Did you ladies know I have a website on frugality? It’s called, Domestic Economy. 

I’ve been learning some new things on how to stretch our grocery budget. I’m learning how to get shampoos, soaps, razors and other hygience products for free or next to nothing. This will really help drop our overall grocery budget.

I’ve made some mistakes along the way but each month I learn a little bit more. I hope to write about it more in the coming weeks.

So, I hope to see you there! Be sure to sign up so you can get any new updates. Some of the deals I run across are for a limited time.

I like to keep my eyes open for free gifts. Especially since our budget does not have any wiggle room for gifts. To receive this adorable free baby blanket you just have to fill out a short questionaire. This offer expires by March 15th or when supplies run out. There are three different blankets to choose from.

 

CLICK HERE

 

What’s the Gospel?

What’s the gospel? I’ll put it in a sentence.

The Gospel is the news that Jesus Christ, the Righteous One, died for our sins and rose again, eternally triumphant over all his enemies, so that there is now no condemnation for those who believe, but only everlasting joy.

That’s the gospel.

You Can’t Outgrow the Gospel

You never, never, never outgrow your need for it. Don’t ever think of the gospel as, “That’s the way you get saved, and then you get strong by leaving it and doing something else.”

No! We are strengthened by God through the gospel every day, till the day we drop.

You never outgrow the need to preach to yourself the gospel.

How the Gospel Strengthens

Here’s an illustration, and I use it not because it’s any big deal to speak from my life, but because it’s what I walked through and where I most pointedly in the last year experienced the power of the gospel to make me strong. (Many of you are walking through things much heavier than prostate cancer—much heavier.)

Do you remember the verses that I shared with you back in February that were almighty for me? It was that moment right after the doctor says, “I think we need to do a biopsy,” when this stab of fear comes. It didn’t last long, mercifully.

And then came—what? 1Thessalonians 5:9-10. It’s just as pure gospel as you can get.

God has not destined you for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,who died for you so that whether you wake or sleep you will live with him.

Settled. Peace like a river.

The Gospel Is Perfect for Your Needs

That’s just gospel—perfectly timed, perfectly applied, perfectly suited to my need. That’s why the Bible is so thick—because there are so many different needs that you have. And there are suitable places where the gospel is unfolded for you, so that if you immerse yourself in the whole book, always with an eye for what Christ has wrought for you and purchased for you in this thick, glorious history of God’s interaction with people, he will give you what you need.

Therefore, everything in me says, and I hope to say until the day I die, “Now, to him who is able to strengthen me, according to Paul’s gospel, to him—to that God—be glory forever and ever.”

God came into history in Jesus Christ; he died in order to destroy the power of hell and death and Satan and sin; and he did it through the gospel of Jesus Christ.

A Plea to Believe

I know that there are people reading this who are not trusting Jesus Christ, and therefore can only expect condemnation. So I’m just going to plead with you here at the end, lay down that rebellion. Lay it down. And simply embrace the gospel that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Righteous One, died for your sins. He was raised on the third day, triumphant over all his enemies. He reigns until he puts all of his enemies under his feet. Forgiveness of sins and a right standing with God comes freely through him alone, by faith alone.

I plead with you, don’t try to be strong in your own strength; it will not be there when you need it. Only one strength will be there—the strength that God gives according to the gospel.

Don’t put it off.

[This text is an edited transcript of the audio. It is excerpted from the sermon, “God Strengthens Us by the Gospel.”]

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Our pastor showed this clip of John Piper before he started preaching this morning. It effected me greatly and I wanted to share it with you and my children.

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My Pastor’s sermon today was AWESOME! If you have some time to listen this week you will be blessed. I especially loved the part of his sermon where he spoke about ‘doting mothers and passive fathers’ and how they make Pharisee’s of their children by trying to build their self-esteem in telling them they are good. The bible teaches ALL have sinned and that there is none good… not one. Romans 3:10.

We become false teachers to our children when we teach something that is contrary to God’s Word. They grow up thinking they are good and have no need for a Savior. They go to church and do all the externals but have no relationship with Christ.

Teach them what the bible says.. no one is good.. and that they need someone to come live inside of them that is GOOD to help them do right …help them to see their need for Christ.

He also had a good, strong exhortation for parents of adult children.

You can listen to his sermon online at Stevinson Chapel. Click on Biblical Behavioral Science 101