But God said to him, “Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?”

— Luke 12:20

Time management experts tell us that we should always be setting goals. I think it was Steve Covey who said, “Begin with the end in mind,” and work backwards. That is, think about your death or the obituary you would like to see written about you, and work backwards from that to the present, and so live your life as to try to reach that end. Begin with the end in mind.

That is good advice from a worldly point of view, and yet the error is that death is not the end. Those who see nothing beyond the “obit” column have a very shortsighted view of life, to say the least. They are overlooking something—death. The last word about our life in this world will not be written in the newspaper, but in the Lamb’s Book of Life and in the judgment books of God. A review of the last chapters of the book of Revelation puts all of life into sharp focus and helps get our priorities right.

How thankful I am to know Jesus, who forgives my sins and has put my name in His book of life.

Question to ponder:
Is death the end or the beginning? How so?

He restores my soul.

— Psalm 23:3

It is in the quietness of God’s presence that we can find an antidote to the hurried stress of our lives. Sitting there, dwelling with God, we will find body, mind, and spirit renewed.

God said to Elijah, who had just been through a very stressful experience with King Ahab: “… hide thyself by the brook Cherith…” (1 Kings 17:3). That was God’s prescription for a very over-stressed prophet. “Hide thyself by the brook Cherith” … “He leadeth me beside the still waters.”

Someone said that he liked to take one-minute vacations to go in his mind to some pleasant place and there to wait. Actually, we need to spend twenty or thirty minutes at a time, taking time to pray, to meditate, to read God’s Word, and to let Him restore our soul. You will notice right after these pleasant meadows, these quiet waters, the words: “He restoreth my soul” (Psalm 23:3a). If we are to know the peace of God and the joy of God, that is where we will find it.

Question to ponder:
Are there any obstacles in your life to spending time alone with God?

But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.

— Luke 10:42

Many people are offended when they read the story of Mary and Martha in the Scripture. I would venture to say that if a hundred people read that passage, they would say that Martha, who is very busy tending to the guests and fixing the food after the traumatic event of Lazarus’ death, was certainly the hero of the plot. “Do ­nothing” Mary, who is sitting at the feet of Jesus listening to Him, was certainly the lesser of the two. Whereas Jesus said of Mary that she had chosen the better part.

This is a lesson that type A personalities need to learn. We need to hear afresh. “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10a). We need to know that sitting and listening to the Word of Christ may be more important than the activity everyone else may be applauding. We need to learn how to change our thinking about what is really important in life.

All our stress and busyness should be put at the feet of Jesus. When we learn to spend time there every day, to be still and hear from Him, then we will know that it is the better choice. It is the “good part.” There, at the feet of Christ, we will find peace, refreshment, and renewal. At the start of this New Year, why not resolve to spend time daily at the feet of Jesus? He invites us to come and sit “beside the still waters.”

Question to ponder:
Are you taking enough time to be still and be with Jesus?

Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!

— Psalm 46:10

In our busy age, despite all the conveniences of modern luxuries, many professing Christians find it difficult to set aside time alone with God. But the Lord commands us to be still and know that He is God.

Peter told Jesus he would never deny Him, but, of course, when the testing came, he failed. Not only was Peter self-confident and proud, he also followed from afar.

We absolutely need our quiet time with God. We need the time of prayer. We need a time every day of reading His Word. At the outset of this new year, what a good thing that you are choosing to have a quiet time. I hope this is part of an on-going habit with you. But if not, please make it such.

Eating God’s Word through spending time with Him is like eating food. What happens if you don’t eat? We become weak physically. What happens to our spirits if we neglect to “eat” God’s Word? We become weak spiritually.

It is absolutely essential for Christian growth in our lives to spend time in God’s Word and in prayer. We are told to have our lives transformed by the renewing of our minds. As we do that, He begins to conform us to the image of Christ. Spending time alone with Him is a major key in the process.

Question to ponder:
When you set aside time to be alone with the Lord, what role does prayer play and how can your quiet time be more effective?

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

— 1 John 1:8

This is salvation—”And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent” (John 17:3). We are justified by knowing Christ—knowing Him who is the Son of God, the Savior of men; knowing Him who took our sins upon Himself and died in our place. It is through knowledge and trust in Christ, our Savior that we are justified

Christ shows us in the parable of the Prodigal Son that very frequently the respectable and the religious are often the farthest from the kingdom of God. One minister said years ago, “The problem in America is not getting people saved. They all think that they are saved already. The problem is getting them lost.” How true that is.

Have you ever been lost? If not, you are not saved. Jesus came to seek and save the lost. The first requirement to being saved is to be lost.

For 24 years I lived without the slightest shadow ever crossing my mind that I was separated from God and on my way to perdition. Not until I came to that realization did the door of God’s mercy open to me.

Question to ponder:
What does it mean that a person knows he is lost?

Commit your works to the LORD, and your thoughts will be established.

— Proverbs 16:3

Many people make New Years’ resolutions. We see a new beginning and a new chance to make something better of our lives. Our God is a God of second chances, and with His help and in His strength, we will succeed.

We need to set godly goals. We need to lay them out before God in prayer, importunate prayer, prevailing prayer, persistent prayer. We need to obey God with lives that are yielded up to him, to His will. We will not be successful in doing these things if we are disobedient to God. That is why we cannot expect to have victory in our private lives or our church if we are living in disobedience.

Are we faithful in God’s work and are we faithful to our spouse and family? are we faithful in giving? Are we keeping His commandments and do we live lives of honesty and integrity? When we live godly lives, we will have godly goals.

Question to ponder:
What are the five most important goals and plans that you have for this coming year?

“Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has babbling? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes? Those who tarry long at the wine, those who go to seek mixed wine.”

— Proverbs 23:29-30

Some today call alcoholism merely a “disease.” The Bible calls it drunkenness. But you know, it is an interesting “disease” because the only way you can become an alcoholic is to get drunk. The Bible says that no drunkard will enter into the kingdom of heaven (see I Cor. 6:10).

Someone has said that if alcoholism is a disease (and certainly when a person becomes addicted and enslaved by it, it takes on many aspects of a disease):

It is the only disease that is contracted by an act of the will…
It is the only disease that is bottled and sold…
It is the only disease that provokes crime…
It is the only disease that bars the patient from heaven.

It is a tragic “disease” in America, and it is found among many young people today. Many who are turning away from drugs are turning to alcohol. This is even true of churched young people. Having a drink is one thing, but we should not do anything—including having a drink—if it causes our brother to fall away from the faith.

The Bible says that we should not be drunk with wine but instead be filled with the Holy Spirit. Having the joy of the Lord inside takes away the empty hole that some try to fill with drunkenness.

Lord, on this New Year’s Eve, we know that many will turn to the bottle for solace. We ask, Dear Father, that instead they would turn to You. Thank You for this past year. We lay the new one at Your feet…

BY GOD’S STRENGTH, OUR
HEARTS CAN BE AT REST.

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.”

— Revelation 2:11

In Greek mythology, Orpheus, the golden voiced, loses his beautiful wife, Eurydice, and so with lyre in hand he makes his way down through the darkness of the infernal regions in quest of the lost Eurydice, singing his plaintive melodies.

As he goes forth and fills the chambers of that nether world with the rich sonorous tones of his plaintive cry, Tantalus stops his futile bending after the receding waters and listens for a while. Even the cheeks of the furies are wet with tears as they hear the poignant plea of Orpheus for his lost wife.

At last, Orpheus reaches Pluto, the god of this nether world, who finally condescends to allow him to take his wife back on one condition: that he will not set his eyes upon her until they fully reach the land of light above. They set off, Orpheus before, and his beautiful wife, Eurydice, behind.

They pass one obstacle and one danger after another. All hell holds its breath as they make their way tortuously upward, ever closer, until finally they can see the light. So elated is Orpheus, he turns to tell his wife that soon they will be there—and in that moment, all his labor is lost and Eurydice vanishes.

That ancient and familiar myth teaches us a great truth: that it is only he who perseveres until the end who shall be saved. It does not really matter how well we start. It is the finish that counts. As the Apostle Paul said: “You ran well. Who hindered you…” (Galatians 5:7).

Lord, give me the strength to finish well. If I have previously allowed obstacles to hinder my race, as happened to the Galatians, please forgive me and then give me the grace to get up again and continue with the race you have marked out for me…

BY GOD’S STRENGTH, WE CAN
MAKE IT OVER THE FINISH LINE.

“…forgetting those things which are behind…”

— Philippians 3:13

Years ago we had a guest speaker at our church who made the point so well that we need to forget the things that are behind and press forward in Christ.

Lt. Clebe McClary is a veteran of the Viet Nam War. He unfortunately experienced the blast of dynamite which blew off his arm, which he only discovered when he couldn’t reach his rifle because there was nothing on his shoulder any longer. It also blew out his eye and half of his face, his teeth, his nose, and did all sorts of other damage. I think he has had over 35 major surgical operations. Despite all these hardships, he reminds himself regularly to forget.

He has a license plate on the front of his car which says “FIDO.” That’s F-ID- O. No, that’s not the name of his dog. It stands, he says, for “Forget It, Drive On.” And let me tell you he has a lot to forget. Have you been hurt? Is your eye gone, your teeth, your arm? How many surgical operations has it taken to correct your injuries, and, of course, it is still not corrected—the damage from the hurt that you or I have experienced? Forget it, drive on. “…Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal…” (Philippians 3:13-14a).

Too many people allow the past to destroy their present and their future. FIDO is a message like that of the Apostle Paul—to consciously not drag the baggage of the past forward.

Lord God of Justice, we ask that You help us to forget what is behind. Help us to not let past hurts define and hinder us. Thank You that one day You will right all wrongs…

BY HIS STRENGTH, WE CAN
LEAVE THE PAST BEHIND.

“Do this in remembrance of Me.” Luke 22:19 “…forgetting those things which are behind…”

— Philippians 3:13

I am sure that Christians must get confused when they read a verse like this. Paul says, “This is what I do, I forget those things which are behind.” And yet I have preached sermons on a number of occasions on “remember.” Jesus said, “Remember Me.” We are told over and over again in the Bible to remember.

Are we to forget or are we to remember? Well, obviously we are to do both, and the question is: What are the objects of the verbs, remember and forget? There are certainly things that we are to remember. We are to remember what Jesus Christ has done for us upon the Cross.

The things that Paul is talking about forgetting would be of two classes. Just like a runner or skater skating for 1500 yards, they have to forget their successes or failures in a hurry and not sit back and rest upon those laurels.

I think it is particularly true that as they get older people begin to rest more and more on their laurels and stretch less and less toward the prize, the mark of the high calling of God. We need to forget about our victories and not simply float on them, but to reach out to the things that yet remain to be done. Nor should our past failures weigh us down.

Let us thank God for what He has done in the past, as we strive to serve Him in the present and future.

My Lord and Savior, thank You for what you have done for me. Help me to not be a prisoner of the past with its failures or its victories…

BY GOD’S STRENGTH, WE ARE
ABLE TO STRETCH FORWARD.