people through their actions, talk and example live Christ. I can't separate them from the
Lord Jesus Christ, because He lives in and through them to all around. What about us?
When people look at us, what do they see? If we profess the blessed name of Christ, are
they seeing His image represented in and through our lives? Or are they seeing someone
that is just like everyone else, someone living for themselves with no thought given to
God?
2 Corinthians 4:6 - 10 "For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness,
hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the
face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency
of the power may be of God, and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not
distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast
down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord
Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body."
Our frail, sickly, human body's (earthen vessels) carry a treasure (the Holy Spirit of God).
It is His light that shines forth from us to the sinful world in which we find ourselves in.
We have troubles, distresses, perplexities, persecutions, depressions, but because of the
power of God in our lives they will not defeat us. The life of the Lord Jesus Christ is to
be manifested in our bodies.
It is this testimony that speaks to the unsaved. Are we being a faithful witness? Can
those we come into contact with see the Lord Jesus manifested in our lives? As a
child of God we have a responsibility to be the proper witness to those around us. What
is your vessel holding, the treasure of God or the waste of the world?
2 Corinthians 6:16 - 18 "And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols?
For ye are the temple of the living God: as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and
walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore
come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the
unclean thing: and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall
be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty."
God said that He will dwell in us and walk in us! Are we letting Him? We can be
saved, yet not be consecrated to the Lord. We can be living a selfish life instead of
a selfless one. The Apostle John said in John 3:30, "He must increase, but I must
decrease." As we stamp out self, the Lord will increase in our lives, until when people
look at us, they see Christ and Him only.
Someone with the job to represent the Queen, a Prime Minister or a President of a
country, holds a very important position. The position is not of importance because
he is affiliated with it, but because of the one whom he represents to others. Our job
as the earthen vessel, the temple of God, should not elevate our standing in the world,
but the treasure of the earthen vessel, the God of the temple should be the only one
elevated and recognizable to others.
2 Timothy 2:20 & 21 "But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold
and of silver, but also of wood and of earth: and some to honour, and some to
dishonour. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto
honour, sanctified, and meet for the Master's use, and prepared unto every good
work."
We need to learn to walk in the Spirit.
Galatians 5:16 "This I say then, walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust
of the flesh."
Galatians 5:24 & 25 "And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the
affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit."
The only way for others to see Jesus in us is to walk in His Spirit. When we are walking
in the Spirit of God the pull of the world becomes less to us and our minds will be
taken up with Godly pursuits, our thoughts focused on the Lord and His will. It when
we let "I" take prominence that we give place to the flesh and all the sinful ways that
come with the "old man."
1 Thessalonians 4:4 "That every one of you should know how to possess his
vessel in sanctification and honor."
We need not only be concerned with who others around us see in us, but what about
who God our Heavenly Father sees in us? When He looks down from Heaven does
He see His only beloved Son shining forth from our vessels? Someday we will give an
account to Him of whom we let have control of this temple of clay that we inhabit.
We need each day to be humbly praying, Colossians 1:18b "That in all things He
might have the pre-eminence." When Christ is increasing and we are decreasing,
and He is having the pre-eminence in all things in our lives, then and only then will
our vessels bring honor and glory to God. I don't know about you, but being used to
bring glory to the Lord is the best use of anyone's life. How about you? Are you
purged, sanctified, ready and willing to be a useful vessel in the service of the King?
1 Thessalonians 2:12 "That ye would walk worthy of God, Who hath called you
unto His kingdom and glory."
When I enter Heaven's glory and I see my Savior's face,
I will offer Him ten thousand years of praise.
Then I'll find that special one
In whose life I saw God's Son,
And thru tears of joy with trembling lips these words I'll say:
I saw Jesus in you, I saw Jesus in you.
I could hear His voice in the words you said, I saw Jesus in you.
In your eyes I saw His care, I could see His love was there,
You were faithful, and I saw Jesus in you.
When I stand before my Father to receive my life's reward,
And my soul is bathed in God's eternal day.
When the race on earth is run,
And God sees the works I've done,
More than anything I long to hear my Father say:
I saw Jesus in you, I saw Jesus in you.
I could hear His voice in the words you said, I saw Jesus in you.
In your eyes I saw His care, I could see His love was there,
You were faithful, and I saw Jesus in you.
Ron Hamilton
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