"You may not live what you say you believe, but you will live what you believe."
So I was reading the book Crazy Love by Francis Chan, and I made a cool connection ....
Galatians 5:6, "The only thing that matters is faith expressing itself in love.
The only thing that matters?? Because it's faith that saves us (Romans 10:9-10) and
love fulfills God's law (Romans 13:10).
BUT ... love is not just words.
Love is an action.
I think we all believe that, but here's some proof ----->
1 John 3:18, "Dear children, let us not live with words or tongue but with actions and in truth."
John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that He gave..."
Luke 23 - Jesus died for us.
So, maybe this is where/how faith and works collide?
Faith expressing itself in love. Love as an action.
One more story from Scripture ... Luke 7:36-50. In verse 38, a prostitute proves her love by cleaning Jesus' feet with perfume and wiping them with her hair. In verse 50, Jesus tells her her faith has saved her.
So, our love (actions) prove our faith. They do not save us. But just think ... if God claimed to love us yet did nothing, didn't send Jesus as a way to Heaven, would we believe Him?
Well, He has done everything. What will we do in response?
Monday, March 30, 2009
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
judge not ... trust as love
Figuring out your spiritual gifts is one answer to my post below. I would encourage anyone and everyone to do so. I'm still working on mine.
New favorite songs:
When the Saints by Sara Groves
Dead and Gone by TI/Justin Timberlake
Gimme Dat by The Ambassador
By Your Side by Tenth Avenue North
check em outtttttttt
I'm starting to realize that people are very different from me. They make different decisions and say different things every day. But that's okay. That doesn't make them wrong. Who am I to think I know everything? Do I think myself as perfect? Far from it. Hmm. We would probably be better off if we all just left judging to Jesus. (kinda like checking the log in your own eye first ...)
It all goes back to trust. Trusting Him to judge and convict, and really in every area of our lives. Do we really trust the infinite, holy, perfect, omnicient, good, loving, true God we serve or do we act like spoiled children when we don't get our way or feel wronged? Choosing to trust is an act of love from us to Him. I like that. I trust Him more than myself, that's for sure. I'm all screwed up.
So I take what He gives in trust, pray for things, then ask Him to not give me what I want but what I need. And then He answers ........ and then I want Him to leave me alone cause those lessons are hard to learn. Any of that make sense?
Basically, Jesus is good. He's proved it over and over. When will we learn?
New favorite songs:
When the Saints by Sara Groves
Dead and Gone by TI/Justin Timberlake
Gimme Dat by The Ambassador
By Your Side by Tenth Avenue North
check em outtttttttt
I'm starting to realize that people are very different from me. They make different decisions and say different things every day. But that's okay. That doesn't make them wrong. Who am I to think I know everything? Do I think myself as perfect? Far from it. Hmm. We would probably be better off if we all just left judging to Jesus. (kinda like checking the log in your own eye first ...)
It all goes back to trust. Trusting Him to judge and convict, and really in every area of our lives. Do we really trust the infinite, holy, perfect, omnicient, good, loving, true God we serve or do we act like spoiled children when we don't get our way or feel wronged? Choosing to trust is an act of love from us to Him. I like that. I trust Him more than myself, that's for sure. I'm all screwed up.
So I take what He gives in trust, pray for things, then ask Him to not give me what I want but what I need. And then He answers ........ and then I want Him to leave me alone cause those lessons are hard to learn. Any of that make sense?
Basically, Jesus is good. He's proved it over and over. When will we learn?
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