The word of His grace

I was reading the book of Acts this morning; a book so intense and yet one that I don't read from enough. We often get to chapter 4 or 5 and call it quits, but as you go further in Acts, there is tons, and I mean TONS to be learned.

I was reading in Chapter 20, Paul is saying his goodbyes to the Elders from the church in Ephesus as he is heading out on yet another mission. He sort of gives them a re-cap of what his life has been like there, as he has held nothing back in his ministry to the people. He is basically saying "hey, I've lived my life in front of you all; I have faced many trials and hardships and you all watched the way I walked through it, I AM NOT MOVED by any of it."

But what is so interesting to me is a warning that Paul leaves them with - he warns them that once he is out of the picture, wolves will come and will not spare them. He goes on to say that even amongst the group of them, men will rise up and begin speaking perverse things in an attempt to draw away people to follow them! Now remember, Paul is speaking to the Elders of the church. So these are men that you would look at in the natural and think no way, no way would these men try to draw us away from the good work that God is doing, no way would these men try to cause us to follow them, and not the Lord. But that's the warning, that even from among that group, there will be people that will try to cause division.

We see that very thing in operation all over churches today, people that rise up in an attempt to draw folks away from what God is doing, because they think they have the only "right" way. But I love what Paul says, after he gives them that intense warning, he even says he does it night and day through tears, that's how passionate he is about the church staying in unity - but I love Acts 20:12 where he says, "So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified."

He warns them, yes, but then he leaves them in the hand of God, knowing that if they stay true to the 'word of His grace," that they will be just fine. And the same goes for us. If we stay true to the 'word of His grace,' we will be just fine. That's what builds us up, and that is what builds others up. If we stay connected to that precious grace, we will be a beacon of light and hope to a world that desperately needs Jesus. If we stay connected to that precious grace, we won't give the wolves an opportunity to lead us astray, we won't harken to a teaching that is not grace centered, we won't be moved by the trials and tribulations that come our way, because we know that there is a mightier hand that holds us up, that is centered on that precious 'word of His grace."

Smith Wiggelsworth said, "God's Son is placed in power over the power of the enemy; anybody who deals falsely with the Word of God nullifies the position of authority that Christ has given him over Satan."

Yikes. That's an intense statement. We have been given authority over Satan and any attempt he may throw at us to get us off track or to snatch us up like a wolf would do or to cause us to miss the mark. We have authority. But the moment we step outside the parameters of God's Word, we lose that position. We no longer have dominion! The moment we begin to put guilt on a person, the moment we allow a condemning word to flow out of our mouths, the moment we pass judgement on someone, that's the very moment we lose our position of authority. Why? Because the book of Romans tells me that "there is no condemnation for anyone who is in Christ Jesus." So to speak a word that is not centered around the "word of His grace," then look out, because it's going against what God is all about.

Of course we strive to live a righteous life, of course we are to encourage those around us to do the same, of course we are to live out scriptures that tell us to "walk as children of the light," (Eph.5:8) of course the Bible is our guide book as to how we should live our lives, "holy & acceptable to God." YES! Of course.

When we step outside of the center of Grace, we are walking in a very scary place. When we think we have the only "right" way to do things, it's a scary place. When we think that we somehow are superior to others, woah, look out, that's a scary place. When we heap rules & regulations on people, it's a scary place. When our words condemn, look out, it's a scary place. When we speak negatively about the Church as a whole, the Church that God absolutely loves, it's a scary place. You lose your position.

I want to encourage us all, the 2 of you that read this blog anyway, to heed Paul's warning. May we never step outside of the "word of His grace," in our lives. May everything we do flow out from the proper center. Sure, there is a time to help a fallen brother or sister, there is a time that God will use us to bring words of restoration to someone that may be living outside of God's plan for their lives; but when God gives those moments to us, they should always flow from the proper center. When all that we do flows from that precious 'word of His grace,' then our position never changes. We are able to stand on the God given authority of His Word for our lives. We are able to claim all the promises of God as a resounding "yes and Amen." I know I want that for my life. How about you?