RECEIVE GRACE FOR SUSTAINED PROGRESS AGAINST ALL ODDS
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 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.As you receive Jesus Christ as lord and saviour and read this now,receive grace for stability in Jesus name
prayer/counseling:(call,text)+234 809 853 6911, +234 803 5536 911
Email. michaelbensonajayi@gmail.com
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