Two Types of Channels

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There Are Two Types of Channels: Which One Are You?

Are you a channel like Simeon who did not go to sleep but waited until he saw the Lord at his duty post (the temple), or are you a channel like Peter and the two sons of Zebedee whom Jesus relied on to keep watch with Him but slept off at their duty post when the Master needed them the most?

FIRST CHANNEL

Luke 2:22, 25-35 Easy-to-Read Version (ERV) 

The time came for Mary and Joseph to do the things the Law of Moses taught about being made pure.  They brought Jesus to Jerusalem so that they could present him to the Lord.

²⁵ A man named Simeon lived in Jerusalem. He was a good man who was devoted to God. He was waiting for the time when God would come to help Israel. The Holy Spirit was with him. ²⁶ The Holy Spirit told him that he would not die before he saw the Messiah from the Lord. ²⁷ The Spirit led Simeon to the Temple. So he was there when Mary and Joseph brought the baby Jesus to do what the Jewish law said they must do. ²⁸ Simeon took the baby in his arms and thanked God: ²⁹ “Now, Lord, you can let me, your servant; die in peace as you said. ³⁰ I have seen with my own eyes how you will save your people.³¹ Now all people can see your plan. ³² He is a light to show your way to the other nations. And he will bring honor to your people Israel.” ³³ Jesus’ father and mother were amazed at what Simeon said about him. ³⁴ Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, “Many Jews will fall and many will rise because of this boy. He will be a sign from God that some will not accept. ³⁵ So the secret thoughts of many will be made known. And the things that happen will be painful for you—like a sword cutting through your heart.”

SECOND CHANNEL

Matthew 26:36-41 Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)
Then Jesus went with his followers to a place called Gethsemane. He said to them, “Sit here while I go there and pray.” ³⁷ He told Peter and the two sons of Zebedee to come with him. Then he began to be very sad and troubled. ³⁸ Jesus said to Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, “My heart is so heavy with grief, I feel as if I am dying. Wait here and stay awake with me.” ³⁹ Then Jesus went on a little farther away from them. He fell to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, don’t make me drink from this cup. But do what you want, not what I want.” ⁴⁰ Then he went back to his followers and found them sleeping. He said to Peter, “Could you men not stay awake with me for one hour? ⁴¹ Stay awake and pray for strength against temptation. Your spirit wants to do what is right, but your body is weak.”

De-cluttering is a process of preparing yourself to be pure for the Lord’s occupation. In our getting ready (de-cluttering) to become channels for the Lord, let us consider the following as what God expects from us, the type of people we should surround ourselves with and what we are being prepared for as we wait for the Lord. 

From the above Scriptures, what does God want to make out of us? 
Like Simeon:

• God wants us to be devoted to Him, wait and be expectant for the time when He would come (Maranatha). He wants us to stay awake and pray for strength against temptation.

• God wants His Holy Spirit to be in us and be led by Him always. God wants to abide in us and us in Him.

• God wants us to be sensitive and alert in the spirit. Simeon did not miss Jesus’ first visit to the temple. He stood in the gap until Jesus was born and brought to the temple. He did not give up or have peace until he saw Jesus face to face.

• Simeon made sure he had an encounter with Jesus before he died. He touched Him and carried Him.

• Just like Jesus was presented to the Lord in the temple, we should always present ourselves to the Lord for de-cluttering as a temple of God always.

• Jesus is the Light to the nations; we are to be lights to nations and the people around us.

• Like Jesus, let us get our minds ready for the rise and fall of many, be a sign from God that many will not accept because the secret thoughts of many we think we know well will be made known to us. When we show them this, they will not welcome us.

• When these things starts to happen, be ready to bear the pain like a sword cutting through the heart just like Mary did.

• We have to stay awake and pray for strength against temptations always and not surround ourselves with sleeping friends at the time of our need.

• We should always learn to say, “Channels only, blessed Master, but with all Thy wondrous power flowing through me, Thou canst use me every day and every hour.”

LET US PRAY

• Thank the Lord for choosing us to be His channels.

• Thank our Father for buying us to possess us, so that we can attain His fullness.

• Thank our Saviour Jesus Christ for setting us free from self and sin.

• Thank our God because it was His love that laid hold of us and not our works of righteousness or charitable ones.

• Let us thank our Father for saving, cleansing and filling us that we might be His channels.

• Let us ask the Lord to make us clean vessels always in His hand.

• Ask the Lord to fill you with His Spirit again, with the heart that will fully surrender to Him so that the stream of living water from your inner man may flow.

• Let us ask for strength to stay awake like Simeon, so we do not fall into temptation as we wait for His coming (MARANATHA) in Jesus’ name.

• Thank the Lord for hearing our prayers in Jesus’ name. Amen.

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