November 8

Life-giving channels

“He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, from within him shall flow rivers of living water” (John 7:38—R.V.).
“Every thing shall live whither the river cometh” (Ezek. 47:9).

Everyone has the great responsibility devolved upon him or her to win as many souls as possible to Christ. This is the great privilege and the great duty of all the disciples of Christ. There are a great many departments in this work. But in every department we may and ought to possess this power; that whether we preach, or pray, or write, or print, or trade, or travel, take care of children, or administer the government of the State, or whatever we do, our whole life and influence should be permeated with this power. Christ says: “He that believeth on me . . . out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water”—that is, a Christian influence, having in it the element of power to impress the truth of Christ upon the hearts of men, shall proceed from him. The great want of the Church at present is, first, the realizing conviction that this commission to convert the world is given to each of Christ’s disciples as his life-work. I fear I must say that the great mass of professing Christians seem never to have been impressed with this truth. The work of saving souls they leave to ministers.


Speaking of this baptism: it is not a thing into which people can gradually grow by forming habits of persuasion and conversation. It is a gift—an anointing, instantaneously received, and that may be enlarged or diminished as the possessor of it uses it more or less faithfully and intensely for the purposes for which it was given. It is oftentimes possessed and then lost, or its manifestation suspended by something that quenches the light of the Spirit in the soul. I have myself seen striking examples of this.
—Charles G. Finney.

Spirit-filled believers carry life, and satisfaction and gladness wherever they go. Their presence is life-giving, fructifying, refreshing, even as a river which blesses as it flows. “Every thing shall live whither the river cometh.” The weakest, feeblest member of the body of Christ may be so instinct with the most vigorous life that there shall come forth from him a holy river-like abundance to the blessing of the souls of others.
(From New Testament Holiness by Thomas Cook. Used by permission of the Epworth Press).

Read full article...