Welcome

Do you know that God is good? He is good through mountains and valleys. He is good despite any bad that may happen in our lives. He is good when others are hurtful, unkind, or when they misrepresent us. He is good at all times and He will triumph over all that life throws at us.

In this spring issue, we focus on a variety of topics, but the one main abiding truth that I hope you will always remember, is that God is good. He never leads us in ways we would not want to be led if we saw the end from the beginning. Despite all the complicated situations we face, despite all the struggles we may face, God is good.

It is this thought that can relieve stress, soothe the anxious worry, and move the mind heavenward to rise above the harassments of this life. To that end, we begin in this issue a section dedicated to promises. It is by claiming and believing the promises that we unite with Christ and become more like Him, because then we are practicing thinking God's thoughts and exercising a faith of heavenly origin. We are told in 2 Peter 1:2-8:

3 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,

4 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;

6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;

7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

A knowledge of God is essential to understanding things that pertain unto life and godliness.

"This knowledge is the foundation of all true education and of all true service. It is the only real safeguard against temptation; and it is this alone that can make one like God in character. AA 531

Knowing who God is, what His desire is for each of us, and how He acts when faced with the issues we are facing are all essential concepts that allow us to practice being more like Christ. And practice is what it's all about! We need to think God's thoughts about the situations we face in our lives, and believe the great promises that He has given to comfort and encourage us. As we gaze into Christ's life and character, the virtues listed in 2 Peter will become more prominent in our life. May you be encouraged to pursue that knowledge each and every day as you study God's word and practice submitting more fully to Christ so that someday your corruptible body can be replaced with an incorruptible one, and your habits of life and thought will coincide with the new you!