Are You A Vessel For Honour?

Devotion for Saturday June 16, 2018

Sing A&M 325; Abu 157

Topic: Are You A Vessel For Honour?

Text: 2 Timothy 2:19 – 21

Vessel unto honour literally means a vessel that is useful in honourable way. When God used Assyrians to punish Israel, they were useful in the hands of God but not for honour because they were punished at the end too. God requires us to be vessels unto honour for that was the reason behind our creation and call. In our text, Paul admonishes us to be mindful of how we live our lives because God knows those who are His (2 Timothy 2:19). Therefore everyone who is a Christian should depart from iniquity (2 Timothy 2:19). The reason for this advice is in 2 Timothy 2:20 so that we can become vessels unto honour. When we cleanse ourselves from all forms of defilement, we will become “vessels for honour, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.” Have you cleansed yourself from all defilement? As a Christian sister/brother who is single and engaged, what is your secret life with your fiancé/fiancée? We can’t serve God and be useful in His hands when we are living in sin and compromising our faith. To be a vessel unto honour we must avoid all form of defilement be it in words, actions, reactions and deeds. Couples should be sincere in their relationships; they should love and be loveable, be at peace with all people and above all be sincere in their worship of God with faith in Christ Jesus.

Food for Thought: A sanctified life is pleasant to God and such is always a reliable instrument in His hands.

Memory verse: 2 Timothy 2:21

Prayer: God may I be a vessel unto honour in your house now and forever.

INESCAPABLE CHOICE: Devotion for Friday July 22, 2016

INESCAPABLE CHOICE: Devotion for Friday July 22, 2016

Text: Matthew 6:24                  

Memory verse: Matthew 6:24 - No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

Catechism in Book of Common Prayer 2007:478, says that being created in the image of God “Means that we are free to make choices; to love, to create, to reason and to live in harmony with creation and with God.” One of the inescapable choices we will make in life is that of whom to serve. In our text, Jesus says we can have only one master and serve him well. If we have two masters at the same time, our devotion and commitment will be divided.

Our world of today is a materialistic society where many people serve money and can do anything to get it including looting public funds, backstabbing people to gain favour and approval, kidnapping, and killing. In our present society, people’s desire for money and what it can buy far outweighs their commitment to God and spiritual matters. Whatever you store up, you will spend much of your time and energy thinking about. No wonder Jesus made it clear that where our treasures are there will our hearts be.  

Here, Jesus contrasted heavenly values with earthly values when He explained that our first loyalty should be to those things that do not fade, cannot be stolen or used up, and never wear out. We shouldn’t be fascinated with our possessions, lest they possess us and we begin to give less attention to the things of God. This means we may have to do some cutting back if our possessions are becoming too important to us. Jesus calls for a decision that allows us to live contentedly with whatever we have because we have chosen what is eternal and lasting. Don’t fall into the materialistic trap, because “the love of money is at the root of all kinds of evil” (1 Timothy 6:10).

Food for Thought: Can you honestly say that God, and not money, is your master?

Prayer: God, I have chosen you as my Lord and Saviour. Help me never to fall into materialistic trap that will take my heart away from you in Jesus name. Grant me the grace to control my desire and the blessings you have bestowed upon me and not my blessings controlling me.