Reasons to Rehearse the Gospel Daily — Reason 29: My Manifesto

June 29th. Day 29 of walking through “Reasons to Rehearse the Gospel Daily” — Part 1 of “A Gospel Primer for Christians” by Milton Vincent.

Today’s reason — My Manifesto.

Let me tell you right now, we are finishing strong! These last two reasons are like the grand finale of our a fireworks display. They’re a BOLD proclamation as to why we MUST keep the gospel at the center of all we do and say, think and feel.

And about this 29th reason to rehearse the gospel daily, Vincent says this...

“Boldness is critical. Without boldness, my life story will be one of great deeds left undone, victories left unwon, petitions left unprayed, and timely words left unsaid. If I wish to live only a pathetically small portion of the life God has prepared for me, then I need no boldness. But if I want my life to bloom full and loom large for the glory of God, then I must have boldness — and nothing so nourishes boldness in me like the gospel!

He continues by saying...

“The gospel gives me boldness by banishing my great fear, the fear of God’s eternal wrath. Indeed, Christ bore God’s wrath upon Himself, not simply so I could escape that wrath on some future Day, but also that I might be released from the daily fear of such wrath as I think ahead to judgement day. Because this fear hinders the ongoing work of God in me, the love of God continually expels this fear (whenever it appears) and nurtured within me a confident eagerness to face God on judgement day. {1 John 4:17-18} Living in the daily relief of this fear frees me up to continue being perfected in confidence by the love of God, and it also serves to put all other fears, especially the fear of man, into perspective.” {Matthew 10:28}

Vincent continues by saying this...

“Additionally, the more I experience the life-transforming power of the gospel, the more confident I am in speaking it to others, both saved and lost. {Romans 1:15-16, 1 Corinthians 1:18} I know what the gospel can do in people’s lives if they would believe the fullness of it, because I see what it is doing in means in others. Therefore, I have increasing boldness to speak the whole gospel to others, {Acts 20:26-27} even amid opposition.” {Acts 4:29-31}

And continues with...

“Also, the more I comprehend what God has done for me through Christ, the more I find myself confidently coming before God in prayer, {Hebrews 4:16, Hebrews 10:19-22} speaking to Him in situations in which I formerly would have shrunk from Him, and offering requests that I formerly would have been too timid to offer (due either to the largeness of the request or my own sinful unworthiness). With greater boldness in prayer comes an increased enjoyment of God and the bounty that He gives, due simply to the fact that I was daring enough to ask for what was needed.” {James 4:2}

Vincent concludes with this...

“Preaching the gospel to myself each day nourishes within me a holy brazenness to believe what God says, enjoy what He offers, and do what He commands. Admittedly, I don’t deserve to be a child of God, and I don’t deserve to be free of sin’s guilt and power. I don’t deserve the staggering privilege of intimacy with God, nor any blessing that Christ has purchased for me with His blood. I don’t even deserve to be useful to God. But by the grace of God I am what I am and I have what I have, and I hereby resolve not to let any portion of God’s grace prove vain in me! {1 Corinthians 15:9-10} And to the degree I fail to live up to this resolve, I will. Oddly take for myself the forgiveness that God says is mine and continue walking in His grace. This is my manifesto, my daily resolve; and May God be glorified by this confidence that I place in Him.”

Like I said yesterday, and will continue to remind myself everyday: We must take hold of it and be bold with it. Preach the gospel daily — to ourselves and others.