October notes - you are God's fine china plate!

2 Timothy 2:20-22
~In a wealthy home there are dishes made of gold and silver as well as some made from wood and clay. The expensive dishes are used for guests, and the cheap ones are used in the kitchen or to put garbage in. If you stay away from sin you will be like one of these dishes made of purest gold - the very best in the house - so that Christ Himself can use you for His highest purposes. Run from anything that gives you the evil thoughts... but stay close to anything that makes you want to do right. Have faith and love, and enjoy the companionship of those who love the Lord and have pure hearts.


keeping sparkle in my life

To the degree that we try to partake of the world, we diminish our brightness.

Just as God separated the light from the darkness on the first day of Creation, so He wants to separate the children of light from the children of darkness. God identifies all people as members of one of two categories:
children of light
or
children of darkness.

I Thessalonians 5:5, For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness.
Colossians 1:13, He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son.
Ephesians 5:2, 8, And walk in love, ...for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.
In I Corinthians 5, Paul explains that we will have interaction with unbelievers, however, we're not to become like them, but we are to be light to them! Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord.

A “dim” believer has too much light to be welcomed by the children of darkness and not enough brightness to be comfortable with the children of light!
Is the brightness of your witness being dimmed by the influences of the world? If so, ask God for wisdom today to “come out and be separate.”

1 John 1:7, If we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His son cleanseth us from all sin.

being set apart for God’s purposes

Instead of seeing how close you can get to the line between right and wrong, create a large gap! Only with a pure heart can we grasp and express God’s love. Seek God wholeheartedly! Use God’s Word to purify your heart (praying Scripture to Him). “the enemy doesn’t have to destroy us, just distract us. Little distractions tolerated over a long period result in big disasters” - Daniel Henderson

You've been set apart - just like a fine china plate. You are more valuable than you can ever imagine. You are a special gift from God. The plate is a reminder of how God sees you- in Christ you have a new nature (2 Peter 1:4); you are beautiful, lovely, costly, perfect, pure. It's a privilege to be set apart. God wants to use you for His highest purposes. Be clean and ready so He can use you to serve others. You are God's fine china plate - to be used for His perfect purposes. Be set apart for God.
You may be the only Bible that people ever read... so what are they reading? Col.2:6 - as you have been taught, so walk in Him!

We read a short story called, The Secret of the Fine China Plate, from Robin Jones Gunn's book Gentle Passages.


You will be known by: what you flee from, what you follow after, what you fight for, and WHO you put your faith in (1 Timothy 6:11-12). Always remember how precious you are to God! Read Psalm 139 and write down how much you mean to the Lord.