Your Influence…It does matter!
Once again, I am humbled and honored to hear that what I
said or did influenced someone! About 22 years ago I Pastored a Church in
Burlington, N.C. One of my church members invited his boss to come to Church
for Super Bowl Sunday. My sermon was on influence. That what we do matters and
who we influence matters. This boss got the message and it changed his life.
This boss of Coca Cola bottling of Burlington submitted to the Lordship of
Jesus, began influencing his co-workers and his family. He was promoted to a
plant in Georgia, began to hear God’s call on his life. Decided to go into full
time ministry and is now the Executive Pastor of Sherwood Baptist Church and has
played an important part in the Producing and Directing of the great films: “Courageous, Fireproof, Facing the Giants,
and Fly Wheel.” This buddy of mine, Jim McBride was in town today and we
had breakfast together. Just to catch up and enjoy our time. But it has been over
20 years since we have seen each other. We have talked on the phone but his
words today encouraged, humbled, and motivated me. I have a new awareness that
whether you are talking to your wife, your children, a person in the pew or in
the neighborhood, you never know how important your words are. What you say
matters! What you do matters. It is not about who you are, but it is important
to realize that the one who lives in you wants to use you to influence others.
After all God used a donkey one time for His Glory. (Numbers 22:8) Yee Haw!...Yee Haw! Thanks Lord, for using me.
May God continue to bless and use Jim for His Glory. Who are your influencing
today? Who is hearing you speak? What are you saying? Does it matter?
Eia Locklear.
ReplyDeleteGOOD Morning Pastor Garry and sister Sheryl. I do believe God can use his children in a vary ways .I used to be a primary school teacher and God call me in the medical field,by the grace of God I bless many people.I just receiving a reward for the the best nurses teem.I pray God bless as you bless the others.
Yes, Your influence Counts
DeletePastor Garry:
ReplyDeleteHow timely is this blog, a few days ago, God once again humbled me as I watched and heard Him use my mouth to tell two different individuals how much He loves them and that He was healing them both in His time.
One person was grieving the loss of a loved one and she was perplexed about her behavior and why she was unable to “just control her emotions” as she put it. I was able because of the training I have been receiving tell her about the effects of grief and its stages. I also reminded her that God is a healer and that daily He was healing her and that she needed to rely on and trust Him and His word. She told me the next day that while she knew those things to be true but it was the way that I explained the grief process and God working in the midst of it helped her so much.
In the same day I was talking with another co-worker about a total unrelated work issue only for the conversation lead to how much she was going through in her personal life and how difficult it was. Once again God gave me the words that would encourage her to look beyond herself for peace and that for me that could only be God. She said she knew that was true and that she was so thankful that I took the time to encourage her and give her a hug.
All I was doing was being available and allowing God to speak the needed words of healing.
I thank God for making me aware of how the Holy Spirit was using the influence of my words to lift a soul up and bring healing.
Our influence does matter especially if your influence is delivered by God’s power because His power can change lives.
We need to make sure that our words will extinguish fires, bring healing, encourage, speak truth and bring forth the light of who God is and His love for all.
Winnie
Amen!, God does it again
DeleteAbsolutely, influence does matter and it especially matters when it comes to my spiritual walk. Living out God’s Word has to line up with what you say about God’s Word. Speaking and knowing God’s is one thing but applying God’s Word is another. We are to draw others to Christ through our example of living in the Spirit of God. For me, consistency is of the essence. And the “fruit” or expression of the Spirit has to line up as well. In other words, I cannot speak in love and act another way at the same time. That is unacceptable. My prayer always is that at the end of the day, people are influenced by my Christ-like character and that my daily lifestyle is consistent with God’s values. My influence on others should be according to the Spirit of God rather than the flesh. Simply put, any positive influence on others should be such that God receives all the glory. Matthew 5:16 says, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
ReplyDeleteYes, let it shine, let it shine, let it shine
DeleteGwen, you are so right. We should live our lives so the light of our Lord is seen shining through us. We should not have to wave a flag or shout from the roof-tops, but by going about our daily business in a more compassionate manner would do much to improve relations with any and all that we meet.
ReplyDelete