Open Heavens 4 June 2016: Saturday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Vessel unto Honour?

Topic: Vessel unto Honour? [Saturday 4, June 2016]
Memorise: Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; – 1 Peter 2:11
Read: 1 Peter 2:5-11 (KJV)
 5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
 6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.
 7 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,
 8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
 9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
 10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
 11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;
Bible in One Year: 2 Chronicles 20:24-23:15, Ecclesiastes 2:9-17
MESSAGE:
 When we realise the extent to which God can go to cleanse humanity from the pollution of the devil, then we will realise that God is not interested in quantity but in spiritual quality. During the time of Noah, God wiped off the people from the earth because of their sins, but spared Noah and his family. Hence, salvation is a personal thing and if you are going to be a vessel unto honour, you must be ready to stand alone and do that which is right in the sight of God. Sodom and Gomorrah did not escape the righteous judgement of God because they had fallen far beyond the point where they could turn back from their evil ways, they had no desire whatsoever to turn from their evil ways and return to their Maker.
 Those who are vessels unto honour will always live because Christ is alive in them. They have a living hope because the Living Word dwells in them. As vessels unto honour, you must not allow the nature of rebellion to find expression in you because you are the Lord’s own. You have direct access to God, because you have been separated from this world and unto Him. This is why we must always focus our attention on Jesus for direction in every aspect of our lives, so that we can be effective weapons in His hand. We must continue to spread the love of Jesus in our communities and beyond. We must awaken people to their spiritual needs because we have been called out of darkness into the light of God. God gives every one of us the opportunity to be useful in His plans on earth. The responsibilities are on us to determine the extent to which we will do exploits for the Lord. We must immediately respond to the prompting and instructions of the Lord before it is too late.
 As we see all challenges confronting our world on a daily basis, there is the need for all Christians to come into a higher level of uncompromising commitment to the Shepherd of our souls. There is the need to connect with God in intimacy, so that we can have access to revelations of things to come. All those things which can easily distract us from reaching the ultimate height of God for our lives must be prevented.
“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,” - Hebrews 12:1
 As vessels unto honour, you must be ready to pay the price to be true disciples of Jesus. Others can, but you cannot, because you have been separated unto God for good works.
Prayer point: Father, help me to abide in You thoughtout my lifetime in Jesus’ name.
Open Heavens Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.
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