Tag / tampa bay

by In Light Of The Cross

Luke 6; Rock or Earth

I am writing tonight from the beautiful Tampa Bay area.

Luke 6:46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? 
 6:47 Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will show you to whom he is like: 
 6:48 He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. 
 6:49 But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great. 

 This passage reminds us that, The Bible must change how we live our lives. Too often though we let the way we live our lives change how we interpret the Bible.

 

Often on my day off I go somewhere where I can spend some time alone with God. A while back I went to Siesta Beach in Sarasota . I waded into the water and as a wave rushed to shore it moved the sand right out from under my feet. The sand quickly shifted to conform to its surroundings. I realized that was what Jesus was talking about when He said to not build your house on the sand. Our theology and Christian walk should not be like the sand that conforms to our surroundings.

 

Jesus wants us our experience to be like the rock. Instead of the rock conforming to its environment, the environment conforms to the rock. Chitons are rock-clinging marine mollusks that are found on rocky coasts all over the world. These shells cling to the rock and conform themselves to the rock. Otherwise they get washed out to sea. In order to survive we must conform to the rock which is God’s Word.  In order to survive we must let the Bible change us and not our surroundings and environment.  We must let the Bible change how we look at the world and not let the world change how we look at the Bible.

by In Light Of The Cross

Luke 3; Pointed Testimony

I am writing today from the beautiful Tampa Bay area.

Luke 3:7 Then said he [John] to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 

 3:8         Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to [our] father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. 

 3:9         And now also the ax is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 

John does not sound like the evangelists we have today! His appeal, if you can say he even had one, was not very cordial. John did have a burden for souls. So much so, that he did not want to lull anyone into a fatal sense of false security. His burden was so deep, that he wanted them to know that baptism is not just about getting wet, but about truly washing away your past. Repentance is a turning away from sin, and just like a groom must fall in love with his bride before the wedding, as he forsakes all others, so must the one being baptized forsake his love affair with sin and the world before being baptized. John was being faithful not only to God but even to those he preached to. He ended up getting his head literally chopped off, because he loved Herod so much that he would not lie to him and help him feel comfortable in his sin. Likewise today, we must overcome the temptation to lessen the guilt of those who trample God’s law and still want to be baptized. When we do lessen their guilt we are doing no favor to them or God or even ourselves.

     The gospel is now opposed on every side. Never was the confederacy of evil stronger than at the present time. Spirits of evil are combining with human agencies to war against the commandments of God. Tradition and falsehood are exalted above the Scriptures; reason and science above revelation; human talent above the teaching of the Spirit; forms and ceremonies above the vital power of godliness. Grievous sins have separated the people from God. Infidelity is fast becoming fashionable. “We will not have this man to reign over us,” is the language of thousands. God’s ministers must lift up the voice like a trumpet, and show the people their transgressions. The smooth sermons so often preached make no lasting impression. Men are not cut to the heart, because the plain, sharp truths of the word of God are not spoken to them. 

     Many of those who profess to believe the truth would say, if they expressed their real sentiments, What need is there of speaking so plainly? They might as well ask, Why need John the Baptist have said to the Pharisees, “O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” [Matthew 3:7.] Why need he have provoked the anger of Herodias by telling Herod that it was unlawful for him to live with his brother’s wife? He lost his life by speaking so plainly. Why could he not have moved along without incurring the anger of Herodias?

     So men have argued, till policy has taken the place of faithfulness. Sin is allowed to go unrebuked. When will be heard once more in the church the voice of faithful rebuke, “Thou art the man”? [See 2 Samuel 12:7.] If these words were not so rare, we should see more of the power of God. The Lord’s messengers should not complain of their efforts’ being fruitless until they repent of their love of approbation, their desire to please men, which leads them to suppress the truth, and to cry, Peace, when God has not spoken peace.   

     Would that every minister of God realized the holiness of his work and the sacredness of his calling. As divinely appointed messengers, ministers are in a position of awful responsibility. In Christ’s stead they are to labor as stewards of the mysteries of heaven, encouraging the obedient and warning the disobedient. Worldly policy is to have no weight with them. Never are they to swerve from the path in which Jesus has bidden them walk. They are to go forward in faith, remembering that they are surrounded by a cloud of witnesses. They are not to speak their own words, but the words that One greater than the potentates of earth has bidden them speak. Their message is to be, “Thus saith the Lord. –Gospel Workers, p. 149-150

by In Light Of The Cross

Luke1-2; God’s Childhood Years

I am writing tonight from the cold and dreary Tampa Bay area

And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him. Luke 2:40

 

Have you ever thought about the fact that God was a kid at one time? When Jesus came to live among men He had to grow up just like everyone else. Obeying was not necessarily any easier for Jesus than it was for any other kid. Even as an adult we find Him praying to His Father, “Please let this cup pass from me! Not my will but your will be done.” Jesus had a will totally independent of His Father’s just as you may have a will independent of your parents. So when we find it hard to obey, we can go to Jesus, tell Him what we are struggling with, and instead of getting onto us, He will understand and help us do the right thing!

 

Below is a passage from the classic book on the life of Jesus called “Desire of Ages”. It comes from pages 70-72 on God’s life as a child. You will find as you read, six ways Jesus, as a child obeyed and resisted temptation. These six ways will help us too! Let’s take a look:

 

“Every child may gain knowledge as Jesus did. As we try to become acquainted with our heavenly Father through His word, angels will draw near, our minds will be strengthened, our characters will be elevated and refined. We shall become more like our Saviour. And as we behold the beautiful and grand in nature, our affections go out after God. While the spirit is awed, the soul is invigorated by coming in contact with the Infinite through His works. Communion with God through prayer develops the mental and moral faculties, and the spiritual powers strengthen as we cultivate thoughts upon spiritual things The life of Jesus was a life in harmony with God. While He was a child, He thought and spoke as a child; but no trace of sin marred the image of God within Him. Yet He was not exempt from temptation. The inhabitants of Nazareth were proverbial for their wickedness. The low estimate in which they were generally held is shown by Nathanael’s question, “Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?” John 1:46. Jesus was placed where His character would be tested. It was necessary for Him to be constantly on guard in order to preserve His purity. He was subject to all the conflicts which we have to meet, that He might be an example to us in childhood, youth, and manhood.

 

Satan was unwearied in his efforts to overcome the Child of Nazareth. From His earliest years Jesus was guarded by heavenly angels, yet His life was one long struggle against the powers of darkness. That there should be upon the earth one life free from the defilement of evil was an offense and a perplexity to the prince of darkness. He left no means untried to ensnare Jesus. No child of humanity will ever be called to live a holy life amid so fierce a conflict with temptation as was our Saviour.

 

The parents of Jesus were poor, and dependent upon their daily toil. He was familiar with poverty, self-denial, and privation. This experience was a safeguard to Him. In His industrious life there were no idle moments to invite temptation. No aimless hours opened the way for corrupting associations. So far as possible, He closed the door to the tempter. Neither gain nor pleasure, applause nor censure, could induce Him to consent to a wrong act. He was wise to discern evil, and strong to resist it.” {Desire of Ages 70-72}

by In Light Of The Cross

Mark 15; When Silence is Golden

I am writing today from the beautiful Tampa Bay area.

Mark 15:13 And the chief priests accused him of many things: but he answered nothing.

A few weeks ago someone publicly made false accusations against me. I said nothing. Later I thought about saying something to defend myself, but a friend stopped me before I had a chance and explained to me that if I defended myself against the accusation, I would just be giving the accusation merit. I am so glad I listened to this friend, because I found out later that hardly anybody was really paying attention when the persona made the accusation any way, and those who heard it knew better than to believe it. I realized, the only person who gave it any mind was me, and once I let it go it was gone! When someone makes a false accusation about you just be glad it’s a false accusation. Jesus got those all the time too. On Friday night, Satan thought He had made such a spectacle of humiliation of Jesus on the cross that He would never show His face again, but the following Sunday everyone was worshiping Him again. False accusations did not stop Jesus and they should not stop us from doing good either. Just remember, “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.” Isaiah 54:17  I have found this to be very true!

by In Light Of The Cross

Mark 8; The Cross Before The Throne

I am writing tonight from the beautiful Tampa Bay area.

Mark 8 :29 And he saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Peter answereth and saith unto him, Thou art the Christ. 

 8:30       And he charged them that they should tell no man of him. 

 8:31       And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and [of] the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 

 8:32       And he spake that saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him. 

 8:33       But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men. 

 8:34       And when he had called the people [unto him] with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 

 8:35       For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it. 

 8:36       For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? 

 8:37       Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? 

 8:38       Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels. 

Peter could not comprehend or imagine Jesus being crucified. I think this is why Peter was so sure of himself, when later he swore he would never deny Jesus. I think he made that promise while only thinking of Jesus upon a throne, never dreaming Jesus would be crucified on a cross. Jesus rebuked Peter, because Peter was telling Him he did not need to die to self on the cross. Jesus at once recognized this as a message from Satan. Earlier Satan had told Jesus He would not have to die if He would just worship him. If he would, then Satan would give Jesus the world back without Him needing to die. Long before this, Satan spoke through false prophets in the Old Testament, prophesying smooth things that kings longed to hear. The kings would get upset when a real prophet would prophesy about death and destruction, because they did not want to hear it. Peter did not want to hear it either. Peter only wanted smooth things prophesied to him. Jesus, the King of Kings had to overcome where the former kings failed, and be willing to accept a prophecy of death and loss.  Jesus gives Peter a further rebuke, when he tells him that if he is ashamed of these words about the cross, then Jesus would also be ashamed of Him when He comes in glory. Peter, who at the time could only imagine a throne and glory, finally found that glory-in the cross. He who loses his life finds it. Jesus was glorified after he was crucified. Do you want glory and honor and a throne too? Then pick up your cross and follow Jesus in death to self. Find the glory that many Old Testament kings greatly desired, but were never willing to die to self for.

by In Light Of The Cross

My New Outlook For The New Year

I am writing today from the beautiful Tampa Bay area.

“Humans are very seldom either totally sincere or totally hypocritical. Their moods change, their motives are mixed, and they often themselves are quite mistaken as to what their motives are.” – C.S. Lewis

In  order to be more personal I have made a video blog on my new outlook for the New Year. A quote by C.S. Lewis has given me a better way of looking at things in 2011. Please let my share my message with you. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOw2ZXqwMJM

by In Light Of The Cross

Mark 7; Inside and Outside

 

I am writing today from the beautiful Tampa Bay area.

 

Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem. And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault. For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash [their] hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders. And [when they come] from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, [as] the washing of cups, and pots, brazen vessels, and of tables. Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands?  He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with [their] lips, but their heart is far from me. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching [for] doctrines the commandments of men.  Mark 7:1-7

Funny how people think making the outside look all nice makes the inside nice too. Just like the Pharisees thought if they washed their hands they were holy, likewise Pilate in Matthew 27, thought he could wash away his guilt by washing his hands. We cannot wash away our sins. What we need is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. There are many people who think that being baptized will save them, but they are being just as legalistic as the Pharisees. What they need is to be baptized by the Holy Spirit. We cannot by washing ourselves make ourselves, holy or converted. What we need is not a revival, but a crucifying of the flesh to be dead and gone forever, never to return. What we need is for Jesus to make us a new creation 2 Corinthians 5:17.

by In Light Of The Cross

Mark 5; Demon Possession

I am writing today from the beautiful Tampa Bay area.

Have you noticed several demon possession stories already in the book of Mark? Are these stories relevent to us today?

Mark 5:1 And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. 

And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. 

 5:2   And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, 

Here a demon possessed mad has an obsession with death. Is it not the same today? Are not gothic people today obsessed with death?

 5:3   Who had [his] dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains: 

 5:4   Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any [man] tame him. 

Today there are people in the church (Remember in Mark 1 the demoniac was in the temple) as well as the world who will not be tamed or bound by laws or standards. They want to do as they please without submitting to anyone, yet this is a sign of being controlled by the prince of darkness.

 5:5   And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones. 

Studies show that people who are cutters, and suicidal have been abused, usually sexually. With this man’s obsession with death and cutting, he may have been abused. I am glad Jesus came to be His Savior!

 5:6   But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him, 

 5:7   And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, [thou] Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not. 

Here is a tremendous struggle. The man wants to worship Jesus but is tormented by His presence. Again, it is not Jesus who can’t dwell with sinners, but sinners who don’t want to dwell with God. This man is demon possessed, and so one sign of demon possession is not wanting to be in the presence of God weather it is in the church service, prayer meeting, or family worship.

 5:8   For he said unto him, Come out of the man, [thou] unclean spirit. 

 5:9   And he asked him, What [is] thy name? And he answered, saying, My name [is] Legion: for we are many. 

Jesus did not need to know His name, but asked, so that the disciples could see what they were up against. On our own we are no match for Satan.

 5:10 And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country. 

 5:11 Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding. 

 5:12 And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them. 

 5:13 And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea. 

 5:14 And they that fed the swine fled, and told [it] in the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done. 

 5:15 And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid. 

Notice being in your right mind and properly clothed go together. Luke tells us this man was naked. The further we are from God the more clothes we are willing to take off. The closer we come to God the more appropriately we dress. For more on this please click here.

 5:16 And they that saw [it] told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the devil, and [also] concerning the swine. 

 5:17 And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts. 

Hhhmm….They want Jesus to go away. I wonder where those demons went after the pigs drowned. Here is a clue when people are asking Jesus to leave!

 5:18 And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him. 

A sign of demon possession is wanting Jesus to go away. A sign of conversion is wanting to be in His presence.

 5:19 Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.

by In Light Of The Cross

Mark 2; Jesus is The Goal, Not The Sabbath

I am writing today from the beautiful Tampa Bay area.

Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.  Mark 2:28

Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath. The Sabbath and the rest it gives points to the grace given us by God. How many well meaning Sabbath Keepers get it backwards? How many think they have done their duty by telling someone that Saturday is the Sabbath, but never point them to Jesus? We are witnesses for Jesus, not the Sabbath. We share the Sabbath only as it points people to the grace of God which saves them. I shake my head in despair, when I hear someone say that their friend or relative has finally accepted Jesus and now all they have to do is convince them about the Sabbath. They make it sound like the Sabbath is the goal and Jesus is not enough. I am not taking anything away from the Sabbath’s proper place, however the Sabbath is not the goal. Jesus is the goal!

by In Light Of The Cross

Matthew 26; Thoughts on Gethsemane

tampa-bay-016I am writing tonight from the beautiful Tampa Bay area.

 

Luke 22:43 says, “And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.” In His darkest hour his friends let Him down and one even betrayed Him, but Jesus was strengthened by an angel. I believe that we can have every advantage that Jesus had. If our friends let us down God will send us an angel or help us Himself if He needs to. As a matter of fact, check this out from The Great Controversy page 560.  “He [God] would sooner send every angel out of Heaven to protect his people, than leave one soul that trusts in him to be overcome by Satan.”  Imagine it. The Father sent an angel to aid the Son of God but will empty all of heaven of every single angel and send them to our aid in time of need. Why depend on the weak arm of man?

 

When Jesus’ friends let Him down and fell asleep when He needed them the most, instead of holding a grudge He excused their weakness when He said, “the spirit indeed [is] willing, but the flesh [is] weak.”  Matthew 26:41. In His darkest hour He looked to heaven and not to man. He was not disappointed in man because He did not expect anything from man. Since He did not expect too much He was not hurt too much by them and even referred to Judas in Matthew 26:50 as His Friend! By calling Judas His friend it shows us Jesus did not demand much at all from His friends while He gave all of Himself.

 

Mark 14:33 says Jesus became “sore amazed.”  You become amazed when you realize something you did not before. This shows us the true humanity of Jesus and that He was amazed as He experienced something He had never known before-the wrath of God-abandonment. In Gethsemane Jesus was facing more than a six hour pain endurance marathon on the cross. He was facing abandonment. The Desire of Ages brings this home for us on page 753, “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.”   

 

This Gospel, not the six hour pain endurance marathon gospel, but the gospel of Jesus being willing to say goodbye to life forever to save us shall be preached in all the world before He returns. In Revelation 14 the first angel has the everlasting gospel, not the six hour pain endurance marathon gospel, but the everlasting gospel to give to the whole world! As Seventh-day Adventists lets not let anything distract us from taking this gospel to the world!

 

This gospel will heal lives and mend hearts and change lives for eternity. It already has. Joseph saw this gospel when he told his brothers that he forgave them even though they betrayed him and caused him to suffer because it led to their salvation and the salvation of others! The gospel healed Joseph’s relationship with his brothers when the self sacrificing gospel was manifested in Joseph. Moses saw the goodness and mercy of this gospel and reflected it when he offered to have his name blotted out of the book of life to save others. This gospel was manifested in a thirteen year old Amish girl who during a violent siege of her school asked to be shot first hoping to buy time for the rescue of the others.  Her request was granted. In Revelation 15 this gospel is manifested in a large group who sing the song of Moses and the Lamb. They share the experience of Moses and Jesus in coveting the salvation of others more than they covet their own salvation.

 

Jesus was more than natural when He gave His life for those who let Him down and betrayed Him. He was supernatural. This gospel, not the six hour pain endurance marathon gospel, but this gospel is supernatural. Is it in you? Next time a friend lets you down or even betrays you do more than what comes natural. Do the supernatural. Let Jesus manifest Himself in you just as He was manifested in Joseph, Moses, Marion Fisher the Amish girl, and a whole host of people in Revelation 15.  If you do the supernatural all heaven will be on your side, and if need be every angel will be by your side, and you will heal hearts, mend lives, and change people for all eternity.

 

Your Christian Servant,

William

 

You can find more of my studies and stories at In Light Of The Cross.