Each day is filled with choices and those choices determine whether we are ascending into Spiritual maturity or descending into walking after the flesh. Virtually no one remains static. In 1 Corinthians chapter 3, Paul writes by THE SPIRIT:
1 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ.
2 I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able;
3 for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?
4 For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal?
The brethren were sowing seeds of envy, strife, and division by associating themselves as followers of men rather than being led by THE SPIRIT. THE SPIRIT always leads us to a higher state and we must ask ourselves if we are indeed moving upward and onward or has life become “stale” and uneventful. We must not stake our future on what a man or small group of men are teaching but we must seek to hear FATHER’S Voice individually and respond to HIS Voice. As we do HE will draw us higher into full maturity.
5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one?
6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.
7 So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.
8 Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.
Paul took no credit for the revelation he taught for he acknowledged that FATHER was the Source of all revelation. I take no credit either for FATHER instructs me daily what to write. I simply plant or water just as Paul and Apollos did as laborers. FATHER rewards me for my labors through various and sundry means and for that I am thankful.
9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building.
10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it.
11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
There is only one foundation which will withstand the test of time- Jesus Christ. Who but the manifested Son of Our Heavenly Father is able to take that core position by which all life revolves around. The world continues to deny Christ at their own peril. When you consider the state of the world on all fronts it is no coincidence that there will soon be an abrupt shift causing the world’s house of cards to come tumbling down. The seeds of self-deception have been sown and the evil fruit thereof has come to full maturity. Immature believers want to change the world without themselves maturing any further. As for me, my focus is to change the internal knowing that the internal results in changes to the external. I am FATHER’S field, I am HIS building so the focus must be on becoming HIS dwelling place, not some physical building.
12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,
13 each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is.
14 If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward.
15 If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
Our works will ultimately be judged and revealed by the light of Day. The fire will burn away the wood, hay, and stubble which will reveal what benefit our works were to others. Are we ready for that revealing? Are we promoting and reflecting Christ among those we come in contact with? May the fire now burn out of us anything which has no value to the Kingdom! Let us no longer be deceived by the external focus at the expense of the internal.
16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
17 If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.
I cannot emphasize enough that we are the dwelling place of The Holy Spirit. Men go to and fro to get some “anointing” from men when the real action is approximately 18 inches from our head… in our heart. Do I need to travel 800 miles to hear FATHER when HE desires to speak to me wherever I am? If HE tells me to travel half way around the world, I will. However, HE is willing and able to speak to me no matter where I am at if only I am willing to listen. My responsibility is to prepare my temple for HIM to take up residence and fill it with HIS Glory. HE isn’t reluctant to come but HE will not glorify an immature vessel. We must rise up out of immaturity and present ourselves as Holy, acceptable living sacrifices unto HIM.