Understanding Grace

“Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.” (2Pe. 1:2 NAS)

I like to give special attention to the blessings we find in scripture.  In both of his epistles, the Apostle Peter prays for grace and peace to be multiplied to believers.  The modern-day church has been so strongly entangled with the spirit of religion that it is understandable why believers give ear to the teachings of the hyper-grace movement.  The message of grace is too important for us to ignore, but as we do so, we must be careful to avoid the errors of that doctrine. 

Truth in Scripture is like a finely woven fabric.  Every principle is interwoven with other principles, making up the entire body of truth that we find in Christ.  When we take one of these principles outside of the fabric that God has woven, we risk placing it into another fabric which opposes God’s truth. 

The verse above tells us that grace comes “in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord”.  To know God is more than knowing facts about Him; it is knowledge at a personal level.  It comes from having walked with Him; having experienced His love in difficult circumstances.  Grace is multiplied to us when we receive God’s help in our time of need (Heb. 4:16).  When we face difficulties, we call upon God, and if we do that in faith, we see His grace manifested because grace is obtained through faith (Rom. 5:2). 

Paul describes God as “the Father of all mercies and God of all comfort” (2Cor. 1:3).  This is the same comfort that Peter talked about when he said, “If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.” (1Pe. 4:14).  When we cry out to God in a time of trial, He may not answer with immediate deliverance, but He will certainly strengthen us to endure the trial (Jas. 1:3,4).  As the Lord said to Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” (2Cor. 12:9). 

We know also that grace is multiplied to us through the knowledge of God because it is found “in” Christ (2Tim. 2:1).  Jesus is “full of grace and truth”, and “of His fullness, we have all received grace upon grace”. (Jn. 1:14,16).  His life in us enables us to obey God.  “For it is God who is at work in us both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” (Phil. 2:13).  Although we are saved from the wrath of God through His mercy, we continue in that relationship through grace.  The mercy of God is very important, but it is only one aspect of His grace (Heb. 4:16).  Grace contains the ability to obey because it is an expression of the life of Christ in us.

If all we did was rely on God’s mercy, we would live this life without bearing fruit.  When we stand before the judgment seat of Christ, we will receive a reward for the works that survive the testing of fire (1Cor. 2:10-15).   Fruit that endures is the fruit we bear as we abide in Christ.  A simple way to understand abiding in Christ is through Paul’s words to the Galatians: “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who lives, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God” (Gal. 2:20 NAS).  I like the way this translation says that I live by faith “in” the Son of God.  Some translations say that I live by “the” faith of the Son of God.  It is true that we live by the faith God gives us, but we also need to know that we live by faith “in” Christ, crucified to this world. 

The Kingdom we have access to is one of “righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Rom. 14:17).  The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of grace (Heb. 10:29).  If we walk by faith “in the Spirit”, we walk in grace.  To manifest the Kingdom in our lives, we must release it.  We can experience the grace to walk righteously in the same way that we can experience peace and joy.  We are instructed to “let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts” (Col. 3:15), and to “rejoice in the Lord always” (Phil. 4:4).  This requires a response from us.  If we choose to release peace and joy, we will experience them.  Righteousness is manifested the same way; we must choose to let Christ live through us.

The life of Christ in us also provides grace to overcome sinful patterns.   “If therefore the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed.” (Jn. 8:36).  Sin is a problem to man whether he is religious or not.  Religion is man’s effort to deal with sin, but God’s solution is grace.  We do not overcome sin by ignoring it.  We overcome through repentance and faith.  If sinful patterns are ignored, they will hurt others in our lives and will eventually result in judgment.  We cannot think too lightly of God patience and kindness because it is the kindness of God that leads us to repentance (Rom. 5:4).  When Jesus began to preach His message of grace, he said: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” (Mk. 1:15).  If Christians presume to be in God’s favor while ignoring sin, they are like the Israelites who failed to enter the promised land because they refused to believe God.  Even after their disobedience, they decided to attack the Amalekites and Canaanites, presuming that God would help them, but they were severely defeated.  Presumption does not release God’s grace in our circumstances, it releases death.

The grace of God comes in many forms (1Pe. 4:10).  Function (or motivational) gifts are gifts of grace.  “And since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let each exercise them accordingly.” (Rom. 12:6).  Ministry gifts are also gifts of grace (see Eph. 4:7, 11).  Even the gifts of the Holy Spirit are gifts of grace, “But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.” (1Cor. 12:11).  They are all expressions of the life of Christ through us.  Our responsibility is to be a good steward of the grace of God (1Pe. 4:10,11).  We do that by being clean and yielded vessels (2Tim. 2:20,21), walking in love through faith.  Let love be our goal, as we lift the sails of faith to the Spirit of grace and navigate the sea of life with a pure heart and a good conscience (1Tim. 1:5).

The Small Things

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Eph. 2:10)

God has a special purpose for every human being.  Not every purpose is “grand” from a human perspective, but to God, each one is important.  Otherwise, why would He prepare these works beforehand, that we should fulfill them in our earthly life?  Walking in your God-given purpose will bring satisfaction to your life.  “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to accomplish His work.” (Jn. 4:34).

I think the first thing we should understand about our God-given purpose is that we are “created in Christ Jesus for good works”.  The fact that we are now “in Christ” changes everything about our life.  We have become an entirely new state of being (2Cor. 5:17).  That means that we no longer live independently from God, but we are members of His Body.  Our function, and thus our purpose, is found in Christ.  This is our new reality.  When we live from an eternal perspective, as members of Christ, our entire approach to life changes.  We no longer do things to please ourselves, or others; we live to please God. 

As the Apostle Paul explained, the Body is made up of many different members, each having a different function (Rom. 12:4).  We do not choose what our function will be.  “But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired.” (1Cor. 12:18).  We must not associate these functions with our value.  Every member is important, not just the ones that are more visible.  When the Lord returns, He will reward each man for his works; not according to our function, but according to our faithfulness (1Cor. 4:2).  In the flesh, we value talents and positions of authority, but this only results in selfish ambition.  “This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic.  For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.” (Jas. 3:15,16).  What God values is love which is patient and kind, not selfish, jealous, or arrogant (1Cor. 13:4).  Our gifts are our enablement for service.  How we serve is what matters.

When Paul testified before King Agrippa, he recounted the calling he received when the Lord appeared to him on the road to Damascus.  “But arise, and stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness not only to the things which you have seen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you; delivering you from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you.” (Acts 26:16,17).  The calling came through a vision because of the greatness of the task, not because of Paul’s spirituality.  Too often we compare ourselves because of our experiences, not realizing that these have more to do with gifts and callings than spiritual maturity.  What was Paul’s response to this experience?  “Consequently, King Agrippa, I did not prove disobedient to the heavenly vision, but kept declaring both to those of Damascus first, and also at Jerusalem and then throughout the region of Judea, and even to the Gentiles…” (Acts 26:19,20).  He was faithful to his calling.

Even with such a ministry, Paul still served God in the small things.  While in Ephesus, he experienced such a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit that within two years, “all who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jew and Greek.” (Acts 19:10).  When he met with the elders of Ephesus later, he reminded them that, “I have coveted no one’s silver or gold or clothes.  You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my own needs and to the men who were with me.  In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” (Acts 20:33-35).  To Paul, working with his hands was also serving God.  His testimony was not just words and miracles; it was a life lived in doing good. 

A while later, he wrote to the Colossians, “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.” (Col. 3:17).  He understood that to speak or act in the name of the Lord Jesus was to release the life of Christ through his own life.  It was living in the spirit of prophecy, as the angel told the Apostle John: “The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” (Rev. 19:10).  Peter explained it this way: “Whoever speaks, let him speak, as it were, the utterances of God; whoever serves, let him do so as by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever, Amen.” (1Pe. 4:11).  If our lives are hidden in Christ, and He is our life, then our testimony should be His life living through us (Col. 3:3,4). 

Paul had a deep understanding of the Church.  He understood that God the Father is preparing a Bride for His Son.  When she has been made ready, she will “clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.” (Rev. 19:8).  A mature Bride will continue the ministry of Jesus, who “went about doing good, and healing all who were oppressed by the devil; for God was with Him.” (Acts 10:38).  Her life is light shining in the darkness, just like the life of Jesus was the light of men (Jn. 1:4,5).

It is important to be faithful to our calling, but we must not forget that God expects us to be faithful also in the small things.  The routine tasks of our lives may not seem important, but satisfaction comes when we realize that Christ is with us, working through us.  Brother Lawrence called it “Practicing the Presence of God”. 

Little by Little

 “And the Lord your God will clear away these nations before you little by little; you will not be able to put an end to them quickly, lest the wild beasts grow too numerous for you.” (Deut. 7:22 NAS)

Spiritual maturity is a process; we take possession of our souls “little by little”.  This is not the way we prefer; we would rather experience immediate transformation.  When we accept Christ by faith, we are immediately justified before God, but our soul is transformed gradually by the renewing of the mind (Rom. 12:1,2). 

When the Israelites conquered the promised land, they had to populate it or else the wild animals would take it over.  They also had to drive out the inhabitants, or “those whom you let remain of them will become as pricks in your eyes and as thorns in your sides, and they shall trouble you in the land in which you live.” (Nu. 33:55).  The same is true for our souls.  When we destroy the enemy’s hold in any area of our lives, we must fill that area with Christ.  We cannot compromise by allowing known sinful patterns to exist.  This is not a problem when we are living in the experience of our first love with Christ, but what if we become satisfied with the progress we have already made?  Consider what the Lord said through the prophet Hosea, “As they had their pasture, they became satisfied, and being satisfied, their heart became proud; therefore, they forgot Me.” (Hos. 13:6).  The result of becoming satisfied with our progress, is that pride sets in; we become self-sufficient.

The main reason for spiritual growth is fruitfulness.  God’s blessing for mankind, after He created them in His image, was: “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” (Gen. 1:27-28).  “You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain…” (Jn. 15:16).  The spiritual fruit He is referring to is the fruit of the Holy Spirit.  We are to “become partakers of the divine nature” (2Pe. 1:4).  If we become “satisfied” and allow pride to set in, the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches will cause us to be unfruitful (Matt. 13:22).

It is God’s will that we become spiritually mature.  He gave ministers to equip and build the Body of Christ “until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fulness of Christ.” (Eph. 4:13).  The maturity He is developing in us is both individual (“until we all attain”) and corporate (“to a mature man”).  Christ is preparing the Church to be His Bride, “having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she should be holy and blameless.” (Eph. 5:27).  Before the return of Christ, Paul tells us there will be a great falling away of believers (2Thess. 2:3).  For the Body to achieve the maturity required of the Bride, individual believers may fall away as those who remain form a corporate “mature man”.  This “falling away” refers to our position in Christ; it is not necessarily referring to salvation.

In the parable of the Sower, Jesus referred to seed that was lost, and seed that produced a good crop.  There may even be areas that are neither lost, nor very fruitful.  Unless we pursue spiritual maturity, we will remain “children, tossed here and there by waves, and carried about by every wind and doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming” (Eph. 4:14).  Jesus warned His disciples that “false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect.” (Matt. 24:24).  If we truly love the Lord, we are not likely to be among those who fall away, but at the very least, our fruitfulness will be affected. 

Growing spiritually takes effort.  “But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.” (Heb. 5:14).  We learn by practice to distinguish between good and evil.  As we rely on the Holy Spirit, we can discern between true prophets and false prophets; we can discern between good spirits and evil spirits; and we can discern the thoughts and intentions of our heart (Heb. 4:12).  Exercising discernment is different than walking in fear.  Walking with discernment is moving carefully in the right direction; walking in fear is moving away from something, but not in the right direction. To walk with discernment is to walk in wisdom.  “A wise man is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is arrogant and careless.” (Prov. 14:16).

Discerning between good and evil requires a few spiritual skills.  First, we need to maintain a clear and sensitive conscience.  The Holy Spirit will convince us regarding what is right and what is wrong. (Jn. 16:8).  Next, we need a strong sensitivity to the presence of the Holy Spirit.  “And as for you, the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him.” (1Jn. 2:27).  Thirdly, we need to pay attention to our thoughts and feelings.  When we walk in the Spirit, we manifest the fruit of the Spirit.  If we find a different fruit expressing itself in us, we must be humble enough to recognize that it is a work of the flesh.  Even with these skills, there may be occasions when we need to accept correction from others. “He who regards reproof will be honored.” (Prov. 13:18b). 

“Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble.” (2Pe. 1:10).

The Mystery of Lawlessness

 “And many false prophets will arise, and will mislead many, and because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold.” (Matt. 24:11,12 NAS)

It is well known that one of the greatest challenges facing believers in the end times is deception, but are you aware of the second one? While deception increases, so will lawlessness.  These two work hand in hand.  Paul tells us about “the mystery of lawlessness that is already at work” (2Thess. 1:7).  This mystery will culminate in the revealing of the anti-Christ, the man of lawlessness (2Thess. 1:3).

In his book, Touching The Heart of God, the author Ernest J. Gruen described a vision the Lord showed him concerning the spirit of lawlessness.  The vision he saw was a hand formed into a fist.  The Lord explained to him that it represented the spirit forces against America.  The Lord was teaching the author how to pray effectively.  The fingers were different spirit forces, but the thumb represented the spirit of lawlessness.  Without the thumb, the grip had no strength.  The thumb was the key to the stronghold of the enemy.  To be effective in prayer for the country, he had to bind the spirit of lawlessness.  That was the case in 1986 when the book was published; is it any less the case today?  Not only for America, but for the entire world?

Understanding the mystery of lawlessness will help us to pray effectively, and to keep us from being deceived by the events around us.  The world is slowly moving towards the revealing of the man of lawlessness.  A conditioning to lawlessness is occurring because the nations are being manipulated towards accepting this leader when he appears.  Multiple times in history, we have seen leaders rise who possessed the character of the anti-Christ.  They were not the one, but they operated in the same spirit.  When the conditions are ripe, the devil himself will give him “his power and his throne and great authority” (Rev. 13:3).  We do not know when all this will occur, but it is important for us to understand that the mystery of lawlessness is already at work in our world. 

When our eyes are open to this mystery, we can discern the activities of lawlessness in the politics and economies of the world.  It may be obvious in countries where the officials are unethical, but the workings of the forces of evil can still be discerned in every nation.  The important thing to keep in mind is that we wrestle against principalities and powers of darkness (Eph. 6:12).  Human officials are continually influenced by these forces because the devil opposes God through humans.  Even the disciples of Jesus were sometimes misled by human thinking.  “But He (Jesus) turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind Me, Satan!  You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interest, but man’s.’” (Matt. 16:23 NAS).  We must continually lift our leaders up in prayer for God’s will to be done.  Too often, believers neglect prayer and instead try to wage war in the flesh.  We must rise above the natural, and by discerning correctly, believe for the good and resist the evil.  When our prayers are sincere, our faith will also be reflected in our words and action, but it must begin in prayer.

What is of great concern to me is how so many believers in Canada and the United States are not discerning the spirit of lawlessness.  The message I bring is not popular, but regardless, I am under obligation to declare it.  I can easily understand when unbelievers disregard the deceptions of political leaders, but when leaders in the church repeat the same lies, the salt is near losing its saltiness.  How is it that something like the insurrection of January 6 can be ignored by the church?  We have our political agendas, and we reason that if leaders help us achieve our goals, then we can ignore their lawless deeds.  But what are the long-term consequences?  As Shakespeare would say, “Does the end justify the means?”.

You may be thinking that I have no right to speak of the events in the United States because I am a Canadian.  I speak because the church has no national boundaries.  Even so, the problem is not just limited to the United States.  When the Freedom Convoy occurred in Ottawa, I was at first cheering it on.  It seemed like a brilliant peaceful way to protest the overreaches of our government.  But what was supposed to be a weekend event, turned into an occupation of the downtown core of our Capital.  Although I was in favour of the message, I was not in favour of the means taken to deliver it.  What concerned me more at the time was how church leaders were justifying it, as it went on. 

Why does all this matter so much?  If democratic countries yield to lawlessness, it makes way for the man of lawlessness to rise and form a one-world government.  What this will do is bring judgment upon all those who reject Christ, but the Lord delays His return because He is “not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” (2Pe. 3:9).  If the church loses its saltiness, “It is good for nothing anymore, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.” (Matt. 5:13 NAS).  The Lord is sending messengers to warn His people because He does not want this to happen.  The Church has a priestly function on this earth.  We must stand in the gap to intercede for the nations.  How can we do that if we fail to discern correctly?

In the Book of Malachi we read that the Lord will come “to” His people before He comes “for” His people (Mal. 3:1).  This is the promise of a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit which will bring about the great end-time harvest; but it will also bring judgment.  “But who can endure the day of His coming?  And who can stand when He appears?  For He is like a refiner’s fire and like fuller’s soap.” (Mal. 3:2).  My desire is that you will be ready for the appearing of our Lord, so if you find that you are ignorant of this mystery of lawlessness, I say with the Apostle Paul, “Awake, sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” (Eph. 5:14 NAS).

Communion With God

“Jesus answered and said to him, ‘If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will make Our abode with him.” (Jn. 14:23 NASV)

If you are like me, you hunger for fellowship with God.  This aspect of my Christian walk improved dramatically when I chose to obey the Lord concerning an issue He was dealing with me about.  As Jesus tells us in the verse above, communion begins with obedience.  Not obedience to religious traditions, or the type that results from fear, but that which is based on love.  As a young believer, I was struggling with overcoming the smoking habit.  I wanted to quit but my commitment was weak, and my motive was wrong.  I was trying to meet the expectations of others.  Although it was the Lord that was talking to me about this area of my life, I was not discerning His voice.  It was not until I clearly heard His rebuke that I became committed to overcome this habit. 

Even with the desire to obey, I still needed His help, so I asked for a word to help my faith.  The spiritual understanding that came with the following Scripture supplied what was needed.  “Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings; for it is well that the heart be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited their adherents.” (Heb. 13:9 RSV).  Of course, the context of this verse was not about smoking, but the message to me was clear.  Rather than fighting the cravings with human willpower, I was to replace it with grace.  To help with this, I decided to fast food for a few days.  Every time a craving came, I asked for grace, and the Holy Spirit would strengthen me in the inner man (Eph. 3:16).  As a result, my sensitivity to His presence increased.  From then on, there was no way I would allow anything but His grace to strengthen my heart.  When you drink the water of life that Jesus gives, you do not want anything else (Jn. 4:14). 

With this increase in spiritual sensitivity came a desire to spend more time in His presence.  This led me to read books on communion with God.  My entire focus in prayer changed.  Every moment I could, I would spend time communing with God.  I learned to first talk to God about the things I wanted help with.  The Spirit would then instruct me on how to pray effectively for those situations.  With the knowledge of His will, I could more easily pray in faith.  And, because of the presence of the Greater One in me, I could more effectively exercise spiritual authority.

Despite these experiences, there are still times when my spiritual passion would wane.  It is easy to get too busy to pursue God.  That is why we must purpose to set our minds on things above, not on things that are on the earth (Col. 3:2,3).  There are many Biblical illustrations we can use to commune with God.  For example, by meditation on our union with God (Jn. 17:21), we can shift our thoughts from the natural to the spiritual.  We can also imagine opening the door of our heart to God so He can dine with us (Rev. 3:20).  I often use my imagination to begin my time of fellowship.  I find that the Holy Spirit uses this to bring me into fellowship with the Father and the Son.  I do not try to create the experience; I merely use a Biblical image in prayerful meditation, to open the conversation.

As every believer’s function is different in the Body of Christ, our experiences will be different as we commune with God in the Spirit.  Our sensitivity to spiritual things depends on our function (or motivation) gift, and the proportion of our faith (Rom. 12:6-8).  Since my gift is teaching, my experience will be different than someone with a prophetic gift.  Spiritual experiences are important, but even more important is how we respond to them.   “But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.” (2Cor. 3:18).  This transformation does not occur simply because we are exposed to God’s glory.  It is obedience to His words that bring change.  As we spend time in His presence, however, we receive the motivation and the ability to obey His words.  “For it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” (Phil. 2:13). 

At first, when I commune with God, I am blanketed by a peace which removes all anxious thoughts (Isa. 26:3).  Then, as the peace of God guards my thoughts, I come into union with the mind of Christ. (Phil. 4:7; 1Cor. 2:16).  The Holy Spirit may bring to my remembrance some things that Christ has previously spoken to me, or He may bring a new message.  While I ponder His words, I receive spiritual understanding which will helps me to bear fruit (Matt. 13:23).  As I continue to experience “times of refreshing” from the presence of the Lord (Acts 3:19), I am strengthened with grace to be a doer of the word (Jas. 1:22).

In God’s presence, we become “rooted and grounded in love” (Eph. 3:17).  We come to know the love of Christ, which causes us to “be filled up to all the fulness of God (Eph. 3:19).  We no longer feel a need to earn God’s approval by our works, because “we have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us” (1Jn. 4:16).  As we behold Him, we become like Him.  We become partakers of His divine nature (2Pe. 1:4) and walk in love as He is love.

Two-Year Bible Reading Plan (Updated December 2025)

“But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.” (1Jn. 2:27)

As I pray about how to encourage my readers to read through the Bible systematically, I am impressed with our need to let the Holy Spirit be our Teacher.  He may not always tell us what we want to hear, but He will always communicate to us what Jesus our Lord is saying.  “But when He, the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.” (Jn. 16:13). 

When I choose to read the Bible systematically, I do not replace the promptings of the Spirit by a man-made plan.  Rather, I use the plan as a way of ensuring that I read all the Scriptures, not just the passages that appeal to me.  I do not follow the plan rigidly, but I use it as a record and a guide.  Most of the time, I will follow the readings in the order they appear, but I always remain open to the Spirit’s promptings to read other passages.  Whatever I read for the first time that year gets checked off, to make sure I read the entire Bible, at least once every two years.

Rather than hindering the work of the Holy Spirit, I have found that the Lord works with my reading plan.  Very often, the passages I read either answer questions I have been pondering, or they speak directly into my life.  I believe the Lord directs my thoughts and circumstances to coincide with the Scriptures I will be reading.

I prefer a two-year plan over a one-year plan or a few reasons.  First, the pace allows me to follow the plan in a devotional manner while still allowing the reading of other passages for study.  A two-year plan also allows for a balanced reading of Old Testament and New Testament books.  In my plan, I read the N.T., Psalms, and Proverbs twice while reading the remainder of the O.T. once. 

Although there is nothing wrong with reading the O.T. books in the order they appear, I prefer to read them chronologically.  The prophetic books are read in their historical context.  In the first reading of the N.T., the books are arranged chronologically, but in the second reading, I read the gospels in parallel.

(For the year 2026, I will post a daily devotional with the Bible Reading Plan, beginning with the first year of the plan.)

Year One:

Year Two:

Here is a link to the printable files:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1TQs0_oejNJO8HInVlN1JmSClMhWcEbiG?usp=sharing

My Healing Journey

“Be of sober spirit, be on the alert.  Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.  But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.  And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.” (1Pe. 5:8,9,10 NASV)

These verses above are referring to persecution, but the Lord used them to speak to me about healing.  Sometimes healing is gradual, not immediate.  When the Lord quickened my spirit with the verses above, I was still struggling with pain that resulted from a recent medical procedure. This Word from the Lord gave me hope, and grace to continue my healing journey. 

My healing process, however, did not begin with these verses.  There was an element of injury to my situation so I had to make sure I forgave the doctors for anything they may have done improperly.  I also I had to examine my heart to make sure that this pain and illness were not a result of my own sins.  I know from 1 Corinthians 11:32 that “when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord in order that we may not be condemned along with the world.”  Scriptures like the following were speaking strongly to me.  “Experiencing many corrections and rebukes will make you wise.” (Prov. 29:15 TPT).  “When you love wisdom, your father is overjoyed.” (Prov. 29:3 TPT).  As I opened my heart to correction, the Lord convicted me of some things, and I have taken them to heart.  I do not believe in deep introspection.  If the Lord does not show me a cause, I conclude that it is not a matter of discipline.  What parent would discipline a child without them knowing the reason for it?

After the Lord shows me something that needs to change, I cannot respond by punishing myself; I must believe in the finished work of the cross.  “The prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him.” (Jas. 5:15 NASV).  So, when the Lord gave me the verses in 1Peter, I knew that I had obtained forgiveness, and there remained only faith.  Even as I laid hands on myself to release God’s healing power, I began to feel better, but the healing was not complete.  

There are many reasons why we are not healed “suddenly”.  Sometimes it is because God wants to intervene in a different way.  Very early in my Christian walk, I received healing for a tooth ache.  It was so sudden, I even felt something like electricity go though my tooth.  I did not realize at the time that the tooth still needed to be removed.  Months followed, and another tooth ache occurred.  This time, no matter how much I prayed, the pain would not go away, so I decided to visit the dentist.  When he pulled out the tooth that was giving me a problem, he noticed that there was an abscess in the other tooth that had previously given me trouble.   Even though God would have received more glory if the teeth were restored, the experience was valuable in another way.  The dentist made it very clear that unless I started to care for my teeth, I would continue to lose them.  I took his advice to heart and my dental health improved thereafter.

Another reason why healing may not be sudden is simply weak faith.  I can believe quite rapidly for protection against viruses and flu, but for other things, it is more of a struggle.  That does not mean that this is God’s will for me.  There are times, like when I have felt threatened, that my faith is quite strong; and there are times when healing comes more easily because of the operation of spiritual gifts.  I cannot get discouraged over the process; God’s promises are fulfilled “through faith and patience” (Heb. 6:12). 

There are many methods I use to strengthen my faith as I wait on the Lord.  First, I can bring my thoughts in line with God’s Word by reminding myself of all the benefits of salvation, which includes healing (Ps. 103:2-5).  Instead of complaining, I can thank God in the middle of my circumstances.  I know that if I receive food with thanksgiving, “it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.” (1Tim. 4:5).  I learned many years ago that if I receive my circumstances with thanksgiving, they also are made clean.  God will work to bring them into line with His promises (Rom. 8:28).  With this principle in mind, if I am fighting an injury or illness, I thank God for my health.  I do not thank Him for the negative things, but I thank Him that He is still Jehovah-Rapha, the Lord Who heals me.

James shares an important principle for effectively resisting the enemy.  Before resisting the devil, I must first submit to God (Jas. 4:7).  The devil flees from me because I am hidden in Christ.  I must take my eyes off the problem, and the enemy.  My eyes must be fixed on Jesus.  “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.” (Isa. 26:3).  As I rest in the peace of God, I can cast down every thought that contradicts my knowledge of God (2Cor. 10:5).  This way I can stay firm in faith until my total salvation is established.

One time, I give in to wondering if my healing was simply progressing naturally.  When I did this, my healing took a step backward.  So, regardless of what I see or feel, I continue to take God’s promises as my medicine, “for they are life to those who find them, and health to all their whole body” (Prov. 4:22). 

Is There no King?

“In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did what was right in his own eyes.” (Judges 17:6)

When I read this statement, I do not immediately see how this could be wrong.  We are all individually accountable to God for our actions.  The context of this verse, however, refers to a man making a graven image and hiring a Levitical priest to serve as his priest.  Before God gave the Israelites a king through Samuel, the Lord Himself was their King, but they rejected Him for idols.  The principle of individual accountability is not what is wrong, it is the condition of men’s hearts.

As I was following my Daily Bible Reading Plan, this verse caught my attention because of something the Lord wants to say.  Since first coming to Christ, I have been troubled by the lack of unity in the Body of Christ.  As a young believer, I prayed that the Lord would restore to the Church the five-fold ministry gifts as found in Ephesians Chapter Four.  It seemed to me that if these ministries were restored, the leaders would speak with authority what the Lord is saying, rather than what every denomination is saying.  I had not spoken to anyone about this prayer, but in a fellowship meeting that week, the Lord gave a prophetic word that confirmed He would restore these ministry gifts.  I received that word as a promise.  When we offer prayers like that, we are not changing what God is planning to do; it the Holy Spirit working through us to pray according to the will of God.   The Lord is preparing His Bride for His return, but He has chosen to work through us to accomplish this purpose.

Since that time, in the early seventies, we have seen many believers leave their traditional churches to form independent church fellowships.  This is a beginning, but it is not enough to remove the sectarian spirit from the Church.  We have also seen the Lord restore a measure of the five-fold ministry gifts to some areas of the Church.  What we have not yet seen, however, is the spiritual authority that should accompany these gifts.  There is still too much of man’s ways in how we conduct church services.  So now we are seeing a new trend: believers are not just leaving traditional churches, they are leaving churches entirely.  I understand the need to forsake man-made religious practices, but have we gone back to the days where everyone is doing what is right in their own eyes?  Is there no King in Israel? 

Now, before we judge these believers with a religious spirit, let us consider first how the Lord might want to turn this into good.  There is great value in believers gathering, provided that when they gather, it is for their good.  There are situations where the gathering of believers may not be for their good, as was the case of the Corinthian Church when they were dishonoring the Lord’s Supper.  Paul’s advice to them was not that they should stay apart, but rather that they would do what is right.  (See 1Cor. 11-14.)  In that situation, Paul’s spiritual authority was still being recognized so he was able to give them the instructions they needed.  

The problem we face today is that we lack the spiritual leadership that is so much required.  This, I believe, is what God wants to change.  Our task is to work with Him to accomplish it.  One of the biggest problems in the Body of Christ is an independent spirit.  We do not properly “discern” the Body of Christ (1Cor. 11:29).  Since God has made us “individually member of one another” (Rom. 12:5), our individuality is essential to our relationship with Him, but the way we should function is corporate, not independent.  What we often do not realize is that even our individual spiritual maturity depends upon a properly functioning Body of Christ.  (Eph. 4:11-16). 

There truly is a King over us, but we must not reject Him as the nation of Israel did.  He promised to take away the false shepherds and become Himself the Shepherd of the flock (Ezek. 34:11-24).  This He does by raising up true shepherds.  “’Then I Myself shall gather the remnant of My flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and shall bring them back to their pasture; and they will be fruitful and multiply.  I shall also raise up shepherds over them and they will tend them; and they will not be afraid any longer, nor be terrified, nor will any be missing.’ declares the Lord.” (Jer. 23:3,4).  The shepherds He raises up are the ministry gifts to the Church: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers (Eph. 4:11).  These gifts may not yet be functioning as He intended, but He is changing that.  Those who are called to these offices must learn to yield to the ministry of the Lord through them.

As I was inquiring from the Lord what His message was for this month, I sensed Him saying that in these end times, we should not be focussed so much on what the enemy is doing, as on what He is doing.  The signs we are seeing only confirm that the Day of His appearing is very near.  Before that Day, He is building the Church to be a dwelling place for God, a Bride for His Son.  In the end, the Lord will “present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she should be holy and blameless.” (Eph. 5:27).  He prepares us by washing us with the Word through the anointing we have received, through the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and through anointed ministry gifts. (1Jn. 2:27; 1Cor. 12:7-11; Eph. 4:11).  As we focus on what He is doing, we can pray accordingly.  He will perfect the shepherds He is raising up, and He will prepare our hearts to receive them. 

The cry of my heart is to see His purpose in the Church accomplished.  He will return when we all come to the “unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fulness of Christ.” (Eph. 4:13).  We must not reject Him as our King by seeking our own earthly king.  This is what Paul warned Timothy would happen in the end, as believers reject sound doctrine to “accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance with their own desires”. (2Tim. 4:3).

The Gate of Heaven

“’How awesome is this place!  This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven!’” (Gen. 28:17)

For the longest time, I did not understand the implications of the dream Jacob had about a ladder that stretched from the earth to heaven (Gen. 28:10-22).  Even now I only understand a portion of it.  My first experience of seeing its spiritual significance came during a service where the anointing of the Spirit was very powerful.   The understanding came to me that whenever we gather in the Spirit, as the house of God (Bethel), we can experience an open heaven where the angels assist in bringing God’s blessing to us.  Lately, I have come to realize another important truth about this dream. 

While reading through this passage in Genesis, I recalled Tommy Hicks’ vision of the Church as a great giant who rose to the heavens in the last days.  (How the Heal the Sick, by Charles and Frances Hunter, pp. 8-16).  I wrote about this dream in a four-part series entitled End-Time Vision.  Suddenly I realized that the giant and the ladder were the same.  Jesus declared Himself to be the ladder that Jacob saw.  “’Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.’” (Jn. 1:51).  The Church is His body on earth, but we are also seated with Him in heavenly places.  We are on earth and in heaven at the same time.  What if we saw ourselves that way?  One body that stretches from earth to heaven!

I have always been encouraged by the vision God gave Tommy Hicks because of its promise for the last days.  The giant the evangelist saw was lying on the ground, full of little hideous creatures.  “Slowly this giant began to rise and as he did, his head and hands went into the clouds.  As he rose to his feet he seemed to have cleansed himself from the debris and filth that was upon him, and he began to raise his hands into the heavens as though praising the Lord, and as he raised his hands, they went into the clouds.” (p. 10).  What unfolded in the vision was a great outpouring of the Spirit of God.  This is the latter rain that the Bible speaks about, “Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord.  See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain.” (Jas. 5:7).  The early rain occurred in the days of the early Church.  Before the Lord returns, the Body of Christ will experience another great outpouring of the Holy Spirit. 

When the giant got up, he was so tall that his head and hands reached into the clouds.  There is significance to this.  The head speaks of authority, but it also represents our spiritual abilities to see and to hear.  If we want to experience the great outpouring of the last days, we must see and hear in the heavenly realms; we must have heavenly encounters.  There is a lot being said these days about “ascension” as a spiritual experience.  For me, it is not a question of whether this can be experienced, but rather how it should be pursued.  There is land for us to conquer in areas that we have not been before (Josh. 3:3-5).  We must sanctify ourselves and follow the presence of the Lord into this land of promise.

Jacob understood that the place he was at was also the gate of heaven.  Christ is the gate and through Him, we have access to heavenly things.  This is not just for when our time on earth is done; it is for now.  If we can have access to heaven through spiritual encounters in Christ, should we not seek them?  I am not speaking of having spiritual experiences for the sake of the experiences, but so that we can better serve God.  The motives of our heart are important.  Jesus told us that he who does not enter by the gate is a thief (Jn. 10:1).  To enter through Christ, we must meet His conditions.  “Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord?  Or who may stand in His holy place?  He who has clean hands and a pure heart…” (Ps. 24:3,4).  To enter through the gate requires the surrender of our lives to the Shepherd. 

The leaders in this movement do not all agree on how we should enter the heavenly realms.  As we move forward, each person must remain true to their own conscience.  For me that means I cannot use Buddhist meditation practices, like mindfulness, to experience heavenly things.  I also will not do anything that sounds too “new age” like being at the right frequency.  I cannot judge those who believe they have revelations about those things, but I will not participate in anything that to me has the appearance of evil (1Thess. 5:22).  I am careful to enter by the gate, so I present myself there.  I meditate on the Lord’s presence and His promises.  As I draw near to Him, He draws near to me (Jas. 4:8).  “Delight yourself in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.” (Ps. 37:4).  We are encouraged in Scripture to desire spiritual gifts, and to me these spiritual experiences are manifestations of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. 

We must remember also that we have different functions in the Body of Christ (Rom. 12:4), which affect how and what we hear from the Lord.  We can all appear before the throne of God to receive mercy and grace (Heb. 4:16), but what we see and hear may be different.  Spiritual experiences can be edifying, but they also come with certain responsibilities which relate to our function.  Paul said of his experience, “I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision” (Acts 26:19).  If we maintain this attitude, we will be more concerned about being faithful than about having experiences.

Let us remember that the times we are entering in are different than the times we have already been through.  In the last days, the devil and his angels will be thrown down to the earth from the second heaven (Rev. 12: 7-9).  This means there will be an increase of the supernatural like we have never seen before, both good and evil.  Bad because the devil will be on the earth, but good because he will no longer be in the second heaven interfering with our prayers.  We must not be afraid of the supernatural.  The normal Christian life is supernatural.  As we go further into these last days, we can expect to do the works Jesus did, and even the “greater works” that He promised (Jn. 14:12).

Mercy and Truth

“Let not mercy and truth forsake you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart, and so find favor and esteem in the sight of God and man.” (Prov. 3:3,4)

What value do you place on mercy and truth?  Have you written them on the tablet of your heart?  Do you love and appreciate them as gifts from God?  Not only should we highly value them, but we should constantly remind ourselves of their importance.  This is what it means to bind them around our neck.  If we love these gifts and meditate upon their nature, we will be blessed by them (Josh. 1:8).

These two qualities are often quoted together in Scripture (see Ps. 57:3,10; 85:10,11; 86:15; 89:14; 98:3; 100:5; 108:4; etc.).  Maybe that is because they work to balance each other.  If we love truth but lack mercy, we will be judgemental and find ourselves walking in a religious spirit instead of the Spirit of Truth.  If we love mercy but neglect truth, we could easily find ourselves walking in a spirit of error.  To extend mercy to someone is to provide an opportunity for repentance before judgment comes.  “Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?” (Rom. 2:4).  Truth understands accountability.  “So then each of us shall give an account of himself to God” (Rom. 14:12).  When God judges us, He is correcting our behaviour before we appear in front of the judgment seat of Christ (Rom. 14:14).  Speaking the truth in love is how we help people grow in Christ (Eph. 4:15).

If we walk in the Spirit of Truth, we will demonstrate the nature of God.  Like the rebuke Jesus gave the Sons of Thunder, it all comes down to the type of spirit we are operating from (Lu. 9:55).   God is merciful and to walk in His nature is to extend mercy.  Spiritual power is released when we forgive in the name of Jesus.  This power can be released to people, even when they do not know you forgive them.  The first time I witnessed this was when a young man from Toronto told me that my “country” accent was offensive to him.  I was shocked but understood that he was a new convert.  As he left the room, I silently said, “I forgive you in the name of Jesus”.  Immediately, he returned to the room asking for forgiveness.  If I had not released forgiveness in the Spirit, he still could have obtained forgiveness from God, but the process may have taken longer, and it could have included some suffering.  And what about my own spiritual condition?  If I want God’s forgiveness, I must also forgive others.  We cannot assume that forgiveness is ours, regardless of our behaviour.  Jesus was very clear in the parable of the unforgiving servant.  “And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.  So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.” (Matt. 18:34,35).

One very important reason for walking in mercy and truth is to escape the deception that is increasing in these last days.  We should always be alert to false teachings, but we should never walk in fear of being deceived.  Fear is faith for the negative to happen.  To be alert is to be on guard, fully dressed in our spiritual armour.  “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” (1Pe. 5:8).  I do not believe in looking for the devil or his works.  Rather, I believe we should keep our eyes on the Lord and resist the enemy when he tries to distract us from serving our Lord (Jas. 4:7). 

We guard our heart against deception by walking in fellowship with the Holy Spirit.  “These things I have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you.  But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.” (1Jn. 2:26,27).  Spiritual discernment comes with a revelation of truth.  The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth (Jn. 14:17).  He teaches us the truth and reminds us of what we have been taught (Jn. 14:26).  If we love the truth and hide it in our hearts, we will discern with understanding when false teachings come.  The way it works for me is that when I sense a check in my spirit, I turn inward to listen.  I do not immediately reject the teaching, but neither do I give myself to it.  If the teaching is false, the Holy Spirit will bring to my remembrance a biblical principle that disproves it.  I cannot rely on my own understanding for this.  Discernment does not come from much study; it comes from the Spirit of Truth.

If we value truth, we will be willing to pay a price for it.  “Buy the truth, and do not sell it, also wisdom and instruction and understanding.” (Prov. 23:23).  The price we pay is not religious works, it is death to self.  The biblical principle is that if you speak lies, you will believe lies.  If you want to receive truth, you must speak the truth.  “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that He will also reap.” (Gal. 6:7).  If you are like me, you will have spoken lies to protect yourself, or to make yourself look good.  I have come to understand by the loving discipline of the Lord that it is better to speak the truth the first time, then to have to go back and correct a lie.  If suffering comes because I must admit to a wrong which I have committed, I accept it as discipline so that I do not repeat it.  I want to be like God; I want to walk in mercy and truth.

  “But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth.” (Ps. 86:15).