Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Becoming Like Christ – Day 328 – 2 Timothy 2:20-21 – Container – Growing As Disciples
In a well-furnished kitchen there are not only crystal goblets and silver platters, but waste cans and compost buckets—some containers used to serve fine meals, others to take out the garbage. Become the kind of container God can use to present any and every kind of gift to his guests for their blessing. 2 Timothy 2:20-21 (MSG)
Instrument
Do you want to be an instrument that is ready for my use? Do you want to be a container that I can use to bless the lives of others? Do you want to bring glory to my name? Do you want me to use you to draw others to me? Yes Lord, I want to be a container and instrument that is ready for your use. I want to bear fruit for your kingdom and bring glory to your name. I want you to use me to lead others to you. That is very good.
What will prepare me for your use? How can I make sure that I a container and instrument you can use? Those are good questions that I will let you answer. I had a feeling you might ask me to answer my own questions. Why is that? You have already provided me the answers to those questions. Repeating back the answers to you will help them to become more deeply rooted in my heart and mind. That is correct. So, I am listening. To be a container and instrument you can use I must flee evil desires. I must leave my old life of sin behind. I must not allow myself to engage in sinful thoughts or words or actions that will render my life unusable to you. I must not think or speak or act according to the values and principles and practices of the world. I must resist temptation and fight against evil. I must throw off the dirty and stinky clothes of my old life. That is what I did when I gave my life to you. That is what happened when you became my Savior and Lord. I left my old life behind. Yes, you did and that is very good. What else? As I am fleeing my old life there is something I must also pursue. With just as much determination to flee the old life behind me, I must pursue the new life ahead, that you have given to me. Not only have you forgiven and cleansed me of my sins. But you have clothed me with a completely new life to live. Yes, that is true. I must put on my new life by living in a close and intimate relationship with you. I must listen attentively to you. I must follow you to where you lead me. I must do whatever you ask of me. I must allow you to use me for your purposes to fulfill your plans. Will this be difficult? Will it be a great burden for you to follow and serve me? No, it will not be difficult or a great burden to follow and serve you. Why is that? I love you with all my heart and mind and soul and strength. Your love for me has filled me with desire to love you. It is now my desire to do what pleases you. I want to be a container and instrument in your hands. That is very good. Yet, you will have battles. You will come under attack. The world and all its evil will try to lure you back into your old life. Does this come as a surprise to you? No, it does not. What have you been given to change your heart, transform your mind and guide your life? What will strengthen you against every attack from the world and all its evil? You have given me your word. What will you do with my word? As I am fleeing my old life and pursing my new life in you, I will allow your word to do its work in me. I will meet daily with you in your word. That will be very good, then you will certainly be a container and instrument ready for my use. Thank you, Lord.
Lord, I have turned away from sin and confessed you as my Savior and Lord. I have given all I am and hope to be to you. I want to be a container and instrument that is ready for your use. I want to bear fruit for your kingdom. I want to bring glory to your name. Amen
Key Question… How has God’s word been preparing you and making you ready for His use?
Living It Out… Allow yourself to be a container and instrument to be used by God so you can bring honor and glory and praise to Him.
Seeing It Happen… Have faith that God will use you as His container and instrument to bring glory to His name.
Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how you are determined to be a container ready for God’s use.
Prayer To Bless Others… May you allow yourself to be a container that God can use for His glory.
For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:
Please consider sharing these devotionals with others through the social media you use.
Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.
By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved Copying not permitted www.GrowingAsDisciples.com
