The Importance of Hope-Setting

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Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH The Importance of Hope-Setting SCOTTY SMITH " Fully  set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming" (1 Pet.1:13)    Dear Jesus, you give us a peace, joy, and hope that can't be found anywhere else. You are sovereign over every place of the planet, tick of the clock, king of the earth, and chapter in our story. Your sovereign grace, not accidental karma, gets the first, middle, and last word. On top of that, you love us perfectly and passionately. Hallelujah, and thank you.    Because of you, we don't have to live by fear, regret, or anger; or in doubt, despair, or denial To be alive is to lament stories that grieve us, shed tears for people who sadden us, and feel vulnerable about things that threaten us. But to be yours is to realize ONLY  you and your coming Kingdom are ultimate, trustworthy, and awesome.    Jesus, by birth and nature, we are hope-setters—looking to someone or something to make things better and put things right. But by our new birth and new-nature, we know "horses and chariots" (Ps.20:7), cash reserves and government leaders, graceless religion and hot romance cannot save us. That rests fully on you, Jesus. Either you are the Savior of the world or we are hopeless on the earth.    So, on the 1st day of November 2025, we are thrilled to affirm your tomb has never been more empty, your throne never more occupied, your Gospel never more precious.  By past grace you completely saved us. By present grace you are changing us and ruling the cosmos. By future grace you will usher in the new heaven and new earth and make us like yourself 100%. Hallelujah! Jesus, turn our whimpers and whines into wonder and worship. 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.

All Treat No Trick

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Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH All Treat No Trick SCOTTY SMITH  "By grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." Eph. 2:8-9   Lord Jesus, in the annals of history, today is called "Reformation Day"—a day for remembering our salvation is 100% by grace alone through faith alone. When Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of Wittenberg Castle, Oct. 31, 1517, you opened heaven and poured out your Spirit. It was a back-to-the-Gospel movement—a renewal that preceded Luther and will continue till you return and finish making all things new. It's neither a Protestant nor a Catholic "thing." It's 100% a Gospel reality. So, on this Oct 31, 2025, before trick-or-treaters knock on our home-doors, we open our heart-doors to a fresh welcome of the best news ever—the Gospel of your grace. It's the bodacious, beautiful, bountiful announcement that we are more desperate than we realize and want to admit; but also more desired, beloved, and saved than we can hope or imagine. Our problem was never with "sowing wild oats" and the need to do-more-try-harder. Our problem was we were clueless about you Jesus—we didn't know, love, and worship you. We needed a new heart, not a fresh start—to become a whole new tree, not merely to turn over a new leaf. We needed a second birth—not a second chance, or a seventy-seventh chance. We needed forgiveness AND a perfect righteousness—a righteousness that is ours by your grace, not by our grit. Jesus, thank you for living for us before you died for us. Thank you for exhausting our guilt, taking our shame, and breaking our chains. Thank you for being our "righteousness, holiness, and redemption" (1Cor.1:30). Today we reaffirm our hope is built on nothing less, more, or other than you and what you accomplished for us. You saved us to the uttermost (Heb.7:25) and we are utterly grateful, Jesus. Hallelujah, and 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.

Ready to Dance Again and Delight More Fully in Abba

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Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH Ready to Dance Again and Delight More Fully in Abba SCOTTY SMITH    My children, "you are always with me and everything  that is mine is yours." Luke 15:31    Heavenly Father, we can't hear you say these life-transforming words too clearly, too often, and too loudly. First spoken to a pouty, self-righteous, ungrateful son (in Luke 15:11-32), you continue to beckon each of your children back onto the dancefloor of your mercy, grace, and love.    By nature, we're allergic to your grace. By weakness, we have early onset Gospel-amnesia. By choice—we drift, fall, or jump into patterns of loving poorly; and like the elder brother, we blame you for our misery.    Irritation with others gains more heart space than fellowshipping with you. Rather than enjoying the grace-parties you throw for all your children, we throw a pity-party for one only inviting ourselves.    Yet you constantly woo us saying, "My daughters and sons, you are always with me because I'm always with you. Nothing will separate you from my love, exhaust my grace, or deplete my mercies. Everything I have is yours. In fact, I've made you co-heirs with Christ Jesus of the entire new heaven and new earth and the fullness of my Kingdom.    Your sins are forgiven, your life is hidden in Christ, and Jesus' righteousness is yours. Your sorrows, wounds, and brokenness all have an expiration date. I have you in my heart and no one can take you from my hand. Come, my children, let us—all of us, rejoice and be glad."    Thank you and Hallelujah, Father! We are secure, enriched, and beloved beyond all measure and imagining. Make this unavoidably, palpably to us again—and more so than ever. We are ready to dance and delight in you, and love others as you love 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.

Good Things Come in Fours

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Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH Good Things Come in Fours SCOTTY SMITH   King David: "Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases." Ps. 115:3 Nebuchadnezzar: God, "does as he pleases among the angels of heaven and among the people of the earth. No one can stop him…" Dan. 4:35. Isaiah: "Only I am God! … Only I can tell you the future before it even happens. Everything I plan will happen." Isa. 46:9-10 Job: Abba, "no purpose of yours can be thwarted" Job 42:2   Heavenly Father, I love fours—including these 4's: The Four Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, The Beatles, the Hobbits, 4 Presidents on Mt. Rushmore, 4 Pevensie children in "The Lion, Witch, and Wardrobe," and "Quatre épices"—usually cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg and pepper. But these four verses from your Word give us a foursome that brings more joy, peace, melody, "flavor," and hope than all of them. Each of all affirm that you are Sovereign, not a mere suggester—King, not a consultant, Creator/Redeemer, not observer/cheerleader. Hallelujah and thank you. We may not always like how you do what you do, but if you are not sovereign we are hapless, hopeless, and "toast." Father, no desire, decree, plan, or purpose of yours can be or will be derailed, denied, or delayed. This doesn't make us puppets, pawns, or peons—but your cherished children. This doesn't make you an unfeeling, impersonal, source of energy—but the only God worth knowing, loving, worshiping, and trusting. Abba, you gave Jesus to us and for us; and you gave us to Jesus (Jn.6:39). Certainly, we can trust you with things we can't control, hope for our children, own our health challenges, grieve the current political climate, experience "accidents" that are providences in disguise, long for the Day of all things new, and seek to live the next 24 hours to 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.

Jesus Is Our Hands-On Good Shepherd Not Our Distant Consultant

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Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH Jesus Is Our Hands-On Good Shepherd Not Our Distant Consultant SCOTTY SMITH "May the Lord direct your hearts to God's love and Christ's perseverance." 2Thess.3:5   Lord Jesus, of the many "common grace," creation-goodness realities I enjoy, having GPS on my iPhone is high on the list. I often say to friends, "I can get you to heaven, but not to the nearest Costco. I have the "Gospel-chip" but not the "direction chip." So having you as our Good Shepherd means everything to me, for you always direct our hearts into our Father's love and your perseverance. I need copious amounts of both. For some days I wake up lost in the middle of a pity-party—when my disappointments loom larger than your delights. Other days the GPS of my heart seems pre-programmed for unbelief, fear, resentment, the approval of people, or the illusion of control—each of which is a dead end. Lord Jesus, more than just "taking the wheel," take my mind, will, emotions—my whole being. I'm grateful our final destination is life in the new heaven and new earth, and complete conformity to your likeness. Hallelujah! But in route there, keep me yielded, trusting, and expectant. Take me deeper into the lavish, everlasting, inexhaustible riches of God's love. Nothing is more needful, glorious, and transforming. But also take me into the assurance and peace of your perseverance, Jesus. For mine is flimsy, always close to empty, and never enough for the demands of life and love. I've never been more grateful to sing, "He Will Hold Me Fast," knowing you are and will, all the Way Home. Sabotage my every attempt to go anywhere else than where your heart, Word, and Spirit direct. 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.

Hearing and Heeding Jesus

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Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH Hearing and Heeding Jesus SCOTTY SMITH "My sheep hear my voice" (Jn.5:27); and "if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I'll come in and we'll fellowship and feast together." (Rev.3:20) "The Holy Spirit will teach you more about me and remind you of the things I, Jesus, have said." (Jn.14:26) "The Holy Spirit constantly is telling us we are God's beloved children and co-heirs with Jesus of everything." (Rm.8:16-17)   Lord Jesus, most of my life I've assumed the phrase, "I'm hearing voices," to indicate mental or emotional instability, or at least a whole week without good deep sleep. It certainly can be, but much more so it's an indication of being six feet above ground with a beating heart and working lungs. For we all hear voices. The key to a healthy life is to identify the voices vying for our attention and give heed to the right ones. Help us, Lord. For many of us, the main voice we hear is our own—a non-stop monologue with ourselves. Quite often it's marked by comparisons, judgments, and shame. Others among us continue to be narrated by the voice of parents, coaches, teachers—living or dead, both good and super bad. A smaller but substantive number of us listen to the father of lies way too much. Loving Jesus, may your voice be the nearest, clearest, dearest to us. We want to learn, marinate in, and be transformed by everything our Father and the Holy Spirit want to show us about you. Fine tune our hearts to hear you speaking directly to us through the Scriptures, creation, your Spirit, and our Gospel-friends. May your voice transcend and drown out every carpetbagger, condemner, liar, and lie—ever naysayer, seducer, and destroyer. Only you speak words of eternal life, and you never stop talking to us, Jesus. Thank you, and 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.