2 Timothy 2:20-26
“But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work. Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.”
INSIGHT
-Vessels in Greek is written as Skeuos which is a term used for a variety of domestic and sacred tasks. That is; utensils, tools, furniture etc. A vessel is also described as a persons body which is used by God our Master. They can be classified as either vessels of honor and dishonor. Vessels of honor like gold and silver were used in the temple, and vessels of dishonor are wood and clay. The honorable vessels represent believers who are useful and faithful to the Lord as opposed to those who are defiled and unfit for use. Jesus gave a parable of the sower to describe the hearts of men. The hearts which receive the word of God and bear much fruit are honorable and ready for the Masters use, but the seeds which fall on the rock, thorns and pathways are not ready to produce fruit. We know that, the heart of man is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked; who can know it? only God searches the heart and tests the mind to give each man according to his ways and the fruit of his doings (Jeremiah 17:9-10). God reminds us to come to Him with pure hearts and avoid youthful passions and foolish arguments, that we may realize His true purpose. As vessels of honor, we are called to pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace with a pure heart, through sanctification that grows us in righteousness and causes us to have the right relationship with God. As vessel of God and fit for the Masters use, we should be ready to correct and teach others with patience that they may flee from the devil and come to repentance, and knowledge of the truth.
PRAYER
Lord You are righteous and Your righteousness endures forever. Thank You Abba Father for making us see this new day in perfect peace, we exult Your holy name. Lead us in Your purposes this week and take control all situations for the glory of Your name. Remember with mercy Lord all those who are sick and suffering that You may renew their strength and heal them from all their infirmities. Deliver us and all those that we minister to from youthful lusts and senseless arguments that we may always dwell in the joy of Your salvation. Create in us clean hearts O God and renew a steadfast spirit within us. Touch our hearts dear Master and sanctify us with Your precious blood that we may always bear much fruit. Make us vessels of honor fit for Your use dear Master and give us the wisdom to teach others Your word with patience like Apostle Paul. Help us to be faithful servants in all that You have called us to do and always be vessels of honor to You. You are the way, the truth and the life Jesus, journey with us, our families, friends, society, churches, ministries, nation and the entire world in Your righteousness, faith, love and peace. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us now and forever more. Amen
1 Thessalonians 4:3-7
“For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified. For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness.”
INSIGHT
-God is Holy and calls us to holiness. If the Holy Spirit dwells in our bodies, then we should abstain from sexual immorality which defiles our temples. Like the vessels kept in the temple which were washed by water mixed with ash of a pure heifer sacrificed on the altar of the Lord (Numbers 19), we too should remember that Christ died for our sin that we may be made pure by the washing of His precious blood. God wills that we are sanctified and remain holy, each one taking possession of his/her own vessel. According to the Roman translation, a vessel is a body that contains a soul, and we should be concentrated to serve God. Belshazzar did not humble himself but hardened his heart like his father king Nebuchadnezzar. He defiled the temple vessels of gold with wine, before his gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood and stone, and before his wives and concubines. The Lord pronounced His judgement upon him and wrote on the wall “MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN’, which translates to: – MENE; God has numbered your kingdom, and finished it. TEKEL, You have been weighed in the balances, and found wanting; PERES; Your kingdom has been divided, and given to the Medes and Persians. He fell like his father and his mighty kingdom taken away from him (Daniel 5:18-29). We are vessels of the Most High God and our bodies are His temples. Let us not pollute ourselves with sexual lusts, fornication, adultery but practice self control which the Holy Spirit has given us. In sanctification and honor, let us walk in chastity and honor our marriage contacts that our lives may remain pleasing to God.
PRAYER
Lord You are merciful and Your mercies endures forever, have mercy on us and on the whole world. Jesus You are Holy and have called us to be holy, make us holy by the washing of Your precious blood; we humbly ask You. Draw us to Yourself and help us to be more like You Jesus. Only through Your grace can we remain holy as You please, fill us with Your grace we humbly implore You. Forgive us for the many times we have honor You with our lips, but our hearts were far away from You, draw us close to Your heart dear Father. Only by Your grace have You saved us and not by our works lest anyone should boast, thank You for Your saving grace upon us, our families, churches, nation and entire world. Help us all to come to Your knowledge that brings forth the light of Your salvation. Deliver us and the whole world from corrupt ways that disqualify us as vessels of honor. Teach us to walk in Your truth that our hearts may always submit to Your Holy will. Your will for us is sanctification, thank you Jesus for the good plans You have for us, plans to prosper us and not to harm us, plans to give us hope and a future. Bless our children dear Master and give them a better future. Help them to go back to school and to please You with all they do. Restore all the broken marriages Father and give all the families peace. Deliver our nation from corruption and revive our economy. Be with all the churches and the vessels You have chosen to serve You that You may preserve them holy and many will come to You. All glory, honor, praise and salvation belongs to You Jesus, now and forever. Amen
Romans 9:21-24
“Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor? What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory, even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?”
INSIGHT
-God is full of mercy and His love for us endures forever. We see that the Lord sent Jeremiah to the potters house who was shaping pots from the clay, marred in his hands as seemed best to him. Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah and He said, “Can I not do with you, Israel, as this potter does?” declares the Lord. Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, Israel. If at any time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down and destroyed, and if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned. And if at another time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be built up and planted, and if it does evil in my sight and does not obey me, then I will reconsider the good I had intended to do for it” (Jeremiah 18:6-10). The Lord is the creator of the heavens and the earth and things that are in them. As the ruler of all, He is Sovereign and is described as the potter of the clay. He can do whatever He pleases with man, nation and all His creation. He has power over the clay and makes vessels of honor and dishonor as He wishes. In His merciful love, He has designed a path of mercy for the Jews and the Gentiles, making us one in Christ Jesus.
PRAYER
Worthy are You our Lord God Almighty to receive glory and honor and power for you created all things and by Your will they existed and were created, all creation bows down before You Lord our God. You alone are the Lord. You have made the heavens, the heaven of heavens with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them, all glory and praise belongs to You. You give life to all of them and the heavenly host bows down before You. All creation bows down before You Lord God Almighty. Like a potter of clay, You have made us in Your image and likeness and showed us great mercy and love, all creation bows down before You Lord our God. We humbly ask You to mold us as You please and use us for the glory of Your name. Mold our hearts dear Master that we always be conformed to Your will, all creation bows down before You Lord our God. Mold our leaders and our nation according to Your will that we may always remember to give You glory and praise. We raise Your banner Jesus in our nation and honor You with all our hearts, all creation bows down before You Lord our God. Thank You for loving us with Your everlasting love. Thank You for this far that You have brought us and the far that You are taking us. Thank You for redeeming us by Your precious blood out of every tribe, tongue, people and nation, all creation bows down before You Lord our God. Thank You for obtaining victory for us on the cross Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, all creation bows down before You. Amen
2 Corinthians 4:7-10
“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.”
INSIGHT
-Vessels of honor are those that give glory to God and not ourselves. God used and still uses people to ascribe honor unto Himself. In the Old Testament, the Lord used patriarchs like Moses to be a vessel of honor unto Him. Moses through the power of God perplexed Pharaoh and other Egyptian slave masters with many signs and miracles until the Israelites were set free. Gideon the mighty warrior fought the Midianites courageously and won bringing honor to the Lord. Esther became a queen in a foreign country and through much prayer and fasting was able to influence major decisions that affected the Israelite people, and many others. Apostle Paul in the New Testament did not consider his own life but ministered unto the Lord through persecution, and many were converted to Christ for the glory of His name. Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior demonstrated through His own life what it takes to be a vessel of honor. Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus ministered and administered the gospel of truth to the Jews and Gentiles and epitomized His ministry through His death and resurrection, for the sake of all mankind. He sacrificed His own life for us all and taught us that we also need to be selfless for the sake of others. Before His ascension He instructed His disciples to go into all the world preaching the gospel, that many may believe and come to salvation. How beautiful then; are the feet of those who bring good news, proclaim peace, bring good tidings, proclaim salvation and say to Zion, “Your God reigns” (Isaiah 52:7). The Holy Spirit prepares us for every good work and makes us ready and eager to serve Him, and proclaim that the Lord reigns. We must then be genuine and unreserved in our desire to submit to the Holy Spirit, with humility which comes before honor. Through humility and submission, working out our salvation with fear and trembling, we become golden vessels ready and willing to serve the Lord with sanctified hearts. As vessels of honor, we are called to willingly reveal the message of peace to all the nation as the Lord has called us through the power of the Holy Spirit working in us and through us for the glory of His name.
PRAYER
Lord Almighty and everlasting Father, You are good and Your mercies endures forever. Be glorified Lord in all the heavens and the earth. We exalt You Jesus above the heavens; You reign all over the heavens and the earth. You have justified us through Your merciful love, sanctified us through the washing of Your precious blood and water from Your side and we will live with You in glory. You have bought us at a price Jesus, help us to glorify You with our bodies and work out our salvation with fear and trembling. Give us the grace to proclaim Your gospel of peace with diligence and faithfulness to You, for the glory of Your name. Fill us with Your gifts and fruit Holy Spirit to touch the lives of those You have sent us to, that many may know You and believe in You Jesus Christ. Many are lying sick in the hospitals and home, help us to be a blessing to them and heal their wounds merciful Father. Others have lost hope in life and many are imprisoned, touch their hearts and convert them to You. Some live in the streets and facing many challenges like the prodigal son, return them back to Yourself merciful Father. Many youth are lost in alcoholism, drug abuse, prostitution, sexual immorality and many other evil deeds, touch their hearts and shine Your face unto them. Some are facing challenges in their marriages, businesses and lives, be their ever present help merciful Father. We call on You Jesus to heal our land and prosper us in good leadership, economic growth, faith in You and diligence to follow Your will. Remember us Holy Spirit and deliver us from our challenges, we cast all our burdens unto You Jesus for You care for us. Cleanse us all from iniquity and sanctify us with Your precious blood. Answer all our prayers and hearts desires Lord according to Your will. Nothing is impossible with You Jesus Christ, we believe in You. Nothing can separate us from Your love Jesus, separate us to Yourself and use us for to bring glory to Your name. Thank You God for placing a seal on us and electing us through Your grace to be vessels of honor. Thank You for choosing us for every good work bringing forth honor to Your name. Work in us and through us Jesus that Your life may be manifested in us. All glory, honor and praise belongs to You Lord, now and forever. Amen
Hebrews 9:21-22
“Then likewise he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry. And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission.”
INSIGHT
-There is great power in the precious blood of Jesus that makes us vessels of honor through sanctification. The blood of Jesus justified us and sanctifies us as we wait to be glorified when He comes again. Let us then keep our faith strong in Christ, casting out all doubt for the just shall live by faith.
SUMMARY
There are different kinds of vessels, some are of honor and others are of dishonor. The ones which are made of gold and silver were preserved for special tasks and are classified are honorable while vessels made of wood and clay were used for other tasks are classified as dishonorable. Vessels of honor according to 1 Thessalonians 4:3-7 are sanctified by the blood of Jesus are prepared to every good work that the Lord desires. These vessels are our bodies which should be kept holy for the Lord is Holy and we are the temples of the Holy Spirit. If then we are the temples of the Holy Spirit, we should flee from youthful lusts, avoid ignorant disputes that cause strife and pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace out of a pure heart. Like in the parable of the sower, vessels of honor receive the word of God with a pure heart and do what God instructs us to do. Vessels of dishonor are chocked by worldly pleasures and deceitfulness of riches and remain unfruitful. Other unfruitful vessels receive the word of God with joy and when persecution comes, they stumble. As Christians, we should remain steadfast in faith even when persecuted or struck down, that the life of Jesus may be manifested in us (2 Corinthians 4:7-10). God is Sovereign and all authority belongs to Him. He creates and destroys as He please and rules over all in the heavens and the earth. He sent prophet Jeremiah to a potters house to demonstrate that the potter has authority over the clay. The potter molds both vessels of honor and dishonor as he pleases. We are then called to humble ourselves before the Lord and He will lift us up. As vessels of honor, God speaks to us and through us. God also works in us and through us. We are called to be vessels that carry the pure love of God, to love Him and our neighbors as ourselves. To willingly submit to the will of the Holy Spirt and surrender our will to Him, and He will work in us and through us every good work that causes many to know Him and come to Him, for the glory and honor of His name.
PRAYER
God Almighty You are Sovereign and Your sovereignty endures to all generations. We come before You Holy Spirit with humility pleading You to purge us with the fire of Your love. Cleanse us and sanctify us with Your precious blood Jesus and make us, our children, relatives, friends, leaders, society, nation and the whole world vessels of honor. Fill us with Your love Holy Spirit that we may love You always and our neighbors as ourselves. May Your love reach all those You send us to that we may touch many lives for the glory of Your name. Help us to always seek You first and Your kingdom and all other things You will add unto us. We look to You with humility our good Shepherd, shepherd us always in the way we should go. As the salt and light of the world, use us in a mighty way Jesus to minister unto Your people that they may know You and follow You. You have won victory for us Jesus, all glory, honor, power and salvation belongs to You, now and forever. Amen