New book I am reading by Elyse Fitzpatrick

This past week, I started a new book by Elyse Fitzpatrick titled, Counsel from the Cross which she has written with Dennis Johnson.  I loved Elyse's book, Found in Him and have already enjoyed the first few chapters.  Here are a few quotes from the opening chapters:

Our need of Christ does not cease with our believing...It is always on His "blood and righteousness" alone that we can rest.(Warfield)

When we lose the centrality of the cross, Christianity morphs into a religion of self-improvement and becomes about us, about our accomplishments, and about getting our act together. We become become who ask WWJD (What would Jesus do?) without ever considering the gospel or WDJD (What did Jesus do?).

We need to hear the gospel again because if we have forgotten his work on our behalf, it will skew the way we think of God, the way we think of ourselves, and the way we think of others.

God's disposition toward us is entirely different because we are beloved.

As long as I have a "list to work on," I can keep my hands on the reins of my life and on my struggle against sin.

God's love for you isn't based on your performance or your children's performance. His love is based solely on the performance of his Son.

Only the Spirit of God can change a human heart. Only God's love in Christ can must us grow in love and delight in him.

Like you, I need to hear the gospel song over and over again because my soul is a sieve and the gospel leaks out of it, leaving only the husk of Christianity--my self-righteousness and obligations.

Paul knew that they weren't going to be transformed by gazing at their own glories or the glory of any other mere human. He knew they wouldn't progress in sanctification by observing their sin and failure. He told them how true transformation takes place: by beholding the glory of the Lord.

It is the glorious message of God's love for us in Christ that engenders the faith and perseverance that will enable us to grow in godliness.

The gospel of Jesus Christ--that we are all more sinful and flawed than we ever dared believe but more loved and welcomed than we ever dared hope--is meant to be lived out in relationships...

The perfect law keeping necessary for unhindered, face-to-face fellowship with Almighty God has been credited to us.