...Its the treasure within the vessel that makes it valuable.
2 Corinthians 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us.
To begin with, God has made us the way we are so that we can do his work. He said of the Apostle Paul, "He is a chosen vessel unto Me, to bear My name before the Gentiles." (Acts 9:15)
No Christian should ever complain to God because of his lack of gifts or abilities or because of his limitations or handicaps. Our very genetic structure is in the hands of God. We must accept ourself for who we are. We must seek to become a vessel of honor, set aside for the Master's use.
We must focus on the treasure within and not the vessel. Paul wasn't afraid of suffering or trials. God controls these and is glorified through weak vessels. Sometimes God allows the vessel to spill out blessings on others.
The important thing about vessels is that they be clean, empty, and available for service.
1 Corinthians 13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
Faith is a gift of God. By faith Sara received strength to conceive and deliver a child when she was too old. The patriarchs embraced God's promises by faith, seeing them afar off. The stabilizing power of faith gives us security. Faith has answered prayers again and again in my life.
The basis of our hope is in the Lord, and the purpose is to anchor the soul. The object of our hope is unseen, but the duration of our hope is eternal. My hope is built on nothing less that Jesus' blood and righteousness.
Though you speak like angels, prophesy, understand all mysteries and knowledge, move mountains with your faith, give all your goods to feed the poor and your body to be burned; it means nothing if you don't love people.
Love suffers long, is kind, doesn't envy, is not puffed up, is well behaved, isn't selfish or easily provoked, and rejoices in truth. Love bears, believes, hopes, and endures all things. Love never fails. Love lifted me.
The cross made a difference in my life. It gave me a new Father, a new family, a new faith, and a new future.
Galatians 6:14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world.
The cross cancels the debt of sin which incurred in the Garden of Eden and passed on to all men.
The cross imposes a duty to present our bodies a living sacrifice which is our reasonable service. That is a daily, personal commitment. Jesus said, take up thy cross and follow me.
The cross provides a direction for salvation, submission, and service. Man is a creature with a destiny. There are only two destinies. One doesn't have to do a thing to reach hell. The cross stands at the entrance to heaven.
One day they led Him up Calvary's mountain
One day they nailed Him to die on a tree
Suffering anguish, despised and rejected
Bearing our sins, my Redeemer is He
Living, He loved me
Dying, He saved me
Buried, He carried my sins far away
Rising, He justified freely forever
One day He's coming
Oh glorious day
J. Wilbur Chapman
Can a rich man go to heaven? When the rich young ruler came to Jesus asking what he must do to inherit eternal life, Jesus knew he was a good, moral man. The guy said he had kept commandments pertaining to man since childhood. But he lacked something. Jesus asked him to sell his riches, give to the poor, and follow Him. The man went away sad and unsaved.
Mark 10:25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
This has nothing to do with the eye of a sewing needle. In Bible times cities were surrounded by walls for protection. People went in and out of a huge gate that was hard to open. To make it easier, they built a small door called the eye of the needle, but they opened the big gate for camels loaded down with cargo.
Jesus loved us so much that He took the sin-freight that kept us from going through the glory door, freeing us from that burden. We, the rich man, and all believers can go through the eye of the needle to heaven.
Many outside the gate cling to riches or pride or whatever it is that has them loaded down. They need to unload on Jesus.
