Preach the Gospel to Yourself
Always Talking
If you and I engaged in a one on one conversation and you told me that you never talk to yourself, I would give you that side-eye look.
Yes you do...You may call it thinking, You may call it a conscience….Whatever you call it, it is talking and preaching to yourself. When you wake up in the morning and your body aches, you think/speak to yourself “Oh, my knees shouldn’t make noises like that.” or when you are rummaging through the fridge you might think/ask “Where is that mango juice?”
We are communicating to ourselves everyday; arguably every moment. The question then is, what are we telling ourselves?
Believing the Gospel in the moment
We used to have a saying in the campus ministry that I was a part of in college. When someone was admitting to struggle with sin, we asked each other “are you believing the Gospel right now?” This was a sobering question that was used to help wake us up out of the stupor of sin. It strikes at the heart of why we choose sin or why we cannot find our way out of our particular struggle.
This became instrumental for fighting sin. We learned that we were never beyond our need for the Gospel and that the best thing we could do to progress toward Christ likeness was keep our mind and heart focused on Him.
Gospel Daily
It became clear that we needed to remind ourselves of the Gospel on a daily basis. Only a fresh remembrance of the mercy of God allowed us the freedom dig out of the trap sin had set.
If we can wake up each day remembering that Jesus died to renew our relationship with Him, than we will focus on building that relationship in prayer and study. If we can remember that Jesus walked this earth for the purpose of relieving us of our covenant breaking shame, then we will be focused to walk this life in a manner that is worthy of Christ. If we can keep the Gospel preeminent in our minds, our faith will be strengthened and we will deeply anticipate that day that we will permanently enter into His presence.
The Daily Gospel in the Home
This principle goes beyond personal discipleship to help within the family too. Our children will face the same problems that we have. Temptation will wash over them and they will need something to help them keep their feet.
A daily dose of Gospel truth is just what your Pastor "should" order. Help your children remember that their identity is not found in the wrong they do, or in their own ability to fight away temptation; instead they are defined by their Savior. His perfect life fulfilled the righteous requirement of God's law, His sacrificial death makes them free to be who God is calling them to be, and His miraculous resurrection has purchased for them eternal joy in the presence of God.
Telling our children the Gospel is to be both a weighty task and a momentous joy! Do not neglect to share with them the hope found in Christ and rejoice alongside them as they discover life everlasting.
Right now, are you certain that your everyone in your home knows the true Gospel? Have they heard it from your lips? Have you talked about your own faith in the Jesus? Do you display your faith consistently?
