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The Testing of Our Faith and the Abundance of God's Provision · The Bible Bit Podcast

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  Welcome back. This is Kimmy Miller of Woman at the Well Ministries bringing
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  you another Bible bit for you to enjoy.
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  The testing of our faith and the abundance of God's provision.
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  Today as we journey through the scriptures, finding God's truth for ourselves,
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  we find that there is a testing of our faith.
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  But God's abundant provision propels us through the trial and brings us into
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  a place of abundant blessings.
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  No one wants to have their faith tried. It generally doesn't feel good and often
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  leads us on an uncomfortable, awkward path.
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  As we continue our study on Luke 5, 1-11, we see firsthand that when we exercise
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  faith, God rewards that faith with an overwhelming abundance of blessings.
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  Friends, don't forget, but without faith it is impossible to please him,
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  For he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder
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  of them that diligently seek him.
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  Hebrews 11.6 Luke 5.4 reveals Jesus asking Peter to launch out into the deep
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  and let down your nets for drop.
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  And Luke 5.5 records Peter's faithful response. Nevertheless,
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  at thy word I will let down the net.
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  Jesus commanded Peter to go deeper, to go beyond his comfort zone,
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  and to step out of his routine.
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  God often does the same for you and me.
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  He brings us beyond our own abilities and places us in situations that require
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  us to lean fully upon him.
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  Peter had reasons to resist. He was tired, disappointed, and an experienced fisherman.
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  Yet he didn't resist the Lord's command. Peter obeyed despite what his experience had taught him.
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  What about Peter allowed him to obey immediately? Peter simply took God at his
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  word and fully believed God's command to be greater than his knowledge and abilities.
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  This is a lesson all of us could stand to learn and practice.
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  Faith isn't merely agreeing with Jesus. Faith acts upon his word.
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  When Peter faithfully obeyed, he did so because of his faith in Jesus.
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  He had no idea what God was about to do for him in the next few moments.
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  Faith looks beyond what we can see and trusts the truth that Jesus knows best,
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  will always do best for us, and loves us more than we can imagine.
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  Faith knows that we are safe in the hands of Jesus.
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  God rewards his faithful servant. Luke 5, 6 proves this abundance fact.
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  And when they had this done, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes, and their net break.
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  This miracle these fishermen received came after their obedience.
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  The catch came after they had let down their nets according to Christ's command.
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  Simply put, God blesses obedience.
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  You cannot outgive God. Jesus' provision for these fishermen was far greater
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  than their imagination could ever conceive.
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  They didn't catch a few fish. They caught a great multitude.
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  Their nets began to break, and they had to call their colleagues and partners
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  to help them haul in their blessings.
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  The abundant provision that God gave these fishermen proved without a doubt
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  that their catch was not because of their skills and abilities.
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  It wasn't from human effort, but from God's power.
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  My friend, God often blesses in abundance for His glory and our good.
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  I think it is important to notice that the blessing these fishermen experienced
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  didn't just affect them.
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  Their blessing affected others greatly. God provided for them in such abundance
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  that they had to call for their partners to come and help them to receive their blessing.
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  The blessings God gives us are often meant to become a blessing for others as well.
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  God often blesses each of us so that we can bless others.
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  God commands us to spread His light into a dark and dying world, Matthew 5, 14-16.
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  By sharing with others the marvelous blessings He bestows on each of us.
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  We are to share with all those around us the love of Jesus that He so richly gives to us.
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  Friend, when Jesus directs the work, He can accomplish far more than any human
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  strength or wisdom can produce.
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  Don't limit what the Lord can do through you by choosing to trust in yourself.
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  Don't let your experiences or your knowledge keep you from faithfully following the Lord's commands.
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  Rest assured, God's power is not confined by our limitations or our past failures.
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  Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not into thine own understanding.
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  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
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  Be not wise in thine own eyes, fear the Lord, and depart from evil.
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  Proverbs 3, 5-7 One word from God can change an empty net into abundance.
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  Remember you are loved. Jesus loves you. Join us on Monday as we conclude our study on Luke 5, 1-11.
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  Please visit Woman at the Well Ministries at watwm.org for more resources,
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  podcasts, and to connect with us.
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  If you would like to have Bible Bits delivered to your cell phone via text messages,
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  go to our website at watwm.org to subscribe.