Gospel Encouragement

There is such encouragement in the Gospel; in the good news of Jesus Christ. Recently Ray Ortlund posted this and it help to lift my spirits during a trying time...

Whoever comes to me I will never cast out. John 6:37 

“But I am a great sinner, you say. ‘But I will never cast you out,’ says Christ. But I am an old sinner, you say. ‘But I will never cast you out,’ says Christ. But I am a hard-hearted sinner, you say. ‘But I will never cast you out,’ says Christ. But I am a backsliding sinner, you say. ‘But I will never cast you out,’ says Christ. But I have served Satan all my days, you say. ‘But I will never cast you out,’ says Christ. But I have sinned against light, you say. ‘But I will never cast you out,’ says Christ. But I have sinned against mercy, you say. ‘But I will never cast you out,’ says Christ. But I have nothing good to bring with me, you say. ‘But I will never cast you out,’ says Christ.” 

John Bunyan, Works (London, 1861), I:279-280. Style updated. 

Thank you Jesus and may many come to you! 

Grace and Peace!

YIPS???

I recently read that golf great Tiger Woods has a case of the Yips. I am not much of a golfer, but I guess I have heard of this thing called Yips before and I know it is used in reference to other sports as well. 

Well, whatever comes over me at times came over me and I had to dig a little more on this thing called Yips. I found many descriptions and definitions; I found it even listed on the Mayo Clinic Website, but there were a couple of descriptions that made the most sense to me. 

The first was from Urban Dictionary (not a site I recommend too often so be careful); anyway, according to the Urban Dictionary the Yips are over thinking something so much you become unable to do it. The other was from the Free Dictionary and they define the Yips as nervousness or tension that causes one to fail to perform effectively. 

So bear with me, but if I combine the two I come up with, overthinking something so much that nervousness and tension overcome our ability to do, act or accomplish.  So, where am I headed with all this? I am taking the long way around, but it would seem to me that even in our Christian Walk we may come down with the Yips...especially when it comes to sharing the Gospel, the Good News with others. 

There is a cure...in Luke 12 we read:

11 “When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, 12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.” 

So if we trust, so if we truly believe we can as they say “just do it!” If we can prevent our overthinking about how others might react or how we might be viewed or how we might sound or...well you get the picture. And if we can trust in the amazing grace of God Almighty, if we rest in the incredible love of Christ, if we walk in the comforting power of the Holy Spirit we can overcome the Yips. 

Trust, Rest, Walk - Philippians 4:13 

I can do all this through him who gives me strength. 

Grace and Peace!

In the Word

Being “in the Word” has been on my mind lately. Not sure I really care for the jargon, but it is descriptive. Spurgeon said we should immerse ourselves in God’s Word. The older I get the more I agree...If we believe (and we do) that God is our sovereign over all creation; if he is our heavenly Father, maker of Heaven and Earth, shouldn't we desire, crave, need to read every word He has written?

Recently I had a couple of encouragements. I am using a devotional guide to prayer that my daughter gave me and our weekly topic was the Authority of the Word. On the first day of this weekly devotional, I was led to Genesis 1 and 6 times in 24 verses (if I counted correctly) we see “And God Said,” followed by “And it was so.” This of course is the creation account and it is so easy to see the importance, the power, the wonder of God’s very Word. 

Later in the week I was reading Acts 27:25 where Paul says: 

"So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me." 

I find that so amazing; amazing faith, amazing grace, amazing Word!

It just struck me that our God speaks and it is so; our God speaks and it is just as he tells us...how can we not read his Mighty, Amazing, Powerful, Wonderful, Loving Word? 

Father, grant us a ready spirit, provide us uncluttered minds, give us hearts to comprehend and feel the majesty, power, love, and grace of your Redemptive Word... 

Grace and Peace!