MAKING YOUR LIGHT SHINE: Live Honestly

Anchor Scripture: Matthew 5:16  
"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."

Focus Scripture: ". . . we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly." - Hebrews 13:18  

Admonition
Greetings from the Throne of Grace!

Yesterday, the Holy Spirit spoke to us about the need to be honest in our conversations by saying the truth in Christ, with a conscience rooted in the Holy Ghost.

The need to be honest must be very important to our FINISHING STRONG for our Senior Teacher to bring it back today. Today, the call is more general; it's about our lives in general, not just conversations.

The obvious truth that many of us will not like to own up to is that we are not living honest lives, and we know it. Sometimes, we hide under our office duties and responsibilities or that of our businesses and the need to make "enough" profits to rubbish who we are and the faith we profess. And people without who have come to identify us with Christ Jesus will begin to blaspheme the Holy name of God.

"The obvious truth that many of us will not like to own up to is that we are not living honest lives, and we know it."

The most appalling part of this is that most of the so-called men of God know how many of the big men in their congregations make their money. Even the not so big men who work in offices, they, at times, have an idea of how much they earn, but when they see them doing more than they earn in the "house of God" they are never willing to call them privately and have honest conversations with them because they don't want the fat offerings and tithes to stop flowing in. The money they are making is more important to them than the souls of their congregation which God desires, and for which they were called into the ministry (if at all they were called), in the first place.

God is not interested in dishonest gains! Tithes and offerings paid with such are not acceptable to God. And it does not matter to Him what you did in your church with such abominable mammon. What is important to God is your soul. I have said it severally that God is not interested in your money. He doesn't spend money. The Bible makes it clear that He doesn't need anything from us because He is the One Who has given us all things, including our breath (Acts 17: 24 -25).

"God is not interested in dishonest gains!"

Therefore, don't say you are doing dishonest dealings because you want to contribute to the work of God in your church. Yeah, I am aware that some so-called men of God frown at members who refuse or are unable to contribute to their projects, but know this brethren, your honest inability to contribute to that project in your church is far more pleasing to God than anyone bringing millions of dishonest gains (Proverbs 16: 8). I really understand that many of us are not able to live honestly because we have a lot of commitments, of which church is one. But, the Bible asks thus: "shall we remain in sin that grace may multiply?" And the answer is, "God forbid"! (Romans 6: 1).

"don't say you are doing dishonest dealings because you want to contribute to the work of God"

The Master Himself, Jesus Christ, asked a very important question, saying, "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Matthew 16:26). In this world where materialism driven by the mad spirit of acquisition has taken over, we as children of God really need to be careful lest we fall into the devil's traps. We have been warned that "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:" (1 Peter 5:8).

"In this world where materialism driven by the mad spirit of acquisition has taken over, we as children of God really need to be careful lest we fall into the devil's traps."

As we round off this morning, the bottom line is that our all round living must be one that brings glory to God. I am trusting my Teacher to permit us to speak about "prosperity of the wicked" one day for you to know how dangerous it is to be so desperate about life and living such that one gets one's hands soaked in unrighteous means of livelihood.

"the bottom line is that our all round living must be one that brings glory to God."

Finally, the book of 1 Timothy 6: 6 says, "But godliness with contentment is great gain." Any so-called child of God who is bewitched with the spirit of acquisition and is always wanting more, more and more, but never contented may never FINISH STRONG because they are most likely to fall into the hands of the devil. Please, read 1 Timothy 6: 6 - 11. The admonition therefore this morning is that to live honestly, one needs to be contented and have a conscience that is firmly rooted in the Holy Ghost.

"to live honestly, one needs to be contented and have a conscience that is firmly rooted in the Holy Ghost."

N. B. Please, pray that God will forgive your past ignorance on this matter and give you a new heart that seeks after honest living in Jesus Christ mighty name.

Till tomorrow when we shall meet again on this beautiful journey of FINISHING STRONG, please, keep keeping on in Him.

We MUST FINISH STRONG TOGETHER!

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