Memorise:
Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the LORD. Isaiah 52:11
Read: 1 Timothy 3:1-7
1 This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
Message
One thing that anyone who wants to be used by God should bear in mind is the need to be blameless. This is the prerequisite for a child of God who wants to serve God at any level. The Bible says in 1 Timothy 3:1-2a:
“This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. A Bishop then must be blameless….”
Being blameless has two advantages: Firstly, it saves the vessel the calamity of being destroyed by the User, the Almighty God. When a person volunteers to serve the Lord, it is dangerous for the fellow to be unclean, because the holiness of God destroys unclean vessels, just like electric current without insulation. There is a measure of holiness that God Himself bestowed upon man through obedience to His Word, which qualifies man to serve Him. The Bible says concerning Isaiah, how he admitted his sinful state, then God purified and cleansed him of his iniquity to qualify as a true prophet (Isaiah 6:5). Then, the angel of the Lord came and touched him with fire from Heaven and he was purged of his iniquity. Here, we see the mercy of God upon the vessel that He decided to use for His glory. There is a lesson we must learn from this scripture: the prophet admitted his sinful state and God came to his aid for cleansing. How wonderful would it be if those who profess to be children and ministers of God will be homely with the verdict of God concerning the Adamic nature of man and surrender to His holiness for mercy?
The second advantage of a blameless vessel is that his life glorifies the Almighty God. God is honoured in his life and He shows-off the fellow, then ultimately prospers and protects him eternally.
“And the Lord said unto Satan, has thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?”
Job 1:8
Though Job suffered many trials, but just as the Bible says, his end was better than his beginning;
“So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning….”
Action Point :
Father, I want to be blameless, please help me to live a life of obedience to Your Word and let Your Name be glorified in my life.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : Acts 27-28 and Song of Solomon 8:8-14
Author : Pastor E. A. Adeboye
HYMN 4: TAKE MY LIFE AND LET IT BE
1. Take my life, and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee;
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise.
2. Take my hands, and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love;
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee,
Swift and beautiful for Thee.
3. Take my voice, and let me sing
Always, only, for my King;
Take my lips, and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee,
Filled with messages from Thee.
4. Take my silver and my gold;
Not a mite would I withhold;
Take my intellect, and use
Every power as Thou shalt choose,
Every power as Thou shalt choose.
5. Take my will, and make it Thine;
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart; it is Thine own;
It shall be Thy royal throne,
It shall be Thy royal throne.
6. Take my love; my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure-store.
Take myself, and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee,
Ever, only, all for Thee.
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