Mother's Day

As I have been thinking about yesterday and my most recent instagram picture/post I felt convicted that while I believe everything I said to be true, I left out some very important truths.

First, if Christ has not yet redeemed you then you will try to find your worth and identity in anything and everything else. I did and I still daily fight the temptation of looking to other things/people to satisfy me.  We were created to worship and we will worship something/someone.
It was not my intention but it could have come across as criticizing those of you without Jesus and that is unfair, because everyone apart from Christ will often feel extremely disappointed or sad on these types of holidays when expectations go unmet. Any happiness you might feel apart from Christ is simply part of His common grace to you. It is my fervent prayer that each of you finds the great joy and deep satisfaction of worshiping and treasuring Jesus alone. He is the all sufficient one.

Second, there is in fact ONE DAY each of us can look back on and place all of our value & worth, the day of Christ's crucifixion. Can everyone just stop and go read the book of Romans? No? Ok, well for now at least read chapter 5... We remember this, "For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person-- though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die--- but God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Rom. 5:6-8
THAT is how much YOU are loved.  While we were in the middle of SINNING against the Holy, Awesome, Incredible, Infinite God of the whole entire universe, CHRIST DIED FOR US.

There is in fact ONE PERSON we can place all our expectations in and never be let down or disappointed, and it is not a husband, wife, mom, child, etc, no, it is the God Man, Jesus Christ. Embrace God today if you haven't yet. And if you have, cling to Him! Let's not be so quick to forget what being His child means. Ephesians 1 is packed with all that we are IN HIM, starting off with "...blessed us in Christ with EVERY spiritual blessing in the heavenly places." Chosen, predestined, adopted, redeemed, we have an inheritance, & we have been sealed with the promise of the Holy Spirit all for the PRAISE OF HIS GLORY!

There is in fact ANOTHER DAY all followers of Jesus look forward to with great hope-His coming return where He will make everything right again. In Revelation 21 Jesus tells us, "Behold, I am making all things new."

I can assure you this my friends, those following Christ and those whom He longs to Rescue;
"In all of your pleasures, JESUS is better. In all of your sorrows, CHRIST is enough."

That is a quote that I heard in the sermon linked below. I have not listened to this sermon in over a year but I'm hoping to listen to it again in the next couple of days. I do remember being extremely challenged and encouraged! I pray you are as well if you get to listen.

http://idcraleigh.com/2014/02/february-09-2014-colossians-11-8-christ-is-enough/

“The gospel is this: We are more sinful and flawed in ourselves than we ever dared believe, yet at the very same time we are more loved and accepted in Jesus Christ than we ever dared hope.” timothy keller