Man. Jesus was not joking about this boldness thing... He has asked me to be bold in living out and speaking what He has spoken over me and even though I know of only 2-3 people who read this (including my mom--haha), I feel like this is a place I can be bold without just talking loudly with a megaphone or something.
I have become really sensitive to how often we fall into the trap of stealing glory from God. I have heard/seen it so much lately and I don't think it is a new thing, but just that the Spirit has made me more aware of it in myself and others. When we take credit for what He allows us to be apart of/gifts He has given us, receive compliments without redirecting them to God, boast about our ministries without even mentioning His name, and pat ourselves on the back for any work of our hands--we are STEALING His glory... the very glory we were put on this earth to lavish on Him! Not just receiving the praise of man thankfully, but literally ripping it out of His always-deserving hands. This is our chance to bring Him the honor and praise and glory--to take who nonbelievers may see as a 'good person' and say "thanks, but actually, it's not me, it's this guy named Jesus...the Holy Spirit who has taken up residence inside of me." To take what people see as a really successful ministry and say "yeah!! isn't He the greatest?! blowing us away with His goodness and mercy." To take an accomplished goal or prosperous season and say "Look what Jesus did this year!! Look what He let us be involved in..."
I know a lot of it is private and that is truly between us and the Lord, but the public part.... ahh, please. The part that is exposed to the world... Let's remember that He does big things through us to DISPLAY HIS GLORY on this earth/among the nations, not to direct glory to us! "Not to us, O Lord, but to YOUR NAME be the glory." He lets us be His hands and feet so that people may see His face in us... so that His faithfulness becomes REAL to the unbelieving. He lets us take part in His plans when we are willing and obedient--the reward is righteousness and holiness and being clothed in the fruits of the Spirit, not the praise of man. All praise and glory should ALWAYS go to Him!
It's awkward sometimes and it might seem fruitless, but really... let's use these moments not to make our name famous, or our church's name famous, or our ministry's name famous, but HIS NAME famous!!!!!
Soli Deo Gloria...
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