(James 2:17)
So often when we are going through a difficult
time, people tell us to have faith. Just trust God. They say it as if God
was some magician who snaps His fingers and automatically makes everything
OK. While God has that power, and while God will use that power at times,
God normally works through people and events. We rarely get in a mess
overnight, and rarely are we going to get out overnight. Part of the "getting
out" process is learning how to become totally dependent on Him. It is
learning how to make our faith real. It is learning how to work in
conjunction with our faith. True faith, Biblical faith, requires action.
It is easy to say the words, but putting your actions behind the words is
what real faith is all about.
One of the greatest examples from God's Word of someone putting their
actions to their faith was David. He not only had the faith that he could
go out on the battlefield and defeat Goliath...He actually did it! You see,
my friend, if we really believe something, then our natural response is to
put actions to that belief. While most thought David was being foolhardy to
go out and face Goliath, in David's mind that was the only logical thing to
do. After all, His faith told Him that God would defeat this Philistine
giant, David was simply going to be God's instrument. That is what our
faith demands...ACTION. It is not simply good enough to say I believe. If
you really believe, then the only logical step is to step out and live that
belief.
Why we don't put actions to our faith simply boils down to the fact that we
really don't believe what we claim to believe. The true test of our faith
is our willingness to step out and back up those words with our actions.
One of the most difficult things to do for each one of us, and the one area
the church has always had a major problem teaching, is taking our faith and
making it real in our day-to-day lives. Saying we believe one thing, and
then living in opposition to that, makes me question how much you really
believe in what you claim. The bottom line is if you really believe it, you
live it. The translation of our faith in Jesus Christ into our everyday life
becomes one of the real tests of our walk with the Lord. The world clearly
understands this concept. One of the biggest reasons people in the world
reject the message of Christ is because they hear Christians profess one
thing and then live in opposition to that profession. The visible hypocrisy
becomes a major stumbling block to many people.
How do we do a better job of putting actions to our faith? It is a process
that builds day upon day, month upon month, year upon year. Look at the
basis of David's faith when he went out to fight Goliath. He told Saul that
in the past when guarding his father's sheep, he had to defend them from a
bear and a lion. In both cases, the Lord gave David victory. He said it so
perfectly when he told Saul that the same God who gave him victory over the
lion and the bear, is the same God who would give him victory over Goliath. I
say to you today, that the same God who has given you victory in the past,
is the same God who will give you victory today. It is upon that foundation
that you should boldly walk out your faith each day...put actions to your
faith each day.
I love you and care for you so much. I will be praying for you today that
you will begin to put actions to your faith. Make your faith come alive in
your day-to-day activities. The Lord will help you to have more faith each
day as you watch Him work in your life. Your faith will grow, giving you
even more courage to live each day for Him. My friend, this becomes one of
the benchmarks of our Christian experience. It is simply not enough to
believe. It is simply not enough to say that you have faith. Real faith,
Biblical faith, REQUIRES action on our part. It requires us to live out our
faith each and every day. I will be praying today that you will make your
faith real each day as you live your life for Jesus.
