salvation

13
Feb
2024
Faith Through Action

Faith Through Action

“But someone will say, ‘You have faith; I have deeds.’ Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.” James 2:18

Faith Lives Out Loud

James makes a bold statement here – true, living faith will inevitably result in action and good works. Faith is more than internal belief or vocal proclamation. It reveals itself outwardly through changed priorities, Christlike character, and hands put to work for God’s glory.

Vibrant faith cannot stay bottled up inside. It overflows into practical deed and selfless service. Is your faith loudly on display through works of mercy and ministry? Or does it stay hidden in silent profession lacking outward proof?

Ask the Lord to ignite action born of devotion. Let your faith roar to life through tangible expressions of His love. Your beliefs were meant for breathing, moving, and serving. Put feet to your faith!

No Room for Complacency

It’s easy for faith to grow stale, sedentary, and complacent over time. We settle into routines of religious habit but lose spiritual vitality. Our talk exceeds our walk.

James will not allow such lifelessness! He understood that faith demands ongoing action and energy. We cannot rest on past deeds but must actively exercise faith daily through righteous works. Regularly examine your life for areas of complacency.

Are you holding back from acts of compassion, forgiveness, or generosity? Shake off sluggishness through fresh obedience. A dynamic faith will not permit passivity. Ask God to awaken new purpose and zeal.

Bearing Kingdom Fruit

So what does authentic faith look like in action? The Book of James provides vivid pictures – caring for orphans and widows, taming the tongue, resisting worldliness, submitting to God’s will. In other words, faith is revealed through bearing spiritual fruit that honors the Lord.

As Jesus taught, we recognize true disciples by their fruits of righteousness. Is your life marked by love, joy, peace, patience, kindness and the other fruits described in Galatians 5?

God desires to cultivate an abundant harvest through you! Stay rooted in Him and watch your faith multiply into righteous action.

Stepping Out In Courage

Vibrant faith requires courage to step out of comfort zones. We must take risks, seize opportunities, and boldly obey God’s voice. The righteous life is an adventure!

When we feel the nudge to minister to someone in need, share a testimony, give generously, or pray a daring prayer, faith propels us forward despite fears or inconvenience. We trust God to use faltering but willing vessels.

Ask Him to enlarge your capacity for courageous action. Move ahead in the power of the Spirit! Our small steps of obedience make a big difference in advancing God’s work.

Affirming Our Hope

As we walk by faith through trial or uncertainty, our actions affirm hope in God’s promises. We cling to truth, obey despite unanswered questions, and serve others despite personal need.

We choose to believe God’s plans are good, His purpose unshaken, His redemption near.

Even simple acts like praising in pain, forgiving amid injustice, or giving in lack express faith that our God holds the future. He is pleased by such courageous trust. Hold fast to hope through obedience!

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“One Minute with God”

Posted by onthesolidrock in Daily Inspiration
12
Feb
2024
Aligning Our Hearts with God

Aligning Our Hearts with God

“When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” James 4:3

Ask with Pure Motives

This verse gives us keen insight into why some prayers go unanswered – wrong motives. We ask for things to satisfy our own selfish desires, not to align with God’s kingdom purposes. We pursue temporal pleasures rather than eternal significance.

But the Lord searches the heart, discerning why we ask for what we do. He refuses to fund endeavors fueled by fleshly appetites rather than spiritual ones.

Examine your recent prayers. Do they center on comfort, entertainment, or success? Shift your focus to intercession for others, petitions for spiritual growth, requests for open doors to share Christ. Pray with pure motives – to know Jesus more, to make Him known.

As your heart realigns with His, you’ll find prayers powerfully answered!

Desires Versus Needs

Our wants and wish lists often reflect surface-level desires rather than core needs. We ask for vacations, purchases, or experiences that may provide fleeting enjoyment but not deeply satisfy.

Meanwhile, we neglect to request provisions for growth in grace, passion for the lost, or boldness to follow Jesus wherever He leads. But when we pray for courage to share our faith or opportunity to serve, God delights to grant these needs.

As David sought after God’s own heart, he discovered lasting joy. As Paul prayed for spiritual power, churches were planted. Ask the Lord to exchange your desires for His – to crave steady communion with Christ above all else. Watch needs eclipse wants.

Kingdom Focus Over Personal Fulfillment

It’s tempting to view prayer as a path to personal fulfillment, comfort, and success. But its truer purpose is aligning our hearts with God’s kingdom goals. We don’t pray primarily to enhance our lives but to exalt His name, establish His reign, and enrich others.

As Jesus taught in the Lord’s Prayer, we petition first for His name to be hallowed and kingdom to come. When our motives elevate His glory over our gratification, prayer grows powerful and effective.

We gain holy boldness to ask great things of God, knowing He desires to display His might through humble, trusting hearts. He invites us to partner with Him through kingdom-focused prayer

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“One Minute with God”

Posted by onthesolidrock in Daily Inspiration
10
Feb
2024
Unbreakable Bond

Unbreakable Bond

My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. (John 10:29)

The Bible contains an amazing promise from Jesus that should give every Christian great comfort and confidence. Jesus says in the Gospel of John that God the Father has given believers to Him as a gift, and that no one can ever take us out of God’s hand.

Salvation Comes from God’s Grace

First, Jesus tells us that Christians belong to Him because God the Father has given them to Him. This means that our salvation does not depend on anything we do to earn it. Instead, it depends completely on God’s grace and love towards us.

Before time began, God chose us and set His love upon us. He saved us and adopted us as His own dear children, not because we were worthy, but because He is so gracious and kind.

Since our salvation comes as a free gift from God, we can be sure that He will not change His mind later and turn His back on us. He knew all our flaws and failures ahead of time, and he saved us anyway.

His love lasts forever, because God Himself lasts forever. Our security is based on God’s faithful promise, not our own efforts.

God Rules Over All Things

Jesus also reminds us that God His Father is greater than all. As the eternal Creator of the universe, God has supreme power and authority over all that exists.

No one can compete with Him or threaten Him in any way. Every king and every ruler must ultimately give account to God.

This means that God has the power to protect us and keep us safe no matter what may come against us. No enemy, no sickness or tragedy, no hardship or danger is too much for God to handle or shield us from.

God is mightier than any force in heaven or on earth. We can take refuge in him because nothing can overcome His strength and love for His people.

No One Can Snatch Us from God’s Grip

Not only is God supremely powerful, Jesus says, but He also holds on tightly to those who believe in Him. No one can snatch us out of His hand—we are gripped firmly by the Almighty Creator who loves us!

Just as a loving parent holds onto a small child to keep them from wandering into danger, God cradles us in His mighty hands. He keeps his eye always on us, guiding our steps. He surrounds us constantly with His comfort, strength and love.

We do not keep ourselves safe from enemies or hardship through our own power. We rely fully on God’s power and faithfulness towards us. Our confidence comes from understanding that the eternal, almighty Creator of the universe has promised to hold onto us tightly forever.

He will never forget us or let us slip through His fingers. His grip on our lives will never loosen or grow weak.

United with God Forever

This intimate bond between God and His people was made possible through Jesus. Jesus is God in human form who lived among us. He died and rose again to pay for our sins, making reconciliation between God and man possible.

Now Jesus invites us to be united with Him and with God the Father in a relationship of love. He wants us to know Him, enjoy close friendship with Him, and reflect His love out into the world.

Because of Jesus, Christians do not relate to God merely through laws or rituals. We have intimacy with God—we are united to Him by Jesus Christ our Lord! God embraces us as His own dear children and promises to keep us safe, loved, and secure in His hands forever.

Understanding this incredible privilege should inspire our deep love, gratitude and reverence for God our Father, now and for all eternity.

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“One Minute with God”

Posted by onthesolidrock in Daily Inspiration
07
Feb
2024
Celebration in Heaven

Celebration in Heaven

Luke 15:7 – I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

The Lost Being Found

In Luke 15, Jesus tells three parables about things that were lost being found – a lost sheep, a lost coin, and a lost son.

The stories illustrate God’s joy when even just one sinner repents and turns to him.

Jesus says there is rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents. Heaven celebrates each time someone lost is found!

A Dramatic Rescue

Picture the intensity of the search when the shepherd realizes one sheep is missing. He urgently leaves the entire flock to comb the wilderness until he locates that lone, lost sheep.

When he finally finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and returns home eager to tell everyone the good news.

In the same way, God intensely seeks out each individual who is lost in sin, rescuing them through Christ.

The Extravagant Party

In the story of the prodigal son, when the wayward young man finally returns home, the father throws an enormous feast to celebrate. No expense is spared.

The lavish party expresses the great joy in heaven over a sinner changing their life’s direction.

God spares no effort or resource to reclaim his lost children. Each heart that turns to him prompts a celebration.

Our Part in the Rejoicing

As followers of Christ, we play a role in these stories.

We are the search party helping the shepherd comb the wilds for lost sheep. We are the woman sweeping diligently until she finds the lost coin. We are the older brother inviting in the prodigal sibling, extending grace and forgiveness.

Our actions and attitudes bring joy to heaven when they contribute to someone being found.

Be sure and join wholeheartedly in heaven’s celebration whenever the lost are found.

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“One Minute with God”

Posted by onthesolidrock in Daily Inspiration
05
Feb
2024
Dawning of a New Day

Dawning of a New Day

Malachi 4:1 – “Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and the day that is coming will set them on fire,” says the Lord Almighty. “Not a root or a branch will be left to them.

The prophet Malachi lived during a spiritually dry time for the people of Israel. They had grown apathetic and nonchalant about following God’s ways.

Their worship had become empty ritual devoid of meaning. Spiritual blindness clouded their vision.

Yet Malachi assured the people that better days were coming. The present darkness would give way to a new dawn. God’s light would pierce the gloom and usher in an age of righteousness, justice and restoration.

Arrival of the Son

Malachi spoke of this coming day being heralded by a messenger who would prepare people’s hearts. This messenger turned out to be John the Baptist, who proclaimed the imminent arrival of God’s kingdom and called people to repentance.

Not long after John, God’s own Son stepped onto the stage of human history. In Jesus, the rising Sun arrived to scatter the darkness of sin and death.

Through his life, death and resurrection, Jesus made a way for people to be reconciled to God and experience new life in relationship with their Creator.

Judgment of Evil

Malachi warned that while the coming day would bring salvation, it would also bring judgement on the wicked and unrepentant.

Jesus affirmed this, stating that his return would be accompanied by a separation of good from evil, light from darkness. Those who stubbornly clung to sin would face the fire of God’s refining judgment.

The prophets used vivid imagery to depict this purging of evil. Now, having heard the good news and seen the light, no one has any excuse to remain in darkness. The day of reckoning is coming.

Hope for the Future

For those who follow Jesus, his return is not something to dread but to eagerly anticipate. It represents the full realization of God’s purposes – justice, peace and the restoration of all things.

On that day, the darkness will be banished for good and the Son will shine in all his brilliance. What a glorious future we have to look forward to!

Until then, we live faithfully in the present, reflecting God’s light to others and pointing them to the Son.

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“One Minute with God”

Posted by onthesolidrock in Daily Inspiration