And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth:and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:11-12 KJV
We saw yesterday from 1 Corinthians 3:1-3 that God’s chosen race has two categories of people: the fully grown spiritual man and the immature babes. Clearly, there are babies in the church of Christ but God does not want them to remain as such.
Why does God want us to grow?
First and foremost, growth is natural for living things. God imbued every seed with the divine capacity for growth. We are born from the incorruptible seed of God’s Word (1 Peter 1:23), so we have the ability to grow. The Scripture tells us for instance that John the Baptist grew physically and spiritually (Luke 1:80). We are likewise expected to grow both physically and spiritually.
Secondly, spiritual growth is linked to multiplication. God expects seeds to multiply, and they can only do so when they mature. Jesus, as a seed, grew and became strong in the spirit (Luke 2:40). When He rose from the dead, He brought multiplication through salvation to the kingdom of God (John 12:24). Lack of fruit brings a curse. Once, when Jesus was hungry, he saw a fig tree with leaves and approached
it, expecting to find fruit. When he found none, He cursed it (Mark 11:12-21).
Thirdly, spiritual growth brings stability in your life. Spiritual babies are unstable (Ephesians 4:14), and when you are unstable, you cannot excel (Genesis 49:4). When you are a baby, it is difficult for you to receive from your Father God. “When you are half-hearted and wavering, it leaves you unstable. Can you really expect to receive anything from the Lord when you’re in that condition?” (James (Jacob) 1:7-8 TPT).
PRAYER
Father, in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I thank You for the seed of Your Word in me that gives me life and enables me to grow. As I feed on Your Word, I receive light to grow and multiply. I do exploits, win souls, and advance the Kingdom of God. Amen.
DEEPER REFLECTION
Genesis 1:11-12 (NKJV), 1 Peter 1:23 (AMP)
Luke 1:80 (GNT), James 1:7-8 (TPT)
Genesis 49:4 (KJV)
BIBLE READING PLAN
1 YEAR: Numbers 12-13, Luke 21
2 YEAR: Exodus 15, Matthew 25:1-15
