Faith and love are growing!

The word ὑπεραυξανει signifies to grow luxuriantly, as a good and healthy tree planted in a good soil; and if a fruit tree, bearing an abundance of fruit to compensate the labor of the gardener.

Faith is one of the seeds of the kingdom; sowed and watered and God gave an abundant increase.

Part of being prosperous is seeing this incredible growth in our lives as we spend time with God, meditating on His Word.

Since all blessings, temporal and spiritual, come from Him: and that always: seeing He is ever giving out fresh favours, or continuing former ones; and because those, especially which are of a spiritual nature, always abide, such as faith and love.

Understanding this – that our faith is not a faith of miracles, nor a mere historical faith, or a counterfeit and temporary one, but a faith of those who have decided to follow God, which is the evidence of things not seen, of an unseen Christ, and the glories of another world; that grace by which a person goes out of themselves to Christ for righteousness, life, and salvation; by which they are justified, and by which they live on Christ, and walks on in Him as He has received them.

Like anything else that has lasting value – this was, at first, but like a grain of mustard seed, very small, but gradually increased, and grew exceedingly; and from seeing of Christ, and looking at Him, and which at first might be very dim and obscure, it proceeded to going or coming to Him; and which might be in a very feeble manner, and was not without being drawn and led, and great encouragements, many invitations, and large assurances; and from there to a laying hold upon us, though it may be but in a trembling way, and not without being called to stretch out the hand of faith, and be no more faithless, but believing; and from there to a leaning and relying on Him, trusting in Him with all, and for all; and from there to claiming an interest in Him, saying, my Lord, and my God, which is the full assurance of faith; and when it is come to this, it has grown exceedingly.

And love shows itself growing as we serve one another both in temporal and spirituals; and our conversation with one another is both comfortable and pleasant as we find ourselves working, living, and having  fellowship in unity.