Being Molded: Trusting God's Transformative Process
Summary
### Summary
Hallelujah! God is good, and it is a blessing to share His word. Today, we continue our series on the pursuit of holiness, focusing on the metaphor of the potter and the clay. We have learned that God is holy and calls us to be holy through a process of justification and sanctification. Justification is immediate upon accepting Jesus, but sanctification is a lifelong journey. This journey involves learning to be in God's presence, allowing Him to refine us, practicing self-discipline, and forgiving others and ourselves.
Today's focus is on the potter's wheel, a powerful symbol of God's ongoing work in our lives. Just as a potter never leaves his creation, God never leaves us. He takes us into a secret place, away from distractions, to mold and shape us according to His vision. This process is not easy; it involves shedding old habits, renewing our minds, and sometimes feeling alone. But God, like the potter, has a vision for us as His masterpiece. He knows when to spin us fast and when to slow us down, always keeping His hands on us.
Isaiah 64:8 reminds us that we are all formed by God's hand. We are marred and flawed, but in His hands, we can be transformed into something beautiful. The key is to stay in the potter's hands, trusting Him to shape our lives. Ephesians 2:10 tells us that we are God's masterpiece, created anew in Christ Jesus to do good works. This means that despite our past, God has a plan for us, and He is continually recreating us.
The process of being molded by God can be painful, involving crushing and starting over. But this is necessary for us to become the vessels He intends us to be. We must be willing to be crushed and reshaped, allowing God to pour new wine and new oil into us. This pursuit of holiness is about continually placing our lives in God's hands, trusting Him to create something new and beautiful.
### Key Takeaways
1. The Process of Sanctification: Sanctification is a lifelong journey that involves being in God's presence, allowing Him to refine us, practicing self-discipline, and forgiving others and ourselves. This process is challenging but essential for our spiritual growth. [02:04]
2. God as the Potter: Just as a potter never leaves his creation, God never leaves us. He takes us into a secret place, away from distractions, to mold and shape us according to His vision. This intimate process ensures that we are continually being transformed into His masterpiece. [04:55]
3. Trusting God's Vision: Isaiah 64:8 reminds us that we are all formed by God's hand. Despite our flaws and imperfections, God has a vision for us. The key is to stay in the potter's hands, trusting Him to shape our lives into something beautiful and purposeful. [07:16]
4. The Pain of Transformation: The process of being molded by God can be painful, involving crushing and starting over. This is necessary for us to become the vessels He intends us to be. We must be willing to be crushed and reshaped, allowing God to pour new wine and new oil into us. [27:12]
5. Our Role in God's Plan: Each of us has a unique purpose in God's plan. Whether it's preaching, praying, or simply showing love, every role is important. We must recognize our value and stay in the potter's hands to fulfill the purpose God has for us. [39:01]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[02:04] - The Process of Sanctification
[03:56] - God as the Potter
[04:55] - The Secret Place
[07:16] - Trusting God's Vision
[08:49] - The Importance of Placement
[10:05] - The Will to Stay
[11:57] - God as Our Father
[14:25] - We Are God's Masterpiece
[16:40] - Accepting Our Identity
[18:51] - The Gentle Potter
[20:13] - The Daily Will of God
[22:59] - Trusting and Letting Go
[25:14] - The Crushing Process
[27:12] - Starting Over
[29:48] - Setting the Captives Free
[32:03] - The Secret Place
[33:51] - Honest Conversations with God
[35:50] - Pursuing Holiness
[37:55] - Every Vessel is Useful
[39:01] - Our Unique Purpose
[40:18] - The Importance of Every Role
[42:05] - The Most Important Thing
[47:56] - Invitation to the Altar
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. Isaiah 64:8: "O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, and you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand."
2. Ephesians 2:10: "For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago."
3. Jeremiah 18:1-4: "The Lord gave another message to Jeremiah. He said, 'Go down to the potter’s house, and I will speak to you there.' So I did as he told me and found the potter working at his wheel. But the jar he was making did not turn out as he had hoped, so he crushed it into a lump of clay and started over."
#### Observation Questions
1. According to Isaiah 64:8, who is the potter and who is the clay? What does this metaphor suggest about our relationship with God?
2. In Ephesians 2:10, what are we described as, and what purpose does God have for us?
3. What does Jeremiah 18:1-4 illustrate about the process of being molded by God? How does the potter respond when the clay does not turn out as expected?
#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the metaphor of the potter and the clay help us understand the process of sanctification? [03:56]
2. What does it mean to be God’s masterpiece according to Ephesians 2:10, and how does this affect our view of ourselves and our purpose? [14:25]
3. The sermon mentioned that the process of being molded by God can be painful and involve starting over. Why might this be necessary for our spiritual growth? [27:12]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you felt like you were being "crushed" and had to start over. How did you see God’s hand in that process? [27:12]
2. The sermon emphasized the importance of staying in the potter’s hands. What are some practical ways you can ensure you remain in God’s hands, especially during challenging times? [06:28]
3. How can you practice self-discipline and forgiveness in your daily life as part of your sanctification process? Share specific examples. [02:04]
4. The sermon mentioned the "secret place" where God molds us away from distractions. What steps can you take to create a "secret place" in your life for uninterrupted time with God? [04:55]
5. Considering that we are all God’s masterpieces, how can you encourage others in your community to recognize their value and purpose in God’s plan? [39:01]
6. The process of transformation can be painful. How can you support someone else who is going through a difficult time of being "molded" by God? [27:12]
7. Identify one old habit or mindset that you need to shed to allow God to create something new in you. What steps will you take this week to begin this transformation? [03:56]
Devotional
Day 1: The Lifelong Journey of Sanctification
Sanctification is not a one-time event but a continuous process that spans our entire lives. It begins with being in God's presence, allowing Him to refine us, and practicing self-discipline. This journey also involves forgiving others and ourselves, which can be challenging but is essential for our spiritual growth. As we walk this path, we learn to shed old habits and renew our minds, aligning ourselves more closely with God's will. The process is demanding, but it is through these trials that we grow stronger in our faith and become more like Christ. [02:04]
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 (ESV): "Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it."
Reflection: What is one old habit or mindset you need to shed to align more closely with God's will? How can you start this process today?
Day 2: God as the Potter
Just as a potter never leaves his creation, God never leaves us. He takes us into a secret place, away from distractions, to mold and shape us according to His vision. This intimate process ensures that we are continually being transformed into His masterpiece. The potter's wheel is a powerful symbol of God's ongoing work in our lives. He knows when to spin us fast and when to slow us down, always keeping His hands on us. This process may involve feeling alone or going through difficult times, but it is all part of God's plan to shape us into the vessels He intends us to be. [04:55]
Jeremiah 18:3-4 (ESV): "So I went down to the potter's house, and there he was working at his wheel. And the vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter's hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to do."
Reflection: In what ways do you feel God is currently molding and shaping you? How can you embrace this process, even if it feels challenging?
Day 3: Trusting God's Vision
Isaiah 64:8 reminds us that we are all formed by God's hand. Despite our flaws and imperfections, God has a vision for us. The key is to stay in the potter's hands, trusting Him to shape our lives into something beautiful and purposeful. This trust requires us to let go of our own plans and submit to God's will, believing that He knows what is best for us. It is through this surrender that we can truly become the masterpieces He intends us to be. [07:16]
Isaiah 64:8 (ESV): "But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand."
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you struggle to trust God's vision? How can you begin to surrender this area to Him today?
Day 4: The Pain of Transformation
The process of being molded by God can be painful, involving crushing and starting over. This is necessary for us to become the vessels He intends us to be. We must be willing to be crushed and reshaped, allowing God to pour new wine and new oil into us. This transformation is not easy, but it is through these trials that we are refined and made new. Embracing this pain and trusting in God's plan can lead to a deeper, more fulfilling relationship with Him. [27:12]
2 Corinthians 4:8-9 (ESV): "We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed."
Reflection: Think of a recent trial or painful experience. How can you see God's hand at work in this situation, molding and shaping you for His purpose?
Day 5: Our Role in God's Plan
Each of us has a unique purpose in God's plan. Whether it's preaching, praying, or simply showing love, every role is important. We must recognize our value and stay in the potter's hands to fulfill the purpose God has for us. Understanding that we are God's masterpiece, created anew in Christ Jesus to do good works, helps us to see the significance of our individual roles. Embracing our unique purpose allows us to contribute to God's kingdom in meaningful ways. [39:01]
Ephesians 2:10 (ESV): "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."
Reflection: What unique gifts or talents has God given you? How can you use these to fulfill your role in His plan today?
Quotes
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "As soon as we say yes to Jesus, it's justified and never sinned. We've been justified. Then there comes a sanctification process, right? That's the hard part. God has called us to pursue holiness. He is holy. So therefore we must be holy. And because of the places that we've been in the life that we've lived and the things that we've been introduced to, we don't come to God holy. It's a process." [02:04](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "As the potter will never take his hand off the vessel he is creating, the Lord Jesus will never take his hand off us. And as Pastor Randy talked last week about, in the secret place is where things change. As we go through this time today, we're going to learn that the potter takes the vessel that he's creating into a secret place." [03:56](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "We must keep our life in the hands of God so we can become what he has said for us to be. As we're walking through the pursuit of holiness or renewing of our mind and learning how to forgive and all these things. We must stay in the potter's hands. It's not that this clay is not moldable. It's not that it can't be shaped. It's not that it can't be used. It's because it's in the wrong hands." [10:05](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "God sees us as his masterpiece. Do you guys know you guys are God's masterpiece? He speaks to where you're going, not where you've been. That's the type of God we serve. It says he has created us anew in Christ Jesus. So we can do good things he planned long ago. What does that mean? That means that there was a plan for you before you were even thought of." [14:25](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "God wants us to know today that he has never and nor will he ever take his hand off your life. Thank you, God, for transforming my mind. Thank you, God, that I don't think like that no more. Thank you, God, for teaching me how to stay on the potter's wheel, so I can stay in the will of God. A new thing. That's a new thing." [22:59](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
### Quotes for Members
1. "We must understand who we are. We must understand that we are not in control. We must understand that it is the potter that creates. It is the potter that reshapes and renews. It is not us. The Lord God is saying, just stay on my will so you can stay in my will. As the potter, as the potter knows when to spin it fast and when to spin it slow. He never takes his eye off the creation. God knows what he's doing. God knows what's happening." [05:46](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "It doesn't matter what our personal life looks like with our father. It doesn't matter what the world said about our father. What matters is that Jesus, our Lord, is our father. And we can trust him as a daughter and son. God should be able to trust their father. We can trust the Lord with our life. We can trust the Lord throughout the process. We can trust the Lord to know that he's doing the right thing for us. And we can trust the Lord when we do things wrong, when we say, No, God, this isn't making any sense. I'm out of here. We can trust that the father will take us back with open arms." [12:58](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "I've been foolish, man. I've lived below my means. I've lived not realizing how great, how good God was. I've lived below knowing that I'm his masterpiece. I've lived below knowing and trusting the calling over my life. But there comes a time that we have to accept. We have to rise. And we have to know that we are God's masterpiece. We have to know and understand that there is a plan for our life that God says, if you keep your clay in the potter's hand, let me be the one to mold. Let me be the one to shape. Let me be the one to design. Let me be the one to sit with you in that secret place. And I will create in you a new thing." [16:40](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "It took the crushing for me to understand that I truly am nothing without God. It was a humbling place to be, to be crushed by God so he can let me know who he was, so he can ensure that the calling over my life came forth. I needed to be crushed. Some of us need to be crushed as things need to be started over. Crush me, God, if you see fit. I want something new to pour out of me, God. I want a new wine to come out, a new oil to come out. Crush me, God. Crush me. Do with me as you want because I can't do this." [27:12](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "The potter took this lump of clay with all its bruises and all its flaws and everything that had it, it had in it, all the trauma, all the sins, all the things that the world said that I was. And he took it to a secret place. He took it to a secret place and he taught me how to sit on the wheel. He taught me how to stick and stay. He taught me how to jump back on when I wanted to jump off. He didn't say, no, that's too much for me. Nope. You did that to her. I can't mess with you. Nope. You lost your kids. Can't do it. Nope. You were molested. Can't do it. Nope. You were locked up. Can't do it. No. He says, let me take you to the secret place. My masterpiece, my masterpiece. God is saying to you today that you are his masterpiece." [32:03](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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