1 Thessalonians 2:3-4 - Clean Vessel

1 Thessalonians 2:3-4 "Our appeal to you is not based on error or impure motives, nor do we try to trick anyone. Instead, we always speak as God wants us to, because he has judged us worthy to be entrusted with the Good News." (TEV)
Leviticus 11:44-45 "I am the LORD your God, and you must keep yourselves holy, because I am holy." (TEV)

I have a little program that runs at startup on my computer. It selects a verse and displays it in a box on my main screen when my machine has finished starting up. Today's scripture (quoted above) was from Leviticus, and it spoke to me a great deal about how I must conduct my life if I claim Jesus to be my King and Savior. I must keep myself "holy, because I am holy," says the Lord. That's a pretty tall order.

And when I read today's scripture from 1 Thessalonians, it really seemed to bring home that particular point (in Leviticus) very strongly. As a vessel of His Holy Spirit I must constantly be vigilant that nothing.............no sin.............no strange idea not backed up by scripture....comes into my life. I must keep this vessel clean from all that might contaminate the message that God has "entrusted" me to send on a particular day.

I also know my limitations, and I'm quick to admit that I don't have all the tools within me that I need to keep a watch over me.

But the Lord does..........and as long as I keep Him front and center in my life, I offer little in the way of a target for the enemy to exploit. This means I must keep my focus on the Lord's teachings...............be diligent in seeking a deeper relationship with Him through His Word. For it's only then can I be sure what I speak to others............how I model my life to others.........accurately presents me as a member of the Family.

As King David's Song of Victory proclaims in Psalms 18........"This God - how perfect are his deeds! How dependable his words! He is like a shield for all who seek his protection. The LORD alone is God; God alone is our defense. He is the God who makes me strong, who makes my pathway safe." (Psalms 18:30-32 (TEV))

I feel confident that with this protection from the Lord Himself, when I speak of God I "always speak as God wants" me to......I always minister to precisely those people who need to hear from me what God intended to be from me.

It's comforting to know I have a God who loves me that much.............to use me as a vessel for His Work.

Love in Jesus,

Jim

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"But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired." (1 Corinthians 12:18 NASB)

"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE, Copyright 1960,1962,1963,1968,1971,1972,1973,1975,1977,1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission."

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This devotional was originally posted on CCI-Devo - Daily Group Devotionals on December 8, 2003 in post #422. It was written by Jim Ross, a former United Pentecostal Church member, who attends Christian Challenge International, the sponsor of the devotional group. The devotional is the copyright of Jim Ross and is reprinted on this site by permission.

Page added April 17, 2006

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