reality Check...

Sitting in the drive-through window of my Starbucks store where I would otherwise be handing out coffee and chatting with customers, I sat enjoying the fresh evening air. The sounds of the cafe music just audible from my seat, the smells of coffee and the hum of the chatter of customers all blended together to make quite a sensation for all of my senses to take it. In the middle of all this, my mind drifted out to a third person view of myself sitting in the window, and I suddenly had this thought "what if there is no God." "Weird thought for me to think just then" I thought to myself. But yet there it was, and almost instantly I recognized it's accusing tone, satan. But in that moment the very fact that I was living my life based on a God that I'd never seen, and that I was pursuing things in life totally contrary to everyone around me, for the sake of this God seemed so surreal, very surreal. As I thought about this, the Holy Spirit came to battle for me, reassuring my mind will and emotions that yes, He was real, very real.

As instantly as it had begun, the Spirit won the battle in my mind, bringing comfort to me, assurance of His work in me, that He was real and that He would finish His work. A boldness that I could not explain that was not of myself came to me to continue to follow as He led even if people didn't understand. God's words once again coming to life in 2 Corinthians 1:3-7 "Blessed be the God an Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God." Affliction can come in many different forms. Mental affliction is sometimes one I struggle with on a large scale. Weather it be doubt or fear. But yet I am comforted in ALL my afflictions. "We don't wrestle against flesh and blood, but against cosmic powers, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places" Ephesians 6 reads. I've seen this truth come alive in a very real sense as I've began praying for people, for myself that God would make me more like Him, and work through me however He sees fit, for His glory. And so the attacks come, strong and swift, sometimes relentless for hours, often days. Guilt, fears, memories, old desires, temptation to lust, temptation to trust in myself, idolatry, jealousy, self pity, and the list goes on. Sometimes all of these things are thrown at me all at once and my mind feels overwhelmed, and I don't see a way to escape. But in the midst of it all, Jesus comes, and instead of letting my attention be consumed with all the things that I used to do, or have done, or the person that I no longer am, by God's grace I zero in on the cross, and meditate on the gospel. And all of a sudden you realize, the battle has already been won.

The gospel saved us, it is saving us, and it will finally save us.

1 Corinthians 15:1

"Now I would remind you brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, IF you hold fast to the word I preached to you-unless you believed in vain."

The cross says:

I am forgiven of sin. Past, present and future.

I am a new creature, and all things (EVERYTHING) have become new.

My old man is dead, slain, destroyed. But I now live fully alive in Christ, for God, by God, being risen with Him in His resurrection.

I am free to struggle with my sin, because it no longer has power over me, I am not it's slave.

I am free from myself so that I can live for God.

I am free from sin to do the good works that God for-ordained me to do, and live the righteousness, that God has clothed me with.

All my good works are as filthy rags to God. (the greek translation there for filthy rags is, used minstrel cloths. Or, in current culture, used tampons) God alone is my righteousness.

I was saved not because of myself or what I've done, but by grace (God's grace) through faith.

There is no more guilt because of sin, Jesus bore my condemnation on the cross.

And the list continues....

The Gospel should never ever get old to us. It's the foundation on which we stand, because its about Jesus, our only solid ground and sure hope.

Loving and pursuing God, and loving His gospel more everyday.