11/09/2019
Did we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, and then retreat into the privacy of our prayer closet where we remain dormant in our faith? Maybe we visit with Him once or twice during the day, and then turn back to the world. Are we embarrassed to take Him where we go each day, or is it that we are ashamed to let others see that we say we love Him, but remain unchanged? The proof of our faith isn’t in what we say, but how we walk.
“Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.”
Colossians 2:6-7 ESV
Jesus used parables, but I like to quote sayings when describing certain truths. There are a few that fit this scripture perfectly, and are used quite frequently; they go like this...
“They talk a good game!”,
“They are all mouth!”,
“They talk the talk, but don’t walk the walk”,
“They are a big talker!”, or Perhaps,
“They need to put their money where their mouth is.”
When it comes to our faith, do any of these sayings describe us? Do we claim to be a Christian, and yet continue to live like a child of the world? Do we behave one way on Sunday, or around our Christian friends, only to leave our prayer closet, or our church, and step back into the world again? can those around us see our actions and know we belong to Jesus Christ... we are a child of God?
“Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.”
1 John 3:18 ESV
I knew a young woman who had her heart broken by a boy she loved. When they were together he would tell her how much he loved her, but when they were apart he would flirt with other girls, and act like she didn’t exist. Then one day she saw what was happening, and it nearly devastated her. He was “talking the talk, but not walking the walk.”, and the truth he was living didn’t live up to the love he pledged. This is true of the faith many people profess...
“They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.”
Titus 1:16 ESV
The boy I spoke of in the story that I just told you didn’t deserve the young woman’s love. She was pure, and what she said was consistent with how she acted, but he was detestable, and unfit to receive her love, and attention. When it comes to our faith, are we more like the boy, or like the young woman? Do we confess our love for God, and faith in Jesus, but act differently? Or, do we “walk the walk in the same way that we talk the talk?”
“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.”
James 1:22-25 ESV
We receive blessings when our actions are consistent with the love and service we pledge. We bring pleasure to God by living up to our profession of faith by the actions we demonstrate. This is Christlike behavior...
“and behold, a voice from heaven said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."”
Matthew 3:17 ESV
And such behavior pleases God, and is a far cry from what was said about Judas; the thief, who said one thing, yet did another...
“Jesus answered them, "Did I not choose you, the twelve? And yet one of you is a devil." He spoke of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray him.”
John 6:70-71 ESV
So, how do we wish to be perceived? Are we true to our word in our actions? Or, do we show ourselves to be neither hot nor cold by saying one thing, while acting in another? By saying, and acting in this way we don’t receive the blessing, but are spit out.
“"'I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.”
Revelation 3:15-16 ESV
Friends, let’s take our pledge of faith, and act upon it; bring in public what we profess in the sanctuary.
Prayer:
Father, thank you for having called me to faith. And thank you for loving me, in word and deed. Help me father to be true to my faith, as I first expressed it, not just in my words, but by my actions. I love you Lord, and I pray that my love for you Is pure, and pleases you in not only its profession, but in how I live my life. Help me Lord, and strengthen me so that the actions of my faith will define me... allowing you to bless me all of my days and nights. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you my God who not only says, but does those promises you have made. Great are you in honor, truth, goodness, and perseverance. Your Word has bound us, and your will is perfect in its execution. Praised be your name Merciful Father because you say as you do, and call me your child as I bring pleasure to you with my life. All glory is yours Gracious Father, because from your Word I have received your grace through Jesus. I worship you now, and forevermore.
“So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”
James 2:17-18 ESV
Rich Forbes