The Secret of Increase: Gospel Today Devotional - 13th September, 2023

LESSONS FROM PROVERBS (2)

Blessed be the name of the Lord who has been gracious to us in revealing his word by the reason of this devotional. The Lord has blessed our hearts through the lessons that have been taught thus far from the book of Proverbs and I trust that he will continue to bless our hearts through his word. Amen. Whenever you hear someone say for example that he will not tell you the secret behind his cooking, what that person means to say is that there are certain things he does that makes him cook that way, right? And by telling you those things, you may end up cooking exactly like him and as a result calls it his secret.

It will be safe to say that the kingdom of God is way different from that which defines the world we live in, isn't it? And that although we live here in this system (the world), we are not of the system and we are not to be affected by it. However, that Which is expected of us as believers is that through our lives, the culture of God's kingdom is being enforced here on earth. In other words, that Matthew 6:10 becomes a reality and that, through us. Praise God. "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven". (Matthew 6:10).

Today by the grace of God as we continue with the series for this month, we shall see something very important from the word of God and I trust that it will change the way we see things as believers and the the way we live as well. In God's kingdom, we all need to understand this very important truth that no one increases by withholding and that giving is indeed one of the core values of this kingdom. It is also important to note that God has revealed his secrets to us through his word and by his Spirit in us compared to the example we gave in our first paragraph. And we shall see one of such secrets today. Shall we see the passage of scripture below?

"There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty" (Proverbs 11:24).

Here we see two category of persons, the first are those  who scatter and if one is to explain the word in light of the context in which it was written, it means that the first category of persons are those who give freely. Those whose hands are opened. Those who hold nothing back and those who make their resources very much available as well as themselves. They are those who do not think of themselves alone. They minister to anyone they can through their resources, knowledge, etc.

Those set of persons by the reason of their actions never lack. They grow in all ramifications. This is the secret of increase in God's kingdom. They by giving to others get enough to cater for themselves in return. It is just a divine principle as seen in this scripture, "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again" (Luke 6:38). There are those who spread across that which they have by giving and are yet blessed even more and there are those who do otherwise, but what is their reward?

The scripture says poverty. You get nothing by holding back. The reverse is the case for the world system because everything is centered on self. They hoard everything, and refuse to give but this is not of God's kingdom. It is not how we have been instructed to live. It is not one of our core values. The aim of today's lesson is to point your attention to this two set of persons and then to ask you these questions. Having seen from scripture this set of persons, where do you belong? Having known the secret to increase in God's kingdom, what will you begin to do differently from now? Think on these things. The Lord help us in Jesus' name. Amen.

Thought for the day: 

Increase in God's kingdom does not come by withholding what you have. It comes by giving  that which you have been given such that you're given more than you have given out.

Gospel Today is a comforting, exhorting, edifying and inspiring devotional published by the Delightsome Land Christian Ministry. For questions, enquiries/testimonies, please call/WhatsApp: 08174915361, 08161655758 or Email: [email protected].