GOODBYE 2012, WELCOME 2013…. WELL, ALMOST!

Dear Friends,

No doubt, you had such a great time on Christmas day, with family, friends and loved ones. You are also looking forward to a prosperous new year, 2013. I, too.

But there’s a basic exercise I would equally want us to indulge this season. That is taking stock of the year 2012, on one hand, and on the other planning and projecting into 2013. The year 2012 is almost gone, and there’s not much we can do about it, but to analyze and see how we fared in it. We can then be in a better position to anticipate and attack the New Year with focus and vigor. I am not a great fan of football, but as with it and other games, I know that the best form of defense is attack. The attack is not as with one who boxes the air, but one that is from a standpoint of knowledge; that of your strengths, weaknesses as well as your opponent’s….

The best source of this knowledge is God, and the means to receive it, I recommend, is in His presence. Is it possible that we can shut down all the noise - well almost all – the mobile phone, earphone, movies, television, cars, airplanes and private jets etc; and plug into God? I mean spend some quiet time and ask Him real good questions (Matt. 7:7): why some of your prayers in 2012 were answered and some not, some answered in a different way from what you wanted, what He has in stock for your in 2013 in the areas of family, work, business, ministry and so on. What is the time frame, you ask? At least 24 hours. Not so difficult to totally devote one day out of three hundred and sixty-five to Him – for your own good!

Well, by His grace I just did that. On the morning of 26th December, after the merriment of Christmas day, I checked into the conference centre of Foursquare Gospel Church in a suburb of Lagos, Nigeria. It is a prayer camp of sorts with good accommodation facilities. I had, as fiction writers will say “cased the joint” a week before. I mean, located the place and actually looked at what they had on the ground. This meant of course that I was resolute to make the trip on due date. And it was a fruitful and rewarding date with God. No food, no water until I got home the next day, in prayer and meditation, I opened up to Him the various areas of my life and sought directions as well as answers. I came out with clear directions (And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left - Isaiah 30:21). Armed with His blueprint, I am in a better position to attack the year 2013…

Friends, you may not check into any fancy conference facility or prayer ground, your bed room will do! New Year resolutions and wishes are popular, cross over services are good, but a one on one meeting in quiet with God is perhaps all you need to learn from the experiences of 2012, and make a great success out of 2013. You still have some hours between now and 31st December. Why not use it, wherever you are?

To find out more about God and how you can have a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, visit any Bible believing church near you, or: CHAPEL OF DESTINY RESTORATION CHURCH, 2 Akinlabi Lane, off Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way, by Round About Bus Stop, Ikeja. Lagos.