Un-balanced? (Grace and Truth)

As an Addendum to A Voice that Must be Heard - a friend of mine at church, who is very wise and balanced, said, during conversation on Sunday, that she has heard the speaker I referred to, Andrew Wommack and that he is very good. And when I mentioned that I could see potential imbalance and misleading by his teaching about claiming promises of healing etc, she pointed out that his ministry arose in response to people claiming how God had given them such & such illness.

As we discussed this we realised how it's so easy to become imbalanced in what you are believing; and that even the truth can be twisted to almost become a lie. (If a truth is used to counter imbalance, that truth can itself become over-emphasised, also causing imbalance).

For example; Law doesn't 'balance' grace... In Christ we really are free ... but, since the 1st century AD there have been movements trying to distort this teaching by; for example saying the 'body' is bad and spirit is good and therefore whatever you do 'in the body' doesn't matter... (a background against which the first letter from John - which emphasises living out our faith in obedience - was written). Verses which could be taken out of context to make people feel pressured about how they live out their Christian faith.

In John ch 1 grace & truth is mentioned twice (v 14 & 17) - when Jesus came he brought - brings - Grace and Truth.

We know that Satan is like a 'devouring lion' and he is called the 'father of lies'. What's the biggest truth that he is most concerned about defying? The grace that is ours. That those who trust in Jesus are saved/set apart/holy/created for good works/beloved of God/righteous by faith/intended to have a peace that 'passes all understanding'....

Are you believing a lie? You might not even realise, it's been so long standing it's become a stronghold that's allowed the enemy to take away your peace.A lie that you may lose God's approval... that things might/deserve to/always go wrong ...you don't deserve to be happy..or ...you deserved to be abandoned ...or to have things go wrong in your life.

(Or- the opposite maybe; a lie that you're a 'good Christian' because, for example, you've always served in the church, or done 'such & such'...are 'not really a bad person'. Forgetting that we can only be right with God because of our faith in Jeus)

A lie that you're missing some 'mark' because you sin ... because you get it wrong... because you know that you didn't honour God in your reaction at work... you don't pray enough ....because you know (deep down maybe) that you treated that person badly ... because of your past burdens & hurt loaded on you (by Satan) or inflicted on you (by people) that have damaged the way you see yourself...

BUT BECAUSE of all those things, Jesus died and was punished and rose again to have victory over Satan and as we talk to him every day and affirm His love and forgiveness for us we can live in freedom, in grace and truth and love.

I am beginning to realise that this is the destruction that Satan insidiously gets away with the most; one way or the other, many Christians are prevented from living that joyful, victorious walk, because they are believing a lie... WATCH OUT FOR THE LIES that try and deceive you and deprive you of the daily benefits & blessings that come from the grace that is yours in Christ.