We used to have what was referred to as the “8 o’clock”, this basically our early morning meeting.
At one of these meeting’s, John McKay was running it, he asked us all to get into groups. Each group was to have a discussion on faith, and the elected person was to stand up in front of everyone and preach about it.
Pastor John said that the person who was elected could either preach about what had been discussed, or preach on what they have themselves, well, I was the elected person in our group.
As the group was discussing things, other things on faith was running around my head, hence I couldn’t concentrate on what the group was saying, only what was coming into my head about faith, so, it was my turn to stand up…
There were a couple of things I said, but one thing which I have just been thinking about was about Blind Bartimaeus (Mark 10:46-52) (Although I didn’t know that was his name and just knew him as the blind bloke who shouted “Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me”).
Jesus knew He could heal, He had faith to believe He could heal, He knew He could give Bartimaeus back his sight, but can you imagine if Jesus said to Bartimaeus, “Wow, Bartimaeus, you have faith that I can heal you, well, guess what, I too have faith that I can heal you, isn’t that brilliant!” but then just carried on, rejoicing in the fact that He had faith to heal. What good would that have done?
Having faith for something is not enough, we need to put that faith into action, because if we don’t, there is no blessing.
This is important, especially when we are believing God for something, yet not putting our faith into action. When it comes to faith, we have to play a part, it’s not all up to God to do it all for us, there is a step we have to take.
It’s like having faith for a job, yet not going to the interview, your faith cannot be blessed because you didn’t take the step to put that faith into action. Catch my drift.
Believe me, I’m speaking to myself here as well as anyone else reading this post.
So if we are believing God for something, lets take the step in order to put that faith into action so it will bring blessing and will give Glory to God.
Peace be with the moderator, as well as those reading this message.(if this is not censored 🙂
The time has come.
I am here to bring judgment to the living and the dead. The harvest is ripe. Pass this message on to fellow believers.
There is 'love'and 'hate', then there is love.
The Faithful Witness
Duke
You are right on target with this message. "Faith without action is dead". Corresponding Action is a requirement for Faith. How do you know what someone believes? By what they do.
Maybe faith means different things to different people?
For me it was about firstly accepting that I can't solve all the world's problems on my own, nor even my families problems – probably not even my own!
A few years ago I had taken on so much that I became crippled by anxiety. I no longer knew which way to turn. Had to admit I was failing and not coping as things were at the time. I asked God for help – first time I ever really prayed in my life. God answered and even sent me various signs. A great weight was lifted off me and I started to heal. I have not looked back since.
Having fully acknowleged my own sins of impatience and anger, I can love others so much more than before. My personal message from God was to embrace the real world and take a full part in it and to reach out to those who are strugling in their lives (as I was in mine) and to pray for them. Since I have been doing this I have seen amazing improvements in the lives of those that I have prayed for.
In short, I couldn't agree more that we must "put faith into action", but what form that may take is for God to guide us on. He knows our strengths and our weaknesess and will use us wisely if we let Him guide us.