Author: Pastor Rufus Ajiboye

As a base we will use a passage from Mark chapter 4, where Jesus Himself was speaking in parables.
In this chapter there are three parables, through which Jesus explains the power and the potential hidden in a small seed.
First I would like to simply recount these parables, but later we will look at each of them in more detail.
The first parable that Jesus talked about is the parable of the sower. This parable shows that there is a whole list of obstacles that make it difficult for seeds to grow and bear fruit. In this parable, Jesus went ahead to show us three types of obstacles which can impede the growth of the seeds that we sow. (Mark 4:3-20)

David talks about the obvious advantages that are available to a person after he has confessed his sins.

1. Supernatural freedom from guilt and condemnation.

« I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, „I will confess my transgression to the Lord,” and You forgave the iniquity of my sin» (Psalm 32:5).
Right after we confess our sins God takes away from us the burden of guilt. When our own hearts condemn us, when we experience the guilt caused by our sins, it is extremely hard to boldly go before Godi n prayer. Feelings of guilt destroy our confidence. So, in order for us to get rid of the guilt we need to repent of our sins.

We do not confess our sins to the Lord it affects our blessings. In the Scripture above it says that „for day and night Your hand was heavy upon me…” Heaviness of the Lord’s hand – it is not a sign of blessing; it is a sign of curse. An unrepentant life takes away an opportunity to move forward in any area of our lives. When we refuse to repent we lose vitality and power and drought comes instead. Vitality is a sign of a blessing, prosperity, but drought is a sign of curse. According to the Bible, in order for us to flourish and prosper and to gain riches we must have vitality or power (Deuteronomy, 8:18). The lack of repentance in a person’s life deprives him of this power.

«Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit!» (Psalms, 32:1-2)
David says that after repentance God’s forgiveness comes into person’s life, his transgressions are forgiven, his iniquities are not imputed to him and his sins are covered. David says this person to be blessed. One who does not hide an iniquity in his heart is open before God. But there is no forgiveness for the one who does not repent and does not confess his sins to God.

«For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil» (Ecclesiastes, 12:14).
Solomon said the same thing Jesus said: God will bring into judgment our every work and especially all the hidden works: sins, wrongdoings that we have tried to keep in secret. God will openly bring our every deed into the light of His judgment. It means that all our sins will follow us wherever we go. The only way we can avoid the consequences of our sins and wrongdoings – is to repent before God brings them into the judgment. Repentance opens to us the door of mercy and grace from the Lord. It brings into our life new opportunities from the Lord. For this reason the only right lifestyle and the only correct decision is to repent of our wrongdoings so that God won’t have to judge us.

«The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes» (Psalm 19:8-9).

This passage of Scriptures tells us that one of the sources of joy is God’s Word, meditation on the Word and the perception of the (our) world through the prism of the Word. That is why it is so important for us to realize that if we want to remain in joy and learn to draw joy, we must grow in love with God’s Word.

Dear friends, God once again delights to tell us to serve Him with gladness. Jesus once told His disciples: «Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven» (Luke, 10:20).

If your name has been written in the Book of Life, if you are a child of God, then you are also a co-heir of Christ. And it is more than enough reason to motivate any of us to rejoice and thank God for every day of our lives.

The Bible says that «God loves a cheerful giver» (2 Corinthians, 9:7). So it says that God not only loves givers, but He delights in cheerful giving. It is so essential for us no only to serve God, but also to do it with joy.

Today I would like to continue talking about the importance of God’s Word.

We saw what God spoke through Moses that God’s Word is our life. We also talked about the fact that our attitude towards the Word can either prolong our life or shorten it. We have already seen in the parables of Jesus that our attitude towards God’s Word determines the strength of our foundation, our life and all the things we are building. Yesterday we also talked about the fact that God’s Word is able to change our disappointments into joy, bankruptcy – into abundance. We saw all of it in the life of Peter. I would like for us to look at the verses that talk about Peter when he was utterly failing and ready to give up.

Today God wants to tell us the same thing. The Word of God is life to us. When God sends us His Word, He offers us life. Rejecting the Word of God we reject life itself. Moses says about God’s Word: «For it is not a futile thing for you, because it is your life…»

It is extremely important for us to appreciate the Word of God and not to treat it as something futile, – it is not like a song that we have listened to and then gone to do our own will. It should be to us like the greatest treasure. We have to value God’s Word, to hide it in our hearts, to appreciate it because it is life to us. God says that through the Word and through our right attitude towards it we can extend or prolong our days. Our attitude toward the Word determines whether we will extend our life or shorten it.