Empty Vessels Made Full

As 2014 draws to a close, this blog has passed a significant milestone:  50,000 views from all over the world.  It is a great blessing to be able to freely share the love of Jesus Christ and the truth of scripture with all who are interested.  My schedule 2015 looks to be busier than ever, and as God leads and provides I shall continue to regularly contribute to the blog.

In the last month, the top visitors to the blog came from the United States, France, Australia, Ukraine, and Germany.  Russia, China, the United Kingdom, and South Korea are also listed on the all time most viewed list.  I thank the LORD for the internet and the translation tools which allow people from all over the world to read with understanding.  Much to my surprise, the blog has been the means to connect me face to face in fellowship with Christians I never knew before.  My prayer is through these words God would be glorified and praised for His goodness and truth.

Dear Christian, I encourage you to follow Jesus Christ closer this year than ever before.  Joyfully spend and be spent for His glory, God's grace working in you to labour abundantly for Him.  He will supply all your needs, even as He did for the indebted woman through Elisha written of in 2 Kings.  She was desperate because her husband died and left her with a large debt she could not pay.  Her sons were at risk to become slaves and she cried out to Elisha for help.  He asked her what she had on hand.  All she had in the house was a jar of oil.  Things looked bleak and desperate.

2 Kings 4:3-7 reveals what followed:  "Then he said, "Go, borrow vessels from everywhere, from all your neighbors--empty vessels; do not gather just a few. ⁴ And when you have come in, you shall shut the door behind you and your sons; then pour it into all those vessels, and set aside the full ones." ⁵ So she went from him and shut the door behind her and her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured it out. ⁶ Now it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said to her son, "Bring me another vessel." And he said to her, "There is not another vessel." So the oil ceased. ⁷ Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, "Go, sell the oil and pay your debt; and you and your sons live on the rest."  The woman and her sons were obedient to gather up all the empty vessels.  According to the command of the man of God they shut the door, and poured and poured.  The oil from the original vessel failed only when there was not another empty vessel to fill.  After all the vessels were filled, they went back to Elisha who bid them sell the oil, pay the debt, and live on the rest.

Are you willing to be an empty vessel God can fill with the Holy Spirit?  You may look inside and see your complete poverty of soul.  You may look at your life and wonder what you could possibly contribute of value for the kingdom of God.  The truth is, we are nothing and have nothing.  But when we are empty of self and obey God's Word in faith, He will supply all we need.  Our meager efforts can produce life-saving, transformational changes in the church and the world.  Will you lay down your will before the LORD this year?  How about today?  Will today be the day when you finally surrender in joyful obedience?

God asked Moses, "What is in your hand?"  He answered, "A rod." (Ex. 4:2)  It was that rod God used to do mighty wonders in Egypt and even prove Aaron was His chosen high priest.  Instead of lamenting what you do not have and why you cannot do as you wish, what is in your hand?  What is in your house?  Ask God how He would have you invest yourself in His work.  Even if it is only a little pot of oil or a stick, God will do miraculous wonders if we will trust and obey!

Growing in Grace

"You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; ¹⁸ but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen."

2 Peter 3:17-18

Peter concluded his epistle with this exhortation to remain faithful to Christ.  Instead of being led astray with the error of the wicked, they were to "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ."  For much of my early Christian walk, "grace" was an ambiguous term without any depth of meaning or personal significance.  The concept of "growing in grace" was equally as meaningless.  If I didn't understand what grace was, how could I possibly grow in it?

For me, understanding of God's grace awakened when I began to recognise how sinful I am according to God's righteous standard.  From my youth I understood and sang with gusto, "Yes, Jesus loves me!"  yet I did not comprehend that there was nothing in me deserving or worthy of this love.  He loved me with a divine love I could not earn.  The Law of God laid out in the Old Testament laid a death blow to my pride which was convinced I could merit God's favour through obedience.  Romans 3:19-20 reads, "Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. ²⁰ Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin."  God gave the Law to Moses to establish His perfect standard and to prove to the proudest soul there is none worthy before God.  Break His Law in one tiny aspect and that man is guilty of all.

The Law of God opened my eyes to the grace of God.  I am a guilty sinner deserving of wrath and eternal judgment.  But God in His great love had compassion on me and offered me grace, salvation by faith in Jesus Christ.  Christ does love me, but not because I love Him.  He loved me first and always, and I love Him back.  I can only respond to His love already lavished upon me, an unchanging love not based upon my performance or perceived worthiness.  It is this knowledge of our poverty of soul which causes us to grow in grace.  Our growth is not one to measure against others, but only against the perfect standard established by Jesus Christ.

Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:9-10, "For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. ¹⁰ But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me."  Paul embraced the grace of God from a position of complete unworthiness.  Everything praiseworthy in Paul's life was a product of God's grace at work in Him.  I believe there is a misunderstanding of grace today which justifies sloth concerning our sanctification.  We see our unworthiness or lack and shrug our shoulders and say glibly, "By the grace of God I am what I am."  Paul did not use God's grace as a cloak for carelessness, but to glorify God for the goodness at work in and through His live.  God's grace did not justify Paul being served, but compelled him to greater labours for God.  He was an unworthy minister, yet Paul laboured more abundantly than all others.  He did not just see himself as unworthy.  Oh no, my friends.  He was unworthy, and I am too.  We all are!  Unless we admit we are unworthy, we will never know God's grace nor grow in it.

It is knowledge and acceptance of our unworthiness before God which opens our understanding to receive God's grace.  Growing in grace is not that we are doing more now for God than we used to, but to confess He is doing more in and through our lives according to His grace.  How great is our God, and how wondrous His grace!  James said his faith in Christ was revealed by works, and Paul's growth in grace was accompanied by abundant labour.  It's not so much "What are you doing for God?" but "What has God done and is doing for you?"  May all God's people see their unworthiness and joyfully grow in grace as God's Spirit labours in and through us.

God the Deliverer

I have heard people describe David as a "giant killer."  Some have made the point that many of David's mighty men who hailed from lowly backgrounds were also giant killers.  One fact which should not be ignored is David killed Goliath and delivered Israel solely by the grace and power of God.  Like Joseph who admitted the ability to understand and interpret dreams was not in him yet through God was able to do just that, so was David's ability to fight.  God had delivered him from lions and bears, and He would certainly deliver David from the hand of the blasphemous Philistine Goliath.  With God on David's side it was Goliath who was the underdog.

Perhaps so we don't place David on a giant-killing pedestal, there was recorded another and lesser known account of David with a giant.  David was unable to kill the giant, and barely escaped with his life.  2 Samuel 21:15-17 tells us, "When the Philistines were at war again with Israel, David and his servants with him went down and fought against the Philistines; and David grew faint. ¹⁶ Then Ishbi-Benob, who was one of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose bronze spear was three hundred shekels, who was bearing a new sword, thought he could kill David. ¹⁷ But Abishai the son of Zeruiah came to his aid, and struck the Philistine and killed him. Then the men of David swore to him, saying, "You shall go out no more with us to battle, lest you quench the lamp of Israel."  Though David defeated Goliath as a youth, he was not perpetually a strong warrior.  Likely due to advancing age, in the heat of a battle with the Philistines David became faint.  David still trusted God, and God remained faithful to deliver him.  God used a different means to deliver David from the second giant:  a brother in arms who rushed to his aid.

We like to think if we are strong today, we will be strong tomorrow.  Perhaps we assume like Moses we will go through life without our eyes becoming dim or our natural strength being reduced.  But alas, this is rarely the case.  This situation with David becoming faint in the battle demonstrates that no matter the great victory he experienced in the past, he needed help from others.  This teaches us regardless of how God may have used us to deliver others, it is good to acknowledge we need faithful brothers and sisters today in the fight by our side.  We need help from God and from men.  God at times allows His faithful warriors to "lose a step," so to speak, so others can step up and be used by God as well.  I don't know what was more humbling for David:  to defeat Goliath with a sling and stone or to be helped by his cousin Abishai to escape the fury of the giant.  It was God who delivered David on both occasions, and it is good to recognise all victories we enjoy are by the power of His gracious deliverance.

David wrote of God in Psalm 18:29-34, "For by You I can run against a troop, by my God I can leap over a wall. ³⁰ As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the LORD is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him. ³¹ For who is God, except the LORD? And who is a rock, except our God? ³² It is God who arms me with strength, and makes my way perfect. ³³ He makes my feet like the feet of deer, and sets me on my high places. ³⁴ He teaches my hands to make war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze."  God's strength is often revealed in weakness.  God had made David strong and skilled for battle, but over time God allowed David's physical prowess to wane.  Yet even in David's weakness God remained his shield.  God's ways were still perfect.  When David fainted, God brought along a brother to help David and lift him up.

David lost his physical strength, but he only grew stronger in faith.  On his deathbed, David described God as the one who delivered him from all distress (1 Kings 1:29).  It was not his faith or bravery, his trusty sling and stone, and it was not Abishai who received the credit.  David gave all glory to God for delivering Him, and He will deliver all who trust in Him - regardless of age, physical ability, or social standing.  Both young shepherds and aged kings are invited to trust the LORD, whose ways are perfect.  Trust the LORD, and He will deliver and guide you into rest for your soul.

Little Things, Big Difference

Little things can make a big difference.  Whether the context is baking, building a house, or the composition of the human body, small things can be the difference between life and death, good quality or a disaster.  There many parts of the body which are necessary for life, and therefore it is impossible to say what is more important.  It would be useless to debate over whether the brain or blood is more important to the body.  Without either one you could not survive!  They are both necessary and therefore both critical for the healthy operation of the body.

Paul wrote to Christians concerning their church meetings in 1 Corinthians 14:26:  "How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification."  In verses following, Paul set limits as two or three people at the most speaking in turn with tongues (with interpretation) and prescribed the same limits on prophesy.  Paul did not set any limits on psalms, teachings, or revelations.  The Holy Spirit, love for God and others, and the benefit of the whole church was to govern all their interactions for the edification of the whole Body.  God's infinite, everlasting love supplies the motive to minister and speak.

A baker understands the need for quality ingredients to be carefully measure and mixed at the proper time to ensure correct consistency.  Just because there is much more flour than baking powder in a cake recipe does not mean the baking power could or should be omitted.  When believers of a church gather in fellowship and worship, all things are to be done decently and according to God's prescribed order.  All gifts and power of the Holy Spirit are necessary to produce the correct consistency and resulting fellowship God desires.  While we may have different tastes in cooking or baking, our feelings or opinions should not dictate the overemphasis of some gifts to the neglect or refusal of others.  If God has seen fit to give gifts, He will provide the guidance, discernment, leading, and opportunity to use them.

God does not give unnecessary gifts.  We are to be faithful to glorify God and edify others with the gifts God has given us, yet we must also be willing and expectant to receive edification from the gifts God has given others.  This is hard for our flesh.  It is hard for us to receive edification from a gift we do not possess, understand, and in some cases approve of!  We can be so focused on using our gift we do not think we need anything from others.  But we have been made of a Body, a group of followers of Jesus Christ unified in His love and service.  We are edified as we are obedient, yet it is for the edification of others we should seek to excel.

Whatever your role or gift in the church, realise obedience in using your gift according to the Spirit and the parameters set in God's Word is necessary for the edification of the Body of Christ.  As important as it is to use your gift, it is vital to see your need for edification through the gifts of others.  God has graciously supplied them for that purpose.  What you see as a very little thing God can use to make a big difference!