Well I returned late last week from Rolling Meadows, IL. This was the place for the week long conference that Grace Impact put on. It started Saturday the 18th, through Thursday the 23rd. The theme this year was, "The Case For Grace". I was reminded daily of the grace of God and how through His Word it works effectually in me. I was reminded of how the grace of God works within me, when at times I get so focused on myself and what I practically can do, not understanding it is "He who works in me".
There were many topics, "The Humility Grace Displays", "Grace and Discipline", "Grace and Gifts", "Grace in the Future Kingdom", etc. Sunday my wife and friend from Twin Cities Grace Fellowship arrived at the Holiday Inn where the conference was being held, to catch the final evening message. Richard Jordan's message was titled, "The Word Grace Delivers" his text being Ephesians 2. His preaching caught my hear as he stood up and proclaimed boldly that he along with most at the conference stood for some things. It was very encouraging as he kindly, yet boldly took a stand for the KJV Bible and it being the final authority, Paul our Apostle whom Christ sent to the Gentiles with the gospel of the grace of God and the mystery of Christ, and lastly rightly dividing the word of truth to recognize the clear divisions in the Bible and that God has two programs within the canon of scripture. It was and is a great blessing to have "fellowship of the mystery" (Eph. 3:9), to have fellowship with likeminded saints.
The other message that really caught my hear was a message by Thomas Bruscha, titled "The Humility Grace Displays", as he spoke mainly on Philippians 2:1-11. This message as he preached the word worked effectually in me. He preached about having the mind of Christ, that the all sufficient, omnipresence, omniscience, omnipotent, did not count it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Thomas spoke about Christ giving up His divine attributes not completely, but at times, for the sake of doing God's will in order to offer salvation to all mankind. He spoke about Christ coming from heavens glory entering into time, being one place at one time, specifically Calvary. I think the one the hit me the most was Jesus Christ learning, Hebrews 5:7-9, "Who in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto Him that was able to save Him from death, and was heard in that He feared; though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered; and being made perfect, He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey;". Christ learned obedience through that which He suffered, the most High God possessor of heaven and earth, learned. It is this Christ who resides in me, it is this Christ that lives through me, it is this Christ who died, was buried, and rose again for my justification and that freely. It was and is and always will be God's Word working in me and motivates my inner man and quickens my mortal body to bring forth fruits of righteousness, not by me, but that are by Jesus Christ.
Father of Glory I thank you for your grace displayed at Calvary. I thank you that you have set forth Christ to be a propitiation (to satisfy your justice) through faith in His blood, and that I am and all who believe can be justified (declared righteous), by your grace through the redemption (payment of sin debt) that is in Christ Jesus. I thank you that because of the faith of Jesus Christ Your righteousness is given freely to all, but upon all them that believe!!! I hope and pray those that may read, would trust the grace of God through faith, that Christ died for their sins, was buried and rose again and that through simple faith in the work that you have done, that cost You Your Son, we may be saved. I hope and pray that they may receive eternal life as a present possession now by the Cross of Christ through faith, and the complete (past, present, future) forgiveness of sins, and an eternal inheritance in the heavenly places. It is truly in Christ. Amen
