​When you are faced with a decision to make, what criteria do you  base your choices on?

Many of us have heard about the young ruler in scripture, let’s have a closer look:

Matthew 19: 16 – 23
16 And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?
17 And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
18 He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,

​If you were told that something needed strengthening, it could mean any of the following:

• It’s getting weak and needs to be strengthened
• It needs to be made stronger
• It currently risks becoming ineffective if not strengthened.
• It needs to become more effective

Either way some sort of action is required.

The word “contentment” means satisfaction. 
​
​I am not saying that we have to be content with bad circumstances, or circumstances that do not line up with the truth of God’s word, however the bible does speak about contentment.

​Proverbs 4: 26 reads “Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established”.
Why do we have to think “ponder” the way of our feet? It’s because feet take us into a direction. In other words, we need to know where we are going.

If the Lord physically gave you a rod what you do think the capabilities of it would be?

Let’s look at the book of Exodus.

Exodus 3: 1
Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb.

We all know that shepherds use rods when keeping flock. This is one reason David used the analogy of a rod and staff in Psalm 23: 4b “thy rod and thy staff they comfort me”.

​I recently logged into our energy account to summit readings for electricity and gas. For some reason, the site was very slow in loading. The screen displayed “loading”, for a while, much longer than usual.

Have you ever heard ‘ give and you will get a hundredfold return?   Well  if you study scripture very carefully, this is not what the bible is saying about the hundredfold return.

  So what does scripture say?

  Mark 10: 17 – 30

  17And when he was gone forth into the  way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master,
what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?
  18And Jesus said unto him, Why callest  thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.
  19Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness,  Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.
  20And he answered and said unto him,  Master, all these have I observed from my youth.
  21Then Jesus beholding him  loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell  whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.
  22And he was sad at that saying, and  went away grieved: for he had great possessions.
  23And Jesus looked round about, and  saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!
  24And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is  it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!
  25It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
  26And they were astonished out of  measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved?
  27And Jesus looking upon them saith,  With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.
  28Then Peter began to say unto  him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee. 
  29And Jesus answered and said,  Verily I say unto you, There is no man  that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or  wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s, 
  30But  he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.


Here is the evidence of the hundredfold return. The young man in verse 17 was invited to be a partaker of great treasure by leaving all.

 Peter responded in verse 28 by saying: ‘ we have left all and have followed  you’. 

Jesus then responded directly to Peters comment ‘ in verse 28 which is the  condition of the hundredfold return.   

Cleary stated:   Leaving houses, or brethren, or  sister, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands for HIS SAKE AND THE GOSPELS.

  In summary it is the place of sacrifice for the Lord and for the sake of the gospel  i.e laying it all down to follow and serve Him.

  But l heard someone quote  Genesis 26:  12 – 13

 12Then Isaac sowed  in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the LORD blessed
him.   13And the man waxed great, and  went forward, and grew until he became very great: 

This scripture is not a promise. It is just stating how the Lord blessed  Isaac when he sowed in the land.  It’s the book of Mark that is a promise  to ‘any man’ that meets the condition.


Apart from this, we do not know what Isaac sowed in the land, as the bible has not stated it.

  Yes when we give, the Lord does bless us and gives to us. The measure we get back is not specified, but obviously it is a good
measure, pressed down and shaked together according to scripture: 


Luke 6: 38  Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure,  pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your  bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.   


  The hundredfold return is the place of sacrifice where we leave all ,take up our cross for His sake and for the gospels sake.


If we want to experience the Lords abundance we  must make His  priorities ours and follow Him with all our heart.


Bisi Oladipupo

Have you ever been offered a position or something that you knew was not the Lords will for your life? Very tempting, however you knew that it was a distraction from His purpose for you. What did you do?
 
Many times men see potential and skill in us and  try to channel it in the way they think is best. But what is the Lord saying?

 
Lets have a look at this scripture:


  John 6: 14 -  15

 14 Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that  Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the
world.

 15 When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a  mountain himself alone.


The world tried this with Jesus. What did Jesus do? The Lord did not wait for them to come, He took Himself out of the situation
before He was even approached. 
 
How many people have aborted destinies for titles and temporary positions? How many people have detoured from the path of life to that which seems to be good? Very dangerous and not worth it.

 
The wise resist any form of detour from the Lords  plan for their lives. Not worth it, for temporary pleasure which can end up being very costly. What matters most is 'well done good and  faithful servant'. Are you faithful and committed to what you know you need to  do?


  The Lord is counting on you. Refuse and resist  all the distractions. Stay on the path you know is right, The path to destiny and purpose.


  Bisi  Oladipupo