Empty Vessels

What first comes to your mind when you read ‘empty vessels‘? You might think of a cup or a jar that is ready and available to be poured into. Then, you are right in thinking that.

There is story in the Bible about the woman in 2 Kings 4, who had to go borrow empty jars from her neighbors so that the oil that God divinely provided could be in abundance. God goes ahead of us to make provisions for things He needs us to do.

God always funds His assignments, and I am learning it is important for us to trust and depend on Him. Learning to avail and prepare ourselves for the assignments He is divinely orchestrating and leading us to. God will equip us with His Spirit, with His wisdom, His strength, His patience, with the right resources and much more.

I listened to a sermon recently during the SHINE conference and the preacher said that God freely pours into vessels who empty themselves out. Being open and willing to continually pour out what God dispenses to us. Either through time, money, talents, love and so much more.

The more we pour out, the more we are able to receive. The more we encourage and foster a community and environment of genuine giving and reciprocal sharing. The idea of Each One, Teach One has been referenced a few times on the blog this year. It simply speaks to the idea that we each have something of value to share with our world and within our sphere of influence.

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How are you spending your life and how are you working to empty yourself in this season?

We must focus on our devotion to God. How devoted are we to this God we claim to love?

John 15 talks about Jesus as the Vine and with us as the Branches.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing"
John 15:5 (NIV)

Do we want to bear lasting fruits? We have to put every effort and try our very best to remain in Christ, to keep following through on our devotion to Him.

I read once the analogy of being connected to God and seeing Him as our lifeline rather than as something we need to charge us up or get us through situations.

A phone that is plugged to a wall socket gets power because its battery is low and whenever it is fully charged it can be disconnected and perform its function until it needs recharging again. On the other hand, every phone comes with a battery and this is required to keep a phone in operation. Once you remove the battery from the phone, that phone is rendered useless and unusable. That is perhaps how we must see ourselves in relation to our communication and reliance on God.

I’m not saying that it’s easy. Especially in a culture that glorifies self-confidence, self-reliance and being able to know what to do, how to do, and when to do it.

Kingdom culture will always oppose the dominant culture of the age. We have to be sensitive and able to discern when good things are taking us out of God’s perfect will for our lives.
@musingswithmo_

Broken Vessels

We might feel unqualified, not smart enough, not perceptive enough or not as able. Yet, God does some of his best work with broken vessels. When we don’t exalt ourselves higher than we need to. We can accurately see who God has made and uniquely created us to be. We can identify God’s unique blessings in the lives of others. We see each other’s strengths and weaknesses and do not use that to fault or blame each other. Rather, we have a sense that God has placed us within community and in this generation for a time such as this. As broken vessels we are willing to yield to the work and molding of the Master.

Like Pencils in the Hands of the Writer.

Like Clay in the Hands of the Potter.

We Surrender.

We Trust.

MUSIC: New Wine by Hillsong

So no matter what has happened. If life has emptied us out, if situations have caused us to feel broken, or if we have found or placed ourselves in situations that have greatly disadvantaged us, or taken us out of the will of the Father for our lives. God is open and inviting and more than able and willing to fill us to the brim.

Lyrics to NEW WINE by Hillsong

Make me Your vessel
Make me an offering
Make me whatever You want me to be
I came here with nothing
But all You have given me
Jesus, bring new wine out of me

‘Cause where there is new wine
There is new power
There is new freedom
And the kingdom is here
I lay down my old flames
To carry Your new fire today