Effectiveness

— For the week of February 6, 2011 —

Holiness is as essential to the spiritual life
as food is to the physical life.
— R. S. Taylor

Made holy, useful to the Master
and prepared to do any good work.
— 2 Timothy 2:21

A preacher was speaking in the inner city when a church deacon interrupted the service to tell the congregation that vandals had smashed several car windows and someone needed to call the police.

The pastor responded, "No, we're not calling the police; we need to fall on our knees and ask God to forgive us for not being more effective in reaching the gangs in this community."

What an example of holiness at work!

The Word of God clearly links holiness with effectiveness. The reality is, we cannot bring our service to God in unclean vessels.

The One who makes us effective in the premarital counseling session, in the hospital intensive care unit, at the graveside of a stillborn child, in the pulpit, and in the serving of the sacraments, is the Holy Spirit.

With the Holy Spirit's power flowing through our lives, we are "prepared to do any good work!" (See 2 Timothy 2:21.) He is the One who makes us effective in service. And He is holy.

Ask Him to show you any area of your life that needs to be purified and set right with God. Don't let any sin, fault, or weakness hold you back from all God wants to accomplish through you!

Taken from The Minister's Little Devotional Book.
Copyright © 1997 by H.B. London Jr. and Stan Toler.
Used by permission of RiverOak Publishing, Tulsa, Okla.
All rights reserved.