Is It Faith?

Tuesday's Devotion (1-2-07)

"For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." James 2:26 (KJV)

You know what I hate? The excuse that everyone uses not do anything good! They all say, "My salvation isn't based off my works, it's based off my faith. It isn't from anything that I do!" While they're right, they are also wrong at the same time. You see, if you have Jesus in your heart then you're going to WANT to do works of faith. For example, if you see a wounded man on the street if Jesus is in your heart, then you should feel some compassion to help that person. Your faith is dead if you don't have any desire to help, if you don't do anything to help.

If you have faith, the bottom-line is that you'll WANT to do works. People use that excuse so often, but the truth is that that excuse only works when people are doing works because they think they have to. Forced works instead of faith works. A forced work is if I think that I HAVE TO go bring a million people to Christ in this lifetime in order to be saved myself. Not only is that a forced work, but we will not be effective when we try to do it! Simply because with that attitude you can't succeed in things concerning the faith. A faith work is something that you do because you really love Jesus, because you want to please the Lord, and because you want to help someone. A faith work shouldn't feel like a work at all, but it should be enjoyable to you. You can do forced works for your entire life, but that won't get you into Heaven. True faith will get you into Heaven, but it will also help you to do those faith works. After you do your next good work, evaluate yourself - "Did I do that because I have to, or because I wanted to?" If you did it because you felt like you have to, then take the time to pray for greater faith and pray that you can love Jesus more. Nobody can tell you why you did something, except you and the Lord. I have to evaluate myself in this area from time to time... I just want to make sure that I'm doing the right things for the right reasons! That's probably the best way to word it - Doing the right things for the right reasons! When you're doing that, your works will be blessed beyond measure!

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for this message and for all things. Please forgive us of all our sins as we forgive those who've wronged us. Help us to do the right things for the right reasons. Give us that great faith that we need, and don't let us lie to ourselves until it's too late. Let us be right with you, and close with you. In Jesus name. A-men!

God bless