Discovery Journal

Mike A. - July 18, 2011

Scripture:

James 2:20-26 20 You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? 21 Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. 24 You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone. 25 In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? 26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

Observation:

James is trying to get a point across that faith alone without deeds and good deeds without faith are totally useless. Using Abraham as an example, he had faith that God would provide. Abraham knew without a doubt that sacrifing his son to God would glorify God. Abraham had so much faith, he knew that nothing but good could come with his deed of letting go.

Application:

I'm working on this daily. Do I have the faith that God wants me to have? The faith like Abraham, to let go. The kind of faith that shows my pre-believer friends and family that God can provide? Now the deed of praying for those pre-belivers:  this may look good to those I'm praying for, but only God knows my heart. Was there faith in that prayer that God will provide, heal or fix the relationship, or am I thinking, boy your problem is so big you don't believe anyway about God, so He may not answer my prayer for you. Through prayer I can change that mind set.

Prayer:

Father I pray for a right heart, a faithful heart, a heart that believes hat you are the almighty Healer of all that is wrong. May my actions be backed by my faith of my Savior Jesus Christ. Thank You, Lord. Amen.