An Upcoming Grace Walk Resource

I made the decision not to travel as much this year so that I'll have more time to produce materials to help people grow in their grace walk. This is the newest resource I'm working on at the moment. It's called Journey Into Intimacy. The book is formatted like the Grace Walk Experience book. It consists of an eight week study divided into five daily studies for each week. There will be videos to accompany the book for small group use. It will be available within a few months. The next resource to be released is my new book, Walking In The Will of God. (To be released by Harvest House Publishers on April 1)

Who Accepted Whom?

It may be that the greatest single misunderstanding about the nature of salvation is the teaching that its essence revolves around a person accepting Christ into his life. "Won't you accept Christ into your life?" unbelievers are so often asked. The idea that Christ wants to come into our lives is almost universally taught in most evangelical and charismatic churches.

"What's wrong with that?" you might wonder. "Doesn't He want to come into a person's life?" The startling answer if we really take biblical teaching seriously is "no." Salvation isn't about us accepting Him into our lives. Instead, the gospel is the proclamation that Jesus Christ accepts you into His life." "You did not choose me, but I have chosen you," Jesus told His disciples.

The flesh loves to cling to the notion that we cast our vote for Jesus at salvation and that He then moved in and has been thankful to us ever since. The essence of salvation isn't that you accept God, but that God has accepted you. Think about it - this triune God who has enjoyed eternal intimacy within the Godhead has brought us into the inner circle! He has accepted us in the Beloved!

Apart from Him, we have no life in which He could possibly dwell. In our co-crucifixion with Jesus, our old self was crucified with Him in order that the source of sin might be destroyed. (See Romans 6:6) You have been crucified with Christ and you no longer live. (See Galatians 2:20) Now Christ is your life and in Him you find your very existence. (See Colossians 3:4 and Acts 17:28)

Christ in your life? Not a chance. We have entered into His life and now share in the koinonia of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. When we were God-hating, self-centered, blind-as-a-bat and dead-as-a-doornail sinners, Christ died for us. (See Romans 5:8) By His grace and through His finished work on the cross, the eternal God has brought us into the eternal lovefest. We weren't seeking God. Let's not flatter ourselves. Nobody seeks Him, not one of us. (See Romans 3:11) But he clothed Himself in the garment of humanity and came here to bring us home, where we belong. He came to seek and to save us while we were lost. (See Luke 19:10)

He chose you. He came for you. He died to reconcile you to Himself. He raised you from a walking death. He made you alive and has seated you at the right hand of the Father, squarely situated in the middle of the eternal party that will never end. Only one response fits such a reality - Hallelujah!

Is There Not A Cause?

When David saw his brothers cowering before Goliath, he was troubled that nobody had confronted him and brought an end to his brutal regime. Goliath had caused the people of God to become overwhelmed with a sense of their own inadequacy. He had caused them to forget that the source of their victory was their Heavenly Father. He had caused them to act like scared little girls instead of like the soldiers they were. He had paralyzed them in their progress.

Does Goliath sound familiar? Look again at the things I've described he did to them. Those are the exact things that legalism does to God's people today. Legalistic religion towers over us, causing us to feel inadequate, to focus on our own inabilities instead of on God's ability, forgetting our true identity and bringing us to a standstill in our grace walk.

When David questioned them about the problem, they turned on him as if he were the enemy. "Who do you think you are?" they sneered. The same often happens to grace revolutionaries to stand up today and speak out against the legalism that intimidates God's people.

David wasn't deterred by their criticism though. He asked them, "Is there not a cause?" He knew there was a noble cause that cried for a response. The enemy had to be confronted. The people had to be set free from its tyranny. God would do it if somebody would trust Him, rise up and go forward. So he did, and you know the rest of the story.

You may be criticized at times when you speak out against legalism. Your brothers may accuse you of pride and think you are arrogant to take a position different from theirs. But, remember, there is a cause. Christians are being persecuted by the heavy hand of legalism. We must stand up and come out against it "in the name of the Lord." Our God is on our side. Be bold. Stand strong against the legalistic culture of the modern church. You may be opposed by some, but do it anyway. Is there not a cause?

Sunday Preaching

Our Sunday Preaching broadcast is going very well. Last week there were 671 computers that logged on to watch the message. We can't know exactly how many people are watching the messages since there are sometimes groups who watch together. Here are a few of the encouraging emails I've received about this new ministry.


We are around 15-25 people, and it's so inspiring to see what the grace of God is doing in each and everyone's lives. What you teach about healing in lives through the grace teaching is so correct. The old is gone, it’s a new life, new freedom, it’s a Holy Spirit life.It's the goodness of God which leads people to surrender to Him. So, Christ has really set us free. Fantastic, THANK YOU, Steve. - Oddmund and Bente in Norway

Back on August 20, 1983 God gave me this promise from Habakkuk 2:3..."But these things I plan won't happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, do not despair for these things will surely come to pass. Just be patient! They will not be overdue a single day." Here 25.5 years later, we are seeing and hearing with your Sunday night preaching, the fulfillment of that promise. We can now see and hear, what we only could believe (and sometimes doubted) would happen, for so many years. We are spreading the word to as many as we can. (Not an easy task up here in the Northeast) We believe this is only the beginning. The best is yet to come. In Christ's Love, Dot and Bill Schroeder

My wife and I listen every Sunday, we live in Longview, Tx., where there is no Grace Walk teaching, so it's a great delight to hear from you on Sunday. - Cliff & Pat Hill

Hi I’m in Parksville British Columbia, and this is church for me. I know I’m not perfect and if there was a perfect church, when I got there it no longer would be. You don’t need the long dreary story. I would just like to say THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND GOD BLESS YOU. Heather

Hello, I have been watching your Sunday video stream every week from San Diego CA. Its been been a real blessing; as far as I know they're aren't any churches in the area teaching the grace walk message. Is there any way to view past Sunday video messages? Thanks, and keep it coming. T. Sullivan

In the beginning of your speech on Sunday 25th, your wanted to know where we watch your teaching from. Well, I'm from Norway. I know several Norwegians linked to your blog on their blog, so I guess there's more people than me watching.
Thank you a lot for uplifting words! With regards, Werner Skaug

Watching the internet broadcast from Pensacola, FL.We are at the Career Development Program www.waterfrontmission.org Praying about attending Mar 27 in Atlanta. Dave Clarke

Now, on the "other side of the Jordan", I hunger to hear words of encouragement as I live this new supernaturally empowered life. My friend, who facilitated the Gracewalk series two years ago, mentioned your weekly sermons posted on your website. Today, I listened for the first time. As you said, my experience is the same as most in that we only receive messages of dead legalism week after week. Thank you so much for your words of grace that are so refreshing to my heart. Geographically, I live in Woodstock, Ontario, Canada which is located about two hours west of Toronto. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Ellis Henricks

I am listening to your teaching here in Laramie Wyoming. Thank you so much for sharing your struggle in learning to use your mind as you entered the grace walk I too was struggling with doubting maybe I had been listening to some strange doctrine. However it just brings you deeper into Jesus to see His beauty, and feel his warm embrace, Your are an encouragement and a Blessing!!!!!!!! In Christ, Bryden Wilson


Because of different time zones and with the desire for more people to access the teaching, I will be leaving the message I share each Sunday online until the next Sunday. My hope is that you will gather others together with you in a group, listen to the message together, pray, minister and share with each other together. We all need encouragement and being with other like-minded grace walking Christians is a great way to find that.

You can access the online Sunday Preaching on the home page at www.gracewalk.org

Making Excuses

In John 5, Jesus approached a man lying by the Pool of Bethesda who had been paralyzed for 38 years. The Bible says that occasionally an angel would come down and stir the water and whoever was the first one to get into the water was healed. When Jesus approached the man, he asked him, "Do you want to get well?"

At first glance, that seems like a strange question to ask a paralyzed man. "Do you want to get well?" One might guess the man would answer, "Of course I want to get well!" But that's not what he said. Instead, he answered, "I don't have anybody to put me in the pool when the water is stirred." Jesus hadn't asked the man why he hadn't already gotten into the pool. He asked him if he wanted to be made well, but the man responded with an excuse.

I've counseled people for over 35 years and have found that not everybody wants to be well. If they were well, they couldn't blame other people for their problems. They couldn't blame their circumstances. They couldn't blame themselves. They would have to assume responsibility and began to move forward in life. No, as strange as it may seem, not everybody wants to get well. Some would rather live as martyrs who think they just can't catch a break.

This man had given up hope. He had been in that same place for so long that he made the mistake of assuming his future would be just like his past. It was outside the realm of his paradigm that Christ might step onto the scene and change everything in an instant.

Many today make the same mistake. We think that nothing will ever change. After all, life has always been this way and we can't imagine why it won't keep being this way. When we adapt this mindset, we have lost sight of the greatness and grace of the One to whom we belong.

Maybe you've been given to making excuses in your life. Perhaps you've lost hope in the midst of debilitating circumstances. Take heart! Jesus sees you in your need and wants to help you. Cast off your excuses, trust Him and rise up and walk.

(This blog was taken from a message I shared a few weeks ago on Sunday Preaching. Last week there were over 500 computers logged in to watch the message. Some people gathered together in groups to watch. Join us this week at www.gracewalk.org at 5:00 EST for Sunday Preaching! If you can't join then, I leave the message up all week for you to watch at your convenience.)

What I've Been Reading

I just finished reading The Soloist by Steve Lopez. It is the true story of Los Angeles Times staff writer Steve Lopez friendship with Nathaniel Ayers.

Lopez first encountered Ayers when he saw him on Skid Row in L.A., playing a two-string violin. Thinking there may be a story there, he met Ayers and began to uncover an amazing story about the mysterious street musician. More than thirty years earlier, Ayers had been an up and coming classical bass student at Julliard. Little by little, he lost his ability to function as he was overcome by a mental breakdown.

Lopez sets out to change Ayers' life, only to experience one frustrating experience after another as he learned how hard it was to deal with Ayers mental illness. The book shows how that, in the process of selflessly trying to change Ayers' life, his own life is profoundly changed.

In the end, Lopez learns that the most important thing of all is to show love to Ayers. One doctor tells him, "Relationship is primary. It is possible to cause seemingly biochemical changes through human emotional involvement. You literally have changed his chemistry by being his friend."

This true story is a wonderful example of the redemptive power of love. It shows how unconditional love has the power to transform people's lives, even if it's a street person with serious mental problems.

The story will be told in a movie by the same name, opening in theaters in March. I certainly plan to see it.

Terrorized By The Law

I recently began to wonder what the actual meaning of the phrase, Al-Qaeda is so I looked it up to find its literal definition. The meaning of the phrase is "the base." Of course, it's the place from which terrorists plan and carry out their attacks against innocent people across the world.

As soon as I discovered the literal meaning of the phrase, my thoughts turned to the passage in Romans 7 that I have taught so many times over the past two decades. It's where the Apostle Paul talked about the law and how the power of indwelling sin uses the law to defeat us in our walk. In verse eleven, he said: "For sin, taking an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me."

If you look at the word "opportunity" in a Greek Lexicon (a book that provides the literal meaning of Greek words), you'll discover that the Greek word used in this verse is aphorme. The literal definition of the word as it's used in Romans 7:11 is "a place from which a movement or attack is made, a base of operations."

What an interesting fact. The power of indwelling sin that resides in our body uses the Law of God against us to set up a base of operations to terrorize and defeat us. Indwelling sin in our bodies is the Bin Laden against our souls and the flesh is Al-Qaeda.

Remember that there is nothing wrong with the Law of God. God's Law was given to open the eyes of the self-righteous to their own unrighteousness. The fact is, though, that you and I have been released from the Law (See Romans 7:6) through our death with Christ on the cross. By His grace, we saw our own unrighteousness and, by His grace, we repented of the folly of our sin and turned to Him in faith. At that moment, we were born again and now have no connection to the Law whatsoever. (Read Romans 7:1-6 for the biblical explanation.)

If we don't realize that we have moved out of the bondage of Babylonian captivity, we will still live under the terroristic threats of legalism. But you have been delivered from Babylon. You aren't under the Law anymore. The religious Al-Qaeda have no rights or authority over you anymore. Your Liberator has set you free and "He whom the Son sets free is free indeed."

On this Martin Luther King day, maybe the best way to describe your condition might be to use His words. You are indeed, "Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, free at last!"