SEED…FRUIT…JUICE

Have you ever planted a seed that is supposed to grow and bear fruits?  

No, I didn’t ask that in the right way. The proper question should be, “Have you, recently, planted a seed that is supposed to grow and bear fruits?

I had to insert “recently”, because I’ve come to discover that so many adults don’t really care so much about planting seeds anymore. Well, what should we plant? Where can we plant it? And who really has time to watch and tend a plant anyway? Life is quite busy…right?     

Well, well, well… I believe whatever captures our hearts will always find expression, almost easily. Once it’s in your heart to do, you’ll see and create possibilities, even when everyone else can’t see and create any possibility. The problem isn’t really about the “what” “where” and “how”…the problem is in the heart…our hearts. So, let me write to our hearts:

Dear hearts,

You have to find a place in you to accommodate all these planting and growing stuffs, because it is good to plant and grow. Why is it good to plant and grow? Let me give just two reasonable reasons: First, our earth needs it greatly. Second, planting and tending a plant teaches us a whole lot about life.

It might not really sound like so great an idea now, but can you just promise to think about it…for just a little while. Maybe, just maybe, you might find it somewhere a bit above unreasonable and then see…how possible it can be.

Thank you.

Signed,

A concerned heart.

Now, having read my letter, your heart might not have an issue with the part that says “our earth needs it, greatly” but it might have an issue with the part that says, “… teaches us a whole lot about life.” What can planting and growing really has to teach us about life? Well, I already said…A WHOLE LOT, but we are just going to look at an aspect of the WHOLE LOT.  

What you plant in a good and suitable soil…will grow

Now your heart is saying, “Of course, everybody knows that”… yes, I agree. But, I don’t want to talk about the physical seeds and soil. I want to, again, address your heart…and your mind. So, let me rephrase that to “what you plant in your heart and mind…will grow.” Your heart and mind are fertile soils for anything you plant and tend in it, whether it be good or bad, better or worse, the best or the worst…if you plant it, if you tend it…it will grow, and grow really fine. It will grow, bear fruits and the content of the fruits will be what will juice out from your inside, to your world…and, eventually, to the world.

What are you planting in your heart and mind?

What is already growing in them?

What is already bearing fruits?

What kind of juice is coming out from your inside?

Your words and actions are a result of what you planted on your inside    

Now, I want to say something that might sound a bit offensive to some persons, but don’t be in a rush to just get angry…just stay with me and hear what I have to say, OK?

People don’t really make us do anything. Our environments don’t really make us do anything. It is what is on the inside of us that make us act the way will do. Just think about it for a minute…everyone on earth can’t act the way you do when they are faced with all you’re faced with. We all address our life issues based on our ideologies, values and beliefs. And, our ideologies, values and beliefs are as a result of what we saw and heard. We take the information we get, we ponder over it in our hearts and minds, and then we get convinced that they really do make sense, so we decide to keep them…and they begin to decide our words and actions.

You know what’s sad about all of these? Most times, when we see and hear things, we, unknowingly, keep it in us. We let it take roots and let it grow…and then bear fruits…and then the fruits will juice out its content that, eventually, flows in our words and actions. So our words and actions become as healthy, as sweet, as pleasant as desiring…as the fruit that is producing its juice.  Well, Proverbs 23:7 already tells us, “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.”

It doesn’t matter what we use to bring out the juice from an Orange…it doesn’t matter how we bring out the juice from an Orange…an Orange will always, always produce Orange juice  

When we cut and gently squeeze an Orange, it will produce its orange juice; if we use a caterpillar to run over an orange…guess what will spill out from the orange? Its Orange juice…not blood. If you crush an Orange and you see blood instead of an orange juice…you have to do yourself a favour…flee the scene…because that’s a perfect example of what my forefathers call…abomination. And it is the same with any other fruit. Fruits will always produce their juice, no matter how gently or rough you try to get the juice out from them. So, you see, it is not the pressure or anything else that is making you act the way you do…you’re just releasing what is already on the inside of you.

Let’s do a quick example with some Bible characters. Let’s start with the Author and Finisher of our Faith—Jesus.  Jesus was tempted like we are been tempted but He never sinned (SEE Hebrews 4:15), even during his passion. He was mocked, insulted, spat on, beaten and of course…crucified, but He didn’t release anything else other than what He has been releasing when He started His ministry. He could have called thousands of angels to show His accusers that He was indeed the son of God, but He didn’t. As a matter of fact, one of the things He said before His death on the cross was, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Luke 23: 34 (AMPC). You should also read 1Peter 2:20-23           

I kind of feel that someone’s heart and mind will be having a conversation right now, and the content of this conversation is something like, “well, that’s Jesus. He didn’t have an ALL earthly DNA like we do.” And to this heart and mind I want to say:

The Bible, actually, admonishes us to look up to Jesus because He is our standard (SEE Hebrews 12:2). Also, everything He did, we have the ability to do much more (SEE John 14:12)…then…

How about Stephen? He was a man like us. He had an ALL earthly DNA like us… and His experience was similar to that of Jesus. Like Jesus, he was accused. Like Jesus, he was brought before the council to defend himself. Like Jesus, he was, brutally, murdered. Like Jesus, he said, “Lord, fix not this sin upon them—lay it not to their charge…” Acts 7:60 (AMPC)

What about Joseph? This lad suffered a whole lot. Sold by blood brothers, accused by boss’ wife, was imprisoned, forgotten by a “supposed” friend…Joseph went through hell, but like Jesus he kept his cool…through it all.

The negative anger, the uncontrollable shouting, the hatred, the envy, the gossip, the dishonesty, the “everything” wrong that is coming out from you isn’t because of what people said and did…or what they didn’t say and didn’t do. It is the seed that you planted, knowingly or unknowingly on your inside. The seeds took roots, grew strong and bore fruits, and your world is just getting the juice that is flowing from the fruits. That explains why the Bible says to, “Keep your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flows the springs of life.” Proverbs 4:32 (AMPC)

The Bible also says, “You will fully recognize them by their fruits. Do people pick grapes from thrones, or figs from thistles? Even so every healthy (sound) tree bears good fruits—worthy of admiration; but the sickly (decaying, worthless) tree bears bad and worthless fruit.” Matthew 7:16-17 (AMPC) And when the fruit is bad…the juice that flows out of it will be bad also.

And here is something important…very important. You need to know that…

God trusted you with life and it is your responsibility to make your life work. And dear one, God can’t give us so much a responsibility of making our lives work…without giving us all we need to make it work. You need to know and understand that God has given you ALL you need to make your life work.

Ok, let’s put it the way the Bible says it, “For His divine power has bestowed upon us all things that [are requisite and suited to life and goodliness, through the (full, personal) knowledge of Him Who called us by and to His own glory and excellence (virtue).” 2 Peter 1:3 (AMPC).

So, we already have all we need, but God knows we still can’t figure it out on our own, so…He made it in a way that we can’t get Jesus out of the picture. It is through a personal knowledge of Jesus that we get to make life work. Jesus says, “Dwell in Me and I will dwell in you—Live in Me and I will live in you. Just as no branch can bear fruit of itself without abiding in (vitally united to) the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you abide in Me.” John 15:4 (AMPC)

To this end, we can never downplay the part where we get to study the Bible, because that’s where Jesus is revealed to us…and also, spend time in prayer. The act of reading the Bible and praying also helps us to renew our minds…uproot the wrong trees that are bearing the wrong fruits, and then sow the right seeds that will produce the Fruit of the Holy Spirit (SEE Galatians 5:22-23). THIS PROCESS DOESN’T HAPPEN BY CHANCE; IT HAPPENS BY BEING DELIBERATE…VERY DELIBERATE. Excuses are ruled out completely. One day, we’re all going to stand before God and to give account of our lives. This should mean a lot to you.

Now, here are a few things that I believe will really help to…uproot the wrong…and plant the right:          

No matter how in a hurry you are in the morning, take out time to direct the course of your day with prayer. If you can’t be so much in a hurry that you’ll leave out the aspect of wearing your clothes, then you can’t be so much in a hurry that you wouldn’t have time to pray. Personally, I believe we should even treat prayer as more important than the wearing of clothes. Sounds a bit funny, but we’re talking about guarding our hearts and minds, and protecting them is…EVERYTHING. Speak God’s Words over your life. Declare what you want your day to be like; with an understanding that God’s Word has the power to turn dead dried bones into a living mighty host.

If you have total control of your space (at home or at work), spread items that creates an ambience of Godliness. It can be quotes from the Bible, beautiful pictures of nature…just any and everything that creates a Godly ambience.

Watch out for the negatives. When you see and hear them…when they creep in all of a sudden…reject them in the name of Jesus. Don’t try to consider them. Don’t try to analyze them. Just reject them in the name of Jesus. Tell them, “I know you’re from the devil, so you don’t have a place in me in Jesus’ name.” I’m telling y’all…we have to be super serious with this. No time to joke with the devil. No space to play fair with that father of lies.

Stay away from people, places, songs, movies, television shows, books etc., which are sowing the wrong seeds in you. How can I identify the wrong ones? Good question…first, you can always ask the Holy Spirit to help you figure it out. Second, any one that promotes values and beliefs that contradicts the Bible isn’t for you. Then there are others that might be OK for other Christians, but aren’t OK for you. A quick example: there are Romcoms that are safe and teaches unconditional love. Now this is safe for Christians, but if you’re dealing with “desperation” when it comes to being in a relationship, then you need to stay faaaaarrrrrrrrrrrr away from ALL Romcoms, until you allow the Holy Spirit help you deal with your desperation.

In all of these…the absolute TRUTH is…

Your true identity is good. Everything about you is good…absolutely GOOD…God made sure of it, before bringing you into this world. The devil just likes messing us up, by making us welcome and embrace who we aren’t. Do let him no more. Refuse to give in to guilt when you do it wrong. Just ask God for Grace…for wisdom to fix what needs fixing and…just keep pushing forward.

My prayer for you:

In Jesus’ name, I pray you see that you can become better. I pray you see and understand that you can be ALL God wants you to be and do ALL God wants you to do. I pray you see the seeds that have to go, and may you have the courage and discipline to throw them out. Dear one, may you find Grace to plant the right seeds in your hearts and mind.

Amen.

OK, Get in the gym, and do

Stay Spiritually Fit.