Never Get Okay with Thinking, Speaking, or Showing Contempt

September 16, 2023 Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH Never Get Okay with Thinking, Speaking, or Showing Contempt SCOTTY SMITH   No condemnation remains for those who are in Christ… So then, who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died–more than that, who was raised to life–is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us (Rom. 8:1,34). Be careful then that you don’t “show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience” (Rom.2:4).   Jesus, in light of our Father’s great love, your finished work, and the Spirit’s ongoing witness to our “sonship” (Rom. 8:16), how dare we listen to the voice of the accuser, slanderer, liar? And maybe worse, how dare we claim to enjoy your acceptance and delight, yet dispense judgment and contempt—becoming the voice box for the devil himself?  This contradicts the Gospel we relish, and the life to which you have called us. Through our union with you, we live in God’s permanent favor and constant kindness. And all day and night long, you never stop interceding, advocating, and shepherding us. You know all the good, bad, and ugly about us; but you also know we are fully forgiven and robed in your righteousness—destined to be with you and like you (Hallelujah!). Therefore… Therefore… it makes all the Gospel-sense in the world that we can trust you for the mercy, grace, and wisdom we need when mere mortals frustrate us, fail us—even greatly harm us. Nobody “gets a pass.” You’re not calling us to denial. We aren’t to empower fools. But Jesus, we know what you know… we dare not, we must not show contempt for the riches of your kindness by giving the opposite to others. Free us, Forgive us. Yes, it’s complicated at times, but help us love as you love us, period. So Very Amen. Wish you had a roundup of our best content? Subscribe to our weekly Update. SIGN ME UP! About Us    |     Council    |     Donate ©2023 The Gospel Coalition, All Rights Reserved. P.O. Box 170346 — Austin, TX 78717 Update Email  |  Unsubscribe

FREE eBook to strengthen your family discipleship

Hi First,   The back-to-school season is stressful for moms and dads. New rhythms of school, sports, and other extracurricular activities can quickly fill up a family's already busy calendar. In the hustle of it all, many modern families forget to prioritize the most important thing for their family's overall health: spiritual growth.   But where do busy parents look for resources on discipling their family well? Aside from prioritizing church, what else can Christian parents do to instill healthy spiritual habits in their household?   Matt Chandler and Adam Griffin cover these questions and more in Family Discipleship: Leading Your Home through Time, Moments, and Milestones. And as an exclusive gift to our TGC email subscribers, we're excited to offer this book to you for FREE as an eBook today.    To download your eBook just follow this link: https://pages.thegospelcoalition.org/family-discipleship   We pray this book gives you confidence, inspiration, and practical tools to prioritize discipleship in your household—instilling habits that build sturdy spiritual foundations for your family and lead to lasting growth.   Blessings in Christ,   Jared Kennedy Editor The Gospel Coalition, P.O. Box 170346, Austin, TX 78717 Unsubscribe

Choose Jesus as Heart-Boss Over Bone Rot and a Noose

September 15, 2023 Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH Choose Jesus as Heart-Boss Over Bone Rot and a Noose SCOTTY SMITH   “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” Col. 3:15   Gracious Jesus, all weekend long, something will rule in our hearts. Through our naïve passivity or a relentless search for relief; by no fault of our own, or because we can be bad stewards of good longings… we will make choices that greatly impact us, and people we love. You won the war for our heart’s eternity, but it’s functional lord each day is up for grabs. If we won’t surrender to your peace as our heart-boss, maybe it’s good for us to consider our options. We could always choose resentment, but then again, you tell us “resentment kills a fool” (Job 5:2). Maybe envy? Not a good choice either, unless we want “bone rot” (Prov.14:20). Perhaps dreaming, craving, and angling for more money? Not unless being “plunged into ruin and destruction” looks attractive to us (1 Tim.6:9). Maybe there’s someone out there that really “gets me”—somebody that can fill us up? Jesus, thanks for being graphic about this one. Replacing you with people, romance, or a sexualized relationship is like “an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer stepping into a noose (Prov.7:22). Ouch. Big ouch. And thank you. Jesus, in fresh Gospel-sanity, with our palms facing upward and our hearts as joyfully open to you as possible … we surrender to you. You are our loving King, passionate Bridegroom, and Prince of Peace. As you rejoice over us with singing, now rule inside us with your peace. So VERY Amen.   Wish you had a roundup of our best content? Subscribe to our weekly Update. SIGN ME UP! About Us    |     Council    |     Donate ©2023 The Gospel Coalition, All Rights Reserved. P.O. Box 170346 — Austin, TX 78717 Update Email  |  Unsubscribe

Green Pastures and Quiet Waters

September 14, 2023 Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH Green Pastures and Quiet Waters SCOTTY SMITH   Jesus, our Good Shepherd, “makes (us) lie down in green pastures; he leads (us) beside quiet waters” (Psalm 23:2).      Lord Jesus, we are grateful shepherds aren’t passive, co-dependent on the approval of sheep, or conflict avoidant. This is especially true of you, the archetypal Good Shepherd. Having down your life for us as the Lamb of God, you now lead and love us as our reigning King and returning Bridegroom, the friend of sinners and healer of our hearts.    We’re especially grateful today for two of the things you do best and do regularly. Jesus, thank you for actually making us lie down in green pastures. We’d probably never seek deep rest and soul refreshment unless you forced the issue.    Instead of green pastures, we run into arenas of validation—looking to get more, do more, be more. Or we drift into the dessert of unforgiveness and resentment—looking to blame someone(s) for our misery, and keep them hostage in the prison of our gracelessness.      We’re also grateful that you lead us beside quiet waters. This doesn’t mean we should expect a tranquil journey all the way Home, for you will take us through “the valley of the shadow of death.” But it does mean that in every situation, every relationship, every chapter in our stories… you will give us what you promise—your peace.    Before the storm is over, before the trauma is healed, before the mess is less messy, before the Day of all things new… you give us your peace because you give us yourself. Jesus, thank you for never leaving us or forsaking us. So Very Amen.       Wish you had a roundup of our best content? Subscribe to our weekly Update. SIGN ME UP! About Us    |     Council    |     Donate ©2023 The Gospel Coalition, All Rights Reserved. P.O. Box 170346 — Austin, TX 78717 Update Email  |  Unsubscribe

For Those of Us Marked, Harmed, and Vulnerable to Shame

September 13, 2023 Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH For Those of Us Marked, Harmed, and Vulnerable to Shame SCOTTY SMITH   “Fear not, for you will not be ashamed; be not confounded, for you will not be disgraced; for you will forget the shame of your youth.” Isa. 54:4 Heavenly Father, hallelujah for the Day when all shame and shaming will be eradicated. Never again will we remember the shame of our childhood, youth, or adult years. Never again will we feel the disintegrating, paralyzing power of shame, or the compulsion to hide and cover up. And never again will we use shame to strike back, get even, or harm anyone. There’s only one reason for this profound hope: Because Jesus bore the full weight of our guilt, and has broken the muting, face-covering, dignity-robbing power of our shame. “The Scripture says, “’Everyone who believes in him (Jesus) will never be put to shame’” (Rom.10:11). Father, help us come more fully alive to this good news: You don’t despise our weaknesses, “secrets,” and insecurities. You don’t turn away from us when we feel fractured, fragile, or like failures. Thank you, Abba. But the Gospel gives us much more than just the breaking and lifting of shame. It gives us the fullness of your acceptance and affection. Hallelujah… you see us, know us, welcome us, and fully delight in us… in this very moment. “Hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” (Rom. 5:5). You have poured—not dribbled, your love on us (1Jn.3:1-3), and into our hearts. Thank you, and keep pouring. So Very Amen. Wish you had a roundup of our best content? Subscribe to our weekly Update. SIGN ME UP! About Us    |     Council    |     Donate ©2023 The Gospel Coalition, All Rights Reserved. P.O. Box 170346 — Austin, TX 78717 Update Email  |  Unsubscribe

“His Presence Was a Joy”

September 12, 2023 Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH "His Presence Was a Joy" SCOTTY SMITH    “When we arrived in Macedonia, there was no rest for us. We faced conflict from every direction, with battles on the outside and fear on the inside. But God, who encourages those who are discouraged, encouraged us by the arrival of Titus. His presence was a joy” (2 Cor.7:5-7).   Lord Jesus, the incidental pictures in the Bible are as precious as the extraordinary promises. I’m grateful for this story of a discouraged, tired, conflicted Paul. Not that my circumstances mirror his; I’m just feeling a bit on the “blah-ish” side of things today. I’m feeling my humanity. Nothing major is sucking my joy. There aren’t any foreseeable crises looming, or fresh disappointments creating a grace-leak in my heart. I’m just more listless than fired-up on this Tuesday morning, and I’m okay with that. Paul was restless, not prayerless. You put your head on a pillow and slept in a boat because you were tired and sleepy (Mark 4:38-40)—not to model anything extraordinary for us. Thank you. And thank you for the encouragement you send us in various forms. Though you’re quite capable of sending ravens and rainbows, manna and miracles, more often than not you send us to each other. I love how Paul referred to his friend Titus: “His presence was a joy”—”his presence was a joy” … not pressure to get over anything, not a “teaching moment,” not a rebuke to his tiredness. Even as we treasure friends like Titus, make us that kind of friend to others—which is simply a prayer to become more like you Jesus. When you are close, “bruised reeds and smoldering wicks” feel no pressure to stand tall or glow like a lighthouse (Matt.12:15-21). No one offers a kinder presence than you, Jesus. Thank you So Very Amen. Wish you had a roundup of our best content? Subscribe to our weekly Update. SIGN ME UP! About Us    |     Council    |     Donate ©2023 The Gospel Coalition, All Rights Reserved. P.O. Box 170346 — Austin, TX 78717 Update Email  |  Unsubscribe