Bible lessons on service to God and Church work

Bible lessons on service to God and Church work

Posted on December 15, 2008 Updated on December 14, 2008

LIKE THE CLAY?

Memorise: “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” ( Jeremiah 18:6 )

Read: Jeremiah 18:1-6

 Pastor E. Adeboye

At the lake of Gennesaret, Jesus Christ saw two ships and chose Peter’s for a particular task ( Luke 5:1-11 ). He did not even seek Peter’s permission before entering the ship. He just entered and instructed him to move it to a convenient spot for His use. And Peter obeyed.

This tells us that God knows those who will become willing instruments in His hands ever before they are saved. He knows those who will subordinate themselves to His use. Does He recognize you as one He can call upon at anytime without making excuses? Does the Creator of the heavens and the earth, and Owner of everything need your permission to do what He wants in your life, family, career or ministry?

 In today’s reading, God is asking the same question; In Jeremiah 18:6 , He says: “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”.

Why is it that God cannot have His way in our lives even when we are in His hands? It is because we are not completely yielded to Him like the clay. There is a level you get committed to Christ that He does not have to consult you before doing certain things in and through your life.

God is not free with many of us. If He has to take permission before using you, your spouse or any of your worldly goods, your claim of His lordship over you is not beyond the lips. If Christ is lord of your life, it follows that you have completely sold your will to Him. He owns you and all you have.

 It is whatever He says you do. His Word becomes law to you. If you are still negotiating His commandments or resisting Him in any way, you are in control of your life, not Him. In John 21:15-19 , after years of struggling with the Master, Peter finally submitted to His lordship.

 At that moment, the Lord gave him insight to his sacrificial death which laid ahead of him. If he had not yielded, he could have called it quits. But now, he had no choice. How yielded are you? Until you have no voice, will or resistance to Heaven’s mandate, Christ cannot be your lord. Until then, you cannot fulfil His perfect plan for your life. What are you holding back? Give it up today.

The clay in the Potter’s hands is the way it is because it voluntarily gave up its desires, goals and ambitions. Hence, the Potter is Lord over the clay. Are you as yielded to Jesus?