Kingdom Books
America Today Publishers
16800 Sunset Dr
Houston, Mo. 65483
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Most Titles are also available on CD or Cassette Tape.
Titles
How God Leads His Sheep
Are You Satisfied With Life?
Father of All Sins
Three Levels of Prayer
Chosen for the Furnace
Believing is Not Enough
Parables I, II, & III
Work is a Holy Four Letter Word
The Bible & 2008 Election
Seek Ye First The Kingdom
The Christian’s Appearance
Is The Law Of God Really Dead?
What about Your Thorn?
God’s Called Pastors
Fasting & Praying
Our heavenly Record
Characteristics of Great Christians
Our God is the Same
Born Again
Book of Jude
Repentance
What is a Church?
How To Rear A Bum
What is Revival
Why Jesus Came
Politically Correct Lies
We will send you information about our newsletter, Tape Club, Speaking
Ministry as well as a catalogue of materials available.
Our mission is to prepare the people of God for testing and judgment we believe is soon to be upon America and all God’s Regathered Israel.
DR. E.G. RAMSEY
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WORK ON THE VESSAL
2TI 2:20 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.
21 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.
22 Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity,
peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
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1PE 1:5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto
salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
INTRODUCTION
This message is for the hungry Christian, the want to have an impact Christian, the determined Christian.
Paul is writing to Timothy, his son in the faith and a young minister Paul had left in charge of the church at Ephesus.
Paul was nearing the end of his life and he knew that he had to
instruct Timothy and Titus to be bold and strong in the faith.
This passage deals with our personal vessel and how it can and
must be prepared to be a vessel of honor in the hands of God.
The Bible speaks of our bodies as being vessels in which we as
well as God live. There are earthen vessels, gold, silver and bronze.
Every vessel has a purpose and use.
We have a lot to do with how well that vessel is used and honored
of the Lord.
6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need
be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of
gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found
unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus
Christ:
The world has popularized the phrase, “No pain, No gain”
But it is also true in the spiritual realm. God has said at least in two
places that He leaves the Canaanites among us to test us and try us.
I’m afraid we have failed more often than succeeded in resisting their
temptations.
Wait on God
God’s timing is everything. Many pains have been experienced in my
life because of trying to do things for God before His time. If we
work on the vessel and have it constantly ready and available, He will
use us in His own time.
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of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time
past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
2. Erroneous doctrine
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EARTHEN VESSELS
Wicked Vessels to be destroyed
The Bible speaks of earthen vessels. The law of earthen vessels is
as follows:
2TI 2:14 Of these things put them in remembrance, charging
them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no
profit, but to the subverting of the hearers.
LEV 6:28 But the earthen vessel wherein it is sodden shall be
broken: and if it be sodden in a brasen pot, it shall be both
scoured, and rinsed in water.
15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that
needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
The earthen vessel has a one time use then permanently destroyed. Here, we see the law of difference put between a dirt and
metal pot.
16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase
unto more ungodliness.
17 And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;
18 Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.
19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having
this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every
one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
Harden your convictions by enduring Firey Trials.
LEV 11:33 And every earthen vessel, whereinto any of them
falleth, whatsoever is in it shall be unclean; and ye shall break
it.
PSA 2:9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt
dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.
JER 22:28 Is this man Coniah a despised broken idol? is he a
vessel wherein is no pleasure? wherefore are they cast out, he
and his seed, and are cast into a land which they know not?
Earthen pots are a type or picture of the wicked. Pharaoh was an
example. Pharaoh was an earthen vessel created for God’s use and
then destruction.
PRO 25:4 Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall
come forth a vessel for the finer.
ROM 9:16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that
runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
The best way to purge your life of dross is by the refining fire of firey
trials and testing.
17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same
purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in
thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the
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earth.
18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and
whom he will he hardeneth.
19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For
who hath resisted his will?
20 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God?
Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou
made me thus?
21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to
make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?
22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his
power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of
wrath fitted to destruction:
And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the
vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,
We live in a day when the idea that God would make or create an
individual or thing for His use and then destruction, is unacceptable
to the human mind. But the truth is that God has classified many who
are outside the covenant as “The Wicked”. They are all here to test
the saints and then to be destroyed. They are all earthen vessels.
In Numbers 5:17 an earthen vessel is used to hold the bitter waters of the jealousy curse and then destroyed.
In Jeremiah 32:14 an earthen vessel is used to store deeds and
documents for a long time, then destroyed.
The earthen vessel was never used in the temple or in any service
of the Lord.
Earthen Vessels
Our Earthly Body
As we will see next, our bodies are earthen vessels, that is why they
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your money.
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Discipline your food and drink.
Discipline the passions of your Body, Mind, emotions, will
Learn to endure.....
We have to take control, occupy, possess or discipline our vessels. This includes the body, but especially the mind, will and emotions.
We live in a day of deceit and deception. Our minds and our emotions are under attack from more and more means of the wicked one.
Purge The Vessel
2TI 2:20 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.
2TI 2:21 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.
Purging the vessel means to cleanse it from outside contamination
and inside ungodly passions. Paul basically classifies these in two
categories:
1. Sins of the Flesh
GAL 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are
these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath,
strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like:
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We Are To Work On The Vessel
Make It The Best It Can Be
1. Make Sure You Are Not An Earthen Vessel
Beyond Your Body
Have you received the gift of faith and repentance,
turned from your sin, surrendered your life to the Law of
God, obey Him, trust Him and follow His commands?
Whether you are bronze, gold, silver or how you are
used is not important. What is important is that you are
constantly making your vessel clean, strong, available and
usable.
How do you do this? Know the Bible, memorize the
Scriptures. Pray. Love the people of God. Hate and shun sin
and evil.
Support the vessels chosen and serving in the front
lines of the faith, such as, pastors, evangelists, prophets,
true Bible teachers. They need your help and prayers.
If God has something else, He will show you or move you
or put you under the load. Most times you will not be given
a choice.
Possess The Vessel
1TH 4:4 That every one of you should know how to possess his
vessel in sanctification and honour;
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That’s discipline
Discipline your time
Make time for God
Make God, God of your time and what you earn with your time
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must die and be destroyed. One life and then destruction.
Gold, Silver, Bronze Vessel
Vessels of the Redeemed
HEB 9:21 Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry.
MAT 25:4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
2CO 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the
excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
All vessels in the service of the tabernacle, the Lord’s church, the
Lord’s bride are cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ, Heb 9:21. We
are precious vessels contained in an earthen vessel which will die and
be destroyed. We will be given a body, or vessel like Christ’s.
1JO 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not
yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall
appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
Matt 25:4 tells us that the wise vessels had oil (Holy Spirit) in
their vessels.
In 2cor. Paul tells us the reason we are in these earthen vessels.
God wants the glory for all that is accomplished. He gets that glory
by keeping us in an earthen vessel (body) so that any power or excellency has to come from Him. We are egotistical if we think that
world events and eternal redemption is accomplished by us.
Some vessels
God’s Chosen Vessels
ACT 9:15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he
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Paul was small and bug eyed, some are stooped
some born crippled, some are fat
some beautiful, some homely
(Paul) is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the
Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:
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Jer 18: 5 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
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6 O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith
the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye
in mine hand, O house of Israel.
Tim Lee was chosen to serve without legs.
Miss Phyllis of Hammond 2’ 6” tall
some blind...Pastor Ron Comfort was one, yet he could
quote most of the Bible.
It is amazing to me that some of God’s most powerful
vessels are the most homely or have some physical defect.
While under the Old Covenant, Priests could not have
cropped beards, bald heads, crossed eyes, birth marks or
any other physical defect, God has not put such limitations
on us under the New Covenant. His Spirit comes upon all
His People.
We cannot change our physical form other than losing
weight or combing what hair we have, keeping clean and
having sweet breath. But we can work ion the inner vessel.
These passages show us that God has chosen certain vessels for
specific tasks. Paul was a chosen vessel. Was he chosen to be lifted
up? He was lifted up. Was he chosen to be a great leader of the early
church? He was all of that. But also, was he chosen to be singled out
for more severe persecution, hunger, pain and suffering? He thought
so. 1Cor 4:1-21
In fact, it has become my observation in life that when God
chooses someone to use in a great way, they will also be persecuted
and allowed to suffer in a greater way. God wants us to know that He
is in charge and He causes all results and He gets all the praise for
earth altering events.
I have also learned that usually God allows the greatest part of
suffering and pain to be endured before and during the lifting up. Rewards are offered much later.
The second passage of Scripture states that God has chosen a
group of people to be His special vessel. The Whole House of Israel
is His chosen vessel.
Israel is a race of people as well as a spiritual people. Please do
not confuse Israel with Jews. Jews are not a race.
It would take too long to deal with Israel as a chosen vessel here
and besides this lesson is about you as a vessel of God.
All I am trying to point out here is that every vessel that is chosen
of God is under His direct protection and provision until that vessel
has accomplished its task. Everyone of us is a chosen vessel, given
special gifts of the Spirit to be used to edify the body of Christ, God’s
People. You are one of them if you know Him and He knows you.
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Summary
Look, you can’t chose the
• type of vessel you are
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place to serve
• manner of service
• looks of the vessel
stop worrying about it.
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We Do Not Choose The Manner In Which Our Vessel Is
Used
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Some are used in the temple, some are glorious.. Candelabras, some carried blood
some shine in the lime light, many serve behind the
scenes
some are chosen to be banged and beaten, some to be
soothed and polished
Some are chosen to be preachers in the limelight,
shining that all may see. Others of us are chosen to be
smudge pots on a broken road pointing out the collapsed
bridges and pot holes so that God’s People can travel
safely in the night.
Some are chosen for honor and recognition, and some
of us are chosen to be beaten, degraded and smeared for
the Master’s use. What ever your use, remember you are
a chosen vessel.
Israel was told once that she was a vessel chosen for
the furnace of affliction. Isa 48:10
Job, a righteous man, having done no wrong, was
chosen to be tested with the greatest of affliction, solely
for the eternal purposes of God. Job remained righteous
in that he refused to curse and blame God.
Remain righteous and holy and work on the vessel.
We Do Not Choose The Esthetics Of The Vessel
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John 10:27
The time is coming when all that is called church today will be
destroyed. The real body of Christ will meet secretly again to pray, to
encourage and meet the needs of the ones who make up the local
body of believers. This is when you and your spiritual gifts will
shine.
Work on the vessel now. Be ready to be used when the time
comes.
Great Truths Learned Here.
We are all vessels of God
Are you a wicked vessel to be destroyed after your use is done by
the Lord? The Bible is filled with such vessels. The Canaanites, the
Amalekites, the Philistines, Pharaoh, Amman, Moab, Edomites and
others.
I would examine myself to see if I am an earthen vessel to be destroyed, body and soul. Matt 10:28
Are you a gold or silver vessel? Do you know what you are to be
and do as a vessel of God? Hopefully we can give you some encouragement and direction.
We Have No Choice in the Type of Vessel We Will Be
God chooses some vessels to be
• Gold, Silver, Bronze
• Custodians, pastors, ushers, evangelists, teachers
• song writers, authors, singers, healers, civil servants
• Inventors, mechanics, housewives, mothers
• Supporters for those chosen for battle, like
• Givers, Prayer warriors, hostesses, caretakers
We are not the choosers. You say, I want to be…and you will add
your desire. But who gave you the want? If it is of God, then pursue
it. If it for self gratification, it probably is not of God. Check the want
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for source.
I dreamed of being the pastor of a great large church in a town,
not a city. I dreamed of being a leader among preachers and God’s
people. But this has not been my calling and placement by the
Lord.
He has rather chosen me to be a teacher of His people in the
last days of this age. To minister to a people I ach to see and can’t
because we live so far apart and the powers that be forbid us to
have meetings of national significance.
I relished in the fellowship of the people of the local church
and the fellowship of pastors meeting to discuss theology and Bible issues. But, God has not chosen me for that place.
Instead, I seem to be secluded and separated from all that I
love, ministering through the written page and the recorder.
Teaching the Truths of the Word of God so that His People can be
encouraged and strengthened to carry on in the face of desperate
odds.
I have found that God has placed His called and chosen vessels
pretty much where He wants them. I have to say that I did not
chose where I am today. God has set me where I am with strong
bounds to prevent me from changing my use. I can readily see that
I am His vessel, but I have not been in charge of the use or place
ever.
The Vessel Does Not Choose the Place Where They Serve
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Some are chosen for the sunshine
some for the cold and snow
Some are chosen for the city
Some for the country
Some stay at home
Some go abroad
Daniel, Joseph and others were chosen to serve as slaves in a
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foreign country. Paul was chosen as a frontier evangelist. Peter
was chosen to preach to Judah and Israel. Dorcus was chosen to be
a seamstress for the poor. The poor widow was chosen to be poor
and inspire the whole world with a sacrificial offering.
We have to assume for the moment that we are where God
wants us. Therefore, we must find a way to be a vessel of use
where we are. Instead of dreaming of a greener field in which to
serve, we need to work on the vessel and become useful where we
are. If God wants you moved, he will bring the providential circumstances about to move you.
Israel did not want to go to Assyria and mingle with the rest of
the Adamic people to sow the seed of the covenant and enlarge the
harvest of God. God had to bring in armies, capture them and
physically move them to their new lands. Of course, many believed the prophets who foretold this capture and they moved on
before the armies came.
God’s people would never have come to the shores of America
if they had not been persecuted in Europe. They were jailed, their
churches burned and many killed or had their possessions confiscated.
They eventually came to America and built the land of regathered Israel’s final resting place.
1CH 17:9 Also I will ordain a place for my people Israel, and
will plant them, and they shall dwell in their place, and shall
be moved no more; neither shall the children of wickedness
waste them any more, as at the beginning,
Even today, God is warning His people to get out of the racially mixed cities of high crime and violence. Many are believing
this message and moving to the interior of the country. Others will
wait until circumstances force the issue.
But God knows where you are. He can use you or move you.
Trust Him and work on the vessel.