Faith in Deed
Faith in Deed
Words of Faith 5-4-2020
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2020
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL
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James 2:18
But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.
James had a strong argument to make that while there may be a type of "faith" that does not issue forth in deeds, such faith is dead. It has no saving power. True faith, he insists, always changes the heart and therefore results in acts of mercy and compassion. You may claim to have faith. I have deeds. Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.
It reminds me of the first year that our church was in existence. We were in a simple, rented facility shared with two other private schools, one secular and the other Orthodox Jewish. The schools met during the week, and we worshiped on the weekends. God was teaching us many things in those days, including a great deal about humility and servanthood as we cleaned and set up each week.
Because of the difficulty of schedules, we had to clean much of the rented building as we came in for weekend worship and then clean it all again as we left. In a way, it didn't seem fair, but we were just happy to have a place to worship each weekend. Still, there were lots of struggles in trying to share space with the classroom teachers who used the rooms during the week.
One of the more difficult areas to negotiate was the space we used that was rented by a small Orthodox Jewish pre-school during the week. We tried very hard to clean and put things back to avoid conflicts. Sometimes, it seemed that we were doing much more than a fair share of custodial work and clean up. But the Lord spoke to my heart a truth. We are the only Jesus many of these people will ever encounter. How we serve and respond may have eternal implications.
I am sure that we did not do a perfect job in those relationships, but it really convicted me that we were to do our work as unto the Lord. We were to serve these people and clean their classrooms as a testimony. It would be the primary way that we would share our faith.
When we finally had an opportunity to move to a new location, we gave special floral gifts to each teacher and gift certificates to the school administrators as a farewell. God made it clear that while we would not be able to easily talk about our faith with those who shared space with us, when we left, they would either have a positive or a negative image of Christ whom we represent.
I am sure that I fell short in many ways, but we sought to be positive ambassadors for Christ. I think that is something of what James was talking about when he said: Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. There are times when our faith is not something we talk about or beliefs we profess. Faith is what people will see lived out. Actions really do speak louder than words.
How are you showing Jesus to the world around you today? Is that Jesus a clear reflection of the Lord and Creator of the universe who has sought you and saved you? Or is that image a bit clouded because you have gotten in the way?
Lord, help me to live out my faith today in ways that will honor and glorify You. Write upon the activities of my life the Creed and Doctrine of New Life in You. In Jesus Name, Amen.
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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2009, 2020
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)
2820 Business Center Blvd.
Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
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The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2010 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.
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