Why Settle For Less
1 Corinthians 3:5-10
5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?
6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.
9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.
10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
I have entitled this today: “Why Settle For Less”
Are we, as believers, settling for less when it comes to the things of God than we have to?
We need to have an understanding in the church world that God can do anything He wants to do.
There are times that people in the church start putting their eyes on man and what man says.
Get your eyes off of man and get your eyes focused upon God and His Word and what He says that we can become and have in Him.
If we get our eyes on man and not God, that man or woman will fail us or let us down.
In our opening text, Paul and Apollos were men that were greatly used by God.
The people believed the report these two men had. They could tell by the fruit that was coming from their lives that they loved the Lord.
Whatever gifts each preacher had, came from the Lord, and they were not due to their own abilities or merit.
Paul planted refers to Paul being a founder of the church, He was a builder.
Apollos watered the strengthening of the faith of wavering churches.
God is the one who gave the increase, unless the Lord builds the house they that labor in vain.
Look closely at 1 Corinthians 3:7
7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
The planter and the waterer are nothing in comparison to the Lord; you see it is God who gives the increase.
Man, by his own ability, cannot bring about the increase, no matter how much he plants or waters, spiritually speaking.
If God is not the one who called the work into being, or if His anointing is not in it then it will not make it.
Verse eight says: Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one:
This literally means in the Greek, one thing.
Every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labor.
Paul did not say according to his own success, but rather labor.
God has not called us as individuals to be successful but to be faithful, faithfulness will bring forth successfulness.
We are laborers together with God; we are to labor in the harvest.
We are God’s Husbandry, (God’s field, God’s tilled land.)
You are God’s building, His vineyard.
Verse 10 says: According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder,
This is saying that Paul, under Christ, founded the church.
Paul said: I have laid the foundation, this is talking about Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
Then it says: and another buildeth thereon, this speaks of all preachers who follow there after and unto this very moment, and have built upon this foundation.
2Ti 2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
The foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal; The Lord knoweth them that are his.
But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
All must preach the same Doctrine that Paul preached, Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
Why Settle For Less?
Ps 127:1 Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.
I have entitled this today: “Why Settle For Less”
12-12-2003
Why settle for hamburgers when you can have steak?
I dreamed I was an assistant at a great big church. The pastor was going to be leaving. I was going to be in charge. I was in the back doing something, the service started. I walked out, no one told me the pastor left. I was now in charge.
A man was up front getting ready to speak. He must have been the choir director. I walked up to him and asked, “Why didn’t you tell me the pastor had left?” I said, “ I’m the one in charge now.” I could tell he didn’t like it.
SCENE CHANGE
I’m was watching people make steaks on a grill. I knew I was still in the church building. At first I saw only two grills; I knew I was to help prepare the steak. I’m was walking, and I had a fishing pool. I remember seeing all kinds of people with fishing poles walking. The poles were like old bamboo poles. The steaks were for the fisherman. They were preparing for the fish caught. (People, souls won)
INTERPRETATION
I was an assistant pastor.
As an assistant, I was to learn.
Once the pastor left, I was in charge.
God feels I’m ready to do the job.
The choir director didn’t like what was taking place.
Satan, in heaven, was the music director; He doesn’t like what’s taking place at our church.
There will be people who don’t like everything I do.
They will have to get over it.
God placed me where I’m at.
I never called myself to preach, God did.
God literally gave me the dream.
SCENE CHANGE
I’m was watching people make steaks on a grill.
I knew I was to help prepare them.
We need to teach people about Jesus.
Tell them what salvation is all about.
The steaks represent the rewards the fishers of men are going to receive.
We receive ours, and then we start to prepare for others.
We need to fish for souls.
Ps 127:1 Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.
Joh 14:12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
We have people planting and watering, but God is giving the increase.
Are you settling for less than what you can have in God?
Satan will try to stop the work that God is doing but he won’t be able to stop it because it was not man who placed this church here.
It was God who placed us where we are at and God will continue to take us to where we are going.
Do you believe that God is still able to do miracles?
Jesus said, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
Over the years I have been in training, God has been teaching me how to hear and discern what He is saying.
Through the years, God has been taking me on a journey, but through the years you have been on this journey with me.
Satan, at times, during this journey, has tried to take me down, but through it all I have learned to stand upon His Word and believe what He is speaking to me.
Ro 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Through the years, you have been on a journey and you understand how to achieve faith.
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God:
We hear the Holy Spirit as He speaks to us, we learn to understand how and why through the Word of God.
Yes, we need planters and we need waterers, but we need to ask God to give the increase.
Do you have your fishing pools out and are you fishing for souls?
People are looking for something that is alive, something that is real and something that they can get a hold of.
We can get a hold of these people, we need to have the right bait for our pools.
I believe in signs, and I believe in wonders. I believe that if we would become a people of prayer we would see a lot more bait for our hooks.
Job 33:14-18
14 For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not.
15 In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed;
16 Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction,
17 That he may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man.
18 He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword.
I promise you that if you listen, you will hear the world talk about dreams they don’t understand.
There might be people that have had a dream twice and not realize that it is God trying to get their attention.
God has given us bait for our hooks, listen and witness.
God, over and over, has shown different people in this church that we will be full.
Take your fishing poll and bait, and go fishing.
Deuteronomy 29:29
29 The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.
Why Settle For Less!
Closing
Why are we settling for hamburger while steak is being prepared?
The steaks represent the rewards the fishers of men are going to receive.
We receive ours, and then we start to prepare for others.
We need to fish for souls.
If you are interested in seeing some God given dreams given to me and others in our church go to:
http://www.ourchurch.com/member/w/windoffaithdrea/
Go to the new text page for the God given dreams.
