“GIVE GRACE!”

Ephesians 4:26-32                               (ESV)

“26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger,

27 and GIVE NO OPPORTUNITY TO THE DEVIL.

28 Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.

29 LET NO CORRUPTING TALK COME OUT OF YOUR MOUTHS, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may “GIVE GRACE” to those who hear.

30 And do not grieve the HOLY SPIRIT of GOD, by WHOM you were sealed for the day of redemption.

31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.

32 BE KIND to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as GOD in CHRIST forgave you.”

How many times have I needed to heed the Scriptures above in my life? “LET NO CORRUPTING TALK COME OUT OF YOUR MOUTHS” should have been emblazoned on my tongue as I would commonly use sarcasm and down-right insults to get a laugh out of people.  Amazingly, one of the things GOD took from me when the Brain Hemorrhage struck was THE DESIRE to belittle people just because I wanted to.  The ability to think of such things is still there, but I don’t have the heart to do that any longer.  

When Scripture states “do not grieve the HOLY SPIRIT of GOD”, it reminds me of a horse being reigned in, causing it to change direction or pace, obeying what the rider desires.  We are to obey what our RIDER (HOLY SPIRIT) wishes for our lives!  JESUS prayed in John 17:23 “I (JESUS) in them and YOU (GOD) in ME, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that YOU sent ME and loved them even as YOU loved ME.”  

We are commanded to “GIVE GRACE” to others!  It is not a suggestion, nor is it optional in our lives!  To GIVE NO OPPORTUNITY TO THE DEVIL means exactly what it says, NO OPPORTUNITY!  “The enemy” wants to disguise himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 12:14), hiding his agenda from us.  JESUS came for the explicit purpose to “GIVE GRACE” to we whom the FATHER has CHOSEN (Ephesians 1:4) before the foundation of the world!  

Having people entertained by our conversations is not a bad thing, but we need to always remember to “GIVE GRACE” to those who hear first!  When we elect to give the devil an opportunity to get a opening, he will usually take it as a stronghold and cause division, maybe even STRIFE!  We must ALWAYS remember to “GIVE GRACE” and allow JESUS to be made manifest in our conversations and our lives!!!