If we resist the idea of “church,” that is probably an indication of how much we need it. Yes, it would be easier not to have to adjust ourselves to other people, submit to them, and work out the inevitable conflicts. But that is precisely the point.

There is no better example of faith than Abraham. “Under utterly hopeless circumstances he hopefully believed . . . being absolutely certain that whatever promise [God] is bound by He is able also to make good” (Romans 4:18-21 Weymouth).

The apostles, when threatened, never backed down: the gospel is true and “there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Others may help with lesser troubles, but they knew only Christ can get us to heaven.

There is one thing we can always do: we can determine that we will be faithful. We can keep ourselves in the love of God. That is the decision we can — and must — make. And it is not just a one-time decision. It must be made continually.

It is not just our behavior that needs improving. We ourselves (our deepest thoughts and motives) need fixing. So Christ came to bring us an entirely new kind of life. If we are in Christ, a life that is “eternal” is being created within us.

Having demanded to do as we please, we’ve sold ourselves into slavery. And as painful as it is, there is no better day than when we cry out, with Paul, “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” (Romans 7:24).

Selfish regret is destructive, but our regret need not come from a selfish heart. If our hearts are turned toward God, then pure regret can be a gently poignant reminder of our continuing need for His grace, part of the hunger that brings us to Him.

As life moves on and our decisions multiply, it becomes more and more obvious what kind of stuff we’re made of. When the end comes and we stand before our Maker for His judgment, the evidence will be irrefutable. We will have chosen our destiny.

“Your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.” Who among us can read these words and not think of penitent steps that we need to take so that God can show His love to us?

Some things are not revealed to us, but what God has revealed is the truth about His character, heart, and values. He patiently waits for us to be more interested in these things and less interested in what the future may hold for us in this life.

If we don’t love God as we used to, there are some specific things we can do to rectify that problem. One of these would be to take some time off, go to a restful place, and remember — really remember — how we used to love Him.

There are few things in the world that might not jeopardize our souls under some circumstances. But whatever threatens to cut us off from God, we should let go of that thing immediately. If the house is burning, leave your stuff and get out of there!

God’s instruction to us is, “Be still, and know that I am God.” Without a reverent stillness at the center of our hearts, joy cannot break through the noise of earthly life. Of all the killjoys in the world, irreverent busyness is the worst.

Those who pursue nothing higher than pleasure are missing out on real joy. We should set these words in stone: joy is the highest experience of the human heart. Pleasure, as good as it may be in its way, is a poor, unsatisfying substitute for joy.

Whether we’re “living in the past” or “daydreaming about the future” or we’re just too busy with trivia to savor the present moment, the end result is often the same: life gets away from us without our having thought about it as it went rushing by.

There is great comfort in knowing that God is above and beyond time, that time is within His control and subject to His sovereignty. Whatever problems the passage of time may present for us, nothing that has to do with time is a problem for God.

In the end, our confidence must be in God, not our own wisdom or ability. Having been as prudent as we know how to be and then acting as energetically as we can, we must trust that God will take our actions and bring about a good return.

Until the eternal inheritance is ours, let us recognize the paucity of our present understanding and be prepared, when our Lord returns, to rejoice in whatever God has for us. The reality will break the boundaries of everything we’ve ever dreamed of!