Faith And Action: Two Sides Of The Coin

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Saturday May 20, 2017

Topic: Faith And Action: Two Sides Of The Coin                      

Text: James 1:22

Faith without work is dead so says James in Jas 2:26. For anyone to become a faithful Christian, he/she must developed faith as a virtue in personal life and works. Today, Abraham is called the father of the faithful because by his works he proved his faith. God didn’t tell him where to go, but by the instruction to leave his father land, he left (Gen 12:4). Many of us today will argue with God to tell us where He is sending us. Great heroes and heroines of the Scriptures attained that status because of the faith they demonstrated in their walk with God. Faith goes with action. Both are two sides of coin you can’t do without.  You cannot say you believe in God but has nothing to prove what you actually believed in. It must be substantiated with actions.

James tells us that we should always substantiate our faith by doing what we hear in the word of God. Albert Barnes says “If a man supposes that by a mere punctual attendance on preaching, or a respectful attention to it, he has done all that is required of him, he is labouring under a most gross self- deception.” Unfortunately these words of Barnes are true in the life of some Christians today. They are utterly regardless whether these words have any influence on their lives or not. This is mere hypocrisy. There must be a corresponding action to the faith we confess. We have so many church denominations but its effects are not seen in our daily lives. If we say we are Christians, we should be justified by our action not by our confession alone (Matt.7:21; Lk 11:28 & Rom. 2: 13).

Food for Thought: Is your faith justified by your confession and action

Memory verse: James 1 verse 22

Prayer: Lord God, make me a doer of your word and not hearer alone.

Faith And Action: Two Sides Of The Coin

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Saturday May 20, 2017

Topic: Faith And Action: Two Sides Of The Coin                      

Text: James 1:22

Faith without work is dead so says James in Jas 2:26. For anyone to become a faithful Christian, he/she must developed faith as a virtue in personal life and works. Today, Abraham is called the father of the faithful because by his works he proved his faith. God didn’t tell him where to go, but by the instruction to leave his father land, he left (Gen 12:4). Many of us today will argue with God to tell us where He is sending us. Great heroes and heroines of the Scriptures attained that status because of the faith they demonstrated in their walk with God. Faith goes with action. Both are two sides of coin you can’t do without.  You cannot say you believe in God but has nothing to prove what you actually believed in. It must be substantiated with actions.

James tells us that we should always substantiate our faith by doing what we hear in the word of God. Albert Barnes says “If a man supposes that by a mere punctual attendance on preaching, or a respectful attention to it, he has done all that is required of him, he is labouring under a most gross self- deception.” Unfortunately these words of Barnes are true in the life of some Christians today. They are utterly regardless whether these words have any influence on their lives or not. This is mere hypocrisy. There must be a corresponding action to the faith we confess. We have so many church denominations but its effects are not seen in our daily lives. If we say we are Christians, we should be justified by our action not by our confession alone (Matt.7:21; Lk 11:28 & Rom. 2: 13).

Food for Thought: Is your faith justified by your confession and action

Memory verse: James 1 verse 22

Prayer: Lord God, make me a doer of your word and not hearer alone.

USE YOUR GIFTS WELL: Devotion for Sunday October 11, 2015

USE THEM WELL        Sunday October 11, 2015

Text: Romans 12:6 – 8     Memory verse: v 6

Every Christian has one gift with which he/she can live well and make impact on the society (Matthew 25: 14, 15). It baffled me that some people seem not to know what they can do with their lives. Paul sees all the endowments on Christians as gifts. They come from God and when we understand this, it will prevent us from thinking of ourselves more highly than we ought to think. Albert Barnes sagely said that “True honour consists not in splendid endowments, or great wealth and office. It consists in rightly discharging the duties which God requires of us in our appropriate sphere. If all men held their talents as the gift of God; if all would find and occupy in society the place for which God designed them, it would prevent no small part of the uneasiness, the restlessness, the ambition, and misery of the world.” This is a message for our generation.

As God has given us diverse gifts, and appointed us into one office or another, we should faithfully use them and keep within the limits of our calling so that we do not neglect our duties or invade into that of others.

Food for Thought: How are you discharging your duties as a Christian?

Prayer: Lord God, help me to faithfully use your gifts in me to honour you and fulfill your purposes for my life in Jesus name. Amen.

IS THE LAW NOT NECESSARY AGAIN?

IS THE LAW NOT NECESSARY AGAIN? Thursday May 14, 2015

Text: Romans 3:28 – 31 Memory verse: v 31

The teaching of some people these days gives cause for concern. How can someone say that fornication is not a sin because it is not in the 10 Commandments? God meant sex for married people. It is obvious that such teachings are of the devil aimed at deceiving people. Paul was wise to take away the calumny and reproach of those who are against the doctrine of justification with the words of our memory verse.

According to Albert Barnes, “This was an objection which would naturally be made; and which has thousands of times been since made, that the doctrine of justification by faith tends to licentiousness.” The doctrine of justification by faith alone does not overthrow but establishes the law in that it “Shows its excellence, its unchanging obligations, and lead men more earnestly, successfully, and perseveringly to strive to obey it” as opined by Family Bible Notes.

That we are saved by faith does not mean we are no longer under the law. The salvation of sinners through the incarnation, obedience, suffering, death, resurrection, and intercession of Christ, and by faith in him, all show that the law of God is holy, just, and good; that the violation of it is unspeakably wicked; and that it cannot be violated with impunity. The motives for obeying the law is to honour God; to show gratitude to the Redeemer, and become in heart and life like Him. How much do you obey the law? Neglecting the law because we are justified by faith is absolute disregard for God’s love for us.

Food for Thought: The law gave rise to our faith. Therefore there is no justification by faith that annuls the law.

Prayer: Help me O Lord, never to despise the law on the ground of faith.

BE ZEALOUS UNTO REPENTANCE

BE ZEALOUS UNTO REPENTANCE              Thursday April 16, 2015

Text: Revelation 3:14 – 22                                   Memory verse: 19   

God hates lukewarmness (3:15), no wonder He could not bear with the Laodicea Church. His problem with them was that they were neither cold nor hot (3:16). This made Him to rebuke them and call them unto repentance because in that state we can’t call them believers or unbelievers. What led this church into lukewarmness was their wealth. They felt they don’t need anything as far as their money can afford them anything they wanted. This is one of the dangers of wealth.

Here is a warning to be zealous unto repentance. “Be earnest, strenuous, ardent in your purpose to exercise true repentance, and to turn from the error of your ways. Lose no time; spare no labour that you may obtain such a state of mind that it shall not be necessary to bring upon you the severe discipline which always come on those who continue lukewarm in religion” according to Albert Barnes. This is a challenge for us

We, the present day Christians, should ask for grace to take correction from those who love us. If a friend tells us of our fault, let us not get angry, even if he does it awkwardly so as to give us pain. It is never easy to be a worthy and faithful Christian, but we should bear in mind that the spiritual nobleness and beauty after which we are striving can become ours only through this very struggle as Christ charges us to be zealous and repent.

Food for Thought: Job 5:17

Prayer: Lord, remove every form of lukewarmness in my life and cause me to be zealous for your work always in Jesus name.