"If you keep yourself pure, you will be a special utensil for honorable use. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work.”

2 Timothy 2:21 (NLT)

I love this translation of this passage...to be a utensil for honorable use.

I frequently dream of having a grand kitchen with many tables and I am wearing my apron and I am serving, serving, serving the meal. God is continually reminding me to feed His Sheep. It seems so simple, yet it draws the attention of the Gates of Hell. But with God, we always bloom in heat.

The Enemy doesn’t like someone who feeds the Sheep. Because then the Sheep might get healthy. The Sheep might get healed. The Sheep just may become delivered from strongholds and deep habits or patterns of sin. The Enemy doesn’t want the Bride of Christ to rise and know who she is or even worse become zealous.

North America has categories of Christians. There are “Christians” and then there are “Radical Christians”. Radical Christians (this term is so funny to me) are truly just Hungry Christians. Do you understand what that means? When we hunger it means we want more. We crave to go deeper. We itch for more of His Presence. We are not afraid of Deep Waters and we don’t shy away during the Storm. We keep pressing forward knowing there is more.

When you flip through your Word and read about the First Century Church you realize that there were only Christians and they walked by faith and did some “radical” and heroic things. They did things like walking away from careers...giving all they had to the poor...being martyred for their beliefs. Faith like that will turn a few heads.

I just heard someone speak about the difference between a celebrity and a hero. A celebrity receives attention while a hero gives it away. A hero serves. A hero let’s others have the attention and they keep serving. A hero has a cause and purpose greater than themselves.

Powerful. Humble. Nimble.

Nimble? Yes, as in flexible. A resilient Believer knows that it’s always about the big picture—salvation, discipleship, service.

“Feed my Sheep.”

We are all leaky vessels. We have to keep our tanks full of the right stuff. You have to be careful what you feast on. You’ve got to guard your heart and understand you are a Blood bought vessel of Hope God has designed to assist others and help them cope with life and hopefully secure their eternal life. Your life has a Mission. Because we leak. God wants us to secure quality time in His Presence, hungering for Him, ever day. Feasting on His Word. Reading quality devotionals that will edify and also challenge you to grow. Then you can be filled to Overflow and leak all over others around you.

Have you ever been around someone who leaks their pain all over others? I know you have. We all have. This type of person is hurting so deep and doesn’t have the skill set to manage or get relief from their pain. Some just enjoy their misery and refuse to heal. There’s all kinds of reason—but the remedy is always the same. Faith. Hope. Love. But the greatest of these is Love.

Seek the Lord and ask Him to help you gain a Pure understanding of His Love. His Love will stir you. His Love will edify and satisfy you. His Love will brim and spill over. His Love has power to heal you. His Love will bring you Peace. The more you grow in that Peace the more calm and tranquil you become. The more you grow in His Love the more you want to serve. You understand that it’s far better to shine bright than to be in a spotlight. God will magnify and highlight the soft beauty that is YOU in all you say and do and the Heavenly aroma you emit with be intoxicating to a world that is hurting, and thirsty, and hungry for the truly heroic.

Serve. Support. Encourage.

This is my mantle.

This is my meal.

Feast, Beloved—

Heaven is real and it is occupied by a Gentleman who adores His Chosen Bride, the Church. If you haven’t met Him, I’m inviting you in. You are welcome here as “Friend”.

~Nicole

“Mold us, great God, info forms of beauty and usefulness...by the touch of your hand. Fulfill your ideal, and confirm us to the image of your Son. In your great house may we stand as vessels for your use. We are little better than common earthenware, but we can be cleaned, and offer refreshment to many parched and weary hearts.” ~F.B. Meyer

https://youtu.be/-AtqEByVMIs