PUT YOUR FAITH TO WORK

PUT YOUR FAITH TO WORK

“For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also” (James 2:26).

I preach “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him”(Hebrews 11:6 ).  And I believe: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast”(Ephesians 2:8-9). And I live by faith: “For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith" (Romans 1:17).  Faith is very important to God.  But there is something we should do with our faith and that is put it to work.

I want to encourage you today to look at your faith. “God has dealt to each one a measure of faith” (Romans 12:3).  Each of you today who have accepted the Lord Jesus as personal Savior, has been given the gift of faith.  What you do with that faith will count for eternity.  Your future rewards in heaven are based on how you put your faith to work in your lifetime on earth.  Today, I would like to look at three different  ways to put your faith to work.

The first way to put your faith to work is to have the right attitude and actions toward other people.  Jesus tells us that our faith produces a product He calls fruit: "You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you” (John 15:16).  The fruit that your faith needs to produce is:

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23).  If you say you have faith and your life is not producing the fruit of the Spirit, then you are deceiving yourself: “If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one's religion is useless” (James 1:26). "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13: 34-35). “"If you love Me, keep My commandments”(John 14:15).

The second way to put your faith to work is in the area of giving and service.  Our Lord and Savior emphasized these actions: “And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:27-28).  When it comes time for you to give of yourselves you can be assured that your gift of money, time, or talents will not only be a blessing to others, but it will be a blessing for you: "Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you" (Luke 6:38).  We are reminded that we are to do good to others: “But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.”(Hebrews 13:16)

The third way to put your faith to work is in praise. “Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name” (Hebrews 13:15).  The Lord not only wants us to improve our lives by having the fruit of the Spirit, and helping others, but He wants us to worship Him.  Worship is something you have to do on purpose.  It is a action and a work, not just a feeling.  It is something we need to do more than just on Sunday.  God wants us to worship Him “continually”.   We are instructed to: “..be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ”(Ephesians 5:18-20).

The work we do will be rewarded and is appreciated by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ: “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:57-58).  The Lord is coming back to reward your faith:"And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.  Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city”(Revelation 22:12-14).

Put your faith to work today in living right, serving and giving, and worshiping and praising the Lord.