When the gospel is rejected, it is Jesus Himself who is being refused. So let’s look at our situation clearly: our eternal destiny hinges on our response to the person of Jesus Christ. How we respond to Him is the most important thing about us.

In a world of obstacles and temptations, we could not survive without the help God gives us in Christ. Peter wrote of those “who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Peter 1:5).

Believing is not a simple one-time decision after which we drift through life automatically. It is a soul-deep dependence on the Father who has loved us and saved us. To believe is not only to believe, but to take the risks that only trust will take.

If we preserve our flattering self-image with denials of the truth, there is nothing but death in that cave. To be forgiven, we must come out of hiding. In Jesus Christ there is life — but it is only in the light of truth that we can live.

If commitment, confession, and repentance are not a part of our daily walk with God, we need to go back and remember the “death” we died when we were baptized. If at that time we did not honestly decide to turn our backs on sin, we need to do so.

What if you have not yet obeyed the gospel? You need to hear all of the truth that God has revealed about Himself. So study all of the Scriptures. You will be encouraged, but you will also be sobered. This is not a problem; it is a blessing.

If we frequently experience either anger or anxiety, it is probably time to ask ourselves whether it is really our Father whom we are seeking. We must have the honesty to admit how often emotions like these are the result of frustrated self-seeking.

The God who created us said, “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty man glory in his might, nor let the rich man glory in his riches; but let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord.”

Jesus did not say that He taught the way to God. He claimed to BE the way. “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit” (1 Peter 3:18).

The horrors that some have suffered in this world are truly profound. But compared to the glory, our sufferings are small. And not only that, but compared to the “eternal” nature of the glory, our sufferings are only “for a moment.”

The enemy has not so marred the world of God’s creation that there are not many fine treasures left: wonderful things that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, and of good report. These we must seek out and learn to enjoy reflecting on.

David invites us to experience God’s goodness firsthand. “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good.” We can debate the theoretical pros and cons of divine goodness for months and not learn as much about it as in one day of actual walking with God.

We can’t live lives of self-indulgence and still get all the benefits of self-denial. Spiritual strength comes at a price. There is no quick-fix you can figure out that will let you have an easy life and still get the results of spiritual discipline.

We often focus on the passing pleasures and fleeting accomplishments of this world. But majoring in minors always turns out to be a losing proposition. No one can reach for “profit” in this world and not be disappointed at how unprofitable it is.

What is the point of this “vain” life? Solomon summed it up: “Respect and obey God! This is what life is all about” (Ecclesiastes 12:13). Any way you translate it, the point is basic: only in reverence and obedience to God can we accomplish anything.

It would be a great tragedy if we set our hearts on having (and never letting go of) any of the temporary blessings of God and lost out on all the permanent joys we could have had. Let’s not lose eternity by hanging on to what we have in this life.

Even if we aren’t suffering sickness, sorrow, or distress, we should still be able to say what the Psalmist said: “My soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning — yes, more than those who watch for the morning.”

Few are the human beings who do not crave security. We all want to be sure that we’ll have what we need. But in truth, there is no security in this world. Only in the God who made the world is there any confidence that our needs will be provided.