Love Every Gospel Preposition!

Heavenward. Read the latest from Scotty Smith's blog.

Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH Love Every Gospel Preposition! SCOTTY SMITH    " As I have loved you and do love you, love   each another.  This is the clearest indication you belong to me and understand the Gospel" (Paraphrase of Jn.13:34-35). " Be kind and tenderhearted to one another"—not resentful and impatient. Eph. 4:32. " Forgive someone 7 times? No, think in the grace-realm of 77 or 490 times" Matt.18:21-22.  Don't fret, "things impossible for people are possible with God" Lk.18:27.    Dear Jesus, when it comes to knowing you, those little words called "prepositions" are super important. Your life  FOR  us is the totality of our salvation. You + nothing is the mathematics of mercy and grace. You lived for us and died for us, and you are now 100% of "our righteousness, holiness, and redemption" (1Cor.1:30). Whew!    And your life  IN us is our hope of glory (Col.1:27)—the guarantee our Father will complete his work in us (Phil.1:6). Not metaphorically, but actually, you live in us by the Holy Spirit—and you will never leave for forsake us. And a major Hallelujah… you also live  OVER us as our reigning King, great High Priest, and soon-returning Bridegroom. Everywhere we look, you are.    This leads us to another glorious preposition—"through." Jesus, because you are our life (Phil.1:21), and because one Day we will be fully like you (Rom.8:28-30), please love  THROUGH us. We're tired of making excuses for why we don't love well. We're weary of qualifying, minimizing, and excusing ourselves from the demands of love. So, Jesus, love through us . Don't just empower us to love, love through us—supernaturally, wondrously, beautifully.    It's not as simple as "we're a glove and you're the hand." Better, more glorious, and actually—we share a union  WITH you that is real—not theoretical or metaphorical. Please love through us Jesus, this very day—the easy, not-so-easy, difficult people, and impossible you've woven into our lives. All FOR your glory. So Very Amen. Wish you had a roundup of our best content? Subscribe to our weekly Update. SIGN ME UP! The Gospel Coalition  PO Box #1637    Columbia  MO  65205    You received this email because you are subscribed to Scotty Smith's Blog: Heavenward from The Gospel Coalition. Update your email preferences to choose the types of emails you receive. Unsubscribe from all future emails.

New 'RECORDED' Episode—No Chance of Survival: How a Deadly Plane Crash Yielded a Growing Spiritual Harvest

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View in browser NEW Episode of RECORDED   No Chance of Survival: How a Deadly Plane Crash Yielded a Growing Spiritual Harvest Two and a half years ago, a plane went down in a Texas pasture. On board were five men—the lead pastor, the executive pastor, an elder, and two faithful members of Harvest Church near Memphis, Tennessee.   Four of the men were killed instantly—experts later determined the chances of survival were zero percent. But one of the men—lead pastor Kennon Vaughan—lived.   This is his story. But this is also the story of what happens when a church of disciple-makers walks through their darkest hours together. And this is the story of what God can do when lives—and deaths—are surrendered to him.   This episode was produced in partnership with Dordt University. LISTEN NOW RECORDED is TGC's narrative podcast, chronicling a variety of stories of God's redemptive and transformative work. These narratives testify to the beauty of the gospel on display in this generation—in many places and in surprising ways. Whether your faith is strong or struggling, tune in to Recorded for encouraging snapshots of God's faithfulness, nearness, and love. The Gospel Coalition PO Box #1637, Columbia, MO, 65205 Unsubscribe

Front-Sliding into More Grace

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Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH Front-Sliding into More Grace SCOTTY SMITH Timeline of Paul's Grace Self Awareness AD 53 – "I am the least of the apostles and don't even deserve to be called an apostle…" (1Cor15:9) AD 62 – "I am least deserving of all God's people…" (Eph.3:8) AD 65 – "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst." (1Tim.1:15)   Lord Jesus, thank you for coming into the world to save sinners—to redeem people who don't love and obey our heavenly Father with everything they have and are. People who break, ignore, and trivialize God's Law and Word. This means we're included! In fact, this is the most inclusive group in all of history and humanity. No need to fear FMO—fear of missing out. No one is excluded, rejected, or overlooked. We all qualify for your saving grace—desperately need it and are grateful for it. What we could never do for ourselves, you have perfectly done for us, Jesus. Thank you, Lord. Grace saves us utterly and to the uttermost. Through the Gospel of your grace, we're not "just" forgiven, we're also given the record of your perfect righteousness. Hallelujah, 10,000 times over. As reflected in the three verses from Paul in today's prayer, a sign we're actually growing in grace is seen in a greater realization of our need for your grace. As Paul aged, your grace became more precious to him. He didn't backslide into sin; he front-slid into more grace. Do that in us, Lord. We want to "front-slide all the way Home. Reveal more of yourself to each of us—more of your truth, goodness, and beauty. That's how we'll discover our grace-need, repent quicker, boast more fully in you—becoming more like you. That's what we want, Jesus. So Very Amen.   Wish you had a roundup of our best content? Subscribe to our weekly Update. SIGN ME UP! The Gospel Coalition  PO Box #1637    Columbia  MO  65205    You received this email because you are subscribed to Scotty Smith's Blog: Heavenward from The Gospel Coalition. Update your email preferences to choose the types of emails you receive. Unsubscribe from all future emails.

Just Seek to Honor Jesus in All Things

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Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH Just Seek to Honor Jesus in All Things SCOTTY SMITH "We can (and should) make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps." Prov.16:9   Dear Jesus—this bold affirmation is simultaneously freeing and humbling, and convicting and encouraging. Your hands are never tied; you're always guiding our feet. You open doors none of us can shut and you shut doors none of us can dynamite open. You are our Good Shepherd, not a consulting partner; a very present Lord, not an absentee landlord; the reigning King, not an impotent bystander. Hallelujah, you're the Lord of every moment and molecule, choice and outcome, joy and sorrow. In terms of life choices—I used to think if I prayed enough, I'd hear the Spirit's voice, make the right decision, and the outcome would be pleasant, hassle free, and "blessed." If I bought the right car, it'd never break down. If I bought the right house, the roof would never leak. If I married the right person, we'd always agree. (Good luck with that one). If I sent my kids to the right school—they'd never act out, struggle with their faith, and call me twice a week until you take me Home. Jesus, you're certainly honored when we search the Scriptures, pray, consult with wise friends, and use sanctified common sense. In fact, that's exactly what you call us to do. But your will is more often like a "circle" in which there are many wise options, than a singular "dot" that we'll either discover or miss your best forever. No, there wasn't just one person in the history of "Spousedom" we were supposed to marry; but you do tell us to marry a believer, and love our easy and difficult spouse's with your love. No, Jesus, you don't really care if we buy a blue, green, or pink car—but you do want us to drive to your glory. No, you don't really care where we go on vacation; but you do want us to be humble and grateful about having the resources to even plan a vacation. Jesus, free us to honor you in all things. So Very Amen.   Wish you had a roundup of our best content? Subscribe to our weekly Update. SIGN ME UP! The Gospel Coalition  PO Box #1637    Columbia  MO  65205    You received this email because you are subscribed to Scotty Smith's Blog: Heavenward from The Gospel Coalition. Update your email preferences to choose the types of emails you receive. Unsubscribe from all future emails.

Don’t Settle for Bigger Barns and Smaller Hearts

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Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH Don't Settle for Bigger Barns and Smaller Hearts SCOTTY SMITH "One thing I know. I was blind but now I see!" (Jn.9:25) – a Healed Man. "One thing I do. I live heavenward" (Phil.3:13) – the Apostle Paul. "One thing I desire of the LORD—to gaze at his beauty" (Ps.27:4) – King David. "One thing is necessary—intimacy and communing with me" (Lk.10:42) – Jesus.   Lord Jesus, the older we get the less heart-space, time, and energy we have. Choosing between good, better, and best becomes increasingly important. Free us, and help us choose wisely. Like the blind man you healed—there's a lot we don't know, but there's one thing that should define us more than anything else—the assurance of our salvation. Jesus, more than "just" healing our spiritual blindness—you also gave us a new heart and a new life, your perfect righteousness and citizenship in heaven. Hallelujah, and thank you. That puts everything else into perspective. We don't want to spend the rest of our days dabbling, frittering, and puttering around with many things. Like Paul living heavenward, David gazing at your beauty, and Mary communing with you—we want to live as those who are consumed with one thing.  Jesus, we want to know, love, and serve you with our whole bandwidth, every breath, and our entire being. One Day that's who we will be forever: why not increasingly so now? Jesus, may our schedules, joys, and choices demonstrate you are our treasure and hope. None of us will ever wish we'd spent more time resenting and blaming, vexing and fearing, building bigger barns and having smaller hearts. So Very Amen.   Wish you had a roundup of our best content? Subscribe to our weekly Update. SIGN ME UP! The Gospel Coalition  PO Box #1637    Columbia  MO  65205    You received this email because you are subscribed to Scotty Smith's Blog: Heavenward from The Gospel Coalition. Update your email preferences to choose the types of emails you receive. Unsubscribe from all future emails.

Goodbye Status Quo, Ho-Hum, Lame and Tame Love for Jesus

Heavenward. Read the latest from Scotty Smith's blog.

Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH Goodbye Status Quo, Ho-Hum, Lame and Tame Love for Jesus SCOTTY SMITH "Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love." (Eph.6:24)   Dear Jesus, this one verse pretty well sums up the whole of the Christian life—its sum and substance, wonder and joy. We are to love you with an undying, ever-growing, passionate love. And that is the one thing the devil doesn't want us to do, because he is always trying to lead us away from our "simple, pure, whole-hearted devotion to you" (2Cor.11:3). This is where the "grace upon grace" you promise us comes in (Jn.1:16). From beginning through forever—our love for you is entirely a work and gift of grace. We love you because you first loved us—both living and dying for us. We love you today, and will love you all the way Home, because Abba will complete his work in us (Phil.1:6). But our love for you can intensify as we come more fully alive to "the length and width and height and depth" of your love for us (Eph.3:18). Do this for us and in us, Jesus. Truly, your love for us is the one constant in our lives—and it's a dynamic, not static, constant. Everything else changes. Everything else is subject to whim and fancy, ebb and flow, earning and effort. Abba loves love us just as much as he loves you—as hard as that is for us to believe. May the cooling of our love for you bother us more than the fragile economy, political insanity in the world, and every relational challenge we face in life. Do not let us get used to a status quo, ho-hum, lame and tame love for you, Jesus. Pour the rocket fuel of your Spirit, beauty, and grace upon us. So Very Amen.   Wish you had a roundup of our best content? Subscribe to our weekly Update. SIGN ME UP! The Gospel Coalition  PO Box #1637    Columbia  MO  65205    You received this email because you are subscribed to Scotty Smith's Blog: Heavenward from The Gospel Coalition. Update your email preferences to choose the types of emails you receive. Unsubscribe from all future emails.