Memorise: I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. I Corinthians 3:6
Read: 2 Corinthians 8:1-15
1 And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches.
2 In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.
3 For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own,
4 they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people.
5 And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us.
6 So we urged Titus, just as he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part.
7 But since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you[a]—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.
8 I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others.
9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.
10 And here is my judgment about what is best for you in this matter. Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so.
11 Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means. 12 For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have.
13 Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality.
14 At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. The goal is equality,
15 as it is written: “The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little.”[b]
Bible in one year: Psalm 1 – 8, Matthew 20:1-19
AS REVEALED BY PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE IN TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL
1. One thing that interests me very much about our Father in heaven is that He loves collaboration.
2. In the beginning, He demonstrated this attributes when He wanted to create man in His image (Genesis 1:26). He summoned the opinion of the Godhead, because the man to be created must bear resemblance to them all. After creating man, He went ahead to share some of His responsibilities with him, which was one the reasons why He created man in the first place.
3. All through history, God has been working in Partnership with man on earth. When He would destroy the earth due to the proliferation of evil, He found Noah as a worthy instrument to partner with in warning people of the impending doom and building an ark of salvation (Genesis 6.)
4. When the salvation of mankind was to be activated, God saw a worthy vessel in a young virgin called Mary. God partnered with her and she surrendered her womb for His use (Luke 1:26-38).
5. When Christ came, He quickly summoned some people with whom he worked until He went to the Cross, and He commissioned them to continue from where He stopped after His ascension into heaven (mark 3:14-19, Acts 1:6-9).
6. These examples show that God’s use of partnerships in carrying out His divine agenda is established. I pray that the Almighty God will open your eyes today to see how important you are in His plans.
7. Paul got the inner workings of God’s principle of multilateral partnership right.
8. In today’s memory verse, he explained that he might plant and Apollos might water, but the increase only comes from God. In other words, the success of the divine agenda is the collective responsibility of God and His human partners, especially in the area of soul-winning.
9. Our Lord Jesus Christ also made this clear in John 15:4-5. To win the whole world for Christ requires a multilateral partnership with each and every one of us playing our part. Those who are given to preaching should continue to preach, and those called to ministration should do so as unto the Lord.
10. Those who have the priviledge of staying on in their secular jobs should know that the purpose is to finance the work of the full-timers, while full-timer should not see themselves as being more spiritual than those who God has kept in secular jobs to bring meat into His storehouse.
11. At the time of reward, it shall be as decreed in 1 Samuel 30:24: “…but as his part is that goeth down to the battle, so shall his part be that tarrieth by the stuff: they shall part alike.”All that is required of you is faithfulness in your given area of stewardship.
SHORT REFLECTION BY THE LIGHT POINTERS
God is supreme and His supremacy cannot be altered or contended with. However, we have seen several occurrences where God requires partnership with man to fulfill His Assignment on earth. A good example is Moses; a man who thought he could not even attempt the task given to him by God due to his personal disability and fear. Eventually, God gave Him assurance and built his confidence to work with Him. Same with Joshua, Apostle Paul etc.The question is, have you ever made yourself available for such partnership? ““Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the LORD, “Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.” Isaiah 1:18 God is always willing to reason with you, but are you ready to reason with Him? God bless and empower Pastor E.A Adeboye for greater works in Jesus name.
Prayer Point: Father, please unite Your Church and drive away the spirit of division, so that we might unite for expoilts.
Hymn
Take my life, and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee;
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise
Take my hands, and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love;
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee,
Swift and beautiful for Thee.
Take my voice, and let me sing
Always, only, for my King;
Take my lips, and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee,
Filled with messages from Thee.
Take my silver and my gold;
Not a mite would I withhold;
Take my intellect, and use
Every power as Thou shalt choose,
Every power as Thou shalt choose.
Take my will, and make it Thine;
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart; it is Thine own;
It shall be Thy royal throne,
It shall be Thy royal throne
Take my love; my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure-store.
Take myself, and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee,
Ever, only, all for Thee.
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