"Do or Die"

          "Men and brethen, you know that a good while ago God chose

           among us, that by my mouth the Gentile should hear the word

            of the gospel and believe. So God, who knows the heart, ack-

           nowledge them ( the Gentile), by giving them the Holy Spirit, just

            as He did to us, and made no distinction between us and them, 

            Purifying their heart by faith.                            ---- ACTS 15:7-9

           One day a man was driving his new pickup truck on a dusty desert highway when he spotted a hitchhiker standing on the side of the road. The hitchhiker was carrying a large heavy bag over his shoulder and looked exhausted in the heat if the day.

          The driver stopped and asked, "Where are you headed?'

           "Donia"

"Hop in the back, and I'll take you there," he said. A few miles down the road the driver glanced in his rear-view mirror and was surprised to see the man sitting in the bed of the truck with his bag over his shoulder. Why doesn't he just put it down? He wondered.

           Finally,  he stopped his little pickup, walked back to the man and inquired, "why don't you rest and put that bag down?"

           "Oh," said the hitchhiker, 'I don't want to hurt your new truck,"

           I have met many Christians who are carbon copy of that man. They have the wheels of salvation beneath them, but they are still carrying their own heavy load.

           Again and again Jesus says, "Put it down. I'll carry it for you."

           Instead they are proud if their self-effort and say, "No Lord. I'd rather do it my own way."

           How can they believe that they have been redeemed by the blood if they are trying to win heaven by their deeds. For some reason, people are drawn to work. I don't understand why, but it is true.

            In this verse, some of the disciple were seen Jerusalem to address the issue. After much discussion, peter stood and said. (Acts 15:7-9).

               The law required circumcision, but all the new covenant demanded was faith. Remember, law and work have always been the opposite of grace and mercy.

            

            The law says, "follow the rules." 

            Grace says,"it is a free gift."

            The law says, "See your sin and shame."

            Grace says, "God accepts you as you are."

            The law brings the consciousness of sin 

            Grace brings awareness of righteousness

            The law says, "Do or die." Grace says, 

            "Accept Jesus as Savior and live."