Happy New Year to you! We at the Ekklesia of the Lord Jesus Christ hope that you enjoyed your holiday season. One tradition that most of us are familiar with during this time is the New Year’s Resolution. You know, those goals or objectives that we resolve to achieve during the calendar year. While such aims are good and appropriate to us, to an eternal God that never changes, such objectives aren’t necessary. In fact, our Lord has already given us the single-minded objective which we should be aiming for year by year, day by day, and moment by moment. That objective is the kingdom of God. Why don’t more people see this single objective, even though it is referred to frequently in the New Testament?

I was listening to a pastor recently on a local radio program who referenced the following passage during his message:

Acts 1:3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:

I pondered that passage for a moment, then reflected on another passage where the Lord Jesus was instructing His disciples before His crucifixion:

Matt. 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

What did I observe? That Christ made the kingdom of God a top priority before His crucifixion, and it was His main focus after His resurrection. In other words, His message didn’t change. So why don’t more people see this truth? It is because it is hidden in plain sight. It is printed in Bibles for all to see, but not all will perceive the kingdom. Consider the reason that our Lord told His disciples He taught in parables:

Matt. 13:13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

So the kingdom has been made manifest for all to perceive; however, not all will perceive it. It is amazing how two people can read the same words in the same Bible, yet each obtain a different understanding. This is why it is imperative to understand another truth: You can read all the words in a book, and never understand the story. So instead of making a resolution for this year, make a resolution for this moment that you will do as Christ instructed and seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. This is the first step in a life changing process!