What is Meant by “The Gospel?”

“For God took the sinless Christ and poured into Him our sins. Then, in exchange, He (Jesus) poured God's goodness into us!” 2 Corinthians 5:21 from The Living Bible

i realize more and more these days, that many people do not really know what is meant by “The Gospel.”

Well, here’s my humble start at explaining it in simple language. Hope it helps someone. 

“The Gospel is Good News — yes, the one and only Holy God, made us in His image to know Him personally. However, we sinned and separated ourselves from Him. In His amazing grace and amazing love, God became a man in Jesus, lived a sinless life, and died on the Cross, thereby fulfilling the law Himself and taking on Himself the condemnation, yes the punishment for the sins of all those who would ever choose to turn from sin and to trust in Him. Jesus rose again from the dead, proving that God accepted His Son’s sacrifice and that God’s wrath against us had been atoned for, satisfied. He now calls us to repent of our sins, to turn our backs on darkness and our faces to the Light, and to trust in Christ alone for our forgiveness. If we repent of our sins and trust in Christ, we are born again into a new life, an eternal life with God.” -kww

Prayer: Jesus, i want You to be my Life. Forgive me of my sins. i want to know You in a right relationship beginning now. Amen.

Now, i begin again to embrace and to explain the Gospel!

Pastor Kerry Willis 

“Who May Worship in Your Sanctuary, Lord?”

“Who may worship in your sanctuary, LORD? Who may enter your presence on your holy hill? Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right, speaking the truth from sincere hearts. Those who refuse to gossip or harm their neighbors or speak evil of their friends. Those who despise flagrant sinners, and honor the faithful followers of the LORD, and keep their promises even when it hurts. Those who lend money without charging interest, and who cannot be bribed to lie about the innocent. Such people will stand firm forever.” Psalms‬ ‭15‬:‭1‬-‭5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Now, i begin again to renew my worship of You, my Holy God!

Pastor Kerry Willis 

"Unlearning My Addiction to Common Sense"

"In the areas of true faith, i am gradually unlearning my addiction with common sense, which often competes with full surrender to God's desires." -kww

Now, i begin again to choose "to wholly trust" over "having to make sense of everything." 

Pastor Kerry Willis 

John 3:16-17 EASY TRANSLATION

"God loved the people in the world so much that he gave his one and only Son to save them. As a result, everyone who believes in the Son will not die. Instead, they will live for ever with God. God did not send his Son into the world because he wanted to punish people. He sent his Son to save the people in the world from punishment." ‭‭John‬ ‭3‬:‭16‬-‭17‬ ‭EASY‬‬

So, i begin again to give thanks to You, Father God, for giving Your one and only Son to be the Savior of the world and of even me, especially me. Amen. 

Pastor Kerry Willis 

Jesus Prayed. Shouldn’t We?

“If Jesus in His great power and oneness with God could feel the urgent necessity of communion with the Father, how much more you and I need to go to the Father for the strength that fills our weakness and the knowledge that fills our ignorance. We must come to Him moment by moment for all the needs that are ours. Prayer brings us into a fellowship with God that nothing else can provide.” -Donald Barnhouse

Now, i begin again to seek constant communion with Father God. 

Pastor Kerry Willis 

“How Essential it is That We Are Crucified With Christ”

“Apart from the dominating inspiration of the Holy Spirit, we will fail to see the deadliness of Sin in our attitudes and will neglect to realize how essential it is that we are crucified with Christ that we might no longer live but that He might finally live His Resurrection Life within us.” -kww #Holiness

“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Galatians‬ ‭2‬:‭20‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Now, i begin again to cry out: “Holiness is what i long for; Holiness is what i need!”

Pastor Kerry Willis 

Safe Love? C.S. Lewis

“There is no safe investment. To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly be broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket — safe, dark, motionless, airless — it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. The alternative to tragedy, or at least to the risk of tragedy, is damnation. The only place outside Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all the dangers and perturbations of love is Hell.” -C.S. Lewis 

Now, i begin again to love vulnerably. 

Pastor Kerry Willis