God's Grace Is Bigger Than Any Problem You Will Ever Have

I met Tina through FaceBook. She has been studying the grace walk with Liz King, one of our Grace Walk Group leaders. Here is Liz' testimony. I think it will encourage you the same way it did me:

March 21, 2002 9:23 a.m.....I remember staring at the clock on the microwave located in the kitchen, as I sat trying to pretend that this was not happening...that my 11 year old daughter had not just revealed to me and the social worker sitting across from us that she had indeed been abused by her step-father, my “perfect” pastor husband. But as I heard the words come from her lips and I watched the tears fall down her face...I became aware of the Truth in the room. It was one of those defining moments that forever changes the course of your life...there is nothing to prepare you for it. In the following years I have often asked God why he didn't change the course of events that resulted in years of pain and darkness, why was my daughter not spared...where WAS He....

The next year was so dark...I felt so painfully abandoned...I began to question my faith and who God was...I saw Him nowhere, I was sure that I had made a great cosmic mistake in ever believing in a benevolent God. What I did not realize is that God's plan was perfect...even in great tragedy and brokenness..that He had to allow my life to be completely broken, so as to rebuild upon His foundational truths...and fulfill a destiny in my life and the lives of my children. I had to learn to live the truth that His mercies are new every morning...and to trust Him as my Jehoveh-Jireh..my provider. I lost my marriage, my disposal income, and what was left of my sanity...but I found that my “Maker is your husband-the LORD Almighty is his name—the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; He is called the God of all the earth.”

God was there with me through the journey, to minister healing to my daughter...and for my family to begin the process of restoration. My husband re-married two years later...through God's divine mercy I was able to forgive him and forge a relationship with him and his new wife that would benefit our two children. About a year ago, I received a “grace revelation” while being ministered to by one of your grace teachers, Elizabeth King. Since then, I have done the Grace Walk bible study twice and am reading your new book “Walking in the Will of God”.

Recently my children returned home from a spring break visit with their grandparents and I heard from them that their father had spoke in the pulpit of a church on a Sunday evening. I really had to work that one out with God. Did the grace of God allow for my husband to speak publicly to others about His mercy? Ultimately, I decided to phone my ex husband and find out what had transpired.

Here is what I discovered:

Years ago, after his sin and brokenness had cost him everything, his wife, his children, and his ministry...he had gone to the Word of God to try and alleviate the horrible burden of his guilt and shame. He found the Grace of God in the scriptures...a true Grace revelation. He has been listening to YOUR MINISTRY !! I was just DUMBFOUNDED, as I spoke with him and realized that God had led each of us to our own grace revelations and the true recognition of what God's gospel was in the person of Jesus Christ.

Steve, this amazes me that God can produce this work...only through His mercy and grace. I am undone...but I want to share this testimony so that others can find hope and healing. Truly, there is NOTHING that can separate you from the love of God.....and it is my sincere prayer that anyone who is struggling with sexual strongholds...and even those that are so abhorrent that lead to a child being abused; that they would find the Grace of God. It is never too late !

Headed Back From The Keys

Yesterday we began our route headed back north after our sailing trip to the Florida Keys. This morning we are in Miami Beach, where the wind still makes it questionable as to whether or not we will be able to continue onward or have to wait another day until the seas settle down a little.

We read Acts 27 together yesterday, where the Bible tells about Paul's journey aboard a sailboat. The story ended with a great storm that caused the boat to break up so that the men all floated ashore on Malta, clinging to planks from the boat that broke apart. The whole island was converted after Paul got there - a reminder that divine ministry can come from any situation, even a shipwrecked life.

I've taught several times about how sailing is a metaphor for the grace walk. On land, we seem to have control of our own forward motion, which I've suggested depicts a legaslitic lifestyle of self-sufficiency. Once we abandon ourselves to the wind (the Spirit) and the water (The Word/Jesus), we have no illusions that we are in control anymore.

Safe sailing necessitates that you go forward as the wind leads you. To fail to cooperate with the wind can bring dire consequences - not because the wind is punishing you, but because you are experiencing the natural result of independence and pride. Happy sailing involves watching the wind and water and cooperating with what they are doing.

That's what we plan to do today. Will we go? Will we stay? We don't know yet, but we are willing to do either one, once the wind lets us know. So it is to be in life if we want a successful and enjoyable journey.

Check Out Our Updated and Improved Website

If you haven't visited www.gracewalk.org in a while, I encourage you to check it out. You'll see it's a new design that I hope you'll find easier to navigate and use.

One prominent feature is the media player on the home page. Every week I leave the latest Sunday Preaching video there until the next week when we post a new one. Will you help me spread the word about this ministry? I've heard from people all over the world who watch every week. This is a way for those who don't have a voice of grace in their community to hear a grace based message each week. It's also intended to be an encouragement to those who do hear grace taught, but still want more.

In the days ahead, I hope to see us add other elements to the site that aren't there right now, so keep checking back.

Resting In Agape

As we take this trip toward the Florida Keys this week, I am the first mate on board the trip. As I previously mentioned, I'm certified to skipper a boat, but the Agape is Roger's boat and his sailing experience stands over mine by an exponential distance.

The Captain of the boat is responsible for everything that takes place aboard the vessel. As I've sat by his side at the helm this week, I've felt at times like I needed to be doing more myself. I've not wanted to be a slacker on the trip and have had to fight the urge to try to find something to do while he navigated through narrow channels or did other "Captain duties."

Today, the thought hit me: "I'm doing what I'm supposed to do. I am intentional in waiting for the Captain to give me instructions." When Roger asks me to do something, I do it immediately. I don't ask a question. I don't delay. I just do it. That's a crew member's role.

When I have no particular duty to do, my role is to simply enjoy the journey. I don't have to feel guilty that I'm not doing more. I don't have to try to find something to do. I'm just supposed to "abide in the Captain" and do what he says. If I have no specific orders, I just enjoy the ride.

That's exactly how it is in our journey with the Captain of our Salvation. As we abide in Him, we do what He says when He says to do it. Otherwise, we just relax as we enjoy the journey. We don't have to feel guilty that we aren't doing more. We don't have to try to prove ourselves. We just rest and enjoy life's journey.

In some ways, it's easier to be the Captain of the boat. At least then, we feel like we're doing something productive at every minute. But the truth is that in life we aren't called to be the Captain. We're called to rest in an eternal Vessel called Agape and just enjoy the ride with Captain Jesus. If there's something we need to do, He will tell us. In the meantime, feel the wind of the Spirit in your face and the sun of His love shining on us and relax. The joy of sailing isn't reaching your destination. It's the ride itself.

Aboard Agape

Since Monday, Melanie and I have been on our way south on the Intra Coastal Waterway aboard the 45 foot Catamaran, Agape with our friends Roger & Jan Dean. The wind has been so intense that we haven't been able to go out to sea so far, but we've had a good time motoring down the ICW with our friends.

Some may not know that Melanie and I took sailing classes ourselves some years ago and are certified to sail boats up to 50 feet in length. We've taken groups to the British Virgin Islands a few times, where Roger (our friend and captain on this trip) and Jan took a group on one boat and Melanie and I took a group on another. In the mornings, I taught about how sailing a boat is a great metaphor for the grace walk. (I still plan to write a book on that subject one day.) Anyway, I'd speak in the mornings; we would sail to another island in the afternoon, and then we'd play every evening. Not a bad way to do ministry :)

This week I'm posting short 2-3 sentences about our progress on this trip on my FaceBook page. If you've joined FaceBook (no cost to join), request me as a friend and then you can keep up with us on this trip. I have an air card that I use to access the Internet as I have the time.

Our goal is to reach West Palm Beach by Monday, where we are supposed to pick up our friends, Al and Carol Hanson and then the six of us will head onward toward the Florida Keys. This is the first time Melanie and I have taken a trip this long in almost 37 years of marriage and we are loving it!

Tonight, we are in Titusville, FL after a 12 hour journey today. Tomorrow we hope to make Fort Pierce, FL before dark.

Range Markers

As we traveled down the Intra Coastal Waterway on our sailing trip yesterday, we came to several sets of range markers along the way. The range markers are a great help in this narrow channel of water as a navigator tries to move along without running aground.

The ICW has sections where it is very easy to run aground if you aren't paying attention. At certain places, if you veer even 10-12 feet off the deepest part of the channel you will run aground. That's why the range markers are there.

The range markers are two signs at the shore line ahead of you. The goal is to position your boat so that the markers are in perfect alignment with each other. In other words, you get them both in front of you so perfectly that you can only actually see one of them. If you see both markers, you know you aren't in line and risk running aground. If you see only one, you know they are in perfect alignment and you can proceed safely forward.

These range markers caused me to think again about God's will for our lives. The markers could represent your desires and the Word of God. When our wishes and God's Word are in perfect alignment, we can move forward without any concerns at all that we are going to create problems for ourselves.

God will never lead us in a way that is out of line with His word. If we want something that contradicts the Word of God, it can't be God's will for us. On the other hand, as long as our wishes aren't out of line with His Word, we can move forward with confidence that we are on the right course.

What do you want to do? Does your wish align itself with God's Word? If so, sail on in confidence!

New Covenant Evangelism

Here's an example of the effect the growing grace revolution can have on the world around us when we ditch dead religion and share the true grace of our Lord Jesus Christ...



(Thanks to Mark Vilen for sharing this video with me.)

Your Father's Heart

I posted this video online over two years ago, but thought it would be a good one to post on this Easter weekend. I hope you and your family have a wonderful Easter.

For the Pastors' Wives

People often tell me that they feel like they know Melanie because I have talked and written so much about her. I hope I've told all good stuff. That's actually all there is to tell. Honestly, Melanie. It's all good. Please don't invite your mother and her dogs for a month. You're the greatest, baby. I mean it. Really....



(Thanks to Jan Sweigart for passing this along to me.)

You Aren't A Dirty Person

One time many years ago, our family came out of the house to go to Sunday morning church. As I turned to close the door, our small dog bolted out and ran across the yard. We were late, and I didn't have the time for that kind of nonsense.

Impatient, I took off across the yard yelling at our dog, which was on a mission to escape me. As I chased him down a slight slope, my foot hit a slick spot on the grass, which was still covered with morning dew. Down I went. Not just to the ground, but also down the hill ... all the way down the hill the rolling reverend went. By the time I reached the bottom, I had mud and grass stains all over my clothes.

When I stood up, I came to an instant realization of four things: 1. I wanted that dog to die. Now. 2. My family, laughing hysterically, didn't understand one iota about Christian compassion. 3. I could say the word I heard coming out of my mouth with no fear that my mother was around to punish me for saying it. 4. I looked filthy dirty.

The immediate challenge at the moment was number 4. I had dirt all over me, and I should have been leaving for church ten minutes earlier. I'm not a dirty person by nature, but I was covered in dirt at that moment -- in more ways than one. What I needed was immediate personal hygiene to get the dirt off me so I could move on toward the plan already in place for the morning.

In the same way, I encourage you not to think of yourself as a dirty person who can't be used by God. We all blow it at times, but that doesn't change the fact that, at the core of your being, you are clean because of what Christ has done for you.

A good illustration of this fact is an incident that happened with Jesus and His disciples when they were in the upper room together. He was about to wash the feet of the disciples. Peter protested over Jesus' assuming such a lowly position of servanthood and said to Him, "There is no way I'm going to let you wash my feet!" Jesus answered him, "If you don't you won't be involved in the plan I have in mind." Peter then blurted out, "Then go for it! Wash me from head to toe! I'm in!"

Jesus' response to Peter here is instructive. He said to him,

If you've had a bath in the morning, you only need your feet washed now and you're clean from head to toe. My concern, you understand, is holiness, not hygiene. So now you're clean.

The point Jesus was making was that Peter was not a dirty person. He simply had dirt on him at that moment, dirt that needed to be wiped off. There is a big difference between the two. Do you see it? Just because you sometimes get dirt (sinful thoughts, feelings, or even actions) on you doesn't mean that you've morphed into a dirty person.

I'm not minimizing the seriousness of sin here. Nobody enjoys the aftereffect of a roll in the dirt. The point I'm making is, you don't have to let it wreck your life by believing you're a bad person God can't use. Don't cheat yourself out of the thrill of living in the carefree abandon of faith.

This article is an excerpt from my new book, Walking in the Will of God. You can get it at www.gracewalkresources.com

The Key To Reaching Our God-Given Potential

The first thing that happened after Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden was that their self perception became completely distorted. They thought that they no longer were acceptable to God so they hid themselves. They tried to make themselves look more acceptable to God with leaf coverings made by their own hands.

In reality, their sin hadn't caused God to love them any less. In fact, when evening came God came for His daily walk with Adam just as He had always done. Adam's sin didn't change God. It changed Adam.

From that day forward, mankind would be doomed to feelings of inadequacy and obsessed with an imagined need that he needs to do something by his own power to make himself acceptable to God. From a leaf-sweater in the garden then to business proposals in the boardroom today, man has been trying to prove something. He has been trying to prove his worth as a human.

The message of Easter is that Jesus Christ has drawn us into Himself and settled the issue of our worth once and for all. You were in Christ on the cross and everything about you that would have debilitated you in terms of reaching the potential God intends for you was done away with there. You were buried with Him and on the third day, you arose with Him - full of resurrection life. Now the essence of who you are is Him.

When you look in the mirror, what do you see? The key to reaching our God-given potential is to see that Jesus Christ gives us our identity. "In Him we live and move and exist," says the Scripture. We have nothing to prove. The only thing we need to do is to just be ourselves and as we do we will mature outwardly into the person we already are inwardly.

We have the spiritual DNA of Jesus, having become a partaker of His divine nature. (See 2 Peter 1:3-4) We don't have to sweat missing the plan that God has for us. Instead, we can know for certainty that as we "grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ," the destiny our Father has determined for us will manifest, with no struggle on our part.

Paul wrote, "For me to live is Christ." That's true for you too. You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. He is your life. Don't worry about making things happen. Just trust Him to be who He is in you and the divine plan will unfold. You aren't a domesticated house cat. The Lion of the tribe of Judah is your life. See that truth when you look at yourself and you'll find yourself increasingly acting more and more like it's true.