GOD’S ASSESSMENT OF THIS WORLD The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, and their ways are vile; there is no one who does good. God looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. Everyone has turned away, all have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one. Do all these evildoers know nothing? —Psalm 53:1 The earth’s people are filled with corruption and before the Holy Almighty God they are vile. No one seeks to do good, nor do they understand and seek God. All people have turned after…

REDEEMED! No one can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for them— the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough—so that they should live on forever and not see decay… But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead; he will surely take me to himself. —Psalm 49:7-9, 15 “Then I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ “ ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied. ‘Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me.…

RIGHTEOUSNESS, SELF-CONTROL AND THE JUDGMENT TO COME! Several days later Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish. He sent for Paul and listened to him as he spoke about faith in Christ Jesus. As Paul talked about righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and said, “That’s enough for now! You may leave. When I find it convenient, I will send for you. —Acts 24:24-25 How sad when people hear the truth and like Felix say, “That’s enough for now! You may leave. When I find it convenient, I will send for you.” Felix heard the truth about righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come…

LIFE IS SHORT! “Show me, Lord, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is. You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Everyone is but a breath, even those who seem secure. “Surely everyone goes around like a mere phantom; in vain they rush about, heaping up wealth without knowing whose it will finally be. “But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you. —Psalm 39:4-7 Have you seen your life’s end? What will happen? I have visited my elderly neighbor in the hospital a few times…

BE STRONG AND TAKE HEART! Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord. —Psalm 31:24 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. —Joshua 1:7-8 I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world…

THE LORD IS LOVING AND FAITHFUL All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful toward those who keep the demands of his covenant. —Psalm 25:10 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace. —Acts 20:24 And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. —Hebrews 12:1-2 As followers of Jesus there is a “race marked out for us.” For we who believe “All the ways…

THE KING OF GLORY Lift up your heads, you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, you gates; lift them up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is he, this King of glory? The Lord Almighty— he is the King of glory. —Psalm 24:7-10 The King of glory is who we serve! There is none other like Him. He is the King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 17:14; 19:16). Every knee will bow to…

EVIDENCE ABOUNDS FOR GOD The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. —Psalm 19:1 People who deny that God is Creator is calling Him a liar and will not accept the testimony of His hands— the very creation itself. We look up during the day and ponder the Sun, clouds and moon with its pill-white appearance. We ponder the moon and stars at night. These are a clear declarations of God’s glory and of His handiwork. And people still say “There is no God.” The heavens and sky “speak” each and every day. The heavens and sky “proclaim the work of his hands.”…

WE WILL BE LIKE JESUS When I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness. —Psalm 17:`5 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. —I John 3:2 Here’s the hope that we have as followers of Jesus. We have eternal life, but this tent needs to be packed away some day (II Corinthians 5:1) and we will receive a new body —“But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord…

ACCUSERS OF GOD “Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Let him who accuses God answer him!” —Job 40:2 Then the Lord spoke — “Would you condemn me to justify yourself? —Job 40:6, 8 How often do people “condemn” God “to justify” themselves? One day people that accuse God will answer to Him. People say, “Well, if God was a good God He would not let such and such happen.” They accuse God of wrong-doing and of not being good. Yes, they will answer to Him one day whether they think they will or not. Too many people think they are just and right in their own…