My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry, for mans anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. - James 1:19
" But 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. You believe that there is one God? GOOD! Even demons believe that...(yada yada) AND SHUDDER! " -James 2: 18, 19
Lately my friends, God has been telling me a lot about not only saying I have faith, or that I am a believer, or that I follow Christ with my EVERYTHING. (words, actions, thoughts, moods, life example) Faith without deeds? dead. dead dead dead as a doornail. Not to mention hallow. Have you ever had someone "promise" you something, but then know that at the end of the day, they were the type of person who would never actually call you back, do that thing, or follow through? Oh my friends...this is not the person I want to be!!! I used to care so little about others, I'd say many nice things, and then have little to no follow through. Faith with out action is nothing. Faith without follow through is empty. void. gone. ridiculous.
I do not want the demons that I cannot see to laugh in joy every time I fail to follow through. That's what they do you...do not be ignorant of this: There is a spiritual battle going on here folks. A battle we cannot see with eyes, but we can feel it in our souls. Every time you give into sin, or I give into to temptation, the enemy wins a little battle. (He has overcome the final battle, but the little ones in between, can be lost) and who are we fighting for? The cause of CHRIST! And, how do we fight? By being kind when the world says hate. But following through when everyone else says "why bother..." By answering honestly when everyone around is full of lies. By speaking the truth in love when everyone else seethes with hate. BY doing the good you ought to do through Christ JESUS...for Him, and IN HIS STRENGTH. That last part, the "how" of how we do this follow through is often where we trip up. We start to be good, to do good, to say good and to pay up in our own strength. This is the biggest mistake we could ever make. Why do you feel empty when you try to do the good you desires to do? Because my friends, we do it in our human strength. Our desire is good....Our longings to bless others is wonderful...but in who's strength will we accomplish these things....
It's time say this: I will never be the perfect mom I long to be. I will never be the best wife I want to be. I will never do all the good I want to do: IF I DO IT IN MY OWN STRENGTH. I will accomplish dimes when I could be raking in millions. I will settle for dirt, when I could be walking in gold!! do you hear what I say my friends? We sell ourselves so short when we say "yes" to anything, and try to carry out our "yes" on our own. On our own, we are POWERLESS. But IN HIS strength???? OH MY FRIENDS!!!! We will run and not grow weary!!! It is not say that we will not ever fall when we are depending on Him, for we are still in the flesh here on earth, and sadly, the flesh is weak. But, take heart!!! HE HAS OVERCOME THIS WORLD!
So what then shall I say in response to this?
" Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves, do what it says!!" James 1:22
And how will we do this?
" But the wisdom that comes from heaven, is first of all pure, then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy, and GOOD FRUIT, impartial and sincere...." James 3: 17
"Come near to God and HE will come near to you!" -James 4:8
"Submit yourselves, then, to God- Resist the devil, and he will flee from you!" James 4:7
AND MY GOD, WILL MEET ALL YOUR NEEDS ACCORDING TO HIS GLORIOUS RICHES IN CHRIST JESUS!!!! -Philippians 4:19
That last verse my friends, is it. That is your "how" your "when" your ability. He will be the gas, that makes you run forever, and the brick that keeps the tower strong. The Pillar! The glue that holds it all together, and the map that makes sense of all things confusing. Your Guide. Your helper. Your sustainer. Your peace. Your ability to conquer when strength runs dry and your words when you have none. Your patience when none is to be found. Your wisdom for all situation. (when you, and I surrender that we know NOTHING at all...or that we cant do a thing at all in our strength) for I know that I know that I know, without Christ, I am powerless. absolutely short of everything I need. Dry. Empty and done. That is my condition, my state...without Him.
"And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding with guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:7
Thank you Jesus. Without you, I am nothing. Amen.
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