Constantly Pursued, Infected with Disbelief, Yet Deeply Loved

March 20, 2021 Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH Constantly Pursued, Infected with Disbelief, Yet Deeply Loved SCOTTY SMITH    “(The older brother) was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and pleaded with him, but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat’ …. And (the Father) said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.’” Luke 15:28–31 Heavenly Father, every day you run to us in the Gospel—inviting onto the dance floor of your grace. You’re always confronting our “inner-elder-brother” and Gospel-amnesia, saying… “My child, you are always with me, because I am always with you. Nothing will separate you from my love, exhaust my grace, or use up my mercies. Everything I have is yours, and you are completely mine.” “All your sins are forgiven—all of them. I hid your life in Jesus, and made his righteousness yours. Your sin, sorrows, and wounds have an expiration date; but you have just begun to know my love, joy, and peace.” “You are destined for an eternity of perfect relationships, and perfect everything. One Day, you will be healed of everything broken—inside and around you. But I love you today as much as I will love you on that Day. Come, my child, let us rejoice, be glad, and make merry.” Father, thank you, and I repent. Keep liberating me from my disbelief, discontent, disquiet. So very Amen I pray, in Jesus’ peerless and praiseworthy 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

Waiting for Our Blessed Hope

March 19, 2021 Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH Waiting for Our Blessed Hope SCOTTY SMITH Waiting for Our Blessed Hope “Waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” Titus 2:13 Lord Jesus, waiting is such a central part of life. We wait for… Fish to bite Mail to arrive The light to turn green Spring to replace Winter Hopefully, a good lab report People we love to stay safe and do well All of these are good, normal, and healthy waiting modes. But there is a waiting we can never over-desire, and dare not forget—your most blessed return. Jesus, thank you that you are coming back to put all things right, and make all things beautiful and new. We’re not wrong to crave being with you, which the Apostle Paul called “better by far.” We’re not foolish to look for the Day when your glory will fill the earth as the waters cover the sea. We’re not naïve to expect the elimination of all evil, illness, and madness. We’re not silly to really believe wolves and lambs, calves and critters will frolic, lay down, and take naps together. All of these will happen because you are coming back. It’s a “blessed hope” because you are a most-blessed God and Savior, Lord Jesus. Thank you for saving us, by the price of your life, death, and resurrection. Thank you for being with us and for us, right now on this March Friday. So very Amen we pray, in your loving and powerful 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

Prayers for Preaching the Gospel to Our Hearts #15

March 18, 2021 Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH Prayers for Preaching the Gospel to Our Hearts #15 SCOTTY SMITH The life of heaven contains a most remarkable fullness, but also an equally remarkable absence “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” Revelation 21:4 Heavenly Father, as much as we look forward to all the beauty, wonders, and perfect relationships of eternal life, we also look forward to what won’t be there. Never again will we experience death—in any form. Nothing will die—people we love, hopes we had, animals and trees we enjoy. No more goodbyes. No more losses. The only tears we will shed will be tears of uncontrollable joy. “Wiped tears” stand for the redemption of pain behind our most painful tears. Thank you, thank you, thank you, most loving Father. What we want more than anything, we are freely and fully given in the Gospel “We will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words” ! Thess. 4:18 Lord Jesus, you may not be coming back as soon as I wish. Or you may return quicker than I can imagine. Either way, this is the good news. Once with you, I will be with you forever. That’s what I want more than anything else—even if I don’t realize it. It’s not people’s love, the world’s possessions, or a pain-free life I want the most. It’s you I crave and long for. The good news is, because of the Gospel, I’m already yours. My life is already hidden in you, and you indwell me by the Holy Spirit. But please hasten the Day of your return. Until then, be more real and precious to me than anything else, Jesus. In your loving name I pray, Amen.   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

Prayers for Preaching the Gospel to Our Hearts #14

March 17, 2021 Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH Prayers for Preaching the Gospel to Our Hearts #14 SCOTTY SMITH We can be certain we already possess eternal life God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life. 1 John 5:11-13 Lord Jesus, my assurance of eternal life is built on you and your righteousness, and nothing else, period. I didn’t need a second chance, I needed you to be the second Adam—fulfilling the law for me, and taking the judgement I deserve. I didn’t need to “turn over a new leaf”; I needed to become a new tree. I didn’t need a fresh start; I needed a new heart. I have eternal life right now, only because of God’s free, sovereign, irresistible, more-than-sufficient grace. Even the faith I needed to receive saving-grace, God gave that to me as well (Eph. 2:8-10). Hallelujah! We can be certain God, who began our salvation, will complete it  And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. Philippians 1:6 Father, my salvation is a work I didn’t begin, and you alone can finish. I could never perform my way out of my sin, or earn my way into your love. From beginning to end, my salvation is 100% all by your grace. I contribute nothing to my salvation but my sin; but you gave me everything I need in your Son. This humbles me, because I am that needy. It gladdens me, because you are that generous. For so great a salvation I worship you. For so great a Savior, I adore you. With so great a hope, I rest in your love, and purpose to live for your glory. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. 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

Prayers for Preaching the Gospel to Our Hearts #13

March 16, 2021 Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH Prayers for Preaching the Gospel to Our Hearts #13 SCOTTY SMITH We have a secure and glorious future “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11 Dear Father, I am so thankful this isn’t a private verse for me to claim; it’s your mega-promise that claims me. Because of Jesus’ finished work, I’m a part of your story of unimaginable redemption and cosmic restoration. I don’t have to be afraid of anything—dying or living, people or plagues,  The Gospel of your grace confirms you are unequivocally and incomparably good. The truth of your Word affirms that our future is crammed full and bursting at the seams with hope. No eye has seen, ear has heard, or mind has imagined what you have prepared for those who love you. And I love you only because you first loved me and gave Jesus on my behalf. Enough said, except, “Glory!” Heaven is our assured Home with present, transformative benefits “I, John, am the one who heard and saw all these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me.” Rev. 22:8 Lord Jesus, if we too could see “these things”—what John saw about our coming life in the new heaven and new earth, we too would fall down in worship. Then we’d get up and dance a bit, shake off our fears, and worry less. We’d invest more of our heart, resources, and days in serving you—confident there’s only one unshakable Kingdom, only one eternal City, only one hope worthy of our everything. Jesus, free us from lesser things, temporal concerns, and trivial pursuits. Thank you. In your most awesome name we pray, Amen. 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

Prayers for Preaching the Gospel to Our Hearts #11

March 14, 2021 Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH Prayers for Preaching the Gospel to Our Hearts #11 SCOTTY SMITH Our present and eternal address is “in Christ”—people of the New Creation Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 2 Corinthians 5:17 Lord Jesus, I love my present and eternal address—“in Christ.” In you, I have more than I need, and beyond all I can imagine. When God rescued me from the dominion of darkness and hid my life in you, I became a part of the New Creation—that is, the now and eternal age of the Messiah. Every promise in the Old Testament finds it’s emphatic “Yes!” in you. You are the Lamb of God who took away my sin; the Lord of Lords, who is making all things new; and the Lamp of the New City, whose glory will fill the new heaven and new earth. I am stunned with gratitude, and filled with hope. We are co-heirs with Christ of the new heaven and new earth “Now if we are children, then we are heirs — heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ.”  Romans 8:17 (NIV) Heavenly Father, “just” being your beloved child is enough, but according to your Word, you have also given us an inheritance beyond anything I could hope or imagine. By the Gospel, you have made each of your children co-heirs with Jesus of the new heaven and new earth. Jesus wasn’t exaggerating when he said we will inherit the earth (Matt. 5:5). We are wealthy beyond imagination and measure. Forgive me for whining about what I don’t have, reaching for what I don’t need, and under-believing what is already mine. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.     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