Tag Archives: Grace

Message In A Minute: That Is Amazing Grace

I never met my wife’s Grand-Mother, but I’ve heard many stories about her.

She was a pastor in a small West Virginian community. Her name, very fittingly was Grace.

One year, a few coal miners started attending the small church. After many messages about God’s grace from Pastor Grace. These men all decided to start following Jesus. Pastor Grace was overjoyed, the men began a new type of life, and the church members celebrated.

But a couple weeks later, the local mine owner came to visit Grace at her home. This was a big deal for such a rich and prominent man to even visit the little community. For him to come to her home was unthinkable.

I imagine Pastor Grace was confused as to why this man would be visiting.

Soon it was very clear.

It seems the men who started following Jesus, brought back tools and equipment they had previously stolen from the mine company. They gave the equipment back and asked their boss for forgiveness. The miners seemed to be radically different than before. This overwhelmed the mine owner so much that he had to come and meet Grace.

At this meeting, a huge check was made payable to the church from the mine owner. The church would be able to make major improvements. The ministry would be able to reach more people with the life changing message of God’s Grace.

You can’t make up a story this good.

These men found grace, because they met Grace.

You may not be named after God’s goodness, but you can just as readily share God’s grace with those around you.

There is no limit to what God can do with a willing heart.

That’s Amazing Grace.

-Tom Wise

Poetry: Hope and Hurt

Often the crowds of loneliness stayed,
in hearts where hope and hurt have played.

Regret puts on a blissful face
To hide the pain of empty space.

Hearts that beat so far away
Long for each at dawning day.

Thoughts of past and fears to come.
Crush so many but harden some.

Hidden in vanity and masked by smiles, 
Spoken in minutes the tears of miles.

Mercy opens guarded doors, 
Prayers hit ceilings, faces hit floors.

Rescued and ransomed by constant ache, 
Peace returns after heart’s break.

Redeemed by one who brought heaven here, 
Perfect love has cast out fear.

-Tom Wise

Poetry: Walks In Light

I was hungry, did you feed me?
I was lonely, did you see?
I was lost and confused,
And you ignored my plea.

I needed hope but I was rejected.
I searched for help and I was neglected.
Instead of a person you made me a recruit.
I needed compassion, you left me destitute.

Missing the point, all is forsaken
More blessed to give but you have taken.
The tombs are washed to fool the people.
Shallow the messages under the steeple.

Pep talks and slogans entertain the sheep.
Slippery the slope, the mountain is steep.
Reducing good news to personal gain.
Chasing favor but denying the pain.

Only one hope to make things right.
Piercing the darkness He walks in light.
Asking the weary to come and find.
Mercy for hearts and peace for minds.

Self centered visions are now rejected.
In forgiveness for sin love is perfected.
Condemnation has faded, mercy has won.
Deny yourselves and follow the son.

-Tom Wise

Poetry: It Is Finished

Knees will bow and tongues confess,
Doctrines fall and arguments rest,
Souls redeemed and emptiness filled,
Death overcome and fears are stilled.

End of ages, hope remains,
Grace removes bitter stains,
All that’s vile, now is cured,
Doubts fade, mercy endured.

Hearts cry out an eternal song,
One is worthy and all belong,
No shame, no tears on any face,
Perfect love, amazing grace.

Hope was dead until resurrection,
Ransomed to loves pure reflection,
Grace healed what sin diminished,
The most powerful words ever spoken
“it is finished”.

-Tom Wise

Still A Candidate For Grace (Updated 03/28/19)

I wrote the following weeks ago, when it was revealed that Jussie Smollett had likely made up the story of being assaulted. This was before he was charged and long before the charges were dropped.

What Jussie Smollett did angers me, and he should be punished for it.

To fabricate a story that portrays a certain group as evil is beyond wrong. To continue to lie about it and waste tax-payers’ money on an investigation knowing it will lead to nothing is reprehensible.

Also, this whole story belittles the incidents where real discrimination, racism, and hate are actually involved.

But I have this sense that we should be praying for Jussie. A person capable of this much dishonesty and attention seeking is likely unstable. And unfortunately, this type of person could do harm to himself or others.

Usually, I would be trading political jabs, jokes, and points about something like this. And honestly, all that runs through my head. But I need to be a little more mature about stories like this.

I imagine Jussie has a grand-mother or two who’ve prayed for him since he was a little boy, I imagine his friends and family are heartbroken for him. I imagine a loving God who hurts with him at this moment. It doesn’t take away the repurcussions of his actions, but it helps me to not allow my heart to be hardened by cynicism and a media storm.

As a Christian, it shouldn’t take a revelation for me to pray for someone like Jussie. It should be my first instinct. But it wasn’t. I have to let God deal with my heart.

Jussie needs God’s grace, he needs healing, and yes he needs to make amends for what he has done. I’ll leave that last one up to the authorities.

As for me, I’m going to pray for him, and I pray that in the future, this is my first thought when something like this happens, not my last.

I still believe all of that, I need to see with compassion, think with mercy, and speak with grace. I need to pray for people before I talk about people.

But Jussie, like you and I, can keep grace from working in his life by refusing to admit he’s done anything wrong. God’s love is unconditional, but grace only works in a willing vessel. If anyone simply wants to avoid the consequences for their actions, grace isn’t what they need. Those people will find themselves worse off than before.

Today’s lack of accountability, brings a future lack of responsibility.

Societies have met their ruin by neglecting accountability.

What Jussie did still angers me, and Jussie’s continued lack of honesty only makes it worse. But I will continue praying for Jussie, he is still a candidate for grace. It is completely up to him to admit his need for forgiveness. The scary part is this, God won’t force any of us to admit that need.

So be angry if you want, I’m right there with you. But pray for Jussie, and pray that we don’t ever get to the point where we can’t admit it when we are clearly wrong.

It’s a dangerous place to be.

-Tom Wise