5 Glorious Words

August 28, 2021 Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH 5 Glorious Words SCOTTY SMITH   “He got up, and started towards his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.”  Luke 15:20 Heavenly Father, these 5 glorious words—”saw, felt, ran, embraced, kissed”… they summarize what we need and want more than anything else in the cosmos—right now and forever. You, see us as we truly are on this Saturday morning—messy, moody, and miserable. You feel compassion, not contempt for us. In the Gospel, you run to us as a loving , welcoming Father. You don’t march towards us like an angry general, or saunter along in our direction, like a busy deal-making CEO. By your grace, you embrace us so tightly, so kindly, so gladly… and you will not let go of us. You give us “kisses”—the language of affection; not probation, a second chance, or a to-do list. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah! Oh Father, whatever our emotional condition, spiritual temperature, or physical location—you desire us, are pursuing us, and are so very close by. Some of us feel so much shame, we only see our failure. Some of us feel so much anger, we can’t see straight. Some of us feel so hopeless, we can only see the dark. Some of us feel so much fear, we only see threat. But you see us, Father, and you will find us. Thank you, 1000 times, thank you. So very Amen we pray, in Jesus’ merciful and mighty 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

Everybody Is Struggling with More Than We Realize

August 27, 2021 Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH Everybody Is Struggling with More Than We Realize SCOTTY SMITH I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint. Jer. 31:25 Heavenly Father, this one little verse is a Grand Canyon of grace. Come, nourish our hearts with the riches of the Gospel and the wonders of your love. Thankfully, we don’t have to pretend around you. We don’t have to feign strength, make excuses, buck up, or bail out. We need what you promise in this passage—what you alone can give. What makes us weary, Father? Where do we start? And what’s really going on behind the faintness and weariness of those we live, walk, and work with? Most people we encounter are struggling with more than we realize, juggling more than a normal heart can sustain, carrying more than you designed us to shoulder all by ourselves. Underneath the quiet surface may be a violent tornado of shame, fear, and self-contempt. Behind much loud anger is dammed-up sadness—years of unvoiced hurt, disregarded pain, and unwept tears. Father, free us to get the help we need. And give us your compassion for people who have no clue what’s going on inside them. Turn our hasty reaction into slow listening and kind presence. For starters, settle and center our hearts today with the good news—the fresh news of the Gospel. Your love for us in Jesus isn’t just the only love better than life (Psalm 63:3), it’s the only love that can heal, refresh, and satisfy us. 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

Grace In, Grace Out

August 26, 2021 Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH Grace In, Grace Out SCOTTY SMITH Ephesians 4:29 ESV – “Let no corrupting talk (literally, “gangrene producing”) come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. Philippians 4:8 – “Whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable… think about these things.” Lord Jesus, We don’t need a long prayer today; just a well-timed, heart-focusing meditation. You tell us in no uncertain terms, what we say, and how we say it, reflects whatever is currently filling our hearts (Luke 6:45). If others are experiencing our words as weaponized meanness, a carrier of gangrene, a source of death, not life (Prov. 18:21), fear-fertilizer, self-promotion, or a shame-fountain… it doesn’t necessarily mean we’re bad people. But it does mean something’s going on in our hearts that needs immediate attention. Jesus, whether it’s been old-school heart-drift; or too little time invested in meditating on your beauty, grace, and love; or filling our hearts with more Covid-news, world news, or spin-news… than the Good News, it’s “gotta” change. The tiniest percentage of us woke up today plotting evil, wanting revenge, or intending to hurt people with our words. The 99% of us really want you to seize, fill, and compel our hearts with your love, right now. Forgive us, Jesus, and free us. Nothing is more “true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable” than you. So very Amen we pray, in your loving 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

Providence—Not Happenstance, Circumstance, or Accidents

August 25, 2021 Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH Providence—Not Happenstance, Circumstance, or Accidents SCOTTY SMITH    “Daniel praised the God of heaven. He said, “Praise the name of God forever and ever, for he has all wisdom and power. He controls the course of world events…” Daniel 2:19-21    Heavenly Father, I wouldn’t want to live in the Babylon of Daniel’s day, where he and his friends lived in captivity for decades. As heart-concerning, frustration-igniting, fear-fueling as life in our world is, I’ll joyfully take our day and place over his. That being said, I (and this gospel-posse of praying friends) do want to know, love, and trust you like Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego did. It’s that they are great men to be emulated; it’s that you are a great God to be worshiped, enjoyed, and served. These sons of yours enjoyed heart-inflaming, mind-transforming, life-shaping relationship with you. And they knew Babylon was your Babylon. Providence, not happenstance, circumstance, or accidents ruled the world. Father, we want to know you like our brothers-in-Babylon did. Restore our first-love for Jesus. Fill us with your Holy Spirit. Renew our heart-trust in you, Father—the one who “controls the course of world events.” This virus—and every other global pandemic, cosmic disruption, and international crisis—they all serve your sovereign purposes, and they all  have an expiration date set in the courts of heaven. The globalization we most crave is the Day your glory will fill the earth as the waters cover the sea (Isaiah 11:9). Because of Jesus, that Day is set and coming. Hallelujah, and may it be soon. So very Amen we pray, in his glorious 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

Lord Jesus, Raise Up New Paul’s and “Pauline’s”

August 24, 2021 Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH Lord Jesus, Raise Up New Paul's and "Pauline's" SCOTTY SMITH “Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples… suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’ ‘Who are you, Lord?’ Saul asked. ‘I am Jesus…’”    “He began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God… All who heard him were astonished… he preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus.” (Select verses from Acts 9)  Lord Jesus, though the Bible is gloriously complete, its ongoing story of redemption continues—opposed, but not hindered. The Saul-becoming-Paul story is one of the clearest expressions of this grand grace-reality. All of history is tied to your commitment to redeem an every-nation Bride for yourself. Hallelujah, we shall all gather at the Wedding Feast of the Lamb—not a day early, and not a day late. As with Saul of Tarsus, you still sovereignly convert unlikely men and women, dress them in your perfect righteousness, and deploy them into your Kingdom-service. This can happen any time; in every place you so choose. Today, I join my brothers and sisters, asking you to do so among the Taliban in Afghanistan, and in every other place your Bride is being terrorized and persecuted. Sovereignly save, and powerfully send forth new Paul’s and “Pauline’s” from among the ranks of those filled with hate. One forever-Day, we will see and celebrate how you answered this prayer. Forgive us for fearing more than “faith-ing.” So very Amen we pray, in your beautiful 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

Oh Blessed “Partnership in the Gospel”

August 23, 2021 Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH Oh Blessed "Partnership in the Gospel" SCOTTY SMITH    “I thank my God every time I remember you… I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel… being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Phil. 1:3-6 Heavenly Father, as the last week of August 2021 begins, thank you for a diverse tapestry of friends who share one BIG common unifying passion and delight. And that is, as Paul calls it, “partnership in the gospel.” Not partnership, as in being “owners” and “voters.” But partnership as in belonging to you and being hidden in Christ, with citizenship in heaven and a mission on earth. Thank you for writing us into your story of redeeming grace and transforming love. Thank you for rescuing us from gospel-less religion and grace-less spirituality. Thank you for freeing us from dreams that don’t include you, and a lifestyle that makes Jesus “nice,” but peripheral. Thank you for the joy of posing less, and depending more on you—the God who raises the dead. Father, stoke the flames of our passion for your now-and-coming-Kingdom. Give us deeper empathy and compassion for the least and the lost. Make the Gospel central to our thinking, feeling, and choosing. Life is just too short for energy-depleting micro-dramas of being liked, vying for control, and getting more stuff. How boring and yawn-fueling. So very Amen we pray, in Jesus’ merciful and mighty 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