May the peace of the Lord be with you.
Topic: THE BALANCE DOESNT CHANGE THE POSITION OF GRACE
Acts 15:6-21 King James Version (KJV)
6 And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.
7 And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.
8 And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;
9 And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
10 Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.
12 Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them.
13 And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me:
14 Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.
15 And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,
16 After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up:
17 That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.
18 Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.
19 Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:
20 But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.
21 For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.
Beloved, Peter spoke purely from Grace and what the Spirit of the Lord actually did with Him as evidence of God watching the people's hearts and dealing with them according to Grace and not about obeying any set of laws or commandments that have been laid down as guidelines for living righteously.
James however spoke to sort of reach a balance between the spiritual and the religious, knowing that the God of Grace who does all things will take over and rule.
James agreed with Peter on the fact that God looks at the heart and operates by Grace, not dos and donts. James however also acknowledged that the books of Moses are read on every Sabbath day so there need to be sort of a balance in the minds of the people, yet still God will take over to do His will and direct His people according to His desires.
Beloved, *IT'S ALL ABOUT JESUS* and no one else. You can reach whatever balance you want in your mind but know that you can't even judge yourself based on the balance in your mind but just surrender all to Jesus, watch Him and live.
Prayer: Father please empower me to live by Grace and Grace alone to the glory of your holy name. In the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.
_CHANGING OUR MINDSET TO ENJOY ALL OF JESUS AND HIS FINISHED WORKS ON THE CROSS_
#itsallaboutjesus
