And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son... Genesis 18:10

With all the will in the world, there are certain things you can’t speed up; as the saying goes, it takes 13 hours to build a Toyota and six months to build a Rolls-Royce. When it was time for God to bless Abraham with the promised child, the Almighty still had to deliver according to the time of life.

Pregnancy in humans is for 9 months which is divided into 3 blocks called trimesters.

The king and his men marched to Jerusalem to attack the Jebusites, who lived there. The Jebusites said to David, “You will not get in here; even the blind and the lame can ward you off.” They thought, “David cannot get in here.” Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion—which is the City of David. 2 Samuel 5:6&7 (NIV)

It’s amazing how David’s company has now changed, the reference for the first time now reads, “the king and his men”. However, the coronation or anointing is a point of departure not a point of convergence.

All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, “We are your own flesh and blood. In the past, while Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel on their military campaigns. And the Lordsaid to you, ‘You will shepherd my people Israel, and you will become their ruler.’”

When all the elders of Israel had come to King David at Hebron, the king made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel.

And the prophet Gad said unto David, Abide not in the hold; depart, and get thee into the land of Judah. Then David departed, and came into the forest of Hareth. 1 Samuel 22:5

The cave of Adullam was a prominent place in the making of David the King, Adullam which was translated to mean a hiding place, a retreat or fortress. The first army gathered themselves to David at Adullam, though they were more or less a bunch of renegades.

While it is probably tempting to want to remain in the cave for safety, unless supplies can be replenished, the cave is nothing more than a sepulchre.

So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. Exodus 3:8

Sometimes we are so naïve, we want the land flowing with milk and honey but we want nothing to do with the bees.

Many people have turned back at the sight of bees in the land of promise even though Man and bees have worked together for thousands of years.

And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand. Exodus 17:9

Moses was clear on the instruction to Joshua; he also made it clear he wasn’t coming on the campaign. By the way this was different from the situation with David who contrary to traditions decided to stay back in Jerusalem while Israel was at war. We saw where that landed David in 2 Samuel 11.

Here was an urgent assignment but also very important, a journey that could lead to the ultimate sacrifice yet he only has one day to prepare.

For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. -2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (NIV)

 

"A gem cannot be polished without friction, nor a man perfected without trials." - Lucius Annaeus Seneca

 

It’s very likely you had challenges last year, if you didn’t; you may be dead or in coma without knowing.

Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers.  Psalm 1:1-3 (NIV)

Walking in step with the wicked, standing in the way that sinners take and sitting in the company of mockers may look inviting sometimes; perhaps it guaranty’s acceptance or quick results.

The toil of fools wearies them; they do not know the way to town. Ecclesiastes 10:15 (NIV)

Of course not all products are great for the market, some arrived too early while others arrived too late; today is dedicated to those that failed to arrive all together.

Just about 10 years ago, before the release of the first IPad, I had a mobile phone I liked so much. For all intent and purpose, it seemed to function like an IPad or any window based notebook. T-Mobile called it the Ameo.

In an era when the bulk of production was farm produce, probably your biggest issue is preserving the freshness of your harvest.

If the axe is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed, but skill will bring success. Ecclesiastes 10:10 (NIV)

“Give me six hours to chop down a tree," Abraham Lincoln asserted, "and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe”. In today’s world of chain saw and power tools it’s probably difficult to relate to some simple exercises such as sharpening the axe.

 

Before going to the farm with my grandmother, you take your machete to the big ‘male’ stone in the courtyard with a bowl of water and begin the process of sharpening.

Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. Hebrews 12:7&8 (NIV)

The life of a believer is compare to being a soldier. Various people were attracted to the military for different reasons, family tradition, love for combat, finding direction and structure in life and others probably saw it a patriotic duty.

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. Hebrews 11:1, 2&8 (NIV)

Over the years my perception of the subject of faith has changed a bit from how to receive things from God, especially materials things or the so-called good things. Now I see faith differently, it’s more of faith to become not faith to receive.

For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant. Hebrews 9:15 (NIV)

There are some legal words in todays’ studies that need to be explored;

Mediator; this is someone who stands as a go-between for two people in conflict, this is usually required once relationship has broken down, sometimes it’s the only way to bring them back to a negotiation table.

Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned. Hebrews 6:7&8 (NIV)

The farmer clears the land and loosened the soil at the beginning of the planting season, at this time the land is ready for sowing, if nothing is planted, weeds will take over the new land. It is the responsibility of the farmer to intentionally sow the field.

For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ…. Titus 2:11-13 (NIV)

Salvation is offered to all people, however not all will be saved, there’s got be offer and acceptance for any deal to be sealed. While salvation covers every aspect of life; health, work, social, spiritual etc.

Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. 1Timothy 4:7&8 (NIV)

 

Physical training and spiritual training are placed side by side; there must be things common to them. To make the most of physical training, you need to make sure of a few things, Diet, exercise, rest, trainer, commitment etc.

Whatever exists has already been named, and what humanity is has been known; no one can contend with someone who is stronger. Ecclesiastes 6:10 (NIV)

 

Jack Welch said, if you don’t have a competitive advantage, don’t compete. This advice is not so much to dissuade you from competing but to find a better way.

 

In one of his letters Ivan IV Vasilyevich (Ivan the Terrible) explained what he suffered in the hands of the boyars after he became an orphan. "My brother Iurii, of blessed memory, and me they brought up like vagrants and children of the poorest.

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NIV)

 

Everything happens in time, nothing happens outside of time, I bet you’ve heard the phrase save some time before, how absurd because time cannot be saved, makes not difference whether you do something or nothing, time drifts anyway.

 

We don’t manage time, it’s ourselves we manage. Alec MacKenzie observed that "Getting control of your time means facing up to the fact that you are usually the problem, not someone else.

A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own toil. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? Ecclesiastes 2:24&25 (NIV)

 

The term job satisfaction can be considered in various dimensions, there is the feeling of accomplishment you get for providing a meaningful service, it is what I call the joy of excellence.  This is not peculiar to any one type service. It applies to the good teacher helping a troubled kid as much as to a care assistant looking after a client.

I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. I applied my mind to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under the heavens. What a heavy burden God has laid on mankind! I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind. Ecclesiastes 1:12-14 (NIV)

 

What’s the use struggling to climb to the top of the ladder and then realise it was leaning on the wrong wall all along; meaningless. A man sacrifices everything, health, family and relationships to chase after business success.