You Do Not Terrify Me

I was given a tremendous Christmas gift last month when Crossway Books sent me a manuscript for review and possible endorsement. The book (scheduled for publication in 2009) is Counsel from the Cross: Connecting Broken People to the Love of Christ, by Elyse Fitzpatrick and Dennis Johnson and it is wonderful.

Reading through it, I had a similar experience to when I read How People Change (by Paul Tripp and Timothy Lane). Initially, I foolishly had the thought, “Another book on biblical counseling and the gospel, etc. etc.? Haven’t I read enough of these?” But then, just like with “How People Change,” I was challenged, encouraged, comforted, helped, drawn to worship Christ!

I absolutely LOVED this book.

As I work on my (glowing!) endorsement, I hope to write more blogs in the coming days with various excerpts. Today, I will leave you with this:

“Do you feel yourself to be too great a sinner for his promises of love to be true for you? You must remember: Christ did not die for the righteous but for sinners! (Matthew 9:13) His love rests on those who know they don’t deserve it. Answer your conscience and your adversary who would accuse you, as Martin Luther did:

‘Because you say I am a sinner, I will be righteous and saved … I fly to Christ who has given himself for my sins. Therefore, Satan, you will not prevail against me when you try to terrify me by telling me how great my sins are. On the contrary, when you say I am a sinner, you give me armor and a weapon against yourself … for Christ died for sinners. You do not terrify me but comfort me immeasurably.'”

Amen and Amen!

Be not terrified this day, my friends. Be comforted. In joy and in sorrow. When you make that wise, disciplined choice and when you fail. Again. Remember that God’s love for you is not based on YOU but on HIM. He is the One True God. He delights in saving sinners. He chooses to rescue unworthy, trapped people and make them His own.

From death to life.
 Darkness to light.
Rejection to delight.
Abandonment to adoption.

God will never forsake His children. Never.

Thanks, Dr. Johnson and Mrs. Fitzpatrick for your brilliant, practical, biblical, Christ-exalting book to help us all remember these truths.

Happy Thursday to you all!

Your friend,
Tara B.