New Year, New You
Tuesday, January 3, 2017
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People don’t pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the new wine will make the skins burst. The wine will run out, and the skins will be ruined. Rather, new wine is to be poured into fresh skins. Luke 5:37-38 (GW)
Someone defined insanity as "doing the same thing and expecting a different result"
Define it, Imagine it and then Start it!
Saturday, January 1, 2011
At one time all the people of the world spoke the same language
and used the same words. As the people migrated to the east,
they found a plain in the land of Babylonia and settled there.
They began saying to each other, “Let’s make bricks and harden
them with fire.” (In this region bricks were used instead of stone,
and tar was used for mortar.) Then they said,
“Come, let’s build a great city for ourselves with a tower that reaches into the sky.
This will make us famous and keep us from being scattered all over the world.”
But the LORD came down to look at the city and the tower the people were building.
“Look!” he said. “The people are united, and they all speak the same language. After this, nothing they set out to do will be impossible for them!
Come, let’s go down and confuse the people with different languages.
Then they won’t be able to understand each other.”
In that way, the LORD scattered them all over the world,
and they stopped building the city. That is why the city was called Babel,
because that is where the LORD confused the people with different languages.
In this way he scattered them all over the world.
Genesis 11:1-9 (NLT)
Last year 2010 is gone. Whatever you did right or wrong does not matter anymore except to learn from past mistakes. We are in the wake of 2011 when we still have the opportunity to define what we want to see in this virgin year.
My last article was written in March 2010 on Control-Alt-Delete Yourself which simply means to re-boot yourself. And that was what I did personally and I can humbly say God has brought me forth as gold. Over the last 9 months, I have entered into strange realms of favour and lifting, I concluded my Masters degree with 1st class and many other things that I may not be able to share here, to God be the glory. I can tell you I have indeed seen God. And I believe you have experienced God’s goodness in your life too.
However, I am convinced that whatever we saw last year cannot be compared to what God is set to do in the New Year 2011. Why? Proverbs 4: 18 says God causes our path to shine brighter and brighter... He does not lead backward but forward.
What is God saying to all who will care to listen to what the Spirit is saying in 2011? The story in the above scripture is not new but God seems to be pointing out some principles from the story.
DEFINE IT
I noticed the first thing this group of people decided to do in Genesis 11 was to define their purpose without mincing words. , “Come, let’s build a great city for ourselves with a tower that reaches into the sky. This will make us famous and keep us from being scattered all over the world.”
This is the first step to fulfilment of your 2011 goals. State it. What do you want to achieve in 2011? Please write them down.
IMAGINE IT
They did not just define their goal but envisioned it. They have a picture of it in their mind and how they intend to go about achieving it. What do you want to achieve. How do you want to achieve it. Can you see yourself already fulfilling it? And guess what? You are free to imagine anything.. As far as your eyes can see.
What the mind can conceive, the hand can achieve.
START IT
It does not matter what you define or imagine, without taking the first step, you cannot achieve it. While this looks simple, the reason why many people are yet to change level is just because they have found every reason not to start the business, the professional exams, the relationship, the degree or vocation. However, it is that same reason that others have found to dare the impossible. JUST DO IT. God confirmed about these people in the scripture above that nothing they SET OUT to do will be impossible for them. What are you set out to do in 2011.
Friends, 2011 is still fresh. It only going to take whatever form you want it to take. The world is waiting.
Make a decision;
To work according to God’s will. Don’t labour in vain in 2011. The only reason why those who built the tower did not achieve their goal was because they were pursuing a goal against God’s will. God’s will was for human to fill the earth but they wanted to stay in one place.
To work with people of like minds. Don’t waste your time hanging around those going nowhere. Dissociate yourself quickly with those going nowhere in 2011. “The people are united, and they all speak the same language. After this, nothing they set out to do will be impossible for them! Move with those who understand your language (your idea, your dream, your vision)
To work out your dream. Stop day dreaming. Work, work and work in 2011. Nothing works until you work it. God does not reward laziness. Get out to the field of 2011 and you will reap bountiful harvest.
Define it, imagine it and start it NOW!!!
Happy New Year
Shall we pray
Lord, help us to give our 2011 goals the required push for its fulfilment. Amen.
Focus Shift
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead.
Philippians 3:13 (NLT)
Do you find yourself easily distracted? Have you started facing some discouragement already in this New Year? May be the year doesn’t even feel NEW because of some of the experiences of last year like joblessness, emptiness, lack and struggles that you seem to still have. Yes, you laugh when your friends and family are there but when you are alone you know you’re on your own. You know these negative experiences should not continue if this year must bring the good that you are anticipating.
Like Paul, even with his privileged Roman citizenship, his training in the best schools of his day and all his achievements before He met the savior and after he said in the words above, ‘I have not achieved it (meaning he is not yet where he is going) but the only thing he does is to focus on one thing: TO FORGET THE PAST AND KEEP LOOKING FORWARD!
Every saint has a past and every sinner has a future- Oscar Wilde
I wish I could sound it clearer. This kind of attitude will help you to move on with your life in spite of whatever you face in 2010.
Yes, you were just fired and your take home didn’t take you home.
Yes, since you have been applying for jobs not even one have called you.
Yes, you have a job but you are merely surviving because the job takes all your time and you live from pay cheque to pay cheque.
Yes, most of the employers have called you for interviews but their promise of getting back to you has never materialized.
Yes, you look at some of your colleagues, old school mates and you try to avoid them because of your situation.
Yes, you don’t have any stable source of income and you wonder if this is how your life will continue.
I am sorry to tell you that all these may continue until you deliberately and consciously decide to CHANGE YOUR FOCUS!
"The greatest discovery of all time is that a person can change his future by merely changing his attitude”- Oprah Winfrey
I remember one of the most resounding instructions God gave me about this year is that I should be resilient, which is the ability to bounce back like an elastic rubber after being bent.
Three things to change your focus from this year;
From FEAR to FAITH
Fear incapacitates. Fear limits and sees impossibilities. But you can change your focus from fear to faith this year. Refuse to give up. Faith is seeing the things that are not yet as if we already have them. Don’t speak words of fear even if things around you are scary. Speak words of hope and faith about your future. Words of faith are power and they work. Don’t stand around fearful people because they will influence you. Just do all you can to move your focus from that of fear to faith. And faith comes by hearing what God says in his Word.
“The distinction between past, present, and future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion”- Albert Einstein
From FAULTS to STRENGTH
We all make mistakes but the difference between people is that those who will succeed will not spend time morning their mistakes but just learn from it and move on with their lives. Who do blame for your present predicament? Some blame their parents for not sending them to school, others blame it on the government, economy or political party. Until you shift your focus from your faults and weaknesses and begin to focus on your areas of strength, then there is a problem. There is a something you can do better than others. As a matter of fact, everyone has an area of weakness and there is no situation that is peculiar to you. Dust yourself, look within and explore your untapped strengths. Stop playing the blame game.
“There is only one real tragedy in a woman's life. The fact that her past is always her lover, and her future invariably her husband” – Oscar Wilde
From PAST to FUTURE
Why do you focus on the past when you know you can’t do anything about it? Imagine you being in a vehicle and your driver keeps focusing at the back instead of looking ahead at top speed. What do you do? You scream- Face your front!
Anyone who focuses on the past is heading for a crash. This year is still new with so much potentials loaded inside it. Why do you want to continue driving the wheel of your life by focus on the errors in your past relationships, career choice, wrong investment decisions and failures? Can you unscramble eggs? There is no point crying over spilled milk.
Focus on the dreams of a better future that you have always had and continue to work at it. Work at it with all the strength in you as you look ahead. Let me scream it once again at your face. FACE YOUR FRONT, LOOK AHEAD BECAUSE THE WORLD IS WAITING FOR YOU!
Shall we pray;
Lord, because you live we receive grace to face tomorrow. Amen
MOVE ON with your Life!
Thursday, March 19, 2009
He reopened the wells his father had dug, which the Philistines had filled in after Abraham’s death.
Isaac renamed them, using the names Abraham had given them.
His shepherds also dug in the Gerar Valley and found a gushing spring.
But then the local shepherds came and claimed the spring. “This is our water,” they said, and they argued over it with Isaac’s herdsmen. So Isaac named the well “Argument,” because they had argued about it with him.
Isaac’s men then dug another well, but again there was a fight over it. So Isaac named it “Opposition.”
Abandoning that one, he dug another well, and the local people finally left him alone. So Isaac called it “Room Enough,” for he said, “At last the Lord has made room for us, and we will be able to thrive.”
Genesis 26:17 – 22 (NLT)
Does that phrase sound familiar? Well, whether or not it does, God’s message for the hour to you is to MOVE ON with your life in spite of your limitations. We all are faced with situations where the “seemingly” best option for us is to screw up or just surrender. But the difference between the extra-ordinary and the ordinary people is the “extra” effort, “extra” trial, “extra” attempt or “extra” sacrifice that ordinary people put in.
The scripture above tells the story of the Abraham’s son of promise, Isaac. Abraham had believed God to have Isaac for some 25years before the promise came. But do you know that the fact that Isaac was a son of promise did not exempt him from facing oppositions and obstacles. Similarly, the fact that God has told you many great things would happen for you this year does not exempt you from challenges and oppositions.
There is no TRIUMPH without TRIAL
There is no MIRACLE without OBSTACLE
God had earlier instructed Isaac not to leave where he was and He obeyed. Isaac then decided to dig a well but oppositions came up against him. The opposition was so fierce that they closed up every well he attempted to dig. But Isaac would not give up easily, he persevered until the enemies became tired of him.
God does not bless people in every place. Better put, there is a place to be for you to be blessed. It is however pitiable to know people pack their bags and travel out of their divinely appointed place only to keep struggling and patching through life without a head way.
While growing up, I have seen a few times where well diggers were at work. Well, digging is not a small thing. It is real work. In fact, there are instances where explosives or guns are used especially when the digger hit the rocks underground. God told Isaac to stay in the land, Yes. But he was not to stay idle in the land. He sowed in the land even during FAMINE and he got 100% profit. It is not just enough to be divinely located or to stay where God wants you to be, you must be actively involved in doing something profitable in the place God has asked you to stay.
Dig the well. Take the exams. Run the program. Write the test. Make the move. Do the work!
The truth is that there will always be reasons to turn back. But if you find an excuse to turn back don’t use it. When the children of Israel were faced with the Red Sea and Moses cried to God for help especially because of the Army of Egypt and chariots that was fast closing in on them. But could you believe what God’s response to Moses was- Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the people to get moving! Exodus 14:15 (NLT) God’s word for you is the same, Get moving. Stop crying over what you cannot change.
You cannot unscramble eggs.
Faithfulness
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
I have fought a good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.
And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness that the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that great day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his glorious return.
2Timothy 4:7-8
I was invited last weekend to a village called Dengi, three hours from Jos, Plateau State. It was for the foundation laying ceremony of the Nigeria Christian Corpers’ Fellowship (NCCF) family house.
I had lived for about one year in the same village for my one-year mandatory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and I was the co-ordinator of the fellowship for that period. We organized outreaches in hospital, open field film show, Easter picnic for children and so on. Looking back now at those times, I could only thank God I didn’t influence my posting to another place where probably I wouldn’t have left as much impact as He had helped me to do in Dengi.
The reason why I’m saying all these is because staying in that village for a year wasn’t funny. There were no infrastructures- electricity, good road... we fetched water from a nearby flowing river (for domestic use), and worse of all, the phone network was bad, in fact I was literally cut off from my family. Being a Chartered Accountant, I had an option not to stay there because someone had already helped in influencing my stay to Jos which is the State capital. But I stayed anyway, the rest is history today. Going back there last weekend and seeing a few people there gives me joy especially because what we could only do at that time was to acquire the land for the building on which the foundation was now laid last Saturday. While I was preparing on what to say there, God gave me a word which I shared with some of the leaders I met with there, the word is Faithfulness and I would like to share with you.
Faithfulness simply means being full of faith in a thing that you want to stand by it no matter what. It also implies in some context being predictable, reliable and dependable. God is not out looking for those who are faithful for a while or when the conditions are right, but those who will be faithful in all situations and till the very end.
What does it really mean to be faithful?
In Genesis 39:9 Faithfulness is who you are when nobody is watching. When Joseph was about to be tempted by his master’s wife and nobody was there, he said how could he do such wicked thing and sin against God- not even against is master first. What do we do when no one is watching?
In Daniel 1:8 Faithfulness is doing the right even when you have an opportunity to do wrong. Daniel was a young guy taken captive to Babylon but He made up his mind not to defile himself. For many, once they step out of the shores of their countries to a strange land, they put off the cloth of righteousness by either not going to church or just mingling with unbelievers. Are u still faithful even in that strange land?
In Hebrews 12:1-2 Faithfulness is enduring the shame and all the ills that obeying God may bring you. Jesus endured the cross and now He’s set at the right hand of God.
Areas of Faithfulness
Use of Power/ Office/ Position
One of the areas where God expects us to remain faithful is in the use of power or position we find our self. The scriptures says all power belongs to God. By implication, if He gives you a portion of the power and you misuse it like the parable of the talent, He simply takes it from you and give it to another. Psalms 75:6 says Promotion comes from God. Are you using your current office to glorify Him?
Use of your body
Hmm, this is where many people feel nobody has the right to tell them what to do with their body. But wait for this, 1Corinthians 3:16 says your body is not yours but the temple of the most high God and He further says if you defile His temple ‘that is your own body’, He will destroy. There’s no gainsaying, we are all accountable to God on how we use our bodies.
Use of your resources
Another area where we need to remain faithful is that of our resources especially TIME and MONEY. How do we use our time? Do we spend time on the trivial things or on impactful things, things that leave memories on the sand of time? Do you spend time or invest it? If you sleep for 8hours a day, by the time you’re 75years old, you must have slept for 25years…Ah! Are you practising how to die? When will you wake up to affect the lives that are attached to you. If you spend 15minutes in the bathroom every morning, you might have stayed in the bathroom for some 4years by the time you’re 70years. What are doing there- come out and manifest!
In the use of your money, what do you spend on? To start with, do you claim that what you have is not enough and so you don’t even tithe. The only way God will ever commit more things into your hands is by being faithful with the little He has committed to your hands so far. No kingdom investment. No giving to the poor or less privileged. The way out of poverty or lack is to give- this has been proved over and over. Until you sow, don’t even think of harvest. It doesn’t even answer to prayers- does that shock you! You either give or lack. God is looking for those who will be faithful to Him with everything they have. Has God asked you to give your son? He said so to Abraham and he had no choice than to swear by Himself that He would bless him in all things, we all are still benefitting from Abraham’s blessing today.
Please know that anytime you look up and see the sun above you, then you should know God is still faithful, hence, we are the variable.
Whatever it will cost you, remain faithful to God and in a short while He will lift you.
Remain blessed.
Growing and Harvest Seasons of Life
Friday, February 6, 2009
Finishing is better than starting. Patience is better than pride
Ecclesiastes 7:8 (NLT)
So don't get tired of doing what is good. Don't get discouraged and give up, for we will reap a harvest of blessing at the appropriate time.
Galatians 6:9 (NLT)
I should have finished this series last week but I got busy with some things-meetings, field audit and reading some interesting books. So, in order to quickly get done with this and talk about some other things which promises to be impactful, that's why I decided to combine the last two Seasons- Growing and Harvest Seasons of Life.
I'm just writing this with excitement and I know God has something positive in mind for the reader. Be expectant!
I also want to urge you to always drop a comment on your observations, thoughts or criticism after reading any post on this blog either by clicking on the 'Comment' link below this post or 'Contact Me' up there. It makes me know how much I connect to you.
Yes, growing and harvest seasons of our lives. Being the last in the series of Understanding of Times, let me attempt a very short recap of what we've discussed so far. We first discussed Planning and Planting Seasons of Life (you can scroll down to the previous posts). I want to share with you what to do after you have set your goals and have consciously started sowing seeds, there are certain things to do in order to experience your harvest. Just like no farmer plants and goes to sleep, so also you and I cannot just sow seeds or register for a school/ professional exam or start a relationship or start a business and then go to sleep. Those who do so do not get the required harvest, if they get any at all.
The scripture above says better is the end of a matter than the beginning. God is not just interested in you starting up something and then it giving up half way or not getting the full harvest. What are the things to do to get your desired harvest? They are in no way exhaustive but I've decided to summarize then below;
Diligence
Nothing WORKS until you WORK it. Many are simply complacent. They get contented with average living. They don't see any need to push further. Diligence is one of the most important attitude needed for growth. A child who is lazy to crawl or always wants to remain at the back of the mother may never walk. It is only the diligent hand that will bear rule. God's word says a man diligent in his business will stand before kings and not with mere men. The reason why you are moving around men with people of no repute or ordinary people is because you are not diligent! I told myself sometimes ago that I will not live an ordinary life and I gave myself up to give it all takes and the results are evident already. Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might. A lazy man has no future. Be consciously diligent!
Perseverance
Perseverance is another attitude needed for harvest. Diligence is hardwork but perseverance is dogged, persistent and relentless hardwork. It is a steady and continued action or belief, usually over a long period and especially despite difficulties or setbacks (Thesaurus). Every successful farmer must persevere in order to harvest. It means you keeping doing what you believe in spite of the obstacles. Even if what you planted have been uprooted, replant! Isaac dug a couple of wells and continued digging until he got to his Rehoboth. Many people keep too soon. If you've done all you know to do and you don't seem to see result, persevere- keep at it. It will speak at the end. Be tenacious!
Self discipline
When the harvest eventually comes, you need to be disciplined not to allow it to get into your head. Plenty can get into one's head. It may shock you to hear that the reason why God has not answered some people is because they will backslide if He gives them what they are praying for. God will not give you what will make Him lose you. Some people can just be very undisciplined with money- they buy at impulse, no budget, no investments, just buy what they want and not what they really need. I'm not against giving yourself a treat once in a while, but don't make God see you as a prodigal son because of what He has blessed you with. Be sensitive!
Re-sow part of the harvest
This is an interesting principle. Every fruit carries its seed within it. Orange has orange seed within it, guava, mango, yam…name it. If you decide to eat all your fruit, there will be nothing to sow again which implies no future harvest. Always plough back part of your harvest back to investment. It is crucial. Also, remember to give a tenth of it to God- this is known as tithing to acknowledge Him as the source. Don't eat all, be wise!
Give Thanks
We cannot overemphasize the need to give thanks to the God who made your seed to grow in the first place. Paul plants and Apollo waters but it is God that gives the increase. Always remember, there's a hand behind everything that is moving. Consciously remember to give Him thanks to preserve the blessings. In Malachi 2:1-2, God says that those who fail to give Him glory stand the risk of being cursed even with the blessings.
When last have you taken time to give Him quality thanks. Take some time out to sincerely thank Him for your life today.
Remember, maximize this one life you have to live. The world is waiting for what you have to offer!
You are blessed!
Planting Season of Life
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Don’t be misled. Remember that you can’t ignore God and get away with it. You will always reap what you sow.
Galatians 6:7 (NLT)
What is planting?
Planting is the process of sowing seeds. It is the process of investing (time, energy, resources) in anticipation for future harvest or rewards.
PLANTING IS TAKING RISKS FOR FUTURE RETURNS
It implies therefore, that the kind of result that we want in the future should determine the kind of seeds that we sow today.
STOP SPENDING TIME, START INVESTING TIME.
Tips to note about Planting or Sowing
It is not for now.
It requires determination and focus
It is a time of labour and diligence
It cannot be done just at anytime- It has timing
It requires patience
The seed to plant usually comes from past success
HOW TO MAXIMIZE YOUR PLANTING SEASON
Take responsibility for your life
Responsibility is the mark of maturity. Sowing requires taking responsibility. To be responsible means to be accountable for the outcomes of our actions. Enough of blaming our parents for probably not giving us quality education or not giving us proper moral guidance! Enough of regretting our family background or wishing we came from a more influential family or background. The reality is that we are now here, the best we can do is to take positive steps to ensure that we advance in spite of our negative circumstances.
Don’t continue giving excuses or explaining the reason why you failed!
You should not allow anyone to think for you or tell you the right thing for your life. Be responsible!
Sow the seed now
One thing about planting of seed is that it has timing. You cannot plant certain seeds at particular times of the year. Why? It has timing. So also with our lives, there are certain things we cannot do at a particular time or age. Why? It would be considered as late. Procrastination is the greatest thief of time and the fastest route to mediocrity. Avoid postponing what you can do now! Never be afraid to take risk.
DON’T EAT UP THE WHOLE OF YOUR TODAY- EAT TO LIVE, DON’T LIVE TO EAT!
Sow in faith
It is not just enough to sow at the right time, our sowing has to be done in faith. Faith says, although I can’t see the harvest yet, but I believe the seed will germinate and grow. That’s why the scripture says Paul may plant and Appolos can water the seed, but it is God that ultimately gives the increase or makes it to grow. I Corinthians 3:6
The God-factor cannot be over-emphasized. Do you have a personal relationship with Jesus? He is the only one that can help you to achieve your dreams and He loves you.
Remember, whether you fail or succeed, it’s your fault! Be blessed.
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Planning Season of Life
Monday, January 26, 2009
Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of
They would say, ‘There’s the person who started that building and ran
“Or what king would ever dream of going to war without first sitting down
If he is not able, then while the enemy is still far away, he will send a
Luke 14:28- 32 (NLT)
It is tragic to note that many people spend more time planning trivial matters of life than planning for the most important matters of their very life.
What are your life goals? How big is your dream(s) for the future?
Answers to these questions, however, may not come handy unless you have a working knowledge of the time of your life that you are in. Jesus said in the scripture above that those who build or go to war or who wsih to become His disciples must first need to count the cost before setting out if they don’t want to see shame. Many are faced with shame or find themselves in a fix today because they fail to plan.
WHATEVER TIME IS SPENT PLANNING IS NOT A WASTE BUT AN INVESTMENT.
What is planning?
Simply, it is deciding ahead of time what to do and how to achieve it. Someone defined it as “using your HEAD to go AHEAD”.
Two key factors in planning are ENDS (goals or objectives) and MEANS (strategies or methods). It is believed that the reason why many people refuse to plan is because they do not have any goal for living.
LIVING WITHOUT A GOAL IS LIVNG LIKE A GOAT!
How to maximize you Planning Season
Discover your purpose for living
Every human being created in God’s image is meant to fulfil a particular purpose, but we have a duty to discover from the Creator why He has created us. No product determines its purpose. A television set or laptop does not decide on its own what it wants to do, the manufacturer does. It is the same with us humans, WE DON’T DETERMINE WHAT WE WANT TO DO, WE ARE TO DISCOVER IT. I believe this where many are failing.
Set achievable goals for living
It is a common saying that “Rome was not built in a day” and that the journey of a thousand miles begins with a step. If purpose is the reason for our living, then we need to set achievable short-term, medium-term and long-term goals towards its realization and to write it down. This is planning. Ask yourself, “What do I want to achieve this year or in the next 5 years and so on but it is crucial to set only achievable goals. For instance, if you earn just N20,000 and you set a goal of buying a car within a year. If you ever get to buy one you may not be the one to ride it because you may have starved yourself to death. The point is that the goals to be set must be achievable ones.
Commit your plans to God
God’s word says we can make plans but only what God intends will come to pass. Hence, there’s a lot of wisdom in making plans and placing them before Good for His sanction. It is the God factor in the plans that we make that makes the journey of life great. Only the counsel of God will stand.
In conclusion, planning is so important that living without a set goal is like playing a football game without a goal post… Can you imagine how frustrating and tiring that can be?
You have only this one life to live, maximize your living!
Understanding of Times
Monday, January 19, 2009
Genesis 8:22 (NLT)
There is a time for everything,
a season for every activity under heaven.
A time to be born and a time to die.
A time to plant and a time to harvest.
A time to kill and a time to heal.
A time to tear down and a time to rebuild.
A time to cry and a time to laugh.
A time to grieve and a time to dance.
A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.
A time to embrace and a time to turn away.
A time to search and a time to lose.
A time to keep and a time to throw away.
A time to tear and a time to mend.
A time to be quiet and a time to speak up.
A time to love and a time to hate.
A time for war and a time for peace.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (NLT)
While I was in church last Sunday, I had a nudging to start a series on the Understanding of Times and I strongly believe God has someone in mind to further brighten our knowledge on the importance of following Divine Timing in actualizing God’s purpose for our living. For many, it is not that they do not have a purpose for living, but they lack the understanding of knowing when to launch out to start the business or register for the course or to start the relationship.
It is a known fact that a clear understanding of God’s purpose for our life is the most important discovery we could make as humans, which is why my mentor Dr Munroe says that “When purpose is not defined, abuse is inevitable”. In simple terms, we cannot avoid abnormal living if we do not have a clearly defined reason for living.
Having said this, I want to submit that while understanding of purpose is crucial, setting out for its fulfillment requires proper timing.
“WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING OF TIMES, LIFE WILL BE LIVED IN FRUSTRATION AND REDUCED TO MERE GUESSWORK”
What is Time?
Perhaps, this may be the most tasking question to ask anyone. However, I would to define simply as the occasion or duration of an event. It is said to be the appointed season for a happening or event to take place. The second scriptural passage above shows that there is time for everything. Although, God created time, He lives outside time. That is, God cannot be limited by time- the day and night that we experience. No wonder the bible says a thousand years (of humans) is like a day with the Lord. It says in another place that He neither sleeps nor slumber.
Characteristics of Time
It is impartial
It cannot be stored
It is nobody’s enemy
It can be invested or wasted or used up
It is reliable or definite or predictable
It is a measure of life
It is continuous/ does not wait or stop
It carries with it opportunities
Understanding of Times
Our entire life is measured in second, minutes, hours, days, months and years. By implication, what I do with my seconds eventually affects the years I live. Until we understand the times we are in, we will not be able to maximize our living. One of the tribes of Israel known as the tribe of Issachar, were said to understand the temper of times and knew what Israel ought to do at the right time, therefore all their brethren were at their command. Hence, those who clearly understand the times we are will take the lead.
In life, there are four seasons known as WINTER, SPRING, SUMMER and the AUTUMN. In this series, I will be taking these seasons as follows;
WINTER - PLANNING SEASON
SPRING – PLANTING or INVESTING SEASON
SUMMER – CULTIVATING or GROWING SEASON
AUTUMN – HARVEST or YIELDING SEASON
To break it down according to Dr. Dennis Watley in his book Timing is Everything, these four seasons happen does not follow a sequence but an individual may be at different seasons in varying areas of life like career, marriage, academics or relationship. What this means in simply terms is that you could have gotten married, thus being in your harvest season in your marriage and then decide to take up an additional degree from school, which means you will probably be in your planting season as regards academics. But which way it goes, Timing is crucial to its fulfillment.
WHEN A FARMER MISSES HIS PLANTING SEASON, HE WILL HAVE NOTHING TO HARVEST DURING THE HARVEST SEASON. WHAT ARE YOU PLANTING NOW?
IMPORTANCE OF UNDERSTANDING OF TIMES
To maximize the moments or opportunities that comes our way.
To be able to rise up early for the fulfillment of purpose
To help in overcoming anxiety
To give focus and direction for living
To be able to gain speed and eliminate guesswork.
In the next post, I will explain the Planning Season of our lives and what to do to take advantage of it.
