IN GOD'S HAND
                                                               July 4, 2010

   Some of our sweetest memories are those of our early childhood days. Remembering how we

use to play with clay or playdough on the floor or on the kitchen table making "Gummby" like

figures or using molds with different shapes was great fun. Once the clay or playdough was left by

itself I remember how it became hard and dry and basically impossible to be used anymore.

                                                              THE VESSEL

   John 10:27-30 The key message in these verses for our study are these: (1) once we are

saved and belong to Jesus we are to follow  Him to what we will learn today is The Potters House.

(2) Once we are in His Hand we never leave and His hands never stop being on us.

   Jeremiah 18: 1-6 It is God's desire to mold and shape us into something that will please Him.

In these verses there are three important keys: (1) the wheel, (2) the vessel, (3) the potter.

   I Peter 1:5-7 As the vessel, it is our responsibility to respond to God and allow Him to do the

the work on us that is required in order to become what He desires from us.

   Romans 12:1-2 In order to become mature believers and useful for God, we must voluteer and

give God full control of our lives to do what He will in our life.

   Romans 8:29 The potter uses His hands with gentleness, moving up and down the vessel with

 subtle pressure on those parts that need to be molded and smoothed out to be formed correctly.

                                                              THE WHEEL

   Jeremiah 18:3 God the potter continues to work on the vessel as long as the wheel keeps on

turning. The wheel represents the believers lifetime on this earth. God can only mold and shape

us into what He wants us to be as long as we are alive and willing to be changed.

   Matthew 7:24-27 The wheels of life keep churning up trials and testings for the believer. It has

been said that life is taking care of one problem after another.

   II Corinthians 4:17 Paul gives us an insight into why sometimes believers go through many

types of trials and problems in their life. Paul says if we endure the trials with a right attitude they

will bring us "a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory" when we see Jesus.

   I Peter 1;3-7 All believers are put to the some kind of testings. Some vessels take longer than

others to be molded into the desired condition that God is looking for.

   Isaiah 48:10 Once the potter has done His work on the vessel, eventually it must be put into the

refiners firey furnace.

                                                            THE POTTER

   Isaiah 64:8 As the children of Israel realized so we must realize that God is our Father and the

heavenly Potter can shape us like clay according as He sees fit.

   Romans 8:15 God is not a Father who is harsh or critical towards His children but merciful and

loving as one who cares for us in every way.

   Romans 8:17 God our Father tells us that we are heirs of a great inheritance with Jesus His

Son. However, if we want to inherit we must be willing to be put on the wheel at the Potters House.

   Hebrews 3:12-13 Notice that the writer is talking to "brethren" in these verses. A stern warning

is given to those of us who will turn away from the Potters House and refuse to be molded and

shaped into the vessel that will be pleasing and useful to our wonderful Lord.