“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. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself for the latter, he will
be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the master, prepared for every
good work” (2 Timothy 2:20-21)
God has blessings in store for you and me, as you can see in
our Scripture for today. He intends for us to be “vessels”
of “honor,” fit for the Master’s table. Have you
ever been to someone’s home and they provided drinking vessels of great beauty?
I recall antique glasses so lovely that just looking at them was a delight. God
intends that you will be beautiful, so that others will be drawn to the Holy
Spirit in you and they will want Him, too.
The journey to true beauty is often not what we would
expect, and in some cases, it is a process we would avoid if we could. It’s like
training for the Olympics. Many see the goal and want it, but few will take the
steps that will lead to a medal in Olympic competition. As Jesus said, “many
are called, but few are chosen,” (Matthew 20:16) and some are not “chosen”
because of unwillingness to follow His call.
Paul the Apostle was beautiful in the sight of God, and
yet externally, he did not look so good. He was “beaten
with rods three times.” He was “stoned” with
rocks and left for dead. He was “shipwrecked three times”
and was in the water for a night and a day. He was imprisoned, robbed, betrayed,
went without sleep, was worked half to death, was thirsty and hungry, and more
(2 Corinthians 11:23 & forward). He begged the Lord to remove some of it, but
God’s response was, “My grace is sufficient for you, for
My strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:7 & forward).
Millions have come to the Lord through the words of the Apostle Paul. Outwardly,
his life was difficult, but he became a “vessel” of
“honor” for the Lord, and he has been a blessing to
this world, right to this very moment.
Martin Wells Knapp was born in a log cabin in Michigan,
in 1853. He enrolled in college at 17, studying Greek and Latin at night and
doing farm work to help his father, who was often ill. He was corresponding with
a young woman named Lucy who intended to have nothing to do with him, but she
was urged by the Holy Spirit to pray for him. She did pray; so did his mother,
and he not only came to the Lord, but was called to the ministry. He and Lucy
were married when he was 23.
He was only 5’ 4” in height and he weighed 120 pounds.
His biographer, A.M. Hills, said, “the various parts and
members of his body… seemed as if they had been
thrown together… by some laughable accident of
nature…” But God loved him. In one of his churches, he received a “second
blessing” of “holiness” at a revival.
Later, he went through two years of ill health,
financial crises and family illnesses. In 1990, his wife, Lucy, died after an
extended illness, leaving him with two small children. Few have heard of the man
today, but here is something of what he did: He set up a publishing house for
holiness literature, established the Salvation Park Camp Meeting, and founded a
Bible School. He enlisted missionaries and raised funds to send them. His
ministry influenced Charles Cowman, who went to Japan to establish the Oriental
Missionary Society. (From “History of the Wesleyan Church”
– www.Wesleyan.org).
During a severe trial in Pastor Knapp’s life, he prayed
to the Lord that it might be removed from him. As he waited in prayer before the
Lord, a vision of a rough piece of marble rose before him, with a sculptor who
was grinding and chiseling the marble. Watching the dust and chips fill the air,
he noticed a beautiful image begin to appear in the marble. The Lord spoke to
Pastor Knapp’s heart and he heard these words: “Son, you
are that block of marble. I have an image in My mind, and I desire to produce it
in your character, and will do so if you will stand the grinding; but I will
stop now if you so desire.” Pastor Knapp broke down and replied, “Lord,
continue the chiseling and grinding” (from “Springs
in the Valley,” by Cowman).
Paul the Apostle died in 66 AD. A sword was drawn and he
was beheaded as though he was a common criminal. Pastor Knapp contacted typhoid
fever, like so many did at the time, and he died in 1901, at age 48, taken from
the world, but he left behind many thriving Christian institutions. Both men
were rescued from this world by the Lord. They wanted to live and accomplish
more, just like we do, but death is not failure for those who trust in the Lord.
It is victory because of what our Lord has done. We leave this world and enter
His joy.
Like the rest of us, you have difficulties in life.
Often we don’t understand them, and it’s important that we go to the Lord with
our problems. They can be like “mountains” that
block us. Isaiah the Prophet spoke about the mountains of difficulties in our
lives, stating, “the mountains shall depart and the hills…
removed… My kindness shall
not depart from you” (Isaiah 54:10). Jesus said, “If
you have faith and do not doubt… if you say to the
mountain, ‘Be removed and cast into the sea,’ it will be done” (Matthew
21:21).
We have seen miracles happen in the lives of ordinary
people. Prayers are answered right now, today, in this world we live in.
Whatever your problem, ASK! Ask the Lord. BELIEVE that He hears you and know
that He cares about your need. It is important to note that Paul the Apostle was
not healed of his “thorn in the flesh,” as we see
in 2 Corinthians 12, and Pastor Knapp was not healed of typhoid fever, though
both men had great faith and both men prayed fervently. Actually both were
healed, but not as you would expect. They went to be with the Lord, and they are
healed – forever.
John the Apostle, in the power of the Holy Spirit, gave
us an important qualification on faith in prayer and the answers we will receive
to those prayers. We must pray in the will of God. That’s what Lucy Knapp did.
She wanted Martin Wells Knapp OUT of her life, but she responded to the Holy
Spirit instead. The man came to the Lord and entered the ministry due to her prayers.
John the Apostle said, “This is the confidence that we
have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if
we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions
that we have asked of Him” (1 John 5:14).
The Lord hears your prayers. He knows your need. He has
not forgotten you. It may be that you are like that “rough
piece of marble” and the Master Sculptor is doing a unique work in your
life. Trust in Him, and also understand that you are intended to be “a
vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good
work” (2 Timothy 2:20-21).
Please heal me, Lord, but more than anything, I want
to be “a vessel for honor…
useful for the Master.” Prepare me for every good work. I want Your will.
In Jesus Name. Amen.
