Daily Need

"Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand..."

~I Corinthians 15:1 (ESV)

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Hearing What You've Heard

Paul's words as laid out in I Corinthians 15 at basic level communicate, "I remind you of something you've already heard" and even "something you have already believed." Why preach so passionately something already known among this body of believers? Because they, as much as we all do, needed desperately to hear the Gospel again--to be refreshed by the power of the Gospel's transforming grace.

Possible Spiritual Death

We need it, lest we die--the Gospel that is. God has provided all that we need for life and Godliness through the Gospel. In other words, we have no access to the Father or the riches of His mercy (but through the glorious Gospel blood of Christ. He, as our Substitute, has paid the way to the throne of God, and lest we draw near to the throne each day by reminding ourselves of the Gospel we have believed and heard, we cannot keep a clear mind as to the very purpose of our days on earth, and drifting is possible.

Even the Strongest Need It

From weak to the Christian full of faith, we all need to hear the Gospel again every day. Strong saints have met the end of their walk for the Lord when they lost their intimacy with Christ, and all intimacy with Christ begins at the foot of the cross. Nothing else will do, not even other Biblical doctrines, for all guidance from all other Biblical doctrine is pulled into place because of their tie to the cross.

Not to Be Taken Lightly

Our relationship with Christ, our Savior, and the health of it is not to be taken lightly. Are we slowly drifting? Do we think we're not and yet half-hearted interest in God's holy Word or lack of passion in prayer could easily be observed in our times with the Lord? Let this be a gracious yet sobering warning of God's kindness: Our spirits are prone to wander and prone to sin and death lest we immerse ourselves in the Gospel each day.

"Father, what precious life we have been given! Enlarge our hearts to Your Gospel, we pray. May we never minimize it. Reveal lack of passion and heal us, Lord; heal us. May no passion of ours exceed that of the Gospel, and may the Gospel define our passions. Amen."

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Challenge and Application Questions

• Evaluate your affections for the Lord. Are you slowly drifting?
• Evaluate your passion for the Word and prayer. Where can you grow?
• What is your action plan for daily Gospel? If you don't have one, will you make one? When?
• Do you take your relationship with the Lord seriously?
• Where has pride been displayed in your thinking as far as believing you can do without the Gospel? How can this change?

The Deathbed Picture: Part 1 - In Light of That Day

"But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed."

~2 Peter 3:10 (ESV)

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The deathbed picture is one of the most sobering pictures for all humankind. We all will face it, and all must come to terms with it. One person accurately said, "...one-hundred percent of us die." This is true, and it is simple. But what will our picture be?

Christ reveals to us in Matthew 24 that no one knows the day or hour in which Christ will return, for the Son does not even know--only the Father (v. 36, 42, & 50). He is coming at an hour we will not expect (v. 44). Yet more sobering, He will come like a "thief in the night" (I Thes. 5:2, 2 Peter 3:10, Rev. 16:15.

Given that we all face death, how is this to affect our lives? Perhaps you are thinking by now that this is a rather gloomy read. But actually the Lord shows us gloom in order to reveal to us grace:

• He showed us the death of His Son to show us His glory
• He showed us we were dead in sin so we might understand why we need a Savior
• He broke us that He might save us from eternal condemnation and give us everlasting life
• He shows us discipline in order that we might bear the fruit of righteousness (Hebrews 12:11)
• He convicts us of sin so that we might turn from it to Himself

Therefore, rather than a mere obligation of fear (though there should be fear of the Lord always), there is the wonderful hope of grace to change and live in light of eternity--that Day when we will all give account (Romans 14:12) and those who believe Him will see His face.

"Father, thank You for revealing Your Son to us. Thank you for the hope of the cross of Christ! You have shown us the depth of our sin, yet what a mystery that you would show of the depth of Your love displayed on Calvary! Who are we that You are mindful of us! O, the mystery of your great love! May we live in light of that day and use the freedom You have purchased for us to ascribe all glory due Your name. Amen."

Next in this series: The Deathbed Picture: What Will Burn?

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Challenge and Application Questions

• What eternal destiny will you face when you draw your final breath?
• As a Christian, are you encouraged and provoked by the deathbed picture?
• Do you allow the cross and eternity to mould your daily walk?
• How can you better cultivate fear of the Lord and an eternal perspective?

Just As We Are

"For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life."
~Romans 5:10 (ESV)

"Your grace has found me just as I am."
~Delirious?, Majesty

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The Lord's grace is amazing: Saving sinners just as they are, yet not allowing them to stay as they are. What freedom there is in the commands of the Lord! What a worse mess we would be had it not been for the Lord's grace that, rather than restricting us from how we can live, shows us how to live in freedom.

The transition was one directly from to life, from darkness to light, through The Way, Jesus. This is what is meant by the Lord saving us as we were--as His enemies changed to be clothed in Christ's own righteousness.

It is critical to understand the meaning of being accepted as we are. The Father is often noted as granting us "unconditional acceptance." Biblical truth, however, is that the Father accepts us only by the of His Son. Only clothed in the righteousnesses of Christ are we accepted into His kingdom. This terminology of unconditional acceptance should be carefully translated to refer to the Lord bringing a sinner directly from to life, not being accepted without Christ, and not as an excuse to remain stagnant in the growth process.

And the very fact that we were saved when we were His enemies is the very motivation to not remain stagnant. This is because when the amazing truth of the Gospel is truly, truly affecting a person, they cannot help but to run hard after Him. No longer are we to dwell in the state we were in when God saved us. Rather, we are to contemplate it and be amazed daily at this glorious mystery.

"For Your has washed away my sin,
Jesus, thank You
The Father's wrath completely satisfied,
Jesus, thank You
Once Your enemy, now seated at Your table,
Jesus, thank You"
-Sovereign Grace Music, Jesus, Thank You

"Father, what words are adequate to thank You? None! We were once Your enemies, yet one Day we will feast with You--You!--at Your table! Come quickly, Lord Jesus. Hasten the Day when we shall see Your face. And may many more come to know this love that are still in darkness as we once were. Thank You for Your grace, Father, amen."

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Challenge and Application Questions

• How are you doing evangelistically?
• Do you look at those who are lost as creatures whom God died to seek and save?
• Do you remind yourself daily of God's initiative upon your soul?