Scripture:
James 2:14-17 NKJV
[14] What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? [15] If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, [16] and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? [17] Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
Observation:
Just like I have always said, James has a wonderful way of pulling no punches. The way he says things is straight to the point and leaves little room for errors. Here in these 3 short verses in chapter 2 of his letter. He tells us to take action. Ultimately, faith is an action word. In verse 14, he brings that to light by saying, “What good does it do my brethren if someone says he has faith but does not have works? What he is saying by that question is if you truly have faith, you will take action on what you believe. Now, for example, if you believe that GOD is your provider, HE owns the cattle on a thousand hills, and HE will never leave the righteous begging for bread. Your actions will follow follow that belief. Verse 15 is how that faith would play its way out in the life of a believer. Seeing someone in need and not doing something to help seems to be what James is talking about. When it comes to the action behind your words. Speaking a blessing over their lives and being a blessing in their lives are 2 different things. Words are great and can encourage someone to move in the right direction. Compassion is love in action. Seeing someone in need and doing something about it… if at all possible, that’s the key to faith. What James is saying is true faith takes action. It does not walk away, not doing nothing.
Application:
Over the last several years, my faith has grown. It started out with praying for the needs of those I came into contact with who were in need. But it could not stay there. The Holy Spirit would not let me not take action when I had the ways and means to do so. I know that GOD is my provider. Everything I have HE gave me. I want to switch gears just a little bit but not far off of what we are talking about. The Bible says to love your neighbor as you love yourself, and I want to focus on that for a second because I’m pretty sure it’s one of the points James is getting to in this group of scripture. When we see someone in need are our hearts filled with compassion, or do we clinch tightly to our wallets, thinking if I give what I have… I won’t have what I need. It’s a question I have struggled with for the past number of years until I just started giving what I had and watching GOD provide what I needed. The Bible says it’s impossible to please GOD without faith. I believe that the kind of faith that pleases GOD takes action. Moses had so much faith that inside of impossible circumstances, he took the action GOD requested from him stepping up to the edge of the Red Sea and putting his staff in the air. You see, when we take action on what GOD has spoken to us, that’s when the faith is truly shown, and GOD shows up. Now that being said, I also believe it’s important to speak these things. But follow through with what has been said as well. I want my life to be a walking example of faith… so when I see a need, I do my best to meet it or get that person to the right group of people who can. We need to be men and women of faith (action). The more we exercise that faith, the more it will grow. We all know the verse that claims that faith the size of a mustard seed can move a mountain. Will I know that verse to be true because I told GOD I had faith, and HE handed me a shovel? The crazy thing is that the mountain is gone now. The faith that GOD gave me helped me to press on. Every shovel is full… one wheel barrel at a time. The mountain went away. Pressing on to win the prize of the upward call of GOD.
Prayer:
Father, we want to please you. We want our faith to be that of action. Help us to step out when there seems to be no way. We know that as soon as we take that step of faith, you will need us there. As soon as we do what we can, naturally, you will meet that with your supper, and we will see something supernatural. We want the kind of faith that takes action. The kind that is not intimidated by circumstances, the kind of faith that will step up to the mountain with a spoon if necessary. LORD knows some of us have dug enough holes with one. We want our trust to be completely in you. We want our love for our neighbors to show in how we do our absolute best to take care of them just like we take care of ourselves. We know that you will not leave us begging for bread. Let our faith speak volumes as to the actions we take you are not a small GOD. You have been known to do the impossible. So let our faith believe the impossible and take action to watch it happen. It’s in the mighty name of Jesus I pray amen.