July 7, 2010

"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 2:15-17

Good intentions are nice! They are certainly better than evil intentions. But the fact is it really doesn't matter in the end because when you are talking about intentions it really doesn't matter what you intend to do it nothing ever happens! Good intentions make a bad religion.

Faith is defined by actions! That is James' whole point for writing his book! Real faith results in real acts of kindness. Good intentions or kind thoughts do not meet the needs of hungry people or those needing clothing.

How long would your job last if you called into your boss tomorrow to inform him that you are not coming to work but you will stay home and think about what needs to be done? You will feel kindly toward him and your fellow employees, but you won't actually show up at the office.

I think you know the answer to that!

This is akin to those who tell their pastors, "I won't be there Sunday for church - but I will be there in spirit!"

I know one pastor who, when building his new church building, added a "spirit gallery" to his sanctuary for those who only "come in spirit".

One more thought on this since it is fairly obvious in it's foolishness. But what if God would have just thought about sending Jesus to redeem the world? Where would we be? And what if Jesus had come but once He got here just thought about dying on the cross and harbored good intentions of dying on the cross - but never surrendered to the cross?

God has true faith! Jesus modeled true faith! They deliver on their promises and do what they intend to do!

I'm sure you are familiar with the old saying, "The road to Hell is paved with good intentions." You only have to read these verses to see the truth of that statement.

It is equally true that the road to heaven is paved with obedient actions - aka - faith!

Which road are you on?

July 6, 2010

"What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?" James 2:14

This is one of the key verses for the book of James. It is where I got the title for my series, "Faith Works Out".

Of course, faith is an intangible - you cannot see it. It has to be evidenced by actions. Faith arises out of a right relationship with God through Jesus Christ. How do others know that I have been made right with God and received His righteousness. I can tell them, but the real evidence is when I show them. If I have been made righteous then that should be proven by my life and by the right actions and right decisions demonstrated by how I live.

For instance, you can believe that you need groceries. You have no food in the house and you are growing more hungry by the moment and the supermarket is just down the street. What do you do? You can sit there and hope you get around to going to the store. Or, you can talk about going to the store. Or, you can get out and actually go to the store!

Which one of those shows evidence of true hunger?

Obviously, the answer is the last one - getting up and going to the store. Your desire evidenced itself in actions.

In Hebrews 11 there is an honored list of people who are mentioned because of their exceptional deeds they accomplished through their faith.

Abraham didn't just think about leaving his home and his family to follow God - He got up and packed his stuff, took his wife and their servants and headed out! That's faith!

Noah didn't just set around and think about how it should be built or how niv - he got to work and began building it. He evidenced His faith by stepping out and working diligently everyday pounding nails and sawing boards.

Doing good will not save your soul. But, if you have had a supernatural life-changing faith experience with God through Christ that will show by how you act or what you do. You have a better understanding of what faith is and how it operates when you can actually see it lived out!

Is faith worked out in your life?

July 5, 2010

"Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people." Proverbs 14:34

Much is wrong with America but - there is plenty right about America, too! In fact, I contend that there is nothing wrong with America that a good dose of righteousness couldn't fix.

Do you believe that?

Do you still hold out hope for America?

I do!

I believe there is hope for America because I believe in a God of hope and I still believe in the people of America - like you!

What will restore the greatness of America? To answer that you must remember what it was that first made America great - RIGHTEOUSNESS! Yes, righteousness! That means knowing what is right and doing what is right and doing your best to stand against wrong.

If you do that, and if I do that and if we each get a few of our best friends to do that, don't you think that will make a difference?

Indeed, it will! That is how our nation got started! 56 men who were seriously committed to righteousness and even more committed to freedom came together to commit to each other and a bold new idea - a nation founded upon Biblical principles that would honor God!

Those 56 men already had their fortunes. They were wealthy people who were comfortable and secure with possessions and land. But their passion for righteousness overcame their personal interest and coming together they pledged to one another their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor. 52 of these 56 signers were righteous men who professed Christ as their Lord. They proved that it doesn't take a lot of people or powerful people to change the moral tide of a nation. It just takes fully committed people who love righeousness more than life.

I urge you not to underestimate the power of your influence. Your example matters! Your words matter!

There is still a lot that is right about America. But the things that are wrong with America are killing us!

If you want to get America right, begin with you! And then use your influence and impact for good! Let's fix America one person at a time!

July 4, 2010

"Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people." Proverbs 14:34

I want you to think about something.

How much do you owe to the righteousness of other people? How has your life been enriched because other people chose to obey God and live righteously?

It is hard to measure, but let me drop a few names: Abraham, Noah, Moses, Joseph, David, Job, Daniel, Mary, John the Baptist, and the Disciples - and most of all, Jesus! These righteous and faithful people have touched your life.

Each of these people answered the call of God to tackle a task He had in mind for them to accomplish. Every one of these I mentioned obeyed God and trusted Him to enable them to accomplish. God worked through them to accomplish His desired will.

These Bible heroes allowed God to work through them because they chose to do the right things.
As God's Kingdom came and as His will was done through them, you benefited.

What if these great people had chosen to do like you often do - waited for someone else to do the right thing? Where would you be today?

Think about the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence. They took a tremendous risk when they pledged to each other their "lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor" believing that fighting for their freedom was the right thing for them. What if they would have decided to sit and wait for someone else to do it? I doubt if we would be celebrating Independence Day.

Righteousness exalts those who do the right thing. Not those who wait for others to do it! Righteousness delayed is a sin known as disobedience!

July 3, 2010

"Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people." Proverbs 14:34

Solomon throws out the choice that every free people and nation has faced over the centuries, will we honor God and be favored by His grace or or we dishonor Him and disgrace ourselves?

The history of Israel is alternating periods of grace and disgrace.

Our nation for over two centuries has been showered by the grace of God. For most of our 234 we have sought to honor God. He has blessed us abundantly. He has protected us. Hundreds of millions of people have found safety, security, freedom, prosperity, and happiness. Millions have found the freedom to worship and serve their God. Churches have flourished and have nurtured faith in their members. They have assisted the poor and sent missionaries around the world.

God has bless America and America has blessed the world.

That has been our legacy.

But for the past half century our nation has been losing its moral compass and drifting in a see of secular humanism and relativism. Rather than honoring God we have been bringing disgrace upon ourselves.

You cannot take God out of the schools and not disgrace your nation.

You cannot take respect for the Scriptures and teaching of Biblical principles out of your educational systems without disgracing your nation.

You cannot diminish the role of Christian morality and ethics in business, politics and government and not disgrace your nation.

You cannot disrespect unborn life and murder one million innocents every year without disgracing your nation.

You cannot pollute the airways, the world-wide web, and print media with pornographic images and not disgrace your nation.

Many in America have forsaken God and brought disgrace upon our once great nation.

What at we to do? Is there no hope?

According to a recent census there are 232,000 adults over 18 years of age.

A survey taken in 2008 revealed that 76% of those adult Americans profess to being perople of faith.

Assuming those statistics are accurate, that would mean there are 176.3 millions of people who believe in righteousness and desire His grace to be shed upon our land.

That could change things in a hurry! There is reason for hope!

But you and I have no control over those millions of other - but what about you?

Will you get right?

Will you live rightly and commit to always doing the right thing?

Will you stand for right and demand rightousness of your elected officials?

It's grace or disgrace! Which will you choose?

July 2, 2010

"Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people." Proverbs 14:34

American the beautiful - God shed His grace on thee!

Indeed, He did!

What nation in the history of nations has ever been so blessed by God! In just two and a third centuries the USA has become the wealthiest, mightiest, most generous, and most advanced people ever to populate the planet.

The world is a better place because America showed up! Our nation became great because it was founded on eternal principles of grace and truth! It is hard to study the founding documents and not see the grace, goodness and inspiration of Almighty God! Just a cursory study of the Founding Fathers writings and quotes reveal their understanding of the role the Bible and Divine Providence played in the establishment of this nation.

With freedom comes opportunity - opportunity for good and opportunity for greed. Both happen is a free nation. Fortunately, over the first two centuries there has been much more good than there has been greed. For the most part America has been guided by the moral compass built into it by the Founders and as a result, God has graced it with His blessings.

But, as our people have drifted away from founding principles and from the God of the Fathers, it has been more difficult for God to bless us. When the sins of a nation exceed the goodness of that nation, grace turns to dis-grace and the wise words of Solomon become true - "sin is a disgrace to any people."

When a nation removes the Bible and Biblical principles from its educational system, that is a disgrace!

When a nation opposes prayer in public school and public places, that is a disgrace!

When a nation assaults the Ten Commandments to discredit their authority, that is a disgrace!

When a nation twists the Constitution to make it support the murder of unborn children, that is a disgrace!

When a nation tries to undermind the family and the sacred institution of marriage, that is a disgrace!

Sin in every form is a disgrace because it "disses" grace! Sin is a disgrace because it separates us from the grace of God!

What can you do?

A nation is made up of people. You are a person - free person! You have an opportunity to grace your nation with the goodness of God and His truth. With opportunity comes responsibility. Responsible use of freedom allows God to shed His grace on that people.

Grace or DIS-grace? It is up to you!

July 1, 2010

"Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people." Proverbs 14:34

What does it mean when a nation is exalted? That sounds like a good thing, but how good is it? What are some specific benefits wrought by righteousness?

Let me share at least three things that are meant by "exalted".

Exalted means "lifted".

Righteousness lifts a nature and a culture. It lifts the morality of that people. It lifts the civility of that society. The morale of that nation is higher than cultures where people don't value righteousness. Doing the right things obviously results in positive and constructive outcomes.

Exalted means "lightened".

Righteousness flows from truth. Truth originates in the character and very nature of God. With God as your source and His Word as your resource there is going to be knowledge and wisdom. Jesus said that He is "the light of the world". When you have Jesus you have light and in Him is no darkness. From the light of God's Word, truth and wisdom beam forth revealing what is right and what is wrong. Being "lightened" by righteousness leads to rightness in actions, attitudes, values and moral decisions.

Exalted means "liberated".

A people who are lifted by the truth and lightened by the truth will find freedom and liberty from His Word. Truth results in freedom. Ignorance leads to bondage. Ignorance leads to confusion and doubts. Ignorance leads to strife and fear.

A people lifted by truth and lightened by truth are free to become who they want to become in Christ. They will act right and have the right attitudes which will enrich their relationships and increase their opportunities for freedom. Listening to His truth and living in His truth shape a godly character that is free to pursue godliness.

How is a nation exalted by righteousness? Simple!

A nation is exalted by people who are lifted by the righteousness of God's Word. As a result they tend to think right, which leads to right decisions, which translates into godly living. Godly living results in lifting God high in the estimation of those who may be seeking for solid answers. God is exalted by the practical everyday decisions, actions and values you make.

A nation is exalted when lighted by the truth of God's Word and the principles it gives to live by. It makes better decisions and is better able to make quality decisions. Truth reveals the right thing to do in all decisions, and clarifies the application of that truth in daily situations. God is exalted by a people who know and show His truth.

A nation is exalted when God's children live in the liberty of His knowledge and His love. God's children live within the law and finds freedom in self-governing his thoughts, feelings, and atutides. An ignorant nation will not endure as a free nation. Study history. You will see.

I know you love the USA and desire to see her rise to the exalted standard. You, af all people will understand the value of self-governing and liberty of self-discipline. God WILL set you free!

"Righteousness, or rightness, allows God to get involved personally in that project. God will be strong and powerful in the life of those who have chosen to walk in the light of His power and glory. And over time, people will be set free and God will be glorified!