It takes time – Enoch Oloruntoba

We give thanks to God for sparing our lives to witness another new year of good things coming our way. There is no doubt that you might have been blessed richly through reading the WORD OF LIFE and I believe you will continue to be blessed in reading it throughout the year.

I want you to know that there is no short cut to miracles or progress and maturity. It takes years for us to grow to adulthood, and it takes a full season for fruit to mature and ripen. The same is true of the fruit of the Spirit. The development of Christlike character cannot be rushed. Spiritual Growth, like physical growth takes time. So, becoming a man is not a day’s job.

Today, we are obsessed with speed but God is more interested in strength and stability than swiftness. We want the quick fix, the short cut, the on-the-spot solution, we want a sermon, a seminar or an experience that will instantly resolve all problems, remove all temptations and release us from all growing pains. But real maturity or progress is never is never the result of a single experience, no matter how powerful or moving it is. Growth and progress are gradual (II Cor. 3:18).

Although God can instantly transform us, He has chosen to develop us slowly. Why does it take so long to change and grow up?

1.) We are slow learners – We often have to relearn a lesson several times before we really get it. The history of Israelites illustrates how quickly we forget the lessons God teaches us and how soon we revert to our old patterns of behaviour. So, we need repeated exposure.
2.) We are afraid to humbly face the truth about ourselves – the fear of what we might discover if we honestly face our character defects keeps us living in the prison of denial. Only when we allow God to shine the light of His truth on our faults or failures can we begin to work on them. That’s why you cannot grow or progress without a humble, teachable attitude.
3.) Habits take time to develop – your character is the sum total of your habits. You can’t claim to be kind unless you are habitually kind; you show kindness without even thinking about it, you can’t claim to have integrity unless it is your habit to always be honest. There is only one way to develop the habit of Christlike character – it is by practicing them and that takes time. (I Tim. 4:15)
4.) Believe God is working in your life even when you don’t feel it – The workings of God in your life is progressive and gradual. Everything on earth has its own time and its own season. It’s very good to pray for a miracle but don’t be disappointed if the answer comes through a gradual change.
5.) Don’t get discouraged – A delay is not a denial from God. When Habakkuk became depressed because he didn’t think God was acting quickly enough God had this to say, ‘These things I planned wouldn’t happen right away. Slowly Steadily, surely the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, do not despair, for these things will surely come to pass. Just be patient with God and with yourself (Hab. 2:2-3)

However, one of life’s frustrations is that God’s timetable is rarely the same as ours. We are often in a hurry when God is not. You may feel frustrated with the seemingly slow progress you are making in life, remember that God is never in a hurry, but He is always on time. He will use your entire lifetime to prepare you for your role in life and eternity. Please be patient, God is not finished with you, so keep on moving forward in praying, trusting, preserving and depending on Him. Your miracle is around you.

Balance you life – Enoch Oloruntoba

One of the events in the summer Olympics is the pentathlon. It is composed of five events: pistol shooting, fencing, horse back riding, running and swimming. The pentathlete’s goal is to succeed in all five areas, not one or two.

Your life is a pentathlon of five purposes, which you must keep in balance. These purposes were practiced by the first Christians in Acts chapter 2, explained by Paul in Ephesians chapter 4 and modeled by Jesus in John 17 but they are summarized in the great commandment and the great commission of our Lord Jesus Christ.

A great commitment to the Great commandment and the great commission will make you a great Christian. If you are serious about staying on track, you will need to develop these habits.

Giving yourself a regular spiritual check up. The best way to balance your life is to evaluate yourself periodically. God places a high value on the habit of self-evaluation. To maintain your physical health, you need regular check-ups with a doctor who will access vital conditions like blood pressure, temperature, weight and so on. So, for your spiritual health, you need to regularly check the five vital ingredients: worship, relationship or fellowship, growth in character, ministry and mission (Lamentations 3:40)

Writing down your progress in a journal – Another way to reinforce your progress in fulfilling God’s purposes for your life is to keep a spiritual journal. This is not a diary of events, but a record of life lessons you don’t want to forget. Your life is a journey and a journey deserves a journal. You owe it to future generations to preserve the testimony of how God helped you fulfill his purposes in your life. Moses obeyed God’s command to record Israel’s spiritual journey. If he had been lazy, we would be robbed of powerful life lessons of the Exodus (Num 33:2; Heb 2:1; Ps 102: 18)

Passing on what you know to others – if you want to keep growing the best way to learn more is to pass on what you have already learned. The more you know, the more God expects you to use that knowledge to help others. Knowledge increases responsibility. (I Tim. 4:6) Jesus told His father I John 17 6 – 26 what he had been doing for the last three years: preparing his disciples to live for God’s purposes; helping them to know and love God (worship); taught them to love one another (fellowship); gave them to maturity (discipleship); showed them how to serve (ministry); and sent them out to tell others (mission).

Today, God is calling each of us to live a balanced life. We are to add virtue to our faith, then knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and finally love. When we have gone through this sequence of character development, we will be able to help others do the same, bringing them into his fellowship, help them grow to maturity and discover their place of service and then send them out to be a blessing to others. Blessed are the balanced; they shall outlast everyone.

You are a pilgrim on a journey – Enoch Oloruntoba.

Whosoever looks forward to the fulfillment of God’s promises should also live like strangers and pilgrims on the earth. ‘Strangers’ in the sense that our home is in heaven. Earth is not our permanent home and we are pilgrims because we are journeying to heaven. When you are on a journey from one destination to another then you are a pilgrim.

What demand does being a pilgrim make on our lives? First, we are to travel light. It means we are to carry nothing along except what is necessary and useful for the journey. We are on a journey but the people of the world are not on a journey and that is why they give all their time and energy to running after money and to acquiring material possessions at the expense of their souls. Our knowledge helps us to take only the necessary, compulsory things with us on our journey.

Secondly, somebody on a journey does not stop by to rest until he reaches home. This is why we must not settle down anywhere on the way. We should keep marching on, eagerly looking forward to the time of rest which we know will surely come.

Thirdly, somebody on a journey, if he is sure o his destination from his point of take off does not have the intention to turn back mid way. This is why we should not be thinking about going back to the world.

Fourthly, we do not stop by to gaze at the vanities on display by the road-side. We must not stop by to attend the theatres, cinemas, night clubs, public houses, social parties and political rallies of the world. Rather, we should keep marching on and we should not allow these things to tie us down by the road-side.

Fifth, we are to be careful not to allow another traveler who has missed his way to discourage us or to distract our attention or make us miss the way. We want to get home as quickly as possible. That means you must beware of friends and mixed multitude on your Christian journey.

Sixth, we keep constantly before our eyes our future which is our final destination even when others decide to drop by the way. We have to keep marching on until we reach our destination. I want you to know that we are ambassadors of the king of our own heavenly country. We are not part of the people here because we belong over there! We are only here for this moment as ambassadors of our King. As Christian strangers and pilgrims our citizenship is in heaven. The patriarchs believed in the promises of God to the point of death and counted themselves strangers and pilgrims on earth. If you believe in the Lord, you must realize that we are strangers on this earth!

You should make up your mind not to build again the things you have once destroyed. Beware of people who regret that they ever got saved. Stay outside of the company of those who bemoan their knowledge of the way of holiness. Fix your eyes on the goal, keep on following the Lord to the very end of your life. May the Lord grant you journey mercies to His city (Heaven) Amen.

Count your blessings – Enoch Oloruntoba

Arthur Hockett, a powerful preacher and an anointed man of God once said, ‘some people count their blessings on their fingers and their miseries on an adding machine.’

Perhaps a brief analysis of this statement is necessary, to throw more light on its meaning. A human being has ten fingers. Ten, by any standard is a small figure. This means some people see their blessings as being too few. On the other hand, we, in most cases resort to using adding machine for calculations involving many figures. Counting one’s miseries on adding machines means looking at same being too many. Whereas there are many blessings of God in our lives that we turned our eyes away from and brood over the few miseries which we can overcome by fervent prayers.

“What of the air we breathe in which comes our way free?” is it the good health or protection we want to talk about? Talk of being His child with all the associated grace. Why should we be thinking of money, car, landed properties and so on every time?”

The scripture says, ‘enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise! Give thanks to Him, bless His name’ (Ps 100:4) there is no gain saying the fact that the importance of praising God cannot be over emphasized. It is not only when you feel things are going on well with you that you praise Him. Brethren, please try and learn to count your blessings.

“No part of the scripture says you will not face tribulations in your Christian journey; the assurance is that you will overcome in the end if you trust Him.”

Learn how to rejoice always (I Thess 5:16), no matter what you see as your miseries. Play down on them (miseries) and celebrate your blessings by counting them and giving praise to God.

Your past! – Put it behind you – Enoch Oloruntoba

We give glory to God for sparing our lives to witness the end of another year, despite the fact that the year was full of turbulence, problems, commotions and sad occurrences. All the life experiences in the year were passages that became past for man.

Please understand that everyone has a past, either good or bad. As a matter o fact, only a few people march straight to success without going through the period of temporary setback, disappointment, failure, discouragement, inability or poverty. Many people are not progressing because they have made themselves prisoners of the past. Instead of leaving their past in the past by closing doors against it they still allow the past to stop them from moving forward.

Let it be known to you that there is no future in the past and no past in the future. If you hold too tightly to the past you will have no hand to welcome the future. Moreover, you cannot constantly look back and get forward and if you don’t leave your past in the past you are likely to pass away with it.

The prodigal son knew how to leave his past in the past, he could have allowed his past to ruin his future but he, instead said, “I will arise” and he arose. So, every circumstance of your life, every joy, every setback, disappointment, problem you encountered in the year has an effect in shaping you into what you should be. You must know how to handle your past so that it wouldn’t hinder your future.

How do you close the door on your past
These are the ways that will help you to leave your past in the past and move forward.
1. Be positive – it takes optimism to leave one’s past in the past. People who achieve greatness in life don’t work or the past that nothing could be done with. There is a difference between failure at an event and failure as a person. For the fact that you failed, doesn’t make you a failure.
2. Commit your way unto the Lord (Ps 37:5, Heb13:8). – Trust in God and pray always to Him He will help you take care of your past.
3. Take time to think – No reasoning, no rising. If you cannot think, you stink. Sit down to plan, sit down to map out strategies to brighten your future, set goals that will move you forward.
4. Take responsibility for your life – Stop blaming people for your failure and do away with excuses. Be in charge of your life. You are the chief architect of your life. Your life can be whatever you want it to be.
5. Determine to rise – Determination is very crucial to progress, you must determine to make something great out of your experiences in life. A lazy man will keep looking at the past until he passes away with it. Your future is in your hand; when your hands are closed your destiny is closed.

Beloved, the year has come and gone with all its happenings which might have affected you in one way or the other. Yes, but let it be known that it has become a past. If oyu wish to hold on to it, and trapped by it, it will hinder the incoming bright future that is in stock for you and your family. Therefore, close your doors to it and be expecting the good tidings the new year has for you. Your condition does not matter, Your conclusion is what matters. Better days are still ahead, keep on moving. Problems are all part of life.