Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. 

—Galatians 6:8

Scripture:

Galatians 6:8 

When we think of Daniel in the Bible, the story of the lions’ den usually comes to mind (see Daniel 6). It certainly was a heroic moment in the life of this great man of God.

And when we think of Daniel’s friends—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—our minds go to the story of the fiery furnace (see Daniel 3).

These four men were resolute in character. And the foundation for that kind of character and the kind of stand they took was laid early in their lives. As young men, they made resolutions they were able to keep when they were older.

It’s like building a house. The most important time is not when you paint the walls and decorate it. The most important time is when you lay the foundation that will support everything else that is to come.

In life, the most important time is at the beginning when the foundation is being laid. It’s there, in the time of our youth, that we set our course. We develop our habits and form our attitudes. We make decisions that affect us for the rest of our lives, such as our choice of career and whom we will marry. We sow seeds that we will reap in the years ahead.

Let’s say that early in life you got into the habit of regular prayer and Bible study. You got into the habit of regular church attendance and faithfully giving to the Lord, as well as other spiritual disciplines that you still practice to this day.

You decide the evening of your life by the morning of it. You decide the end of your life by the beginning. The stand you make today will determine what kind of stand you will make tomorrow. It isn’t some mystical thing that you have nothing to say about.

You decide what principles you will live by and what road you will take, because every day you make decisions as to whether you will sow to the flesh or sow to the Spirit.

The Bible tells us to lay the foundation properly when we’re young. And that is what Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, and Daniel did.

Youth is a relative term. If you’re fifty, someone who is fifteen might think of you as old. But to someone who is ninety, you’re rather young. Everyone will be a year older next year. And we’re making decisions today, in January, that will play out by next Christmas.

The Bible says, “Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit” (Galatians 6:8 NLT).

It isn’t necessarily a bad thing to have habits. It’s only bad if they’re bad habits. But it’s a good thing if they’re good habits.

Maybe you’ve come through a fiery trial in the past year, or maybe you will have a fiery trial in the coming year. But know this: Jesus will walk with you through it. You will not be alone.

But he knows where I am going. And when he tests me, I will come out as pure as gold. 

—Job 23:10

Scripture:

Job 23:10 

One of the top New Year’s resolutions that people make every year, no matter what year it is, is to lose weight. Other resolutions include getting in better shape physically, getting more organized, reading more good books, and spending more time with family and friends.

But how about resolving to have a stronger spiritual commitment? Yes, we need goals. We need objectives. We need things to aim for in life. But we also need to be growing as Christians and deepening our walk with the Lord.

Here are the words of the apostle Paul after he had walked with God for years: “No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us” (Philippians 3:13–14 NLT).

We must realize that we have a long way to go spiritually. We are but works in progress, and we have so far to go. If the apostle Paul saw that about himself, then certainly we need to see that about ourselves, because Paul truly was a man of God.

We also must realize that we cannot live in the past. We cannot be controlled by past mistakes or live in past victories. If you messed up last year, learn from it and don’t do it again. Make changes in your behavior, in your habits, and in your choices that will prevent you from going down that road again.

At the same time, don’t live in past victories. If God did something wonderful in your life last year, be thankful for that. But remember that a new year is before you with many new opportunities. Therefore, press on toward what God has for you.

Runners recognize there is pain involved in running a race, especially if you’re running a marathon. You start off with a burst of energy, then you get a bit numb, then it becomes painful, and after a while, it becomes difficult to put one foot in front of the other.

This is also true of the Christian life. It’s a walk of faith. It’s a battle. There are challenges, difficulties, and obstacles that we will face. Yet Paul was saying, “I’m straining to move forward.”

Paul wasn’t addressing his words to a group of spiritually elite Christians. They are given for every follower of Jesus Christ. God calls every one of us to press on.

Maybe you went through something difficult last year. Or, maybe you will go through something difficult in the coming year. But know this: Jesus will be with you through it.

He said, “And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20 NLT). He also has promised, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you” (Hebrews 13:5 NLT). You are not running this race alone.

And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing. 

—2 Timothy 4:8

Scripture:

2 Timothy 4:8 

It isn’t enough to start well in the race of life; we need to finish well. It isn’t enough to run fast; we need to run fast and long. This is a long-distance run, and the goal is to make it across the finish line.

As the apostle Paul neared the end of his race, he wrote to Timothy, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful” (2 Timothy 4:7 NLT).

The Bible is filled with the stories of so many who had tremendous potential but crashed and burned in the spiritual race.

There was King Saul, who had incredible potential, yet he disobeyed God repeatedly. He allowed pride into his life, which gave way to the paranoia and jealousy that ultimately consumed him. He essentially wrote his own epitaph when he said, “I have been a fool and very, very wrong” (1 Samuel 26:21 NLT).

Then there was Samson, with his incredible ability to vanquish his enemies. On one occasion, he killed a thousand Philistines with the jawbone of a donkey. Yet he went down in flames. Because he played around with sin, sin ultimately played around with him, culminating in his own death.

Gideon had such humble beginnings, yet God mightily used him to conquer his enemies. But as his life came to an end, he lowered his standards and fell into immorality and pride.

These people started well, but they didn’t finish well. They ran fast in the beginning, but they didn’t get across the finish line as they should have.

Paul wanted to be in the company of those who finished the race, men like Caleb and Joshua in the Old Testament who finished well.

Hebrews 12 tells us, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith” (verses 1–2 NLT).

We’re running this race not for applause, not for notoriety, but for the Lord. We run this race so that we can hear Jesus say to us on that final day, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Looking to Jesus keeps us going, because we can get discouraged. People can let us down. They can disappoint us. That’s why we must keep our eyes on Jesus Christ.

In the ancient Greek games, a judge would stand at the finish line holding laurel leaves, the reward given to the victor in plain sight. As runners came around the last stretch, tired and exhausted, they could see the prize awaiting the winner. And no doubt a new burst of energy kicked in.

This is a long-distance run. So keep running. If you’ve been slowing down, it’s time to speed up. It’s time to move forward, because you are leaving a legacy.