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Be Different Than A Devil’s Faith

James 2:14-26
     14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
     18 But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! 20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness"—and he was called a friend of God. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.
I praise God as we all started this Friday with a Holiday and reminding us that we are not dead in our faith because of our works for the Lord. Truly, there are many great opportunity to enjoy this weekend with our families and friends. Enjoy and have time with them as they inspire you and bond you with the Gracious Love of God.
I encourage you all to take this Holiday as an opportunity to reflect the works we are accomplishing for the Lord as a result of our faith. You either do it with your family or maybe individually.
Take a pen and paper, or a notepad applications and list down all the good things we are doing for the others. To help us out, just think about the things we have done this month only.
When you have listed down all your deeds, mark the things you have done with the following
Easy - if without effort and no struggle at all you did this good thing for the others.
Neutral - if you had second thoughts for a while and consider God’s view to do such works for others as the Lord confirmed in your heart.
Difficult - if you struggle for a period of time, make a consultation from other especially to the men of God, prayed hard for it to God, and get a vivid confirmation from the Lord as we follow Him with faithfulness from our heart.
As we all do this exercise, let us examine the things we have done. What drives us to obedience of doing the good works to others in different level of resistance? Did faith plays a great role in these things? Did the faith produces such works for the glory of the Lord God Almighty?
Just by doing this exercise have already struggled and cannot easily identified which are out faith or simply natural responses or simply a common thing for us?
Believing God or in a person of God is a common thing. James, in his message, says that even the devil believe in Him and tremble yet his actions are not resulting to him to surrender to the will of God. What is the difference then with our believe in God and of the them?
Can we be like the faith of Abraham which makes us a friend of God because of our undivided obedience to Him?
Or can we have faith like Rahab (a prostitute knew herself very well that she is sinner in the sight of God, yet know how to discern which works is for God and abide) extended help to the men of God.
Is the work we have listed down have agreed with God’s purpose and plan for us?
In the most difficult decision to act in the calling of God to accomplish the good works and hard works for His glory, God send a helper to us, His Holy Spirit. As the Holy Spirit lives in the Body of Christ to be alive, and so the Works for the Lord in the Faith to count it valuable in the sight of God.
Be different than a devil’s faith. Remember, faith is indeed a Gift of the Holy Spirit. (1 Cor 12:9)
Have a great long weekend and God bless you all!
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