True Faith

 

True Faith, A study on the book of James, Day 5.

What does it say?

James assured his readers that the Lord hears the cries of the oppressed. He told them to be patient in suffering and to pray in faith.

What does it mean?

James closed his letter to these Jewish believers with words of encouragement about their suffering. Two thoughts rise to the surface: perseverance and prayer. God may correct a wrong immediately, but He often asks His followers to be patient, which compels believers to persist in prayer. Christians are to pray when they are troubled and when they are happy. No situation is too big or insignificant for prayer. Christ stands ready to return and judge those who oppress others. Until then, believers should stand firm and follow the examples of those in Scripture who patiently and powerfully prayed.

How should I respond?

God works through the prayers of His people. It’s not that He needs our prayers but that He chooses to act upon them in His timing. God could reach down right now and correct whatever wrong is happening in your life. So why doesn’t He? Prayer draws us closer to the Lord, increases our awareness of Him, and gives Him greater glory when the issue is resolved. How is God calling you to persevere today? Pray. Who in your family, church, or neighborhood is sick, troubled, or wandering from God? Pray. The answer may not come immediately, but He is actively working even when you can’t see it.

Read: James 5:1-20

Freeze Warning

A Freeze Warning is in effect for SE Alabama, portions of SW Georgia and the FL Panhandle tonight for lows between 29 to 32 degrees. A north wind most of the night will create wind chills between 24 to 32 degrees for everyone tonight into Saturday morning. 

#BackPorchWx

 

Thanksgiving

 What Thanksgiving Reveals about You

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His name. Psalm 100:4. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Colossians 3:15 KJV

If worry is the opposite of faith, then thanksgiving is the expression of faith—in fact, the highest expression. God has blessed you, but you may not think so if you’re measuring blessings by the barometer of health, wealth, and happiness. 

You say, “I don’t think I have as much to thank God for as some other people.” Well, the apostle Paul was in a filthy Philippian jail, awaiting a possible death sentence, when he wrote, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God."

Unthankful people are never happy people. They’re filled with bitterness, fear, negativism, selfishness and self-pity.

My friend, let me tell you what blessings we have. “Blessed be the Lord who daily loadeth us with benefits…” (Psalm 68:19). God has loaded your wagon. How often? Every day! “It is of the LORD’S mercies we’re not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning…” (Lamentations 3:22-23). Every day you wake up to blessings.

Thank Him for spiritual blessings. Thank Him for the simple blessings of good, clean water, enough food, shelter, the simple things. We are so blessed. Refuse to worry. Instead, carry everything to God in prayer. Rejoice in the presence of the Lord. Rely upon the power of the Lord. Reflect on the provision of the Lord. Rest in the peace of the Lord. Do everything with thanksgiving.

-Adrian Rodgers

Our Most Important Work

 

Our Most Important Work... Love ❤️ 

All throughout the Bible, Scripture is abundantly clear that love is at the center of what it is to be a follower of Jesus. 

In Matthew 22:36-40, Jesus says the greatest commandment is to love God with everything we are.

In John 13:35, Jesus says that people will know we’re His disciples because of the way that we love others. We won’t be recognized by our knowledge of the Bible, our families, the career paths we take, or the amount of time spent at church. While those are all important things, Jesus says that the most important quality is how we love other people. 

1 Peter 4:8 tells us the same thing: we should be among the most loving people on earth, and our goal should be to love each other deeply. Peter, the author of this verse, also says love is the key to forgiving others. Just as we have been forgiven by Jesus, our love for other people should encourage us to forgive those who have wronged us. 

Forgiving those who have mistreated us is one of the hardest things to do—it requires that we love deeply. That’s why forgiveness is evidence of a life marked by God’s love.

So if your closest friends were asked about your top qualities, what would they say? Would your top quality be how loving you are towards others? If not, know that you’re not alone. None of us are perfect, and we can all do better at this. Today, ask God to show you ways you can show love to those around you. Let Him fill your heart with love for others.

SCRIPTURE...

And above all things have fervent love for one another, for "love will cover a multitude of sins.) I Peter 4:8 NKJV

PRAYER...

God, sometimes it's hard to love others. But even when people are unkind, I want to choose to love them because You love them. Encourage me to love others even when it's challenging, and give me opportunities each day to go out of my way to show Your love to everyone I encounter. In Jesus' name, Amen.