY IS ALREADY MADE, IT MAY REQUIRE BREAKING TO FIX, BUT MOST TIMES IT IS SIMPLY SUBJECTED TO THE NECESSARY FORCE, AND PRESSURE REQUIRED TO RE-SHAPE, RE-MOLD, AND MADE USEFUL FOR THE POTTERS PURPOSE.

NOTICE IT IS NOT ALWAYS BROKEN, BUT IT CAN BE.

ALSO TAKE NOTE THAT IT IS RE-MADE FOR PURPOSES DESIGNATED BY THE POTTER HIMSELF, AND NOT LEFT UP TO THE CLAY WHAT IT WOULD LIKE TO BE MADE INTO.

WE, LIKE THE CLAY, AND MORE SO ISRAEL ARE IN NEED OF BREAKING FOR SOME, AND WATER AND PRESSURE TO BE RE-SHAPED, AND RE-MOLDED.

YOU DO REALIZE THAT POTTERS USE WATER TO SOFTEN CLAY AND MAKE IT MORE PLIABLE.

GOD USES BAPTISMAL WATER TO SOFTEN OUR HARDEN HEARTS, BEFORE HE REALLY BEGINS THE RE-MOLDING INTO HIS PURPOSE PROCESS.

I SHOULD ALSO POINT OUT THAT THE WATER, AND THE RE-SHAPING ARE ALL DONE PRIOR TO THE FURNACE FOR THE SETTING.

JUST AS IN THE NATURAL CLAY, WE AS SAINTS MUST ENDURE EACH AND EVERY CYCLE OF THE PROCESS IF WE ARE EVER TO BECOMES USEFUL VESSELS OF THE MASTER POTTER, GOD !

SO WHEN LIFE SEEMS TO BE GOING HAYWIRE, AND NOTHING APPEARS TO BE IN OUR FAVOR WE SHOULD BEGIN TO PRAISE THE LORD FOR WE NOW REALIZE HE IS SIMPLY APPLYING THE NECESSARY PRESSURE TO MOLD US INTO USEFUL VESSELS FOR HIS GLORY.

BE THANKFUL WE ARE NOT BEING BROKEN, THOUGH SOME MUST BE BROKEN COMPLETELY AND THEN MOLDED.

WHATEVER OUR CASE THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT GOD OBVIOUSLY WANTS TO USE US IN AN EVEN GREATER CAPACITY OR WE COULD STAY AS WE ARE.

FORTUNATELY OUR POTTER IS PERFECT, AND NEVER APPLIES TO GREAT OF A PRESSURE, OR LEAVES US IN THE FURNACE TO LONG.



2DAYS PROPHETIC ADMONISHMENT: WE SHOULD ALL UNDERSTAND THAT THE SECOND WE ASK THE LORD TO USE US THE PRESSURE BECOMES NECESSARY.

AS WE ARE, WE ARE NEVER READY FOR EFFECTIVE MINISTRY BY GOD'S STANDARD.

THE GREATER THE CALL, OR WORK THE GREATER THE PRESSURE WILL BE, RIGHT DOWN TO A BREAKING, AND SHATTERING IF NECESSARY.

DON'T FRET BROTHERS AND SISTERS, GOD IS THE MASTER POTTER AND HE NEVER MAKES A MISTAKE.

IF WE ATTEMPTED TO MOLD OURSELVES INTO A PASTOR, BUT HIS PURPOSE FOR US IS AS A USHER, THE PRESSURE WILL BEGIN, AND BE APPLIED TO RE-MOLD WHAT WE TRIED TO SHAPE INTO THE SHAPE HE KNOWS WE WILL BE MOST EFFECTIVE.

GOD MAY EVEN NEED TO BREAK US BECAUSE WE JUST MAYBE SO FAR FROM THE DESIRED SHAPE, OR USEFULNESS.

IF WE ATTEMPT TO EAT SOUP WITH A FORK, WISDOM WILL TELL US TO GET A SPOON, THAT IS HOW SO MANY OF US ARE.

MANY TIMES WE ARE FORKS ATTEMPTING TO DO A SPOONS WORK, BUT GOD WANTED US AS SPOONS ALL ALONG.

ARE WE FORKS FOR SOUP ?