FAITH MEANS BECOMING A DOER

Now someone may argue, ‘Some people have faith; others have good deeds.’ But I say, ‘How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.’- James 2:18.

James is perhaps one of the most profound books in the Bible. It is written to believers and challenges us to understand how to live the Christian life. One may say, “Hold on for a second. I am a believer; I have asked Jesus to forgive me for my sins. Is that not enough?” The answer is yes and no.

First, we must remember that we do not receive salvation because of our works. Works save us, but it is the work of Christ. God the Father planned our salvation in the past, but it was accomplished when the Son of God took on flesh and walked this earth. The core of His saving work is the two central events in Jesus’s life—His death and resurrection. His perfectly sinless life is counted as our perfectly sinless life. His death becomes our death, His resurrection our resurrection. Through his works, Christ has accomplished what we could never do for ourselves. When we come to Christ, sincerely confessing our sins and asking Him to save us, He does just that.

But we also need to understand that it is one thing to believe in God and another to obey Him and do what He asks us to do. James makes the stunning observation that the demons believe in God; that is, they know that God exists and even tremble in fear with that knowledge (James 2:19). When James talks about having faith in God, he means trusting God in the manner of our living. Faith is not merely a ticket to a future heaven; it is the ability to begin living for God in the present. God gives the gift of faith so we can begin living in new ways. Faith is more than a decision to believe; it is a willingness to act. Simply hearing or reading the Bible only gets us so far. We can mark up our Bible, but the question is whether the Bible marks us. If a person thinks he is spiritual just because he hears the Word of God, not because he does the Word, he is deceiving himself. The value of the Bible does not consist merely in knowing it but in obeying it. To be a doer of the Word means to do more, take action, and be proactive. We do this out of gratitude for what Christ has done for us.

 Being a doer is taking the Word of God and allowing it to impact our lives, so it changes us. It changes the way we speak, think, and live. It changes the way we treat our spouse. It changes the way we act in business. It changes everything about us. If we are to use the mirror of God’s Word profitably, we must gaze into it carefully and seriously. No glances will do. We must examine our hearts and life in the light of God’s Word.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What does it mean to you to be doing good works? 
  2. Why is it so hard to move from a hearer to a doer?
  3. What can we do to move further into the doers column this week?

THE POWER OF THANKSGIVING

“Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.

Imagine for a second what the very first Thanksgiving was like. Imagine the challenges present in 1623. The pilgrims left everyone they knew and everything that was familiar. Approximately 100 voyagers endured sickness and storms on a perilous journey across the Atlantic. The first winter was brutal. Yet, when the harvest season arrived, they set aside a day to give thanks. Despite the hardships, they found there was much to be grateful for. They chose to celebrate and thank God for His blessings even though life was difficult and their blessings were few.

There are stories in the Bible that mirror the Pilgrims’  thankfulness; one of them is found in Luke 17:11-19. In this passage of scripture, we read a story about a man whose heart was focused on Jesus, not just focused on his blessings. It’s the story of when Jesus had compassion, mercy, and grace for ten lepers on the roadside and healed each one of them … but only one man was so thankful that he took the time to return and say thanks. The leper surely still had lots of problems in his life, but being grateful, he heard Jesus give him the greatest blessing when He said in Luke 17:19, “Stand up and go. Your faith has healed you.”

What about us? Are we thankful for what we have and what Jesus has done in our lives rather than being concerned with what we don’t have? We, too, have much to be grateful for. Every day, we can thank God for the great things He has done. Giving thanks does not have to be a grand gesture or complicated. It can be as simple as offering a prayer of thanks.

We should be thankful because God is worthy of our thanksgiving. It is only fitting to credit Him because “Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father,”  (James 1:17). Expressing thankfulness helps us remember that God is in control. Gratitude, then, is not only appropriate; it is healthy and beneficial to us. It reminds us of the bigger picture that we belong to God and have been blessed with every spiritual blessing. “All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ” (Ephesians 1:3).

Thanksgiving is awareness of who God is and what He has done. It does not mean we don’t realize that there are difficulties. It just means that we stand upon a greater reality. God is on the throne and deserves praise and our gratitude.

Before we gather around the table this year, gobbling up turkey and a slice of pumpkin pie, let’s be intentional about giving thanks no matter what. We all have a lot to be thankful for this time of year. But not only should we give thanks during the holidays, but we should also give thanks to God every day of the year. Each day brings a new opportunity to be grateful and celebrate what God has done.

Discussion Questions:

  1. How is it possible to give thanks even in hard times?
  2. Does thanking God lead to praising God in your life?
  3. For what are you most grateful today?

JESUS CHRIST IS COMING

“Dear brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the Lord’s return. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen.” – James 5:7.

Imagine for a moment that you are running an errand, and you drive by a local church that has a sign on their marquee that reads: “Jesus Christ is coming.” What would your thoughts be when you see it?  What message do you think the church is trying to convey? Is it meant to encourage those who pass by?  Was it designed to instill fear? Should we be afraid?

All too often, the fact that Jesus is coming is seen as a threat to scare sinners into thinking twice about their sins. But when did “Jesus is coming!” become more of a threat than a blessing?  “Jesus Christ is coming!” is the heart of the Gospel.  He lived, He died, He rose, He is coming back.  The Good News isn’t good news without that last part because life on this earth is as good as it gets without His return. To be clear, when Christ returns, He will come to judge every person who has lived on this earth. Acts 17:31 reads, “For he has set a day for judging the world with justice by the man he has appointed, and he proved to everyone who this is by raising him from the dead.” 2 Corinthians 5:10 says, “For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body.” But the bottom line is that Jesus’ coming is good news.

When Jesus returns, there will be no more death, mourning, crying, or pain.  He will wipe away every tear from our eyes. There will be no more abuse of children, no more trafficking of humans, and no more homelessness. Everyone will come to see and know that God truly is “…our merciful Father and the source of all comfort”  (2 Corinthians 1:3).

Isaiah 35:5-6 says, “And when he comes, he will open the eyes of the blind and unplug the ears of the deaf. The lame will leap like a deer, and those who cannot speak will sing for joy!…” No injury or disability will be too difficult for the Creator  to heal. There will be no more fear and no more destruction.

All this will be only the beginning of a beautiful future beyond human imagination! Jesus Christ will establish the utopian world humanity has always longed for. “His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity” (Isaiah 9:7).

Heaven is our future home. That’s where our citizenship is; we’re only travelers on earth. A lifetime here will seem like a mere breath compared to our time in eternity. Whenever you read a Bible passage that describes some heavenly scene or activity, put yourself in the picture because that will be your reality if you have accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior. The pearly gates and the streets of gold are not just a fairy tale. You will one day walk through those gates, step on that street, and come face to face with Jesus.

And that is the best news ever.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What will happen when Jesus returns? How do you think the world will respond to this event?
  2. Read Titus 2:12-13: What does it mean to be “watching” for Christ’s return?  
  3. How should our lives be impacted by the knowledge that Jesus could return at any moment?

HOPE IS FOUND IN JESUS

“When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus of Nazareth was nearby, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” – Mark 10:47.

Just one of the great stories in the Bible is the story of Bartimaeus. Bartimaeus is a blind beggar whom Jesus healed. On his way out of Jericho, Jesus was surrounded by a crowd when, from the roadside, Bartimaeus called out to Him to be healed. The following events tell us something profound about God’s nature and shed light on the type of faith and prayer that pleases God.

As Jesus walked by him, Bartimaeus heard who was passing and called to Him: “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” The people told Bartimaeus to be quiet, but he kept calling out even more loudly and persistently than before. This is further proof of his faith. Jesus responded to Bartimaeus’s cries by telling His disciples to call the blind man over. Blind Bartimaeus jumped up and went to Jesus, and Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” (Mark 10:51). His answer “Rabbi, I want to see.” Jesus said to him, “Go, for your faith has healed you.” Blind Bartimaeus instantly recovered his sight and followed Jesus (vs. 52).

When Bartimaeus heard Jesus was passing by, he already knew that Jesus had healed others. He probably thought, “Maybe, just maybe, Jesus will heal me too.” Bartimaeus was feeling hopeful, but it wasn’t quite faith yet. Faith is not wishful thinking.  We need to demonstrate our faith. Bartimaeus shouted and refused to stop.  People around Bartimaeus tried to quiet him. They told him to shut up. They tried to stop his faith from getting what he wanted. But that only caused Bartimaeus to shout louder. Bartimaeus wouldn’t let anything keep him from receiving his sight. He got louder and louder. And guess what happened? Jesus stopped and called for him.

Jesus has whatever we need. We, like Bartimaeus, must put our faith into action. Genuine faith is what we do. So how do you know if you have real faith, one that will stand up to life’s biggest pressures? Take a look at your actions and see if they back up what you say you believe. People today long to see the kind of action-orientated faith that comes from seeing people live out what the Bible says by putting their faith into action.

When we put our faith into action, our lives will reflect the life of Jesus. This is what a relationship with Jesus is all about. It may not be easy. But we do not do it alone. If we trust Him, if we place our faith in Jesus, He will be with us, and He will empower us to do His work – He will make it possible for us to put our faith into action.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are the barriers to doing something every day that requires faith?
  2. How does your faith go beyond mere words? Why is a mere intellectual agreement to the truth not enough?
  3. How is your faith being expressed through deeds? In what ways does your life match up with what you say you believe?

THE CONNECTION BETWEEN FAITH AND HOPE

“Optimism is a wish without warrant; Christian hope is a certainty, guaranteed by God himself. Optimism reflects ignorance as to whether good things will ever actually come. Christian hope expresses knowledge that every day of his life, and every moment beyond it, the believer can say with truth, based on God’s commitment, that the best is yet to come.” – J. I. Packer.

Faith and hope — we need them both. But what exactly is the difference between them? Many Christians ask about faith—how to have it, grow it, maintain it—but not many ask about hope. It is easy to get the two mixed up.

Faith is confidence or trust in something or someone not based on proof (believing in things unseen). Hope is an optimistic attitude based on expectation or desire. So what is the difference? Faith says whatever you are hoping for is here now. Hope says there is a chance of it happening sometime in the future.

Hebrews 11:1 says, “Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see.“ 1 Peter 1:21 says, “Through Christ you have come to trust in God. And you have placed your faith and hope in God because he raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory.

Micah was a prophet and author of the Book of Micah in the Old Testament. The book of Micah paints a picture of a just yet merciful God. Like a shepherd, God will rebuild Jerusalem, defeat evil forever, and send a messianic King to rule over the people and bless all the nations. But at that moment in time, things were not going well. God’s people were surrounded by enemies that were asking, “So where is the LORD— that God of yours?” Even though Micah was filled with “misery” (Micah 7:1) and surrounded by people who had rejected his call to return to the Lord, he firmly put his hope in God. He did not look at the circumstances but focused on the Lord’s faithfulness.   Micah knew that God was with him no matter how difficult his circumstances were. Micah refused to be discouraged: “But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me. (7:7 NIV).

We may go through threatening situations that can cause uncertainty, anxiety, doubt, or fear. But if we depend on God, we can know He is the source of hope and rejoice in Him and the hope He promises us. If we have hope, we can be filled with joy and peace, no matter what happens.

Today, remind yourself to rejoice in the hope God has given you. Place your hope in the living God and His eternal power to save and make everything right in His time, in His way.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What does a hope-filled life look like?
  2. Through Christ, we have hope. How can that be evident in your life this week?

MUSIC: THE HEART OF WORSHIP

“The inner essence of worship is to know God truly and then respond from the heart to that knowledge by valuing God, treasuring God, prizing God, enjoying God, being satisfied with God above all earthly things. And then that deep, restful, joyful satisfaction in God overflows in demonstrable acts of praise from the lips and demonstrable acts of love in serving others for the sake of Christ.” – John Piper

There is nothing like a worship song to get the adrenaline flowing. Music invites participation; it offers every person in attendance a way to get involved: singing, clapping, or even moving to the sound. There is that moment when the worship team is playing a song, and you are ushered into the presence of God. Music has the unique ability to stir our spirits and emotions.

Musical worship appears throughout scripture. “Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the Lord: “I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously…” (Exodus 15:1) Later in the chapter, Miriam led the women in song and dance (Exodus 15:20). King David, a man after God’s heart, continuously worshiped in song, dance, and music. “Come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation” (Psalm 95:1).

Psalm 98 is an expression of jubilant, joyful worship. With trumpets blasting, hands clapping, and people singing and shouting for joy, there is a great celebration of all the wonderful things God has done. Psalm 92 begins with an announcement that it is good to praise and make music to the Lord: ”It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to the Most High. It is good to proclaim your unfailing love in the morning, your faithfulness in the evening, accompanied by a ten-stringed instrument, a harp, and the melody of a lyre.” 

Music is an excellent way for us to worship and experience God and to keep focused on the important things in life, the things that God cares about. Christians worship through music because it expresses praise, glory, honor, and reverence for the Lord. But the bottom line is that worship is a lifestyle. It is characterized by devotion, obedience, and love for God and others. Additionally, it is a conscious action. Worship requires effort. It can be expressed in numerous ways; one way is music. The time set aside to worship through music creates a strong connection and realization of God’s character, holiness, goodness, and power.

Every day, our lives can show that we bring joyful worship to God. Our lives are the music that tells the story of our redemption and hope in Christ. Through our lives, others hear the joyful music of what living in a relationship with a loving God is all about.

Discussion Questions: 

  1. How can music be a conduit into God’s presence?
  2. How can music help you experience God’s presence in your life?

GROWING IN HUMILITY

“Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.” – Colossians 3:12

The world we live in popularizes being great at all things, being better than those you are competing against, and celebrating our achievements with tweets, posts, and conversations.  We want the opportunity to “do great things.” Christianity has a different view: if you want to be great, you must have the humility to be a servant.  C.S. Lewis once said, “A proud man is always looking down on things and people; and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you.”

In the Apostle Paul’s letter to the church in Philippi, he wanted them to know the value of humility and being a true servant. “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves” (Philippians 2:3). He knew that a faithful follower of Jesus was to clothe themselves in humility.

Jesus Christ had every opportunity to grab hold of status, power, and authority.  Jesus was God and deserved to stay in heaven. Yet, out of His great love for us, He chose to come to earth as a human. Jesus even chose to obey God to the point of dying an embarrassing and painful death on the cross for our sins. Jesus is the perfect example of humility, and we are to follow His example. Now, can we follow His example perfectly? No. Only Jesus can be perfectly humble, but because of His humility, He offers us salvation and forgiveness for all the times we’re not perfect. While our imperfect humility can’t bring salvation to others, as Jesus’ perfect humility did, it can help others want to know more about our God.

But it isn’t easy to be humble, even if you are. What is there about us that makes us want to receive credit? Why do we tend to compare ourselves to others? Why are we prone to find fault with others? In those times, in fact, in all times, we need to remember that Jesus became nothing during His life on earth, and He gives us His example so that we may follow in His steps.  As John the Baptist said, ”He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.” (John 3:30)

Humility is recognizing that everything I have and need comes from God. It’s an attitude of heart that affects everything a person does and says. To be humble is to realize how weak and helpless we are to change the course of our lives in our power. It’s to ask God for His forgiveness and to trust Him for His guidance.  That’s what He wants to see abiding in our hearts. “The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit” (Psalm 34:18).

Discussion Questions: 

  1. Read Philippians 2:3-4. How do these verses describe humility? (not being selfish or trying to impress, thinking of others, taking an interest in others) Why is it hard for us not to think about ourselves first?
  2. What can we do to remember who God is and who we are?  

FAITH MEANS BECOMING A DOER

Now, someone may argue, ‘Some people have faith; others have good deeds.’ But I say, ‘How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.’- James 2:18.

James is perhaps one of the most profound books in the Bible. It is written to believers and challenges us to understand how to live the Christian life. One may say, “Hold on for a second. I am a believer; I have asked Jesus to forgive me for my sins. Is that not enough?” The answer is yes and no.

First, we must remember that we do not receive salvation because of our works. We are saved by works, but it is the work of Christ. God the Father planned our salvation in the past, but it was accomplished when the Son of God took on flesh and walked this earth. The core of His saving work is the two central events in Jesus’s life—His death and resurrection. His perfectly sinless life is counted as our perfectly sinless life. His death becomes our death, His resurrection our resurrection. Through His works, Christ has accomplished what we could never do for ourselves. When we come to Christ, sincerely confessing our sins and asking Him to save us, He does just that. Through His works, Christ has accomplished what we could never do for ourselves.

But we also need to understand that it is one thing to believe in God and another to obey Him and do what He asks us to do. James makes the stunning observation that the demons believe in God; that is, they know that God exists and even tremble in fear with that knowledge (James 2:19). When James talks about having faith in God, he means trusting God in the manner of our living.  Faith is more than a decision to believe; it is a willingness to act.

James is not talking about applying scripture to others. Nor does He want us to underline all the commands in the Bible to pass on to others. He is talking to each one of us. Simply hearing or reading the Bible only gets us so far. We can mark up our Bible, but the question is whether the Bible marks us. If a person thinks he is spiritual just because he hears the Word of God, not because he does the Word, he is deceiving himself. The value of the Bible does not consist merely in knowing it but in obeying it. To be a doer of the Word means to do more, take action, and be proactive. We do this out of gratitude for what Christ has done for us.

The Word of God commands us to take action, but many people seem to be waiting for some great spiritual experience to jumpstart them doing what the Bible tells them to do. Being a doer is taking the Word of God and allowing it to impact our lives, so it changes us. It changes the way we speak, think, and live. It changes the way we treat our spouse. It changes the way we act in business. It changes everything about us. If we are to use the mirror of God’s Word profitably, we must gaze into it carefully and thoughtfully. No glances will do. We must examine our hearts and lives in the light of God’s Word.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What does it mean to you to be doing good works? 
  2. Why is it so hard to move from a hearer to a doer?
  3. What can we do to move further into the doers column this week?

WHY STUDY THE BIBLE?

For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.” – Hebrews 4:12.

You sit down at the kitchen table. You have your Bible, Matthew Henry’s commentary, some note pages, and a pen. You are ready for some serious study. But today’s reading is in Leviticus, and soon, you are a bit overwhelmed. Suddenly, studying the bible feels intimidating, even a bit ominous. Yes, you want to dive into God’s Word, and yes, you are eager to learn and grow as the Holy Spirit speaks into your life.  And right there, we run head first into how we value God’s Word.

The Bible is the most essential book in the world. If we view the Bible as a beautiful book with limited application to our life in the 21st century, we will not value or study it as we should. But if we view the Bible as God showing us His heart, His plan for mankind, and the sacrificial gift of Jesus that brings us into right standing with Him, we will give it the respect it deserves. Because when we value God’s Word, we will work to grow our knowledge of it and understand that the Bible is not only a book for today but also the book of the future. Why would you not want to have the fullest possible understanding of your Savior and Creator?

The Apostle Paul said this in 2 Timothy 3:16-17: “God inspires all Scripture and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.  God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.” That text should end claims that we do not need to study the Bible. There is profit from a careful study of the Bible. Because God inspires the Bible, it gives us a valuable and profitable asset at our fingertips.

The 66 books in the Bible collectively make a unique volume that talks about all the most important matters of life. It deals with right and wrong, morality, life on earth, and life after death, and touches on all the complicated issues of humanity.

Attempting to understand the Bible is not a walk in the park. It takes time, effort, concentration, and perseverance. At times, we must be willing to research and dig into resources outside of our regular reading. It requires a genuine desire to learn.

Studying God’s Word may be challenging, but it is doable and eminently worthwhile. God did not give us His Word to confuse us but to enlighten us. He revealed the contents of the Bible so that we could understand. But understanding requires study. If we are unwilling to put in the effort and the work, then it is easy to miss out on the rich, life-changing knowledge we gain by studying the Bible. The rewards of pouring over and examining the Bible make the work well worth it. The effort we exert in seeking to know the Word will be nothing compared to the payment we receive back from it.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Read Psalm 119:103, 105, 114, and 160: What do these verses say about studying the Bible?
  2. What can we do this week to improve reading and studying the Bible?

RIDING OUT THE STORMS OF LIFE

“There are storms of this life still to be met, so get behind Christ by following him in the path of duty. If you never go anywhere but where Christ leads the way, you need not be afraid of storms, for they will beat upon him more than upon you.” – Charles Spurgeon.

Quantum Leap is a TV series where a physicist takes journeys back in time. Each week, we find Ben in a different time and a different place. Suppose you could travel back to Biblical times what scene would you want to see? Would it be the parting of the Red Sea? Or David and Goliath? To Bethlehem or a front-row seat at the sermon at the mount? Or would you choose to see Jesus still the storm?

There you would be, standing alongside the disciples when they woke Jesus and said, “ …Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown” (Mark 4:38)? Then you would stand in awe when Jesus rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still! “The wind stopped and there was great calm (Mark 4:39-40). We would walk away with a different perspective on storms.  We will face storms. When storms rage around us, and every wave leaves us gasping for air, what do we do? What do we believe about Jesus? Do we believe that He’s sleeping, inattentive, disinterested? Are we left wondering if He has the power or wants to change things?

Maybe today, you are in the middle of a massive storm. The difficulties on your plate are too much—too hard to handle on your own. Jesus can turn the darkest moment around in a way you thought couldn’t be done. He wants to take care of our problems—but we must rely on Him. That’s what faith is all about. It does not mean you won’t face another storm. It means you now have someone on board your boat who takes care of the winds and waves no matter how many storms you encounter. Jesus brings peace and calm to the struggles you face.

So, what storm are you going through in life? What is it that’s giving you a difficult time right now? What is it that is bringing you pain, heartache, suffering, and disappointment?

Hebrews 6:18 encourages us to seize or take hold of the hope God has set before us, to grab it and not let it go. Hebrews 6:19 says, “This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary.”

Without an anchor to keep us steady, when the storms of life hit, our souls – our minds, will, and emotions – will be tossed in the wind and rain. Hope in God, and His promises is the anchor that keeps us steady regardless of what circumstances we might be facing. Maybe you are in a storm that has lasted so long you’ve given up hope of anything being different. Grab the promise in Psalm 30:5, and don’t let it go. “For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime! Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.”

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is the purpose of the “life storms” we experience? How have you reacted to the “life storms” you’ve experienced?
  2. How has God proven himself faithful to you during a difficult time? What does having faith look like in your life?
  3. What practical things can we do to help us face future “life storms” more confidently?