Have You Believed This Lie Before?

I agree with you. This world is a beautiful place. It's full of beautiful people. It's full of the wonderful gifts of God. It's full of images of spirits of God that have been cursed. And it's easier for our hearts to be tempted to think, “If only this, then I can be happy.” If your joy is not found in the sufficiency of Christ, you will be disappointed. We all felt it this week. How many of you felt the shame of your sin this week? I did. And how many of you went, “I can’t believe I fell for that lie again, that if only I have this, I will be satisfied. I will be happy. I will be safe. I will be secure. I will be liked. I will be wanted. I will be beautiful. I will be of value. I will be of worth.” How many of us believed that this week? James comes in and says, strengthen your heart in all of the promises of God, and that is what will give you patience. And when he appears, as first John says, we will be just like everything we have ever desired: perfection, beauty, value, significance, right in the presence of our father, but you cannot have it now. The reason why we're suffering is that God is using us to complete his work. And his work is to find those who have not received the balm of the gospel, who have not received the hope of Christ, and to administrate Christ to them. So our mission is vital. There are people in our homes, in our city and in our state, and around the world who have not yet heard of Christ. And this is the way that the prophets described it, that God holds back his anger and wrath and, in mercy and kindness, sends the church to administrate the gospel that the lost might be found. We're suffering for a good reason. Our brothers and sisters are still being found. I think that is worth suffering for, amen? So let's not forget, we're not here to be happy in the things of this world. We're not here toget ahead. We're not here to take advantage. We're here to care for one another and keep strengthening one another as we do the mission that we've been called to do, which is to advance the gospel here and around the world. Everyday Grace 039