Is Your Light Shining By The Power Of The Spirit Of God?

My Utmost For His Highest

Blessed are the poor in spirit… —Matthew 5:3

{CHAMBERS} “The true character of the loveliness that speaks for God is always unnoticed by the one possessing that quality. Conscious influence is prideful and unchristian. If I wonder if I am being of any use to God, I instantly lose the beauty and the freshness of the touch of the Lord. “He who believes in Me…out of his heart will flow rivers of living water” (John 7:38). And if I examine the outflow, I lose the touch of the Lord. Who are the people who have influenced us most? Certainly not the ones who thought they did, but those who did not have even the slightest idea that they were influencing us. In the Christian life, godly influence is never conscious of itself. If we are conscious of our influence, it ceases to have the genuine loveliness which is characteristic of the touch of Jesus. We always know when Jesus is at work because He produces in the commonplace something that is inspiring.”

{ELGIN} Now and again I will meet someone who tells me that I was a significant influence in their spiritual life.  Something of which I was totally unaware.  Our goal is not to impress others with our spirituality or to rack up spiritual credits for heaven.  Our goal is to let our light shine before all men (Matthew 5:16).  Light does not discern or prescribe how it helps the one it gives aid to.  It only shines by the source of the power behind it.  I often ask Martie after I have spoken, preached or taught a Sunday school class,  “How did I do?”  I am not looking for a grade, what I am interested in is whether she sensed the Spirit at work through what I had just done.  The light is unaware of its influence.  One of the men in my class told me the other Sunday that he noticed that the preacher in the service very often emphasized some of the same things that I had taught that morning.  Sometimes even using some of the same verses.  I told him there had been no collaboration between us, but the same Spirit (Ephesians 4:4) is at work in each of us. That is not the first time I had been told about that happening.  It has happened in other churches at other times.  My point to you is that what we do is spiritual.  If you are born again, then everything in your life has a spiritual context. (2 Corinthians 5:17) When I am told something like that I am encouraged because I know that the Spirit is at work through me and that is my purpose in life.  What we do for God…. we must do by the power of God…. for the glory of God.  Anything else is wasted effort and will bear no spiritual fruit. I am reminded of King David when he ordered that the people be counted. (1 Chronicles 21) That angered God.  Why?  Because David was taking credit for something God had done .. he was robbing God of His Glory.  Be careful that you don’t follow David’s example.