Pride V Faith, Hope & Love
Recently, I was speaking with another believer. They were explaining their dilemma to me. I already knew about it for the most part and had been praying. I also purposed to help them and the family with more than prayer and more than faith. Sometimes prayer without purposeful doing is simply pride, to say "I helped" because maybe we were on our way to Starbucks or to get the thing we "needed", like another TV or coffee, or whatever, while the person in need just needed a loaf of bread. Yea....pretty much...pride.
Faith is asking for help, and with hope that love will meet the need. Not faith, not hope, but love. After all, when we were still sinners, Christ died for...us...the ungodly giving us a future hope because of God's love. For God so LOVED the world that He gave. Hello?? You still there. The internet or cell towers or big tech cannot compete with Heaven, and especially not with the voice and work of God. But will the work of God, by faith, to give hope, because of love, be seen on the earth...despite faith or your/our prayers? Christ came for the WORK of saving our souls! HE made himself of no reputation. We do this when we ask for help overcoming PRIDE; when we acknowledge we need help; when we repent; when we call out to God and mention our sin or need to our neighbor, and God expects us to meet a need, because He met ours, or our "FAITH" rises up to give from our excess or our own need, where works meets faith and depends on God...himself.
Follow along with me if you will from James 2:12-20. We may go further after that. THIS is a test of your (and my) "faith" right now.
12. So speak and so DO as those who will be judged by the law of liberty.
13. For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
14. What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? CAN FAITH SAVE HIM?
15. If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food,
16. and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled" (because I'm praying for you, or they spoke but did not DO)...but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?
17. Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
18. But someone will say, "you have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
19. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe--and tremble!
20. But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?
Faith becomes humble in asking...and doing without YOU getting even an acknowledgement. Faith may be a sign of humility, and hope in God (not you) that a need will be met. The rather brazen question however, must be answered. "do you want to know, O foolish person, that' (your) 'faith without works is dead'". People have legitimate needs. They may often be mostly physical, but at times they may be spiritual as well as physical.
I've pledged over $100 to the person I was speaking with and will DO when the time comes. If you want "good soil", give where God is telling YOU to and THAT is a place of obedience to Him and allegiance to the law of liberty...according to HIM, and is the place of true faith, when trust and works come together...as one.
Love is the answer, Repentance is the call.
