You are a chosen vessel of the Lord

"But the Lord said to him, Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings and the children of Israel." (Acts 9:15) 

You too are a chosen vessel of the Lord, 

to bear His name before all you come in contact. 

He will show you how 

and in what way. ... 

but not necessarily the way you think it should be.

Remember ... ? 

His ways are not your ways. 

His way is better, far better 

than anything we suppose.

We are to show "cares for the things that belong to the Lord - how he may please the Lord."                          (I Corinthians 7:32)

Whatever our stage in life, 

the Lord's desire is for us to care, 

to be concerned about what is pleasing to Him.

Sometimes you run when you're scared or frightened or frustrated; sometimes you withdraw. 

God doesn't want us to be stagnant, but to run, run with endurance, in the way He has destined for us. 

"Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured ... lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls." (Hebrews 12:1-3)

The Lord knows your heart
He knows your innermost being

Remember ...? 

He formed you.

He understands your desires, 

your misgivings,
your pain

He tells us to lay aside every hindrance, every sin which traps us so easily. 

Discouragement is not a sin, nor is frustration or disappointment.

But all can lead to places God does not wish us to partake in. 

God has forgiven you
He has cleansed you 

of your sin

of your guilt

He has pardoned you

He has restored you to righteousness. 

God does not keep a record of your wrongs

He is not like your peers

who remember

and bring before you

your faults, failures, 

making claim to 

disqualification.

Who are they to judge

Who made them Lord

What makes them higher and more powerful than the Lord God Almighty? 

He has pardoned you

Of what matter, 

of what consequence is it

when others put us down. 

Their level is not where God wants you.

He has forgiven you.

Once. Twice. and more. 

He forgives us our trespasses 

again and again, 

when we actively seek His forgiveness

and live the life 

He has chosen for us. 

 

"But whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you, go out into the streets and say, The very dust of your city which clings to us we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near you." (Luke 10:10-11)

Whatever city

Whatever church

Whatever congregation 

Whatever people

if so embittered 

against you

to not receive you

then wipe off the dust

wipe the slate clean

move on 

It is not they who ultimately decide your path. 

It is God. His will. 

Follow Him. 

Jesus went places of which His disciples cringed.

Jesus' determination super-ceded those who followed Him. 

He listened and discussed with others, 

But it was His Father to whom He obeyed. 

The hostility we face should not deter us 

from following and being obedient 

to our Lord Jesus Christ. 

We need to meet our opposition 

head on, 

not withdraw from it.

Move on and do. 

Perhaps 

not literally, as moving your place of residency to another 

but symbolically, within your heart and soul

Don't become complacent

Don't let those who oppose 

control. 

Let God. 

The Lord spoke to Paul in a vision, saying
"Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you." (Acts 18:9-10)

Do not be afraid. 

Do not keep silent.

Sometimes silence of words is necessary, 

but the silence of the heart need not be.

Seek the Lord

Seek His way for you to go. 

He is with you.

He is always with you.

Nothing another says 

because of their fears and unstableness

can truly harm you

if it is to the Lord 

we look and seek and pray and be.

He is our enabler. 

Our all. 

In Him do we trust. 

Amen. 

Don't run away, don't become misled

"For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything." (James 1: 3-4)

To help our Christian brothers and sisters get back on the right path, we need to walk with them and show them the way. We first need to be sure we ourselves are in right relation with the Lord.

"And remember, no one who wants to do wrong should ever say, 'God is tempting me.' God is never tempted to do wrong, and He never tempts anyone else either. Temptation comes from the lure of our own evil desires. These evil desires lead to evil actions ... so don't be misled." (James 1: 13-16)

"Be quick to listen
(Be) slow to speak
(Be) slow to get angry.
Your anger can never make things right in God's sight." (James 1: 19-20)

"And remember, (the message God has planted in your heart) is a message to obey, not just listen to. If you don't obey, you are only fooling yourself. For if you just listen and don't obey, it is like looking at your faith in a mirror but doing nothing to improve your appearance. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like." (James 1: 22-24)

"We all make mistakes, but those who control their tongues can also control themselves in every other way. ... And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is full of wickedness that can ruin your whole life. It can turn the entire course of your life into a blazing flame of destruction, for it is set on fire by hell itself." (James 3: 2, 6)

"If you are wise and understand God's ways, live a life of steady goodness so that only good deeds will pour forth. And if you don't brag about the good you do, then you will be truly wise! But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your hearts, don't brag about being wise. That is the worst kind of lie! For jealousy and selfishness are not God's kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual and motivated by the Devil. For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and every kind of evil." (James 3: 13-16)

"But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no partiality and is always sincere." (James 3:17)

David Sper from Our Daily Bread offers up this prayer, "Lord, give us courage to confront believers who have strayed, and then with gentleness restore by coming to their aid."

All Scripture today comes from the New Living Translation.