John 3:22-4:3 from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He was spending time with them and baptizing.  John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there; and people were coming and were being baptized—  for John had not yet been thrown into prison.

 Therefore there arose a discussion on the part of John’s disciples with a Jew about purification.  And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified, behold, He is baptizing and all are coming to Him.”  John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven.  You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent ahead of Him.’  He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. So this joy of mine has been made full.  He must increase, but I must decrease.

 “He who comes from above is above all, he who is of the earth is from the earth and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all.  What He has seen and heard, of that He testifies; and no one receives His testimony.  He who has received His testimony has set his seal to this, that God is true.  For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for He gives the Spirit without measure.  The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand.  He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”

4 Therefore when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John (although Jesus Himself was not baptizing, but His disciples were), He left Judea and went away again into Galilee.

In Matthew 16:24 Jesus says: "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.” In Galatians 5:16-25 Paul says: I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.  For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.  But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.  Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality,  idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions,  envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.  Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Far too often, we as believers tend to focus on the denying of self and on the crucifying of our flesh. How long does it take and how successful are we really at crucifying: immorality, impurity, sensuality,  idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions,  envying, drunkenness, carousing, from our lives? Paul shares a key to our success. Rather than focusing on the denying and crucifying; rather than focusing on ourselves at all, we should focus on the Spirit. We should live and walk by the Spirit. In today's text John shares another way or perspective for how we are to successfully serve and walk with Christ. The text says: Therefore there arose a discussion on the part of John’s disciples with a Jew about purification.  And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified, behold, He is baptizing and all are coming to Him.”  John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven.  You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent ahead of Him.’  He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. So this joy of mine has been made full.  He must increase, but I must decrease. The only way for us to truly crucify our flesh; the only way to fully deny ourselves, the only way that we can truly decrease, is to have Christ increase.

When we focus on denial, we see God as restrictive and limiting. When Christ increases we see, love, grace, protection, provision; we see the blessings and promises of God when Christ is our focus. Look again at what Paul says: Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality,  idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions,  envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.  Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. In Matthew 22:37-38 Jesus says: “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’  This is the great and foremost commandment.” If we haven't succeeded in the first commandment, how can we think we will succeed in any others? If we will love God with all of our heart soul and mind, there will be no room left for the satisfaction of our flesh. If we focus on ourselves and our flesh, we have a lot of difficult work ahead of us today and every day. On the other hand in Matthew 11:29-30 Jesus says: “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is ]easy and My burden is light.” If we focus on Christ; if we allow Him to increase, it will be easy for us to decrease.

There is a familiar song whose chorus says: Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful faceAnd the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace. Amen. Thank You heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ and precious Holy Spirit; increase in me today, that I might become more like You every day. Amen.