Pursuing the Radiance of Christ

This weekend, I attended one of the best women's conferences I have ever had the privilege to attend.  I can't say enough about how encouraging and engaging the speaker, Marlean Felix, was as she exhorted us to let the light of Christ shine brightly in our lives.  She taught from several key passages, but the one that spoke to me most was her life passage of Colossians 1:10--"that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God."  This passage has always challenged me, so I was glad when she took the time to expound on it.  Among other things, she discussed our need as believers to balance our knowledge with wisdom and understanding.  As a long-time believer, this is something I always need to keep in mind.  Over the years I have stored up much knowledge--from the reading of the word to the faithful preaching of the gospel from the pulpit.  But that knowledge is useless and vain unless it is applied to our lives in a very real and practical manner.  After all, the bible does say that "knowledge puffs, but love edifies"!  What a needful reminder that it is not what we know, but how we live that matters.  It is when we live according to God's word that He is effectively glorified.  It is when we are obedient to His will that we truly shine!