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John 3:30 - Jesus Must Increase and I Must Decrease.

John 3:30 (NIV) He must become greater; I 
must become less. 

COMMENTARY PEARL

   The request came when I was twenty. 
Can you address our church youth group? We 
arent talking citywide crusade here. Think more in 
terms of a dozen kids around a West Texas 
campfire. I was new to the faith, hence new to the 
power of the faith. I told my story, and, lo and 
behold, they listened! One even approached me 
afterward and said something like, That moved me, 
Max. My chest lifted, and my feet shifted just a 
step in the direction of the spotlight. 
   God has been nudging me back ever since.
   Some of you dont relate. The limelight 
never woos you. You and John the Baptist sing the 
same tune: He must become greater and greater, 
and I must become less and less (John 3:30 
NLT). God bless you. You might pray for the rest 
of us. We applause-aholics have done it all: 
dropped names, sung loudly, dressed up to look 
classy, dressed down to look cool, quoted authors 
weve never read, spouted Greek weve never 
studied. For the life of me, I believe Satan trains 
battalions of demons to whisper one question in our 
ears: What are people thinking of you? 
   A deadly query. What they think of us 
matters not. What they think of God matters all. God 
will not share his glory with another (Isaiah 
42:8). Next time you need a nudge away from the 
spotlight, remember: You are simply one link in a 
chain, an unimportant link at that. 
   Remember the other messengers God has 
used? 
   A donkey to speak to Balaam (Numbers 
22:28). 
   A staff-turned-snake to stir Pharaoh 
(Exodus 7:10). 
   He used stubborn oxen to make a point 
about reverence and a big fish to make a point 
about reluctant preachers (I Samuel 6:1-12; Jonah 
1:1-17) 
   God doesnt need you and me to do his 
work. We are expedient messengers, ambassadors by 
his kindness, not by our cleverness. 
   Its not about us, and it angers him 
when we think it is. 
   We who are entrusted with the gospel dare 
not seek applause but best deflect applause. For 
our message is about Someone else. [Max Lucado 
Daily Devotional at maxlucado.com] 

COMMENTARY

   John the Baptist's assignment wasn't an 
easy one. After all, who wants to hear the call 
to repent? That's a message about sinfulness - 
but it's the God-given word John delivered in 
order to prepare the way for the coming Messiah.  
   This bold preacher - who greeted the 
influential Pharisees and Sadducees by calling them a 
"brood of vipers!" (Matthew 3:7) - was a humble 
servant who knew his role in the kingdom. So, when 
John learned of Jesus baptizing people, he did 
not become jealous or guard his turf; instead, 
he joyfully exalted Christ. John knew that the 
One whose way he was preparing had come to set 
people free from the separation from God caused by 
sin. John responded by declaring, "He must 
increase, but I must decrease." 
   The challenge of every Christian is to - 
like John - magnify Christ in whatever way God 
calls us to do it. We naturally tend to focus on 
self rather than on God; we crave acknowledgment 
and affirmation rather than self-denial. We 
gravitate toward activities that bring us praise and 
affirmation. But if Christ is to have His rightful place 
in our lives, we must set aside self - and 
selfishness - so He can be glorified. We must decrease. 
   When People Encounter Us, Do They Go Away 
Impressed With Us Or With Christ? [Being Still With 
God Every Day by Henry Blackaby] 

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

   To enjoy My Presence more fully, you need 
to think less and less about yourself. This is 
not an arbitrary demand; it's the secret to 
living more abundantly. Self-forgetfulness is a 
delightful way to live!  
   Try to become aware of how much time you 
spend thinking about yourself. Take a look at your 
mind's contents. Though your thoughts are not 
visible to other people unless you choose to share 
them, I see each and every one. When you realize 
your thinking is unworthy of Me, make every 
effort to change the subject. If you're struggling 
with a self-centered idea that recurs again and 
again, try connecting it to a favorite scripture or 
a brief prayer. This forms a bridge for your 
attention - away from yourself and toward Me. For 
example, praying "I love You, Lord can quickly 
direct your focus to Me.  
   If you have to repeat this process many 
times, don't be discouraged. You are training your 
mind to seek My Face, and this endeavor is 
pleasing to Me. Seek Me, beloved, and live 
abundantly. (John 10:10; Psa. 27:8; Amos 5:4) [Jesus 
Always by Sarah Young] 

LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS PASSAGE


http://www.abible.com/devotions/2015/20150505-1318.html 

YOUR COMMENTS

If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or 
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either 
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in 
hearing from you.  Thanks in advance and let's keep 
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred 
Gibbs