The year is now 2022. Time is running out; the close of this earth’s history is coming closer. As we see the hands of time moving fast, our goal should be to make our salvation solid and sure. People have many goals to achieve (as many have done in their New Year’s resolutions), but all these are nothing if the end of it all is perdition.

The question is: “How have you started the new year? Are you feeling guilty, left alone, exhausted, anxious and depressed? Do you have feelings of being wretched, with almost little or no hope—worthless? The Bible presents such a situation: “Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward. Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment.” Isaiah 1:4–6

As you look at your environment, your home, do you only see ruins? “Your country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire: your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers.” (verse 7)

Last year did you try to push on only to see that there seemed to be little or no progress? The word of the Lord to you is: “Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean. Shake thyself from the dust; arise, and sit down, O Jerusalem: loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion. For thus saith the LORD, Ye have sold yourselves for nought; and ye shall be redeemed without money.” Isaiah 52:1–3

With these words of encouragement there is no need for despondency. The word of God gives us faith, which in turn gives us strength to grasp His promises and hold on to them. To have a strong faith, we need to read the word of God daily (Romans 10:17).

God promises to heal, and rebuild your life. When He puts His robe or righteousness around you, it is as if you had never sinned. You have been completely forgiven.

Considering the verse quoted above in Isaiah 52:1; it says “awake, awake, [start off] put on thy beautiful garments.” (garments represent righteousness, in this case, beautiful garments apply to “the LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.” (Jeremiah 23:6). Make this verse personal. It is yours. It continues by saying that from now on, no one shall enter into you uncircumcised (not set apart) or unclean. While the literal meaning referred to Jerusalem being free from the heathen (the defiled), spiritually speaking it is being freed from the very things that have entangled you at this time which will no longer enter in you if you make the decision to commit yourself to God. For “why should ye be stricken any more?” Isaiah 1:5. All freedom starts with this decision.

Sometimes, you may feel that since you have already failed countless times, your hope is gone, and you just need to accept defeat. Yet, there is no excuse. God has an answer to all that. “Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the LORD, and my judgment is passed over from my God? Hast thou not known? Hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? … He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might He increaseth strength.” Isaiah 40:27–29

The parable of Jesus to Simon provides a good explanation. The one who is forgiven more, loves his master more than the one forgiven less.  “And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on. There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most? Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And He said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.” Luke 7:40–42

“Thus saith the LORD, which maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters; Which bringeth forth the chariot and horse, the army and the power; they shall lie down together, they shall not rise: they are extinct, they are quenched as tow. Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert. The beast of the field shall honour Me, the dragons and the owls: because I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to My people, My chosen.” Isaiah 43:16–20

“Remember these, O Jacob and Israel; for thou art My servant: I have formed thee; thou art My servant: O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of Me. I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto Me; for I have redeemed thee.” Isaiah 44:21–22

Perhaps you have understood the above but are asking yourself, “how can I approach God in the state in which I am?” What am I going to say? I have exhausted all words that I have been using; there is nothing that I have not said. The truth is that the Lord is more than eager to save you. He says: “Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto Him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips. Asshur shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses: neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, Ye are our gods: for in Thee the fatherless findeth mercy.” Hosea 14:2–3. What does God require in order to set you free? He asks for humility, confession  and a hatred for sin.

The Lord’s answer to this prayer is “I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for Mine anger is turned away from him.” Hosea 14:4. “I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners. I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the LORD; and I will heal him.” Isaiah 57:18–19

Repentance and confession sets us free from our sin (justification). Then the rebuilding process (sanctification) begins immediately. Every sin that is overcome, brings joy to the believer. “Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem: for the LORD hath comforted His people, He hath redeemed Jerusalem.” Isaiah 52:9.  It would be strange to see a person who has been forgiven by God to look gloomy.

When you have found the peace of Jesus, be diligent to watch and pray lest the same things that brought you down creep back into your life. Eliminate and close all sources of temptation. Work for total purity. “Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the LORD.” Isaiah 52:11

Sometimes you may not be feeling at a low level in your spiritual life. You may be feeling that you are a good person and advancing well spiritually. You are enjoying the joy of heaven, walking confidently in the path to perfection. If this is the case, remember, you have not reached the destination yet. It is important to still be careful lets pride or self-righteousness creep in.

Everyone must individually set their hearts to obey the Holy Law, The Ten Commandments. It is God that works in you to will and to do of His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13). Meditate on the gift of the Law. The change that results in your character is great and noticeable from far—a beautiful character like that of our Lord Jesus, full of heavenly blessings. When Christ becomes the centre of the heart, His presence is quickly noticed. “And again He entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that He was in the house.” Mark 2:1

“Through faith in Christ, every deficiency of character may be supplied, every defilement cleansed, every fault corrected, every excellence developed.” –Education, p. 257

Read and meditate on the law day and night. Day after

day, read it aloud in your chambers. Keep it fresh all the time. Listen to the audio Bible while on the move, along with the testimonies of the Spirit of Prophecy. Be keen to correct every defect of character just at the moment it is revealed to you. Every time you read the Bible or listen to it, it produces a deeper revelation on your mind and gives you a vivifying power. Do not neglect any duty. Hold on to a spirit of godly fear, which will keep you from acting in a light and trifling manner. As recklessness is overcome you become spiritually well-structured with a sweet smelling savour, always spiritually charged with holy zeal.

During the three months when Obed-edom kept the ark that contained the Holy Law at his home, the blessings he and his family received were so abundant that it was noised abroad. The news even reached King David. “And the ark of the LORD continued in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months: and the LORD blessed Obed-edom, and all his household. And it was told king David, saying, The LORD hath blessed the house of Obed-edom, and all that pertaineth unto him, because of the ark of God. So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into the city of David with gladness.” 2 Samuel 6:11–12

How wonderful to know that one can become a spiritual magnet when the Lord dwells in him. “Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the LORD thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for He hath glorified thee.” Isaiah 55:5

“I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for Mine anger is turned away from him. I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon. His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon. They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon. Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols? I have heard him, and observed him: I am like a green fir tree. From me is thy fruit found. Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? For the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.” Hosea 14:4–9

“Thus saith the LORD of hosts; It shall yet come to pass, that there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities: And the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts: I will go also. Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the LORD. Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.” Zechariah 8:20–23

“And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses. One shall say, I am the LORD’s; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the LORD, and surname himself by the name of Israel.” Isaiah 44:4–5

May God help us to fight faithfully in this battle of life. With a life full of blessings in this life, and eternity in the next, it is worth putting all your effort into it. God is good. Let us follow Him at all times. Amen.

Joel Msiska, Malawi