The Gospel in Our Mouths

For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” But how are they to call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ (Romans 10:13-17 ESV).

“But in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you” (1Peter 3:15 ESV).

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20 ESV).

“But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it” (Deuteronomy 30:14 ESV).

“And as for me, this is my covenant with them,” says the LORD: “My Spirit that is upon you, and my words that I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, or out of the mouth of your offspring, or out of the mouth of your children’s offspring,” says the LORD, “from this time forth and forevermore” (Isaiah 59:21 ESV).

Preach the word. Share the Gospel with your mouth. Plead for His grace to help you do it. Fail on human terms and let God determine what is successful. His Word has and will triumph in bringing His sheep into His flock, bringing the captives home and brining life where there was death.

Has the Father Given You Eyes to See and Ears to Hear?

But to this day the Lord has not given you a heart to understand or eyes to see or ears to hear (Deut 29:4).

Light is sweet, and it is pleasant for the eyes to see the sun (Eccl 11:7).

Son of man, you dwell in the midst of a rebellious house, who have eyes to see, but see not, who have ears to hear, but hear not, for they are a rebellious house (Ezek 12:2).

And he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village, and when he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, “Do you see anything?” Mark 8:23

Then turning to the disciples he said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! Luke 10:23

as it is written, “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear, down to this very day.” Romans 11:8 (Show me Romans 11)

I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. Revelation 3:18 (Show me Revelation 3)

• Read Ched's helpful commentary on Mark 8 and Why Jesus Healed the Blind Man Twice.

Independence Days

1. 2nd Birth, Regeneration, Reborn, Christian Birthday, when I got saved, the day I was justified by God, through Christ's imputed righteousness and the other names we may attach to the time when the Holy Spirit brought us into union with the Father and the Son.

God gave us independence or freedom from the sting of death, power of Satan, the curse of the law to be fulfilled for righteousness, idolatry of self and gave us independence or liberated us to justification by Christ's righteousness, fulfill the law out of our enjoyment of the Father and the Son by the Spirit not to gain righteousness, union with the Triune God and with other believers, an on and on we could go.

2. The Second Coming of Christ

When Christ frees us once and for all from the remnant of original sin that so wages war on our desires for enjoyment of God, and frees us to perfect loving, eternal union by the Spirit with our Triune God and all His children of every tribe, tongue and nation. There will no longer be tears of loss, for we are all found in Him.

There will be no more dark nights of depression, for the Light of God will fill all in all. We will not have faith in the products of sin, but a joy in GOD so intense that there will only be desires for Him. The slain Lamb standing will be exalted forever. The Father who governs His children with hesed (covenant loyalty) will be extolled eternally. And, the Spirit who keeps GOD's people in union with Him will be praised from age to age.

Glory in HIM today for your independence from self and independence to live in HIM.

NOTE: I consciously did not include "the rapture", aka the "secret coming". Also note that the great trumpet sound will coincide with the Second Coming.