"My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality. For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes, and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, “You sit here in a good place,” and say to the poor man, “You stand there,” or, “Sit here at my footstool,” have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?
Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? But you have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts? Do they not blaspheme that noble name by which you are called?
If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well; but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder." Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty. For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
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? 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. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? 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. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.
Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also."
Dear Brother, dear Sister,
How are you today? -Honestly? Please don't lie, please don't hide. Do you remember that God has called you to be His own? That it was by a painful death that Christ suffered in order that you might be set free? Whatever you are doing, or whatever you are not doing, I pray it be of sincerest devotion to your Father and not for personal strife. What are you doing, or not doing, and why? You know, there's a lot of good I'm sure you're involved in-but where is your faith? Is it set on the Kingdom of Heaven or a compensation of what you feel you are lacking as you watch the world around you? Is the good that you're involved in based on faith with relationship to God, or man? In the above verse, we read that faith without works is dead-NOW I want to identify that does not mean we earn salvation....we know from what Christ said that He cares about the heart! He cares about the inward man, regardless of how pretty the outside is....which will inevitably pass away. Faith starts inwardly and emulates out. We know that what we do is based on what we believe or don't believe.
Dear Brother, dear Sister,
How are you today? -Honestly? Please don't lie, please don't hide. Do you remember that God has called you to be His own? That it was by a painful death that Christ suffered in order that you might be set free? Whatever you are doing, or whatever you are not doing, I pray it be of sincerest devotion to your Father and not for personal strife. What are you doing, or not doing, and why? You know, there's a lot of good I'm sure you're involved in-but where is your faith? Is it set on the Kingdom of Heaven or a compensation of what you feel you are lacking as you watch the world around you? Is the good that you're involved in based on faith with relationship to God, or man? In the above verse, we read that faith without works is dead-NOW I want to identify that does not mean we earn salvation....we know from what Christ said that He cares about the heart! He cares about the inward man, regardless of how pretty the outside is....which will inevitably pass away. Faith starts inwardly and emulates out. We know that what we do is based on what we believe or don't believe.
(-Hebrews 11:1)
I wish that whatever you are doing, or not doing, that it is based purely on your life, on your love, for your Savior. That you are going about your tasks, obligations, relationships, with hope and love and joy and freedom in the back and front of your mind.
Dear Reader, I'm afraid I'm quite weary. But I talked to God today!-For real. Not just passing by 'thank you's and what's ups'. In my sorrow I knew He was there...that He is here. I told Him my deepest longings, I cast my cares on Him. I dropped the church goer smile and awkward side hug attitude. I wish for your time with Him to be just the same-that you are talking to this Wonderful Person!
I am convicted about what the LORD says through Peter:
"His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.
Therefore, my brothers and sisters,make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 1: 3-11)
I can be sure, I can be secure, because I have the LORD! I am equipped to live this life for Him. It's freeing to know that, yes, I will mess up and fail, but I literally, by my good or bad works, cannot get in the way of His plan! I STUMBLE WHEN I FORGET THE GOSPEL! -I FORGET THE CHRIST PART OF CHRISTIANITY! How simple yet astounding.
Dear Brother, dear Sister,
I wish you to be in relationship with your Creator. Read His word, talk to Him...go on a prayer walk. But I beseech you to please not waste your time searching the ends of the earth for an Answer or an Affirmation that you already have. I am sure that, in some way, you want to do something great in your life. I'll leave you two quotes, a scripture, and a song to sum up my point.
"In order to make a difference in the world, you have to be different."
I can be sure, I can be secure, because I have the LORD! I am equipped to live this life for Him. It's freeing to know that, yes, I will mess up and fail, but I literally, by my good or bad works, cannot get in the way of His plan! I STUMBLE WHEN I FORGET THE GOSPEL! -I FORGET THE CHRIST PART OF CHRISTIANITY! How simple yet astounding.
Dear Brother, dear Sister,
I wish you to be in relationship with your Creator. Read His word, talk to Him...go on a prayer walk. But I beseech you to please not waste your time searching the ends of the earth for an Answer or an Affirmation that you already have. I am sure that, in some way, you want to do something great in your life. I'll leave you two quotes, a scripture, and a song to sum up my point.
"In order to make a difference in the world, you have to be different."
- (this I heard from Jeff Meyers of Summit Ministries)
"Faith does not eliminate questions. But faith knows where to take them."
-Elizabeth Elliot
"Do not let your heart envy sinners,
but always be zealous for the fear of the LORD.
There is surely a future hope for you,
and your hope will not be cut off."
- Proverbs 23: 17-18
"Faith does not eliminate questions. But faith knows where to take them."
-Elizabeth Elliot
"Do not let your heart envy sinners,
but always be zealous for the fear of the LORD.
There is surely a future hope for you,
and your hope will not be cut off."
- Proverbs 23: 17-18
I am learning to be content and to delight and wait upon the LORD because I realize the real state that I am in. That is, that I have been saved through the death and resurrection of Christ. If you are confused, foggy,unsure,insecure (...insert applicable line here..) I'd guess that means you probably, more than anything, need quiet alone time. Jesus talks about going into your bedroom and locking the door and praying...now, you don't have to...but in my own life I have found this to be very enriching. Do whatever you need to do to get yourself focused on the Who, instead of the what. Because, circumstantially, if you've got Christ, you've got it best...even in the worst of these wordly circumstances. But I'll guess that you are not in a third-world country and will say your worst 'problem' is the early stages of adulthood, 'what do I do with my life???' rather than you being threatened with your life (and family's life) because you choose to follow Christ.
Please don't waste your time beating yourself up, beating someone else up, or beating yourself up because you are beating yourself or someone else up. Remember that you are called to be a good steward, to be intentional with your life. You have purpose, regardless of whatever everyone else is doing (which you shouldn't be worried about, in fact, Jesus tells us not to worry AT ALL!...If we have Him we don't have to.)
I am wishing the Lord's blessings be with you! Whenever I am 'down' I try to remember to thank Jesus for the eternal hope and peace and joy I have in Him because He died for me.
I am wishing these words have served you well, Brother and Sister. I really am wishing you the best. I am wishing you conviction and contentment in the Lover of Your Soul. I wish you to know truly that you are loved and cherished. I wish you to smile whatever sweet smile God put on your face. I wish that, whatever you have been called to for right now, career-wise, etc. it would be in line with walking the narrow path...looking unto Jesus, setting your heart on Eternal things.
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