Author

segunidowu

The Reality of faith

by segunidowu March 16, 2021

When you talk about bible faith with some believers their idea is that it is something you act like it is so, when it is not really so and when you fake it long enough it will become real. Some don’t even believe that faith is real, their ideas is it is some kind of intangible thing that they do not see or understand.

But we understand from the bible that it is not so. Faith is real. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1

Methinks that what is a substance is substantial what is an evidence is to some extent, perceptible.

The mobile signals is there

You see, just because some people cannot see faith physically they conclude that it does not exist. Think about it, if some one called your mobile phone, you pick the call, you answer with the assurance that you will speak to the person despite not seeing the mobile signals, you believe and know that the mobile signals is there. It is invisible, yet you don’t doubt that it is there. Perhaps, if you could not get the signals you will not doubt its existence, you will think it’s somewhere within your vicinity, you will go look for it. You will change your position in order to get the signals.But when it comes to faith or spiritual realities, we want to see it, touch, feel it, smell it or it does not exist. Just because something is invisible does not mean that it does not exist.

All came from the invisible realm

In fact everything you see today physically came from the realm of the invisible. Before creation the earth, it was formless and empty. Genesis 1:1 But God created the earth, what we see today came out of something, it came out of God’s word. It did not come out of nothing, it came out of something but that something is invisible. How do we know that ? By faith

By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible. Hebrews 11:3 The same thing about faith, it is invisible but that does not mean that it is not real. It is very real. Hebrews 11:3

Think about the wind. don’t you see its effect? Faith is real, it’s a great spiritual force. a real force not abstract.

Likewise, God is real and does exist. He just can’t be seen with your physical eyes. God is broadcasting all His power and blessings every time. He is transmitting His signals always. He does not stop. God’s transmitter is never broken. However, the receiver is the problem, not God. It’s always our receiver that is the problem.

The Prophet and his angels

An interesting story about the reality of the unseen world is seen in 2 Kings chapter 6 about Elisha the prophet, who was ambushed by the mighty Syrian Army because he was revealing the battle plan of the Syrian King to the King Of Israel,who would then use the information to ambush the Syrian. This happened several times. The Syrian King was convinced that a spy was in his ranks but was told that the prophet Elisha was the one who was revealing the King’s battle plan to Israel, so the he Syrian King sent his army to capture Elisha and they came to surround the city of Dothan where he was.

And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” 2 Kings 6:15

Note Elisha’s reply So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” 2 Kings 6:16

Elisha’s servant like some people today would think that Elisha is mad or even worse according to the saying, had added madness to his religion, if you catch my drift. He probably looked at himself and Elisha and compared the number of the two of them to multitudes of soldiers waiting to destroy them. However, Elisha was not perturbed.

And Elisha prayed, and said, “Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 2 Kings 6:17

The young man must have been surprised to see this wonderful and glorious but sudden sight. But the truth is, it was not a sudden sight. Elisha believed and knew the angels were there with them all along. How? By faith. He knew angels are real and God has already said that they will protect you and will be with you. Psalm 91:11-12. He accepted and believe in the reality of the unseen realm just as you would believe and know the reality of your mobile phone signals to pick that call!

Faith is real as your breath

You see, we are not believing for something that isn’t real to become real. Faith is real, as real as your breath. We have the word of God which enable us to see into the spiritual realm by faith and make what we see in the spiritual world to manifest in the physical world. This is how we are supposed to live. This is a wonderful way to live. This is the normal Christian life. This is walking by faith and not by sight (2 Cor. 5:7).

If you don’t appreciate the reality of faith, you will not be able to understand and use the force of faith because faith is a force that bring things from the realm of the invisible into the realm of the visible and it is real.

March 16, 2021 0 comment

Faith Spiritual Growth

Identity theft, could it happen to you?

by segunidowu March 16, 2021

written by segunidowu

There is a story of a woman who was wanted for murder and her name was released internationally a murder suspect because someone stole her identity and used it to create a fake passport used at the scene of the crime. Fortunately for her, the perpetrator used her name and not her picture on the passport found at the scene of the crime. And she has her own original passport with her. For her the theft of her identity was obvious.

But there is an identity thief that act stealthily. is less obvious, subtle in approach yet more deadly than the murderer with the intention to steal your identity and rob you blind if you let him, That identity thief is the devil.

Your identity is valuable

You see, your identity as a believer is so valuable that Satan constantly attack it day and night and his ploy is get you to question your identity. However his ploy is not new though, his trick is the same old trick he used on Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden when he threw a question at them with the intention to question their identity. He introduced doubts about their position, ability and capacity into their their minds!

Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” Genesis 3:1 NIV

He then went ahead to tell them that when they eat the fruit their eyes will open and they will be like God.

They were already like God. You see they have been made the possessor of the whole earth already by God, that is their identity. They were the master and mistress of the earth and everything in it , it belongs to them.

Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” Genesis 1:26

unfortunately Satan succeeded because Adam and Eve yielded.

Satan tried to steal Jesus’ identity.

He tried the same tricks on Jesus and failed woefully in Matthew 4. When he laid those temptation on Jesus, his intention is to repeat what he did at Eden by introducing doubts and getting Jesus to prove something that He is the Son of God. Jesus did not need to prove anything to anyone. He is the Son of God. simple.

Satan tricks is not new, he is trying everyday to get believers to question who they are in order to steal their identity and defeat them. When we don’t know who we are, Satan will steal our identity from us and leave us in a position of defeat and failure because our identity is precious. We cannot afford to define ourselves the way the world does and defeat Satan.

Your identity is not based on the natural things

Your identity is not primarily based on your race, colour, background or class.

No it is based on your God-given identity as new creatures in Christ Jesus.

Yes, I know that most people easily identify with the natural realm – their background, family, tribe, class, race, colour. However, we must not allow ourselves to be defined by the natural because by reason of the new birth, we have been given a new identity by God, that transcends our natural selves and we need to constantly look in the word of God in order not to forget who we are in Christ Jesus.

Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. James 1:23-24

The word of God reveals our identity in Christ, that new identity was given to us when we got born again and we must continually affirm that identity and not allow the identity thief; Satan to steal out identity with his lies and deceits.

Check out what the word says about you, about your identity

You are created anew in Christ Jesus Ephesians 2:10-13

You are delivered. Colossians 1:12-14

You are a joint heir with Christ. Romans 8:16-17

You are holy and blameless in Christ. Ephesians 1:

You are accepted and belong to Christ Ephesians 1:11-14

Jesus has given us a new identity in Him, continually meditate and affirm who you are in Christ Jesus as you identity and when the devil try to teal that identity, refuse to let him.

March 16, 2021 0 comment

Success

Do you believe what’s available for you?

by segunidowu March 16, 2021

written by segunidowu

There is story about a man travelling from England to America in a ship many years ago before we have airplane. He’ d saved money to buy the ticket for the journey but reckon that because he does not have money for food, he will survive with some fruit and snacks he brought with him on board for the long journey to America. So on the way in the ship, he will look into the dining room with the sumptuous food available and go back into his cabin to eat his fruit and biscuits. This, he did throughout the journey. At the the end, everyone was disembarking the ship and, as this man was about to leave the ship, the captain of the ship approached him and asked him, whether he did not like their food because he did not come to the dining table throughout the journey. The man said that he loves the food very much but did not have the money to purchase the food , hence his absence from the dining room. The captain was surprised and told him that his meals had been paid for already when he bought the ticket. So, this man could have had those lovely food, enjoying his journey rather than feasting on crackers and fruits. What a miss!

There is wonderful life available

This, sadly is the tale of many believers in the world today, we have by grace been provided with all things but we have not received it. Many live all their life in sin, poverty, sickness and disease and never really maximise the abundant life God has given them. The bible tells us that the wonderful life in store for us is in the promises God has made to us already in the scripture.

as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 2 Peter 1:3-4

Someone asked, Pastor if I have been given all these things, why can’t I see any of it in my life?

And I am glad you asked. You see, we will have to know that this wonderful things is ours already, given to us by God and we will have to know that we can appropriate those things into our lives.

Would you believe for it?

But let me ask you something, do you believe that the promises of God are true and they can come to pass in your life?

Now, I am not talking about you looking at someone else, someone you know who appears to have this great faith to receive from God than you, or some famous preacher who can believe God for something and receive it.

I am talking about you! Do you believe those great and precious promises can come to pass in your own life?

And if you do, would you take those promises, release your faith and apply them to your life until you get the results?

Make your choice

You see, only you can make that choice. But you can do it because you have been built with faith to believe God and receive.

Now, unbelief would try to creep in to get you to stop considering God’s promises in your life, but you will have to stand your ground, deal with doubts creeping into your mind about the promises of God and root it out.

Don’t be unstable about the promises of God

But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. James 1:6-8

We must have single mindedness about the promises of God and not let unbelief derail our faith.

So keep mediating on those promises, accept them, believe them, release your faith for them with expectation. God has never refuse to perform His word for anybody who believe, He won’t start with you.

March 16, 2021 0 comment

Faith

You can’t not take that risk!

by segunidowu March 16, 2021

written by segunidowu

As you look back to your life and career to date, where do you reckon you should have been braver, where do you wished you have taken some risk, trusted in yourself more, and been less cautious and go for it? where? Almost all of us can relate I guess.

Risk has rewards

It’s easy to stick to the status quo and stay in that comfortable lane that we know. But then what is life if that is all we do. It becomes routine, boring and lacks growth.
It’s possible we have all heard of McDonald, but if Ray Kroc did not take the risk to create McDonald’s restaurants all over United States, we probably would not have heard or taste the McDonald’s burger today. When people think of risk especially in business and entrepreneurship, they think about a special kind of person who bets the house on and then reap high reward of success and glory. But that is actually not the whole truth. Wise entrepreneur never bets the whole house, they hedge their risk so that no matter the initial loss, they are still ticking to fight the next day and eventually win the glory

Why not bet the whole house

The bible instructs us to take risk. In fact the bible is full of ordinary people who took risks and becomes extraordinary by the things they did by their obedience in faith to instructions given to them. However, this kind of risk the bible tells us to take is to bet the whole house on the project Jesus. To follow the plan He has for us in this life.

You see Jesus taught that. Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. Matthew 16:24 NIV

He told us to follow Him with our whole heart, soul and body . He encouraged us to take this exciting risk with our lives that will lead us into an adventurous life in Him, if we only would dare.

This adventure, this risk begins with knowledge. No wonder He said “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Matthew 11: 28-29

Understand the risk and its rewards

Jesus did not want us to jump into taking the risk without understanding, He want us to learn how to walk the walk and talk the talk by seeking first the Kingdom of God and how things works in that Kingdom. (Matthew 6:33)

Truth is, what He is asking us to do is not a leap darkly into the unknown as many people thinks , He is calling us to walk by faith in His word and not by how we feel.

His word will always come to pass. His word will always bring the result He promised when we believe it.

The certainty of the reward of the risk is hundred percent. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1 He promised that He will hasten to perform the word He has given you (Jeremiah 1:12)

Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Very interesting, thrones and Kingdoms for those who took the risk to follow and obey him, and fulfill His plans for their lives here on earth.

Perhaps you think when you take that risk to obey Him and fulfill His plans for your life, you only have the rewards coming to you in the sweet by and by. He thinks otherwise and His answer is the same He gave Peter hundreds of years ago

Then Peter began to speak up. “We’ve given up everything to follow you,” he said. “Yes,” Jesus replied, “and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for my sake and for the Good News,will receive now in return a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and property—along with persecution. And in the world to come that person will have eternal life.

You have the reward starting now dear friend, in fact the reward is built into the obedience.

March 16, 2021 0 comment

Victory

Accountable for the way we feel

by segunidowu March 16, 2021

written by segunidowu

Have you seen a situation where someone wakes up in the morning and she feels good as she dresses, have breakfast and head to work possibly whistling and feeling good with herself and the world. Whilst on her way, a phone call came that crashed everything, She needs to see her doctor for the result, predictably, this kind of news have the tendency to result in negative feelings and depression which is probably one of the top emotional feelings people struggles with everyday of this life.

Negative thoughts

The truth is, living on this planet comes with its troubles and challenges. We are not immune from being hit with bad news, however the news comes to us , we can determine how we respond to it every time so as to come out victorious.

Life is not fair and if we allow negative emotions to direct our lives, it will end in a ditch because our feelings must never be the barometer to use to measure whether we can do certain things or not. In fact our feelings will tend to tell us that we can’t do anything at all.

But the bible says I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me Philippians 4:3

You can take it to the bank every time that the chances of negative emotions ruining your day is high if you allow it, even if you decide to lock yourself up at home and not have contact with the outside world, you still have your mind with you and left on its own without direction, it will wander and wander and wander eventually into the Slough of Despond. See what I mean.

Positive thoughts

if you don’t allow positive thoughts from the scripture to dominate your mind, chances are you will dwell on something else. Why?

Because the ‘gravitational’ pull of this world is towards sin, towards the negative, towards failure. So to go against it you will have to well, go against it! Its that simple but not easy.

But we can do it!

The bible says we walk by faith and not by sight 2 Corinthians 5:7. That is we should not walk by our five senses. It means we are accountable for the way we feel. I know that you probably heard some bad news, or someone said something to you that riles you up or your mind wanders to that embarrassing moment 10 years ago.

And it bothers you so much that it ruins your day. Don’t allow it.

Get your thoughts to Jesus

As hard as it is to believe, Jesus did experienced these things, things happened to Him that would have set Him in a spiral of depression but He did not take the bait

Hear Mark’s account of the incident leading to His death

And He took with Him Peter and James and John, and began to be struck with terror and amazement and deeply troubled and depressed. And He said to them, My soul is exceedingly sad (overwhelmed with grief) so that it almost kills Me! Remain here and keep awake and be watching. And going a little farther, He fell on the ground and kept praying that if it were possible the [fatal] hour might pass from Him (Mark 14:33-35, AMPC).

Jesus experienced strong emotions when He realised what lay ahead of Him but He did not allow negative emotions to master His life and purpose, He did something about it. He prayed! He rejected the negative feelings and continue to move in the direction God wanted Him to despite His feelings. He overcame and became strengthened.

We have to do the same. We have to allow the word of God to dominate our thoughts each time our feelings want to respond to the wrong thoughts being inserted into our minds by the enemy or things happening that can activate our emotions towards the negative.

This is something we need to know and do, so that when our feelings threaten to sweep us away, we can resist the urge and stand firm because we are accountable for how we feel

March 16, 2021 0 comment

Success

The Root of failure

by segunidowu March 16, 2021

written by segunidowu

For want of a nail the shoe was lost.
For want of a shoe the horse was lost.
For want of a horse the rider was lost.
For want of a rider the message was lost.
For want of a message the battle was lost.
For want of a battle the kingdom was lost.
And all for the want of a horseshoe nail.

This is an interesting poem that has come down in many variations over the centuries. It describes a situation in which a small successive omissions can have grave consequences.

This we can say is the root of failure in every enterprise or endeavour.

History has shown us that many war were lost because of lack of preparation or provision for what appears insignificant in the soldiers armoury leading to excruciating defeats.

Solomon said many centuries ago: Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom. Song of Solomon 2:15.

Pay attention to little things

That is why we are to pay attention to little things, it’s what we many times discountenanced that becomes revealed as very important in our pursuits of success an greatness in life. Some one said show me what you do daily and I will show you what will happen to your future. How apt that statement is when we look back in hindsight.

It’s the little things that leads to success or failure in every undertaking; every time.

Many times when people see a successful operation or business, they have the impression that it happened overnight. It’s important to note that majority of people tend to see it like that. This is not wise because the bible has already given us pointers about these things in order for us to identify the root of success or failure for every thing on this earth. We have to pay attention to the little things we do because those seeming little effort when added together are the fulcrum on which the wheel of our future success in life will rotate to move forward spirit, soul and body.

We can’t afford to commit the sin of neglect.

The root of failure

Solomon went ahead in the book of proverbs when he said that

I went past the field of a sluggard,
    past the vineyard of someone who has no sense;
thorns had come up everywhere,
    the ground was covered with weeds,
    and the stone wall was in ruins.
I applied my heart to what I observed
    and learned a lesson from what I saw:
A little sleep, a little slumber,
    a little folding of the hands to rest—
and poverty will come on you like a thief
    and scarcity like an armed man. Proverbs 24:30-33

People want to explain the root of failure by focusing on various external factors but the bible has already told us that to be successful in life spirit, soul and body; we will have to pay attention to the little things.

Not doing so is the root of failure.

March 16, 2021 0 comment

Success

The Influencer in your life

by segunidowu March 16, 2021

written by segunidowu

Years ago I heard a story of a girl growing up in a bad neighbourhood and the sight that surrounds her points to failure for a girl like her in life. Girls like her don’t finish their secondary education not to talk of developing a vocation or a career, the future apparently looks bleak for her as she grows. However, she had a teacher who took her time to inspire her and teach her to look beyond her current environment and stand out. This teacher became a wonderful influence in the life of this girl that despite what appeared bleak about her future by reason of her environment and background, she went ahead to finish her education and became a teacher!

It’s shaping you more than you think

That’s right influence. What influences us shapes our lives more than most people realized, we expose ourselves to various things unknowingly sometimes without understanding that what we exposes ourselves to will influence our lives. Most people who are addicted to drugs says that if they know that what appears pleasurable initially will become an albatross on their necks, they would not have had the first taste!

The vast amount of information and things we are seeing daily has the tendency to shape the course of our lives, no wonder Jesus says The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. Matthew 6:22

More at your fingertips

Yes, we live in a very connected world today and the elemental means of communication has become so sophisticated yet simple and reaching that it’s easier to be exposed to many things through various media, more so the little phone we carry around. That information about various aspect of life is now at our fingerprints. You are being influenced by what you see and hear everyday without even knowing. But the scriptures predicted this information age hundreds of years ago.

But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. Daniel 12:4

The ‘internet’ says that an influencer is a person or thing that influences another, It is a good thing that in the midst of information overload, we have unprecedented advantage that no other generation has had. We have access to various ‘influencers’ than ever before.

Be influenced by scripture values

However, don’t let the huge availability of influencing factors throw you. When you allow the values of the scriptures direct your choices, you have the advantage. You have more avenues or media to be influenced by the word of God.

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Romans 12:2

Imagine when the above scriptures were written to the Romans Christians by the Holy Spirit through Paul.

One letter to the church. Yes, it can be painstakingly copied by hand but it will take a lot of time to have a fraction of what we are capable of today. Think about that.

You see, the scriptures has already outlined our values, not to be conformed to this world, not to allow the way of the world to influence our lives. We have to stand out. We have to make the word of God the influencer in our lives.

This is what we need to do every day of this life. This is what we need to do despite unprecedented information explosion in the world where the good, the bad and the ugly are now open for all to see. We are not limited by our environment, we can look at what the word of God says and let it begin to paint the picture of a good future, in fact we can unlike those of old have more avenues to create a bible perspective of the vision that God has given through the things we feed our eyes and hears on today.

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord 2 Corinthians 3:18

March 16, 2021 0 comment

Faith

Are you at rest or not?

by segunidowu March 16, 2021

written by segunidowu

To some extent, when people think of rest they imagine weekends, beach vacations, golf courses, retirement and in many cases sleep. However, the vocabulary for work for many apart from the ‘workaholics’ is limited to the modern industrialised nine-to-five paid labour. Hence, we might look at what the scriptures says about rest and miss the import of what the bible means because to many rest comes after work briefly and then work resumes. Rinse and repeat.

Even when you contrast rest with worry, you will observe that in many people’s lives, being at rest as we described above does not necessary means without worry. In fact you can wear out yourself lying down on the bed with worry. Worry, a story for another day.

A promise of entering God’s rest

But let’s look at what the bible says about rest: Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. Hebrews 4:1 So, there is a promise of entering into a rest of God and the bible informs us that it is important for us to have this promise and we should aware of what we will miss if we miss to have this important promise working in our lives!

For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said:
“So I swore in My wrath,
‘They shall not enter My rest,’ ”
although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. Hebrews 4:2-3. Looking at what God said above, it gives us an insight to what the bible called rest, It indicates that it is a position that we have to take by faith and that means that, when our stance is on the word of God, we are in His rest.

Bible faith and rest

You see, there is a relationship between bible faith and rest, that is why to enter into God’s rest, when we hear the word of God we have to believe it, we have to mix our faith with the word in order for the word to profit us. The word has been given to us by God to produce faith in us the bible says faith comes by hearing and hearing the word of God (Romans 10:17) but we will have to purposefully believe the word given to us to enter into the rest of God regarding what God has said.
God’s plan and process is for us to enter into a place of rest, which is a blissful acceptance of the truth of His word happening or coming to pass in our lives exactly as God has said it or as He has described it to us. For example the bible promise us that we were healed already by the stripes of Jesus (1 Peter 2:24.) We have to accept that as a truth that we were healed already irrespective of what we are feeling or the symptoms we are experiencing.
Now somebody said ”Pastor, I believed God’s word that I was healed but my head was telling me otherwise, the intensity of my symptoms was so great that I could not rest, I am finding it hard to believe”
I understand that. I believe God understand, but God does not accept that. And I have to go with God here. I do not accept that.

Labour to enter into God’s rest

Why? Because the word of God is true. Your experience has nothing to do with the truth of God’s word. What He said is true. Always. He is not going to change what He said.
That is why to enter into His rest we have to take the time to study and meditate on those great and precious promises given to us by The Lord in His word, on those things that The Lord has said until we know without an iota of doubt that it is ours and no one, no devil can convince us otherwise or take it from us. That is the work we have to do. When we enter into that rest, things begin to become exciting and interesting, we begin to see great things happening because we are at rest in God.

Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. Hebrews 4:11 KJV
That is the work we have been called to do in His word, labour in it, spend time in it, mediate on it till you enter into that arena of rest. It’s a place you enter and stay.

We have His promise that we can enter into His rest.

So there is a special rest still waiting for the people of God. For all who have entered into God’s rest have rested from their labours, just as God did after creating the world. So let us do our best to enter that rest. But if we disobey God, as the people of Israel did, we will fall. Hebrews 4:9-11 NLT

Did you see that. So spend your time to enter into the rest of God regarding His promises to you. You’ll be glad you did.
And, stay there.

March 16, 2021 0 comment

Spiritual Growth

A system that cannot be manipulated

by segunidowu March 16, 2021

written by segunidowu

There is a story about a King who had no children and needed to choose a successor to the throne, so he asked thousands of children to come into his palace so he can choose one of them.

From all corners of his kingdom, kids poured into the palace in their thousands. To each of them he gave a seed and told them to look after it for a year and then come back to the palace, when he would then choose his successor. The children took the seed and went home and they all returned after a year with magnificent plants in their pots except one boy who carried into the palace his empty pot with soil but no seeds growing in it. The King inspected all the pots with magnificent plants and then called out this boy with his lifeless pots to the front. He said ”when I gave you the seeds last year, they were boiled until they were no longer viable to grow but I see that everyone of you here would do anything including lying to be the King apart from this boy, hence he is my successor”

That boy’s integrity put him the palace. He was truthful unlike the rest regarding what was given to him. Much more our God has integrity regarding His word that He has given to us. Many people need miracles in many areas of their lives and they are desperately crying and pleading that God should move on their behalf, but like the King who gave those boys seeds, God has already moved, He has given us the seeds of His blessings, but unlike the King, our seeds has been primed to grow when planted. They are not boiled , they are viable.

That seed is His word.

Jesus brought this to the fore when He interpreted the parable of the sower to His disciples. And He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? Mark 4:13 Jesus said that if we can understand the meaning of this parable, then we can understand everything that pertain to the kingdom of God.

Isn’t that important to know that if we can understand this parable, then this parable will unlock the key to everything God had ever said or would say to us!

That is an important key given to us by Jesus isn’t it?

You probably know the parable in Mark chapter four, when Jesus said that a sower went out to sow seeds and the seeds fell on different grounds, some fell by the wayside, some fell among thorns, some fell on the rock and some fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced: some thirty fold, some sixty, and some a hundred.” Mark 4:8. Jesus said that the seed He was referring to in the parable is the word of God. The sower planted the seed and the seeds fell on these grounds. unlike the dead seeds given to the boys who wanted to succeed the King, these seeds are alive but the problems are the ground in which they fell.

Different grounds, same seed

Now someone might say ‘Pastor that shows us that there are different grounds, maybe my ground is made of thorns! maybe the word is choked in my life.

That is wrong thinking. To think like that is to think that God is partial. He is not. For there is no partiality with God. Romans 2:11

You see everyone of us will determine what kind of soil we are going to be every second, every minute of each day, that we are exposed to the seed of God’s word. The word of God is the seed of His blessings, That blessings you desire is at your reach, when you choose the word of God and choose to make yourself the good ground instead of others.

How do you do that someone asked?

You do that by choosing to be a receiver of the seed, you choose to open yourself to what the word of God is saying to you right now instead of what your tradition, experience, ego, pride, lust, stupidity, fear…. add to the list (lol) is saying to you. That is how we are supposed to do it, we make our ground a good ground for the seed of His blessings every day of this life.

Don’t change your ground

You see when Jesus compared the word of God and the process in which it becomes fruitful in and through us, His audience understood the implication, they knew he was comparing the sowing of the seed of His word to a law of nature that is unchangeable and cannot be manipulated. The law of seed time and harvest. Genesis 8:22

Man may manipulate many system set up by man, like the judicial system for example, but the process of the system involved in the sowing of the seed and the harvest is unchangeable and cannot be manipulated by anyone. Next time you are tempted to switch your ground to the wayside when you hear the word.

Don’t.

Get the soil of your heart to be the good ground and you will experience the harvest promised by God’s word.

March 16, 2021 0 comment

Personal Growth

What would it take you to expand

by segunidowu March 16, 2021

written by segunidowu

An interesting story is seen in the bible about the children of Israel when they were about to possess the promise land God gave to them, God had commanded Moses and the children of Israel to go and possess that Land. He require them to choose twelve men to go and spy the land. Numbers 13 tells us that these twelve men were leaders in the land. They were men of war who understood the reason why they were travelling to the place, But they could not possess the land along with the rest of the children apart from Caleb and Joshua who believed that they can do so.

Don’t consign it to dustbin

You see for many the idea that they can expand in life has been consigned into the dustbin due to various reasons especially if they have tried to do so in the past and failed.

The truth is for the believer, growth, increase, expansion spiritually, financially and materially is really not something that we have been commissioned to be and do. We cannot be indifferent to it because the command for fruitfulness is from God.

Enlarge the place of your tents, stretch your curtains wide, do not hold back, lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes, For you will spread out to the right and to the left; your descendants will dispossess nations and settle in their desolate places. Isaiah 54:2-3

Not an option not to

We are commanded to expand but you see we still treat it as if it is an option for us on this earth. Hear Jesus

And He said unto them, Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. Mark 16:15

Does that mean expansion? Yes it does

But somehow we still think it is an option for us to increase and expand, thinking we have another alternative.

Truth is we don’t if we are to follow God’s commandment.

But many do not want to entertain that idea and if they do they do not to pursue it because of the many obstacles along the way. Even some convinced themselves that they are not cut out for it. But that is not true, it’s part of your constitution as a believer, you are built to expand you are an expanding, increasing machine because of the new birth!

Pay the price

The question you should be asking yourself instead of thinking you can’t expand from where you are spiritually, financially or materially is what would it take for me to expand?

Find out what God says about it in His word and let His Spirit speak to your heart about the necessity for you to expand because, it’s not only about you, it’s about multitudes of people out there who need what He has put in you. and who need to be reached.

Determine to pay the price for it for there is a price!

See it as a lifetime marathon of great adventure and experience in God instead of a 100-metre’s dash which you can quit hen you feel like it.

March 16, 2021 0 comment

Newer Posts

Older Posts