Good morning all.
I want to pick up where we left off on the topic of the faucet.
It's one that, I believe, is of great importance, especially in the times we're living. A self centered, self serving society.
It's a problem, that affects us all, sinners and saints alike!
I have witnessed this happening to many pastors, when the praises of the congregation, begins to go to their heads. When God's pulpit becomes their personal stage, delivering one great "performance" after another.
"Our ego is not our amigo!"
It's often easy for us, mere human beings, that when we are doing God's work. delivering God's message, and people become excited about what we are doing or saying, to try to take the credit, the glory, for what God has put in us!
We are only the messenger, not the message!
Preachers get into trouble when they learn how to preach!
Singers get into trouble when they learn how to sing!
Teachers get into trouble when they learn how to teach!
We are never going to become so good that we do not need God!
Even though God needs us to be His vessels, we cannot afford to take the glory for what only God can do!
We are only a faucet, but we must remember that there is no magical power in the faucet!
It's what is behind the faucet that counts!
If the water supply ever gets shut off behind the wall, this faucet is useless!
I may still look good, may still say the same things, may still appear to be the same, but if the source of my supply is shut off, I am of no use to anyone!
We must understand that we are only His vessel, the conduit, the faucet!
He, alone, is the source behind us, and all the praise and glory, we may receive for delivering the message, belongs to Him!
No matter how much God uses us, moves through us, we must remember at all times, it is God and not us!
No matter how many prophecies we deliver, no matter how much anointed preaching and teaching comes forth from within us, we must never ever forget that God is the source behind the message that makes all the difference!
"For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith."
Romans 12:3
"For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find"
Romans 7:18
The power, praise and glory is ALL God's, we are merely only the earthen vessel! We can't sing well enough, we can't preach well enough to match what only God can do!
"But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us."
2 Corinthians 4:7
In the text, Matthew 17:14-21, Jesus is teaching His disciples, this very important lesson.
They had heard Him teach about going into the Strongman's house and taking his armor.
They had most likely watched Him cast out devils many times before.
They had probably even watched as he sent the legion of devils into a herd of swine.
On numerous occasions, scripture speaks of Jesus casting out demons, and it is very probable that the disciples were witnesses to these events.
They have closely watched Jesus do this, they have carefully observed His hand motions, listened attentively to what He said, and just how he said it!
So, now they come across a situation that they feel very confident that they can handle! I mean, why couldn't they, right?
They have down all the words, the actions, even all the motions, and everything down to an art, but there is one thing missing!
They have no power!
Sounding familiar?
Speaking for myself, I can say all the right words, use exactly the right tone of voice, the perfect voice inflection, do all the right hand gestures, but if there is no prayer and fasting that has taken place, there is NO SOURCE OF POWER behind the message.
In closing, I'll leave you with this one last thought:
The biggest danger any of us face, is when we attempt to duplicate what only God, Himself can do!
We are still just sinners, who were saved by grace!
The power is not within any one of us, the power merely goes through us, the source is always God!
"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast."
Ephesians 2:8-9
Copyright © 2019 All Rights Reserved
Brian Monzon Ministries
I want to pick up where we left off on the topic of the faucet.
It's one that, I believe, is of great importance, especially in the times we're living. A self centered, self serving society.
It's a problem, that affects us all, sinners and saints alike!
I have witnessed this happening to many pastors, when the praises of the congregation, begins to go to their heads. When God's pulpit becomes their personal stage, delivering one great "performance" after another.
"Our ego is not our amigo!"
It's often easy for us, mere human beings, that when we are doing God's work. delivering God's message, and people become excited about what we are doing or saying, to try to take the credit, the glory, for what God has put in us!
We are only the messenger, not the message!
Preachers get into trouble when they learn how to preach!
Singers get into trouble when they learn how to sing!
Teachers get into trouble when they learn how to teach!
We are never going to become so good that we do not need God!
Even though God needs us to be His vessels, we cannot afford to take the glory for what only God can do!
We are only a faucet, but we must remember that there is no magical power in the faucet!
It's what is behind the faucet that counts!
If the water supply ever gets shut off behind the wall, this faucet is useless!
I may still look good, may still say the same things, may still appear to be the same, but if the source of my supply is shut off, I am of no use to anyone!
We must understand that we are only His vessel, the conduit, the faucet!
He, alone, is the source behind us, and all the praise and glory, we may receive for delivering the message, belongs to Him!
No matter how much God uses us, moves through us, we must remember at all times, it is God and not us!
No matter how many prophecies we deliver, no matter how much anointed preaching and teaching comes forth from within us, we must never ever forget that God is the source behind the message that makes all the difference!
"For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith."
Romans 12:3
"For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find"
Romans 7:18
The power, praise and glory is ALL God's, we are merely only the earthen vessel! We can't sing well enough, we can't preach well enough to match what only God can do!
"But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us."
2 Corinthians 4:7
In the text, Matthew 17:14-21, Jesus is teaching His disciples, this very important lesson.
They had heard Him teach about going into the Strongman's house and taking his armor.
They had most likely watched Him cast out devils many times before.
They had probably even watched as he sent the legion of devils into a herd of swine.
On numerous occasions, scripture speaks of Jesus casting out demons, and it is very probable that the disciples were witnesses to these events.
They have closely watched Jesus do this, they have carefully observed His hand motions, listened attentively to what He said, and just how he said it!
So, now they come across a situation that they feel very confident that they can handle! I mean, why couldn't they, right?
They have down all the words, the actions, even all the motions, and everything down to an art, but there is one thing missing!
They have no power!
Sounding familiar?
Speaking for myself, I can say all the right words, use exactly the right tone of voice, the perfect voice inflection, do all the right hand gestures, but if there is no prayer and fasting that has taken place, there is NO SOURCE OF POWER behind the message.
In closing, I'll leave you with this one last thought:
The biggest danger any of us face, is when we attempt to duplicate what only God, Himself can do!
We are still just sinners, who were saved by grace!
The power is not within any one of us, the power merely goes through us, the source is always God!
"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast."
Ephesians 2:8-9
Brian Monzon Ministries