Then I heard ‘I am looking for people with willing hearts, so I can clean them up, transform them and make them ‘Fit-For-Purpose’.
God is looking for willing vessels to establish, advance, and accomplish His strategic purpose on earth.
What does a vessel of God mean?
The word vessel is often used in the Bible, and in English, to mean either a container such as a bowl or a jug, or a ship or a boat. The biblical meaning denotes a person whom God calls and uses as a vessel. Fit-For-Purpose said differently could be put as ‘A Consecrated Vessel Fitted for God’s Use’.
Another author describes a vessel fit for purpose this way, ‘Being useful is like a vessel that is honorable. This is an analogy. The word “vessel” means a household container. It refers to domestic gear, a plate, a platter, a serving dish, and a serving bowl. The master of the house, the ruler of the house (God) has certain vessels that are honorable. They are honorable because they are sanctified. They are therefore useful for every good purpose.
Paul said to Timothy, “Be an example to the believers in word and conduct.” The apostle Paul said that “You are to follow me as I follow Christ.” This means leadership by example.
What are the characteristics of God’s vessels?
Scriptures tell us in the book of Timothy “Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also vessels of wood and earthenware, and some to honor and some to dishonor.
‘Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, and prepared for every good work. Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. But refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing that they produce quarrels.
Vessels are Standards.
So, vessels are to be standards that are models for God’s people to follow. Vessels of God are not only models but leaders in the community of God’s people. Whatever the leader is to be in his or her sanctification, or his or her commitment to the Word of God, or in his or her behavior is so that he can be the model for what everybody else is to be.
This is simply lifting and holding leadership to the highest standard so that leadership can lead people to the very standard which is also the leader’s standard. This applies a hundred percent to the corporate world.
Remind Them of These Things
In 2 Timothy, chapter 11, Verse 14, Apostle Paul says “Remind them of these things, and solemnly charge them in the presence of God not to wrangle about words, which is useless and leads to the ruin of the hearers. Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the Word of Truth. But avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene… have gone astray from the truth saying that the resurrection has already taken place, and they upset the faith of some’.
In continuing the Apostle Paul says “The Lord’s slave (vessel) must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the Devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.”
Dishonorable and Honorable Vessels
On the other hand, there are some other vessels. They are dishonorable. Verse 20 in the book of 2 Timothy says, “In a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also vessels of wood and earthenware, and some to honor and some to dishonor.”
The honorable utensils – the honorable platters, plates, dishes, bowls –are the ones that are gold and silver. The dishonorable ones are wood and earthenware. And the Master, in this large house, which is the church and in the community of God’s children, is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. And within the church and outside the church, are contrasting vessels that serve the purposes of God. Some of them are worthy to be brought out in public. They are beautiful; they are valued; they are prized; they’re clean; they’re fit for every purpose.
On the other hand, there are others that would never be brought into public, that are not for public view or for any clean usage. The honorable vessels are made of gold and silver, beautiful, valuable, and prized. The dishonorable vessels are made of wood and earthenware, pottery. The contrast, is extreme, because the honorable vessels in the house are what you serve the food on, and the dishonorable vessels are what you take the waste out in.
God Only Knows Who the True Vessels Are
God only knows who the true vessels are. Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, ‘The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Everyone who names the name of the Lord is to abstain from wickedness.’ Vessels fit for God’s purposes, abstain from wickedness.
However, I must admit here that, it is only by the Grace of God, any human can consider himself or herself worthy to be used as a vessel for God’s purposes because scriptures tell us that ‘everyone has fallen short of the Glory of God’. God is merciful. If we repent of our wrong ways and honestly seek the face of God diligently with all intentions and actions to love and serve God in truth and Spirit, we would be acceptable to God as worthy vessels for His purposes on earth.
Conclusion
Finally, I conclude by saying that, in addition to the above prerequisites for being a vessel of God, I would like to include amongst these prerequisites, the greatest commandment of ALL given by Our Lord Jesus Christ. The commandment says ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. ‘ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. ‘ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments
This commandment is an obligatory requirement to qualify anyone as a true vessel fit for God’s purpose.
Happy Easter to ALL!
Praise God Almighty, Praise Our Lord Jesus Christ, Praise The Holy Ghost.
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