Day 9 - 21 Days of Prayer & Fasting

SCRIPTURE:
14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. 24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

25 Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?
26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

LESSON:
In this section, James refers back to several people who are considered to be heroes of faith. They are included in the faith chapter in Hebrews eleven where we see how they lived out their faith in a very real way. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”(Hebrews 11:1) You see, true faith always does something in us that turns outward and becomes manifested in our actions. It becomes the evidence of something unseen. James calls it “works.”

I have talked to many people who say that they “believe” in Jesus. But when you start watching their lives it becomes clear that something is missing. “Believing” is not faith. Even the demons believe! But they still act like demons.

So how do you see someone's faith? You see it in their works! What they do or do not do. If you act more like a demon than a saint then maybe you believe in God but don’t have a genuine saving faith. What do I mean? I mean that if you were a liar and then got “saved” but you continue in your dishonesty, then you cannot be living in faith. Your works are not in line with your “testimony.”

Let’s go through the list of things that James has already touched on in the first two chapters. According to James, if you are a person of faith you should:

• Count it all joy when you fall into trials.
• Pray in faith without doubting.
• Endure temptation by rejecting fleshly desires.
• Swift to hear, slow to speak and slow to wrath.
• Be a doer of the Word.
• Bridle your tongue. 
• Help those who can’t help themselves. 
• Not be partial to people based on their wealth. (Or any other thing)
• Love your neighbor as yourself.
• Show mercy rather than judgment to others.

Based on this list would you consider yourself to be a person of faith? It’s a tough pill to swallow. But thankfully God is merciful and his goal for us is to make us “complete, lacking nothing!” My goal today is not to discourage you but rather to motivate you. Take a hard look at yourself and adjust your life in such a way that your faith becomes a little bit more visible! Let your works be in line with your “testimony!” God wants to help you with this!

PRAYER:
Father, help me to be a person of faith. A person who allows my life to reflect you. A person who’s works line up with my testimony of faith. Thank you for not casting me aside when I don’t measure up. Help me to be more like you each and every day. Amen!