Have you ever thought that the four Gospels are written for your joy.

These things I have spoken to you that my joy, I'll tell you if there's anybody's joy in

the universe I would want to have someday

it would be the joy of the omnipotently emotional son of God

who sees his father and responds like 10,000 sites of the supernova or the Grand Canyon.

What can awaken fresh longing within us to know and enjoy God?

In this episode of Light and Truth,

John Piper walks us through key scriptures to show us how we can overcome

our spiritual dryness. This message was originally given at the Desiring God Regional

Conference in Greenville, South Carolina on August 19, 2005.

How do you live in persecution and suffering and hardship?

You know, the reason I ask this question is because I think when life becomes tremendously hard right up to the brink of death

with disease or accident or war or persecution,

your reality shows. And how did Jesus instruct us to be real in that moment?

How did Jesus instruct us to endure that moment? And I'll read you, Matthew 511.

Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you

falsely on my account.

Rejoice and be glad for your reward is great in heaven.

So how do you how do you handle suffering?

You look through it, beyond it to what God has promised you, is working in and for you, and you rejoice in it, even though tears dream down your face in pain.

Why did Jesus teach us so many things about himself and his father?

Here's why.

...