The Inspired Leader: 101 Biblical Reflections for Becoming a Person of Influence by Blackaby Richard

Author:Blackaby, Richard [Blackaby, Richard]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: religion
Publisher: Russell Media
Published: 2012-08-01T00:00:00+00:00

Consider your witness for Christ. Are more people being drawn to Christ because of you than were previously? What might Christ need to do in your life so you became a more effective witness for Him?

The longer you are in Christ’s presence, the more like Him you become. Consider your current Christian character. What does it reflect about your time spent with Jesus? Do you need to invest more quality time with Him?

Growth, Part 2

IN DESCRIBING THE deeper Christian life, V. Raymond Edman once wrote, “The deep dealing of God with his children varies in detail, but the general pattern seems much alike for individual cases. Into each life there arises an awareness of failure, a falling short of all that one should be in the Lord; then there is a definite meeting with the risen Savior in utter surrender of heart, which is indeed death to self. There follows an appropriation by faith of His resurrection life through the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit. As a result there is realized an overflow of life likened by the Lord Jesus to ‘rivers of water’ (see John 7:37-39)” (V. Raymond Edman, They Found the Secret, 17). Edman traces the stories of Christian leaders such as Hudson Taylor, D. L. Moody, and Andrew Murray to see how God took their ordinary Christian lives and led them deeper into a relationship than most of their contemporaries had gone. It began at a point of absolute surrender where the individuals became convinced that there was far more to be experienced of God. Realizing that, they could no longer be content remaining where they were spiritually.

As we have seen in John chapter 12, Martha and Lazarus were friends of Jesus. But, after having spent time in His presence, both moved to deeper levels in their walk with Him. Martha’s service became more Christ-centered. Lazarus’s witness was magnified until many people believed in Christ because of what Christ had done in His friend’s life.

Also attending the meal in Bethany was Mary. Mary was a person of devotion. In a previous encounter, she had quickly found a place at Jesus’ feet and basked in His presence (Luke 10:38-42). It would seem that Mary had fully arrived in her devotion to Jesus. But as she spent time in His presence, she came to realize that there had to be greater ways still to express her love for Jesus. So she took expensive spikenard oil, and poured it on Jesus’ feet (John 12:1-8). This may well have been her most valuable possession. Perhaps it had been saved for her future dowry. Yet she spent it extravagantly on Jesus, perhaps lessening her chances of finding a respectable husband one day. Further, she humiliated herself by letting her hair down and washing Jesus’ feet. No dignified woman would ever let her hair down in public. Even Jewish slaves could not be made to degrade themselves by touching someone’s filthy feet. She had taken her devotion to an entirely new and unprecedented level that would be celebrated for over 2,000 years.

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