Hebrews 7:25 is the heart of the entire book of Hebrews. There is not greater point that the author wishes to make. This is the climax, the supreme word from God to these people through this author. It is the highest peak in the mountain range of Hebrews.
When we suffer, our heart breaks open to God in ways that it can’t otherwise.
Nearly every one of us has a family member that we can’t imagine will ever believe the gospel. How can we break through the barriers to share the gospel with them?
It’s Valentine’s Day - the day most people pretend to hate because they either don’t feel loved, or don’t want to show love, but also because they always wish the love they had was more intense, more real.
There are times so awkward or painful or frightening that I have no words. In those times I repeat to myself, “it’s not about me.” That phrase reorients me. The sooner I can recognize my inward turn the sooner I can make the God-directed U-turn I need to be an active minister of the gospel.
Here are five indicators that a church is on its way to experiencing gospel culture.
Those moments of awareness in the midst of our sin – those moments where we are surprised by our actions or thoughts – are moments of grace from the throne. Here’s what we can do.
There is a strain of Christianity that says, “Let your hearts be troubled.” And there is a proper place in the Christian life for true conviction of sin. But the gospel does not consist in a troubled heart. There is a bigger truth, a bigger reality, than troubling over our sin. There is a gospel of grace that envelopes it all.
When we open the Bible, we are confronted not just with words on a page but a person speaking through a page. We are confronted by God himself. To read the Bible is a risky thing. We cannot read it, put it down, and claim ignorance. We have been enlightened through the Scriptures to the reality of God. To open the Bible is to expose ourselves.
One popular ice-breaker question goes like this: "If you could have dinner with one famous person, living or dead, who would it be?" The supposition is that this person would be someone you find fascinating and would like to learn something from. Well, I find a way to have that dinner. It's just spread out across 365 consecutive days. Each year, I choose one author and read all of his or her works. People I share this with love the idea. So, I wanted to talk about why I do this and the benefits I've found that lie within.
