What are you doing? Is it just me? Do you remember hearing that question echo in your ears as a kid? I think my Mom and Dad asked me that question a thousand times. Trust me, I had them wondering what I was up to.
Here is a passage of scripture that asks me that same question. It is very thought provoking but in some ways it makes me want to reach more to anyone out there. Especially YOU! Yeah, you! God placed you in my life in this very small way. I hope to encourage you to seek the Lord in deeper ways.
James 2:14-26
What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 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? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
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. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; 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. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 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? For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.
So, what am I doing?
I can say I am a apple tree … but are there apples on my limbs?
I can say I am a follower of Christ … but is there anything more Christ-like evident in me?
Help me Father to be more conscious of this in my life and to take action. Hear it, do it!
James 1:22, But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
hear it, do it!
nikonsniper steve
3 comments:
How I agree with what you shared in James! So true! What fruit am I producing that is Glory to Christ? We must examine ourselves daily, and offer body and our works to Christ alone!
Awesome! This theme keeps coming up this week. I'm hearing it loud & clear.
Thanks for sending the message out. :)
You know I've read that passage at least a few dozen times...but reading it just now on your blog, it was fresh like I had read them for the first time, like it was Jesus kindly talking those words especially to me....and it had me think on the T.V. preachers that want us to thank God by sending them (T.V. preachers) as much money as possible, for a blessing, seeing them say "you are blessed, you have everything you need" but their words are hollow, and their works....? Sigh.
But they also are a reminder that I also can easily fall into a similar trap, saying "words of blessing" but the next moment "cursing my luck" when things don't go my way.
Talk is cheap. Doing the hard work when no one seems to be watching to give you honor and recognition...how many want to do it? Jesus, the Lord of all the universe, made Himself sin for us, and people still curse His name...and He still provides us wonderful sunsets, flora and fauna, friends, family, etc, etc, so generous, so kind, even when we forget to thank Him. We also will be more and more like Him, as the Spirit grows us up in Him, doing good even when we get hated and abused. Of such are the kingdom of heaven.
:)
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