Destined to “Be a Gladness”

September 4, 2021 Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH Destined to "Be a Gladness" SCOTTY SMITH “Behold, I create new heavens and a new earth…  Be glad and rejoice forever in that which I create; for behold, I create Jerusalem to be a joy, and her people to be a gladness. I will rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in my people.” Isa 65:17-19 Heavenly Father, you made these imagination-stirring, heart-gladdening promises at a time when your people deserved the exact opposite. Both life among your children, and the cultures surrounding them, were filled with anti-grace passions, faithless living, and self-serving ambitions. And yet you gave this vision of hope that Jesus alone can/will bring into reality. On this September Saturday, we want to take time to offer a gigantic, “Thank You!” In the Gospel, we don’t get what we do deserve (judgment), and we do get what we could never earn (the riches of grace). The Gospel isn’t just counter-intuitive, it’s anti-intuitive. Because of Jesus’ first coming, you already greatly delight in us—the way Isaiah describes in this passage. In fact, you love us as much as you ever will. Why? Because you have declared us righteous in Christ. He took our sin; we got his perfection. At Jesus’ second coming, we will finally love you as much as you deserve; and everything you promise in this vision (reaffirmed by John in Revelation 21:1-22:6) will come to pass. The “new heavens and new earth” will be a new-creation-sized city of joy. And we, your every-nation family, won’t just be happy, we will “be a gladness”—a people for your praise, glory, and joy. May this hope quicken our repentances, deepen our worship, and free us to live more on mission, and less in fear. A BIG 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

Heart-Refreshment and Heart-Refreshers

September 3, 2021 Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH Heart-Refreshment and Heart-Refreshers SCOTTY SMITH “Refresh my heart in Christ” Philemon 1:20 Heavenly Father, what a magnificent paradigm for friendship—learning to refresh each other’s hearts with the truth, grace, peace, and hope we have in Jesus. Brilliant, so needed… help us. The Apostle Paul asked for this gift from his friend, Philemon, in anticipation of an impending visit. We ask it of you, Father, well before we enter our world of horizontal relationships. For the only reason we know Jesus is because you were pleased to hide our lives in Christ (Col. 3:1-4) and raise us to newness of life in him (Rom. 6:4). So, Father—by the power of the Holy Spirit, refresh our hearts in Jesus. Remind us of every good thing we have through our union with Christ. And make it a lot more than a good theology lesson. Make it like the day you wooed both of disconnected children onto the dance floor of your welcome, joy, mercy, and grace (Luke 15:11-31). Like an artesian spring of living water, bringing refreshment into our various deserts. Like a stretch of 72-degree, 25% humidity, rich-blue-sky days, breaking a long stretch of smoky/hazy, 93-degree, 80% humidity days—renew, refresh, re-free our hearts in Jesus. And as you do, enable us to serve our friends as an extension of your welcome, conduits of your grace, channels of your kindness, well-timed gifts of encouragement and hope. So very Amen we pray, in Jesus’ powerful and 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

Keep God’s Promise Current, Near, and Dear

September 2, 2021 Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH Keep God's Promise Current, Near, and Dear SCOTTY SMITH “Don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom.” Luke 12:32 Heavenly Father, what a comfort, hope, and everything-changer, this one little verse is. Thank you for your compassionate heart (You know our fears); intense joy (You’re the original cheerful giver); and grand generosity (You make us—a small flock of lambs, the inheritors of your everlasting Kingdom). Make this beautiful, bountiful, bodacious affirmation more real to us than ever—and especially to our brothers and sisters in Afghanistan, Iran, and North Korea. As your beloved children—as Jesus’ Bride, we aren’t called to live as ingrown cloisters of anxiety, but as outward-loving communities of grace. Until Jesus returns, we are to share the Gospel and create beauty, be good neighbors and do excellent work, advocate for justice and extend your mercy. Since the Fall, Satan’s strategies have included creating fear with persecution, sleepiness with pampering, division with infighting, and distractions with anything possible. But since eternity, your plan has been to fill the earth with your glory, and populate it with a “little flock” from every nation and people group—as numerous as stars, sand, and dust. You have not changed your mind. Our labors in the Lord will never be in vain. Your Kingdom has come in part, and it is barreling towards us in fullness. Hallelujah we shout, and Amen we pray, in Jesus’ 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

Just When We’re About to Day, “I’m SO Done.”

September 1, 2021 Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH Just When We're About to Day, "I'm SO Done." SCOTTY SMITH “He gives us more grace” James 4:6 Heavenly Father, not as a cliché, maxim, or mere motto—but as our spiritual oxygen, essential need, and sure hope, we take this promise very seriously today. You will always give us more of your grace—more of the limitless, multidimensional riches of the Gospel, all ours because of Jesus’ work on our behalf. Just when we’re about to “throw in the hope-towel,” on life in this crazy, mean, broken world, you give us sane-ing grace. You bring us back to Gospel-sanity by showing us more of Jesus, reminding us of your plan for all history, and a giving us a glimpse of our coming life in the new heaven and new earth. Thank you. Just when we’re about to submit to the ruling of the supreme court of self, anger’s demands, and irritation’s exhaustion—crying out, “I’m SO done with him/her/them” … you give us sanctifying-grace. You slow us down, show us the log in our own eye, remind us who we are in Christ, and grant us wisdom for challenging relationships. Thank you. Just when we’re about to enter our float in the “cynicism-parade”—so weary from all-things-virus,” cancel-culture, ramped-up arguing, and “us-versus-them-self-righteousness”… you give us sufficient-grace. Indeed, Father, you will always give us all the grace we need to live and love to your glory, until Jesus returns. It doesn’t make life easy, but it sure makes it good. Thank you. SO very Amen we pray, in Jesus’ 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

“Good” Is Better Than We Realize

August 31, 2021 Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH "Good" Is Better Than We Realize SCOTTY SMITH   “We know God works for the good in all things, for those who love him—those called according to his purpose…  to be conformed to the image of his Son.” Rom. 8:28-29 Heavenly Father, this most-often yellow-highlighted Bible verse underscores the disparity between what we often read in a Scripture, and what’s really there. The good news is your meaning is always better than ours. As a young believer, I would have sworn this verse means, if I love you enough, a steady stream of “good things” will flow into my life. I took “good” to mean “pleasant,” “enjoyable,” “fun”, minimal pain, financial success, and stellar health. Hallelujah, the truth is so much better than my illusion—my “wish list.” First of all, I’m glad to know grace doesn’t come to us to the degree we love you, but to the degree you love us—which is 110%. We never merit what you freely give us. Secondly, thank you for showing me “good” isn’t a synonym for the “goodies” of “the American dream,” but the likeness of your beloved Son, Jesus. Nothing will be “good-er,” than one Day to be completely like Jesus. Soon, please Father. Thank you for always working in all things all the time to make us like Jesus. Our suffering isn’t meaningless. When it seems like you’re not hearing or answering our prayers, you are at work. When you “bless us out the wazoo,” you are at work. When life is “a blast,” and when it’s “too much,” you are at work for our good. The work you began, you will finish (Phil. 1:6). A big, very Amen, to that.     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

Real Waves and a More Real Jesus

August 30, 2021 Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH Real Waves and a More Real Jesus SCOTTY SMITH   “This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.’” 2 Chron. 20:15 Lord Jesus, thank you for claiming ownership of our battles, and not minimizing the “vastness” of the army in front of us—whatever our army(ies) might be. You’re not calling us to be naïve observers or disengaged pacifists, but enthralled worshipers—filling our hearts with your glory and grace. We can either look at real waves, or an even more real you, Jesus. (Matt. 14:25-33). As this week begins, we want to see you more clearly (and dearly) than anything else. What wars, battles, and skirmishes are on the horizon? Always (no exception) Satan is looking to tempt, condemn, and divide us. So, we fix our gaze on you, Lord Jesus—the author and perfecter of our faith; “our wisdom, righteousness, holiness, and redemption” (1 Cor. 1:30–31). The riches of the Gospel are always our greatest arsenal against most attacks. What other“ armies” are trying to stare us down and take us out? The “virus” continues a multifaceted attack—wearing health workers out; and equally fertilizing phobias, fueling denial, and fermenting distrust. And though we could also point to secular ideologies, devilish worldviews, and political extremism, it seems Satan is being quite successful in simply turning us brothers and sisters in Christ against one another. Lord Jesus, humble and gentle us. Grant us repentant faith, Gospel-sanity, and reconciling hearts. In the next 5 years, we’re going to need each other more than ever. Restore our first love for you. So very Amen, we cry out and pray.   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