GOD CAUSES INCREASE

"I have planted, Apollos watered; but God GAVE THE INCREASE. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that GIVETH THE INCREASE. " (1 Corinthians 3:6-7)

Devotion 16 of 26

A DIVINE EMPHASIS

    Planting and sowing the Word involves proclaiming a Divine emphasis! That accent begins and ends with the Lord Jesus Christ. He, and He alone, is the "Beginning and the Ending," the "Alpha and the Omega," the "First and the Last," the "Author and the Finisher" (Rev 1:8; 22:13; Heb 12:2). A person cannot be more thorough than when he preaches Christ (Acts 8:5; 9:20). Things unrelated to Jesus cannot produce bear Kingdom fruit. Such things can increase, but their fruit is not good.

      There is a remarkable emphasis around us that labors to bring Christ into the activities of men. Such an approach views Christ as a sort of Helper, assisting men in their daily activities and pursuits.

      Admittedly, there is an element of truth to this. Indeed, we do want the Lord Jesus with us in our activities, blessing them and causing whatever our hand does to prosper. But this is hardly the center of the Lord's activity. Nor, indeed, is it the area where God gives the increase, as declared in our text.

      If our own activities were the heart of the Kingdom, there would be no need for us to be born again. the new birth assumes a higher agenda and purpose with which we are, by nature, in sharp conflict. Therefore, we become a "new creation" in Christ Jesus (2 Cor 5:17), and are raised up to sit with HIM in the heavenly places (Eph 2:6). The spiritual blessings with which we are blessed are also found in those heavenly realms (Eph 1:3).  We are also "sanctified" through the offering of Christ's body (Heb 10:10), set apart to God and His purpose. Our emphasis is what the Lord has done, and is, doing, and will yet do.

The Great Transgression

     The great transgression of our time is the upstaging of the Lord Jesus Christ. He has been placed behind exhilarating experiences, the possession of riches, and the enjoyment of health. He has been forced to stand in the shadow of human institutions, and be viewed as the Grantor of human lusts. Although the Holy Spirit was sent by, and is subject to, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior is seen as secondary to the Spirit in many circles. Even the church--the institutional church--has struggled to have the preeminence. All of these things are confirmed by the religious emphases of our generation.

    Those embracing these pseudo priorities are neither planting nor watering. Their increase is not from God, because it has not come from His Seed! It is too orchestrated to be from heaven. The followers of these strategies are too ignorant of the Word of God. They do not rely upon it, and their supposed "training" has not enabled them to be expounders of the text of Scripture.

    When the Word of God has been brought to bear upon the thinking processes of men, the Seed has been planted! When hearers are left thinking about what the Lord has said and done, the Seed has been planted! When the heart is tender toward the Lord, the Seed will grow, producing conformity to the Divine image.

PRAYER POINT: Father, I thank You through Jesus Christ for giving us an emphasis that remains the same for all time. Thank You for a faith that is not regional, and does not change with the times.

-- Tomorrow: WHAT IS THE WATER? --