The Simple Gospel – From Groaning to Glory!

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Did you know groaning is a spiritual act? Yes, that’s right, there is a deep spiritual groaning that those who have come to experience the Simple Gospel will participate in.

Last week, torrential rains and gale force winds hit the Western Cape of South Africa. At the Oceans Retreat Centre the rains caused flooding and our water tanks to overflow. The winds left broken tree branches scattered throughout the property and 52 mph gusts caused a wall to come crashing down. It took several days to clean up the mess left behind.

But what we faced was nothing compared to the informal settlements that saw total destruction of homes and loss of lives. In an economy with food prices rising and well over 40% unemployment this was another major blow especially to the poor. Sometimes the only thing you can do is let out a sigh or a deep groan.

Lately, Patty and I have viewed too many funeral’s online of friends and those we knew from the churches we served in the States. Some have passed on way too young and others have battled chronic diseases that cut their life short. Again, more deep groans.

The same Holy Spirit that reveals our sin, brings us to a saving faith in Jesus, showed us our loving adoption by our Abba Father, is also sanctifying us, and has deposited in our souls a longing for the “Glory to Come!” (Rom. 8:18,30)

The Simple Gospel awakens us to the fact that we are pilgrims on a journey and this present world is not our home. Our spirit, sealed with the Holy Spirit, longs for the glorious home awaiting us for all eternity.

Notice Paul’s incredible words concerning this:

“We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons and daughters, the redemption of our bodies.” (Rom. 8:23).

Did you catch that, even creation is “groaning” with us.

When our first parents, Adam and Eve, sinned it brought not only death and decay to them, but also creation (see Rom. 8:20). So according to the Word the floods, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, extreme temperatures, etc. is the voice of creation “groaning-this is not how it was to be.” Creation also longs for the Day when Christ returns and makes all the wrongs right, restoring the sons and daughters to the Father without sin, sickness, and physical separation. This includes restoring creation to perfection.

The Simple Gospel shouts out that we can have hope that a glorious future is coming for the Father’s children (8:24, 28-37). This world is not our home “we are just passing through.” And this hope birthed in us by the Holy Spirit becomes a powerful testimony to a world in chaos. We who are anchored to Christ, through the Gospel, have this hope living inside us, a living hope, which testifies that Jesus Christ is our glorious hope. He is why we are able to stand in the midst of heartache, loss and uncertainty.

The suffering and pain around us and even in us should lead to a spiritual groan, which becomes our prayer, “Come Lord Jesus Come!”

The Simple Gospel – In His Step

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When I reflect back on our wedding ceremony I get a little pit in my stomach about the text we gave the pastor to speak on. Having done many weddings over the years I don’t think I have ever had as difficult of one as we gave him.

Patty and I both attended a Fellowship of Christian Athletes camp in high school and the theme was 1 Peter 2:21:

“To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His steps.”

We both loved the “In His Steps” part but the whole context of the passage is about suffering, not the nicest theme for a marriage. Maybe we should have picked the “love chapter,” 1 Cor. 13.

But our journey of the Simple Gospel will indeed lead us to following in the suffering footprints of Jesus, to “be conformed into His likeness” (Rom. 8:29). I don’t know about you but I can identify with Paul when he says, “For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out,” (Rom. 7:18).

Once again, we have the Good News of the Simple Gospel. The same Spirit who showed us our sin, opened our eyes to the gift of grace given to us in Christ’s death and resurrection, has given us faith to receive it. The same Spirit enables us to no longer be orphans, but rather sons and daughter of the King! And because of this adoption we can cry out “Abba Father” or my “Beloved Father.” This is the same Spirit who helps us to follow in the steps of Jesus.

This same Spirit is evident at the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River. As Jesus came up out of the water the Holy Spirit filled Him up and the Father’s love was revealed by a shout from heaven. And after that fresh filling of love, Jesus was led into the wilderness for 40 days to fight temptation and to come out victorious to begin His ministry.

Before Jesus ascended into heaven He told His disciples that the only way to follow in His Steps was to wait for the gift of the Father. Don’t do anything until the Spirit comes upon you and fills you with courage through the Father’s love (Acts 1:8). Undoubtedly the book of Acts is a testimony to the Spirit filling weak followers with the power of Christ in them.

Warning: The Simple Gospel leads to a path of suffering. Our battle with sin, Satan, and the world will get intense. But we are offered the gift of the Holy Spirit-who testifies with our spirit-that Christ and the Father make their home in us and therefore “we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us,” (Rom. 8:37).

 How do we live in the power of the Holy Spirit?

The answer: Die to self! Paul teaches that because of the gift of the Simple Gospel daily we can climb up on the altar and “present ourselves as living sacrifices…which is our spiritual act of worship,” (Rom. 12:1-2).

Dying to self is when we truly know our sinful hearts, know our weakness and inadequacies and cry out in prayer to the Father, “I can’t do this, I’m empty I need a fresh filling of your Holy Spirit.”

The Spirit is waiting for your cry!

The Spirit is attracted to and loves to fill the weakest of vessels who cry out to the Father for help.

And since the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead lives in us, He will fill you so that even in your weakness you are able to follow in His Steps! His glory and honor will enable you to encounter “joy unspeakable and be full of glory!”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Simple Gospel – Sons and daughters of the …..

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Every spiritual awakening, revival, or reformation in church history has always had the following foundational elements of the Simple Gospel:

 A deep awareness of sin, a glorious rediscovery of salvation by grace through faith in Christ alone, and a fresh awakening of knowing we are sons and daughters of a loving Father God. Reread those three elements once again and ponder the presence and evidence in your own life.

I want to be so bold to say that this is the goal of the Simple Gospel –that we find our true identity in knowing we are absolutely loved and adored by a Father in whose secure arms we can rest. When we recognize and receive this love we obtain a peace that passes all understanding.

I also want to be so bold to say this is the greatest need in our world today. I was recently listening to a counselor who exclaimed, “at the root of every addiction is rejection. And most often behind every rejection you will find a father wound!”

Go to any prison around the world and you will find this true of 90% of all prisoners. Observing the countless social issues impacting South Africa, where we live, linked to the poverty and racial divide is fatherlessness.

Look at the West, despite the wealth and privilege there is still an epidemic of addictions and teen suicide? If you dig deep enough you will find a breakdown in the home, unforgiveness, and father wounds.

Our enemy is strategic and his tactics have not changed throughout history. Break down the family-especially the love and acceptance of the father and you will open doors for bitter roots of rejection to take over. In that place of hurt the enemy will build a stronghold to manipulate and control our thoughts and actions. Even though secular experts may disagree, I strongly believe fathers were created to represent the Heavenly Father.

Recently Patty and I were watching an online church service across the ocean. Our daughter Anna was recently hired to work in children’s ministry and was being introduced to the congregation. After answering a few questions she concluded by sharing the story of how I would ask her every morning before she left for school, “Anna, who are you?” Her reply was, “A daughter of the King!” Anna continued that her hope was for each child to know and take to heart this life changing truth.

The reason I asked that question every morning to each of our kids was because as their earthly dad I knew I could never be enough. I was weak. I battled sin. I would not always be there for them. I would fail. However, their Heavenly Father is enough, perfect, and always present. And because of Jesus and the Holy Spirit living in them each one of them, are precious in His sight, making them royalty, and they can bask in the Father’s indescribable love that lasts today and for all eternity.

The apostle Paul describes in Romans 8 where the Simple Gospel leads us:

“The mature children of God are those who are moved by the impulses of the Holy Spirit. And you did not receive the ‘spirit of religious duty,’ leading you back into the fear of never being good enough. But you have received the ‘Spirit of full acceptance, enfolding you into the family of God. And you will never feel orphaned, for as He rises up within us, our spirits join Him in saying the word of tender affection ‘Beloved Father!’ For the Holy Spirit makes God’s Fatherhood real to us as He whispers into our innermost being, ‘You are God’s beloved child!’” (14-16).

The Holy Spirit implants this truth that we are a beloved son or daughter of the Father; we are loved beyond measure. Everything flows out of this knowledge of the Father’s love. This love is how Jesus endured the cross and knowing this love is how we are able to follow in His steps.

May the Simple Gospel lead you to encounter this adoration from the Father! May you receive the healing that comes from the love of a Perfect Father! And as you do so others will notice something and desire that same love!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Simple Gospel – Safe at Home

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I was in prison, got acquitted in court, and now I’m safely home!! For me this statement reflects the greatest teaching of the Bible, justification by faith!

At the heart of the Simple Gospel is the glorious work of salvation through faith in the completed work of Christ that leaves one “justified” or made right before a Holy Father God.

Listen to Paul’s heart warming words as states this in Romans 5:1-2:

“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.”

 To understand these victorious truths of being “justified” go back to the opening statement of this blog.

I was in prison – Last week I shared about the gift of the Holy Spirit that reveals “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God,” Rom. 3:23. The religious and the rebellious are all guilty and imprisoned by their sin nature. Nothing we can do can earn our salvation.

But while we were in imprisoned by our sin and under God’s righteous judgment Jesus walks into our prison cell and takes our place. All my past, present, and future sin placed on Christ. He received my waiting execution and God’s wrath as He hung and died on the cursed cross.

Got acquitted in Court – I’m led from my prison cell into the Heavenly Court of God. Satan is yelling out damning accusations. BUT the resurrected Christ runs into the court and shows the Father His wounds to defend His chosen sons and daughters. And the Father proclaims “Free, yes they are free indeed by the finished work of My Son. His perfect life, death, resurrection, reign belong completely to them by grace. Therefore there is no condemnation they are free to walk out of the court room of judgment, never to return!” (Roman 8:1).

I’m safely Home – The goal of the Gospel is to bring us back home, to dwell both now and forever in the presence of our Father. Our hearts true home is fellowship in the shalom of the Father’s forever love for us (see Jn. 17:3). Those who know these truths of Justification by faith find themselves overflowing with joy. They know it is ALL a gift of God. Even their faith in Christ and His completed work is a gift given by the Holy Spirit (Eph. 2:8-9).

Yes, the struggle is real as history records again and again we walk away from this message only to find ourselves back in prison, back in the court of condemnation, back trying to earn our salvation.

Yet through the power of the Holy Spirit we are brought back to this Simple Gospel message and given boldness to live it each and everyday. In world full of bad news we have the greatest news ever, the Simple Gospel.

Our families, our communities, our country and our world need to see followers of Christ who live in the home of the Father’s love. To see followers who are overcome by the joy of their salvation that was given to them freely through faith in Christ, the gift of the Father. May you claim your rightful home in the Father’s loving arms!

 

 

 

The Simple Gospel – The Gift of Seeing your Sin

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The whole atmosphere of the room changed as men became transparent and honest sharing their battle with different sins. It was a holy moment, one that would lead us all to our knees.

As I was processing this sacred time, which happened at the Formed Men’s Retreat last month, the word that kept repeating in my thoughts was, “gift!” The Father loves us so much that He exposes our sins through the Holy Spirit.

Later I wrote these words in my journal:

Until you experience the gift of seeing your sins you will not understand the glory of the Gospel.

 The Simple Gospel starts with a revelation of the depths of your fallen nature controlled by sin. When I was a young boy, the church that we attended read the 10 commandments or some form of the Law every Sunday. To be honest I didn’t think much of it- other than just a bunch of rules to follow and it seemed stuffy.

However, one Sunday night when I heard a simple Gospel message the Holy Spirit opened up my heart and the first time I felt the weight of my sins. I felt exposed, a law- breaker who violated every one of the 10 commandments, plus a whole lot more. Encountering my sin pushed me into the arms of my forever Savior Jesus.

The Apostle Paul tells us in Romans, one of the purest presentations of the Gospel:

“God kindness leads you toward repentance…” 2:4

 These words from Paul are immediately after twenty-two Greek nouns and adjectives describe sin and evil in the world (1:29-32). And just before he exposes those with a religious judgmental spirit who think they are saved by their own right living (2:5-3:1-31).

Without the gift of God’s kindness both those living like the world and those trusting in their own good works are doomed to live forever separated from the love of God.

“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (3:23, 6:23).

 O the “Kindness” of God “the Gift of God,” is the Holy Spirit who shines the searchlight of Heaven to reveal the darkness of my own deceived heart. Without this “Kindness,” the chains of my sin forever imprison me. No matter how hard I try, no matter how religious I become, I will never break the chains.

The Simple Gospel, which starts with the revelation of our sin and the need for a supernatural Savior is our greatest need. True “repentance” recognizes sin; turns to receive the gift of love from the Father-Jesus His only Son- is where freedom begins.

Next week the emphasis will be on the gift of receiving grace that can never be taken away from us. But I don’t want to look over the fact that we will battle sin until we see Jesus in eternity. Yet, the Father has given us the “gift” of the Holy Spirit to live in our souls to continue to expose our sin so that we can turn from it in order to experience walking in freedom.

That night a group of men, on their knees, encountered the gift of seeing their sin, confessing it. Yet, we are not left in our sin as the Father has given us victorious freedom through Jesus Christ who has completely forgiven all our sins and tightly wraps His loving arms around His beloved children. There is nothing greater!

Maybe as you read this Holy Spirit is speaking to you about your sin. I encourage you to listen, confess, and run back to the arms your Abba Father in Christ, receive the gift!

“If we boast that we have no sin, we’re only fooling ourselves and are strangers to the truth. But if we freely admit our sins when His light uncovers them, He will be faithful to forgive us every time. God is just to forgive us our sins because of Christ, and He will continue to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:8-9).