Are You Growing?

Greetings everyone and welcome to today's edition of ...

Learn and Grow with Jesus EVERYDAY. 

Today's Topic is: Little Beginnings

Date: Wednesday, February 10, 2021

Bible Reading: Luke 13:18-21 NIV

Then Jesus asked, “What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to?  It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds perched in its branches.”  Again he asked, “What shall I compare the kingdom of God to?  It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds  of flour until it worked all through the dough.” Luke 13:18‭-‬21 NIV

Discussion Question: Are you Growing?

God put in place laws, principles, and patterns for all creation by design. The only exception are those things God which created originally at the beginning in Genesis. Everything that is or has ever been had its being from the original creations of God. Nothing new has ever been created by God since Eden, and by design, all things came to be by reproduction, each according to its kind. The only humans that never experienced birth and growth in this context were Adam and Eve. God created them and gave them the breath of life as adults. From them, all human race emerged, though not as adults, but as minuscule embryos that grew and developed into fetuses and were eventually born as babies.

God built into all His creation the system of growth. Encapsulated within God's system of growth are the processes of growth and the stages of development. The beauty of these processes and stages is that it affords you the time and the opportunity to learn, mature, and become formidable at your own pace. There is a lot of value in growing organically. There are life lessons and experiences built into every stage that helps shape you and strengthen you for the future. God lets you go through things so you can be transformed and emerge a much better and stronger version of yourself.

The Bible says that "Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered. In this way, God qualified him as a perfect High Priest, and he became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey him". Hebrews 5:8‭-‬9 NLT.

Shortcuts and cheating to get ahead never profit anyone in the long run. Shortcuts are man's attempt to circumvent naturally appointed opportunities to learn, grow, mature and become more perfect. Proper growth and development are prerequisites for God's qualification and promotion. Most people who take shortcuts always find themselves back in line many years later if they are lucky. 

If you look carefully, you will notice that nothing, absolutely nothing has ever been exempted from

the law of growth since creation. Everything grows and ought to grow as God originally intended. Any exception is an anomaly and unnatural. Everything by design starts small and goes from little beginnings to becoming big and even magnificent through the processes and stages of growth. Not even Jesus, the Son of God was exempted. He had His human beginning in the womb like the rest of us. His earthly ministry had a very humble beginning. His anointing was in measures until His baptism at Jordan River when He was filled with the fullness of the Holy Spirit. Even His miracles started off not with raising the dead, but with turning water into wine. The bible tells us that "Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man". Luke 2:52 NIV. As Jesus grew, so did His stature, anointing, knowledge, wisdom, miracles, ministry, everything about Him. God was very pleased with His growth and qualified Him as a perfect High Priest, and He became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey him. Hebrews 5:9 NLT.

The big question is, "are you growing in every area of your life as God intended?"

Jesus is teaching us today that little beginnings and growth are at the core of God’s masterplan for His Kingdom. Jesus likened the Kingdom of God to a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds perched in its branches.

It is our duty to plant the seed of the kingdom. It is our duty to water it with our faithfulness, diligence and righteous deeds. But it is God who will cause it to grow and impact generations to His glory. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 3:6-9, "I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building". 1 Corinthians 3:6‭-‬9 NIV.

Let this scripture encourage you as you labor for the Kingdom of God. No matter where you are, or what may be happening around you, be encouraged and stay faithful. "Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin..." Zechariah 4:10 NLT. “Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it.” Colossians 4:17 NKJV. The truth is that if God were to thrust you to run a mega ministry without adequate preparation and training, you would be overwhelmed, frustrated, and burned out very quickly. It takes the processes and stages of growth to develop you, mature you, and build capacity in you to be able to handle much greater responsibility and trust. And God is very intentional and deliberate about the things He allows into your life so that you don't fall apart, fail, become discouraged, and fade away. 

Keep on carrying out the ministry the Lord gave you. Though your beginning was small, yet your latter end would increase abundantly. Job 8:7 NKJV. But make ceratin that you are growing and not stagnated, no matter how small the measure of growth. An absence of growth is an indication of an anomaly for anything of God grows absolutely, because God causes it to grow. One of the hallmarks of the early churches in the Book of Acts was steady growth. God kept adding to their numbers. However, understand that growth is not only measured in numbers, there are other dimensions of growth as well. But be sure you are growing.

In the same way, whatsoever your hands find to do, do it with all your might...Ecclesiastics 9:10 NIV. Never ever undermine or despise little beginnings. And though you started with little, you will end with much. Job 8:7 NLT. Never ever forget that God rejoices to see the work begin. Start with whatever you have, don't wait until you have enough, you may never. But once you get started, it will surprise you how God will open doors for you and give you undeserved opportunities in places you had never dreamed of.

Go ahead and start that business. Go ahead and begin that project. Go ahead and enroll in that school. Go ahead and register for that training. Go ahead and fill that application. Go ahead and propose to your partner. Go ahead and take that vacation. Just do it. You have procrastinated enough. This is the time for decisive action. May God give you the boldness and courage to truly emerge from your obscurity and be celebrated indeed.  Amen.

Stay uplifted in Christ always and live cheerfully every day. 

Leader Chinedu Nicholas Obodo for EXOLOM Fellowship. Find us at Exolom.com