What would you say is the first way to apply the gospel? We've heard in Philippians that we should only let our manner of life be worthy of the gospel. But then, practically, what does this mean? Keep listening to the rest of the Philippians sermons, but I am struck by how Paul answers this question in Ephesians. Under his umbrella command, "walk in a manner worthy of the gospel", he commands this: tell the truth (Eph. 4:25).

Of all the potential applications, why this one? The answer, I believe, points to a massive roadblock in the way of our experiencing "times of refreshing" in the Lord. It is a lack of honesty. I don't mean dishonesty, in the sense of deception or lying, but in the sense of not being forthcoming, not candid, about what we do, about the results of what we do, and about why we do what we do - the dark motives of our heart that led those words and those results. It appears easier to get back to the busy-ness of life, rather than stopping to honestly assess the what's and why's of our hearts. But great opportunity is lost; we actually forfeit great blessing. There is no refreshing on that side of honesty.

But on the other side of honesty, we find a God who can sympathize with our sins and weaknesses (really - it's in the Bible! Heb. 4:14-5:3). He is full of grace and mercy. And He is about more than words - He moves and is at work to change us. Our problem is that we think the only thing that awaits us on the other side of "change" is some spiritual version of a DMV waiting room - boring, drab, like taking your medicine. But that's a deception: on the other side of His changing us lie these "times of refreshing" - perhaps like you've never known. It's here that God's power shows up in the details of your real life and mine. Here we experience the good "consequences" of God's powerful moving in our lives. Here, on the other side of honesty with God and ourselves and others, we become, through His grace, more human, more real, more alive - more like the perfect God-Man Jesus Christ. May God blow a fresh wind of desire for Him in us, and thus may He move us to come to Him and each other in honesty, that we might "receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (Heb. 4:16).