Challenges Are Stepping Stones

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

The life of Joseph best illustrates the adage that challenges are stepping stones. Every obstacle and limitation became the very much needed stepping stones to his greatness. First, the jealousy displayed against him by his brothers did not deter him from dreaming more dreams, from obeying his father-Jacob when asked to take food to his brothers in the wilderness and working towards the actualization of his dreams.  Besides, the eventual sale of Joseph to the Midianite traders and eventually Potiphar did not stop Joseph from becoming who God purposed him to become. Not even prison in a foreign land stopped his global leadership goal. All of the obstacles led him closer to the goal in addition to giving him adequate preparation for global leadership.

For every challenge, God has a solution only if we remember to call on Him to solve the problem. This is because God usually has a prepared or should I say postpaid solutions. Take for instance the case of the four horns that had scattered Judah, Israel and Jerusalem unchallenged for a long time. I am quite sure that like you and I, the children of God wondered if God had any plans to deliver them from such evil powers with the evil intent of destruction. But God had His plan and timing to deliver His people from such affliction. Beloved, a scattered people cannot plant, harvest and gather or achieve any progress in life. Therefore their heads will always be bowed.  The devil or the enemy's intent was to prevent them from walking in the full plans and purposes of God for their lives so that they would not achieve anything. Unknown to the Israelites and the enemy, God was working out a great and total deliverance package. He had four carpenters prepared that would not only terrify the four horns but would also cast them out and end their evil reign and activities in the land of Israel, Judah and Jerusalem.

Water Your Seeds for Consistent Harvests

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him  Psalm 126 verses 5 to 6 NKJV

Consistent seed planting activates and ensures consistent harvests. However, every planted seed on good soils require watering irrespective of how great the soils are and the quality of the seeds are. Planting cannot stand alone. It must be watered. Besides, God expects you to be an active participant in His processes concerning you. Your active participation is the watering process.

To water is to nurture, care for, and protect to develop the seeds while they are growing. When you plant a seed, you do not sit down to wait for it to germinate and bear fruit without doing anything. You have to care for it – Luke Chapter 8 verse 15, Proverbs Chapter 24 verses 24 to 30, and Isaiah Chapter 5 verses 1 to 7.  Some of such watering programs include but are not limited to:

Prayer – accompany your planted seed with fervent prayers for the will of God to be done in your land – Zechariah Chapter 8 verse 12, Isaiah Chapter 30 verse 23. Consistent praying will dislodge every opposition to your harvests.

Understanding of the word of God – inadequate or complete lack of understanding of the word of God can impact your harvests negatively as you may be tempted to believe the lie of the enemy that God will not bless your seed to prosper and produce bumper harvests. However, opportunities increase as your understanding of the Word increases and this brings about productivity and fruitfulness, a function of your understanding of the word of God. Make a conscious effort to understand the word of God. You can ask the Holy Spirit to help you – Psalm 119 verse 144.

Initiate Abundant Harvests

Written by Uyoyou Charles-Iyoha

Every opportunity to plant seeds is an opportunity to be blessed and expanded by God. Everything you do in life such as utterances and actions are seeds and because every seed initiates a harvest, they will definitely produce harvests. You can therefore initiate abundant harvests by planting seeds at all times. Seeds vary from time, expertise, skills, money, love, care and concern to plant seeds that are planted for eating. Seed planting is not an easy task. It involves a lot of labor and pain, an investment of your time and other resources. Besides, you can be called upon at a time that is not convenient to plant your seed. Nevertheless, it is for your own benefit. By divine arrangement, Jesus chose Peter’s boat and Peter planted a seed by giving his means of livelihood for a preaching and teaching session by Jesus Christ. Thereafter, Jesus rewarded Peter for the kind gesture. Significantly, Peter’s reward was exponential.

Some seeds are not visible when they are being planted but when the harvests comes, they become visible.

As you plant the seeds of your time, your energy, and intellect to propagate the Word of God and expand the kingdom of God, you are actually working for God who rewards in multiples. God will direct you to plant generous seeds on the right soils so that several people will benefit from the abundant harvests that will accrue to you in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. The harvests are usually more than the seed. Begin to plant your seeds today for harvests because the harvest of today is the seed of yesterday and the harvest of tomorrow is today’s seed. All plants do not have the same gestation period. This therefore calls for patience when you anticipate harvests.

Enriched and Enlarged for Success 2

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Chares-Iyoha

The divine enrichment and enlargement for success comes through the planting of seeds - Psalm 126 verses 5 to 6. Seeds vary but irrespective of the diversity of seeds, they all have a common charateristic. They must be planted to produce harvests. While it is the responsibility of humans to plant seeds it is the responsibility of God to produce harvests through His myriad blessings upon seeds that are planted. That is why anyone expecting harvests should plant seeds. The Bible in Ecclesiastes Chapter 11 verses 4 to 6 admonishes believers on the need to plant seeds consistently, frequently, always, regularly. In point of fact, the planting of seeds should be a routine with an established pattern so that the seeds planted can produce the desired harvests. This is to say that giving in whatever form is not a one off activity. Significantly, God initiates and empowers us to do the giving – Ephesians Chapter 2 verse 10.

For instance, God expects your tithes to be consistent. You are to give as your inflow comes in. Your tithe obligations as well as other seeds must be consistent. Inconsistent giving is disobedience. Therefore create a personal pattern and routine or schedule for giving on the respective soils God assigned to you. Please see 1^st Corinthians Chapter 16 verses 1 to 2. When you plant consistently, your harvests are consistent but inconsistent planting births inconsistent harvests. Therefore, to receive consistent harvests, consistent inflow, your giving should be consistent. Tithing is a lifestyle of obedience that should be done consistently. Planting and reaping is a circle – Genesis Chapter 8 verse 22. It is a continuous activity. You can experience the power of routine and consistent giving. If you break it, you interrupt the flow of your harvests.