The Good Farmer

The Good Farmer
Life is all about seed, time and harvest. A good understanding of farming and consequent fruitful harvest will give a clear understanding of God, God’s workings and His expectations from mankind.

“While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.” Gen 8:22 (KJV)

Everything about life responds to seed, time and harvest. Any man in need of a child must plant the seed in a woman. Anyone in need of money should put in labour or concerted effort and wait for due time. Any student that would pass an examination must study. Any church that would grow must put in effective service. Anyone who is sick should allow proper treatment and give it room to take effect. Anyone whose life is messed up, should allow the right influence and time to make the messed up life right again.

JET AGE FARMLESSNESS

We are in a so called jet age, an age of instant gratifications. The old adage of “the hand of the diligent makes rich” is fading out. Young ones wake up to play and expect to eat. People lazy about and wait for abundance to fall from the skies. We are in times when spiritual leaders promise congregants what God has not asked them. They validate a secular saying “religion is the opium of the people” and thereby take advantage of the masses for self interests. Religious people also do nothing while waiting for the leaders’ declaration to come to pass “anyway, anyhow” and by “hook or crook”!

Meanwhile, God instituted the principle of good farming, so that life can be pleasant, enjoyable and progressive.

“Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow: 4 And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up. 5 And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth: 6 But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. 7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. 8 And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred. 9 And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” Mark 4:3-9 (KJV)

The above is a story of a sower (farmer) who went out. He did not only go out, he ensured that when he got to the farm, the seeds were put in the ground, with expectation that after some time, harvest will come. The good virtue of sowing and patiently waiting for harvest is fast disappearing today. There was a time span when sowing lasted. Within the time span, adequate efforts were made. After seeds were sown, we observe that the first seeding effort was devoured by fowls of the air, second effort hit stony ground without depth of needed earth while the third effort fell among wrong company of choking thorns causing fruitlessness, (this fruitlessness is not because the seed was impotent but because a virile seed in the wrong environment and companions is as good as a barren seed, scriptures says the companion of fools shall be destroyed). The fourth effort was in the right place and good ground. Even that, had different yields, thirty, sixty and hundred times. As the story requested, people with ears need to hear well! No scripture explains life & fruitfulness better than the story above. Only one of four approaches and effort yielded beneficial results. Many of us tend to faint after one or two attempts at fruitfulness. We then resolve to do nothing and wait for manna to drop from heaven.

“And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?” Mark 4:13 (KJV)

A QUALITATIVE FARMER

A good farmer seeks to farm by “sowing”, daily, the seed God has given him as his name (farmer) requires. Our seeds are our talents, gifting, trainings, endowments, skills and abilities. The good farmer seeks the proper field to sow seeds in and goes to the field to actually sow. He or she sows in the right field & then watch over seeds sown to ensure required harvest. Harvest is all things that keep us in prosperity, good health and spiritual well-being.

The true farmer always ventures out towards goals of sowing. He or she engages definite scheduled motions in direction of his or her field. The farmer endures discomforts during the out-of-home fruit-seeking activities. He embraces certain pains of contrary weather, sacrifices certain food as seed for future harvest, and undertakes the fruit-seeking assignments with trust in God to “rain” on his efforts. The good farmer recognises that his future is hidden in the seeds kept in his house. And, that, his seeds will not yield increase within the comforts of his home. He or she knows that the secret for tomorrow’s survival is in going out to sow in the fields.

The farmer being a physical being needs good food, good health and proper shelter, while waiting for harvest. As a soul being, the farmer needs social acceptance, recognition, sense of belonging and working emotional relationship(s). Also, as a spirit being the farmer needs divine intervention and special favours. But in spite of these tripartite needs, he or she engages self discipline concerning the quests, curtails wrong actions while combating evident lacks, and patiently waits for harvests after which he or she expects the tripartite needs to be met. The good farmer often maintains integrity and keeps head above board without compromising valid values, human dignity and self respect.

MISERABLE NON-FARMER

A lot of people are frustrated and feeling miserable today because they have placed themselves under undue pressures to impress others. They refuse to be good farmers who wait for their own harvests before impressing anyone. They are intimidated by the produce of others, who either laboured hard to get there or stole what they are showing off.

The more materialistic world today is producing less real products. More of the younger generation are only keen on rendering mental services and would not want to spend time to “soil” their hands in the real sector. But if nobody goes to the farm to produce real food like yam, tomato, mango and carrots, then we will be in for computer generated chemical food in a little time to come.

To be a good farmer, you need God. You need God-given seeds. You need God to help you locate the right field to sow in. You need God’s strength to weed and watch over your sown seeds till harvest. Above all you need God’s divine intervention for rain to water your seeds sown. With God on your side and you on God’s side, you will experience the pleasantness of a good farmer. In today’s world, you will get God on your side fully only if you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord, Master and Saviour.

Each of our lives is a seed in God’s hands. If you are yielded to him through Christ Jesus, you will become a wonderful harvest. Your life will be so pleasant for others to want to emulate.

Accept that Jesus died; he arose from the dead, and is alive today! Give your life to Him and be saved from the destruction to come.

PRAYERS

If you want to be saved, say the following prayers aloud: “Lord Jesus, I come to you, today, just as I am. I repent from my sinful ways. Please forgive me my sins. I accept you as my Lord, Master and Saviour. I ask that you help me destroy every evil power and covenants that had a hold on me till now. I believe that from now on, I am born again. Thank you Lord Jesus for saving me, from the powers of this world. I receive a fruitful life in Christ in Jesus name. Amen”

ENQUIRIES

For further enquiries, contact: The pastor, The House Of Leading Lights,

House 100, Ashi Junction, Bashorun, Ibadan. Oyo State, Nigeria, W/A.
Email: pastorola@yahoo.com

Phones: +2348056436020, +2348057321168, +2348023228315
Direct Phone to Pastor Ola Elujoba: +16146227081