Category: 2023

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The Farmer, His seed and His good ground

“but other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭13‬:‭8‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The farmer went out to sow. He expected good results. He lost the yield on the seed that fell by the road side, the stony ground and the field of thorns.

Now of the ones that fell on the good soil, some of the seed yielded a 100 fold, some yielded 60 and some others 30 fold returns.

What happened to the ones with 60 and 30 fold? Remember they all fell on the good soil, so the differental is not about the soil now.

We have to also ask the seed about its journey from landing on the soil to harvest time. There are stages of development to go through, there are things going on underneath the ground unseen to the naked eyes looking above the ground. The crops faces its own battles against natural elements and external opposition.

We must remain trusting God throughout all the phases. We must trust God with the processes that we have no control over.

The enemy that snatched the seed from the wayside and brought the obstacles against seed on stony ground as well as the thorns to choke the plant is still around to fight the yield on the good soil.

Those who have gardens know that the winds of life blow against the crops even after they have sprouted and borne fruits. Between the time the fruits show up and they get to ripening, a lot of things still happen that limits the eventual outcome.

Notice there was no record of the sower ever once blaming the good soil for the different levels of results.

Same seed on the same good soil but not all of them produced equal results.

The farmer did not blame the soil in this outcome. He understands that life happens. Winds blow, the sway of life happens, animals pluck out of the budding fruits, birds pick at some of them and the yield on some crops ends up not being 100 percent.

I had a dream where I had the task of carrying eggs across a difficult terrain, a difficult course. Some dogs were chasing at some point and I had to climb over obstacles. The path was difficult. At the end of the journey some of the eggs had fallen off and got broken. I felt bad I lost some eggs along the way, but the person I saw at the end of race did not complain about the broken eggs, he only showed me other tasks and how we can even make more yield in other ways for the farm.

I believe God understands the why of the different yields, he wants us to continue working. I think we should be a little easy on ourselves when some of our endeavours don’t go exactly as expected. Let’s be grateful we had a yield. As long as the soil is still his, the farmer knows to come back again next year to plant some more.

As long as you remain the good soil, keep receiving the seed, the farmer will keep coming back every season. I am learning to expect some difficulties along the way. Nothing ever goes exactly as envisaged or planned. In all cases I trust God to fulfill His purpose in spite of the adverse situations.

Shalom

Olaolu Oyeyemi

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The cost of bitterness, unforgiveness and broken relationships.

There comes a point in your life when you realize that the cost of having a broken/hurting relationship in your life is so great that you will be doing yourself a disservice not mending them.

You will be hurting yourself holding on to a grudge, bitterness or hurt. It costs too much to hold on to a fight, rift or anything that might bring a wedge between you and someone else – close or even distant.

What cause fights? Someone hurt your feeling, say something terrible, disrespect or disregard you? I know the pain such actions brings, we’ve all been there. However I have come to realize these are all the tactics of the enemy to weaken you. The enemy could use anyone. I mean anyone, far or near. The enemy is trying to use you to hurt yourself.

What is at stake in your destiny is too big to allow the enemy have his way in your life.

When you are fighting someone, not talking to them or relating with them like you need to, you are hurting yourself.

  1. Your relationship with God suffers. You can’t pray, you can’t worship, you can’t offer yourself to God when you have bitterness in your heart. Jesus instructed in Matthew 5:23-24 MSG “This is how I want you to conduct yourself in these matters. If you enter your place of worship and, about to make an offering, you suddenly remember a grudge a friend has against you, abandon your offering, leave immediately, go to this friend and make things right. Then and only then, come back and work things out with God.” So it is saying don’t even waste your time thinking you are praying or worshiping God or offering anything to Him, when you have unresolved conflicts. Once it comes to your mind, you have to resolve it first. Those are the words of Jesus – the one we all claim to love, worship and serve. He says if you love me, obey my commandments.
  2. You have no peace within yourself, you can’t even have a good night rest hanging on to bitterness. Especially when it is with your spouse – for those who are married. You have a wall between you until you resolve the matter. Why don’t you resolve the issues quickly. You have a lot to gain by resolving matters quickly and moving on, knowing it is ultimately about your relationship with God and your destiny. If remaining bitter with someone will hinder my prayers then it is in my best interest to resolve the matter quickly. “Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.” 1 Peter‬ ‭3‬:‭7‬ ‭NIV‬‬ “Guard your heart with all diligence. Out of it flows everything”.
  3. You cannot fulfill your responsibilities towards people you are bitter against: loving them as you are called to do. There is wall or obstruction in your spirit relating with them.

Why did Paul advise that As much it lies in your strength – live peaceably with all men? Because it is in your best interest to do so. It costs too much for hold on to such grudges. You lose too much personally not to let things go in your heart. It is not easy and it is a mark of maturity in the Lord to let things slide. We have to learn to let things go and the quicker we can do that, the more mature we are. When we do our own bit and the other party is still bitter, God sees that and He knows how to judge and intervene to help the relationship. You be the spiritually matured person and seek to end all rifts as quickly as possible. Life is too short to lose any part of it to prolonged fights and discord. You don’t want your relationship with God to suffer.

Nothing or nobody is worth losing my peace and bond with God for. I will rather forgive, apologize, mend broken walls and move on to protect my heart, my peace and my relationship with my father.

Ephesians 4:31-32 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

Shalom

Olaolu Oyeyemi

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Recognizing Rebellion

Luke 15:11-32

The sheer willingness to rebel.

The sheer temptation to fall out of line.

The mischievous thought of taking control or the beclouded judgement that we cannot gain access until the father is no more.

Like the entitled elder brother, You may publicly have never wandered away from home in rebellion like the younger brother, but somewhere inside you, you know you have also departed from the Father one way or the other.

You may be in the house physically, but your heart have departed wandering and wondering if there is something shinny waiting for you out there as well.

Look inward, in what area of your life have you departed from the Father’s original intention? You need to retrace your steps and get back home.

What areas of your life are you desperately trying to hide away from the father?

What areas of your life would you rather not have the Father be in control?

Which part of you is inpatient and wants to get everything that belongs to you now and immediately rather than wait for the set time by the Father? Identify that lurking prodigal and submit it to the Father’s will.

Take a look inside and ask yourself: what happened to you? Where are you? What are you doing here? How did you get here? It is time to retrace our steps back to the Father’s original intentions.

We see the prodigal and rebellious tendencies find their way to the surface in the attitude displayed when the Junior one came back home. The father was jubilant and asked for a feast and when the senior brother heard about it, he was offended and rebelled. Against the Father’s will he stayed outside while others were inside. He protested against what the father was doing. He also displayed his entitlement. He could also disagree with the Father’s will. Why was he offended? Is it possible he had also imagined himself going out and enjoying all the allures and pleasures of life like his brother but was never able to carry it out? Maybe he was also tempted to do the same. Maybe he pacified himself with the thought of waiting it out in the house till the father died, after all everything the father owns will eventually become his. He is not willing to share his waiting inheritance with anyone else. When the brother showed up, he was annoyed because he perceived him as a threat – a loss instead of a gain like his father saw it.

He was waiting for the father to die before he could lay claim on everything. Meanwhile everything was already his for the asking, even without leaving the house.

There you go! That is it. The two sons made the same mistake. Rather than asking for your inheritance and traveling away from the father to spend it recklessly or staying inside the house but never asking for what belongs to you, the father would rather have them both stay at home and also lay claim on what belongs to them in the house, knowing that everything He had belonged to them in the now. The father is not going anywhere and His resources are limitless. He can never run out.

The younger son thought: I can never enjoy my blessings in the father’s presence and under the father’s influence.

The first son thought: I do not have access, this father will not give me what I want. I’ll just have to wait till he dies or I figure something out.

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There’s nothing out there for you in the world.

Everything the prodigal son spent and enjoyed all through his life including while in rebellion outside there, he got from the father. Everything!

For the true son, The Father is the source of everything.

Notice that after spending all he got from the father, nobody was willing to give him anything. He became poor because he was far away from his source. In fact he had cut himself off from his source.

Your provision in life as a son is in your relationship with the Father. Never forget that. You will not thrive running away from the father’s will, you will not thrive running away from the father’s presence.

God is your true source of livelihood. Stay joined with Him.

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All things are yours, even now (1 Corinthians 3:21-23). Ask and it shall be given to you. That was what the Senior son missed. May we understand and realise the full benefits of sonship in Christ today and everyday. May we not wander away from our only true source, our heavenly Father.

Shalom.

Olaolu Oyeyemi.