Past Perfect

From @DailyKeller

Always Holding On

"...the more smitten I become by the fact that God's love for me, His approval and commitment to me, does not ride on my transformation but on Jesus' substitution. Jesus is infallibly devoted to us in spite of our inconsistent devotion to Him.  The Gospel is not a command to hang on to Jesus. It's a promise that no matter how weak your faith or how unsuccessful your efforts may be, God is always holding on to you. In this light, life is simply a chronicle of God's successes perfectly meeting our failures."

 -Tullian Tchividjian, One Way Love: Inexhaustible Grace For An Exhausted World, Page 211

What He Did

"The meaning of atonement is not to be found in our penitence evoked by the sight of Calvary, but rather in what God did when in Christ on the cross He took our place and bore our sin."

— John StottThe Cross of Christ(Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 1986), 9

Ultimate Tribute at the Hunger Games

"Hunger Games" Fans:  Jesus came to take your place at the Reaping...... and He is the ultimate Tribute!
   

Determining Factor

“The determining factor in our relationship with God is not our past or present, but Christ’s past and present.”

                                - Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones:

Hat tip: Peter Cockrell

The Exchange

"The essence of Adam’s sin was that he put himself in God’s place. The essence of Christ’s obedience is that He put himself in our place. Because of his life in our place, and His death in our place, we are freed from our sins.....

....Because Jesus was filled with horror and cried out, “My God, my God, why have your forsaken me?” we are filled with wonder and cry, “My God, my God, why have you accepted me?”

Because Jesus said, “I thirst,” we can drink from the fountain of living water and never thirst again.

Because Jesus said, “Woman, behold your son,” and felt the pain of separation from His earthly family, we can experience the blessing of being united "ith a heavenly family.

Because Jesus cried, “It is finished!” our new life can begin.

Because Jesus committed His spirit into the Father’s hands, God commits His Spirit into our hearts.

Jesus is the Passover Lamb — the substitute that protects us from the wrath of God. He experienced the curse of God, the punishment for sin, the hellish torments of eternal damnation — all for the glory of God and the salvation of His people."

-Trevin Wax, Counterfeit Gospels, p. 97f

Hat Tip:  internetmonk.com

Sinful Prayers Answered

If this wasn't true, my prayers would not be answered, and neither would yours!

“The prayer which moves the arm of God is still a sinful prayer, and only moves that arm because the Sinless One, the great Mediator, has stepped in to take away the sin of our supplication.”
— Charles Spurgeon "The Sinner's Advocate"

Hat Tip: Of First Importance

Defining the Good News

“At its core, the gospel is Jesus as the substitute for sinners. We could summarize the whole by saying that in his life Jesus lives in perfect submission to the will of God and he fulfills his righteous standard (the law). In his death on the cross he quenches God’s wrath against sin, satisfying the sovereign demand for justice. In his resurrection he is victorious over sin and death. All of this is done on behalf of sinners in need of redemption and offered to all who believe. This is therefore very ‘good news.’

Jesus’ life is good news, for his obedience to the Father and fulfillment of the law is for us. While we as sinners fail to keep the law, Jesus was perfectly faithful. Jesus’ death is good news because his death was a payment for our sin, and by it we are cleansed from our guilt and released from condemnation. Jesus’ resurrection is good news because his victory over death is ours and through it we look forward to a resurrection of our own.”

              - Joe Thorn, Note to Self: The Discipline of Preaching to Yourself

Hat Tip: Gospel Definitions: Joe Thorn : Kingdom People

Very Good News

"At its core, the gospel is Jesus as the substitute for sinners. We could summarize the whole by saying that in his life Jesus lives in perfect submission to the will of God and he fulfills his righteous standard (the law). In his death on the cross he quenches God’s wrath against sin, satisfying the sovereign demand for justice. In his resurrection he is victorious over sin and death. All of this is done on behalf of sinners in need of redemption and offered to all who believe. This is therefore very ‘good news.’

Jesus’ life is good news, for his obedience to the Father and fulfillment of the law is for us. While we as sinners fail to keep the law, Jesus was perfectly faithful. Jesus’ death is good news because his death was a payment for our sin, and by it we are cleansed from our guilt and released from condemnation. Jesus’ resurrection is good news because his victory over death is ours and through it we look forward to a resurrection of our own."

— Joe Thorn - Note To Self

Hat Tip: Of First Importance and Aleady Not Yet

The Great Exchange

"Lord Jesus,
You are my righteousness,
I am your sin.

You took on you what was mine;
yet set on me what was yours.

You became what you were not,
that I might become what I was not.

- Martin Luther"


Hat Tip: You Are My Righteousness : Kingdom People:

The Begger's Prayer

“Imagine that your prayer is a poorly dressed beggar reeking of alcohol and body odor, stumbling toward the palace of the great king. You have become your prayer. As you shuffle toward the barred gate, the guards stiffen. Your smell has preceded you. You stammer out a message for the great king: ‘I want to see the king.’

Your words are barely intelligible, but you whisper one final word, ‘Jesus, I come in the name of Jesus.’ At the name of Jesus, as if by magic, the palace comes alive. The guards snap to attention, bowing low in front of you. Lights come on, and the door flies open. You are ushered into the palace and down a long hallway into the throne room of the great king, who comes running to you and wraps you in his arms.

The name of Jesus gives my prayers royal access. They get through. Jesus isn’t just the Savior of my soul. He’s also the Savior of my prayers. My prayers come before the throne of God as the prayers of Jesus. ‘Asking in Jesus’ name’ isn’t another thing I have to get right so my prayers are perfect. Is it one more gift of God because my prayers are so imperfect.”

—Paul Miller, A Praying Life (Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress 2009), 135

Hat Tip: Of First Importance

Perfection

“The perfection we do not have, Jesus provided. The judgment we do not want, Jesus bore.”

- John Piper, Finally Alive (Scotland, Great Britain: Christian Focus Publications, 2009), 74.

Hat Tip: Of First Importance