God’s church is very diverse. Depending on your background in the faith, your idea of the average Christian may be very stereotypical: a suit and tie, a pretty dress, a smiling face on a sunny, Sunday morning. Of course, that’s pretty far from reality. In this teaching, Pastor Mark points out the diversity of personalities and struggles within the Church. Getting saved does not remove these differences from us. The beautiful thing is, these differences are used by God to sharpen and edify us.

Our God and His perfect plans are worth waiting on. Following Christ requires patience and trust. In this teaching, Pastor Mark warns of the dangers of lacking these two things and of the anxiety that comes from this lack. God works outside our timeframes and expectations. If you wait on Him, good things will come. Why didn’t Jesus go immediately after hearing that Lazarus was sick? We can speculate, but ultimately, we cannot know for sure, except that it demonstrated His sovereignty and power. Ultimately, when He acts, it is to draw us into Himself and to reveal His glory.

God is an uninhibited provider. All things belong to Him and are easily within His grasp. Still, all too often, Christians allow themselves to be racked with worry over how the bills will be paid or how they will put food on the table. Worrying does nothing for our good, and it reveals our lack of faith. In this teaching, Pastor Mark tells us to expect hardships in this life. God doesn’t remove all our obstacles when we begin following Him. In fact, oftentimes, these hardships seem to increase. What God does ultimately provide, however, is perfect peace and hope in the midst of any situation you may be going through.

Don’t misinterpret Pastor Mark as saying that God enjoys our suffering. On the contrary, it deeply saddens God, much like it saddens the heart of human parents watching their kids suffer through consequence and trial. Holding on to hope in the midst of suffering requires great faith. Losing a loved one, enduring an illness, or facing hardship, makes it easy to point a finger at God and demand an answer. As you struggle, have faith, because God is with you and He has a greater purpose to work out in your life.

In our culture, science, reason, and logic, as well as our emotions, have all taken the place of the Bible as a foundation for life. We seek that which makes sense to us, those things that make us feel good, but this approach places far too much merit in our own capabilities, knowledge, and flesh. When we throw out the Bible, or even certain parts of it, because we disagree with it or feel challenged, we are taking on the role of God. In this teaching, Pastor Mark reminds us that God’s Word alone should act as our foundation and authority.