I NEED the Gospel

Here it goes….

I need the Gospel.

I am a sinner. I fail. Daily. Constantly. I get frustrated easily. I get irritated. I struggle with forgiving those who have hurt me. I am quick to burn a bridge, because I don’t like confrontation.

I would rather sit and watch Netflix than mop my floor and I’d rather scroll through Facebook than listen to my kid’s lengthy book report on the book that she’s reading.

I get prideful in my pain. Comparing myself to others.

I get angry when folks don’t do what I expected of them.

I get irritated when my children don’t hop up and obey the first time. Then I become a yelling lunatic and sinning against them.

My ears are prone to tickling.

I like to hear compliments on my outfits and how beautiful my hair is.

I like to hear how I am strong and I can handle so much.

I like to get compliments on my children and how well behaved or smart they are.

I like to hear about how amazing my marriage appears to be.

I like to hear about how I deserve to be in a particular place because I have suffered greatly.

I like to hear what makes me feel good and something that can give me a reason. I like to hear what itches my ears.

For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be soberminded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. I Timothy 4:3-5 (emphasis mine)

I like what sounds good to my hurting heart. I want to be lifted up and put on a figurative pedestal rather than be reminded of Truth of who I am in Christ. Who I (we) am in Christ is so much more than who I (we) claim to be in my (our) pain, my (our) mommyhood, my (our) wifeyness and my (our) success in business.

I (we) need to be reminded of Truth constantly.

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. Ephesians 1:7-10 (emphasis mine)

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ-by grace you have been saved-and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For 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. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:4-10 (emphasis mine)

And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister. Colossians 1:21-23 (emphasis mine)

Part of our identity is mentioned in these verses. These things don’t change and they are things that we can not do ourselves, rather Jesus did them for us.

~We are redeemed

~We are forgiven

~We have been lavished with grace

~We are made alive

~We are reconciled

~We are holy

~We are blameless

~We are above reproach

When I (we) am looking at myself and wanting to gain my peers approval I am seeing how I fail and how I don’t measure up, but after looking at these verses, I can see that I do not measure up by myself, but I measure up because of what Christ has done for me. It is nothing that I have done, it is everything that he has already done.

My (our) identity is in Him

I forget this all the time. I need to constantly be reminded. I am quick yell in my anger. Use harsh words with my husband. Be ungrateful for the blessings around me. Snap at my children. Be discontent. Let myself to built up by others compliments and depend on those for my self worth, rather than what my Lord has done for me.

I NEED the Gospel. I need the reminders each minute of every day. It is my oxygen. It is my life.

Jesus will not abandon. He is steadfast and unmoveable. Unlike this world when I am striving for it’s acceptance. The Lord has already accepted me (us).

Psalm 16

 

Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.

I say to the LORD, “You are my Lord;

I have no good apart from you.” 

As for the saints in the land,

they are the excellent ones,

in whom is all my delight.

The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply;

their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out or take their names on my lips.

The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup;

you hold my lot. 

The lines have fallen for me to pleasant places;

indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

I bless the LORD who gives me counsel;

in the night also my heart instructs me.

I have set the LORD always before me;

because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. 

Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices;

my flesh also dwells secure. 

For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,

or let your holy one see corruption.

You make known to me the path of life;

in your presence there is fullness of joy;

at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. 

(Emphasis mine)