It’s amazing that everything we attain in this life, the cars, money, house any toys we accumulate all will be left to someone else when we die. It can seem like this life really means nothing. Yet this life means everything to us! It’s how you and I live and love Jesus Christ that determines our future, not the toys we end up with. So this life means everything to us! We live our lives making life or death decisions all the time. Signs that read beware high voltage electrical fence or don’t drink and drive or wear your seatbelt or signs at a beach, no swimming dangerous riptide, “your own opinions” of these warnings is what will determine if you’ll take those warnings seriously, many, many people had the wrong opinion of these warnings, chose to ignore them and it cost them their lives! You’re making another life or death decision right now! Your opinion about what Jesus said, which was, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent." And your opinion about this from John: Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him. It’s your own opinion of these warnings from Jesus whether you believe in Him or not! I’m going to read that one from John again: Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him. Psalm 23 says, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me. It doesn’t say there shall not be, “any” evil, it says I will “fear,” no evil. Jesus once said to a church, “I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead.” I wonder how many people here today are dead? Spiritually speaking are you alive, decaying, or dead? Dead people don’t do anything, do you do anything spiritually?

 If you think that you’re on a path of spiritual decay and death, then by God’s grace get back to a relationship with Jesus Christ. The book of Romans describes the spiritually dead as enemies of God and says the penalty for sin is death , for failing to keep God's law, and await God's wrath. They’re basically dead men walking. Why is it people will obey the signs for a high voltage fence or wearing their seatbelt but they voluntarily decide to ignore God warnings and live their lives being spiritually dead and doing absolutely nothing to save their soul, which is much more valuable than your life! Thankfully, God doesn’t want to see you in the state of spiritual death. Because of His love for us, God sent Jesus to us and through His death and resurrection has promised eternal life to all who believe in Him! But you need to go to Him! Your opinion about this promise means life or death for you!

   We can walk through that valley of the shadow of death and be fearless if we choose. Where ever there’s a shadow there must be light somewhere, and there is.  The light of heaven shines upon us and throws a shadow across our path. The worst evils in life are those that only exist in our imagination. If we had no imagined troubles, but only real troubles, we wouldn’t have a tenth of our current sorrows or fears. David was cured of the disease of fearing when he wrote "I will fear no evil", not even the Evil One himself; I will not dread the last enemy, I will look upon him as a conquered foe, an enemy to be destroyed. "Thou art with me; I have, in having Lord, all that I can crave: I have perfect comfort and absolute security, for thou art with me." The true believer in God has nothing to fear in that dark valley because Jesus, the great Shepherd will accompany us there, and lead us safely through, no matter how dark it is. The true believer, the “true” believer has nothing to fear in their most difficult times of this life; has nothing to fear in the valley of death; has nothing to fear in the grave; and has nothing to fear in the world beyond. David realized that if God was with him he had nothing now or in the future to fear. God would be his companion, his comforter, his protector and his guide. Let God be your guide!

   David tells us in Psalm 23 We dread the unknown far above anything that we can see; a little noise in the dark will terrify us, even when we see danger. Death, being the unknown fills our hearts with anxiety, but even in the midst of it David says to trust God. Do you want to depend on yourself or do you want to depend on God to lead you through the valley of the shadow of death? David said he will trust where he cannot see. God has given us His word, when He said, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” You need to decide for yourself if you want to go it alone or have God with you always! He's given you His word!!!!!!!