Robert and I woke up early one morning this week while we were off and there was a light drizzle of rain outside. He asked if I might want to go out for a quick walk before the kids got up. Initially, it gave me pause because it was raining but then I thought, “why not?” As we walked around the beautiful campus that we live on, we talked about how sweet God is and how beautiful his creation. The air was fresh, different birds flew from tree to tree and little critters scurried along. Despite the rain, everything was teeming with life. So many trees and bushes were glistening with different colors. 

In considering all this, it just really highlighted how amazingly creative our Lord is!  Psalm 104:24 says, “How many are your works, Lord! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.” 

This week, we had a mock trial performance for one of our kids, dance, gymnastics, and ninja classes. There was yard work to do, friends and family going through various trials, and medical appointments for my daughter. Just like every week, things were busy and it could have been very easy to be overwhelmed or discouraged. 

However, taking a moment out to walk and reflect on the goodness of God in the midst of our busy and sometimes chaotic, messy, or broken lives can put things into perspective. God is good, all the time. Even when it looks like there is no hope, after the bleakness of winter, the April rains come down and wash everything clean and bring out the new life from the hibernating trees and flowers. Tiny buds form and blossom, causing splashes of color to explode from flowering trees and then just as quickly litter the ground with the fading flowers as they wither and dry. If we stop and look, we will see it. If we get too busy though, it will just look like another mess to clean up in our already hectic lives. 

The Psalmist tells us to "Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name." How much sweeter is this life when we take the time to reflect on his goodness and give thanks for all of his many mercies. 

Jesus warned that we would have troubles in this life. What are yours? A poor exam score? Difficult relationship? A daunting medical diagnosis? Chronic pain? An ill parent or family member? Mockery for your faith in Christ?

We buried our miscarried child 7 months before the due date. We don't know the gender or the name, but we love our child, both then and now. We also know this sorrow pales in comparison to the ache in some of your hearts. Even still, more sorrow and pain are certain to come. So, with this knowledge I wonder, "will I curse God and lose my faith when sorrow comes, but abandon Him in times of ease?" No, I will cling all the closer to the Rock of our salvation.

Let Christ's words comfort you:

For those of us mocked for our faith:

John 15:18;20

18 If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated Me first.

20 Remember what I told you: 'A servant is not greater than his master.'[b] If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you also

For those of us troubled deeply to the heart:

John 16:1;33

1 All this I have told you so that you will not fall away.

33 I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.

For those of you suffering:

Ecclesiastes 4:9;10

Two are better than one...if one falls the other can pick him up.

Romans 12:15

Rejoice with those who rejoice. Mourn with those who mourn

James 2:14-19

14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, "Go in peace; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 18 But someone will say, "You have faith, I have deeds" Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that-and shudder.

I know we will never be able to learn the intricacies of each sorrow in our precious church, but we are ready and able to support in any and every situation. Rely on the members of the body of Christ. It is our calling and our joy.

This Easter, this Resurrection Sunday, remember that we do not serve a bunny, or a god who sleeps, or a god who is weak, or a god who falters. We do not celebrate a good teacher with nice words, or an admirable example. We celebrate that "Christ Jesus is the one who died - more than that, Who was raised - Who is at the right hand of God, Who indeed is interceding for us." (Romans 8:34) It is He Whom we serve, He Whom we fear with our soul and spirits, and He Whom we trust as the eternal and all-sufficient propitiation for our sin.

May He find us on that Day as good and faithful servants.

The Apostle Paul said I have learned in whatever state I am to be content  You have to learn contentment because it's not natural. It’s not normal. The default attitude in every fallen human heart is discontent. Many in the charismatic movement and health-and-wealth leaders prey on that discontent. They are always offering people something more, something better, something higher. That’s basically taking advantage of the default position of human nature. These false teachers know that people are discontent with their lot in life, their job, spouse, family, income, house, car, and wardrobe. Because that is the default position of every human heart, promising people something better is the best way to con them. So if your ministry preys on this discontentment, if you’re telling people God wants them to have whatever they want and they have a right not to be satisfied with their place in life, marriage, or physical condition, you’re doing the devil’s work.

The purest form of worship is contentment. When you talk about worship, people think of music primarily. They think it happens in a church service, but the purest form of worship is contentment. You accept what God has provided. That’s mature faith. You learn to be content, and you learn it by the experience of providence. You learn it by understanding the nature of God. Providence gives you what he desires for you, for your good and his glory. So you have true spirituality which could be defined as contentment, the purest form of worship. Paul says, I know how to be abased and I know how to abound in everything. I'm content. That's the purest form of worship, accepting what God has provided.

                                                                                              

 (This message is from the desk of John MacArthur and is used with permission.)

After all the stark and profound doctrinal truths of Romans chapters 1 through 11 chapter 11 ends with a passage familiar to many Christians, a passage that soars in eloquence and in glorious truth ~

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!

      “For who has known the mind of the Lord?

       Or who has become His counselor?

       Or who has first given to Him

       And it shall be repaid to Him?”

For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.

We, in rebellion against God, our Creator, have been forgiven and adopted by Him as His children. We are justified by grace, our Father’s grace is poured over us because He gave us Jesus as a sacrifice for us, dying in our place. So now, as His redeemed, as the church, as His own people, what are we to do - what did God save us for, what work do we have in His kingdom - what is our reasonable worship?

Our Father doesn't leave it to us to figure out what our reasonable worship is. After Paul sets forth, in the first 11 chapters, God’s truth of our fallen condition, of Jesus’ atonement, and our salvation by grace alone through faith (through believing the gospel message, having no confidence in our own works but through trusting in Jesus alone as our only hope), after his homily at the end of chapter 11 Paul starts chapter 12 with a therefore (or rather, Paul continues - Paul didn’t write his letter in a chapter format, we inserted chapters) . . . therefore since all I’ve (Paul) instructed you in God’s plan to save you, since I’ve praised the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God ~

   I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a

   living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be

   conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may

   Prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Our reasonable service is to present your bodies a living sacrifice. With bulls and goats the Old Testament believers presented God dying sacrifices, Jesus presented Himself a dying sacrifice - God saved us to present ourselves as living sacrifices to Him. We are to not seek our own interests but to sacrifice our time, our our money, our minds, our bodies, our hearts in the advancing of His kingdom . . . because our time, our our money, our minds, our bodies, our hearts are not our own, God created them, supplies them, and saved them for His glory. It is our reasonable service.

   For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.

   How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out.

Recently, I have been thinking about scripture. Many people don’t understand how magnificent it is. Some think it is an ancient document irrelevant to our modern world. Others believe it to be writings of men bent on controlling the masses. There are countless other opinions of those with different reasons for not wanting to believe or follow its teachings. I used to be one of them. 

Until my mid-twenties, I landed firmly in the camp of thinking Jesus was a pretty cool guy but the Bible was not something I was interested in. At that point, some things happened that got me questioning my long-held beliefs.  I read a book that detailed all the many prophesies written about in the Bible and then came to pass generations later. Then I learned about the different writers and how they wrote about all the terrible things they did, detailing all the ways they didn’t listen to the Lord. It showed how God had warned them over and over and began talking about Jesus coming to bring salvation to the world all the way back in Genesis.  I never realized before that all of scripture either pointed forward to the coming of the Messiah or Emmanuel who would literally be “God with us” coming to take away our sins (everything we do that breaks God’s heart). The entire Bible was one long story, despite being written over thousands of years by many different authors.  The likelihood of anything written by that many different people, all pointing in the same direction over so many years was astounding to me.  

The Bible says, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work (2 Tim. 3:16-17).”  It also says "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will (Rom 12:2)."  Studies have also indicated that reading scripture four or more times a week significantly decreases addictive behavior, feelings of loneliness and depression, and increases desire to reach out and help other people.  However, if we don’t believe in their value or the importance of reading them, none of this holds any meaning to us.  If they are true, though, they are of the most vital importance because scripture says the only way to God is through turning away from our sin and towards the Son.  

I came to believe scripture was true initially because the facts presented seemed the most logical truth, despite how unbelievable so many think they are. Yet, they have become so very important to me in the many years of studying them and seeing their power to transform lives through the working of the Holy Spirit when read regularly.  I noticed that praying through scripture was the most profound and beautiful experience.  It led to healing and transformation in my relationships and mind.  Talking about scripture in community led to more growth and the ability to love others in hard places, to love myself when I didn’t feel very loveable, and to be open about my brokenness. Many others have found similar value in their pages as they seek to know the Lord and learn his will.  My hope for each of you is that you would strive to read God’s word as a daily practice and see the transformational power it has in your own life.