What Type Of Vessel Are You?
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· 3,242 viewsWhat Type Of Vessel are you in the Kingdom Of God
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19 Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”
Confession of Faith
I am not moved by what I see or by what I feel. I am moved by what I believe. I believe the WORD of God! The victory is mine! I have it now! I can see it through the eyes of my faith! In Jesus Name!
The Solid Foundation Of God
The Solid Foundation Of God
Introduction:
The foundation of God's house is sure. Some folks may turn away from Christ;
Then there are times when the faith of some people may be overthrown and undermined by wordly talk and opinions, or ungodly teaching.
"Nevertheless the foundation of God stands sure."
What is meant by the foundation of God?
What is meant by the foundation of God?
It means the household of God or the household of faith.
It means the great house of believers that God is building.
It is the family and church of God—the true family and true church of God.
The house of God has two inscriptions written upon it that seal and guarantee its security.
The first inscription is this: "The Lord knows those who are his."
There are no false professions and no hypocrites in God's household—not in His real household.
No one fools God.
Within the earthly church, there are both wheat and tares, both believers and unbelievers.
But when God looks upon us, He knows those who are truly His.
He knows those who have really entered into His household and those who are only saying that they have entered.
Listen to what I’m saying: if a person is living within the household of God—remaining stedfast and loyal—he or she is a true believer, a true member of God's household.
And is secure within God's house.
But if a person is faking like they are in the family of God, he is not of God's household.
God is not taken by surprise by any of us.
God knows those who are His, and those who are His will remain faithful and loyal!
3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
14 “I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep, and my sheep know me,
The second inscription is this: "Let everyone that names the name of Christ depart from iniquity [unrighteousness]."
The sign that a person is of the household of God is a pure and righteous life.
A person who follows Christ does not live in sin.
If a person lives in sin, he is not following Christ.
Therefore, if we name the name of Christ, we must depart from iniquity.
If we continue in sin, then we are only making a false profession.
We are not of God's household—not really.
Our sinful behavior proves the fact.
Listen to what I’m saying:
AThe foundation of God is sure;
His household is established forever and it is built upon the principle of righteousness:
⇒ Everyone that names the name of Christ repents and departs from unrighteousness.
This is a fact; it is an eternal principle established by God.
His household is built upon righteousness. Righteousness is the inscription that is written across the face of His household.
Therefore, if a person is a member of His household, they have forsaken and departed from iniquity.
They do not live in sin.
22 You were taught to leave your old self—to stop living the evil way you lived before. That old self becomes worse, because people are fooled by the evil things they want to do.
7 Let men cast off their wicked deeds; let them banish from their minds the very thought of doing wrong! Let them turn to the Lord that he may have mercy upon them, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon!
Vessels In The Lords House
Vessels In The Lords House
20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor.
21 Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.
What Type Of Vessel Are You?
What Type Of Vessel Are You?
The Word - Vessel appears 171 times in the KJV Bible...
Vessel - In the our text....it means: a tool, utensil, or instrument
metaphorically speaking:
a person of quality, or a chosen instrument
In a bad sense, an assistant in accomplishing an evil deed
"Vessel" was a common metaphor for a body!
God's earthly house (the church) has a variety of vessels.
The church has some vessels or people who are like gold and silver;- meaning they really Honor Jesus Christ!
But the church also has some vessels or people who are like wood and clay; that is, they dishonor Jesus Christ.
So, the church has a mixture of people...
• some are good and some are bad.
• some are true and some are false.
• some are genuine and some are counterfeit.
• some are clean and some are dirty.
• some are pure and some are tarnished.
• some are clear and some are stained.
• some illuminate light and some illuminate darkness.
Here’s what it takes to become a noble vessel
To become a noble vessel - it takes a purging.
A person has to cleanse themselves from...
• behavior that is dishonorable and unrighteous.
• words that are corruptible and dirty.
• talk that is unclean and contaminating.
• teaching that is false and cancerous.
A person who purges himself from these will become a vessel unto honor...
• sanctified, that is, set apart to Jesus Christ and His service.
• fit for the Master's use; that is, Christ will be able to use him.
• prepared to every good work; that is, Christ will be able to use him for any work.
17 So leave the corruption and compromise; leave it for good,” says God. “Don’t link up with those who will pollute you. I want you all for myself.
18 I’ll be a Father to you; you’ll be sons and daughters to me.” The Word of the Master, God.
6 Our brothers and sisters, we command you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to keep away from all believers who are living a lazy life and who do not follow the instructions that we gave them.
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If you love the world, the love of the Father is not in you.
16 These are the ways of the world: wanting to please our sinful selves, wanting the sinful things we see, and being too proud of what we have. None of these come from the Father, but all of them come from the world.
21 Become the kind of container God can use to present any and every kind of gift to his guests for their blessing.
22 Run away from infantile indulgence. Run after mature righteousness—faith, love, peace—joining those who are in honest and serious prayer before God.
22 Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
What are youthful lusts
The Greek word for "lusts" means passionate desires and cravings.
It can mean either good or bad desires, and its meaning is always to be determined by the context !Here is my point : passionate desire and craving is normal and natural.
God made us to desire and crave. It is when we use our passions to hurt and damage that they become evil.
What are the lusts of youth?
⇒ The desires of the eye: Desire to have and possess. To have and possess are normal desires, but the normal desire can lead to the lust for possessions and people.
⇒ The desires of the flesh: Desire the companionship of the opposite sex. Attraction is normal and leads to marriage and the carrying on of the human race. However, the normal desire can lead to illicit sex and immorality.
⇒ The desire for acceptance: Wanting to fit in with your peers. Wanting approval, and wanting to be recognized.
This is normal, but it can lead to compromise—
the compromise of one's values and morality and of the truth.
It can also lead to rebellion against authority.
⇒ The desire to achieve: Desire to be successful, to find your place in the world. However, this can lead to seeking authority and power over people and to the manipulation and using of people for one's own ends.
⇒ The desire for recognition: Desire to be the top gun, the star, the best looking, the smartest, the most popular.
Being the one most recognized, and a host of other daydreams.
This can lead to either pride and arrogance or to a sense of inferiority and low self-image.
It can lead either to the hurting of the less gifted or to putting down yourself.
⇒ The desire to act and to act now: Wanting everything now or to see things done now.
This can lead to impatience and to the mistreatment of people: bypassing and disregarding the peace and security of other people.
3 But there must be no sexual sin among you, or any kind of evil or greed. Those things are not right for God’s holy people.
2 Timothy 2:22 (NKJV)
but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
Join with other believers in following after Jesus.
We all need the companionship and fellowship, the experience and maturity, the direction and guidance of others. Other believers can help you; therefore, join with them and follow after the Lord.
However, make sure they are genuine believers—that they "call on the Lord out of a pure heart."
Only the pure in heart—only the genuine seeker—is really following after the Lord.
It is the genuine believer with whom we are to fellowship and walk through life.
Foolish Talk
Foolish Talk
23 Again I say, don’t get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights.
We must avoid foolish discussions and speculations, and avoid senseless controversy.
There are two things that need to be said
1. Far too much time is wasted on foolish discussions and speculations,
Too many people. • ignore the Word of God for the speculations of theology.
• neglect the study of God's Word for a discussion of theory.
• reject God's Word for the ideas of men.
• take the easier road of popular discussion over the more difficult road of studying God's Word.
Too many sit around reading and discussing the speculations instead of focusing upon God's Word and the mission of reaching and growing people for Jesus .
Too many substitute discussion for deeds.
Discussion and speculation may be stimulating and invigorating to the mind, but it does not get the job done.
Just think of the time we waste in the speculations of the latest religious craze instead of ministering to the lost and needy of the world.
2. Far too much time is wasted on senseless controversy, especially among members of churches.
Think of the things that church members sometimes argue and get upset over—things that matter so little.
Think about this: controversy and differences in the church are seldom over the great issues and doctrines of God's Word. They are usually over...
• buildings and facilities
• position and authority
• likes and dislikes
• recognition and acceptance
• opinions and preferences • personalities and traits
• abilities and gifts
• desires and wants
Too many within the church are involved in senseless controversy and hurt feelings while people in the community are dying from loneliness, emptiness, neglect, abuse, rejection, disease, hunger, and sin.
The charge is direct and forceful: avoid foolish discussion and speculation, and avoid senseless controversy.
Get To Work
Get To Work
24 A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people.
25 Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth.
26 Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants.
1 Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself.
2 Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.
Be A Godly Vessel - always honoring our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ
Next Steps
Old Testament
Jeremiah & Lamentations
New Testament:
Jude & Revelations