John 3:31 He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all.
My how the world has changed in my lifetime! I remember when it was a rare occasion to hear a live reel-to-reel recording of someone preaching. I remember when sermons were recorded on vinyl albums; then came cassettes – that was revolutionary! Run the clock forward to 2012 and you have around the clock Christian television and radio, CDs, DVDs, podcasts, YouTube, live-streaming and the list goes on. At the click of a button, you can hear the finest and most renowned preachers and teachers in the world.
However, let me remind you of one important thing: every one of them is “earthy” and thus are limited in their ability to speak of Heavenly things.
That is what John is reminding us of in today’s Bible verse. He is comparing Jesus and John the Baptist. As great as John the Baptist was, John reminds us that he is still “earthly” and it thus limited by the limitations of a mortal man.
If I know my heart, I am giving you the wisest advice that I can right now; but that’s the point – I don’t know my heart…only God does. I try to keep my motives pure and untainted by earthly passions and priorities, but my best effort is still “earthly.”
The one thing today is never substitute earthly authority with the Heavenly authority. Thank God for wise counselors and leaders that speak into our lives, but dear one, nothing substitutes for spending time with God and his word yourself. As the Holy Spirit recorded through John – “He (Jesus) who comes from above is above all.”
“The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven.”
(1 Corinthians 15:47)
The ONE THING 