Titus, Phoebe, You, and Me

November 28, 2020 Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH Titus, Phoebe, You, and Me SCOTTY SMITH God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus. 2 Cor. 7:6 Gracious Father, this picture of a disheartened, “out-of-gas” Paul, is actually quite encouraging. Thank you for reminding us even your most faithful servants get weary, spent, and needy. The Gospel frees us to be human—not Wonder Woman, Iron Man, or Captain America,. That’s good to know as we transition from Thanksgiving to the Christmas season. And thank you for comforting us when we’re downcast. You don’t rebuke us; you renew us. For you are “the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort” (2 Cor. 1:3). We need both all the time, but especially in 2020. Thank you for the comforters you send us. Though you’re quite capable of sending ravens, rainbows, manna—even miracles, most often you send a Titus (2 Cor. 7:6) or Phoebe (Rom. 16:1). Thank you for those kind of friends you’ve put in our lives. We can “buck-down” with them, because we feel no pressure to “buck-up.” Father, help us be honest about our own “spent-ness,” and that of those around us. In the midst of COVID-protocol and political tensions, we’ve gotten disconnected from some of our Titus’s and Phoebe’s, and they from us. Please heal, and close those gaps with fresh grace. So very Amen we pray, in Jesus’ powerful and compassionate name. Wish you had roundup of our best content? Subscribe to our weekly Update. SIGN ME UP! About Us    |     Council    |     Donate ©2020 The Gospel Coalition, All Rights Reserved. P.O. Box 170346 — Austin, TX 78717 Update Email  |  Unsubscribe

Seeing Jesus More Clearly and Dearly

November 27, 2020 Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH Seeing Jesus More Clearly and Dearly SCOTTY SMITH “Do not be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 2 Kings 6:16-17 Heavenly Father, we do/will experience challenging stretches in our journey Home. But, thankfully, we’ll never experience a Christ-absent day. As you opened the eyes of Elisha’s servant to see the hills covered with horses and chariots of fire, we ask you to show us more of Jesus in the upcoming season of Advent. Truly, we don’t need a calvary, but The Calvary. Because of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, “greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4). May your love drive out our fears, your peace rule in our hearts, and your grace guide what we see. May we see Jesus as sovereign over our lingering regrets, unknown future, and present everything. We are never without an Advocate, Intercessor, and Friend. Legions of angels answer his bidding; demons flee his presence; hurricanes become zephyrs at his speaking. During the entire season of Advent, may Jesus’ beauty and love take our breath away; then fill our lungs with the oxygen of grace. So very Amen we pray, in his tender and triumphant name. Wish you had roundup of our best content? Subscribe to our weekly Update. SIGN ME UP! About Us    |     Council    |     Donate ©2020 The Gospel Coalition, All Rights Reserved. P.O. Box 170346 — Austin, TX 78717 Update Email  |  Unsubscribe

Beauty Wins, Evil Loses

November 26, 2020 Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH Beauty Wins, Evil Loses SCOTTY SMITH Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! 2 Cor. 9:15 “… the boundless riches of Christ…” Eph. 3:8 Heavenly Father, of the long list of things for which we’re grateful today, none surpasses the “indescribable gift” and “boundless riches” of the Gospel of your grace. What we could never do for ourselves, Jesus did for us. What we need more than romance and riches, breath and bread, water and a worry-free life, you give us through our union with Christ. Hallelujah, and thank you! We also want to be specific about other thanks-worthy things today. Thank you for putting an expiration date on every virus, all cancer, and each illness—mental, emotional, and physical. Healing and wholeness get the last word, not dying and death. Beauty wins, evil loses. Thank you for already placing the government of the entire cosmos squarely on Jesus’ shoulders. Those shoulders that bore the cross for us, now bear the joy of making all things new. Thank you, that even if we live to be 102 in this broken world, like my grandmother Smith, we’ll look back on it like it was a mere nanosecond. We’re destined for an eternity of perfect everything—especially our relationship with you, and each other. We’ll never harm, or be harmed. No more knowing in part, loving in part, or anything in part. Father, may Thanksgiving Day 2020 be an unusually kind, gentle, encouraging, grace-shaped, thanks-filled day. So very Amen we pray, in Jesus’ wonderful and merciful name.     Wish you had roundup of our best content? Subscribe to our weekly Update. SIGN ME UP! About Us    |     Council    |     Donate ©2020 The Gospel Coalition, All Rights Reserved. P.O. Box 170346 — Austin, TX 78717 Update Email  |  Unsubscribe

Knowing and Relying on God’s Love

November 25, 2020 Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH Knowing and Relying on God's Love SCOTTY SMITH And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them… There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear. 1 John 4:16-18 Heavenly Father, this passage underscores the wonders of your love, the heartbeat of the Gospel, and the great power of your kindness. It also underscores our calling to love all kinds of people, in all kinds of situations, all the time—including Thanksgiving. Help us prep our hearts, not just our kitchens. Relationships expose our need for the Gospel more than anything else. At a time when our nation, families, and friendships have stress-fractures along political, viral, or spiritual lines, may your love be supersized in our hearts, and revealed in our brokenness. Help us rely on your great love for us in Jesus, whatever our situation. None of us is beyond the need or reach of your grace, (including me, and you!). We also pray for those unable to gather this year—because of COVID or other reasons. We’re grateful for technology like Zoom, FaceTime, and good ole phones, but it’s just not the same. How might we show your kindness to the lonely and isolated? Meet us in our own, Father. Whatever culinary delights decorate our Thanksgiving menu, may the greatest feast be your welcoming heart, Fatherly kindness, and extraordinary grace. So very Amen we pray, in Jesus’ tender and triumphant name.   Wish you had roundup of our best content? Subscribe to our weekly Update. SIGN ME UP! About Us    |     Council    |     Donate ©2020 The Gospel Coalition, All Rights Reserved. P.O. Box 170346 — Austin, TX 78717 Update Email  |  Unsubscribe

Your Father Is THIS Awesome

November 24, 2020 Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH Your Father Is THIS Awesome SCOTTY SMITH I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations. I will declare that your love stands firm forever, that you have established your faithfulness in heaven itself. Psalm 89:1-2 Heavenly Father, Ethan the Ezrahite, the author of this Psalm, is just one of a “gazillion” brothers and sisters we’ll meet in heaven, and enjoy forever. It’s already easy to love his heart, words, and worship. Ethan was overwhelmed with the steadfastness of your love, and the rock-steadiness of your faithfulness. May we be just as overwhelmed with your awesomeness, and increasingly “under-whelmed” with everything else. Because the Gospel is true, your love isn’t attached to a scorecard or thermometer, scale or gage, timetable or expiration date. Today, and every day, you relate to us according to Jesus’ resurrection and righteousness. Your smile doesn’t get bigger or smaller, in response to what we do. Your delight in us is as constant as Jesus’ work for us is complete. Hallelujah! Father, as Ethan affirms, you are faultlessly faithful and utterly trustworthy—sovereign over our moments and messes, birds in the air and kings on the earth. That you’re working in all things for our good, makes this a most extraordinary, peace-claimed life. Thank you! So very Amen we pray, in Jesus’ great and grace-full name.   Wish you had roundup of our best content? Subscribe to our weekly Update. SIGN ME UP! About Us    |     Council    |     Donate ©2020 The Gospel Coalition, All Rights Reserved. P.O. Box 170346 — Austin, TX 78717 Update Email  |  Unsubscribe

Let’s Out Encourage One Another This Week

November 23, 2020 Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH Let's Out Encourage One Another This Week SCOTTY SMITH Encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. 1 Thess. 5:11 Heavenly Father, What a destiny we have, what a God you are, what a Gospel we treasure. Because of the finished work of Jesus, our future contains zero brokenness, and 100% all-things-new; zilch strife, and 100% loving well; zip sin, and 100% wholeness. Eternity is going to be bodacious and magnificent, beautiful and perfect beyond our wildest dreams and hopes. This isn’t sentimental hype; it’s our guaranteed hope. Until then, Father, make us faithful encouragers and “builder-upper’s” of one another—of our families, friends, co-workers, and, well, anybody in our reach. For months, we’ve lived in a culture of suspicion, criticism, and judgment. Thank you for the privilege of being a Gospel counter-culture—a culture of grace. All this Thanksgiving Week long, and then throughout Advent, may we speak words of life and kindness to each other. Help us catch each other “doing it right,” celebrate one another’s belovedness in Jesus, and overlook the irritating annoying stuff. Father, thank you. Whether we die before Jesus returns, or live to see that blessed Day, we are presently and forever your beloved children. Nothing can separate us from your love, derail your plans, or exhaust your grace. So very Amen we pray, in Jesus’ tender and triumphant name. Wish you had roundup of our best content? Subscribe to our weekly Update. SIGN ME UP! About Us    |     Council    |     Donate ©2020 The Gospel Coalition, All Rights Reserved. P.O. Box 170346 — Austin, TX 78717 Update Email  |  Unsubscribe