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623 | Show Me Your Faith · The Woman at the Well Ministries Podcast

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Hello, friends, and welcome back to the Woman at the Well Ministries podcast.
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With Kimberly Miller, where we believe that every man, woman,
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boy, and girl must come to Jesus, just like the woman at the well in John chapter 4.
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Our highest priority is helping you experience the reality of God in your everyday life.
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Whether you're listening in our app, on your favorite podcast platform,
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or on our website at watwm.org.
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We invite you to sit down with us as we open the scriptures to learn more about
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who God is and to strengthen your daily walk with Jesus Christ.
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The Bible tells us that we are the light of the world.
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We are His witnesses, the manifestation of His creation, and the public display of His saving grace.
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Join us in this broadcast of Women at the Well Ministries, as Kim discusses
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with us our duty to shine Christ's light to a lost and dying world.
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Hello, and thank you for joining us. If you would please, our focal point of
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today's lesson is going to come out of James chapter 2 verses 17 through 18.
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He says, Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
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Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works. Show me thy faith without thy works.
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I will show thee my faith by my works. Show me your faith.
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Christ has set it out for us that we should be the light,
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of the world in matthew chapter 5 verses 14 through 16 he says ye are the light
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of the world a city that is set on a hill cannot be hid neither do men light
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a candle and put it under a bushel,
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but on a candlestick and it giveth light unto all that are in the house let
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your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify
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your father which is in heaven.
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It's an interesting thing about Christians.
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It seems that we are called Christians because we are to be Christ-like.
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And as true believers in Christ, we know that 2 Corinthians 5.17 says,
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Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature.
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Old things are passed away. Behold, all things are become new.
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And it's easy for us to understand that as christians we need to be different,
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than the world romans chapter 6 says sin hath no more dominion over us,
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and second corinthians 5 17 that we just spoke of explains very clearly that
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when we don't know christ as savior we are of the old man,
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but as soon as christ comes into our heart he creates in us a new being a new
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creature because you see the old things are passed away and all things have
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become new because what once was a,
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aimless empty life suddenly is filled with purpose and love and hope.
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And suddenly, we went from being a sinful, wicked creature to having his righteousness imputed in us.
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And as being such, he said that he didn't want us to be alone,
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so he put his Holy Spirit to dwell in our hearts.
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So how then could it possibly be that a believer in Christ, who has the Holy
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Spirit dwelling inside of him, teaching him and guiding him,
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bringing to his mind all things that he has need of when he has need of them,
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showing him the way, comforting him.
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How could he possibly be like a person of the world who is without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit?
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How could a person, cleansed by God's love, receiving the greatest gift of all, this is not of works,
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lest any man should boast but it is the gift of god that gives us eternal salvation.
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Friends how could someone who has experienced such grace and experienced such
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mercy at all be like one who has not done so yet friends,
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i believe oftentimes we let down our witness and we sort of excuse it by saying
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that it isn't of works and it isn't of works but let me tell you what when jesus
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christ is coming to your life things are different,
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you no longer are a slave to sin but the bondage of sin was broken by the blood of jesus christ,
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the chastisement of sin the iniquity of sin was relieved by the redeemer.
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And we are not bound anymore. You see, Satan loosed his hold on me when the
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Teflon of the Holy Spirit wrapped me up.
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And he can't touch me.
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And that's what I want to talk about. You see, he came to seek and to save those which were lost.
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And he gave us, his children, a charge. He says, go ye into all the world and
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teach and preach the gospel.
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Tell them the story of my amazing grace you see i'm not well educated i'm not
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a theologian i haven't studied i have nothing to tell oh my friend,
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in john chapter 4,
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a lady went to the well when she got to the well she thought she was going to,
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bring up water and she thought that she was just going to have an ordinary day.
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And she went at a time when she expected to see no one because you see the city
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didn't like her and no one cared about her.
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And in fact, she was judged and condemned.
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I trust that none of those Christians listening to this lesson are ever guilty
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of being part of condemnation.
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Because you see, Jesus said in John chapter three, and I believe it was verse
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18, that we were condemned already, but he didn't come to condemn us.
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But that he came to give us life and that we would have it more abundantly in John chapter 10.
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Friends, she went to the well and she started towards the well.
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And in my mind's eye, I can just see as she gets close to the well because I
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believe because of her reputation, she probably had her head bending low.
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She gets to the well and suddenly on the edge of Jacob's well sits a man.
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And he begins to speak to her about living water. He begins to tell her of the
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things of her life that others had shunned her for.
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And he wasn't condemning her. He was letting her know, listen,
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I know who you are. And I accept you just the way you are.
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And I want to cleanse you from all unrighteousness.
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And you don't have to hide anything from me, ma'am.
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Because I created you and I know you and I love you.
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That I believe that when she began to hear of that living water that would spring
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within her life eternal, I believe that things started to change.
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And I believe she didn't have her head bending low anymore because,
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you see, it says that when she left the well, she went and told everyone,
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come see a man is not this, the Christ.
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You see, the woman went. And I don't know how long the conversation took.
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But I know that when you see Jesus face to face, it doesn't take long for there to be a change.
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And it couldn't have been a whole lot of time because people would have been
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wondering where she was.
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And they didn't say anyone came after her. It says she went running to them
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to tell them about what had happened.
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And my friend, she wasn't a theologian. She probably wasn't well-educated.
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She certainly wasn't experienced in talking about the Messiah,
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the coming King, the Lord of Lords, the King of Kings.
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Yet she flew out of there because she had a story to tell.
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Every one of us have a story to tell. And what you need to be very sure about is this.
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You are telling a story.
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And it isn't with your lips it's with your life and when we talk about show
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me your faith that's the story that's going to stick that's what people are going to know,
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if your life was required of you right now what would others say about where
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you were spending eternity life is eternal the question is where you're going to spend it,
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if you were being convicted,
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of being a christian is there enough evidence in your life to convict you sadly
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enough for some of us i think the answer is probably no a good little lawyer
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could acquit you oh i want to be so guilty of being a christian,
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that absolutely no smooth talking person no highly educated person no one of
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any means or any way could get me out of the accusation that I'm a child of the king,
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friends there needs to be a difference.
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I'd like, if you would please, to just listen for a moment. I had the privilege,
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of growing up in a home where God was king.
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I had the privilege of growing up in a home where I got to see faith in all
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of its glory and in action.
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And my daddy wrote a poem about showing your faith.
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And he wrote it for a New Year's Eve time.
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And I believe it's appropriate any day of the year, certainly appropriate during
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the beginning of the year, that I believe is relevant to this very moment that
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we're sharing right now.
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How are you treating Jesus, which is called the Christ? If Jesus came to our
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church this New Year's Eve, what would he find?
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Or how about the rest of the year? Would he find seats full of people with their names on the roll?
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Or would he find the pews empty? not many in the rows and those that were present
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are their hearts all aflame or were they muddled with sin stain and shame,
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are most of the church members all here or have they gone too far to hear many
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were at home enjoying the holiday season others were celebrating for hard telling what reason,
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Throughout the country they wandered that eve, looking for pleasure and hoping to please.
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When told the next day what they had missed, they called far and near in very great fear.
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For skin of a reason stuffed with a lie, they made many excuses, hoping not to die.
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Then Jesus departed and left them alone. Soon they had forgotten and made the same tone.
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The road is too slick. The snow is too deep. I will go to church,
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but I'm afraid of my jeep.
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The dark clouds in the sky looks like it might rain, but I should have more
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faith like Abel, not Cain.
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The pastor asked the deacon on Wednesday night why he had not bothered to be there Sunday night.
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He answered in earnest with joy in his face. The ballgame wasn't over.
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I was too late. Along came Easter, and what do you know?
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Our people were dressed in the style that is now, while more interest was shown
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in dress and frills than Jesus, our Savior, who died on a hill.
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Not long after Easter came beautiful days. Now is the time I must be on my way,
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to the cold, clear streams where brook trout abound. I'll get to church when I circle around.
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I sing in a church choir in a place where many are lost, but I won't come often,
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regardless of who's lost.
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Some folk who go to church drink beer and wine, get in the choir and bellow and whine.
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But when the Lord says, come and dine, they will find out they are left far behind.
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The summer days are now here and nights are warm.
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I'll have my camper to keep me from harm. I will park my camper down by the
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river. Bass on a line will lose my church fever.
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In late September and leaves hanging on To the hills I'm going where the ginseng
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is golden I'll dig all I can before the frost falls And then I will come back
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to the church I have chosen.
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Then here is fall when turkeys call. After I will go to the Sunday school hall.
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Yes, the crops are in the fields and the hay is in the meadow.
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I'll come to prayer meeting when I get it all together.
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High on the hill I see a big buck. I must act real quick or be out of luck.
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Already the pines are losing their cones. I must work for Christ before the year is gone.
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Ho, ho, ho, what's this I hear? Sleigh bells, Santa, must be near.
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Oh, Lord, I'm sorry. I forgot you this year, but, Lord, I promise I will work hard next year.
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Wait till next year, Lord. Wait till next year, Lord.
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Wait till next year, Lord. Wait till next year.
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By Leon Miller. Friends, I want you to see the truth in that.
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You see, every day we live is an opportunity to show others who Christ is.
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And we get so caught up in our own plans and so caught up in the things that
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we're doing that we often forget who he is.
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I want you to see that he says that our faith is demonstrated by our works,
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and i want you to see some examples in mark chapter 2 verses 3 through 5 there
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are three There are four people who are believing friends,
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and they have a buddy who is sick with a palsy,
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and nothing stops them from getting him to Jesus.
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They actually lower him from the roof, and the difficult circumstances didn't cause him any problems.
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They weren't waiting for something to happen. They were active.
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They believed that seeing Jesus would make a difference.
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And sure enough, the visibility of their faith, how they had so longed to bring
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their friend to Jesus, it paid off because it was powerful faith.
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And the response to that powerful faith was Christ healed them.
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In Matthew chapter 14, verses 25 through 33, we see Peter walking on water.
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What a beautiful, beautiful example of faith, followed by doubt, risen again in faith.
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You see, the storms were all around, and the boys are looking out of the boat, and Peter sees Jesus.
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And he's not quite sure of who he is, but he says, Lord, if it be you, bid me come.
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And when he does this, he's explaining to you and he's explaining to me he believes in Jesus.
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But you see, he's leaving a little room to have some doubt here in a minute
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because he didn't recognize them.
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You see, apparently there was a little bit of distance between him and Jesus.
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That's what happens to us. That's how we get trout on a line instead of God on our mind.
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That's how we miss church, because we're watching a ball game.
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Is it wrong to watch a ball game? No. But you can't watch it instead of going to church.
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Is it wrong to go fishing? No, but Peter didn't go fishing every day,
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and he didn't go every Sunday.
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You see, you can't put anything between you and God.
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And Peter has something because he doesn't quite recognize him and in our lives
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i think we place things between us and jesus and we don't necessarily recognize him sometimes,
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and it gives room for the devil to slip in but we know who he is and peter knew
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jesus and he said jesus if it be you call me then they come,
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And Peter goes because Jesus bids him. And everything's going along just fine. He's walking on water.
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The storm's raging. The waves are raging. Trouble's all around.
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But Jesus and him are face to face.
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Everything's been cleared out. And his heart is right with Jesus.
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And his faith is in full bloom.
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And the guys can see this, who are still in the boat.
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But suddenly peter looks around,
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taking his eyes off of jesus beginning to use his own intellect that says shoot
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fire i can't walk on wire water holy to lead all what's going on,
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and begins to start looking at the storm,
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instead of the god of the storm and immediately he falls begins to sink Jesus is standing in front.
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And Peter says Lord save me and he lifts up his hands and immediately Jesus picks him up,
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you see Peter had faith and he's a beautiful example of what happens when we
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don't employ our faith when we take our eyes off of Jesus we fail and we fall,
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but look at the number of people who can visibly see the work of God in your
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life when you steady the course, when you hold on,
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when you put your place, your faith in God, and you allow him to have full reign
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and control of your life.
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Everybody in the boat saw Peter walk on water.
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Everybody saw Peter say, save me. What are people seeing about you?
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It's beautiful in Galatians 5, 22 and 25.
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What the Lord says we can do to show others who he is. Turn to that with me, please.
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Galatians chapter 5, verses 22 through 25.
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He says, but the fruit of the spirit is love, joy.
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Peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness,
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temperaments, against such there is no law.
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And they that are in Christ have crucified the flesh with the affections and lust.
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If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
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He tells us in James 2, 17-18 again, Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
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Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works. Show me thy faith without
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thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works.
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These examples of how we respond in joy and hope and love, we need to have a
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spirit that is meek and submissive to God so that his love and his grace and
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his mercy flows freely through us.
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In Romans chapter 12, verses 1 and 2, he says, I beseech you,
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therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living
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sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
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And be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your
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mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
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You find yourself with a little dirt on your witness.
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You need to come to Jesus Let him wash the dirt off of your feet.
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And allow him to transform you into a perfect vessel of light.
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And to a vessel of honor. You see, he says if we confess our sins,
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he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins.
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And to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
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We don't have to be perfect. But in Christ Jesus, we are made perfect.
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And that motivation and that inspiration that we have from what he has redeemed us from.
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And what he's blessing us with and what he's taking us to should absolutely
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drive us to tell a lost and dying world who he is.
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And words are cheap, but actions are speaking so much louder.
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And we need to have the fruits of the Spirit. And we need to walk the walk and talk the talk.
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And we need to back up his words with our life so people can see how gloriously,
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marvelous his transforming power in your lives are.
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Because people know us and they know on our own we could not be that good.
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But through Jesus Christ, our Lord, we can do all things because he empowers us.
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And he that hath begun a good work in us will complete it. My friends, listen to Jesus.
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Allow him to have full control of your life.
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You may be the only bible that some people ever read,
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make sure you're telling the story right with your life and make sure you know
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enough of it that it manifests and displays in your life in such a way,
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that everyone will look at you as you come and say come see a man is not this the christ,
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show me your faith.
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Thank you for joining us for today's podcast. You can find quotes and scripture
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references from this episode in the show notes.
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You can connect with Women at the Well Ministries through our app at watwm.org
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