“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 2:18, NKJV)
We all have dreams that we’re hoping will come to pass and promises that we’re believing for. We should always be praying, believing and hoping — that’s all part of faith. But there’s another part of faith that, oftentimes, people leave out, and that is putting action behind your faith.
Scripture tells us that our works or actions prove our faith. In other words, when we really believe God, we obey Him. We can pray all day long, “God, get me out of this problem.” Or, “God, give me that promotion.” But if you really want to get God’s attention and see Him move in amazing ways, take it one step further and do something to demonstrate your faith. Let your actions prove your faith in Him. For example, maybe you need a turnaround in a relationship. Are you being the one to show love, honor and forgiveness? Maybe you need a financial breakthrough. Are you obeying Him and being faithful in your finances? Maybe you lost your job. Are you putting your resume out and knocking on new doors? That’s one way to take a step of faith.
Today, make sure you put action behind your faith. Make it visible in the eyes of God and man and watch Him come through on your behalf!
Broken And Poured Out
by Joyce Meyer
Be willing to give your best to the Lord, and He will use your gifts in ways beyond your imagination. The lady with the alabaster jar of perfume that was worth a year’s wages wanted to do something for Jesus because she loved Him. So she poured out the expensive perfume on Him, not realizing at the time that she was anointing Him for His burial (see Mark 14:1- 9).
God led her to give what she had, no matter how costly. As you pour out the gifts God has given you, He will use them to prepare the world for the second coming of His son. Your obedience today will reap rewards in heaven that you are not aware of now.
Remember, our battles are spiritual battles. The people in your life aren’t the source of your problems, the forces of darkness are. When you choose to be still and know that the Greater One lives on the inside of you, you are putting yourself in a position of strength. So today, take time to be still before Him. Let His peace cover you. Let Him refresh you by His Spirit. Remember, the battles you face belong to the Lord. Be still before Him so you can see His hand of victory in every area of your life!
We all face challenges. We all have obstacles to overcome. But if we can keep the right perspective, it will help us stay in faith so that we can move forward into victory. You may feel right now like the challenges that you face are too big or too overwhelming. One thing I’ve learned is that average people have average problems. Ordinary people have ordinary challenges. But remember, you’re not average. You’re not ordinary. You are extraordinary. God breathed His life into you. You are exceptional, and exceptional people face exceptional difficulties. But, the good news is that we serve an exceptional God! He’ll pour out His exceptional grace, exceptional wisdom and exceptional favor!
Friend, in our spiritual journey, the enemy has strategically placed all kinds of stumbling blocks in our paths. When we make the Word of God our number one priority, it helps us to move forward with our eyes wide open. His Word lights our path and helps us see clearly where to step. When we love His Word, we keep our peace and avoid stumbling. Remember that the most important thing you can do is take time to read and meditate on His Word. His Word is life and strength to your body, and it will protect and direct your every step today!
…those who hope in me will not be disappointed. Isaiah 49:23, NIV.
What a powerful promise we have from Almighty God! When we put our hope in Him, we will never be disappointed. Of course, that doesn’t mean that things will always go our way. There may be temporary disappointments, but we will never be permanently disappointed. Somewhere down the road, God will cause it to all work out for our good. With God on your side, you will always end in victory!
“So let’s not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don’t give up, or quit” - Galatians 6:9,
God has put dreams and desires in every person’s heart. We all have goals we want to accomplish and situations we are believing will be turned around. Sometimes it seems to take longer than we thought. Sometimes things don’t work out the way we planned, and it’s easy to lose enthusiasm. Negative thoughts come to us that say, “It’s never going to change.” “You’re never going to get well.” “You’re never going to get out of debt.” If we’re not careful, we’ll get discouraged and end up just settling where we are. Many times, people miss out on God’s best simply because they give up too soon. They don’t realize how close they are to their victory.
Friend, don’t let that be you today! Don’t give up just because things seem hard. You are closer than you think! You’ve invested so much and you never know, just another few more days of believing, another few weeks of doing the right thing, another few months of staying in faith, and you could see that situation turn around. Remember, God is on your side! Keep standing and keep believing because you are closer than you think to fulfilling every desire He’s placed inside of you!
A Prayer for Today
“Father God, today I come to You again, believing that You are working behind the scenes on my behalf. Give me Your strength to keep moving forward into the place of victory You have for me. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.”
