JEREMIAH

We had a great day yesterday at Church!  My how God blessed.  Great crowd, souls saved, people baptized and three adults joining the Church.  God blessed!  What a joy to pastor such great people.  I'm reading this Monday morning in Jeremiah, and here are some items to share:

1) MARRED... IN GOD'S HANDS- Jeremiah 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."  We often think of ourselves being marred when we leave the Potter's Hands (GOD), but here we see the vessel (people, Israel, us) was marred in the hand of the God.  We can have areas of resistance to the Potter even when we are IN His hands.  We can be serving God faithfully, and still have areas of our lives that do not bend to the will of the Potter.  We become "marred".  But, the good news is that the Potter doesn't leave us like that... He makes us again.  If we cannot, or will not be what He wants us to be.... He can find another use for us, yes He can!  When Jesus asked Peter "lovest thou me?"  Jesus used the Greek work "agape" (the pure love of God); but, Peter answer:  "thou knowest that I love thee" and used the word "phileo" (strong affection).  The third time, Jesus asked "lovest thou me"; He used "phileo"..... He took the love that Peter had to offer!!  What a God!  Who loves us for what we are, for what we can become, and for what we fail to become.  He loves us!  What a God who when we are marred.... He makes us again!!!!  Wow!

2) THE FIRE IN THE BONES- Jeremiah 20:9  "Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay."  Heavenly heartburn!  It was the same the disciples had on the way to Emaeus.  They were walking home in defeat; the Savior was dead and buried.  Strange things were told that they could not believe.  But Jesus met them and talked with them along the way and when Christ departed, they asked each other:  "Did not our hearts burn within us?"  Oh yeah!  We too can have that when we read His Word, when we are at Church, when we are praying, when we are fellowshipping with other Christians, etc.  We cannot live the Christian life with much enthusiasm without this "fire in our bones".  This is a work of the Holy Spirit.  It is essential!  We must have it!  Otherwise our walk is boring, dull, without passion.  Not what I'm wanting.  I like to be passionate about the Savior.  Dear LORD:  Keep the fire burning!!!

I've got to stop, my battery is about to go depleted.  Have a great day dear friend!  Pastor Mike Mutchler