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Word for the Day November
2
By:
Evang. Cascille Hammack
"Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to
him, 'Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,' but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the
same way, faith by itself , if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." James 2:15-16
True saving faith in Jesus expresses itself in action
and devotion to Him. James directed his teaching in James 2 against those in the church who professed faith in Christ
and His blood atonement and believed that such a profession was all that was needed for salvation. They believed a personal,
obedient relationship with Christ as Lord of their lives was not essential. James says such a confession of faith is
dead and will produce neither salvation nor anything good (James 2:14-16; 20-24). We must remember Galatians 5:6, "The
only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love." We also must not think faith is earned by effort.
The grace of God, the indwelling Holy Spirit and Christ's intercession work in us enables us to respond to God by faith.
Romans 1:17 says, "For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is revealed, a righteousness
that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: 'The righteous will live by faith.' In living by faith,
the believer grows from one of maturity to another, onward and upward in Christ Jesus until we meet Him.
James said faith not accompanied by action is
dead (James 2:16). We are taught in Romans 12:18 that one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is the ability to give
generously for the needs of God's work and to His people. We are commanded to give to the Lord in Malachi 3:10
the Lord said, "Bring the whole tithe (Hebrew for ma'ser literally meaning a tenth part) into the storehouse, that there
may be food in My house. Test Me in this, says the Lord Almighty, and see if I will not throw open the floodgates
of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it." We are created by God and even
owe Him our very breath (Ge. 1:26; Acts 17:28); and we have nothing we have not first received from the Lord (Job 1:21; John
3:27; 1 Cor. 4:7). The Lord said the first ten percent of all we have should be given to Him as a tithe. Malachi
3:10 is the only time in the Word the Lord instructs us to test Him in His promise. We are
to give to Him and to His work to advance His kingdom (1 Cor. 9:4-14; Phil. 4:15-18; 1 Tim 5:17,18).
We are also to give to help
those in need (Prov. 19:17; Gal. 2:10; 2 Cor. 8:14). It is so important to the Lord that we help those in need, that
He said what we do to others, we are doing to Him and our actions will have eternal consequences. Jesus demonstrated the importance
of this in the parable of the Sheep and the Goats in Matthew 25:31-46. In it, He demonstrates judgement will be based
on outward works of compassion and love to those belonging to Christ who are suffering. In summary in verses 45
and 46, He says, "I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for Me.
'Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life." When we give to the Lord's work
as He commanded us and when we give to those in need, we are storing up teasure in heaven (Mt. 6:20) and learning to
fear the Lord (Dt. 14:22,23).
God
expects our giving to be done from our hearts freely and without pressure and constraint. 2 Cor. 9:7 instructs,
"Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a
cheerful giver." God sees the willingness in each person's heart to give. You can not out give the Lord.
Romans 8:32 says, "He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him,
graciously give us all things?" He has given us all things. 2 Peter 1:3 declares, "His divine power
has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness."
When we have faith in the Lord and we love Him,
we will give to Him and to His people in need. When we love Him, we naturally produce good fruit for His kingdom.
Matthew 7:16-20 explains, "By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from
thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good
tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit
is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them." Jesus said
in John 15:16, "You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit
that will last—and so that whatever you ask in My name the Father will give you."
As we give to the Lord and His work
and to His people in need from our hearts, let us do as 1 John 3:18 teaches, "Dear children, let us not love with words
or tongue but with actions and in truth."