Keys To Progress

THE New Year presents an opportunity for everyone, especially Christians, to review the way they lived in the past, and to chart a new course, even as they look forward to attracting the blessings of God. Similarly, the Old Testament people, while considering their subsisting experiences, eagerly looked ahead to a time when they would receive the promises of God. But they all died without the fulfillment of the promises. It wasn’t because God didn’t care much about them. Rather, God has prepared better things for us in the present age, so that the people of old cannot be made perfect without us. Better things are waiting for those who trust God in this new dispensation. Such people see themselves as strangers and pilgrims in this world. A pilgrim is somebody on a journey; believers are on a journey to heaven. Pilgrims are expected to conduct themselves wisely. They must concentrate on the direction of their travel. They must remain focused and faithful. They do not lose sight of the reasons they came into the kingdom of God in the first place, as such will eventually influence them to slow down, or be distracted, and could result in premature end to their journey. They must sustain purity of life, so that they can be nourished and preserved to the end. They must also never lose sight of the danger that could arise in the course of their journey.

Many Christians do not understand that they are engaged in a battle with Satan; that Satan is intent in hindering them from getting to their eternal destination. They need, therefore, to ensure that they are growing in the things of God. To grow in faith, focus, desire, you must deeply cherish and feed on the word of God. It cleanses from sin. It is when you hear and believe that word that you are saved, and because of this, you come alive in God. Everything you read from the word of God, every message you hear, builds you up spiritually. It is such that for you to receive salvation from God, you must have, on a particular day, in a particular place, heard the word of God, believed it, and surrendered your life to Christ. You received His forgiveness, and the Spirit of God bore witness in your heart that you were now a child of God. Otherwise, you might be turning a new leaf, changing little by little, but you are not really a child of God.

When you are saved, all old things – conflicts with others, obnoxious pattern of life – pass away, and all things will become new in your life. Thereafter, you are chosen, enlisted into God’s royalty; you become peculiar to God, with an inheritance in heaven. From then on, you begin to follow the steps of Jesus Christ in all things. When you are saved from sin, God saves you from continuing in sinful practices. All the external sins are cleansed. But you receive an additional experience of sanctification, by which the root of sin is dealt with in your heart. Salvation is the ticket to heaven, while sanctification is the fitness for heaven. When God cleanses your heart, you no longer linger around the objects of temptation. You know that if the Lord returns now or death comes, you have settled everything in your life; you have peace, purity and power in your life; you are ready for heaven. You are resolute in seeking to avoid, not just evil, but even things that have the appearance of evil.

But you face some paradoxes and perils that must be overcome if you are to make it to heaven. Among this, is the tendency to be busy even to their own detriment. There are people who can be so busy in doing the work of God, but in reality, they are shallow, superficial, negligent. They are so busy they fail to take care of their souls. They may be so busy in service in the field of church work, but they are not qualified to serve at the feet of the Lord. They are busy on the work, but they neglect the walk. Some can be so busy, they cease to be spiritual. You can even be so zealous to cancel one idol, but turn to worship another. Solomon was wise to preach, write, counsel, administer, and rule the people of Israel. But he was not wise enough to avoid amassing women to himself. In the end, he turned to idol worship, and did evil in the sight of the Lord. Solomon was wise, but he lived like a foolish man. He built one temple for the God of His father, but he built 700 shrines for his wives’ idols. Where is his wisdom in all this? Beware!

It is not enough, this New Year, to hear the word of God, but you must process and internalize it. You must not be like those who hear the word, and it does not profit them, so that they continue to live as if they have not heard any word from the Lord. They are bogged down by worldliness, power drunkenness, friendship with the world, privilege of power, and earthly accomplishments. Whatever you do this year, know that nothing can be better than salvation, and getting to heaven. If you follow this pattern this New Year, you will both profit from it and progress in your life.