![\"\"](\"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/Daytona-500-004.jpg\" "\\"Daytona")
<\/a>But on occasion some make me laugh and so I\u2019m going to share one with you today. This piece of spam was sent in response to my blog post, \u201cLet\u2019s Get a Goat.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u201cAside from the Finns, this all sounds reasonable to me\u2026what would you suggest? Out of control population growth right up until Jesus comes and saves us all?\u201d<\/p>\n
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No, my suggestion was that we get a goat.<\/p>\n
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But I do like the part about Jesus coming and saving us all. As a young adult, the thought of Jesus\u2019 return frightened me. I was fearful that I wasn\u2019t good enough for Him and that I wouldn\u2019t make it through judgment without being sent to hell.<\/p>\n
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But as the years have progressed, my spiritual development has taken me to higher levels of understanding, and through spiritual growth, I now know that I really am not good enough\u2026but Jesus has me covered.<\/p>\n
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\u201cFor it is by grace you\u00a0 have been saved, through faith\u2014and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God\u2014not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God\u2019s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.\u201d<\/em> (Ephesians 2:8-10 \u2013 NIV)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n We see in this passage that we can\u2019t do enough to get into heaven. We are covered by God\u2019s grace. Jesus has already taken the punishment we deserve.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n But there is still plenty we can do while we are waiting for Jesus\u2019 return. I believe in this verse we see that we must continue to do good works because God has prepared them for us to do. God expects us to be busy with the tasks He has placed before us. He has prepared us for these tasks.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n James weighed in on this topic as well. \u201cWhat good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?\u201d <\/em>(James 2:14-15 \u2013 NIV)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n According to James, faith without works is dead. \u201cIn the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead\u2026show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.\u201d<\/em> (James 2:17-18 \u2013 NIV)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Am I saved? Am I going to heaven? Yes. Am I allowed to sit around and do nothing until Jesus returns? No.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I believe James got it right when he asked the question, \u201cWhat good is it?\u201d What good is our faith without the desire to do something with it? It\u2019s useless. It isn\u2019t beneficial. It\u2019s dead.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Maybe today is the day you ask yourself, \u201cWhat good is my faith?\u201d If you aren\u2019t coming up with the answers Paul and James suggest, perhaps it\u2019s time to do something about it. Do something. Give something. Be something. And do it all for God and give Him the glory.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Jesus will return. Maybe today. I know I am ready and I know He will take me with Him. I pray you can say the same.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Grace and peace be yours in abundance,<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Donna<\/p>\n <\/p>\n