In the last post, we discussed Becoming God’s Masterpiece: In Our Walk with God

If you missed it, go check it out!

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Today, we are going to look at becoming God’s masterpiece in our WORDS with Others and in our WORK for the Lord.

Becoming God’s Masterpiece: In Our WORDS with Others

I think probably one of the easiest ways to bring dishonor to the Lord is in our words.

Luke 6:45,

“A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.”

 A vessel that is filthy and dirty on the inside is unusable because what’s on the inside is what is going to come out. God cannot use us to show love to others if we have bitterness, anger or a critical spirit. We cannot have both love and hate in our hearts.

 One of the characteristics of the Proverbs 31 woman was that she spoke wise and kind words. Proverbs 31:26,

“She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.”

Our words should not be:

• Cursing/critical – James 3:10, “Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.”
• Bitter – James 3:11, “Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?”
• Envious – James 3:16, “For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.”
• Angry – Ephesians 4:31, “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:”

In contrast, our words should be:

• Uplifting/encouraging – Eph. 4:29, “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.”
• Fitly spoken – Prov. 25:11, “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.”
• Gentle – Titus 3:2, “To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men.”
• Forgiving – Eph. 4:32, “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”

Our words have the power to destroy lives or build lives. They will either build up or tear down.

Proverbs 18:21,

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.”

How do you use your words?

Is it to build others up or tear them down?

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Becoming God’s Masterpiece: In Our WORK for the Lord

An honorable vessel is one that is useful. If we are to be used by the Lord, we can’t be sitting around not doing anything. No matter what our background may be, no matter our age – young or old, no matter what sins we may have committed in the past, we are still useful to the Lord.

We were each created differently for a different purpose. If you gathered up all the vessels in your house, you would see that they were all different and served different purposes. It is the same way with the body of Christ. Satan will try to convince us that we are not good enough or talented enough to be used, but this is a lie.

Do you struggle with comparing yourself to others? It is so easy to fall into this trap. The Bible warns against this in II Corinthians 10:12,

“For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.”

If we look hard enough, we can always find someone who seems to be more or less talented than us. God has made each of us different. We need to focus on what His purpose is for our life, not what He has for someone else.

Teddy Roosevelt said,

“Comparison is the thief of joy.”

Are you allowing comparison to steal your joy?

We need to discover our gifts and talents and surrender them to the Lord and His service. When we allow the Lord to transform our lives from the inside out, we become useful in His hands.

As we yield more of our lives to God and become more like Christ, the more He is able to use our unique gifts and character to accomplish His purpose in our lives.

John 12:26,

“If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.”

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In closing, I would like to share this short prayer by D. L. Moody and may you make it our own:

Use me then, my Savior,

For whatever purposes and in whatever way you may require.

Here is my poor heart, an empty vessel;

Fill it with your grace.