MESSAGES
Faith and Works (James 2:14-20)
Throughout our entire lives, we build our relationship with God gradually, getting closer to Him every day and every moment, in a process that will continue until the day we finally meet Him face to face.
In building our spiritual life, the fellowship between us and God happens progressively, as we surrender ourselves, seek Him, and understand Him.
And the more we surrender, seek, and understand God, the more spiritual intimacy and sensitivity we gain, and consequently, we can feel and hear the voice of the Holy Spirit more easily. This sensitivity grows with surrender and obedience.
Hebrews 3:6-8 but Christ is faithful over God's house as a son. And we are his house, if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope. Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness,”
Revelation 1:10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet,
We know that we won't be heard just by talking a lot, but we will be heard when we speak words of faith and worship before God.
Matthew 6:7 “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.”
The closer we get to God, the more He will ask of us a TOTAL AND UNCONDITIONAL surrender to Him.
Just as Abraham's faith and loyalty were tested when God asked him to sacrifice his only son Isaac, and he did it, this should be our attitude toward God's will. Authentic faith always shows up in concrete acts of obedience - that is, UNCONDITIONAL OBEDIENCE.
Hebrews 11:17-18 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.”
God doesn't want us to make sacrifices or show our faith just for appearances, often saying “wonderful and beautiful” words.
What God wants from us are actions that prove our faith and our faithfulness, because as we mentioned before: Talking a lot means nothing to God.
James 2:14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?
James 2:17-18 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.
Therefore, FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS USELESS, IT DOESN'T BLESS, NOR DOES IT SAVE, BECAUSE IT IS A DEAD AND LYING FAITH.
Jesus called you to be truthful in everything, because lies come from the devil and have nothing to do with God.
John 8:44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
John 4:23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.
So, SHOW YOUR FAITH THROUGH YOUR ACTIONS, because no one fools God.
God doesn't want speeches, He wants transformation.
