Faith that Works: Day 3

It's the middle of the week and it's the the third day of the Faith that Works series! :) Today's verses are verses 20-22 which read:

20You fool! Do you not want to be shown that faith without works is useless? 
21How was our ancestor Abraham put right with God? It was through his actions, when he offered his son isaac on the altar.
22Can't you see? His faith and his actions worked together; his faith was made perfect through his actions.

In yesterdays post I went over verses 18 and 19 which focused on how a faith that is not accompanied by good works is not a true and authentic faith. The faith that James is talking about is a God given faith that naturally produces good fruit. In today's verses, James brings up Abraham. A man who, in such a powerful way, demonstrated what a true faith looks like. We see this story in the book of Genesis. Abraham's wife Sarah gives birth to their only son Isaac at an old age and God promises Abraham that through Isaac  he would make him a great Nation. However, despite His promise, God asks Abraham to offer up his only son as a sacrifice. How difficult would that be!!??  Nevertheless, we see that Abraham is obedient and that he was willing to sacrifice his only son.

Abraham had faith. True, authentic, and real, God given faith. He knew that God never backed down on His promises. If God had promised that through Isaac he would make him a great nation, He was going to do just that. His faith in God's promises assured him that even if his son died at the moment of the sacrifice God would raise him from the death. And for those of us who know the story, we know that an angel of the Lord stopped Abraham's hand form sacrificing Isaac. Abraham's faith was put into action.

Faith allows us to fully put our trust in the Lord. It enables us to be obedient to whatever God commands us to do, regardless if don't understand why.

Questions to be asking ourselves:
* Do I fully trust in God's promises?
* Does my faith produce in me obedience?

Just two more posts ya'll! Stay tuned for tomorrow! :)

Faith that Works series: Day 2

It's day two folks, and today's focus is on verses 18 and 19 of chapter 2:


18But someone will say "You have faith; I have deeds." 
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. 
19You believe that there is a God. Good! Even the demons believe that--and shudder.


In yesterday's verses, James explains how faith and deeds must work together. Faith must be accompanied by actions that help prove that faith is authentic, and that it is important to help meet the needs of others by a means of action. I personally love these next two verses because James gets a little ghetto. Or at least in my head he does. Like if he was saying these verses in person he would most likely snap his fingers and shake his head and verse 19 would sound something like this

Oh, you say you believe in God. So what?? I will cuuuuuut youuuu!"

Ok ok, that's totally not how he would say it. [Forgive me Jesus for portraying your servant James as being ghetto.] Anyways, James is simply trying to make a point here. And he does this in such a simple and smart manner. There are those individuals who will say that they don't need good deeds. In other words, saying they have faith is good enough. However, James says that it's impossible to say one has faith without actions being an extension of that faith. If we have faith, that faith, which is God given, will naturally produce in us the desire to do good deeds. If I claim to be a professional athlete then my actions will automatically portray the things that an athlete does: Training, eating right, exercising, etc.

In verse 19, James brings up a very important point. As a former angel of God, Satan was a first hand witness  who lived in heaven with God until his rebellion. [Isaiah 14:12-21] Along with Satan, the other fallen angels that followed him in his rebellion also lived with God in heaven. Therefore, there is no doubt that Satan himself and his demons are fully aware of the existence and nature of God. Yes, it can even be said that Satan and his demons have faith but it is not a faith that produces submission and consecration to God or one that desires to grasp salvation that comes from God. It is simply an intellectual and superficial "faith."  However, despite their knowledge of God it does not change who they are. Satan is and will always be a liar, a tempter, a deceiver, and all things evil. Same thing goes for demons. One cannot have the fruits of faith [Galatians 5:22-23] that are true and real without true and real faith. This faith is only and can only be given and produced by God. Faith without good works is like the faith that Demons have. It is dead. [James 2:17] Faith that is not accompanied by its expectant fruits of faith is no faith at all. If we say we have faith, authentic faith, then we will automatically produce good works.

A mere profession of faith does not mean the possession of faith.

Questions to ask ourselves:
* If I say I have faith, is there evidence in my life that accompanies that faith.
* Would my faith be considered an authentic faith or a faith that is dead?
Keep it real! :)

Stay tuned for tomorrows post ya'll!

Faith That Works series: Day 1

Today is the official start of my one week series titled Faith that Works: a study on James 2:14-26. I said it would start last week but it's taken me more time than I thought to study and put this all together. Ok, I lied and I lagged it a little. I'm a sinner, don't judge me. :p

Moving along, today's focus will be primarily on verses 14-17 which read:
14What good is it, my brothers if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16If 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? 17In the same way, faith by itself, if it not accompanied by action is dead.  

If the book of James could be summed up into one sentence it would be : "faith without deeds is dead." This passage is crucial, particularly verse 17, because it pretty much summarizes everything James was trying to make Jewish Christians of his time understand.  A belief in God that is not shadowed by actions is useless.  James, one of Jesus's brothers who did not become a believer until after the crucifixion, gets straight to the point in these verses and wastes no time in explaining how both faith and deeds can never exist without the other being present.

Verse 14: James is speaking here specifically to those who call themselves Christians. To those who say they are born again individuals. [John 3:1-15]  They go to church, they got baptized, they publicly announced their conversion to the church, etc.  James is referring to the person who claims to have faith, in other words a belief in God. [Hebrews 11:1] Not many gods but one God.  However, if this person makes such claim yet has no deeds to prove his conversion was genuine than that faith is no good. When James says, "can such faith save him?" he is not saying that a person needs to do good works to save him. The bible is clear that good works cannot save anyone. [Ephesians 2:8] Faith alone in Christ has the power to save, however, faith naturally produces in us the desire to good works.

Verse 15-16: These two verses are a perfect example of what faith should look like and what it should do. James was concerned about how Christians should treat others and how our faith as believers should be reflected in the way we respond to those in need. Telling someone in need we wished things for them would get better instead of actually doing something that helps change their spiritual or physical needs is pointless. So what if I say to a family who is struggling to put food on their table how I just hope things for them would get better? They're still going to be hungry! My pity little comment or a simple pep-talk isn't going to change their circumstance. I may not be able to provide for them a years worth of food, but me showing them that I care enough to do what I can to help is enough. Whatever you can do to show someone in need you care is enough. Doing good unto others should be an an extension of our faith. It shouldn't be all about saying good things, but doing good things.

Verse 17: And here it is everyone. A faith that is not accompanied by a radical way of living is fake and useless faith. It is hypocritical to say "I have faith" yet do nothing to show and prove that faith is real and authentic. The faith that stands by itself that James is talking about is one that is dry and hollow.

Few questions we need to be asking ourselves:
*How am I exercising my faith?
* What am I doing to meet the needs of others?
*  How important to me is doing good works?

It's time to put our faith into good use and make evident that we have faith not only because we say we do, but because by our actions we show that we do. And looking at this long post, I hope I didn't bore you guys. Just know that reading makes you smarter. Just saying.

So stay tuned for tomorrows second post on Faith that Works. Holla!!

Video post: 6 letters. 1 message.

It is the most powerful story ever told, but it is one that is hardly told.
It's life changing, yet rejected by many. It's soul saving but mocked by plenty.

Here's that story...

Faith that works: One week series intro...

So with the new title of my blog and all, I've been feeling inspired lately. Inspired to do something new and different. This inspiration led me to cut up a t-shirt into a "rock" inspired look I saw in a blog the other day, however, the one on the blog looked so much cooler than mine.  But because I was feeling inspired I tried on my "rock" inspired cut up t-shirt with silver hoop earrings and some black leggings. What was I thinking, I looked like an 80's hootchie experiment gone wrong!! Or something along the lines of a Kiss groupie. Anyways, something tells me I could never be a rock goddess.

All this inspiration talk leads me to something I have never done before on this bloggity of mine. Being that the title of my blog is "Walk the Talk" I've decided to share a one week series where I discuss the importance of building up a faith that is expressed not only through words but through actions. Starting next week, I'll be in the book of James chapter 2:14-26 talking about faith and deeds and how it is impossible for one to co-exist without the other. So stay tuned next week!

Proof the bible cares about shoes...

If I could own a closet full of them, I would. Because I'm love with with them. They make me happy, they're attractive, they compliment my outfits, and they go everywhere I go. If shoes were guys I would date them. So when this past Thursday's young adult study was a message regarding shoes I died and went to heaven. Because honestly, when do you hear a preaching about the very thing that makes girls want to blow an entire credit card? But to my dismay, the speaker didn't focus on wedges or cute flats but rather a type of shoe that is essential in the spiritual battle that wages on every day in the life of a Christian.


   "And, as [shoes] for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the Gospel of peace." 
Ephesians 6:15 ESV


It's noted that often times the armor of a soldier is recognized based on the type of weaponry he or she carries. However, the type of shoes a soldier wears are often ignored or not given much importance. But if you ask a soldier if the type of shoes he wears are important after he's walked through muddy and slippery soil, hiked a steep mountain, and dodged bullets all day, his answer will most definitely be yes. If a soldier's feet are protected, fastened, and guarded from dangerous terrain that may cause harm to his feet he will stand solid and firm when in battle. A roman soldier during the apostle Paul's time depended on the type of sandal he wore. His feet were fitted and grounded.

So when it comes to the spiritual battle between us and Satan, we need some good shoes. Our feet should be fastened with the Gospel so that with it we may be able to withstand the enemy's schemes. The Gospel should be the foundation from which we stand on and hold on to when the enemy dodges bullets. So like the speaker last Thursday said, don't be a barefoot Christian. Barefoot Christians are wack. Ok-I added the "wack" part. Don't hate. And besides, no one likes crusty feet. Just saying.

Happy Monday!