RECEIVE GRACE FOR SUSTAINABLE PROGRESS

By Rev. Michael Benson  Ajayi
 Mark 4:16, "And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;"
             Self-improvement  lacks substance until it is sustainable. Success is not determined by one's bank statement but the sustainability of a venture and it is built upon the availability of able, ready and well equipped successors.
     Prophet Abraham was chosen by God because he understood the relevance of successors, the scriptures say in Gen 18:19NLT “I have singled him out so that he will direct his sons and their families to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just. Then I will do for Abraham all that I have promised." God’s promises extends from generation to generation, He wants us to leave a legacy that will be enjoyed by future generations. They should not suffer the same frustrations we experienced in our lifetime ; Prov 13:22 says “Good people leave an inheritance to their grandchildren, but the sinner's wealth passes to the godly.”
          Our commitment to scriptures is critical in the building of great successors. Great families in politics and business are products of great grandparents who invested in the future. In Mark 4:13-20 the scriptures reveals the various degrees of commitment to God’s word and their corresponding outcomes.   
           Jesus describes the fellow who receives the Word, with great joy but soon fell apart under the pressures of life because he was not been deeply rooted in the word of God. Such persons easily fall prey to the enemy . A plant must develop a strong root system to sustain its growth; likewise we must become deeply rooted and grounded in the Word of God. Whenever visible growth is used as a yardstick for God’s blessings ,we become impatient and loose grounds on the truth of God’s Word and failure is inevitable. Those who judge spirituality and progress based on physical qualities such as money, properties, fame etc are easily unsettled and unproductive. A person may not manifest any of these and yet be making significant but latent progress. Great trees like the great Chinese bamboo tree spend over a year growing roots deep into the soil; that's why they are difficult to uproot .It took Abraham about 25 years of schooling before the manifestation of the promised Isaac from where the nation of Israel was born. The Israelis are unarguable one of the most advanced and formidable nations on earth. 
         Seeds planted in shallow soils tend to grow faster than those planted in deep soil. Great trees initially put all of their energy towards developing sustainable roots while weak trees put their effort into outward  growth; therefore, it is unwise to compare yourself with someone experiencing very rapid growth, hasty progress is usually unsustainable due to a weak foundation and lack of credible successors. It is unwise to get offended over slow but steady growth on account of some other person's hasty success story, the scriptures say in 2 Cor 10:12 NLT “Oh, don't worry; we wouldn't dare say that we are as wonderful as these other men who tell you how important they are! But they are only comparing themselves with each other, using themselves as the standard of measurement. How ignorant!” 
          Do not allow yourself get distracted by those who misunderstand God’s process of development. Slow steady growth isn’t a curse. Time will tell eventually. Deep roots for a healthy growth is developed during meditation (Joshua 1:8) and thanksgiving in anticipation of an assured glorious future . 2 Cor 4:16-18 says “That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!  So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.” You have a great future.
Prayer : Heavenly Father forgive me of my sins against you I believe Jesus Christ died and was raised again for my salvation I receive him as lord and saviour and receive grace for stability and sustainable progress in Jesus name
prayer/counseling:(call,text)+234 809 853 6911,   +234 803 5536 911
Email. michaelbensonajayi@gmail.com
Pics credit: pixabay .com 

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