I want to do the right things as I am speaking the right things.
I can't speak prosperity over my life and be lazy.
I can't speak healing over my life if I am going to live an unhealthy life style.
I can't be unloving to others and say I am filled with the love of God.
My actions and attitudes must match up with my words.“Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.
But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.
For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was.
But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.” (James 1:21-25)
“For it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified.” (Romans 2:13)
“But someone may well say, "You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” (James 2:18)
“Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom.” (James 3:13)
“So that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world,” (Philippians 2:15)Our FaithOur faith becomes a tangible thing in the world when it is carried out in our good works. It is not by works that we are saved, but because we have faith it will show forth itself in our works, and in the way we conduct ourselves in the world.
Our WordsOur words become powerful when they line up with the Word of God, and when our message in our non-verbal communication(our attitudes and actions ) lines up with our words. Our words, our attitudes, and our actions say the same thing as what God is saying in his Word. This is the true message of the word of faith.
Salt And lightThis is where the power of God manifest itself in the world, where we become salt and light in this dark and fallen world around us. This is when God's glorious power will come forth in our lives through holy, set apart vessels who are honored to be filled and used by the Holy Spirit.
Active FaithThe world can only see God in us when we are living out our faith in their midst. Good works did not save us, but good works prove that our faith is real. We demonstrate the love that is in our hearts by demonstrating loving attitudes and actions to one another and to those who are lost and need a savior. There are those who think of faith only in regards to their words, but I believe that the Word teaches us that our words are empty if they are not walked out in our actions.
PrayerDear Father so many of us have misunderstood what faith is all about. We have moved so far away from the truth and made it into something that it was never intended to be. Thank you that we have been justified by faith and it was not a result of our good works. (Ephesians 2:8-9)But now that we are saved it is time that our faith is walked out in our attitudes and actions. We have You Holy Spirit to help us to live out our lives filled with good works being salt and light in the world. We find that we are so dependent on You to help us to match up our words with our attitudes and our actions. In Jesus name amen.