Jesus, Firm Foundation

different perspective brings struggles...wrestling with my  inner man.
the man that  weakly wanders, fearfully waits, constantly disobeys....
wrestling my inner man brings a glorious new perspective...on the depravity of my heart.

(how about you? Seen the depths of your heart lately???)

and sometimes a new perspective brings ya right back where you started from...
square. one.
the. basics.
but...
with. new. eyes. to. see.
with. new. ears. to. hear.
with. a. new. heart. to. love.
with. new. hands. to. serve.
with. new. feet. to. share. the. Good. News.
with. a. stronger. voice. to. speak. truth.
with a joyful radiance that spreads

GRACE 

SWEET

UNDESERVED

UNMERITED

GRACE

I am studying

"The Explicit Gospel" by Matt Chandler
(...an incredible study!!!)
and it is back to the basics.
Funny how much stuff we pack on top of a really, really, really
simple
yet profound truth.

THE GOSPEL SAVES YOU.

"Our failure to realize the gravity of eternity reveals several issues at play in our lives. 

An underestimation

of the nature of sin.

An overestimation 

of our own abilities.

And a

drastic downplay of the extremity of God's Grace."

~Matt Chandler

excerpt from-The Explicit Gospel pp.33

How firm is my foundation?!

Really.

How firm is the foundation.

Is the foundation of your faith...

well,um...your faith?

Or is the foundation of your faith...

Christ alone.

What is the Gospel?

Is the Gospel the 'Jesus-plus something' program?

Is the Gospel enough to save you and keep you?

I think it is easy to think of accepting the Gospel as the starting point of the walk with Christ and then we advance on from there...

NOPE.

The Gospel is the point...THE WHOLE POINT. 

it is the beginning...the sustaining...the ending. If it is the 'Jesus-plus something" that saves me and that keeps me...than it is not the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

It is all about the Gospel.

It is all about Jesus.

The Gospel saves me.

The Gospel keeps me.

The Gospel sanctifies me.

THE GOSPEL IS FOR 

MY PAST

(before I knew Him...He knew me...and while I was yet in sin he had a plan through Jesus to rescue me) 

MY PRESENT

(God is conforming me to his image through my circumstances)

AND MY FUTURE.

(heaven)

JESUS MY FIRM FOUNDATION!

JESUS MY RESURRECTION!

Jesus, Firm Foundation 

(click to listen)

2 Things...

Christ came to fulfill the demands of the law on my behalf...on your behalf.
because. we. could. not. stand. under. the weight. of. the.   l.a.w.

The whole law boils down to 2 things.
Just follow these 2 things and you have it....
Just 2 little things...
How hard can that be, right?
LOVE GOD.
LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR.

2 things.
that. is. it.

I can not fulfill that law. You can not fulfill that law.
THOSE TWO THINGS MADE JESUS GO TO THE CROSS.
I will be the first one to admit...I don't love God with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength
and
I do a pretty lousy job of loving others to boot.
Oh-I give it my best shot-I clean up pretty good.
But that isn't going to cut it.
And, since we are all human-it is my guess you are in the same boat as me.

It struck me last night when Beth talked about the blessing and the cursing that God brings on a person/nation etc for obedience or the lack of it....
That Christ died for 2 things that I couldn't do.
Obey the law.
And do it perfectly.
I can't do those 2 things.
You can't do those 2 things.
No one on this planet is capable of loving God to that degree and then loving a fellow human being...PERFECTLY.
AND. GOD. KNEW. YOU. COULDN'T.
SO. HE. SENT. JESUS. TO. DO. IT. FOR. YOU.
That is why Jesus is your RIGHT STANDING BEFORE GOD.
That is why Jesus is your SUBSTITUTE.
That is why there is NO CONDEMNATION FOR THOSE THAT ARE IN CHRIST JESUS.

I am redeemed. You are redeemed.
" Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us-for it is written,-- 'CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE'-- in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. "
~Galations 3:13-14

GOD LOVES YOU SO MUCH THAT IT BROUGHT HIM JOY TO BRUISE JESUS TO MAKE YOU HIS BRIDE.
I'd Need a Savior- by Among the Thirsty (click to listen)



Homework:
Read Deuteronomy Chapter 27-30
Memory Verse Options:
2 Cor. 5:21
Romans 10:4
Galations 3:13
Deut. 30:14
Deut.30:6




This is an amazing sermon that sums up so much of what we have covered in Deuteronomy. If you haven't listened to any of Matt's sermons yet---GRAB THIS ONE! It will bless you!!!
Sons and Slaves by Matt Chandler- part 9 of the Galations series (click to listen or print off the transcript. For the previous 8 sermons-click the Galations label and the blogs containing the links will pop up.)

Chosen & Loved

Remember when you were making plans for your wedding? Or dreaming of the day when that arrives?

 All of the details...mountains of details!

The day-- perfect...

your dress--PERFECT.

June 1, 1990

I remember waking up the morning of my wedding without a voice--I sounded like a bass singer...I was mortified! I sucked through what seemed like an entire pack of Halls Cherry flavored throat lozenges hoping desperately and praying to the good Lord above that I could rid my self of this plague before it came time for the vows... and that my tongue and lips would be a normal color.

My Dad walked with me. He gave me to my man.
I remember the huge case of butterflies in my stomach as I walked down that aisle.
 I was SO happy.
 I felt completely LOVED, completely CHOSEN by the best man in the whole wide world.
 There was NOTHING in the world  that could compare to that moment when I saw Scott for the first time
--WAITING FOR ME.
 The smile on his face was priceless.
 My faced ached from smiling back at him through the ceremony.

We took communion together for the first time.

We lit the unity candle.

We pledged our lives to each other.

We made a vow before God and witnesses.

We asked God to bless us so we could bless our future children

It was forever.

We were in it for the long run.

...and he kissed me.

We had no idea what was ahead of us.
I know neither of us would change a thing.
So far it has been 23 years
we have more wrinkles now
a few less hairs
  and grey is replacing the brown
we have some miles on our road
we have seen joys and sorrows
And we are still madly in love
Still in it for the long run.
Still feeling completely LOVED and CHOSEN

it was signed
sealed
delivered
finished
WE HAVE EACH OTHER
and it is beautiful.

AND SO IT IS WITH YOU SWEET ONE

You were chosen by the God of the Universe and He gave you to his Son.
He saw you for the first time

before the world began

and it made Him happy.
You were chosen to be His Joy.

He planned for the day

when you would be born into this His world

and
He smiled.
You are not ordinary.

Because He has future plans with you...

His beautiful bride.

 Completely treasured.

Completely cherished.

Jesus committed himself to you.

The vow...

The bread and the wine.

He communes with you.

He has a cloud of witnesses to cheer you on.

He wants to bless you so you can bless

others.

He is in this for eternity.

He will never leave you alone.

He is intimate.
He put His light in you.

He sent The Holy Spirit to dwell in you.

You may not know what lies ahead

but,He does

 and He is worthy of trust.

He has made provisions.

it is signed-

in His blood

sealed in heaven-

you have been delivered
Ransomed
Redeemed

it is finished.

YOU HAVE EACH OTHER

AND IT IS BEAUTIFUL.

" For your husband is your Maker, Whose name is the LORD of hosts; And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel, Who is called the God of all the earth."
~Isaiah 54:5