Multiplying disciples of Christ until all hear the gospel
This video contains a message of everlasting hope that is found in the risen Lord Jesus Christ. Please share this video with those you want to see in heaven.
The song “Because He Lives I Can Face Tomorrow” by Jesusman, is Public Domain Mark 1.0 and is therefore not subject to copyright.
“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.” Psalm 23:6a
Satchel Paige, one of the best baseball pitchers to ever throw a baseball, and also one of the oldest, was asked the secret of his long and happy outlook. He replied, “Well, I never look behind me – cause you can never tell who’s comin’ up and gaining you.” Satchel seems to be saying, “Don’t think about tomorrow because it may be filled with trouble.” Some of us cannot look at tomorrow without worrying. Our tomorrows end up ruining our todays.
As a mature man, King David had learned to place his future in the hands of God. He writes, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life” (23:6a). In this last verse of the Psalm, David addresses his present and future life with God. In the first five verses he talked about his past experiences of God’s faithfulness. David had experienced God’s faithfulness at work in the past, and because of that, he had hope for the years to come.
Notice that God sends “goodness and mercy” to follow David. “Goodness” is receiving those things from God we do not deserve such as His forgiveness and love. “Mercy” is God withholding those things we do deserve such as His justice and punishment.
When David says “surely,” he is absolutely certain that God’s “goodness and mercy” would follow him all the days of his life. This is a remarkable statement when you consider all that David endured. This is the man who had to flee from King Saul (1 Samuel 18-26), and he was an adulterer and a murderer (2 Samuel 11-12). Under God’s discipline, he endured prolonged agony which included physical weakening and inward grief and guilt for almost a year (Psalm 32:3-5; 51:8); he watched his baby die (2 Samuel 12:15-23); his son, Amnon, raped David’s daughter, Tamar (2 Samuel 13:8-14); his son, Absalom, entered the royal harem (2 Samuel 16:22) and led a rebellion against David (2 Samuel 13-19); and David endured a terrible plague from the Lord as a result of his sin of numbering the people (2 Samuel 24).
David was no perfect man and he had to endure several painful consequences for his sins. Yet David was certain (“surely”) that God’s “goodness” would follow him all of his life. God’s “goodness” provides for our needs. He knows about the hardships we face due to COVID-19. He knows about the doctor bill, the car in the shop, the mortgage that is due, the job that is needed, and the loneliness that weighs you down. Those of us who trust that God is good can be sure He will provide for these needs. God is a good Father and He will not spoil us by giving us all that we want.
For example, a good parent won’t give their child poison no matter how much he begs for it. You do what is best even when your child cannot understand. Ingredients of a cake include good and bad tastes mixed together to make a delicious cake. But some of those ingredients alone such as salt, baking soda, and flour are not pleasant to our taste buds. Our Good Shepherd uses good and bad events in our lives to help us become what He wants us to be (cf. Romans 8:28-29).
David was also sure that God’s “mercy” would follow him all the days of his life. “Mercy” refers to God’s compassion, forgiveness, help, kindness, and patience. God did not give David justice after he committed adultery and murder. He gave David mercy. Oh how much all of us need God’s mercy! If God gave each of us justice we would be condemned forever because God hates sin, and we all have sinned (Psalm 45:7; Proverbs 6:16-19; 8:13; Isaiah 59:2; Zechariah 8:17; Romans 3:23; 6:23; Colossians 3:5-6; Hebrews 1:9; Revelation 2:6; 20:15). But God in His mercy pardons our sin the moment we believe in Jesus because of His death and resurrection (Acts 10:43; Colossians 2:13-14; Titus 3:5-7).
Surely “goodness and mercy” shall pursue me all the days of my life because God has never failed me in the past. “Surely” because God does not begin a work that He does not complete (Philippians 1:6). “Surely,” because the united testimony of all of God’s people agrees with David that our Good Shepherd never fails us nor forsakes us.
How would our lives be impacted when we wake up each morning if we were certain God’s “goodness” and “mercy” would follow us all day long? How would it influence our lives if we were convinced that God’s “goodness” and “mercy” would follow us tomorrow and the next day and the next day!?! God is not some cruel dictator in heaven just waiting to smack us with His holy hammer the moment we mess up. He is a good good Shepherd who longs to meet our daily needs and extend His mercy and compassion toward us.
The greatest expression of God’s goodness and mercy is seen in the Person of His Son, Jesus Christ. Because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, God’s “goodness” freely offers us what we do not deserve – His everlasting life and forgiveness through faith alone in Jesus alone (John 3:16; Acts 10:43). And because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, God’s “mercy” withholds the justice and punishment we deserve for our sins the moment we believe in Jesus (John 3:36; 5:24; Titus 3:4-7).
If you have never understood this, Jesus now invites you to believe or trust in Him as your only hope of heaven. He said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. 26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this” (John 11:25-26)? Jesus is not asking you to go to church or to clean up your life because He never said whoever goes to church or cleans up his life shall never die. He is not asking you if you pray or meditate every day because He never said whoever prays or meditates every day shall never die. Jesus is asking you, “Do you believe in Him alone?” because He said “whoever… believes in Me shall never die.” If your answer is “Yes,” Jesus guarantees you a future resurrection of your physical body which will never be subject to disease or death. And He also guarantees you life that never ends.
Prayer: Precious Good Shepherd, thank You for the certainty of Your goodness and mercy following me all the days of my life. No matter what happens in my life, I can be confident that Your goodness will provide for my daily needs and Your mercy will display Your kindness and compassion to me. Thank You for the greatest expression of Your goodness and mercy to me through the Lord Jesus Christ Whose death and resurrection make it possible for me to receive that which I do not deserve – Your everlasting life and forgiveness. Through Jesus, I also experience Your mercy which keeps me from experiencing what I do deserve – Your justice and punishment for my sins. Help me to live a “thank You” life for You now by honoring You with my lips and my life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), continues to spread around the world, with an increasing number of cases here in the United States. The World Health Organization has declared that we are in the midst of a global pandemic. This virus is shutting down political campaign rallies, professional sports leagues, schools, Broadway, Disneyland, and even travel on planes and cruise ships. Some states in the USA are banning mass gatherings for organized events for the next month.
SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THESE TWO PANDEMICS
There is another global pandemic that is much older and deadlier than the coronavirus. The Bible calls this lethal and widespread virus sin. “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned” (Romans 5:12). Just as the coronavirus does not respect ethnic boundaries or national borders, neither does sin.
While the elderly and those with chronic conditions appear to be more at risk for the coronavirus, all people are infected by sin. No exceptions. No matter what your age, appearance, color of skin, or language, you are infected by this spiritual disease. The Bible tells us, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Sin is when we disobey God’s laws (I John 3:4). When we hate, lie, lust, or steal, we sin against God.
Those exposed to or infected by the coronavirus are being separated or even isolated from others. Likewise, our sin separates us from God. “For the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). The word “death” in the Bible means separation. Sin separates us from God because He is holy, righteous, and perfect (Isaiah 59:2). He cannot be around sin. The final punishment for our sin is separation from God forever in a terrible place called the Lake of Fire or Hell (Revelaion 20:15). Please understand that God does not want any of us to die forever in Hell.
THE MAIN DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THESE TWO PANDEMICS
One of the reasons the coronavirus is causing such great panic around the world is because there is no known cure. But there is a cure for the deadlier pandemic of sin. The Bible tells us that God entered the world infected by this virus called sin. He lived among sick people, not wearing a chemical protective suit, but breathing the same air and eating the same food as we do. Out of love for the world, including you and me, He died in isolation on a cross, excluded from His people and separated from His Father, and then rose from the dead so He might provide this sick world with an antidote to the virus (I Corinthians 15:3-6).
Jesus is alive today and freely offers you the cure for this deadlier virus. Listen to what He said to a woman whose brother died from the virus, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26). Christ guarantees a future resurrection and never ending life to all who believe in Him. No amount of our good works or efforts can save us from the deadly virus of sin (Isaiah 64:6). Only Jesus has the cure.
If you are not certain you will go to heaven when you die, believe in Jesus for His gift of everlasting life and He guarantees you will live with Him forever in Heaven. He said, “16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” (John 3:16-17; cf. 3:36; 14:1-3). If you trusted in Jesus just now for His gift of everlasting life, you can tell God through prayer. Remember, praying this prayer will not get you to Heaven. Only trusting in Christ alone gets you to Heaven. This prayer is a way of telling God you are now trusting in His Son.
Prayer: “Dear Jesus, I come to you now infected by this lethal virus called sin. I cannot save myself from this virus. I believe You became infected by this virus and died on a cross and rose from the dead to save me from sin and death. I am now trusting in You alone Jesus (not my good life, water baptism, or church attendance) to give me everlasting life and save me from this pandemic of sin forever. Thank You for the everlasting life I now have. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”
When you believed in Christ, He gave you everlasting life which can never be lost (John 10:28-29). God became your Father and you became His child forever (John 1:12). And Jesus now lives inside you through His Holy Spirit (Romans 8:11-13). He promises never to leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5). Christ’s resurrection guarantees you a new resurrection body in the future that will not be subject to disease or death (I Corinthians 15:35-57). Please help others to escape this deadly pandemic of sin by sharing this good news of Jesus’ cure.
