Ministering: Tobi Thompson

Date: 28th January 2024

Topic: The Principle of Continuity

Hello Family, good evening. it’s time for Bible study.

We thank You Father for opening our eyes to see and behold Your good word. Thank You for the anointing of the Holy Spirit that teaches us in Jesus’ name. Amen

Luke 8:1-15 (NLT)

Women Who Followed Jesus

8 Soon afterward Jesus began a tour of the nearby towns and villages, preaching and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom of God. He took his twelve disciples with him, ²along with some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases. Among them were Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons; ³Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s business manager; Susanna; and many others who were contributing from their own resources to support Jesus and his disciples.

Parable of the Farmer Scattering Seed

⁴One day Jesus told a story in the form of a parable to a large crowd that had gathered from many towns to hear him: ⁵“A farmer went out to plant his seed. As he scattered it across his field, some seed fell on a footpath, where it was stepped on, and the birds ate it. ⁶Other seed fell among rocks. It began to grow, but the plant soon wilted and died for lack of moisture. ⁷Other seed fell among thorns that grew up with it and choked out the tender plants. ⁸Still other seed fell on fertile soil. This seed grew and produced a crop that was a hundred times as much as had been planted!” When he had said this, he called out, “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”

⁹His disciples asked him what this parable meant. ¹⁰He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of God. But I use parables to teach the others so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled:

‘When they look, they won’t really see.
    When they hear, they won’t understand.’

¹¹“This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is God’s word. ¹²The seeds that fell on the footpath represent those who hear the message, only to have the devil come and take it away from their hearts and prevent them from believing and being saved. ¹³The seeds on the rocky soil represent those who hear the message and receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they believe for a while, then they fall away when they face temptation. ¹⁴The seeds that fell among the thorns represent those who hear the message, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares and riches and pleasures of this life. And so they never grow into maturity. ¹⁵And the seeds that fell on the good soil represent honest, good-hearted people who hear God’s word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest.

Tonight, I’ll be laying a great emphasis on the 15th verse:

“And the seeds that fell on the good soil represent honest, good-hearted people who hear God’s word, cling to it and patiently produce a huge harvest”

When the Word of God became flesh, one of the things He highlighted were principles that the kingdom of God held in high esteem, and it is great wisdom to pay attention to these principles.

I’ll like to call this particular principle, the principle of CONTINUITY. This is particularly profitable to us because God doesn’t want us to ALWAYS be expectant of a “sudden intervention.”

It goes to say, SOME of our earnest “God come through” moments could have been avoided if we followed this principle.

Of course, seed here represents God’s word, and just as Solomon said, “wherever the word of a king is, there is power”…

There are two processes here Jesus talked about, that gave occasion for the final product to spring forth. What are these processes?

1. HEARING GOD’S WORD

2. CLINGING TO

I tell you, in the grand scheme of things, those who have mastered these processes will do well than those who are ALWAYS looking for prophecy all over the place.

Let’s talk about the processes a bit.

1. HEARING GOD’S WORD

Hearing here means giving rapt attention to, holding in high esteem, giving priority to, etc. This is not a passive activity at all, it is an active activity, one that is done with intentionality.

See what Moses told the Israelites:

  Deuteronomy   6:1   NKJV  
[1] “Now this is the commandment, and these  are the statutes and judgments which the Lord your God has commanded to teach you, that you may observe them in the land which you are crossing over to possess,

Hearing here means, paying attention with the intent to OBEY or TO DO. A good heart always hears with the intention to do.

2. CLINGING TO

Now this particular step involves a lot of activity. Activities like confession, meditation and praying the word.

Clinging to refers to a ruggedness to never leave the word until you have that which the word has said. All over Scripture, men who walked with God understood this so much that the writer of Hebrews said:

  Hebrews   11:33 – 38   NKJV  
[33] who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, [34] quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. [35] Women received their dead raised to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. [36] Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. [37] They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented— [38] of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth.

Why?? Because of a promise of God that came to them and eventually they obtained that which God had promised via His word.

  Hebrews   11:39 – 40   NKJV  
[39] And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, [40] God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.

Imagine men and women that refused deliverance and enjoyment just as proof of their cling to God’s word!

I would usually say, FAITH is not an ajebutter, faith is a rugged spirit. It will be embarrassing if your faith still looks all shiny and bright.

Faith is meant to be battered; you know why? It can withstand any force!!!

  Hebrews   11:1 – 2   NKJV  
[1] Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. [2] For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.

Even more?

  I John   5:1   NKJV  
[1] Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him. 
[4] For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.

If you are not rugged with your faith, you most likely won’t have the manifestation of God’s word. Some of us give up way too easily.

“Smh”

Just so you understand this, Jesus then says, “patiently produce”.

Because clinging to is not a task to handle with levity. You must be vexed from within you to produce fruit by the word of God.

According to what Jesus said, patience is indeed a virtue the believer must be willing to cultivate to enjoy ALL that God has to offer.

Now what must you do?

Apply these processes to the word given to PFMI i.e. year of exponential wealth. Trust me, you’ll be the better for it.

The Lord has greatly helped you with His word now you must run with His word by this principle.

God has blessed you.