2 Tim 2:21 .. be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
It doesn’t matter if a workman for God is an earthen vessel (behind-the-scenes work), or a gold vessel (public ministry). They not only want to represent God, they want to be honorable for God’s work. They purge themselves of impurity, they count themselves as holy, and they flee the lusts of this world.
First, workmen purge themselves from dishonor. You purge yourself of people, places, or habits that cause you to stumble. Be careful of false teachers, of past places of ill repute, or of sinful habits and strongholds that try to get a hold of your life. When you purge yourself from them, then you can become a vessel unto honor that is valuable to God to use.
Next, workmen realize they are ‘sanctified’, which is a fancy word that means ‘set apart’ solely for God’s use. At salvation, we are sanctified when we are born again. But every day, we grow in sanctification by following the Lord. We may not be perfect; we might not get excited about serving God as much as we should because of the details and problems of life. Sometimes we forget about God. Remember, He's always there so we can pray and ask him to help us live in continual victory.
Finally, workmen of God flee youthful lusts. Don’t just flee sexual temptation; flee pride that says you know it all; flee peer pressure that says you can do it all; flee materialism that says you can have it all! Don’t follow the crowd, especially if it’s headed in the wrong direction. Don’t get a ‘big head’ and don’t be overly impressed by your own spirituality. Many churches have failed because of pastors, leaders, or church members who thought they were better than everyone else and could get away with sins that ‘normal’ people couldn’t get away with. No. It doesn’t matter if you're a pastor or a pew sitter. We're all children of God. We're all expected to live in holiness.
Remember, however, that Christianity is not a list of ‘do nots'. It’s a lifestyle that encompasses not just negatives, but many positives. In tomorrow’s devotional, we’ll look at what we should follow. If you have never trusted Christ, will you trust Him today? If you have trusted Him, are you always ever pursuing Him with a fully devoted heart for the Lord?
This devotional has been adapted from the message, Prepared for the Work, preached by Pastor Dr. Doug Mann from 2 Timothy 2:20-26.
Click here for the complete message.
Click here if we can pray for you.
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
It doesn’t matter if a workman for God is an earthen vessel (behind-the-scenes work), or a gold vessel (public ministry). They not only want to represent God, they want to be honorable for God’s work. They purge themselves of impurity, they count themselves as holy, and they flee the lusts of this world.
First, workmen purge themselves from dishonor. You purge yourself of people, places, or habits that cause you to stumble. Be careful of false teachers, of past places of ill repute, or of sinful habits and strongholds that try to get a hold of your life. When you purge yourself from them, then you can become a vessel unto honor that is valuable to God to use.
Next, workmen realize they are ‘sanctified’, which is a fancy word that means ‘set apart’ solely for God’s use. At salvation, we are sanctified when we are born again. But every day, we grow in sanctification by following the Lord. We may not be perfect; we might not get excited about serving God as much as we should because of the details and problems of life. Sometimes we forget about God. Remember, He's always there so we can pray and ask him to help us live in continual victory.
Finally, workmen of God flee youthful lusts. Don’t just flee sexual temptation; flee pride that says you know it all; flee peer pressure that says you can do it all; flee materialism that says you can have it all! Don’t follow the crowd, especially if it’s headed in the wrong direction. Don’t get a ‘big head’ and don’t be overly impressed by your own spirituality. Many churches have failed because of pastors, leaders, or church members who thought they were better than everyone else and could get away with sins that ‘normal’ people couldn’t get away with. No. It doesn’t matter if you're a pastor or a pew sitter. We're all children of God. We're all expected to live in holiness.
Remember, however, that Christianity is not a list of ‘do nots'. It’s a lifestyle that encompasses not just negatives, but many positives. In tomorrow’s devotional, we’ll look at what we should follow. If you have never trusted Christ, will you trust Him today? If you have trusted Him, are you always ever pursuing Him with a fully devoted heart for the Lord?
This devotional has been adapted from the message, Prepared for the Work, preached by Pastor Dr. Doug Mann from 2 Timothy 2:20-26.
Click here for the complete message.
Click here if we can pray for you.