You Can Only Get What You Plant

Reaping what you sow is one of the laws of nature. You can NEVER harvest one thing when you have planted something else. You don't get lettuce by planting spinach. The seed you plant basically determines the fruit you get.

Marriage is a lot like that- we never get out of marriage what we do not put into it.

I read from Dennis Rainey: One man confessed, "At work I concentrate on winning, and as a result, I am a winner. At home, however, I concentrate on just getting by."

It's no wonder he is losing. The seed he planted, neglected, grows of its own accord. It grows wild. Untamed. Far from being a safe haven.

Many people loose at home because they do not invest in their marriages. They spend majority of their time at work and when they leave work, they are still working. Their focus is on their work. They plan for the office but they don't plan to have successful marriages. They don't value their marriages. They have misplaced priorities. They refuse to take care of the garden God has placed them in- their homes.

Leviticus 25:5 says, "Don't reap what grows of itself; don't harvest the grapes of your untended vines." You shouldn't expect to reap goodness from a plant you have not given goodness.

Care or lack of care of the plant will affect the quality of your fruit. For instance, if you refuse to wet your vegetables, expect shriveled leaves for harvest. That, though, would not change the name of what you harvest still. So, it's still about the seed.

If a business goes bankrupt, the president or chairman of the board is held responsible. Similarly, if our homes fail, you and I are responsible for the damage in one way or another.

 We must master the ageless art of leadership and apply it to our families. If we hope to win at home, then we must consider what kind of harvest we want in the end. If we plant seeds of commitment to Christ and to one another, along with seeds of forgiveness and respect, we might well expect that God will grant us a great harvest.

Give quality time to your marriage. You want beautiful flowers? Take time to prune your plant. Plant quality seeds. Weed your farmland. Tend your garden of love!

May God grant grace that we may yield to His admonition for us today in Jesus' name!

~OMOSEBI Mary Omolola
2015

It's A Girl? So?

I don't just get it. I thought the fact that more people are getting formal education was going to change things a bit. I still hear so many men talk as if they have never visited a school.  I guess we need to send these men compulsorily to Biology classes all over again. Once the wife is pregnant, the next thing they are after is if it's going to be a girl or a boy. Some are so terribly barbaric that once they find out they are expecting a girl, they won't take extra care of their wives even while pregnant. Then I wonder, Is it not a woman that gave birth to him?

And the saddest part is when mothers-in-law and sisters-in-law start WWIII with the daughter-in-law/sister-in-law. I then ask myself, "Are they not women themselves?" And they have the audacity to say that female children are worthless.

As if a woman is not a human being. I am not a feminist or what's it called.  I just imagine if there was no woman, how men would have given birth (I can't even begin to imagine). I am a woman and I can categorically say to the glory of God that I am not worthless. I don't regret being a woman for any reason. Or, can someone say I am not a blessed child? Even if anyone says that, God hasn't said that. I know who I am in Him.

These people make the women feel like they are responsible for determining the sex of their child. They tell them, "Is it only girls you will be giving birth to?" Some men even threaten to get another lady pregnant. Then I ask myself and answer the question at the same time: Is he God? No!!!!!! There is no certainty that the other woman will have a boy for him either. God decides what sex he gives. That makes me wonder when some women stress themselves out by trying all sorts of things that people have said can help you choose the sex of the baby you will have. Don't allow yourself to be manipulated into thinking that it's your fault you are having a baby girl. Love your baby. Take care of your baby. Above all, thank God for blessing you with a baby. Remember that some people would love to have what you do, but they don't just yet. Males and females are the same before God. Appreciate God for the privilege of motherhood.

The women too fall for the threats and continue to get pregnant over and over again. I have seen several cases where women who in the name of trying for a male child after several female children have had severe health challenges or even died. Some of these men even start having extra-marital affairs. They claim that their wives are no longer as attractive or agile as they were before. But what do they expect? After the woman has gone through the rigours of pregnancy and childbirth severally? This is sheer wickedness.

In case you don't know, the woman has only the X-chromosome to donate. It's the man that God has placed the 'joker' in. If he donates the X-chromosome, it's a girl. And if it's the Y-chromosome, it's going to be a boy.

If you are guilty of this gender-bias, you need to stop it. I beg you by the mercies of God to have a change of mind. Children are gifts from God irrespective of their gender. Parents must be grateful for these precious gifts.
#penningmythoughts #stillinshockatsomecases
#mayGodhavemercy

God created man in His image- Male and Female created He them!

~OMOSEBI Mary Omolola
2015

Disagree To Agree

For any relationship at all to thrive, the partners must learn the principle of disagreeing to agree. By the reason of our individual diversity and uniqueness, there will always be reasons to disagree with each other's opinions. It is just normal that people don't always have exactly the same opinions about every issue.

Paul encourages us to act like Jesus. We must work towards pleasing others rather than ourselves. Romans 15:3 tells us that even Jesus did not please Himself. He gave up His rights to save us. We are to imitate Christ.

We must love others as we love ourselves. We must know that we can not always win arguments. Love does not seek its own. Love looks out for the good and happiness of others. If love motivates us, we would easily let go of issues that cause disagreements between us and our brethren (or sisteren). We must be sensitive to those around us.

Having said that, we must decide to keep in perspective what we are disagreeing about. The issue is the problem not your spouse, sibling or friend.  Deal with the problem at hand and seek to come back together as a united force. A little compromise (definitely not a compromise that's sin) might be all you need. Focus on the issue being trashed out not on trashing that person.

I pray that God's love will fill our hearts. May God mend every precious relationship that has been broken because of inability to manage disagreements in Jesus' name!

~OMOSEBI Mary Omolola

2015

Watch Your Company

Do not be so deceived and misled! Evil companionships (communion, associations) corrupt and deprave good manners and morals and character (1 Corinthians 15:33 AMP).

You may say that you don't believe in what those friends of yours say or do. You may even swear that you can never do what they do but you remain close friends with them. It's true that you are not doing the things they do now but you are definitely setting yourself up for corruption. You go to every party with them; you visit peppersoup joints with them, they are your pals; they buy suya with the money they get from fornicating and you eat out of it, you spend some of their 'yahoo yahoo' proceeds, and you still say you are not part of them? I am so sorry, you are delving into what would most likely destroy you. Stop deceiving yourself.

Do you know what you're doing to yourself? You are allowing yourself to be injected with evil. It might be in small doses but you are still being injected anyway. The eyes and ears are gateways to the heart. What your eyes and ears are fed with get deposited gradually in the heart. Just like they say, "Little drops make a mighty ocean."

"Flee all appearances of evil" is the admonition The Bible gives us. It means don't even smell evil. Don't stay close to it else you fall for it and by it. In my culture, there is a saying that is interpreted as "Don'take close to your nose what you don't have the intention of eating." Do you get the message? Just as you are trying to perceive the odour/aroma/fragrance of that thing your so-called friends are dangling in front of you, you might mistakenly taste it, take a spoonful and then maybe eat the whole plate.

Sin creeps in while we are unaware. It takes us over gradually. The more reason we have to be very careful.

May God grant us the grace to resist the devil. May The Lord help us discern every trap the enemy has set for us. And may He grant us the power we need to pull away from every evil companionship in Jesus' name!

~ OMOSEBI Mary Omolola
2015

Isolation: A Killer Of Marriage

I have heard many couples say things like "We just grew apart". Especially when marriages of many years break. They then announce "We are splitting due to irreconcilable differences".  I have given this a lot of thought and I have come to realize that isolation is a gradual process. I believe it's because pending issues are not dealt with on time. The couple lives under the same roof for years. They even wear uniform clothes to occasions but still they are miles apart. Their hearts are nowhere from being one. Sadly, young couples too can have this problem called isolation.

Some of the root causes of isolation are
-Unforgiveness. Conflicts are normal. Resolving them though require maturity. If there has been build up of unattended hurts, unresolved issues, the couple is gradually being drawn apart from each other. Unforgiveness deposits layers of scales in the pipe your love and of course, the longer this continues, the thicker the scales. It clogs the pipe of love.

-Insincerity. By that I mean one or both parties live with their partner to make a show or just to keep the peace. They don't say things as they are. Such a relationship looks perfect on the surface but has no roots in love. They do what they do because they don't want a scandal not because they want a working relationship.

- Competition. One party wants to look better than the other. Team spirit is not at work in such a marriage. Everyone is fighting for himself/herself. The "We" idea is lost. The "Me" syndrome has eaten deep into such a home One person wants to take all the credit for any good that happens. Isolation from one another is the result of this attitude.

Have you grown apart? Do you feel isolated from your spouse? The choice is yours to mend the broken bridge between you or not. Our choices as married people either draw us closer to our spouses or away from them.

You must decide what you want. Once you decide that you want unity restored to your marriage, go to God in prayers. Ask Him to bring you and your partner close together. Next is to have a talk with your spouse. Then you must take practical steps to cease from shutting your partner out of your life. Share information. Share details. Be naked and not ashamed. Communicate without fear of being condemned and be ready to listen too, without condemning your spouse. Decide not to go to bed with unresolved conflicts. Let the change begin with you. These are things you need to make up your mind to do.

I pray this day for marriages dealing with isolation, Lord bring them back together. Everything that is trying to (or has) put them assunder be removed in Jesus' name. I ask that the Blood of Jesus will seal every crack in the walls of these marriages. Father, help them walk in unity. Help them touch each other deeply. May these marriages experience divine restoration in Jesus' name.

~OMOSEBI Mary Omolola
2015

No Condemnation

When God forgives us, we are truly forgiven. He forgets our transgressions at the point when we ask Him for forgiveness. He wipes our slate clean. The Blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin. And it does it perfectly. God makes us white as snow. He does not leave any trace of the old. He makes all things new for us. He gives a totally new beginning. O, how merciful He is!

But the devil always wants to mess with you. He wants you to remain stuck in the past. He keeps reminding you of the things God has forgotten about. He doesn't want you to walk in the freedom God has given you. So, what does he do? He does all he can to keep you under the heavy weight of guilt. It keeps you from receiving the free gift God has made available for you. It keeps you behind. You won't move forward. This guilt gives you a feeling of worthlessness.

God does not want that for you. You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free. Jesus is the truth. When Jesus sets you free, you are free indeed.

The next time the devil comes to you with that baggage of guilt, simply tell him:
"THEREFORE, [there is] now no condemnation (no adjudging guilty of wrong) for those who are in Christ Jesus, who live [and] walk not after the dictates of the flesh, but after the dictates of the Spirit. . .For the law of the Spirit of life [which is] in Christ Jesus [the law of our new being] has freed me from the law of sin and of death (Romans 8:1,2).

Your Reaction Towards A Jealous Spouse

Just like the adage says that "there is no smoke without a fire", many times, a spouse's jealousy might be attached to an iota of truth- if not a truck load. If your spouse is jealous, don't just discard the signs he/she is exhibiting. What to do? EXAMINE YOURSELF.

All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, But the Lord weighs the spirits (Proverbs 16:2).

It could be frustrating dealing with false accusations from your mate. However, don't be quick to try to exonerate yourself. You may have done nothing wrong to prompt your spouse's accusations, yet you may have contributed to the problem in ways you have not seen.  You might be guilty as charged. You just may have set yourself up. When cases of jealousy exhibition from your spouse comes up, do some self-evaluation, trusting The Holy Spirit to help you through the process. The heart is deceitful above all things, only God can do a through searching. He sees the crevices harbouring guilty actions which even you, the heart's owner may not see.

I am not in anyway suggesting that it is all your fault. As a matter of fact, it is possible that your spouse really needs help. It might be that your spouse has some issues with security stemming from the background or past relationships. I am however not here to talk about your spouse today.

This checklist by Doug Britton will be of help. Answer the following questions honestly:

___Do you do or say things to get a reaction?

___  Do you feel more desirable or attractive when your spouse is jealous?

___  Do you think it is cute when your mate is jealous?

___  Do you flirt with others?

___  Do you look at pornography?

___  Do you watch TV sitcoms or movies that highlight sexual innuendoes?

___  Do you stare at others?

___  Do you deny staring when your spouse confronts you—even though the accusation was true?

___  Do you make complimentary comments about others of the opposite sex?

___  Are you developing an emotional relationship with someone else?

___  Are you having an affair?

___  Do you emphasize physical attractiveness in your compliments?

Note: If you emphasize physical attractiveness in your compliments, your spouse may be insecure in your love, thinking you love him or her for physical reasons and not for his or her inner qualities. Your spouse may fear becoming less attractive and losing you.

If one or more of the above points applies to you, be honest with your spouse. Don't tell him or her, "You have a problem," or, "It's all in your head." Instead, tell the truth, ask for forgiveness, then go to work on making the changes you should make.

Sometimes, God allows our spouses to see in us things we are insensitive to. He wants to save us from falling. That's why the Bible tells us that "two are better than one". Your spouse is your help. Your spouse might be seeing a danger sign. Don't discard any points raised by your spouse without thoroughly allowing it to go through the courthouse of The Holy Spirit.

-Omosebi, Mary Omolola

How Much Of The Word?

People go to the market to buy food stuffs in different quantities. Some go there to buy in cups, others in bags while some others buy full trucks. The one who buys a truckload of rice has more than enough. It's either he is a businessman who buys to make profit after selling the bags of rice. Or he wants to give out to those in need. One way or the other, he has more than he can consume alone for the next 10 years.

My point exactly? The measure you possess is the measure with which you can give. We are ministers of Christ; labourers together in His vineyard. We are comforted so that we can comfort others. We are admonished so that we can admonish others.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.(Colossians 3:16)

How much of the Word of God do you have stuck up in your spirit man? What do you spend your time on? In what exactly do you invest?

Some people have clothes and shoes in their closets which they haven't worn in years. And they keep acquiring more. They however, have not even bought a single book that will aid spiritual growth in like forever. Even their Bibles are so tattered that they have cast several layers of POP on the Bible. Stop spending your money on what is not bread. And your wages on what does not satisfy (Isaiah 55:2). You can decide that a particular amount of money from your income every month would go into buying resource materials that will help you grow.

Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. It's time to brace up. Rise up from that seat of mediocrity. Invest in things that will build up your spirit. Fill your heart with the Word of God. His word is food to our spirits. And that's not an idiom. The Word is food (Jeremiah 15:16). The Word of God is life and it is light. Seek the Word with all of your heart. Eat the Word. Drink the Word. Breath the Word. Wear the Word. Live in the Word.

Much has been given to you. Much is expected from you. You should be cracking bones now, yet you can only still digest milk. It's time to grow up. So that you can fulfill God's purpose. I believe He does not want you to be a lake; always receiving and never flowing out. You should be a river. Flow out! That way, you remain fresh because there is a constant flow from the source (God) to you. Let the Word flow out from you unto others.

My prayer today: Fill my cup Lord; I lift it up Lord! Come and quench this thirst in my soul, Bread of life, fill me till I am satisfied! More of You Lord I pray for!

Even For The Little, Praise God!

As I looked at Isaiah 1:9, my spirit got a leap. God could have decided that He would leave you with nothing but He in His mercy has given you that 'little' blessing to hold on to. He could have wiped you out because He has the power to do whatever He wills but He decided against it. He has left you with a ray of hope. He has given you a reason to know that He is for you and not against You. He is mindful of you. One thing I know: God leaves the 'remnant' because He loves us.  It is not about what we do right. It is His mercy at work.

If the LORD of Heaven’s Armies had not spared a few of us, we would have been wiped out like Sodom, destroyed like Gomorrah. ( Isaiah 1 : 9 NLT )
It is true that right now you don't have all you want. You may not be where you perceive you should be. You might have even lost some things you had laboured for. You have pursued and pursued, but it seems that those blessings keep taking to their heels once the sight you. You just can't seem to be able to achieve anything good. Everything is turning upside down. The road is closing in on you and there seems to be no way of escape. Your rent is due. . . No job in sight. . . Your health is failing. . .Your marriage is collapsing. . . Men keep proposing to you and cancelling the proposals. . . The list goes on and on. You tell yourself, "Nothing is working."

Though the road might seem rough; and situations so tough for you. It seems all you can see is utter darkness. I want you to look intently, look critically at your life. I am so sure there is something to be thankful for. Yes, you have passed through the deep waters of affliction but it has not overpowered you. You have passed through the fire of torture but you have not been consumed. You are still standing. You are here today only because of His grace. His mercy has kept you thus far. In your trials, He has been with you. The Lord, He is mighty. His tender mercies endure FOREVER!

He has given you hope. He has given you life.

I am certain that God is good no matter what is going on in your life. Sing a new song to Him today. Acknowledge Him for who He is. HE IS GOD!

He is the unchanging changer.
He has the final say over your life.
When He opens, no one can shut.
He knows what's best for you and what time is best that the blessing is delivered to you.

For that 'small' remnant, praise Him!

-Omosebi, Mary Omolola

From My Diary - 17/01/2015

I watched a movie yesterday (which I had actually seen before). It got to a point when a boy in the movie who was swimming at a competition died as he got to the finish line. It was his coffin that got decorated with the medal. He never got to hold the prize.

He had gone through serious rigours of training. He had sacrificed. He had prepared for the competition. He had worked so hard for this. His mother was waiting on him to come out of the water a champion. She was screaming, cheering him on and he made it to the end. He however didn't come out alive. His testimony was told by someone else.

My spirit was inspired to pray. To pray that
I shall witness the glory of my shining.
That I will not be missing at the time of my honour.
That I shall not labour in vain.
That I shall not sow for another to reap.
That I shall not become a bad news.
That I my rightful place shall not be taken from me.
That my testimony shall break forth.

Are you praying the same for yourself?