IN A GREAT HOUSE

2 Timothy 2:19-21 (NKJV) 19 Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: "The Lord knows those who are His," and, "Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity." 20 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. 21 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.

Today, I would like to look at verses 20 and 21.  God is looking for a people that want to move from the ordinary to the extraordinary; from the life of wood and clay to a life of gold and silver.  Many people believe that what God wants you to be, you will be, but that is not what this verse is saying.  In verse 21, it states that we make the decision of what we will be.

You might be asking, “What do you mean?”  Well here it says, “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.”  We need to clean up our act.  We need to put ourselves in position to be used by Him. 

I decide what type of life I will live.  Will I let sin rule me, or do I let His grace control my life?  Do I take time to read and study His Word, or do I just sit by the TV and let the hours roll away?  You see, it is up to me what I will do with myself.  Today, make a decision to be a vessel of honor to Him, and let Him be able to use you each and every day.

Confession: Today, I make a decision to be a vessel of honor for the Master’s use.  I put my life in His hands, but I also choose the things of the Kingdom instead of the things of this world that are passing away.

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GOD KNOWS HIS OWN

2 Timothy 2:19-21 (NKJV) Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: "The Lord knows those who are His," and, "Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity." 20 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. 21 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.

Today I would like to look at verse 19, and then tomorrow we will look at verses 20 and 21.

When a king put a seal on something, like a letter or a package, that item became very valuable.  If you messed around with it, you could be killed.  God has put His seal on us, and that makes us very, very valuable.  This verse states that God knows His special people.  I do not know about you, but I am glad I am one of His special people!

God’s love for us is so amazing that He knows each of us in a very unique way.  He created us, and therefore knows all about us.  He knows what makes us glad, what makes us sad, what brings peace to us, what brings fear, and He is an ever-present help in time of need.  This verse says, "The Lord knows those who are His."  I would rather have God know me, and for me to be in His will, than anywhere else. 

So today, live in peace knowing that you are sealed by God and watched over.  He knows you and loves you.  He is working on you and has not given up on you, so do not give up!

Confession:  The Lord knows those who are His, and since I am His, I know that everything is going to be ok.   In this life, God is leading, guiding, and directing my steps.  He cannot let me down because I am His.

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RIGHTLY DIVIDING THE WORD

2 Timothy 2:15 (NKJV) Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

To rightly the divide the Word of God takes times of reading it, meditating on it, and also studying it.  Each way opens up the truth of the Word.  I look at the Word of God like rock, and I am a miner seeking for gold.  Yes, I might get lucky and find some on the top, but most gold takes a lot of digging and working. 

When we open our Bible and start reading it, sometimes things can jump right off of the page and we go, “Wow! That was good!” and we get all excited.  But there are other times that we read the Word and nothing really hits us.  That is when we need to ponder and chew on it for a while.  Do this during the course of the day.

You might say, “How do I do that?”  Let me show you a couple of different ways.  When you find a verse that speaks to you, write it down or put it on the wallpaper on your phone.  Then throughout the day look at it, say it a few times, and think about what it is saying to you personally.

Before I got a Smartphone, I used to write scriptures on 3 by 5 cards and carry them with me, or hang them in places I would go, like on a mirror or the refrigerator.  Be creative, and you will see that you will be digging up nuggets before you know it.  His Word will be rightly divided in your life, and you will be a worker for the kingdom who is not ashamed!

Confession:  Today, I am going to be a doer and a digger of the Word.  I am going to let the Word of God have first place in my life, and I will study it so that I can rightly divide it and not be ashamed.

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HE IS ALWAYS FAITHFUL

2 Timothy 2:13 (NKJV) If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.

Our God is a faithful God.  Even when we are without faith, He keeps on keeping on for us.  So many times we get upset, or we just do not understand why something happened, or why it did not go the way we prayed, but God is still there!

During times like this, it is best not to run from God your Father, but to run to Him.  Run into His huge arms, and let Him love on you.  Let Him embrace you and bring you the comfort that you need.  We will always have times throughout our lives where things happen, but God is there.  He is there to meet us where we are.

So today, no matter what is happening around you or in your heart, know that He is there.  Know that He will never leave you or forsake you.  Even if you feel like you have let Him down, He remains faithful; He remains true to His Word and to His character.  Our Father cannot deny Who He is.

Everyone in the whole world can deny Him, but He will continue to be true to the Word and true to Himself.  Remember, He is love!  It is Who He is, and love never fails.   Love will always win, and our Heavenly Father has given you the victory today!

So look up at His arms open wide, and see the One who gave all that He is for you.  God is LOVE IN ACTION, and it is all for us!

Confession:  My Father God is Love, and He cannot deny Himself.  He cannot change.  He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  This gives me the confidence to know that no matter what I am going through, or will go through, He will see me through to victory!

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FORGET NOT ALL HIS BENEFITS

Psalms 103:1-5 (NKJV) Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name! 2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: 3 Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, 4 Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with loving kindness and tender mercies, 5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

The psalmist here is saying to his mind, “Mind, it is time to bless the Lord!”  There are times that we have to tell ourselves what to do.  Here, he is telling his mind to remember all the benefits of God. 

Let us look at a couple of benefits that he brings out.  The first part of verse three says, "Who forgives all your iniquities." Well, I would say those are some good benefits!  I know that because of Jesus Christ, all of my sins are forgiven.  He did not say some of them, but all of them.  You can know today that you are in right standing with God, your Heavenly Father!  He can fellowship with you because of what Jesus has done.  Say it out loud: “All my sins are forgiven!”  That is so great!

The next part says that He heals all of my diseases.  Not just some.  God heals all of our diseases!  What an amazing Father we have, that he cares about us: spirit, soul, and body.  So again, go ahead and say out loud, “Thank You Father for healing me from the top of my head to the very soles of my feet.  Thank You that I am the forgiven and the healed, because of all that Jesus has done for me.  Today I say, BLESS THE LORD, OH MY SOUL, AND ALL THAT IS WITHIN ME, BLESS HIS HOLY NAME!”

Confession: Today I say, “BLESS THE LORD, OH MY SOUL, AND ALL THAT IS WITHIN ME, BLESS HIS HOLY NAME!”  It is so good to be free from sin and free from disease!  It is so good to be a child of the King!

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THE JOY OF THE LORD

Nehemiah 8:10 (NKJV) Then he said to them, "Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our LORD. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."

Many times in our lives we do not feel too joyful, but here the scripture says that the joy of the Lord is our strength.  When you feel like you have no joy in your heart, lean on Him and let His joy overflow you.   His joy will carry you no matter what is going on in your life.  You can have all the powers of hell raising their ugly head at you, and yet still have a smile on your face and joy in your heart.

I think of the Apostle Paul who had so many tribulations come against him, yet in the book of Philippians he talks over and over about joy.  Let us look at a few of these verses:

Philippians 1:4, “Always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy.”

Philippians 1:25, “And being confident of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith.”

Philippians 2:2, “Fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.”

Philippians 4:1, “Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved.”

Remember, joy is a fruit, and like any fruit, you have to work with it until it matures, and then you can go ahead and eat it.  So today, let the joy of the Lord be your strength.  Rejoice in Him with all your heart!

Confession: Today, I abide in Him, and I know that He abides in me.  My Father is joy, so I know that His joy is developing within me.  I will let His joy flow through me no matter what comes my way.  The joy of the Lord is my strength!

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ONE THING

Psalm 27:4 (NKJV) One thing I have desired of the LORD, that will I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in His temple.

Many times in life we go after things, but this scripture states that all we need is one thing.  What is that “One Thing” that we should desire over anything?  What is that “One Thing” that should burn in our hearts?  I know for me, it is to know Him.  I have found that when I put Him first, everything just seems to work out.

Jesus said it this way in Matthew 6:33: “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”  As we seek Him first and make Him the main part of our lives, it just seems that everything comes together.

So today, make a decision to make Him the “One Thing” that you desire above anything.  Fall in love with Him, and enjoy His goodness.  Your Heavenly Father loves you so dearly and only wants the best for you.

He desires “One Thing” more than anything, and that “One Thing” that He desires is you.  Sometimes that seems so hard to fathom, but it is true!  Anyone who would take the time to count every hair on my head must truly love me.  So enjoy Him, let Him enjoy you, and you will see that the “One Thing” is the best thing!

Confession:  Today, I choose the “One Thing” that is the best thing: HIM.  I choose God, my Heavenly Father, and I make Him the main thing in my life today.  He is my number one!

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