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2BODYOFCHRISTNEWSFEBRUARY2014AREWEASBELIEVERSVESSELSFORTHELORDAVESSELISCONSIDEREDasacontainersomethingthatholdsorcarriesthingsthatyouconsiderimportantorvaluable.Hopefullythevesselwillmaintainitscontentuntilsuchtimeaswhichyouwillpouroutofit.WeasChristiansandbelieverscanbeconsideredasves-selsbecauseweshouldbecarryingGodswordwithuswhereeverwego.Atthepropertimeasthespiritleadsusweshouldpouroutofthevesselthatwhichisnecessaryandneedfulforthatpar-ticulartimeorsituation.VesselswerealsousedasJesusperformedoneofhisfirstmiraclesinSt.Johnchapter2KJVTheMarriageinCanawhereJesusturnedwaterintowine.Inverse7JesussaithuntothemFillthewaterpotswithwater.Andtheyfilledthemuptothebrim.InthebookofEphe-sians518-20KJVitreadsAndbenotdrunkwithwinewhereinisexcessbutbefilledwiththespiritSpeakingtoyourselvesinpsalmsandhymnsandspiritualsongssingingandmakingmelodyinyourhearttotheLordGivingthanksalwaysforallthingsuntoGodandtheFatherinthenameofourLordJesusChristInSt.John155KJVJesussaysIamthevineyearethebranchesHethatabidethinmeandIinhimthesamebringethforthmuchfruitforwithoutmeyecandonothing.IfweareGodsvesselsweshouldonlypouroutthatwhichwaspouredintous.Goddoesnotleaveituptoushischildrentoalterhiswordtofitorsuitthosewithwhomwewitnesstoorthoseinourpresence.Itisnotourresponsibilitytojudgebutweareresponsibletospeaktruth.AswewitnesstoothersaboutGodthecreatorandhissonJesusChristweshouldbeassuredthatGodswordstandsonitson.Wealsohavetoconsiderthe15thchapterofSt.MatthewKJVwhereitspeaksofReproofoftheScribesandPharisees.Verses1-4saysThencametoJesusscribesandPhariseeswhichwereofJerusalemsayingWhydothydisciplestransgressthetraditionoftheeldersFortheywashnottheirhandswhentheyeatbread.ButheansweredandsaiduntothemWhydoyealsotransgressthecommandmentofGodbyyourtraditionForGodcommandedsayingHonourthyfatherandmotherandHethatcursethfatherormotherlethimdiethedeath.Verses11-20speaksofWhatDefilesaMan.Notthatwhichgoethintothemouthdefilethamanbutthatwhichcomethoutofthemouththisdefilethaman.ThencamehisdisciplesandsaiduntohimKnowestthouthatthePhariseeswereoffendedaftertheyheardthissayingButheansweredandsaidEveryplantwhichmyheavenlyFatherhathnotplantedshallberootedup.Letthemalonetheybeblindleadersoftheblind.Andiftheblindleadtheblindbothshallfallintotheditch.ThenansweredPeterandsaiduntohimDeclareuntousthisparable.AndJesussaidAreyealsoyetwithoutunderstandingDonotyeyetunderstandthatwhatsoeverenterethinatthemouthgoethintothebellyandiscastoutintothedraughtButthosethingswhichproceedoutofthemouthcomeforthfromtheheartandtheydefiletheman.Foroutoftheheartproceedevilthoughtsmurdersadulteriesforni-cationstheftsfalsewitnessblasphemiesThesearethethingswhichdefileamanbuttoeatwithunwashenhandsdefilethnotaman.ItisalsoneverappropriateforthepeopleofGodtoquestionorgivetheiropinionsabouthisword.Beinghischildrenwearetobelieveandhavefaithinhimandhisson.Weeitherbelievehisgivenwordorwedontitsourchoice.IfwelackunderstandingofGodswordthenwehavetoaskforunderstandingthruprayerandstudy.InthebookofJames15-8KJVitsaysIfanyofyoulackwisdomlethimaskofGodthatgivethtoallmenliberallyandupbraidethnotanditshallbegivenhim.Butlethimaskinfaithnothingwavering.Forhethatwaverethislikeawaveoftheseadrivenwiththewindandtossed.ForletnotthatmanthinkthatheshallreceiveanythingoftheLord.Adoublemindedmanisunstableinallhisways.NoneofushavenorwilleverhaveatotalunderstandingofGodswordbecausehewantsustodependonhimthroughfaith.Heisthesourceforallmankind.InthepresentdayinwhichwelivesomeChris-tiansareonthefenceaboutGodswordandinsomecaseswhetherornotthereisaGodafterall.Beingstraddledthefenceisadangerousandvulnerablepositiontobein.TheonlydealingsweasChristiansshouldhavewithafenceinspiritualtermsareaskingtheLordasFredHammonddidinoneofhissignaturesongswrittenbySamCookeJesusBeaFenceAroundMe.WeallhaveneedofGodsprotectioneachandeveryday.Inthe3rdchapterofRevelationsKJVwhereitspeaksoftheMessagestotheAngelsinchapter315-16itsaysIknowthyworksthatthouartneithercoldnorhotIwouldthouwertcoldorhot.SothenbecausethouartlukewarmandneithercoldnorhotIwillspuetheeoutofmymouth.ThepreviousscripturecharacterizeswhatiscalledTheThermosChristian.Athermoscanholdcontentwhichcanbehotorcoldbutifyouleaveeitherforaperiodoftimetheybothwillbecomelukewarm.PeopleofGodwehavetokeepitmoving.AsfollowersofChristourmainresponsibilityistoenlightenothersandallowthespiritofGodtoenterintotheheartsofthosewhomhesodesires.InthePsalms11911KJVsaysThywordhaveIhidinmineheartthatImightnotsinagainstthee.ThePsalmistknewthatitwasveryimportanttoknowGodswordandtorememberitandproclaimitasitwasgiven.WewhoarebelieversinChristJesusshouldconsiderthatatsomepointandtimewithinthiswickedworldtheonlyaccesswemayhavetoGodswordwillbethatwhichwehavehiddenwithinus.Ifyoudontaccepthiswordintoyourheartwhileyouhaveoppor-tunitythenwhenitbecomesnecessaryandneedfulbythewayyoushouldnotexpecthiswordtoberevealeduntoyou....Earsthatdonotlistentoadviceaccompanytheheadwhenitischoppedoff.AfricanProverbWilWilsonWilWilson