Tag / glimpses of grace

by In Light Of The Cross

Glimpses Of Grace; God’s Amazing Grace

I am writing this morning from the beautiful Tampa Bay area.

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9

Our faith responds to God’s grace. God gave us His grace while we were still enemies and before we had faith. “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 Some have the idea that God looks down on us, and if He sees we have faith, then He gives us grace and saves us. That is legalism. It is just transferring the works of the flesh to the works of the brain. We are not saved by the works of the flesh or the works of the brain, but by the blood of Jesus. The Bible teaches that my faith is in response to God’s grace.

Discover in God’s Word how God has already accepted you bu grace. What will your response be?

According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. Ephesians 1:4-6

I Would like to invite you to discover this grace at the Tampa First Seventh-day Adventist Church, with Pastor Brad Cassell.

If you are not in the Tampa Bay area, you can find a grace filled church here.

by In Light Of The Cross

Glimpses Of Grace; God’s Provision For satan’s Tricks

I am writing today from the beautiful Tampa Bay area.

Satan has a little trick he loves to play on us. He whispers in one  ear, “Go ahead and commit such a sin, you deserve it, it’s alright.” Then once he has deceived his victim, he whispers in the other ear, “I can’t believe you just did what you just did!” After what you just did you can no longer walk with God so don’t even try.” Yet, when Satan tells us we are too great a sinner to walk with God, Jesus comes and puts His nail scarred hand in ours and not only tells us to continue walking with Him but He actually pleads with us, “walk closer to me this time.” Remember, Enoch did not walk with God because he was strong. He walked with God because he knew how weak he was without God.

“My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for [the sins of] the whole world.” 1 John 2:1,2

“How careful is the Lord Jesus to give no occasion for a soul to despair. How He fences about the soul from Satan’s fierce attacks. If through manifold temptations we are surprised or deceived into sin, He does not turn from us and leave us to perish. No, no, that is not our Saviour…. He was tempted in all points like as we are; and having been tempted, He knows how to succor those who are tempted. Our crucified Lord is pleading for us in the presence of the Father at the throne of grace. His atoning sacrifice we may plead for our pardon, our justification, and our sanctification. The Lamb slain is our only hope. Our faith looks up to Him, grasps Him as the One who can save to the uttermost, and the fragrance of the all-sufficient offering is accepted of the Father. 

     If you make failures and are betrayed into sin, do not feel then you cannot pray … but seek the Lord more earnestly.

     The blood of Jesus is pleading with power and efficacy for those who are backslidden, for those who are rebellious, for those who sin against great light and love. Satan stands at our right hand to accuse us, and our Advocate stands at God’s right hand to plead for us. He has never lost a case that has been committed to Him. We may trust in our Advocate; for He pleads His own merits in our behalf…. He is making intercession for the most lowly, the most oppressed and suffering, for the most tried and tempted ones. With upraised hands He pleads, ‘I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands.’ Isa. 49:16. 

     I would I might sound the glad note to earth’s remotest bounds. “If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” Oh, precious redemption! How broad this great truth is– that God for Christ’s dear sake, forgives us the moment we ask Him in living faith, believing that He is fully able!”  (Our High Calling p. 49)

If you are in the Tampa Bay area I want to invite you to celebrate this amazing grace with us at the Tampa First Seventh-day Adventist Church. If you are somewhere else, click here to find a church in your part of the world.

by In Light Of The Cross

Glimpses Of Grace; Blood On Our Hands

Below is a poem I wrote when I was circa 15 years old, living in the house in this picture in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Back in my early teens, I was just getting into music, and loved contemporary Christian music. I wrote the poem below, hoping someone would set it to some contemporary Christian music. I actually have a friend who is currently working on it now, 30 years later. I thought I would go ahead and share the lyrics to my poem.

Blood On Our Hands

There was a man, he really walked the earth

He was just like us, He had a natural birth

He had feelings He was a natural man

And we’ve all got His blood on our hands

He was a righteous man, never did wrong

The weak found refuge in Him, He was strong

There wasn’t a problem He didn’t understand

And we’ve all got His blood on our hands

The preacher stands proud as though he should

Trying to stand for all that’s good

He claims he stands for God’s commands

But he can’t deny the blood on his hands

The patriarchs and prophets of old

Were Godly men so we are told

It’s really hard for us to understand

These men walked with blood on their hands

Church is a place where good people go

They all feel righteous when there they show

They wonder when their friends will see the light

And follow them right out of the night

They tell everyone they’ve been set free

They say “you won’t find no sin in me”

When they all know if God’s grace didn’t show

The church would all stand on murderer’s row

With blood on their hands, with blood on their hands

The paupers and the kings in every land

Thos who are wise, those who can’t understand

Are no different, all have blood on their hands

So who dares to stand bold before the throne

Who dares to pick up and throw the first stone

So everyone is equal and even this time

No one’s greater here, we’re all partners in crime.

by In Light Of The Cross

Glimpses of Grace; Oblivian

I am writing this morning from the beautiful Tampa Bay area.

For as ye have drunk upon my holy mountain, [so] shall all the heathen drink continually, yea, they shall drink, and they shall swallow down, and they shall be as though they had not been.  Obadiah 1:16 

On the cross, Jesus loved you so much, that He faced going into total oblivion to save you. To save the wicked He must die the death of the wicked. He did not die the death that the righteous die, which has a hope of a resurrection, as the righteous still  die that death themselves.  Jesus calls the death with a hope of a resurrection “sleep.” See John 11:11-14. The death with no hope of a resurrection is called “death” indeed. See Hebrews 2:9.  In order for Jesus to save the wicked He must face the death of the wicked. 

When Jesus cried out, “My God My God, Why hast Thou Forsaken me” He was not asking why God had forsaken Him till Sunday morning. If that were the case Jesus would not have felt forsaken. He would have felt secure knowing the Father would resurrect Him on the first day of the week. You don’t forsake someone when you leave them for the weekend. You forsake them when you leave them forever.  

“Satan with his fierce temptations wrung the heart of Jesus. The Saviour could not see through the portals of the tomb. Hope did not present to Him His coming forth from the grave a conqueror, or tell Him of the Father’s acceptance of the sacrifice. He feared that sin was so offensive to God that Their separation was to be eternal. Christ felt the anguish which the sinner will feel when mercy shall no longer plead for the guilty race. It was the sense of sin, bringing the Father’s wrath upon Him as man’s substitute, that made the cup He drank so bitter, and broke the heart of the Son of God.” {Desire of Ages, p 753} 

There was no sense of self preservation when Jesus went to the cross for you. Tonight, January 6, at 7pm we will be having a special agape feast and communion service, led by Pastor Brad Cassell, to celebrate this agape love at the Tampa First Seventh-day Adventist Church. I would like to invite you if you are in the area. If not, here you can find a church in your area of the world to celebrate God’s great grace.