Faith and Works

^{Something to think about.} 

^{Faith and Works} 

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.

James 2:18

There is a profound theological principle in this verse. It is the juxtaposition of work and faith. Work and faith can you have one without the other? 

When I was in the hospital, and the doctor told my wife "I am going to do everything I can to help him." What he was saying was I will do all I can do, all that I have been trained to do but the outcome is not in my hands. He was promising to do the work, but where was the faith?

Faith is where the rubber meets the road for Christians it is where we experience God. What James is saying is, it is through faith that I have accomplished whatever I have accomplished. It is in the exercise of faith that Christianity will leap off the pages of the bible and come alive. What in your life which requires faith? What problem, dream, goal do you have that needs an influx of faith? I'm not talking about intellectual faith. That which defines faith but rather that which requires faith. If your living your life and  your endeavors do not require faith why not?  If you can accomplish all you want on your own, if all you do is within your capacity how can God be displayed in your life?

Everyone Christian or not is looking for the evidence of God. And faith is where we find it. Every accomplishment great our small is bathed submerged in faith. Every endeavor regardless of what it is, is wholly infused with faith. A few years ago the driverless car was a dream. That dream was not based in reality it was based in the belief that it could be done. Then from that belief faith had to be engaged in order for it to become a reality. We have a space program because someone employed faith. To bring something into existence that never existed before.

Faith does not remove obstacles it motivates us to find solutions to the problems which hinder us. Faith is not a belief system it is the fire which fuels the engine of what we believe in. The belief that we can accomplish the dream, goal, purpose we are striving for without knowing the outcome.

Are you activity engaging faith? Are you building your faith? Are you doing those things that require faith? Small things, big things, things and ideas that make other people think you're insane. Are you pushing the envelope of what's possible. 

If you are one of those people God has given the capacity to dream big dreams are you dreaming. Are you allowing the obstacles of your endeavor to define your faith or are you infusing your faith to define your dream. It is not ability that defines your accomplishments it is faith. Can you believe in something you have never done before?  Faith is required in your business, faith is required in your personal life. Faith is required for the future. 

Faith is required to delay the return of Christ. Faith is required for us to look at prophecy see it for what it is and work to delay its fulfillment. Just because we are living in the end days does not mean that we should be praying seeking welcoming the return of Christ. The return of Christ the second coming is not something that the majority of the world is looking forward to. It is not something we see coming throw up our hands and say yes Jesus come quickly. 

We as the body of Christ should not be celebrating the return of Christ. That day will be the best and worst day in the history of the world it will be a day of great joy for those of us that believe and the most fearful day for those that don't. We can celebrate Jesus return at the appropriate time, but this is not the time. We need to engage faith in bringing the gospel to the world. We need to engage faith to change the world toward Christ. Especially today when our society and the world is hell-bent on silencing us and trying to make the gospel of Jesus of no value. We need to engage faith to turn back the encroachment of sin into our society. We need to turn our lives to a basis of faith to fight the forces of evil which are assailing us on every side. Faith is the engine that will light the fire in our souls to make the change that needs to happen for the salvation of the world.