A Total Grace-“Beatdown”

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

Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH A Total Grace-"Beatdown" SCOTTY SMITH    Behold, absorb, ponder, be in awe of "what great love the Father has lavished on us." (1Jn.3:1). Abba "is working in you both to will and accomplish his good pleasure." (Phil.2:13). Therefore we joyfully say, " The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever." (Ps.138:8).    Heavenly Father, on this last Friday of February 2026, it's a huge gift to live with no doubts, fear, or having to guess what you think about us. Because of what you've done for us in Jesus, we live in your 100% favor 100% of the time with 0% exceptions. No more "He loves me, He loves me not."    No need to "should-all-over-ourselves"—I should do more, try harder. I should work harder to make God smile bigger and frown less."    No need to feast on the rotting fruit of regrets. "Why did I ever …?" "How could I have ever…?""If only I hadn't …"    Hallelujah, the burden of our guilt, shame, and failures has been lifted, and replaced with your unwavering delight. Posing and pretending have been crushed under the weight of your eternal welcome and lavish love. What relief… what freedom… what peace we have in Christ. Thank you, Abba. Your currency is grace and your "pockets are full." Abba, you are eternally generous, including today. You will remain on a grace-riches spending spree all the way Home.    Hallelujah… Jesus' saving work is finished for us and the Spirit's transforming work continues in us until the Day of all things new and beautiful (Rev.21:5, Eccl.3:11). Your heart and hard rule sovereignly over us and everything else. Therefore, we want to invest the rest of our days by … Faith expressing itself in love. (Gal.5:6) Hope expressing itself in mission. (Rom.16:20) Grace expressing itself in kindness. (Lk.6:35-36) Peace expressing itself in faith and trust. (Prov.3:5-6) Humility expressing itself in quick repentances. (1Pet.5:5-6) We are loved, grateful, and destined for Christlikeness. (1Jn.3:2) 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 8520 Allison Pointe Boulevard,  Suite 220 Indianapolis,  IN  46250  United States You received this email because you are subscribed to Scotty Smith's Blog: Heavenward from The Gospel Coalition. Take control of your inbox. Manage your preferences and choose which newsletters you want to receive or unsubscribe from all emails.

The Grace-Gift of Redemptive Frustration

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

Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH The Grace-Gift of Redemptive Frustration SCOTTY SMITH     " I will block her path with thornbushes ; I will wall her in so that she cannot find her way. She will chase after her lovers but not catch them; she will look for them but not find them. Then she will say, 'I will go back to my husband as at first, for then I was better off than now.'" Hosea 2:6-7    Lord Jesus, I love spring wildflowers in Montana, sea oats on any beach, honey suckle vines in aromatic bloom, and Heather in the Highlands of Scotland. Today, however, I praise you for the grace-gift of " thornbushes." They aren't pretty, but they are priceless . When we drift or jump into "prone to wander" mode, you shift into "committed to frustrate mode." Thank you.    When our lust for satisfaction is stronger than our love for you, we run after a variety of "lovers."  Not all of them are people, and the impulse isn't only sexual. ANYTHING that promises to satisfy our cravings, medicate our pain, bloat our ego, give us control, or tame our shame can become a "lover."    Money, ministry, society's smile or sexual fantasy; looking 40 at 60 or 20 at 40; having children who call us or drugs that numb us, a higher place in the org chart or a longer drive on the golf course—the list is endless. For good reason you call them "worthless idols" (Jer. 2:5) and "broken cisterns" (Jer. 2:13), and graceless lovers. They cannot and will not satisfy.    Your love exposes then mocks the insanity of our sin, Jesus. You give us many good gifts in life but none are meant to supplant you. Only your love is better than life. Only you can fulfill the very longings you have given us. Keep the thornbushes coming and growing, Lord. But especially, free us to find our greatest delight in you. So Very Amen. Wish you had a roundup of our best content? Subscribe to our weekly Update. SIGN ME UP! The Gospel Coalition 8520 Allison Pointe Boulevard,  Suite 220 Indianapolis,  IN  46250  United States You received this email because you are subscribed to Scotty Smith's Blog: Heavenward from The Gospel Coalition. Take control of your inbox. Manage your preferences and choose which newsletters you want to receive or unsubscribe from all emails.

Registration Closes Soon for The Cultural Apologists Cohort

Learn How Augustine, Lewis, and Sayers Apply in Your Context

View in browser REGISTRATION CLOSES MARCH 19 To effectively engage culture today, we need faithful models from the past. We're not the first generation to discern cultural idols and present the gospel as a better alternative. For two millennia, God has raised up inspiring and insightful Christian leaders and apologists who still speak into our own cultural moment.    In this 7-week cohort by fellows of The Keller Center for Cultural Apologetics, we'll explore the enduring insights of key thinkers across Christian history—from the early church to the modern era.  Join leading experts on these models from the past as they help us apply time-tested insights for today's changing world. REGISTER TODAY YOU MAY ALSO BE INTERESTED IN The Gospel Coalition, 8520 Allison Pointe Boulevard, Indianapolis, IN, 46250 Take control of your inbox Manage your preferences and choose which newsletters you want to receive or unsubscribe from all emails.

OUT NOW: TGC’s New Group Study for Evangelism and Discipleship

Multi-Buy Discounts in the TGC Store ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­  

View in browser OUT NOW: TGC's New Video Group Study for Evangelism and Discipleship Taught by leading voices in cultural apologetics For individuals, groups, or church-wide study Order from TGC's store (Multi-Buy Discounts Available) WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING Making Sense of Us is a 7-week group study—with video teaching filmed on location in New York—that helps young and newer Christians, and even non-Christians, explore key narratives that have shaped Western culture. Written by Fellows of The Keller Center for Cultural Apologetics: Rebecca McLaughlin | John Starke | Sam Chan | Trevin Wax | Rachel Gilson | Glen Scrivener | Bob Thune   FIND OUT MORE The Gospel Coalition 8520 Allison Pointe Boulevard, Indianapolis, IN, 46250 Unsubscribe

Who Are We in Christ? How Do We Become More Like Christ?

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

Heavenward SCOTTY SMITH Who Are We in Christ? How Do We Become More Like Christ? SCOTTY SMITH    Dear friends, what is true of us as believers? A glorious ton! According to Colossians 3:1-4. We've been raised to newness of life in Christ. Jesus' death and righteousness are now counted as ours. We are united to Christ and Christ has become our life—not an add-on. When Jesus returns in glory we will glorified—made completely like Jesus. Wow!    How then shall we live till then? We are to " set our minds and hearts on things above," and " put to death , therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry" (Col.3:5). This is called Gospel-mortification—dealing seriously with remaining sin in our lives. How then shall we pray? Today's Prayer: Dear Jesus, thank you… 10,000 thanks as we ponder what you have already done for us. Because of all these wonderful grace-realities, teach us how to "put to death" things which contradict your beauty and goodness.    We won't be sin-free until you return, but we can be more grace-smitten and sin-serious before that glorious Day. Grant us deeper conviction and quicker repentances, Jesus. What Christless thoughts do we indulge, deadly words do we speak, and anti-grace habits do we practice? You have forgiven us, now free us, Lord.    If we discovered a scorpion in our workout bag, a small fire in the back seat of our car, or a coiled snake in our workspace—we'd take quick and radical action. Jesus, may we be just as quick and radical about our sin. It's not about getting you to love us more—because you can't and won't. It's about revealing more of your truth, goodness, and beauty to our family, friends, and neighbors. There's no condemnation left for us, but there's a bunch of transformation. Hallelujah and may it be so. So Very Amen. Wish you had a roundup of our best content? Subscribe to our weekly Update. SIGN ME UP! The Gospel Coalition 8520 Allison Pointe Boulevard,  Suite 220 Indianapolis,  IN  46250  United States You received this email because you are subscribed to Scotty Smith's Blog: Heavenward from The Gospel Coalition. Take control of your inbox. Manage your preferences and choose which newsletters you want to receive or unsubscribe from all emails.