Youth for Jesus – REALITIES MINISTRIES

He can make you outstanding | Pst. J.O. Lawal

Date: February 16, 2022 | Series: Youth for Jesus | Number: Vol. 4, No. 40

“Praise be to the LORD my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle.” (Ps 144:1NIV)

All kinds of wonderful things are reported in the bible about David’s exploits. First, we are told of how he killed a lion and a bear while taking care of his father’s sheep. Then we are told of how he killed that warrior-giant, Goliath, with just a sling and a stone. Also, we are told of how he never lost a battle or war, since he began to lead the armies of Israel in their campaigns. He was, in short, such a great warrior and warlord that even God testified that he shed much blood on the earth.

But how did a shepherd boy like him grow up to become as skillful and talented as he was in matters of warfare? He answers this question for us in our opening bible text. There he tells us that it was God Himself that trained his hands for war and his fingers for battle. That means he got his warfare skills and abilities through the blessings of God. Yes, he too must have subjected himself to thorough discipline, training and education in war matters. But if God had not blessed him with the abilities to comprehend warfare and to fight and win, all his devotion to training himself in the art of warfare would not have amount to anything.

Now one may wonder and ask, “But why would God make a young man like David a talented killer and warlord?” Well, it was to save and protect His people, the nation of Israel from their enemies. Remember that he did something similar with Samson. He gave him supernatural strength and abilities to kill for the protection of His people. And He still acts in similar ways today. I mean that He still gives people special abilities to create things or systems or to acquire skills and education useful and relevant in war matters in order to protect their nations. So, those nations that are now seen as world powers are what they are because they have been gifted by God with individuals who have special abilities for warfare and who are also willing to use those abilities to keep their nations safe.

But then, it is not only in war matters that God enables people to be outstanding in life. He equally enables people in other areas of life to become outstanding. In fact, there is no aspect of life in which God is not able to empower people with abilities that will make them outstanding enough to bless those in their world. For example, as we are equally told in the bible, David was not just a skilful killer and warlord, he was also a great psalmist, musician, organiser, leader and architect.

Just consider some of the things said about him in the following bible texts:

“These are the last words of David “The oracle of David son of Jesse the oracle of the man exalted by the Most High, the man anointed by the God of Jacob, Israel’s singer of songs…”” (2Sam 23:1NIV)

“And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them.” (Ps 78:72NIV)

“Then David gave his son Solomon the plans for the portico of the temple, its buildings, its storerooms, its upper parts, its inner rooms and the place of atonement. He gave him the plans of all that the Spirit had put in his mind for the courts of the temple of the LORD and all the surrounding rooms, for the treasuries of the temple of God and for the treasuries for the dedicated things. He gave him instructions for the divisions of the priests and Levites, and for all the work of serving in the temple of the LORD, as well as for all the articles to be used in its service.” (1Chron 28:11-14NIV)

“All this,” David said, “I have in writing from the hand of the LORD upon me, and he gave me understanding in all the details of the plan.”” (1Chron 28:19NIV)

Now since God was able to make David outstanding in these various areas of life, He is also able to do the same for you and me. He is able to empower us with the abilities and aptitudes we need to acquire skills, training and (or) education that will make us outstanding in one or more fields of life. But first, we too, like David, will need to love and trust Him with all our hearts, knowing that we cannot accomplish anything apart from Him. That way, He can guide us into those fields of life where He wants to use us, for it is in those fields of life where He wants to use us that He will make us outstanding. (Cf. John 15:5; 2Cor 3:5-6)

Second, we need to rid our lives of laziness and yield ourselves to get the necessary training, discipline or education to become outstanding. If we are lazy in our minds or in culture, it does not matter how blessed of God we are, we will never be outstanding in life. Instead, it is people with lesser abilities and skills that will take the places meant for us.

Third, we need to cultivate the right mentality, the mentality of the man God makes outstanding. And who does He make outstanding in life? It is that person that is always seeking to use the abilities He has blessed him with to do those in his life or world good. So, if we are always seeking to do others good or make life better for them with the abilities God has given us, however small or insignificant those abilities may be, He will certainly empower us to become outstanding with them. Then, someday, people will adore us for standing out in life as special with professions, abilities or skills that many consider as ordinary or useless.

My prayer, then, is that God will work out in your life all that is required by Him to make you outstanding with His gifts in your life, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Copyright © 2022, Reality Desk, a ministry of Alaythia Bible Church –This material is the sole property of Reality Desk. It may be copied for personal non-commercial use only in its entirety free of charge. All copies must contain this copyright notice. Please direct any questions you may have to pastor@abcministryng.com or call: 08037592851 (WhatsApp Number: 07085711280)

The force of unity

“But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower that the men were building. The LORD said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.” (Gen 11:5-7NIV)

One major lesson that the bible account of the Tower of Babel teaches us is the power of unity. Men at the time they attempted to build this tower were all speaking one language. But it was not just because they were speaking one language that they could attempt such a mind-blowing project; rather, it was because they were united in mind and in purpose. They knew what they wanted, and all of them were willing to give their best to bringing it to pass. And so united and devoted were they to this cause that even God Himself acknowledged that their unity was a force not to be taken lightly.

Now, of course, as the account further shows, God needed to confuse their language and scatter them all over the face of the earth. Why? Was it because He was against unity? No! Or was it because He could not stand the progress of humanity? No! First, God is never against unity, as shown us all through Scriptures. Rather, He loves unity, preaches unity and always wants His people to live in unity because He Himself is a God of peace and unity (Ps 133; Eph 4:3; Phil 2:1-2; 1Thess 5:23).

Then God is never against our progress. Remember that when He first brought man forth, He placed on Him the blessing of fruitfulness, progress and multiplication. Why would He do that, if He did not want progress for us? Also, even after the flood of the days of Noah, He still did the same thing – He blessed humanity. And all through the Scriptures the same message is communicated, which is that God wants us to prosper in all ways and also live in health. (Cf. Gen 1:28 &9:7; 3John 2)

However, when a man begins to pursue prosperity, peace or growth without God, he is in danger of ultimately losing himself and whatever it is that he is labouring for. And that was the case with men in the days that they sought to build the Tower of Babel. Though they were united, their unity was not towards honouring God or upholding His cause. God wanted them to fill the whole earth and replenish it. But they wanted to stay in one place and make a name for themselves, as though they were existing for themselves. So, God confused their language and scattered them. And that is to teach us that anytime we gather together to stand against the will of God or cause of God for humanity, regardless of how great our number may be, whatever we are up to will certainly end up in chaos and confusion for us all (Ps 2:1-6).

Nonetheless, the unity of those people must be commended. God Himself, as I pointed out before, commended it and said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them.” In other words, unity is a force that cannot be stopped, unless God Himself stops it. And God won’t stop it, inasmuch as it is functioning according to His purpose. So, if we want to be unstoppable in our homes, organisations, communities, churches or anywhere, we need to employ the force of unity, a unity that is not contrary to the will of God. Yes, if we want to be able to accomplish any good and righteous goal we set for our family or whatever group we belong to, all of us there must love unity, embrace it and also labour to maintain it. Otherwise, however talented or gifted we may be, individually, nothing we set out to do will end in success.

See, one of the reasons some families, organisations and even Christian assemblies will never rise beyond where they are is that they have not embraced unity. Yes, there may be many gifted or talented people in them. But as long as they do not embrace a culture that loves and promotes unity, they will never make any real progress. Yes, I know there are certain diabolical philosophies in the world that teach leaders that unity is contrary to development and that their followers must be set against one another in order to get the best out of them. That is nothing but satanic wisdom. And ultimately, it will be the ruin of those who embrace and practise it. So, don’t ever yield yourself to that or anything that resembles it. Instead, embrace God’s wisdom about unity, and you will be amazed at the kind of power it will release for your growth and the growth of whatever family or group you belong to.

Copyright © 2020, Reality Desk, a ministry of Alaythia Bible Church –This material is the sole property of Reality Desk. It may be copied for personal non-commercial use only in its entirety free of charge. All copies must contain this copyright notice. Please direct any questions you may have to alaythiabiblechurch@gmail.com/alaythia4all@gmail.com or call: 08037592851 (WhatsApp Number: 07085711280)