He Must Increase: John the Baptist's Humble Resolution

He says, I planted does this sound familiar? I planted Apollos watered. And then what does he say? Class, do you remember? But god gave the increase. He it's his work. It's his work that we wanna look at and point to and glorify. And then he says, so then here's his here's his conclusion. If that's the case, then neither is he who waters anything nor he that plants anything but god who gives the increase. [00:54:22] (45 seconds)  #GodGivesIncrease

And he says, here's the protection for the church. It's the protection for the minister, for the pastor, for the Sunday school teacher, for for the teachers in the church. Jesus must increase. The rest of us need to get out of the way so that men may see Jesus. And if we if we gather if we gather this from the word of god as we ought by the help of the spirit, then you say, we too will take up this resolution. And because of the pride that dwells in our hearts and sticks up its ugly head so often, we'll have to constantly re resolve that Jesus must increase and I must decrease. [00:56:16] (56 seconds)  #JesusFirstAlways

In other words, if god god is everything, we're nothing. We're nothing but servants. God is the one who gives the increase. He says, you are god's field. You're not ours. You're not Paul's field. You are god's building. You're not Cephas' building. And he concludes this by saying, let no one boast in men. Kinda sounds like this resolution, doesn't it? He must increase, but I must decrease. [00:55:07] (41 seconds)  #NoBoastingInMen

But the friend of the bridegroom who stands and hears him rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. Therefore, this joy of mine is fulfilled. Yet he fulfilled rejoicing in the lord Jesus Christ because of the relationship that he had with him. He didn't need massive followers. The followers that he had, he was pointing them beyond him, to the lord Jesus. He must increase, but I must decrease. [00:39:41] (36 seconds)  #PointToTheBridegroom

sent that whole humanity all all over the globe and has assigned a pre pre, ordained, where it was that every one of us were were going to live. Have you ever have you ever asked yourself, boy, I wish I could have lived in such and such a at such and such a time or in such and such a place? Or maybe you've complained, why why did I have to live in in this place at this time? And see, that was god's prerogative. He didn't ask you. [00:33:14] (37 seconds)  #SovereignLifePlacement

This is this is god's goal. This is god's greatest desire. If I were to ask you, what what is the chief end of man? Have we learned that by now? That man's chief end is to glorify god and to enjoy him forever. That's our chief end. That's why we're here. And in Christ, he's recreating us so that we actually do that. So that when we come together, we don't come together. We have to worship god today. This is Mike's last devotion. God is worthy of our adoration. He's the only one worthy of our worship. [00:44:07] (44 seconds)  #GlorifyAndEnjoyGod

but made himself of no reputation taking the form of a bond servant and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore, God has highly exalted him and given him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow of those in heaven and of those on earth and of those under the earth and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is lord to the glory of god the father. [00:46:41] (43 seconds)  #HumbleToExalted

He's he's not ready to pound me. Sometimes I think he should. I I see my sin. I see my rebellion. Why doesn't god pound me? Because he pounded his son in my stead, in my place. You see. And so what can what sin is not covered by the lord Jesus Christ? They're all covered by the lord Jesus Christ. Because if you have the son, then you have eternal life, and you already have it. [01:05:02] (46 seconds)  #ChristPaidOurPenalty