Author: David Oloyede

David Oloyede https://forsaketheworld.wordpress.com
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ECHOES OF ETERNITY

“A life once spent is irrevocable. It will remain to be contemplated through eternity.”
– Adoniram Judson (1788–1850)

Proverbs 14:12 KJV
There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

The room was white. Perfect white, not a speck of dust. The scene was as if it happened in eternity. I was standing alone, and opposite me were about eight figures. They represented all the important people in my life. In the spirit, things just seem to be known. That fact was never verbally communicated to me, yet I am sure of it with absolute certainty. The only two figures I recognised were my parents. They were standing on the left side of the room. All personnel present were dressed in white, wearing a type of gown or robe. I am unsure of my own attire. This meeting felt very important, significant; it was like a court case, with heavy implications.

So it began.. One by one, each of the figures began to question me. They really laid it on thick. They questioned my life decisions, the path I was going down, the journey I had chosen for my life. At this point in life, I was not a Christian. I would often make the joke to my friends that I was “a-theist” to confuse them. As “a theist” is a believer, but an “atheist” is not. Their onslaught was strong. I had never received such a rebuke in my life.

After they had spoken their peace, the floor was now mine. David, what is your response? What is your rebuttal? I love a good debate, even to this day. Back then, I became quite skilled at debating against Christians with my brash speaking backed with little understanding about both sides. After all, I had a type of foundation, having grown up in the church; my dad is a pastor. I loved watching atheist versus Christian debates. How I laughed and enjoyed the mockery towards God. I was an enemy of God, took pleasure in making Christians question their very belief systems. I found it so easy, as many Christians I debated did not have their own personal relationship with God and their faith was, in a way, inherited.

As I gathered myself, ready to speak my mind, something peculiar occurred. When I opened my mouth to speak, all of a sudden, my words turned to gibberish. I paused in confusion. I attempted again, but to no avail. My words were not understandable, neither to them nor to myself. It was God telling me that I had no excuse for not believing in Him, no excuse for not following Him, and no excuse for not serving Him. And that any reason I had made up in my mind equated to gibberish. It was a folly so low it does not deserve to be heard.

Many of us have made excuses, reasons for not giving our lives and our hearts to the Lord. Reasons for not seeking Him with all our heart. On Earth, man can talk. We can sound intelligent. We can play the victim. We can be wise in our own eyes, blinded by our pride and high-mindedness. But I tell you, your seemingly intelligent speech will not work in eternity. Repent while you have breath, tomorrow is not promised. A bow too late is a bow in vain.

James 4:14 KJV
…For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

“God is gracious; do not run away from Him.”
– Adoniram Judson (1788–1850)

I’m giving my life to Jesus!

I’m all out for Jesus!

It’s quite simple!

Either God is real, or God is not real. Either the Bible is true, or the Bible is false.

If it be a lie, then let’s stop what we are doing and let’s live to please ourselves for the short time we have left on this spinning ball of doom.

But if it be true! And if He is the Christ! Then let’s give our lives to him! And let’s go ALL OUT for Jesus!

PRINCE OF PEACE

Psalm 27:3 KJV
Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.

John 14:27 KJV
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Yesterday I spoke to two people, international students from India. One was slim, the other was bigger with heavy red bags under his eyes. I interrupted their conversation, but they were happy to talk and stood to speak with me. I asked if they knew each other before coming to the UK. They said no. They met here and bonded over cigarette smoking. One had been smoking for six years, the other for ten. The slim one was more talkative. He lamented about a serious breakup he experienced after a relationship of many years, and how the darkness and the pressures of life led him to cigarettes. He said he did not start off addicted, implying that he now was.

I asked about the story for the other one, what led him to cigarettes. He did not want to say. He shook his head at me with a subtle terror which left me confused. His friend explained on his behalf that his story was much darker and that if he were to expand on it, it would change the entire atmosphere of the conversation. I looked into his gloomy eyes, attempting to speculate what could have happened. Could it have been the death of loved ones, maybe something worse? I’m not sure, but whatever it was, it must have been deeply traumatic. There seemed to be a dark cloud hovering over his very being. His countenance was defeated, and he positioned himself offset from me, subtly implying that “I am here and around, but focus on my friend, don’t engage with me”.

The conversation was brief, but the Lord placed a simple word in my heart for them. I said I have one verse for you! Jesus said, my peace I give to you.. not as the world gives. I told them the world offers a type of peace. It is seen in many vices: smoking, drinking, partying, binge eating, binge watching. The world’s peace is seen in escapism, an attempt to temporarily forget about your current situation. I joked that I used to be a weed smoker, and truly, it offered a type of peace for that moment. But I told them Jesus has a type of peace that he wants to give you. It is not as the world gives. The water the world offers leaves you thirsty again. But the water God offers, you will forever be satisfied.

John 4:13-14 KJV
Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: [14] But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

Meet the Prince of Peace

You don’t make your vision, your vision makes you

Selah

Proverbs 29:18 NCV
Where there is no word from God, people are uncontrolled, but those who obey what they have been taught are happy.

Proverbs 29:18 MSG
If people can’t see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves; But when they attend to what he reveals, they are most blessed.

Proverbs 29:18 NLT
When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild. But whoever obeys the law is joyful.

Proverbs 29:18 KJV
Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

Talk is cheap!

John 14:11 NLT – Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Or at least believe because of the work you have seen me do.

“Many people say they are called. In the end, only a few are chosen!  Many people claim that God has sent them. But why is it that so few end up doing something for the Lord? Talk is cheap!

It is easy to say you are called but can you overcome the obstacles to your calling? It is not what you say that matters. What have you been through? What have you survived? What have you overcome? A man of exploits has overcome many things. A man of exploits has survived many things.”

Excerpt From
Attempt Great Things for God
Dag Heward-Mills
This material may be protected by copyright.

May I be a doer! Not just a talker or a hearer.

THE DOOR TO SALVATION

A single overhead light hums. The Detective sits across from a young woman, Vanessa, who shifts nervously in her chair. A recorder sits between them.

The detective clears his throat and presses record.

Detective: This is Detective David, Metropolitan Police. Time is 21:14, September 29th. Subject is wearing a dark grey coat, black jeans, hair tied back.

(He leans forward, his tone is firm and precise.)

Detective: Vanessa, for the record, can you recall the events of November 24th, 2023?

The subject stares emptily at the top right corner of the room, as a single tear rolls down her cheek. The back of her mind itches, as memories flood in like a VHS tape on a loop.

Subject:

Some questions never demand answers; they simply linger and echo, circling the edges of consciousness until we cannot help but notice them, even if we try. What really happened on the 24th of November? How could I ever forget the day darkness crept through the cracks of my old wooden door and attempted to engulf me in the depths of its heart?

The whispers didn’t stop, no matter how much I tried to ignore them. I dragged myself along the path leading home, wrapped in despair and drowning in the relentless flood of sadness and doubt that consumed every inch of my mind. The idle chatter of my friend drifted into the nighttime as I slowly sank into the evil whispers of my mind.

“Vanessa, can you hear me? HELLO!!” Her words drifted increasingly into a faint and desperate cry. The voices in my head grew louder and louder, and the darkness that once tugged at my heart and at the edge of my mind grew from a fleeting thought to a fractured reality. “It’ll be like you never left,” “You need to leave,” “The pain will finally stop,” “Are you worth it?” STOP! I CAN’T TAKE IT ANYMORE! A fog of pain settled behind my eyes, making thinking slow and heavy. “VANESSA,” she screamed frantically, and reality set in. The warmth of her palm anchored my racing thoughts, pulling me back from the speeding car, and for a split second, hope seemed one touch away.

“What are you doing? Do you want to kill yourself?” she cried. Yes, I did. I had never felt the warm embrace of love or the light that joy brings – what was left to live for? Soon enough, the voices of worry, concern and fear faded to the back of my mind, and the voices trickled down my consciousness like the last drop of rain on a wide window. “It would be nice to leave, wouldn’t it?” “You’ll finally be happy,” “You need to leave,” “DIE!” The voices began to rain louder than a hurricane as the journey to my house came closer and closer.

The familiarity of my ramshackle room tugged at the edge of my mind, “What better place than this?”. One thought, just one, slipped through the gateway in my mind, dragging me into an emotional spiral. Suddenly, my silent sobs turned into a cry filled with pain, hurt and a plea for help. No matter how I tried, the end seemed inevitable. I began to pace down the narrow path in my room, each step heavier than the last. I need to do something! What can I do? I scurried quickly to the edge of my table and grabbed my phone, frantically saying my last goodbyes. Maybe it was a desire to spend my last 10 minutes with the closest people to me. Maybe it was a determination to say my last goodbyes. A little voice from the depths of my heart whispered, “Maybe I wasn’t too far gone,” “Maybe someone can help me,” “Is this really the end of my worthless life?” It was a cry of desperation, a cry for help… a glimpse of hope.

A rush of energy jolted through my body like the engine of a weak vehicle, and I rushed to the kitchen as my mind flooded with a million possible ways to end it all. All I needed was one object, just one. I quickly rummaged through all the utensils I had until I laid my hands on my last chance of survival… my only way out. There it was, gleaming with a quiet menace, reaching towards me and guiding me to the thin line between safety and sudden ruin. Was a knife always this sharp?

I hurried down the hallway, down the stairs. Where was I going? To find freedom, to look for a way out… to fill the void in my heart. HELP! The voices swelled, each one pressing and pounding the walls of my heart until silence felt like a distant memory. Finally, the darkness I once called my friend overshadowed me. Slowly but surely, all I knew as reality faded into a distance, and the light of the world slipped away like a candle’s final flicker.

I stopped in my tracks as a loud bang came from the door, followed by a voice that echoed in my mind: “Vanessa!!! Vanessa!!” “Vanessa, LET ME IN!” Suddenly, a light shone through the endless tunnel in my mind, running towards me with outstretched arms and a warm embrace. This was more than a person, more than a sound, more than a voice. It was hope. It was love. It was a shepherd.

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff they comfort me” (Psa 23:4). Even when my fears and my depressed soul seemed helpless and alone, there was a person who ran into the deepest and emptiest room in my soul. Not to give me a cure, not to vanquish the darkness that surrounded my heart, but to hold my trembling arms and lead me as the only light to the end of the tunnel where the door of salvation welcomed me home…

Detective: For the record, subject has failed to answer repeated questions and has remained silent throughout the interview.

I’m ready to close this up.

(Irritated, he begins gathering his notes. He starts to unzip his bag, the sharp sound cuts through the silence. He pauses.)

One last time, Vanessa, what happened that day?

Subject:

(She sighs, and a faint smile begins to form as she slowly looks up.)

On November 24th, 2023, the love of God was manifested as a light to dispel the darkness from my fragile heart. I heard the knocking of Jesus on the door of my heart, and I finally opened up..

(A heavy silence lingers in the room. The tape recorder hums on.)

Romans 5:6 TLB
When we were utterly helpless, with no way of escape, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners who had no use for him.

Open the door to Jesus

All posts on this page are co-written by me and those sharing their testimonies.

ONE THING IS NEEDFUL

**/12/2024 [16:00] – ONE THING IS NEEDFUL

My shepherd told me that oftentimes we forget the needful thing, and how true that is. I see now that I had strayed; my heart had moved over time. “Ye are they which justify yourselves, but God looks at the heart, and that which is highly esteemed in the eyes of men is an abomination to God” (Mt 13:44). My heart changed, my heart moved. It moved into seeking vainglory, prideful and selfish ambition. To rise, to ascend! Are those not the ambitions the devil had in heaven? The pride of a novice filled me, and I was moved from what was needful. I looked at what great men of God did and set myself the same targets. But I was not after their intimacy with the Lord, but rather their stage, their honour, their recognition, and the praise that would follow their ministry.

My shepherd told me that if you have a heart for souls, you can have a ministry. But if your heart is after a ministry, then you will have nothing. Oh, how I had been moved! Moved from the heart of worship, moved from the genesis of my salvation. My eyes were not fixed on Him; they were rather fixed on the glory and honour I thought He would give me.

As a result, I no longer experienced the presence. That sweet Holy Spirit I once met with every day had left, and my quiet times became dry and forgettable. Oh how I would run to the secret place! Oh how I used to experience the glory of His presence. Oh how I would receive beautiful revelations from His Word. Oh how He would fill me with love, joy and peace. Oh how I loved talking about the Holy Spirit. You should have seen the excitement with which I spoke of Him, the wonder in my eyes. How I was in love with Jesus! The One who saved me. When I hated Him, when I was His enemy and wanted nothing to do with Him, He picked me from the miry clay and set my feet on the solid rock to stand. And oh how I stood! I stood with my love intact. My heart would race at the thought of going back to the secret place. How I would lie on the floor and wait for Him to come. How He manifested in so many different ways. I hear the loud screams of laughter, I see the shakings, I feel the excitement, I feel the tears, I remember the awe, the awe of God! I remember the burden He gave me. My God, there is nothing like the presence of God. How beautiful the Scriptures tasted when He was there. There is nothing like it.

But I was moved. My heart was moved. I had other ambitions, unfortunate ambitions, which were leading to my demise. Nobody noticed, but I knew I was dry, I knew I was far. I tried many plans and initiatives to return to Him, but nothing worked. I had lost His voice. How far I was.

When all my efforts had failed, one cry remained. I prayed for a quickening! For it is He who works in us to will and to do. Oh and how He worked in me! He changed my heart. I felt His presence on the way to the secret place. And when I shut the door and locked it, something was different. This quiet time was about to be different from what it had been in recent times. My heart was racing. This was the Godly sorrow. I repented. I wanted Him back. And how true the Scripture is, He will never forsake us. He was back. What love is this? My heart was quickened, I was worshipping in spirit and in truth. How I had missed Him. Where was I all this time? How could I have left His love for any other alternative? What a fool I had been.

Truly, truly, one thing is needful. To be at His feet. There is a sweet, sweet Spirit in this place, and I know it is the presence of the Lord. Sweet Holy Spirit, sweet heavenly Dove, Stay right here with us, filling us with Your love. How I wish everyone would know this Holy Spirit. He is more real than real. My lover, my beloved. The honour is not in the title or the stage; it is that a mighty God would love me so much to save me and to fellowship with me. I have been honoured, I have been favoured. How I love You.

Psalm 80:18
So will not we go back from thee: quicken us, and we will call upon thy name.

Give your life to Jesus

Salvation Prayer

Romans 5:8
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Repeat this prayer aloud, from your heart:

Lord Jesus,
I come to You today, just as I am, a sinner, lost and condemned to Hell.
I repent of my sins and ask for Your forgiveness.
I believe with all my heart that You died on the cross and rose again for my sins.
Lord Jesus, come into my heart, be the Lord of my life.
Change me, make me more like You.
From today, I am born again, I am a child of Yours.
I am washed with the precious blood of Jesus Christ.
Thank You, Jesus, for saving me.
Amen.

If you gave your life to Jesus today, I would love to hear from you. Please email me at Oloyede644@gmail.com

Matthew 22:37-38
Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ [38] This is the FIRST and greatest commandment.