DID YOU KNOW THAT THERE ARE "FAITH" PEOPLE AND "GRACE" PEOPLE IN SOME CHURCHES. SOME OF THEM SAY THAT YOU ARE SAVED BY FAITH AND THE OTHER SIDE SAYS YOU ARE SAVED BY GRACE. THE BAD THING IS THAT THEY ARGUE OVER WHICH IS THE MOST IMPORTANT. MY THOUGHT IS, WHO CARES WHICH IS MORE IMPORTANT. BOTH ARE GOD'S WORD. BELOW ARE TWO SCRIPTURES ON BOTH AND THEN I HAVE ONE THAT SETTLES THE ARGUMENT.
HOW ARE WE TEMPTED? IS IT SOMETHING WE SEE OR HEAR? WHEN THAT TEMPTATION COMES, WHAT DO YOU DO? IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, THAT IS YOUR FIRST PROBLEM. TEMPTATION STARTS IN THE MIND. IF YOU DWELL ON IT, IT WILL GROW AND SOMETIMES YOU WILL ACT ON IT. EVEN IF YOU DON'T PHYSICALLY ACT ON IT, JESUS SAYS IN MATTHEW 5:28...
DO YOU REMEMBER THE STORY IN LUKE 5 ABOUT JESUS TELLING PETER TO GO OUT INTO THE DEEP WATER AND DROP HIS NETS? JESUS HAD SEEN THE TWO SHIPS STANDING BY LAKE GENNESARET AND THE FISHERMEN WERE OUT OF THE SHIPS WASHING THEIR NETS. JESUS ENTERED PETER'S SHIP AND ASK HIM TO TAKE IT OUT A LITTLE FROM THE BANK SO HE COULD TEACH THE MULTITUDE. WHEN HE HAD FINISHED TEACHING IS WHEN HE TOLD PETER TO GO INTO THE DEEP WATER AND DROP HIS NETS. PETER COMPLAINED THAT THEY HAD BEEN OUT ALL NIGHT AND HADN'T CAUGHT ANYTHING. HOWEVER, PETER WAS OBEDIENT AND DID WHAT JESUS SAID. HE CAUGHT SO MANY FISH THAT THEIR NETS BROKE AND THEY HAD TO CALL THE OTHER SHIP TO COME AND HELP. THEY FILLED BOTH SHIPS SO MUCH THAT THEY STARTED TO SINK.
Luke 19:12-13 "He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come."
ARE YOU USABLE TO JESUS? IF WE WANT TO BE USED, WE HAVE TO BE PREPARED. DO YOU REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME JESUS MINISTERED IN JERUSALEM WHERE THE MULTITUDE BELIEVED ON HIM WHEN THEY SAW THE MIRACLES HE HAD PERFORMED? WOULDN'T YOU THINK THAT THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN A GOOD TIME TO GET THE PEOPLE TO GO OUT AND START SPREADING HIS GOSPEL. JESUS DIDN'T THINK SO. SEE WHAT IT SAYS IN JOHN 2:23-25
Luke 19:8 "And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold."
HAVE YOU EVER BEEN STRESSED? I KNOW YOU HAVE, BUT HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT HOW STRESSED JESUS' DISCIPLES MUST HAVE BEEN? THEY WATCH JESUS BEING ARRESTED, BEATEN AND CRUCIFIED. ALL OF THEIR HOPES AND DREAMS WERE ROOTED IN HIM AND THEN HE WAS DEAD AND SEEMINGLY DEFEATED. NOW DO YOU THINK THEY WERE STRESSED?
