This week our church had a three-part Bible study on the Resurrection. We had a great time digging though God’s Word seeking to understand more and more about the meaning and implication of the fact that Jesus is no longer dead, but is alive.

I was most impacted by Romans 4:24-25:

“…Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.”

RAISED FOR OUR JUSTIFICATION!

Easter is coming. April 24th is only two weeks away, and on that Sunday morning Christians all over the place will worship specifically because of the resurrection. How important is the resurrection?

It cannot be understated… for our right-standing before God Almighty is based on the work of Christ in His death and resurrection.

For those that believe, they are justified before God because of His resurrection.

A few days back I posted about this new book I found called Our Home is like a little Church. It is understatement to say that I love this book. It is so short and true. Very practical for me as a parent and my sons as children.

The introduction to the book has an outstanding quote from Martin Luther. I pray that there would be more and more men and fathers who approach family life, home life, and child-rearing with this great responsibility,  seriousness, and intensity.

Here is the Martin Luther quote :

“Abraham had in his tent a house of God and a church, just as today any godly and pious head of a household instructs his children… in godliness. Therefore such a house is actually a school and church, and the head of the household is a bishop and priest in his house.”

I have been reading David McIntyre’s book The Hidden Life of Prayer. Already I am longing to pray more. I want to share with you this quote about waiting on God.

“But the most familiar, and perhaps the most impressive, description of prayer in the Old Testament is found in those numerous passages where the life of intercourse with God is spoken of as a waiting upon him. A great scholar has given a beautiful definition of waiting upon God: ‘To wait is not merely to remain impassive. It is to expect- to look for with patience, and also with submission. It is to long for, but not impatiently; to look for, but not to fret at the delay; to watch for, but not relentlessly; to feel that if he does not come, we will acquiesce, and yet to refuse to let the mind acquiesce in the feeling that he will not come.’”

I got all of this from Justin Taylor’s blog which is at http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/

I love the idea that God has designed for all of us who are His witnesses to be in a certain place doing particular things. We all are not to be like each other. Be Who God has you to be, and Be content with that. I hope you like this quote.

From an interview with Michael Horton on his new book, The Gospel Commission: Recovering God’s Strategy for Making Disciples:

I think there has been a lot of anxiety and burnout—indeed, a new kind of low-grade legalism—as believers are given the burden of transforming culture. Most of us are called to making small differences every day in the lives of a few neighbors—like our spouse, children, extended friends and relatives, co-workers. Of course, we pursue our callings as more than jobs, but so do a lot of non-Christians. We are motivated by a concern to love and serve our neighbors, but a lot of non-Christians have a stronger sense of social obligation than we do. What if I’m a janitor or tree surgeon in Iowa rather than a Wall Street mover-and-shaker? Actually, most Christians are the former rather than the latter. I like Os Guinness’s line: “In terms of influence, the problem is not that most Christians aren’t where they should be, but that they aren’t what they should be where they are.” I would only add that it’s only by being regularly steeped in God’s Word, over the long haul, that this kind of maturity becomes something that others recognize even if we don’t.

The first day of April is celebrated as April FOOL’S day. Most everyone knows that. Many people enjoy pranking others to get a laugh on this day. This morning a good brother of mine got me really good with a simple text about sports. I fell for it. He replied with another text saying “April Fools.” Yall know how that goes. Its fun… just as long as the pranks aren’t too serious and devastating.

But I want to comment on the idea of a “Fool”. All day I have been absorbed with this word and its meaning. And that is because of what I know God says about a fool.

Both Psalm 14 and Psalm 53 state this very powerful and attention-grabbing truth:

“The fool says in his heart “There is no God.””

Webster’s Dictionary defines a Fool as = someone lacking in judgment or prudence.

In one of my devotional books, Dianne Neal Matthews has written very well in On This Day:

The Bible has a lot to say about fools. Proverbs alone contains numerous verses that describe fools– that is, not people who lack intelligence but those who have character defects.

Thinking through all of that is disheartening. I know some fools. I know many people who say there is no God. Also very sad, I know many people who are drifting in that direction. More than that, I also know many guys and girls who live like there is no God. I also know some folks who are quite sharp, educated, intelligent people but they have character defects. Its sad. Its foolish.

And still I am fully aware that were it not for God first loving me that I would not at all be loving Him. Were it not for Jesus being the mediator between me and God, I would still be hostile with God. But now because of Jesus, I have peace with God. I am drawing near to God while He is drawing near to me. According to God, that is not foolish. It is humbling to know that a fool like me is no longer considered a fool by God.

As you celebrate April Fools Day, Don’t be foolish! Believe in God!

Read this great article titled “5 ways to make your kids hate church”.

It is on the resurgence website. Click here to get there.

Travis Agnew, a faithful brother who also went to North Greenville University, has written a nice article about tithing and paying off debt. I think many of you will benefit greatly from reading this article.

Please click here to go to his post.

It is titled “Should I tithe while in debt?”

“Our Home is like a Little Church was written to teach preschool children the Christian truth evident in its title–that the home is a “little church” where the father teaches his family God’s commands and leads them to worship the one true God.” -Sojourn Church

I found this book online, and I had never heard of it. I received it in the mail yesterday. It is awesome! Amazing. If you have a family, please buy it. You will reap great reward from reading this short little book. You can buy it here for only $4.

I have already read it to my family. And I also read the whole book to our church last night. It has inspired me and challenged me greatly to be a great Dad.

I am very excited to announce our upcoming Bible Study during Spring Break.

You can check out fbcfairdale.org to see the post advertising the Study.

Spring Break is here, and we are ready to dig deep into God’s Word. With Easter approaching, we are inviting all young people along with all adults to be here to grow as Pastor Josh teaches on the role of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit in the Resurrection.

Tuesday April 5th, Wednesday April 6th and Thursday April 7th from 10am to 12 Noon.

Lunch will be provided on Wed. and Thurs. following the Bible Study.

We all at times unintentionally forget the basics. The simple basics that are so important and foundational should never be forgotten, but at times they are here.

Here is a short and sweet reminder.

• God is perfect without sin.
• We have sinned against Him.
• Jesus gave up His life and shed His blood for us.
• If we believe, God will forgive our sins.
• Being forgiven and pure before God brings new life in Christ.
• All those who have new life in Christ will also live forever with Him in heaven.