Reflexions

QUITTING IS EASY

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Victor C Ubani) — Wed, 26 Jun 2019 03:52:00 +0000

"But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed" (2 Corinthians 4:7-9)

Quitting is easy. It is the path of least resistance. All it takes for one to capitulate is simply to stop trying - just walk away, throw away your confidence in the Lord which has a great reward. Quitting begins simply with giving up in your mind and losing enthusiasm emotionally. The rest of you soon follows. However, it's not over yet until you say it is, for failure, no matter how often, is never a done deal until one gives up.

You will face challenges and oppositions, that's the reality of life. As our scripture text suggests, you will be troubled, you will be perplexed, persecuted and even knocked down, perhaps several times, but as long as you don't stay down, you will never be counted out.

Are you on a just path, living a life of faithful obedience? Then trust the Lord for the grace to persevere in times of trials. Trust God for the strength and courage to deal with the challenges each new day brings. Determine to "press" ahead, looking unto Jesus, who is the source of your strength (Philippians 4:13).

Quitting is easy, but quitters never win. Those who are counted as winners are in the company of those who didn't quit. Winners do get knocked down as often and as hard as everyone else, sometimes even more, but the difference is that they never stay knocked down. They always get back up again and continued to run the race set before them. "...cast down but not destroyed," they persevere!

So, be sure that you are running your own race not another's and be assured that, in Christ, the grace of God is sufficient for you to run you own race, whatever the hand life deals you. "Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward" (Hebrews 10:35), so that by the excellency of God's mighty power at work in you, you may run your life's race with endurance and finish your course triumphantly!

Grace & peace to you!

Pastor Victor

A WONDERFULLY BLESSED LIFE

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Victor C Ubani) — Sat, 10 Mar 2018 10:41:00 +0000

“The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.” (Psalm 16:6)

All glory to God who has promised to supply all our needs according to His riches in glory.

As you ponder the words of the psalmist in our text, I hope like me you receive them as a powerful personal statement of faith to profess and live by daily.

The believer's daily life of faith is a life to be lived continually and steadfastly in the confident hope of God's goodness and faithfulness. Life on earth is littered with trials and troubles that often test us and fiercely challenge us, but in all these we must remain focused on God who ultimately causes all things to work together for our good, because Christ has overcome the world (John 16:33).

So, though momentarily you may not be experiencing what you hope for, yet your expectations of God's goodness and faithfulness have not been denied. Understand that you have a beautiful inheritance in Christ. In Him God has caused the lines to fall for you in pleasant places, for God's thoughts for you are for good and not for evil. Indeed, your hope in Christ will never bring shame, praise God!

In all things, Christian, remain God-focused. He alone has the final say in everything concerning you. His boundary lines mark out pleasant places for you. You have a bright future, a delightful and wonderfully blessed life!

May the Lord direct your steps always and cause you to experience diverse and full manifestation of the blessings you have obtained in Christ Jesus as an heir of God.

Grace to you!

Pastor Victor Ubani

DOERS, NOT HEARERS ONLY

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Victor C Ubani) — Sun, 21 May 2017 04:25:00 +0000

What matters in life is not merely what you know, but what you do with what you know.

Knowing, for example, that your poor neighbour is unable to feed his hungry children, does not fill their belly with nourishment; but your acting on that knowledge to actually make provisions for them, directly or indirectly, will make the necessary difference.

LOVE POURED INTO OUR HEARTS

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Victor C Ubani) — Mon, 27 Jun 2016 11:46:00 +0000

"God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us" (Romans 5:5).

The love of God poured into the believer's heart is not a mere embellishment but functional, intended to fundamentally affect how a Christian lives, behaves, and responds or reacts to day-to-day events. "Do everything in love" (1 Corinthians 16:14).

Christian, you are a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17) and God's love is the foundation, the character, and energizer of this new life. It is the motivational force that urges us on.

Therefore, friend, be intentional in unleashing this love. Consciously put it at the centre of who you are so that you may thrive in your Christian calling and rise to the top in every aspect of life. Remember, "Love never fails" (1 Corinthians 13:8).

Grace to you!

Pastor Victor Ubani

REMAIN WITH CHRIST

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Victor C Ubani) — Fri, 18 Sep 2015 20:22:00 +0000

"The truth is in Jesus" (Ephesians 4:21).

In this changing world of rapidly changing appetites where the bounds of propriety and acceptability are redrawn daily according to the whims of men - men who reject the knowledge of God, Christ is your "True North"! Follow Christ and remain with Him!

Russian Orthodox believer and novelist, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, was a man whose life could be described as a strange mix of paradoxes, a man in whom an internal conflict between the believer and the sceptic raged.

Despite appearing conflicted, however, Dostoyevsky uniquely summed up the strength and depth of his Christian conviction and devoutness with the following profound expression of his faith in Christ: “If someone proved to me that Christ is outside the truth and that in reality the truth were outside of Christ, then I should prefer to remain with Christ rather than with the truth.”

Friend, whatever the rest of the world decides today's version of truth is, only REMAIN WITH CHRIST - for "Truth" that ultimately matters is to be found in Him who alone is able to say "I am the way and the truth and the life" (John 14:6). Only on the strength of this conviction will you find true meaning and discover the courage for the next step to the next level in your life.

Press on in the Spirit of Christ.

Pastor Victor Ubani

Who Can Invalidate It?

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Victor C Ubani) — Wed, 09 Sep 2015 06:36:00 +0000

“For the Lord of hosts has purposed, and who will annul it? His hand is stretched out, and who will turn it back?” (Isaiah 14:27)

God has stretched out His mighty hand....! Child of God, the unlimited, unassailable, and unstoppable power of God is at work in you, for you and through you in Christ. Darkness cannot comprehend it or master it!

So no matter what you are going through or what challenge comes your way today, rejoice in the Lord and in the power of His might! The Lord your God will see you through and neither man nor the forces of darkness can prevent it.

God will do what He says He will do, so be glad and give Him glory already. The purpose of God cannot be frustrated. It cannot be stopped.

Hallelujah!

Pastor Victor Ubani

Sufficient Grace

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Victor C Ubani) — Mon, 31 Aug 2015 03:48:00 +0000

"God's grace is sufficient for you, for His power is made perfect in weakness." (2 Corinthians 12:9)

The undeserved and undue attention you give to your opposers and detractors, energizes them but slows you down and wears you down. It eventually wears you out; incapacitates you, it halts your progress altogether.

So be determined to turn away and move on from the stumbling blocks and unfair criticisms. Move forward with the purpose of God for your life, "looking unto Jesus the author and the finisher of our faith" who endured even worse, but finished His race all the same.

Paul, unsderstanding the power of the word that God had just spoken to Him, joyfully and boldly declared: "For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Corinthians 12:10). There is power in the word of God!

In the uniqueness of your personal experiences today, I pray that you will encounter the power of God's word and find that His grace is indeed sufficient.

May the power of Christ always rest upon you as you activate His word in every situation!

#ActivateTheWord!

Pastor Victor Ubani

What Are You Waiting For?

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Victor C Ubani) — Thu, 30 Apr 2015 04:04:00 +0000

"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

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Victor C Ubani) — Wed, 04 Feb 2015 09:37:00 +0000

"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

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Victor C Ubani) — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 06:45:00 +0000

“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

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Victor C Ubani) — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 10:50:00 +0000

“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

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Victor C Ubani) — Fri, 13 Jun 2014 01:00:00 +0000

“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

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Victor C Ubani) — Tue, 10 Jun 2014 07:30:00 +0000

"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

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Victor C Ubani) — Fri, 06 Jun 2014 01:08:00 +0000

"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

TO LIVE IS CHRIST

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Victor C Ubani) — Tue, 03 Jun 2014 05:35:00 +0000

“For me to live is Christ…” (Philippians 1:21)

This simple statement expresses most powerfully the reality of the Christian’s relationship with Christ. This thought cannot be fuzzy in the mind of the one who believes. Without equivocation, every true believer knows the meaning of and holds dear to his heart this elegant expression of devotion, “For me to live is Christ…”

Christianity is not a mere religious creed, but a life-transforming relationship with Christ Jesus. It is a radically transformed life and manner of life which acknowledges Christ’s death on the cross for the remission of mankind’s sin. And recognises also His subsequent resurrection in complete display of His pre-eminence and His power over sin and death. These signify the believer’s personal death to sin and resurrection to life in Christ.

In another place Paul expressed the thought in our text in a less cryptic fashion, saying –

“My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20, NLT)

Such transformation is accomplished by the grace of God which enables us to consciously “Put to death therefore what is earthly..." namely, "sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry”, putting away “anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth” (Col 3:5, 8).

On the other hand, "to live is Christ" means that we learn to actively “seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God…Setting our minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” (Col 3:1-2).

What it boils down to is that the believer must put away certain ways and put on others if they are to truly live a Christlike life. The exhortation to "live is Chirst" challenges the genuinely save person to “put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator” (Colossians 3:9-10).

So how closely would you say that your life mirrors the image of Christ? “Likeness” gets increasingly better the more one insists on living the transformed life by permitting one's mind to be renewed in the knowledge of God.

To be a Christian is hardly about what you say you are, for “what good is faith without works?” If Christ is your life, then let the life of Christ grow in you and be displayed through your conduct and behaviour.

God bless you faithful doer of the Word who understands that "to live is Christ!"

~ Pastor Victor Ubani

THE LORD WILL PROVIDE

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Victor C Ubani) — Fri, 30 May 2014 05:19:00 +0000

“And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”” (Genesis 22:13-14)

There is nothing too hard for the Lord. There is no situation so challenging as to deny the Lord’s provision. The day Abraham took his son and went up the mountain according to the commandment he received from God, I can imagine that he was quite distressed, if only for a moment, by the thought that he was to offer Isaac on the altar of sacrifice as a consequence of the command of God.

Yet during the course of the journey, Abraham’s faith for a different outcome was revealed when Isaac ventured to point out the obvious, saying, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” (Genesis 22:7). To this, Abraham responded, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son” (Genesis 22:8), and in this we see Abraham’s faith in God as His provider.

Being fully persuaded of God’s faithfulness, Abraham received Isaac, the son God promised him and Sarah and accomplished at a time when such outcome was hopeless and naturally impossible (Romans 4:19-21). And here he was again facing a test of faith, but one in which what God required of him must have seemed very strange and almost impossible to contemplate.

Yet Abraham faced this even sterner challenge buoyed only by his strong and unwavering confidence in the providence of God. The prospect of losing Isaac loomed but, by faith Abraham pressed ahead trusting God for a solution that would neither rob him of the joy of this son for whom he and Sarah waited 25 years nor in any way break the promises God had made.

When the time came for Abraham to complete the task, God showed up and supplied that which was lacking – "the lamb for the burnt offering"! Be reminded, therefore, that though you have needs today that are challenging and pressing, they cannot resist the power of God’s solution. God is able to supply every need of yours according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

God in His Wisdom and Goodness has an infinite variety of means by which He can meet your needs. So learn to follow in Abraham’s footsteps of faith today and trust that “the Lord will provide” (i.e., Jehovah Jireh).

God bless you!

Pastor Victor Ubani

What The Lord Requires

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Victor C Ubani) — Sat, 24 May 2014 02:44:00 +0000

Our exposure to the word of God, no matter how frequent, will fail to profit us in any meaningful way until we start to put the word into practice, allowing it to transform our lives. I believe this thought was on Apostle Paul's mind when he gave the following directive in his letter to the Philippian church:

"What you have LEARNED and RECEIVED and HEARD and SEEN in me—PRACTICE these things, and the God of peace will be with you." (Philippians 4:9)

Dear believer, you have learned the word through bible study, you have received it through various seminar teachings and heard it preached. You also have seen the word lived out by those who have taught you and other believers. Given these various encounters with the word, what would you say God is telling you to do today?

As God's child, your Heavenly Father demands response from you for the things He has revealed to you through His word. The Lord requires a corresponding action from you. Practice what you have discovered through the Scriptures and the God of peace will be with you.

I pray that nothing will be able hinder you or keep you from being a doer of the word; and may God satisfy you with all the blessings that obedience brings!

~ Pastor Victor Ubani

THE ZEAL OF GOD

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Victor C Ubani) — Fri, 11 Oct 2013 22:06:00 +0000

"BLESSED IS the one who LISTENS to me, WATCHING daily at my gates, WAITING besides my doors." (Proverbs 8:34)

I am familiar with chasing after church members with phone calls to encourage them to attend worship services and church events and then hearing people come up with all manner of excuses why they feel justified to be absent, but I was moved to tears yesterday as I ministered to over 400 prison inmates who listened attentively and held on to every word with many taking notes and all responding joyfully to the message of hope.

What was most astonishing was my discovery later on that only 30 of these inmates had been granted official pass to attend the meeting. The rest of them have had to pay with their food ration or cash in order to be granted the privilege - and this was not a one-off occurrence, but a way of life for them. That's how much they love the Lord. That's how much the zeal of the house of the Lord has consumed them (Psalm 69:9).

If anyone could ever have reason to be lukewarm and nonchalant about the things of God these inmates have more than you can ever imagine by virtue of the treatment they endure daily. Yet they tirelessly hunger for God, listening to His word with such refreshing eagerness, watching daily for the church gates to open, and waiting earnestly for the privilege to be allowed to go to church.

These men may be in prison, they may have been denied even the freedom of spiritual fellowship, but they are "free indeed" (John 8:36). They are truly blessed (Psalm 144:15).

Now, what's your excuse again? How much do you value the privilege of your relationship with Christ? How zealous are you for the Lord? Are you listening, watching, and waiting eagerly? Just a thought.

YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE A SUPERHERO

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Victor C Ubani) — Thu, 05 Sep 2013 11:53:00 +0000

“The aim of our instruction is love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith.” (1 Timothy 1:5)

You don’t have to be a superhero to make a difference. It is the love of Christ filling your heart daily and driving all your actions that make you a force to be reckoned with.

Love is the most powerful force on the face of this earth. It is love that moved God to take pity on us and come to our rescue in an act of benevolence even while we were yet in transgression (John 3:16; Romans 2:4)

Every act of sincere, selfless love always defies the odds and is able to accomplish far more than the eyes can see. Genuine love does not call undue attention to itself, but has the kind of impact that touches people at the core of their existence and makes lasting impressions of goodness on them. This love acts not for what it can get but for what it can give, and leaves people fundamentally better off than it met them.

HELP IS NEAR

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Victor C Ubani) — Thu, 30 May 2013 15:09:00 +0000

“But when he noticed how strong the wind was, he became afraid and started to sink. He shouted, “Lord, save me!”” (Matthew 14:30, GW)

It is easier to give up and give in to destructive forces than it is to hold on by faith and fight back for a life worth living. To live, you have to overcome your fears, your doubts, your feelings of inadequacy and powerlessness, and resist every force intent on pulling you down and under.

Life sometimes does feel like Peter must have felt as he walked on water in Matthew 14:28-32. He started out full of confidence and enthusiasm, but before long his steps began to be tentative as his attention shifted and he became aware of the strength of the wind around him. By focusing on what the wind was doing his fear was fed, his faith starved, and he began to sink.

ALWAYS THERE

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Victor C Ubani) — Tue, 21 May 2013 15:47:00 +0000

“For God has said, “I will never leave you and I will never abandon you.”" (Hebrews 13:5)

“I will never leave you and I will never abandon you!” This is God's unambiguous promise to you, Christian – and what an amazing promise it is! God has promised that, without a doubt, His presence will always be with you.

The impact of our scripture passage is far-reaching. It's promise is relevant not only for the believer’s physical and emotional protection and healing, but also for their material provision and prosperity as well as their spiritual preservation and perfection. Everything God can do and will do for you in Christ is included in the promise “I will never leave you and I will never abandon you!”

COMPLETE IN CHRIST

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Victor C Ubani) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 13:00:00 +0000

“For GOD IS WORKING IN YOU, giving you the DESIRE and the POWER to do what pleases him.” (Philippians 2:13, NLT)

Neglecting a desire and an opportunity to do that which is good is contrary to the will of God and is not a purpose that originates from God. God is good all the time and He is the author of all that is good all the time (James 1:17). Jesus affirmed this when He said, “… only God is good” (Mark 10:18).

God is working in you to desire and to do good. Be careful then that you do not resist God. The devil cannot create in your heart a desire to do something that delights and honours the Father, nor can he empower you to accomplish it. Your desire for good and your ability to do good comes from God!

IT IS POSSIBLE WITH GOD

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Victor C Ubani) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 15:30:00 +0000

"Impossible" is a concept that has relevance only to the extent that we limit its application - our thoughts and expectations - to what man can do.

"Jesus looked at them intently and said, 'Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.'" (Mark 10:27)

When you look at a situation and conclude that there is nothing you can do, or that it is impossible to see how you can make it, let me assure you that you are quite right, as our Scripture text makes absolutely clear. Yes, in your own power there is certainly a limit to what you can do, but to say that is not the same as saying, "give up and quit."

Only when we have come to the end of ourselves are we rightly positioned and able to KNOW God whose power and authority is unlimited - and then only can we learn to "be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might".

I AM WONDERFULLY MADE

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Victor C Ubani) — Mon, 08 Oct 2012 13:30:00 +0000

[O Lord], “I praise you because you made me in an AMAZING and WONDERFUL way. What you have done is wonderful. I KNOW THIS VERY WELL.” (Psalm 139:14)

God has “made you in an amazing and wonderful way…” It is a tragedy though that not many people believe this about themselves. Worse still is that there are believers who would hear a comment like “You are amazing” or “You are wonderful” and never attribute such quality it to themselves, rather they think of others people whom they believe such statement would fit better.

LORD, I WILL

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Victor C Ubani) — Fri, 21 Sep 2012 11:00:00 +0000

"When You said, 'Seek my face,' my heart said to You, 'O Lord I will seek Your face.'" (Psalm 27:8)

The tenderness and sensitivity to God of a true believer's heart is defined by its wilful submission to God as defined by a simple two word response to any and all of God's counsel and command, namely, "I will". In other words, "For me, if God said it, that settles it." This is a Christlike quality.