A Happy Healthy Church: Devotions From Time of Grace MinistrySample

GROWTH: TIME TO KNOW THE GOSPEL There is a double basic message in the Bible. God's first message demands your holiness and obedience and announces his judgment on disobeyers. Even people who've never cracked the Book know something about that, thanks to their consciences. You have a lot of that negative message in your head already, don't you? It's the voice that tells you you're worthless, a failure, a loser, and ugly and fat and friendless besides. What we do not know by nature is the gospel. We do not know there's hope. Someone needs to tell us that. Someone needs to tell us there's love for the loveless, beauty for the homely, and truth for liars. There's forgiveness for sinners, wisdom for fools, and kindness for crabby jerks. Paul tells you what the gospel is in Romans 5:8: "God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Did you know that? If so, it's not because you've figured it out by yourself. It's because God revealed it to you in his Word. Forgiveness of your many sins, comfort for your troubled heart, hope for your exhausted spirit, and immortality for your dying body are all his gifts. Who do you know that needs to hear this comforting message?