This Week On Grace Walk Radio

This week's message on Grace For Life is:

The Spirit of Truth

Grace For Life radio archives are here.

It's Reformation Day!

It was in 1517 that Martin Luther posted his "95 Theses" to the big door of the church at Wittenburg, Germany. Ah, Luther, an early European Knight in the slaying of the dragon of Legalism.

This is often viewed as the beginning of what we call the Reformation. It was a giant blow against legalism, specifically the paying of money to the Roman Catholic Church for "indulgences" which were supposed to "buy off" years of purgatory. Purgatory is the Roman Catholic doctrine, totally unbiblical, that believers in Jesus Christ must undergo years of punishment for their own sins *after* death.

As awful as the legalistic doctrine is to begin with, even more awful was the teaching by church villains that one could buy their way into heaven faster (or that of Grandpa or Mom).

Thank God the light was shed on the great Gospel of Grace, showing that salvation is entirely of Grace, not of works, lest anyone should boast (Ephesians 2:8,9), and that we who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ are forgiven...past, present, and future, throught the sacrifice of our Lord.

Happy Reformation Day!

This Week On Grace Walk Radio

This week's message on Grace For Life is:

What Are The Desires of Your Heart?

Grace For Life Radio Archives are here.

This Week On Grace Walk Radio

This week's message on Grace For Life is:

"Is Obedience Not Important?"

Grace For Life Radio Archives are here.

Do You Prove Your Theology By Guru?

Often I see Christians, including well-known teachers, prove their theological views by quoting some famous "great" Christian of the past. Their thought seems to be, "If Charles Spurgeon, John Owen, and [solemn hush here] Jonathan Edwards said it, that proves it's true!" I just picked those names out of a hat. If you're offended by my hint that those "divines" may make mistakes, you are making my point.

This is Theology By Guru. That's what the scribes did in Jesus' day. They quoted learned Rabbis and used that as their "text".

We shouldn't ignore teachers from past (or present for that matter), but they are not the authority. They may have valuable insights, but understanding the Word of God is spiritual, and every teaching of every teacher needs to be examined according to the Scripture, preferably as we're filled with the Spirit.

God is the authority, and when we hear His words, we may actually be astonished. Matthew 7:28,29 reads,

"And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes."

The Guru-ization of Christianity, in America at least, has dulled the blade of that astonishment. The "pure milk of the Word" re-sharpens that blade, and we can be astonished again.

There are no "great" Christians, just gifted ones who are sometimes right.

This Week On Grace Walk Radio

This week's message on Grace For Life is:

"Why God Owns You, And Why That's Good"

Grace For Life Radio Archives are here.

Lessons From the Amish Murders

"Shoot me and leave the other ones loose".

These were the reported words of 13-year-old Marian Fisher to the milk truck driver named Carl Roberts, who had entered the Amish schoolhouse a little over a week ago.

Emma Mae Zook, only twenty years of age herself, had already been the teacher for three years. She fled to call for help, along with some of the other students, mostly boys. Ten girls remained captive with the man we call "deranged". His intentions were not honorable.

Five of the girls died by his gun, before he "turned the gun on himself", as the all-too-frequent news report comment goes.

Anna Mae Stoltzfus, 12;
Naomi Rose Ebersole, 7;
Mary Liz and Lena Miller, sisters 8 and 7 years old;
Marian Fisher, the brave 13-year-old who understood sacrifice.

But if the sacrificial attitude of Marian touched the world, the attitude of her friends and family stunned them. The attitude was forgiveness. Of a magnitude that we don't see often, even in the "religious". Of a magnitude that didn't just forgive the murderer, but embraced the murderer's family.

What we learn from them, they learned from Jesus.

1. Simplicity
2. Sacrifice
3. Forgiveness
4. Community
5. Gelassenheit. This term they use means “surrenderedness” to God and to one another. “The goal of Gelassenheit is a subdued, humble person who discovers fulfillment in the community.” (Donald Kraybill, The Riddle of Amish Culture)

I haven't spoken favorably about the Amish view of Scripture. They have sometimes drastic tendencies toward legalism, and sometimes harsh dealings with their own in their "shunnings".

But I never stop being amazed at God's working through us flawed creatures. Even in a culture that I don't normally associate the word "Grace" with, there is God's Grace anyway, calling "Follow me, as I follow Christ."

This Week On Grace Walk Radio

This week's message on Grace For Life is:

"Are You Really A New Creation? - Pt. 2"

Grace For Life Radio Archives are here.

Three Things That Revolutionized My Christian Life

By Michele Rayburn

There are three things that have revolutionized my Christian life and walk: God’s unconditional love, God’s total forgiveness, and a Christ-centered life.

1. God’s Unconditional Love

“We love Him because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19)

This one thing alone revolutionized my Christian walk…knowing that God loves me no matter what. I do not feel insecure in His love for me. I am not afraid that He will stop loving me. And because I believe that I am secure in His love for me, His love compels me to keep pressing on, and I am better able to experience the blessings that come with it, namely the fruit of the Spirit…the love, joy, peace.

2. God’s Total Forgiveness

When we understand God’s total forgiveness, then we will be set free to receive His love. I think it would be almost impossible to receive God’s love if we do not believe that we are totally forgiven of past, present and future sins.

The Lord said that He will “remember our sins no more”. He paid for our sins. He is not looking to condemn us over and over again when we sin for “there is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus…” (Romans 8:1). And “He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6)

Our sins are not just temporarily covered, but we have been permanently redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. He will not hold our sins against us. So we should walk in the joy of His forgiveness.

3. A Christ-Centered Life

We need to realize our new standing in Christ, that we are new creations, righteous, holy, Saints, “no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ” (Gal. 4:7; see also Romans 6:6-23).

2 Corinthians 5:17, 21 says, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold all things have become new….For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

When we “fix our eyes on Jesus” rather than on our sin, when we reckon ourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord, sin will not reign in our mortal bodies (Romans 6:11-12).

A Christ-centered life, rather than a sin-centered life has given me the spiritual strength that I need to live for Christ.

Legalism Destroys Love

Remember that love is a fruit of the Spirit. When we walk by the Spirit, and are filled with the Spirit, we love. We can't help but love, just like we can't help but have the other fruits of the Spirit, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

But we're talking about love. And because love is a fruit of the Spirit, it is killed by Legalism.

Why?

Because Legalism quenches the Spirit. Legalism denies the grace of God, it elevates self-righteousness, it makes us think that we can earn God's love and favor, and shows unbelief in His Word that He already loves us and has given us every spiritual blessing in Christ Jesus.

And when Legalism quenches the Spirit, the fruit of the Spirit is quenched, and love is the fruit of the Spirit.

So next time you see in yourself or others a lack of love...be reminded of Grace. You can abound in love if you remember that you are not under Law but under Grace (Rom. 6:14).