What Are You Waiting For?

"It happened that when the Philistine [Goliath] arose, and came and drew near to meet David, that David hurried, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine ." (1Samuel 17:48)

"What men want is not talent, it is purpose; in other words, not the power to achieve it, but will to labour. I believe that labour judiciously and continuously applied becomes genius" - Edward Bulwer-Lytton.

Lacking in purpose, even a talented person will leave that talent lying waste, but a person with the will to labour will make something out of nothing and be a great blessing to many.

True, "every person" as John Maxwell observed, "has a longing to be significant; to make a contribution; to be part of something noble and purposeful". But it is also true that desire alone gets nothing done. The "will to labour", that is, to fearlessly expend necessary effort, is the game changer.

King Saul and the armies of Israel longed to make a difference, yet each time Goliath, the champion of their enemy showed up and challenge them to a fight, they run for cover, "afraid and dismayed". (1 Samuel 17). Saul and his soldiers had talent and military skill but they lost their sense of purpose and the will to labour.

Into this scenario enters David, a purposeful young shepherd who rightly perceived Goliath's challenge as an insult to "the God of the armies of Israel". With God's help David was determined to silence Goliath.

Furthermore, David had the "will to labour" - an attitude which he had "judiciously and continuously" developed over time as he defended his flock from predatory beasts.

David was just a teenage lad who had no military skills or training in the use of the conventional military equipment of the day, but he was the purposeful tiny teenager who stopped the giant Goliath. "What men want is not talent, it is purpose...not the power to achieve it, but will to labor". David exemplified this will to labour once again as he "hurried and ran toward" Goliath", a stark contrast to what had been happening hitherto.

Purposeful people don't stand by and watch things happen, they make things happen. They are willing to match desire and purposefulness with a "will to labour" consistently and constantly in order to enable a desirable outcome. Natural talent, where present, is just an added benefit to the genius of such committed men and women.

Use what you have! Have a "will to labour"! Strive to make a difference!

Grace to you!

#bePurposeful!

Pastor Victor Ubani

SPEAK WISELY

"We all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body."  (James 3:2)

One mark of maturity is the ability to chose one's words carefully, knowing that what you say, no matter the context, can have seriously unintended consequences because words have the power to create and to rule. 

Your words can heal or destroy, they can encourage or discourage. What you say is always powerful, impacting your life either directly or indirectly as well as create changes in those who hear you. An uncontrolled tongue mouth does not make for spiritual maturity (James 1:26).

It usually takes but a moment to speak, yet our words will often linger a lifetime in the heart. Be certain, therefore, Christian, that whatever things you say are such that you would be proud to see linger a lifetime in the hearts of other people or indeed yours. Do not be in a haste to get a word out but choose your words carefully and be ready to own every word you speak (Ecclesiastes 5:6). Once spoken, words cannot be recalled. Let your words truly represent you.

You can change the course of your whole life by speaking differently about your situations and circumstances. You can change the dynamics of your relationships by being sensitive about what you say. You can create a new spiritual atmosphere by watching your words carefully and start calling things that be not as thought they are. 

Treasure the power of your tongue (words). Deploy that power wisely understanding its great ability to affect your whole life even at a spiritual level (Proverbs 18:20-21). 

Change your whole world for the better by changing your words. Rule your life by taming your tongue. Let that change start with the next word you utter. 

May the Lord give you grace not to stumble in your words today!

Pastor Victor Ubani

INTO THE FUTURE

“But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13–14, ESV)

Delightful or painful, successful or not, the past is that part of your life that has already happened and revealed its glory.

And, dwelling in it is wont, if you are not careful, to keep you from being adequately invested in the part of your life before you and yet to happen.

Resolve to let go and move purposefully forward; be unwavering as you cast-off the lines attaching you to the harbour of self-indulgent past.

Unfurl your sails of hope by faith, and with courage catch the heavenly wind of destiny whistling through as its nature has always been.

Let the gentle wind of change fill-up your sails today and move you in the power of God’s might toward the shores of a divine future awaiting your appointed arrival.

Grace and peace to you!

Pastor Victor Ubani

THE QUESTION OF MATURITY

“When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.” (1 Corinthians 13:11, NIV)

Our text suggests the obvious, which is that there is a certain level of maturity expected at each stage we are in life. An adult manifesting childish things, spiritually, emotionally or otherwise raises eyebrows, and makes evident a lack of growth for it is expected that adults put away childish things.

Growth and maturity is an on-going process of life involving development in your talking, thinking, and reasoning. A wise person recognizes that there is room for improvement in them and invests in the growth areas in other to attain maturity in his or her life. It takes discipline to do what is requisite for our self-development. We observe apostle Paul's self-discipline when says, "I put childish things behind me". Not only is the presence of a desire to change implied in those words, but also the willingness & determination to pursue and attain the goal of moving away from such things that might characterize him as immature and childish.

RENDER TO GOD

“Jesus said to them, “Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God's.”” (Luke 20:25)

The challenge for contemporary Christians in increasingly liberal societies and under the onslaught of materialism is not so much in the rendering to Caesar aspect of Jesus’ exhortation, but in maintaining the tension by keeping up the other aspect which is, and rather critically, rendering to God the things that are God’s.

Christian, are you aware that you have obligations to be loyal and devoted to God and committed to His ways? How well are you living up to these? Are you being held back by “the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other thing?” These things challenge and test our devotion and loyalty to God and confidence in Him, but they can never overcome genuine faith. It is by faith that we overcome and maintain victory over the world!

Let us be very mindful of this very thing and ask God to reveal to us any way in which we may be falling Him and not even know it. Why don't you, in the sincerity of your heart, say to Him,“Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” (Psalm 139:23–24). This is the cry of the heart that is keen to render to God the things that are God's. Don't hold back on spending time alone with God in prayer, don't hold back on spending time with the Word, don't hold back your expressions of love and kindness, and so on. When you give full expression to your new nature as a new creation you do in truth render to God that which is God's.

May the Lord strengthen your faith today and fill you with courage to present your life to God daily as that holy and acceptable living sacrifice which is your reasonable service and spiritual worship, and to faithfully give back to Him everything that is His according to your obligations in Christ. Amen!

God bless you!

~ Pastor Victor Ubani

SERVING THE LORD CHRIST

"Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ." (Colossians 3:23, 24)  

In Christ, God has blessed the believer with a new life: "Christ is our life". And we are told, "from His fullness we have all received, grace upon grace" (John 1:16). Whatever then we chose to do with that life, the way that we envision our participation in the context of life's daily and diverse scenarios, whether in our home life, work life or church life, can only properly be in seeing ourselves as "serving the Lord Christ".

Today's passage stirs-up, encourages and strengthens every believer, challenging each of us, to render our best effort in every call of duty. Even more so, it is especially nuanced for those situations in which we feel that our significant efforts are hardly noticed or adequately appreciated by those from whom we expect them. However, though man may be too occupied to notice and ill-equipped to adequately appreciate, we are encouraged when read, "from the Lord you will receive...your reward"

So what do you do the next time you are feeling disappointed and discouraged - so discouraged you no longer care about tardiness or shirking your work; putting-in a substandard performance or quitting altogether? I encourage you to consider this important lesson from our text. it teaches us to maintain the right perspective always. First, you serve the Lord Christ. Second, it is He who ultimately blesses your efforts, and third, from Him you will receive your just reward in due time.

How will you go about giving your best effort today? Remember, do it "heartily", that is, as one who does the will of the Lord from the heart; and work as one who is serving the Lord Christ, not as one who is working for man.

You will do right by everyone in every situation, and you will receive your reward from the Lord as long as you never forget who you are serving: the Lord Christ, not man. This attitude will empower you to persevere; see you beyond difficult challenges; and lift you up to your highest altitude in life.

Grace & peace to you!

~ Pastor Victor Ubani

PECULIARITIES OF THE GODLY

"I AM like a green olive tree IN the house of God. I TRUST IN the steadfast love of God forever and ever. I WILL THANK You forever, because you have done it. I WILL WAIT for your name, for it is good, in the presence of the godly". (Psalm 52:8-9)

In the context of his relationship with God, whose love and kindness is unfailing, the psalmist likens himself to the "olive tree" - a very powerful symbol of prosperity and stability. 

But you Christian, how do you perceive yourself today in Christ your redeemer, even right now as you read this? Do you value your relationship with Christ sufficiently as to stir in you sincere gratitude? Do you trust Him enough to wait for His guidance always? 

Consistent with the character of the godly is their complete trust in God, their willing, consistent and unhurried thanksgiving for all that He has done, and a conscious readiness to defer to the Lord's will even when it means having to wait. Yet the godly is never disappointed because God never fails to be faithful.

I pray that you will enjoy all of the benefits of 'life in Christ' - finding in Him stability for your whole life and enjoying divine prosperity in everything you do.

Shalom!

~ Pastor Victor Ubani