A Nugget from New Life Network
(by Dr. Larry Ollison)
Scripture for the Day – August 13, 2019
The Lord shall increase you more and more, you and your children. (Psalm 115:14)
The world is in bad shape. The world is full of bad news. But as Christians, we must live in the world, but we are not of it (John 17:11,14-16). The world may be getting worse, but for the Christian, every day should be better than the day before.
When I was a young boy growing up in the Baptist church, there was a song that had words along these lines: “Every day with Jesus is sweeter than the day before. Every day with Jesus, I love Him more and more; Jesus saves and keeps me, and He’s the One I’m living for. Every day with Jesus is sweeter than the day before.”*
I understand that this old hymn is not necessarily Scripture. However, in principle, it is true. If each day that we live as a Christian is not sweeter than the day before, then we should examine ourselves and find out what’s wrong. If we are living according to God’s plan and being obedient to His Word, then every day can be full of new excitement and new revelation.
God is a God of increase (Psalm 115:14). When I make this statement, usually people immediately think of money. While it is true that God is the God of increase concerning our finances, increase is so much more than that. In Galatians 5:22, the Word tells us, “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, [and] self-control.” These attributes of the Spirit of God are placed in us when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. However, God expects us to grow in these spiritual character traits by the daily washing of our minds with the Word of God and with the conscious decision to be obedient to His Word as it is revealed to us (Ephesians 4:23; 5:26).
Once a man told me that he would love to grow in the things of God, but it was just too difficult. This man’s problem was that he had believed a lie of the enemy. The commands and callings of God are not burdensome. In fact, Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-30, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: (Romans 5:20)
But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. (2 Corinthians 3:18)
And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you: (1 Thessalonians 3:12)
