1 Corinthians 3:1-9 – “And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to babes in Christ. 2 I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able, 3 for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men? 4 For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not mere men? 5 What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. 7 So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters are anything, but God who causes the growth. 8 Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. 9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.”  NASB

My primary text and focus are in verse nine – “God’s fellow workers” or “Laborers together with God.”  I became persona non grata to some fellow ministers once when I challenged the use of the term “My Church.”  I have been concerned for a very long time when I hear and see the church world and preachers lose sight of the centermost part of what we do and who we are. 

The devil is a strategist and one of his strategies is to divert our attention.  If he can get us to become entrapped in the business of it all and become so busy engaging in the superficial, the minute, and our vision become misdirected he defeats us or hinders us.  If we lose sight of the whole and only see our part, our purpose becomes skewed and our effectiveness diminished.

When that condition occurs, we tend to expend our energies on secondary things.  If the devil can entrap us into small thinking, he gains an upper hand.  As a pastor, I heard, “We’ve tried that before and it won’t work.”  I’ve heard the argument, “We cannot do that because we are a small congregation, or we are not large enough to take on that responsibility.”  I have heard, “If it is the will of God, He will do it.”  No, He won’t!  I do not mean that God won’t do things independently of us, but if it is something, He told us to do, He Won’t Do It for Us!

Attitudes are incredibly important in life and especially in the work of the Kingdom of God.  Tragically, I hear conversations among believers that reveal they are defeated before they begin.  I have heard preachers talk about, “Building My Church.”  No, it is His Church and you cannot build it.  You can participate, but it belongs to Him and He is building it.  You are not doing a work for God your are laboring with God!

I have heard preachers say, “I want to grow my church.”  That is the wrong focus.  I am not opposed to church growth, that would be ridiculous.  I am opposed to focusing on noses and nickels and thinking that we must create a program or generate some excitement through our efforts that will attract people.  Changed lives are the focus of God not how many are assembled.  That won’t sit well with some.

There are three major truths that I would like to address in this and the following devotionals:

IT IS GOD’S HARVEST.

Matthew 9:38 instructs us to pray that God will send laborers into HIS harvest.  It is vital that we focus on the words, “His Harvest.”  He is the builder and maker. He is the creator.  He is the owner.  He is in control.  He is the Light of the World.  When we consider Who He is, any objection, doubt, fear, and hesitation become laughable.  There is nothing impossible with God!

I want to address this more but will pause until the next devotional to reveal the other two truths of which I spoke in the beginning.   It is God’s Harvest and I encourage you to focus on that truth.

God bless you as you enjoy this wonderful day in Him.