Overview of: JamesToday's Reading:
James 2:14 – 3:18
"Works, Words, and Wisdom"
Focus Verses: James 2:14-17
14 What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
Insight:
Faith is not truly faith unless it produces action. Faith is more than words. Faith is more than ideas. It's more than strong conviction. Words, ideas, and convictions are empty unless they are lived out. Faith is not merely something you have in your heart; it's something you live and do.
Response and Action:
If I really believe that something must be done for those in need, I will do something. If I really believe something wrong, I will make every effort to avoid it. If I really believe the Bible is God's word, I will read it and heed its counsel and direction. If really believe Jesus is Lord, I will do what he says I should do.
I want a faith that is alive and proved in action. I want to move beyond words and ideas into action. I want to move beyond saying I believe in Jesus to proving it. I do not want to merely hear and recognize truth, I want to build my life upon it.
O God, help me to live by faith today. Give me the will and the courage to step out in faith as I make choices and face challenges. Help me to identify ways to put my beliefs into practice. Help me to see every responsibility, relationship, goal, and need through the eyes of faith. And in every case, give me the wisdom and the will to do what faith should do. Through Christ, I pray. Amen.
Old Testament for Today: Micah 6:8
8 He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
In Context: Micah 6:1-8
Proverb for Today: Prov. 5:22-23
"The evil deeds of a wicked man ensnare him; the cords of his sin hold him fast. He will die for lack of discipline, led astray by his own great folly."
Recommended Reading:
The Dangerous Act of Worship: Living God's Call to Justice
by Mark Labberton
