The Assistant Head of the Bishops’ Court, the married men’s fellowship of The Fountain of Life Church (TFOLC), Bolaji Akinyemi, taught that making progress is the ability to create something from nothing and advance towards a higher and more developed state.
According to him, “We have been created to make progress, and if we fail to make progress in life, there will be a sense of dissatisfaction.”
Speaking to both the online and on-site congregation at the April 7 Thursday Showers service, Bro Bolaji Akinyemi, who took his Bible reference from James 2:14-26, stated that progress requires action and just desire.
While highlighting some reasons why some people make progress and others don’t, Bro Akinyemi noted that substituting prayer for action is one reason for the above.
Reading from James 2:16, Bolaji Akinyemi noted that, “our prayers are useless to a person who needs clothes and food, there are times when prayer is not enough.
“Sometimes, our prayers are as a result of our lack of understanding, and at other times, our prayers are nothing but a canopy under which we hide our irresponsibility and lack of faith.”
He went on by using the illustration of a farmer who fails to plant during the planting season, and when harvest comes, he begins to pray to God for harvest.
That farmer’s prayer, according to Bro Akinyemi, is nothing but a cloak covering his irresponsibility.
“He may pray all he wants, but he will get nothing because he failed to fulfil the natural law of planting before getting a harvest. Believers need to follow instructions and act before they can see the fulfilment of any promise made.
“Another reason it seems others make progress while some don’t is a lack of faith. If God instructs you to move from point A to point H, but you chose to remain at point A, praying and asking Him what way to turn when you get to point C, God is under no obligation to answer you.
“However, as you step out in faith and begin to walk in the direction He has instructed you to, He will reveal to you which way to turn or take.
“Because of our lack of faith or fear of the unknown, we remain stuck in the same spot.”
According to the Bishop’s Court leader, “when the Bible says faith without works is dead, the works are stepping out in obedience to do the instruction as given by God.
“With every promise of God, there is always an instruction attached to it. Most of the time, we are more focused on the promise, and we ignore the instructions. This is why there isn’t much progress.”
Bro Bolaji Akinyemi charged the congregation to let their attention be more focused on fulfilling God’s instructions.
“When God gives an instruction, and you do your part to obey, the harvest is sure. The blessings are released, progress is made, and prayer will never be a substitute for it.”
