The gospel of grace gives the believer incredible assurance and security. Christ did not merely make salvation possible. He actually accomplished salvation for His people. Those whom Christ justifies, He keeps. That grip of grace never lets go of the believer.
But once someone hears about strong assurance and eternal security, another fear immediately arises: “Well then, what keeps someone from just living however they want?”
As a homeschooling family missionary stories were a big part of our life. I wanted my children to read these remarkable stories of these faithful men and women, to experience that jungle, those native people, the food but mostly I wanted them to see how God used ordinary people to do extraordinary things because He called and equipped them. Though their stories we have witnessed miracles and stories of great faith that left you in awe and inspired, and sometimes feeling convicted.
There is something captivating about the stories of those who left behind their home and family, all that was familiar to take the Gospel to places they had never seen but only heard about.
Being a pastor is a tremendous privilege. However, it is not for the faint of heart. Without the grace and strength of God, no man can survive the ministry.
There is something deeply embedded in the American imagination: the idea that the truly free person is the person who belongs to himself.
A generation or two ago, that idea was expressed through the self made man and rugged individualism. “Make your own way. Chart your own course. Don’t depend on anybody.” The old version said, “Nobody tells me what to do.”
Today’s version sounds a little different. Instead of the cowboy, our cultural icon might be the influencer. The cowboy said, “Nobody tells me what to do.” The influencer says, “Nobody tells me what to be.”
You can spot the brute pretty easily. Strength mixed with anger. He works at looking tough, or being tough, as he calls it. A mouth let loose to insult people, and his excuse is that it is the courage of the prophets. He does not want to be a man without a chest, so he beats his chest like a brute to prove he has one.
Brothers and Sisters, how many times do we simply feel like we are not saved. We know the gospel. We know that Jesus Christ died for sinners, was buried, and rose again. We may have walked with the Lord for many years, and yet there are mornings when we wake up and wonder, “Lord, am I really Yours?” Our prayers seem dry. God's Word does not seem as sweet as it once did. Sin weighs heavily upon our conscience. Perhaps a trial has beaten us down, temptation has worn us thin, or God simply seems distant.