MY FATHERS FARMLAND Episode 31
When he returned to Las Vegas, he felt like a stranger in his own church. Austin had done a good job of keeping some of the members in church but some of them had disappeared because Pastor Sunkanmi was not around for 6 months.
He couldn’t stand the atmosphere of Godlessness he felt in the Church. As he stepped on the altar to preach, he started crying instead. Members were surprised and perplexed, not sure of what was wrong with their pastor…
Austin got up to the altar and silently asked Sukki to return to his office, but Sukki stood his ground. He controlled his emotions and spoke…
“ A man can not give what he doesn’t have, and most times a man’s ministry can be defined by his level of exposure and Spiritual depth. I say this with regrets in my hearts that for over 18 years of pastoring you, I have not fed you with the full portion of the gospel. I have only taught you a part of the gospel that I knew. Also, there are lies I have told you, which I didn’t know they were lies until recently. The past six months gave birth to the new and more informed me. The new me that realizes, that God is a righteous God and for those who want to be referred to as “His children” must make deliberate and conscious effort to flee from sin every time.”
The Church was extremely quiet. Sukki preached for one hour on the importance of consecration and sanctification.
The reactions were mixed, some appreciated him, while others insulted him, saying the 6 months he had spent in Africa must have affected his senses.
After two months of trying to change the Church doctrines and teachings without getting the positive result he expected, he felt he still needed more time with God.
He returned back to Nigeria and sat with God under the pastoral Mentorship of Pastor Ayo for two and a half years. Within those two and half years, he grew spiritually in fasting and prayer.
Austin however, could not handle the Church well, so the church in Las Vegas closed down on its own.
After two and a half years of intense spiritual purging, deliverance, Spiritual growth and mentoring, Pastor Ayo ordained him a pastor.
“ So what next?, What do you perceive the Lord is asking you to do, because I know by revelation that you are called to head a church ?” Pastor Ayo had asked Sukki one sunny Friday afternoon.
“Daddy, I saw a revelation before relocating to Las Vegas 18 years ago. I saw a man giving me a map, and he circled a location that started with LA…, I woke up not remembering the other letters. I automatically guessed it was LAS VEGAS, that was why I relocated there..”
“ Ok, then we need to query the revelation and find out what God has in mind for you…” Pastor Ayo had said
After months of prayers, Sunkanmi had the same revelation and the map was given to him again, this time he saw it well spelt out … LAGOS.
Sukki woke up weeping, he woke up regretting how he had wasted 18 years in LAS VEGAS, because of his lack of Spiritual insight and growth. His Spiritual vision was not very clear back then because of his sinful life. He had mistaken LAGOS for LAS VEGAS.
That was the point, he decided to relocate finally to Nigeria. Austin and his family returned to Nigeria to join Sukki… Sukki was not married, so he didn’t have a problem relocating.
“Now do you see the reconciliation journey Sunkanmi took, which was unknown to you, Ola, yet you judged him based on his mistake with you 25 years ago?” FATHER had taken Ola through Sukki’s reconciliation journey…
“And Guess Where He is more righteous than you, He is wailing and weeping for your return.”
Ola saw Sukki praying with Austin in his room…
“Father, please let your Mercy that triumphs over judgement speak over Mrs Ola and Senator Oba’s life in Jesus name…”
Ola couldn’t stop her tears… Sukki was more righteous than she was..,
FATHER looked towards where Oba was and some valiant men brought Oba before HIM. Oba and Ola stood before him shivering…
“Now my judgement to you both….” FATHER was saying to Oba and Ola when a voice kept crying from a distance and running towards them…
PART 32
“MY FATHER’S FARMLAND”
©Opeyemi Ojerinde Akintunde
Mama Aladura had gotten to the hospital and when she saw Ope’s dead body, she started wailing…
“Baba mi( My father) this is not fair, how can you take away my Joy, when I am always making other people joyful… I have laboured in your vineyard, for 18 good years. I have been labouring day and night on the prayer mountain praying for people. People bring their problems and I table it before you in prayers. Father, you never disappointed me, but Why my daughter in law..” Mama Aladura had created a scene in the hospital as she was screaming at the reception…
The same thing was happening in the farmland, it was Mama Aladura’s voice that stopped FATHER from declaring His judgement upon Oba and Ola…
Mama Aladura had held on to father’s feet, weeping because of Ope.
“ Eunice, you caused it, you neglected your farm, helping others plant, water and ensure the growth of their own seeds while leaving yours”
A scenario played out…
Mama Aladura praying for different people,
“ Your son will not become wayward in Jesus name. Madam concerning your son, we will hold 7 vigils to draw his heart back to God.” Mama Aladura was telling a woman
“ Sir, I assure you as the Lord Liveth, your daughter will not marry wrongly” Mama Aladura was telling a man
“ Ma, your son has no option than to fulfil his divine destiny,” Mama Aladura said to another woman…
The scenario dissolved to reveal another scene, of Mama Aladura sitting on the mountain with a list of people’s names in her front…
“ I pray for Mrs Ajewole’s daughter, you shall not be wayward, I pray that your relationship with that fraudster be dissolved”
Mama Aladura prayed on over 25 different names…
As the scenario disappeared before Ola and Oba, they saw Mama Aladura’s farmland… It was split into two, one part of it was very green, while the other half was barren and dry. Surprisingly, Mama Aladura was moving from one person’s farm to the other, helping them water their plants while leaving her own unattended to.
FATHER spoke…
“ She is weeping when it is too late, most times, you humans blame me and others for your misfortune when in the real sense, you caused it. Eunice was doing the work I sent her, which was to be an intercessor… that explains the green part of her land, but she neglected her children’s spiritual growth and needs.
I didn’t ask her to stay on the mountain praying for people, but the monetary rewards she was getting made her stay there… I wanted her to stay at home, take care of her own plants and still intercede for people I lay in her heart, but she made it her business by jumping from one person’s farm to another…
She prayed for other people’s daughters to be happily married, but her own daughters are wrongly married. She prayed for other people’s sons not to turn our wayward, but her son Lucky was the one who pushed Idiopemipo to write and sing terrible songs because she did not nurture him well on her farmland” FATHER said
“If she had been mindful of her own plants, she would have seen this death coming. I never hide things from my servant, a message was sent to her, but she was too preoccupied to decode the meaning of the dream..” FATHER said as he faced Eunice
“ Eunice, Idiopemipo’s farmland has been given to someone else..”
“ Please Father, for the sake of your son Jesus Christ, I know I have erred in different ways, please let Ope live”
“ No, but to be fair to you for the sake of the name of my son you mentioned, I will give her farm to her daughter, the gifts she could not use well, I will give it to her first daughter, so it is your duty to make sure her daughter uses the gift and talent well….” FATHER said with a tone of finality and faced Oba and Ola.
Oba and Ola had silently hoped father would forgive Ope because of her mother in law, but it seemed FATHER’S mind was made up. Father had said Sheryl, Ope’s daughter would take up her music career. Sheryl was 18 years old and was a replica of Ope in looks and character. Sheryl was given her mother’s farm in addition to her own.
Oba and Ola watched as the Valiant men removed the “ VACANT” billboard and replaced it with Sheryl’s name…
Mama Aladura knew it was over, as she left FATHER’S feet.
She snapped out of her few seconds trance and she got the message, She had heard in her Spirit that her daughter in law, Idiopemipo was gone, but her granddaughter Sheryl would take over where her mother had stopped.
Mama Aladura had tears flowing down her face, as she knew that was the end of Idiopemipo’s journey, there was no point shouting and screaming over spilt milk…
Meanwhile, Sukki placed a call to Pastor Ayo…
PART 33
“ MY FATHER’S FARMLAND”
©Opeyemi Ojerinde Akintunde
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Meanwhile, Sukki placed a call to Pastor Ayo informing him about what was happening, he heard little Iyanuoluwa crying in the background.
Iyanuoluwa was the miracle baby God had given Pastor Ayo and his wife, Mrs Banke after 30 years in marriage. It was shortly after he returned back for the Spiritual Mentoring that Pastor Mrs Banke got pregnant after 29 years in marriage.
“ Daddy, I want you to join me in prayers for…” He narrated all that happened in the past few hours.
Pastor Mrs Banke on hearing fell down before the Lord, praying for Ola…She and Ola had lost contact and she had not heard from her. She had only seen her and her siblings on T.V. She had thanked God for their lives on how God had helped them, especially when Oba became Governor of their state. She didn’t try to re-establish a relationship with them as she felt, she didn’t add anything to their lives the time she had the opportunity to do so…
Now was the time, she felt she could do something, she felt the trio could not just end their lives that way considering their earliest struggles in life. Pastor Mrs Banke posted on the church’s social media page asking people to intercede for Oba and Ola as it had been officially confirmed Ope ( Sexy Sasha) was dead.
Different voices were raised up at the same time…
Pastor Ayo, Mrs Banke, Sukki, Austin, Micheal, Pastors, Sunmibare & her siblings, Pastor Ayo’s church members were raising their voices on behalf of Kikiolaoluwa in particular.
Pelumi( Oba’s wife), her parents, her children and the men and women of God who had ever eaten from Oba’s table courtesy of Pelumi’s seed sowing, all raised their voices in intercession for Oba…
At the same time, on the farmland, “the big tree” on Oba’s farm was shaking, bowing and shouting Mercy…This was because the writer of the story, which Oba and Pelumi had donated towards making her story into a movie, posted on her social media page ..
“Please help raise a voice for the Executive producer of our recent movie, he is presently in coma. If that movie ever blessed you, just take a minute and join us to cry unto the Lord for Mercy…”
Thousands of people raised up prayers in response to the post…
As FATHER was about to declare His judgement…Thousands of voices that sounded harmoniously like a choir kept shouting “ MERCY FATHER” on behalf of Oba and Ola…
PART 34
“MY FATHER’S FARMLAND”
©Opeyemi Ojerinde Akintunde
Oba and Ola saw as different people raised their voices on their behalf, especially Sukki. Ola wept putting the blame on herself for her selfishness and lack of forgiveness…
FATHER was moved by the voices, but HIS mind was made up, He wanted to transfer Ola’s wealth to someone else.
He wanted to give the wealth to someone who could use the money to bless lives… FATHER gave wealth to people he trusted to use it for the less privileged, widows, orphans and most importantly for His House and all that had to do with Evangelism.
Ola realized what FATHER was about to do, by virtue of her selfishness, she had acted wickedly to people. She didn’t give people money, She believed anyone who didn’t have money was lazy. FATHER was about to take her wealth and give it to a righteous person, no wonder the Bible made it clear that…
“ Good people leave an inheritance to their grandchildren, but the sinner’s wealth passes to the godly.” Proverbs 13:24
As Ola watched, she remembered a message one of her pastors had preached in a church service which she felt the pastor was trying to push them to drop their money…
“ We must have deep passion for the things of God, please note that God has blessed you, for the good of the house of God…God made Joseph a Vice President In Egypt, to go ahead of the Israelites so that he will be able to help the children of God during the famine. It was through Joseph’s presence in Egypt that the Children of God were given the best place in the land…You have been blessed to be a blessing to the body of Christ, Your talent, your money and position is for the good of the body of Christ…”
Ola remembered turning her deaf ear to the rest of the sermon… But at that moment she realized the man was right, despite Joseph suffering as she did, he still forgave his brothers and blessed people.
FATHER must have read her thoughts as he said…
“ If there is anyone I am going to show Mercy to, it will be to Oba, for the sake of His wife who has done a lot of good to the body of Christ with Her prosperity…”
Oba knelt down thankfully as He knew the political evil he had done did not make Him qualify for Mercy, but Pelumi’s influence in his life was about to earn him another chance in life…
“But what about Ola?” He reasoned quietly as he could not bear to look FATHER in the eye…
He had lost one sister, couldn’t God have mercy on Ola, though she was the one who landed them in this mess because of her unforgiveness…Oba reasoned in tears as he heard…
“ This is my judgement…..” FATHER said with a tone of finality in His voice
MY FATHERS FARMLAND
#OpraDre
This story is a big lesson to us
A word is enough for the wise.
So many lessons to write home about!!
We need to use our blessings to bless others in the body of Christ . Despite Joseph suffering he forgave his brothers