THE PRODUCTS OF GREAT FAITH

” What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions?” James 2:14

“So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.” James 2:17

I talk about faith a lot and that is because faith is vital to our spiritual lives. It is the engine that drives us in our relationship with Christ Jesus. However, it takes more than just telling others about faith. We have discussed many times that we must live our lives in Christ. When we do that, we are allowing our faith to work within us. It is producing hope, better understanding, and an opportunity for others to actually see faith in action. It comes down to one simple thing, WE MUST BELIEVE WHAT WE BELIEVE! If we do, we will allow the principles of our Lord to be on display in our daily lives. We must be doers of the word and not hearers only. One great biblical example, that has always stood out to me, is when God told Abraham to sacrifice his son upon the alter. As I look at that instance and try to put myself in Abraham’s place I cannot phantom what I would have done. But Abraham BELIEVED. He knew that what God was telling him was truth, honesty and love, all wrapped around his faith. He did not allow doubt to slip in at the last minute and take away this faith. Instead, he kept his focus on the promises of God and believed that God would never fail him. You and I are much the same. We may not be asked to do something as mind blowing as Abraham was asked to do but we are asked to live our faith. We should take a step back and look at our lives. Are we faith living or doubt living? Are we sound in our beliefs in God’s promises or do we allow doubt to slip in at the last moment and steal our faith away? Others are watching us. The world around us will litter us with the things, the words and the ways of this world. But we are not of this world we are just in it. We are of God, our loving and understanding God in heaven. Our faith must be strong, so strong that it affects the way we live each day. Not only will we have better lives for it but those around us also will see and take notice of our God in heaven! PRAISE THE LORD IN ALL THINGS!