Grapes or Gripes?

Mini Sermon by Craig Emerson Strain

I saw a bumper sticker that said,

"Christians are not perfect, they are forgiven."

I believe that the saying would be more correct if it were written,

"Christians are not perfect, they forgive."

You cannot change the way that people treat you, but you can effect the way you treat people. You can forgive them. Jesus could have brought the world to an end on Golgotha, but instead, he said "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." His task was to forgive those that sought to crucify him. This brought forgiveness into the world.

You can effect the way people treat you. Moses sent 10 spies into the land of Canaan. All of them saw the huge grapes and people. But how they perceived what they saw, effected them and all of those around them.

Num 13:32 And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature.
Num 13:33 And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.

Do you see yourself as a grasshopper? Do you see yourself as a failure? Do you see yourself as a poor mate, provider or parent? Don't let these thoughts make you feel this way! You are not a grasshopper, you are a son of God!

Josh 1:9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

Also, think about what each of the ten spies had to say about what they saw. Two of them, Joshua and Caleb, saw the abundance of the fruit and the richness of the land. They saw the Grapes! Everyone else saw the gripes!

When you see something, do you see grapes or gripes! It is your choice. You will be blessed by your outlook. In fact, the people around you will be blessed by your opinion!

The spies that had the gripes, even murrmered against Moses and Arron, and even planned to find another leader.

Num 14:2 And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness!

Calab stood before the people to encourage them.

Num 14:6 And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes:
Num 14:7 And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land.

Num 14:10 But all the congregation bade stone them with stones. And the glory of the LORD appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation before all the children of Israel.

But is your choice, Grapes or gripes. The children that complained or griped, they missed out! Joshua and Caleb got to see the promised land. You will be blessed if you...

Heb 10:23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
Heb 10:24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
Heb 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

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