We all have a story to tell. Everyone we meet needs to hear the gospel. God can use all of our stories. When we share our testimony, God uses us to draw someone to Him. Our story has value. Many are resistant to preaching or teaching, but our own story conveys the same message in a way that teaching and preaching cannot.

When Joseph made revealed who he was to his brothers, they were astonished. They long ago presumed he was gone after they had sold him into slavery and led their father to believe that he was dead. Joseph had found favor in Pharaoh’s house, and because of Joseph, Pharaoh welcomed his whole family with the best that Egypt could offer. As he sent them away to get their families and his father, Israel, Joseph admonished his brothers to not fall out along the way. Joseph’s brothers are like all of us. We focus on the small things that go wrong and lose sight of the blessings. We can become so easily absorbed with what does not work instead of concentrating on what does work. Sometimes we have to look at what is working and let go of the things that are not working as we thought they should. The enemy is good at distracting us and causing us to lose focus on what matters. The truth is that God is better to us than our expectations. Often not getting what we expected works out to be a bigger blessing than we could have imagined. The devil cannot deny God’s blessings, so he will distract us and try to keep us focused on minor things that do not matter. He will cause us not to be able to see the forest because of the trees.

When Joseph made revealed who he was to his brothers, they were astonished. They long ago presumed he was gone after they had sold him into slavery and led their father to believe that he was dead. Joseph had found favor in Pharaoh’s house, and because of Joseph, Pharaoh welcomed his whole family with the best that Egypt could offer. As he sent them away to get their families and his father, Israel, Joseph admonished his brothers to not fall out along the way. Joseph’s brothers are like all of us. We focus on the small things that go wrong and lose sight of the blessings. We can become so easily absorbed with what does not work instead of concentrating on what does work. Sometimes we have to look at what is working and let go of the things that are not working as we thought they should. The enemy is good at distracting us and causing us to lose focus on what matters. The truth is that God is better to us than our expectations. Often not getting what we expected works out to be a bigger blessing than we could have imagined. The devil cannot deny God’s blessings, so he will distract us and try to keep us focused on minor things that do not matter. He will cause us not to be able to see the forest because of the trees.

When Joseph made revealed who he was to his brothers, they were astonished. They long ago presumed he was gone after they had sold him into slavery and led their father to believe that he was dead. Joseph had found favor in Pharaoh’s house, and because of Joseph, Pharaoh welcomed his whole family with the best that Egypt could offer. As he sent them away to get their families and his father, Israel, Joseph admonished his brothers to not fall out along the way. Joseph’s brothers are like all of us. We focus on the small things that go wrong and lose sight of the blessings. We can become so easily absorbed with what does not work instead of concentrating on what does work. Sometimes we have to look at what is working and let go of the things that are not working as we thought they should. The enemy is good at distracting us and causing us to lose focus on what matters. The truth is that God is better to us than our expectations. Often not getting what we expected works out to be a bigger blessing than we could have imagined. The devil cannot deny God’s blessings, so he will distract us and try to keep us focused on minor things that do not matter. He will cause us not to be able to see the forest because of the trees.

God is calling His church to a purpose. A group of men heard the same call some two thousand years ago at the Sea of Galilee’s shore. That call changed the lives of the original twelve, and it can change our lives too. The bible tells us that when Jesus first spoke to Peter, James, and John, they had spent all night fishing without success. Jesus sent them back out to let their nets down again. His words were more than just a call to set back out to fish. They were words that would allow them to see the purpose for their lives that they had not even realized. They were experienced fishermen, but Jesus’ words that day drove them to a greater understanding than they could have ever known. Their obedience to Jesus that day changed the course of their lives and the world. He said to Simon that day to go out to where it is deeper. What God wanted to accomplish could not and can not be done without going deeper. We must move from the mediocracy of the shallows out to the supernatural. The miracle that they would experience required that they go deeper. Peter received a revelation of the power of Jesus while pulling on that net. The bible does not explicitly say they were in shallow water, but it is implied because Jesus told them to launch out into the deep. Shallow is often associated with small, insignificant, superficial. Is that how we want to describe our relationship with God? If we are to have a meaningful relationship with God, we have to go deeper. We have overcome our feelings and thinking to reach that deeper place. God is calling us to go deeper.

God is calling His church to a purpose. A group of men heard the same call some two thousand years ago at the Sea of Galilee’s shore. That call changed the lives of the original twelve, and it can change our lives too. The bible tells us that when Jesus first spoke to Peter, James, and John, they had spent all night fishing without success. Jesus sent them back out to let their nets down again. His words were more than just a call to set back out to fish. They were words that would allow them to see the purpose for their lives that they had not even realized. They were experienced fishermen, but Jesus’ words that day drove them to a greater understanding than they could have ever known. Their obedience to Jesus that day changed the course of their lives and the world. He said to Simon that day to go out to where it is deeper. What God wanted to accomplish could not and can not be done without going deeper. We must move from the mediocracy of the shallows out to the supernatural. The miracle that they would experience required that they go deeper. Peter received a revelation of the power of Jesus while pulling on that net. The bible does not explicitly say they were in shallow water, but it is implied because Jesus told them to launch out into the deep. Shallow is often associated with small, insignificant, superficial. Is that how we want to describe our relationship with God? If we are to have a meaningful relationship with God, we have to go deeper. We have overcome our feelings and thinking to reach that deeper place. God is calling us to go deeper.

God is calling His church to a purpose. A group of men heard the same call some two thousand years ago at the Sea of Galilee’s shore. That call changed the lives of the original twelve, and it can change our lives too. The bible tells us that when Jesus first spoke to Peter, James, and John, they had spent all night fishing without success. Jesus sent them back out to let their nets down again. His words were more than just a call to set back out to fish. They were words that would allow them to see the purpose for their lives that they had not even realized. They were experienced fishermen, but Jesus’ words that day drove them to a greater understanding than they could have ever known. Their obedience to Jesus that day changed the course of their lives and the world. He said to Simon that day to go out to where it is deeper. What God wanted to accomplish could not and can not be done without going deeper. We must move from the mediocracy of the shallows out to the supernatural. The miracle that they would experience required that they go deeper. Peter received a revelation of the power of Jesus while pulling on that net. The bible does not explicitly say they were in shallow water, but it is implied because Jesus told them to launch out into the deep. Shallow is often associated with small, insignificant, superficial. Is that how we want to describe our relationship with God? If we are to have a meaningful relationship with God, we have to go deeper. We have overcome our feelings and thinking to reach that deeper place. God is calling us to go deeper.

Grace is one of the most overpowering subjects in scripture. It is something that is wholly of God. Humanity does not play any part in Grace. We cannot earn it, and none of us warrant it, but God pours His grace out freely. A study of grace through the bible would stretch over many lessons. Grace is the keystone to everything that God purposed for us when He designed us.

Grace is the unmerited favor of God. Grace is like a highway that will bring all the good things and blessings that God has for us. Grace is what empowers us to even respond to the gospel. The bible tells us that we are saved by grace. He is the one that initiated the mechanism that allows us to be saved. Paul goes on to say that we are saved by faith THROUGH grace. Our faith will enable us to access the grace that God provides.

Grace is not a one-time thing. It is continual and ongoing. It happened in the past, and it is active today and will be operating tomorrow. Grace can rescue us. It can deliver us and keep us safe. It can preserve, and it can heal us. Our faith allows us to access the grace that God provides. It is grace that allows us to overcome.

Grace is one of the most overpowering subjects in scripture. It is something that is wholly of God. Humanity does not play any part in Grace. We cannot earn it, and none of us warrant it, but God pours His grace out freely. A study of grace through the bible would stretch over many lessons. Grace is the keystone to everything that God purposed for us when He designed us.

Grace is the unmerited favor of God. Grace is like a highway that will bring all the good things and blessings that God has for us. Grace is what empowers us to even respond to the gospel. The bible tells us that we are saved by grace. He is the one that initiated the mechanism that allows us to be saved. Paul goes on to say that we are saved by faith THROUGH grace. Our faith will enable us to access the grace that God provides.

Grace is not a one-time thing. It is continual and ongoing. It happened in the past, and it is active today and will be operating tomorrow. Grace can rescue us. It can deliver us and keep us safe. It can preserve, and it can heal us. Our faith allows us to access the grace that God provides. It is grace that allows us to overcome.

Grace is one of the most overpowering subjects in scripture. It is something that is wholly of God. Humanity does not play any part in Grace. We cannot earn it, and none of us warrant it, but God pours His grace out freely. A study of grace through the bible would stretch over many lessons. Grace is the keystone to everything that God purposed for us when He designed us.

Grace is the unmerited favor of God. Grace is like a highway that will bring all the good things and blessings that God has for us. Grace is what empowers us to even respond to the gospel. The bible tells us that we are saved by grace. He is the one that initiated the mechanism that allows us to be saved. Paul goes on to say that we are saved by faith THROUGH grace. Our faith will enable us to access the grace that God provides.

Grace is not a one-time thing. It is continual and ongoing. It happened in the past, and it is active today and will be operating tomorrow. Grace can rescue us. It can deliver us and keep us safe. It can preserve, and it can heal us. Our faith allows us to access the grace that God provides. It is grace that allows us to overcome.