Today, 14th June 2021, is quite an appropriate day to determine that you have come to the end of the first half of the year 2021. Praise the Lord! Thus far the Lord has brought you.
Fifteen days from today, we commence the second half of the year 2021. I am neither a prophet nor a son of a prophet, but from the look of things and as the Scriptures do admonish us about the last days, anticipate many challenges. Greater still, trust the Lord to see you through.
Therefore, before 1st July 2021 dawns, begin today taking stock of your spiritual progress in the last six months. Re-visit how you have run your race and fought your spiritual fight so far. Immense yourself in a time of introspection and perceive where you may have succeeded, failed, or can do better.
Thereafter, plan on how to engage your soul for spiritual progress in the next coming six months of 2021.
Since this may not have been the area of your thinking, I presume, let me entice you to entertain some very personal thought intriguing questions below:
*1.* In the last six months, have I been consistent with my time prayer and in God's word?
*2.* How much of the Bible have I read so far and how many verses have I memorized?
*3.* How much Christian material have I read so far?
*4.* In the last six months, is there one book in the Bible or from other Christian letersture that I have completed and learned a lesson or two for my life?
*5.* Have I taken interest to tell someone about Christ, and followed them up until I am either rejected or they eventually turned to Christ; have I been evangelizing?
*6.* Did I identify one young in the Lord and take them on as my disciple; have I been discipling?
*7.* How many of my gifts has the church family been blessed with; have I been serving?
*8.* Do I still feel spiritually fresh or perhaps I have grown dry and cold; do the things of God still excite me?
*9.* Now that the digital world is defining life today, therefore as an add-on, and at the same time, as a means to protect my mind from galavanting the internet, which Christians Sites, Blogs, YouTubers, and Social groups have I followed, read, listened to and been part of for my spiritual wellbeing; have I just been social-media gossiping and tale-bearing?
*10.* Now that the third wave of covid19 is here, how can I still grow and serve the Lord and others without compromise, fear, or excuse; am I just happy that isolation and lockdown will fuel my spiritual laziness?
Take time to go through the above questions once more. In case you have struggled with most of the questions and you feel your spiritual progress has not been good, but you desire to make progress in the next six months, please reach out to your church elders, or any brethren you look up to for your spiritual guidance.
For now, while you are contemplating on whom to contact, here are a few things you can start doing:
*1.* Pick one book of the Bible per month to read. In case you don't know where to start from, I have started reading the book of Luke for this month. It is a great place you can also start from.
*2.* Identifying that quiet and unique time and place from whence you can isolate yourself with God to read and pray.
*3.* Get a small notebook where you can write your memory verses, prayer points, and lessons from your Bible/book reading and sermons.
*4.* Find a Christian friend that you can develop a spiritual relationship of reading a book, Bible, and praying together.
*5.* Identify one Christian book to read every two months. By the end of the year, you would have read three books.
*6.* Lastly, if listening to Sunday sermons is not enough for your soul and you would like to listen to more sermons, subscribe to sermonaudio.com. It is free and there are thousands of sermons posted there every week. Please contact me for guidance on who to listen to if that is difficult for you to determine.
Remember, in this epoch of world history we are in, we may not have the luxury of physical communion like we did before when we could easily spur one another. Hence, and first and foremost, your effort to pursue spiritual progress by nourishing your soul is anticipated like never before.
If we are to remain fervent for the Lord and keep his church growing, glowing, and going, we must begin with our hearts before we can touch and spur another's heart.
Be encouraged brethren to keep up the good work of pursuing spiritual progress.
Wasn't it the writer to Hebrews who said: _" Therefore by Him[Christ] let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased."_
(Heb 13:15-16).
