Shine Jesus Shine... (Part Three)

I have a hard word to bring. The Lord said to me he would like to shed His light upon us so we can search ourselves. I have spent most of yesterday praying that the Lord will show us in what areas our attitudes are not in line with His will.

“Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” (Psalm 139:23, 24). Maybe today we could pray the same. Do we grieve the Holy Spirit?

“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life,” (John 8:12). The key condition in this promise of Jesus is ‘whoever follows me’. Who do we follow? I have seen many churches in my lifetime that copy other churches and all kinds of revival movements. I hear regularly from individuals who admire other individuals and their ministry and lift them up. One often hears of so and so who is or was such a wonderful man of God. When certain pastors are invited to speak at a particular event, the speaker’s credentials are listed. Who do we follow? What would these individuals have been without Jesus and the Holy Spirit’s anointing? Why do we focus on the individuals and give praise to them? Pastors and leaders are there to train, guide and support us in our calling, but we should not admire or obey man. We should follow Jesus through the Holy Spirit in us, obeying Him on a daily basis and giving Him all the glory. We should discern whether it is the Holy Spirit guiding us or whether it is men.

If you are a pastor or in leadership yourself, what is the motive behind your actions? Do you try to get the people stirred up emotionally so they will say they had a wonderful service and you can grow in popularity? Do you compromise the Word of God so you can preach what the people would like to hear, or do you preach truth, conviction, obedience, and life? “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths,” (2 Timothy 4:3, 4). It is so easy to fall for the temptation to please people, for pastors are dependent on their tithes and offerings.

When you think of yourself - as pastor, a leader or just a Christian - are you pleased with yourself and what you have accomplished, and do you enjoy the attention of people, or do you pass praise on to the Lord? Are we looking at others, seeing the need for Jesus and making every effort to bring the light of Jesus to them, sacrificing ourselves in the process, or do we live self-indulgent lives, convincing ourselves that we deserve the comfort?

Allow the light of Jesus to show you your attitude and your level of obedience, for “the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few,” (Matthew 9:37), and “not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven,” (Matthew 7:21). We have no time to waste or spend in self-indulgence.

Lord, please break through my self-righteousness and show me who I am.