Growth, have you ever sat and wondered about it?
God loves growth!
Look with me at some examples from scripture:
In the book of Genesis we are introduced to Adam and Eve; one young couple with a mighty big task before them.
God created Adam and Eve then called them to fill the earth with mankind; in other words, God wanted them to make babies!
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” (Genesis 1:27–28, NIV)
Today there are approximately 7 billion people on the earth.
God loves to grow things!
Okay, think now about the nation of Israel.
I’m sure you’re all familiar with the Old Testament character by the name of Abraham (You can read his story in the book of Genesis). Abraham had some sons, one was called Isaac who also had some sons, and one was called Jacob.
Jacob had a bit of an issue with his brother Esau.
The dispute led to Jacob living away from the land of his birth for a long time!
One day, after deciding to return to the land of his birth Jacob had an amazing encounter:
24 So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. 25 When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. 26 Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.”
But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”
27 The man asked him, “What is your name?”
“Jacob,” he answered.
28 Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome.” (Genesis 32:24–28, NIV)
The name Israel means ‘he struggles with God’.
So God gave Jacob a new name and the nation of Israel was born.
Today there are between 7 & 8 million people living in Israel.
God loves to grow things!
One last example from scripture:
The church
13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”
14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. (Matthew 16:13–18, NIV)
The Apostle Peter probably had no idea what he was letting himself in for. God was going to grow His church on and through him!
You can learn how the Words of Jesus were fulfilled by reading the book of Acts and seeing how God’s church grow; we today, as the people of God, are a part of that growing church.
Today there are approximately 3.7 million Christian churches meeting around the world.
There are close to 50,000 new congregations being added to the church each year.
God loves to grow things!
So what’s the secret to God’s success?
One word: NURTURING
God as the Master Grower does the nurturing; He feeds, He waters and He protects those things He seeks to grow.
He feeds and waters us today as He meets our physical and spiritual needs!
He protects us from the attacks of the enemy!
God loves to grow things, and guess what - He is good at it!
So today let me ask you this, ‘what growth is God looking for in your life’?
Are you a new Christian just starting out in your relationship with God? Then He will want to grow the relationship He has with you.
Are you someone whose been walking with the LORD for a long time? Well, God is still looking to grow you!
He wants to challenge you today to step out into something new, to try something new as an act of service and worship to Him.
Are you going to let God use His green fingers in your life?
When preaching yesterday at ‘The Vine’, I closed my message with the statement below; let me close this meditation with it today.
I would ask you to ponder it as you seek more of God and His will in your life:
“Growth from God will only come as we surrender to Him. We need to stop trying to bring about growth in our lives by ourselves, and let God work his miracle of growth in us”.
Will You?
God loves growth!
Look with me at some examples from scripture:
In the book of Genesis we are introduced to Adam and Eve; one young couple with a mighty big task before them.
God created Adam and Eve then called them to fill the earth with mankind; in other words, God wanted them to make babies!
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” (Genesis 1:27–28, NIV)
Today there are approximately 7 billion people on the earth.
God loves to grow things!
Okay, think now about the nation of Israel.
I’m sure you’re all familiar with the Old Testament character by the name of Abraham (You can read his story in the book of Genesis). Abraham had some sons, one was called Isaac who also had some sons, and one was called Jacob.
Jacob had a bit of an issue with his brother Esau.
The dispute led to Jacob living away from the land of his birth for a long time!
One day, after deciding to return to the land of his birth Jacob had an amazing encounter:
24 So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. 25 When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. 26 Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.”
But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”
27 The man asked him, “What is your name?”
“Jacob,” he answered.
28 Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome.” (Genesis 32:24–28, NIV)
The name Israel means ‘he struggles with God’.
So God gave Jacob a new name and the nation of Israel was born.
Today there are between 7 & 8 million people living in Israel.
God loves to grow things!
One last example from scripture:
The church
13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”
14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. (Matthew 16:13–18, NIV)
The Apostle Peter probably had no idea what he was letting himself in for. God was going to grow His church on and through him!
You can learn how the Words of Jesus were fulfilled by reading the book of Acts and seeing how God’s church grow; we today, as the people of God, are a part of that growing church.
Today there are approximately 3.7 million Christian churches meeting around the world.
There are close to 50,000 new congregations being added to the church each year.
God loves to grow things!
So what’s the secret to God’s success?
One word: NURTURING
God as the Master Grower does the nurturing; He feeds, He waters and He protects those things He seeks to grow.
He feeds and waters us today as He meets our physical and spiritual needs!
He protects us from the attacks of the enemy!
God loves to grow things, and guess what - He is good at it!
So today let me ask you this, ‘what growth is God looking for in your life’?
Are you a new Christian just starting out in your relationship with God? Then He will want to grow the relationship He has with you.
Are you someone whose been walking with the LORD for a long time? Well, God is still looking to grow you!
He wants to challenge you today to step out into something new, to try something new as an act of service and worship to Him.
Are you going to let God use His green fingers in your life?
When preaching yesterday at ‘The Vine’, I closed my message with the statement below; let me close this meditation with it today.
I would ask you to ponder it as you seek more of God and His will in your life:
“Growth from God will only come as we surrender to Him. We need to stop trying to bring about growth in our lives by ourselves, and let God work his miracle of growth in us”.
Will You?
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