Give Yourself As A Vessel

[00:00:00] in our walk with God. What are the steps to offer ourselves to Him, to help others in need? Let's discuss.

[00:00:40] Hello, Welcome to Walking in Step with God. I'm Stephen McDonald. Today we explore the topic Give Yourself As A Vessel, as we continue our series simply titled, Give. In this series we have explored a variety of ways that we can give. We have discussed opportunities

[00:00:59] to give from our resources. We have discussed ways that we can give our time. Today, I would like to explore the steps to give yourself as a vessel to God for Him to use as He sees fit.

[00:01:13] Well, what do I mean by vessel? I would like to provide steps to make yourself available to God to help someone in need of support. Many of the methods of giving we have discussed

[00:01:26] so far have involved giving from a distance. In other words, giving to a cause or organization where we will never actually meet the recipient of our giving. Today, let's discuss three steps that will foster ourselves to be used by God to help or support an individual directly before

[00:01:47] we get started. Let's take a quick break. I'll be right back. Have you been yearning for a deeper relationship with God? Especially in the unusual times we're in. Here's your sign that your desires are being answered. 100 steps with God is the

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[00:02:48] Welcome back. Let's continue in our discussion of three steps to give yourself as a vessel. Number one, Ask God for Direction. My first piece of advice on giving yourself as a vessel

[00:03:04] is to ask God for direction. God knows the gifts he has planted within you. He knows your resources, schedule, and your personality traits. In fact he knows every single thing about you. Even more than you know. God knows the capacity you have to help someone in need.

[00:03:27] So I invite you to ask him to direct you to the individual who could use your support. When we offer ourselves as a vessel for God, he can and will use us in ways that help others in need,

[00:03:40] but also in return growth. For example, God knows that I have been incredibly shy and introverted for most of my life. When I asked him to use me to help others, he started placing me in situations where I could overcome my shyness and grow the courage

[00:03:58] to engage with a stranger. How did he do this? Well, he orchestrated my path to intersexual someone in need. When the moment came, he spoke to my spirit to engage that individual.

[00:04:13] I want to give you an example. Last week I was walking to my car past a homeless individual that was living in a tent. It is very difficult to explain, but God put on my heart to approach

[00:04:26] that individual so much so that it literally stopped me in my tracks and caused me to turn around and approach them. When all was said and done in that encounter, they had groceries for the rest

[00:04:40] of the month and we prayed together. I believe God sent me to provide for that individual in need to answer the person's prayers for assistance. I invite you to ask God to direct you

[00:04:55] to the opportunities to help someone in need. Be ready for interactions where he uses you to give hope to someone when they need it most. Number two, engage. When you ask God to direct

[00:05:12] you to someone in need, expect the opportunity to arrive to engage. This individual that God directs you to may be someone you know very well or a complete stranger. Early in my walk with God,

[00:05:27] I was experiencing many opportunities to assist others in need. I admit that I did sense when God was putting on my heart to engage someone, but then I chose not to engage. Typically it was an

[00:05:42] opportunity to help someone homeless or just offer assistance to a stranger when it was clear they needed help. I admit that my shyness gotten away of approaching strangers to offer a helping hand.

[00:05:57] Well, God knows that practice makes perfect. So I believe he made sure I had plenty of opportunities to grow courage. Today I do still have that hesitation but it is nowhere near what it was earlier

[00:06:15] in my walk with God. My advice to you is this. When you sense the opportunity has come for you to help someone in need, ask God in that moment how you can help that individual. He can

[00:06:28] provide you with direction in that moment on how to proceed, including not proceeding at all. Every situation is different. Engaging an individual in need may not necessarily mean direct interaction but engaging in offering assistance in a way that directly affects an individual

[00:06:49] you know. For example, you may observe an opportunity to coach someone who is struggling at your workplace. God knows best if offering your assistance directly to the individual is best, versus approaching a manager to discuss the best way to support the individual behind the scenes.

[00:07:10] Of course, when deciding to engage with someone you don't know, always use wisdom and discernment. Be safe. When you observe an opportunity to help someone in need, ask God for instructions as to

[00:07:22] how best to engage and then expect direction. Number three. Pray. This step is potentially the most time-consuming step and offering yourself as a vessel but allows you to provide support over a long period of time. So far we have discussed asking God for direction and then engaging the

[00:07:49] opportunity to help someone in need when it arrives. Once you have provided support or assistance, I invite you to continue that assistance through prayer from that point forward. That's right. I said from that point forward. Praying for others is one of the most powerful ways you can

[00:08:15] provide ongoing support. The individual you just met for a moment or the individual that you have known for decades, both deserve prayer and will experience the benefit of your prayers whenever they're spoken. Offering ourselves as a vessel is not about benefiting us,

[00:08:38] is to benefit others. Praying for others just takes a few moments of your time, but your prayers are heard every time. Praying for the individuals I have encountered in my life has been one of the most

[00:08:51] rewarding aspects of my faith. I know that God hears every word of each of the prayers for each individual that I pray for. Be it someone I saw a few minutes ago or a few years ago.

[00:09:05] I invite you to start praying for individuals that God directs to your path and make time regularly from now on to pray for each one by one. Even if it is just a few words for a few moments

[00:09:20] for each individual, know that God hears your prayer for every one. In today's message we explore this death we can follow to give ourselves as a vessel. We learn the first step is to ask God for

[00:09:37] direction, asking God for direction and guidance opens the door for him to use us in ways we never dream possible. We discuss the idea that is important to be ready to engage when the opportunity comes.

[00:09:50] If we ask God to use us, He will indeed direct our steps to cross paths with the individuals who could use our help. When the time comes, God can touch our hearts and minds to know

[00:10:03] that the opportunity has come. Lastly we learn that we can continue to provide support for others in need by praying for those individuals. On going and lasting prayer is one of the most powerful ways we can continue to serve long after our initial interaction. In a few words

[00:10:23] and a few moments we can continue to bring the power prayer into an individual's life. Offering yourself as a vessel for God is one of the most powerful ways to serve God and serve your community. Ask God to use you as He sees fit today. Let's pray.

[00:10:46] Dear Father, Almighty God, we thank you for this day. We thank you for the blessing of these words of wisdom. Thank you Lord for using me as a conduit to share wisdom with everyone

[00:10:58] within the sound of my voice to help us understand of the just amazing opportunity we have to be used by you when we give ourselves to use a vessel. So we come to you Lord, we ask for courage. We

[00:11:11] ask for wisdom. We ask for your guidance. We ask for instruction to be used by you to be dispatched into the world and help those that are in need of your help that are needing your assistance.

[00:11:28] Thank you for the opportunity to answer a prayer from someone who is asking for assistance and we can provide that assistance. So we come to you today looking forward to your assignments, looking forward to your dispatching and we just look forward to

[00:11:47] performing the good deeds that we can do on your behalf. We pray this relieving in you, amen. Are you interested in learning more about the sources guiding this message that I invite you to stay tuned after the break for our going deeper

[00:12:07] with the word segment. Here we examine how God's word provides clear guidance and direction about giving ourselves as a vessel. If your catching this episode on YouTube or in our Facebook group, please be sure to click that like button and also be sure to leave your comments about

[00:12:22] today's message and giving ourselves as a vessel. If you are new to our ministry, please subscribe to our YouTube channel or follow our podcast so that you're notified of future messages. I'll be right back.

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[00:13:26] slash getting involved. Welcome to going deeper with the word. In this segment we welcome people of all backgrounds, religious or not to review the word of God. The word of God provides guidance, direction and instructions for living our lives and walking with God. Today we examine

[00:13:44] how God's word provides clear guidance and direction about giving ourselves as a vessel. Let's review examples of God's word that can lead in guide our steps and back up the principles we learned in today's message. I'll be reading scripture today from the amplified Bible.

[00:14:00] If you're watching this message online, we invite you to share your comments as review each verse. Here is our first verse. Acts 1 verse 8, but you will receive power and ability when the Holy Spirit comes upon you and you will be my witnesses, both in Jerusalem and in

[00:14:29] all Judea and Samaria and even to the ends of the earth. In this verse Jesus Christ explains that power and ability that comes to us when we give our lives to Him. As God uses a vessel

[00:14:45] allows us to be used as a vehicle for the Holy Spirit to offer guidance and direction to others. The Holy Spirit can give us words to speak to others but also puts us in a position to hear words

[00:14:59] that we would not otherwise have heard. Can you recall the time that you were aware of the work of the Holy Spirit in you and through you? Share your experience in the comments. Here's our next verse. Matthew 5 verses 14 through 16,

[00:15:23] You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor does anyone let a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lamp stand and it gives light to all who are in

[00:15:37] the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good deeds in moral excellence and glorify your father, who is in heaven. In this first Christ explains that we are

[00:15:52] like a light to the world. The symbolism here of a lamp in a city on a hill illustrates the importance of allowing others to see our posture of behavior and good deeds in plain sight.

[00:16:07] When we ask to be used as a vessel, we may find ourselves assisting someone directly, but also demonstrating a type of behavior and support to many others in a process. In doing so,

[00:16:19] we can be a light to the world by setting a tone of godliness and moral excellence in our communities. For those of you who are online, can you recall a time that you assist at someone in need

[00:16:35] in an open environment such as in public where others could observe your actions? Did you feel nervous or hesitant to assist out in the open? If so, why? Let us know in the comments. Let's look at one last verse. Galatians 5 verses 22 through 24.

[00:17:00] But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, chantsiness, self-control. Against such things there is no law. In this verse, Paul reminds us of the attributes of one who gives himself or herself as a vessel to God. We see

[00:17:24] the importance of love, patience and self-control among other things. It is these things that are considered foundational qualities of serving God. While none of us are perfect, these are qualities we can strive for to serve God and be a vessel to serve others. Being a vessel for God

[00:17:43] is one of the most powerful ways to strengthen our faith in our spirit. Serving God in this way also allows us an opportunity to learn parts of ourselves that otherwise would remain hidden. Ask God to use you as a vessel today. Thank you for your time and

[00:18:03] every viewing these verses with me today and please be sure to share your comments of these are other examples of God's word that have helped you to learn how to give yourself as a vessel. We thank you for the opportunity to share encouragement here at Walk-In-Self with God.

[00:18:19] We truly appreciate your support. We are fully committed to Christ in the community. We invite you to join us in fellowship and to seek opportunities for fellowship in your local community as well. Have an amazing week and we'll catch you next time. Bless you.

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