SCRIP-BITS

Jeremiah 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.
 
Oh Friends, today we’ll learn the Potter’s Lesson, like Jeremiah did when the Lord sent him down to the potter’s house to observe him at work. And it was a marvellous teaching tool! ‘The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words. Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the (Potter’s) wheels. And the vessel that he made (was making) of clay was marred (ruined) in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.’ (Jer.18:1-4) Yes my people, Jerry saw the potter at work. The first vessel he made was ruined, so he redid it into another vessel. Now note, he used the same clay, just moulded it into a different artefact. And therein lies the lesson Friends! For God’s next words to poor Jerry was our Bit: ‘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, O house of Israel.’ And my Friends, that’s the gospel truth! The Lord created us, and He can do with us as He likes, the same way the potter moulds the clay in whatever shape or form he desires. Remember how the Lord formed us? ‘And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.’ (Gen.2:7) So in effect He used the same clay-like dirt that a potter uses to form us, then He breathed life into that lifeless, inanimate body, so that it could breathe, move, talk, and above all, worship Him. But unfortunately, somewhere along the way we fell from grace, and sadly, are still falling today. Israel, the focus of the Lord’s attention, foolishly deserted the Lord for man-made gods and idols, the same insane road our lustful society is lurching down today. Oh mih people, are we so stupid and hard of heart not to understand what’s happening? We must be, otherwise we wouldn’t allow it to happen. Hear the Lord’s very significant statement to Jerry after our Bit: ‘At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it. If that nation against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.’ (Jer.18:7-8) Remember Nineveh? And believe me my people, the Lord has definitely pronounced against our society! However, because of the goodness of His heart and His great LOVE for us, He is willing to recant of the evil that He’s earmarked for us. And I say it again people; our society has been earmarked for destruction! If we don’t or can’t see that, then we’re surely in for a lot more pain and heartbreak. And the ONLY way to avoid that destruction is by turning back to the Lord God Jehovah from whom we unwisely turned to narcissism; to worship ourselves and the works of our hands. Oh Friends, if you don’t believe what I’m saying, just look around you, at our society, at the whole world. Everywhere, everything and everybody’s in a state of turmoil and utter confusion. There’s nowhere in this world today that you can find a society going along on a decent productive, relatively calm clip. Don’t be fooled and misled by the media and the governments about China, India and the South Asian countries who are supposedly riding high in economic terms. The question though Friends, is what price the supposed man-made success? Most of their large populations are still living in dire poverty with very poor or no human rights. And they have very little hope for it improving, because the greedy handful who are enjoying the outward success on the backs of their labour either do not intend to, or are very reluctant to share it with them. But Friends, we’re talking about the majority of a nation, not the wealthy, powerful few! Now listen as the Lord continues His conversation with Jerry: ‘At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it; If it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent (relent) of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them.’ (Jer.18:9-10) Oh Friends, please remember that our God doesn’t make empty promises, and that they last for generations. Now in the first section He promises that nations who turn from their evil ways to worship and serve Him, will not be destroyed. However, the nations that He’s shown favour to, or intend to prosper, if they turn to evil, they will be destroyed. Oh my people, our God is not doubled minded, please don’t ever forget that. If He goes to the trouble of saying something, then He most certainly means it. Now Israel was once greatly favoured, but foolishly revoked the Lord’s hold on their lives when they became prosperous. And what happened? Their society was overturned and their people taken away into captivity. But years later, when they awoke from their stupidity, the Lord, in His graciousness, restored their prosperity. Oh Friends, it’s the same scenario that’s been enacted today. After the calamity that was World War 11, our Western Civilization rose like a phoenix from its ashes on the strength of God’s Word, His awesome grace and mercy. Then, at some point in the last few decades, with the overwhelming increase in new technology, we suddenly got too big for our breeches, turned our backs on God, relegating Him to the nether reaches of our consciousness, while we embraced Beelzebub and his false, glittering, worldly lusts. But I’m here to tell us that there’s yet hope my people. Just as the Israelites woke up from their stupor and turned back to the God of their fathers and prospered, we can do likewise. So without further ado, let’s wake up from our Beelzebub induced stupor and reclaim the Lord God Jehovah as our God and Guiding Light! Oh Friends, it’s the only way! Otherwise, we’re marked for sure destruction. And though I’m ending with a chuckle, surprised at the intensity with which the Spirit moved me in writing the Bit, my people, it’s a very serious state of affairs. The whole world’s in an uproar, and we are in very grave danger unless we smarten up, for just like Israel, the Lord’s using our enemies to destroy us. Please, let’s wake up and intensify our fight against the evil that’s now so rampant. That’s if we want our progeny to enjoy any of the earth’s goodness. Till next time, whenever and wherever, go in LOVE and peace with the Lord. Much LOVE!…if yuh doh hear…yuh certainly going to feel…