REAL FAITH
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?
How can you tell if you are right with God? You can tell, not just by what you believe or what you say, but by how God has changed your life. Today's devotional may be one of the most important devotions you will read in your entire life. It is because right now, it is the topic that is so important. What this devotion is about today has huge implications for our lives, not just right now but for eternity.
"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?" (James 2:16)
According to the Bible, there are going to be a lot of surprises one day. Many people thought this would be in a distant future or not in our lifetime — then the pandemic. The world changed, and now we are adapting. It affected everyone in every country, but now it is time to focus on our faith.
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” (Matthew 7:21-23)
Jesus told us that one day many people are going to show up and finally meet Him. They will be excited, thinking that this is the day that they have been waiting for. Jesus told us that there are going to be many people who are going to be surprised when Jesus returns. Why? Because they assumed that they were okay in their faith.
They did not doubt themselves; it had never crossed their minds even to contemplate the possibility that they could be anything but Believers and saved people, heirs of glory, and able to spend eternity in heaven. But yet what Jesus will say to them is that they are lost. There can be no doubt about it when Jesus returns it is going to be a day of many surprises. Just as the pandemic one day changed the world and we were not prepared. Jesus is coming, and you need to take the time today to be prepared.
How do we know that we are right with God? How can we know that we are really prepared? James will help us figure it out today. There is not a more important issue for us to get correct.
How can we tell if we are right with God? Our Faith! According to James, faith is more than what we say and what we believe. It is so important to understand this because a lot of us tend to rely on these things. And yet James says they are not reliable. If we think we have faith based on them, we are in danger of being deceived. We are in danger of thinking we are okay when we are really not.
“What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 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?” (James 2:14-16)
It is not hard to imagine that right now as we are having a hard time making ends meet, not talking about having to cut our cell phone bill or not being able to eat out. We are talking about a lack of the basic necessities of life, like paying our rent or mortgages or enough food on our tables.
When this scenario is real, as it is right now, how do we react? James pictures someone saying the right things, wishing that the person has what they need, without doing the right thing, without helping to alleviate the situation.
Let's make it real. There are people all around us, hurting and struggling to make ends meet or adapt to the current environment. What are we personally doing about it?
What James is saying is that if our faith is only about saying the right things, that is not good enough. We can all say the right things, but unless there is evidence that what we say changes how we act, we are deceiving ourselves. We can listen to church services every week and say the right things to each other, but that is not enough. Faith is much more than just saying the right things. It is listening to the Word of God, believing it in our hearts, and taking action! More importantly, it is how faith has changed your life!
Do you say the right things? Do you believe the right things? That is a good start. But it is not enough. You may be in danger of fooling yourself into thinking you are okay. Neither what we say or what we believe is evidence of our faith. How can you tell if you are right with God? You can not tell by what you believe or what you say.
You can only tell you have real faith by how it has changed your life.
“Thus 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 without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” (James 2:17-18)
The Holy Spirit is going to move into your life, and He is going to start to make changes. You will not be perfect, but you are sure going to be different. You will start and sometimes take backward steps, but you will see real change in your life over time. Real change will change the way you see people. Real changes will change your heart for God. Real change will cause you to struggle with sins you used to love. You will not be perfect, we never are in this life, but your faith will start to change you. James says if you do not see that happening, you need to examine your faith and get prepared for Jesus' return.
That is real faith. That is what is available to anyone who wants it. Come and encounter the real Jesus and build a real relationship with God. Receive His grace in your life, and you will never be the same.
Where has your faith changed your life?
Heavenly Father, I repent for lack of obedience, and I purpose in my heart to do the will of You, Father, in heaven. I watch for Jesus’ return with a heart of obedience and not a heart that is deceived. I will listen and obey. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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