Yesterday as I sat listening to our senior pastor, Mark Warner, deliver his sermon, "Do You Know More than You Do?", based on James 2: 14-26 I tried to answer some of the questions he was stirring in me. To listen to his sermon click the title and you will be directed to the Vineyard Church sermon page. I began to ask myself is my faith truly genuine based on the following three areas.
Was my faith more than words?
As I thought about this question I kept saying to myself, "Yes! I am doing more than just talking about the truth."
Was my faith more than doctrine?
As I thought about this question I also kept replying to myself, "Yes!" I not only know doctrine I am putting it into practice.
Was my faith a lonely faith?
Here I answered to myself, "No!" My faith is backed up with serving.
One of the things Mark said that keeps ringing in my ears is, "It is not the truth you know that sets you free and saves you but the truth that moves you to action."
I felt pretty good about how I was living up to those three areas until I woke this morning and answered a phone call from one of my friend's wife. She was calling to let me know that Jeff had died last night. After hanging up the phone what kept going through my mind was those three areas? Did I really show genuine faith in regard to my friend who has for 4 years suffered unemployment, sickness and depression? Was my faith more than words with Jeff? Was my faith more than doctrine in regard to what Jeff faced? Was my faith a lonely faith or did I combine faith and works in regard to my friend, Jeff?
This morning the Holy Spirit convicted me that maybe I was not doing so well in these three areas after all. Maybe I was a little too quick to answer yes when I should have been asking how can I improve.
Was my faith more than words?
As I thought about this question I kept saying to myself, "Yes! I am doing more than just talking about the truth."
Was my faith more than doctrine?
As I thought about this question I also kept replying to myself, "Yes!" I not only know doctrine I am putting it into practice.
Was my faith a lonely faith?
Here I answered to myself, "No!" My faith is backed up with serving.
One of the things Mark said that keeps ringing in my ears is, "It is not the truth you know that sets you free and saves you but the truth that moves you to action."
I felt pretty good about how I was living up to those three areas until I woke this morning and answered a phone call from one of my friend's wife. She was calling to let me know that Jeff had died last night. After hanging up the phone what kept going through my mind was those three areas? Did I really show genuine faith in regard to my friend who has for 4 years suffered unemployment, sickness and depression? Was my faith more than words with Jeff? Was my faith more than doctrine in regard to what Jeff faced? Was my faith a lonely faith or did I combine faith and works in regard to my friend, Jeff?
This morning the Holy Spirit convicted me that maybe I was not doing so well in these three areas after all. Maybe I was a little too quick to answer yes when I should have been asking how can I improve.
The point of this post is not to admit I did not help Jeff or that I failed to be there when he needed someone to talk to. The point is I was self righteously answering yes when I should have been asking God to show me how I could improve.
I once heard someone say, "People do not care what you know, they care about whether you care." I think we could change that to "God does not care about how my much you know about His Word, He cares more about how well you put into practice His Word."
This morning the Holy Spirit woke me to the fact that I sometimes think I know more than I do and I definitely do less than I think I do.
What about you? Are you more talk than you are action? If so then I encourage you to quit putting off that visit to a nursing home, that visit to a friend, that involvement with a homeless shelter or whatever need someone you know has and put your faith into action. Tomorrow you just might wake up to a phone call reminding you that it is too late.
I once heard someone say, "People do not care what you know, they care about whether you care." I think we could change that to "God does not care about how my much you know about His Word, He cares more about how well you put into practice His Word."
This morning the Holy Spirit woke me to the fact that I sometimes think I know more than I do and I definitely do less than I think I do.
What about you? Are you more talk than you are action? If so then I encourage you to quit putting off that visit to a nursing home, that visit to a friend, that involvement with a homeless shelter or whatever need someone you know has and put your faith into action. Tomorrow you just might wake up to a phone call reminding you that it is too late.
3 comments:
Hi Larry. Your post gave me a lot to think about. It reminded me of what James said, "Show me your works and it will demonstrate your faith," as I paraphrased it.
Good blog. Keep it up.
Dick
My Friend
You have always been a good example for me. I appreciate so much when you and Lydia took me in when I was homeless. You are an example of what James describes as true religion.
May God continue to bless you and Lydia.
Howdy from a girl! May the Lord bless your good work.
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