AVAILABLE BUT NOT USABLE (Lk. 21:18-19)!   Have you ever found yourself disappointed when you thought that your need at a particular point in time was going to be met through someone or through an event but the person on whom you were counting turned out to be available to you but could not meet your particular need? Or probably at an occasion you thought your need will be met and the occasion came up but your particular need was not met? Naturally this happens to us as Individuals and as a family or group. The outcome is that we naturally feel bad and disappointed. The bitter truth of this is that it happened to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ when He was on this planet Earth in the form of ‘Man’ to redeem the world! In Luke 21: 18-19, the Bible records that after an event, Jesus was hungry, but happily,  looking a head, he saw a Fig tree with blossoming leaves and went straight a head to the Fig tree obviously to pluck fruits to eat but disappointed! The tree had blossoming leaves but no fruits! Available but not Usable! Other similar situations in our normal experiences may also be seen in instances where may be you bought or plucked a fruit such as an orange which appeared ripened and beautiful to behold and you slash it to suck and putting it in your mouth only to get a bitter ‘pill’ that you could not swallow and had to quickly brush your mouth! What you expected to be sweet turned out sourer! There are probably countless examples like this where the physical appearances do not match what we expect when we  get into the ‘inside’ or the one we put our hope on for a solution came but unhelpful.   But wait a minute; have you also not fitted into this same picture in the lives of some people at some points in life? Does your outward appearance match your true person? Can you really be counted upon as one that will fill the gaps and satisfy the belly of the hungry around you?   Even more seriously, if you are a Christian, are you a usable vessel in the household of God? Are you the type of vessel of honour fitted for the Master’s use? The Bible makes very clear the conditions for been a useful vessel in the hand of God as we see in the admonition in 2 Tim. 2:19-22. In Verse 19: ………And let everyone that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the Master’s use, and prepared for every good work (2 Tim. 2: 20-21). We can see clearly that the child of God that will be a vessel of honour that the Lord our Master will use and be able to count upon must have ‘Purged himself from these.’ What are those things referred to as these? These are those things referred to earlier as Iniquity. In the same text, 2 Tim. 2:22 explains further as Paul was talking to Timothy a young minister to …….flee youthful lusts, but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. These youthful lusts are also referred to as the work of the flesh which are further highlighted in Gal 5: 16-22: This I say then, walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh (Gal. 5: 16). In verse 19-21, we see various forms of what the Bible refers to as Iniquity and works of the flesh. This is sharply contrasted in verse 22-26 with walking in the Spirit of God as vessels of honour that are usable in the household of God. If you are a Christian, and you continue to obey the flesh, then you will not be a usable vessel and even though you may be saying I am Available Lord, use me, the Lord is saying to you Yes, you are available but not usable! This is not a situation that you can afford to remain in and you must heed the admonition to purge yourself as we have been encouraged in 2 Tim.2:19-22 above. Remember the Bible says if anyone be in Christ, he is a new creature and old things has passed away (2 Cor. 5:17). We are also admonished as Christians to produce fruits worthy of repentance (Matt.3:8; Mk. 3:8).   If you have not become a Christian by a simple faith accepting the work of redemption carried out by Christ through His  death and resurrection then you are one of those vessels of wood fitted only for destruction! This is a hard truth but that is the word of God. In John 3:16-18, the Bible is very categorical about accepting or rejecting this free gift of God. He who believes is not condemned but he who does not belief is condemned already because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God Jesus Christ…….In John 3:36 it also says that he that believes has everlasting life but he who does not belief has no life but the wrath of God is upon him. This is an opportunity for you as an Hour of Grace for you may not be able to tell when this door of Grace will close on you. Finally, if you are a Christian and you are living in Iniquity or you belong to the group of them that are yet to accept the salvation offered freely by faith in Christ, this message is for you to consider the  ETERNAL consequences of your actions or in actions and see this message as an opportunity not to be missed. God bless you.