Author: NBibens

When you die, will your life be worth remembering? We might think that if, at death, we look back on a long life filled with friends, success, and comfort, then that will be a life we can look back on with satisfaction. But in Luke 16, Jesus tells the parable of a rich man and a poor beggar named Lazarus. The rich man led a comfortable life, but he found himself in torment when he died. When he begged for help, Abraham answered the man, “…remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish.”

If we live only for this world, we may find comfort and pleasure. But the memories of earthly comforts won’t alleviate eternal torment. If we live for the Lord, even if our lives are filled with difficulty and hardship, that life will be worth far more than memories, for it will lead us to the Lord’s eternal presence.

How do we know when we are right? How can we know when someone else is speaking truth? Too often, we determine that passion is a hallmark of truth. If I am passionate about some idea or action, then it must be right. Or we are persuaded by others because of their passion for a subject. Other times, confidence seems to be the hallmark of truth. If a thing is stated with enough confidence, it can easily be believed. Other times, folks seem to think that if they insist on something enough, it must be the truth. But passion, confidence, and persistence don’t always equate to truth.

The apostle Paul once cautioned Timothy that some would deviate from the sincere faith and engage in vain discussions “…without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.”[1] We should indeed be passionate about and committed to the truth. However, this passion and commitment should stem from learning the truth of God’s Word, not serve as a substitute for it.

[1] 1 Timothy 1:6-7

Isn’t it interesting how not having something helps us appreciate it all the more? Some common sayings teach this truth. From a negative perspective, people often say, “you don’t know what you have until it’s gone.” We’ve probably all learned the hard way why we should appreciate someone or something while we can. From a more positive view, we often say, “absence makes the heart grow fonder.” When loved ones are separated for a time, the pain of that separation makes the reunion even sweeter. The same is true spiritually.

Proverbs 13:12 says, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.” When we set our hopes on heaven, there will be days we grow homesick as we long to see God glorified and evil vanquished. This longing is a good thing, as it will help us focus. And just think how sweet it will be when our desire is fulfilled, we once again have the tree of life, and we are with the Lord!

What guides your life? Why do you do what you do? For some, the driving force in their life is survival. They do what they must to get by. For many, the guiding force in life is pleasure. Even work is simply a means to make money to be spent on luxurious things or experiences. Some people are guided by more noble goals such as serving family and friends. But are any of these adequate guides to life? Not really. The only guide for real success is God. The Israelites interestingly illustrate this truth.

When the Israelites traveled from Egypt to Canaan, they moved per God’s commands. Numbers 9:18 says, “At the command of the LORD the people of Israel set out, and at the command of the LORD they camped.” That’s simple, and it’s effective. If we will read God’s Word and obey it, we will find a guide that can see us to the Promised Land of Heaven.

Do you desire God’s grace and blessing? Probably so. Likely, we all do. But why do we long for God’s grace and blessing? Our desires for such things may be self-serving and self-centered. But listen to the opening verses of Psalm 67:

May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face to shine upon us,
that your way may be known on earth,
your saving power among all nations.

The Psalmist asks God to be gracious, but his genuine desire is that the world can learn about and know God! The request for blessings isn’t self-centered—it’s God-centered! The remaining verses of Psalm 67 call for people to praise God multiple times.

Perhaps we fervently and earnestly desire God’s blessings. But how fervently do we crave God’s glory? How much do we want others to see and praise the goodness of God? Let us seek the shining face of God that others may see it and glorify Him also!

All lies are evil, whether we think they are small or big. While all lies are wrong, they may pose a varying level of danger. Some lies are easy to spot. If I told you the sky is green, you would recognize the falsehood at once. Sometimes, we hear lies about spiritual matters that are just as easy to detect. But other lies are much more dangerous because they are not so easy to spot.

Sometimes, lies don’t sound like lies. When lies sound like truth, they become incredibly dangerous. That is why it is so crucial for Christians to study God’s Word faithfully. That’s why we must compare what others say with what God says. First John 4:1 says, “…do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.” Never, never accept any other person’s teaching, mine included, without comparing and testing it first against the Word of God.

One of the greatest compliments ever given was when God described David as a man after his own heart[1]. Now, David was not a perfect man, but obviously, he was a very godly man. Thus, it is worthwhile to note the various attributes David possessed. We find one crucial characteristic in Psalm 61:8, where David says, “So will I ever sing praises to your name, as I perform my vows day after day.”

For David, obeying God wasn’t something to do when he visited the Tabernacle only. David wasn’t content to act holy while worshipping but live worldly at other times. David’s religion wasn’t a one-day-a-week affair. No, for David, obedience and godliness were a daily lifestyle. He sought to perform his vows to God day after day after day. Many people treat Christianity as something that happens on Sunday or whenever they attend church services. Such isn’t true faith. Godliness is something we should do day after day, just like David.

[1] 1 Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22

We’ve spent the last two weeks of our program in Psalm 23. I hope our time lingering in this Psalm has blessed you and helped you know more of the Shepherd. Let’s wrap up our series from this Psalm today by looking at the last line. David says, “I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” Many commentators note that verse five shifts from sheep/shepherd imagery to a guest/host metaphor. I believe verse six contains another subtle shift. David claims He will dwell in God’s house forever.

Who gets to dwell in another person’s house forever? Not just a guest. Even the most gracious hosts don’t allow guests to stay forever. So, what kind of guest has David become? A son. When we follow Christ, we are incredibly transformed into God’s beloved children—and one day, we will be welcomed to dine at His table and live in His home, not just for a while, but forevermore.

Psalm 23:6 says, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Here, we learn yet more incredible truths about the Lord. Throughout Psalm 23, the Lord is leading. But here, He is also following, or more accurately, pursuing. While what follows is said to be “goodness” and “mercy,” those traits describe God and come from Him. It’s as though the Lord is both leading and following us. In other words, He surrounds us. What a picture of total protection!

And because the Lord hems us in, then the lives of His people can be described as goodness and mercy. Amid dark valleys, it may not always feel this way. But from a later vantage point, and one day from heaven’s view, His people will be able to look back at how the Lord pursued us and will be able to say, “Surely goodness and mercy followed me all the days of my life!”