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What Good Is It?

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Becoming Like Christ - Day 179 - James 2:14-17 - What Good Is It? - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Becoming Like Christ – Day 179 – James 2:14-17 – What Good Is It? – Growing As Disciples

What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. James 2:14-17 (NIV)

Real Faith

What do you suppose real faith looks like? Real faith is living and active. Real faith will cause me to follow you to wherever you lead me. Real faith will enable me to do whatever you ask of me. Real faith will not allow me to sit around and do nothing. If I have real faith, I will be living in an intimate relationship with you. I will hear your voice. I will follow your guidance. I will receive your instructions. I will go and do whatever you ask of me. Will faith will cause me to spring into action. That will be very good.

I have some more ideas about real faith. I have more to say about real faith. I’m listening. I have already said that real faith involves living in an intimate relationship with you. Yes, you did say that. If I have real faith, I will not run ahead of you. If I have real faith, I will not lag behind you. Real faith will keep me right beside you. I will not wander away from you to do my own thing. I will not rely on my own strength to try to accomplish your will. Real faith will prevent me from being self-reliant and self-sufficient. I will place all my faith in you. I will rely on all your help. Living my life with and for you will be the goal of my real faith in you. That will be a very good goal.

I have even more ideas about real faith. I would like to hear all your ideas about real faith. Real faith will cause me to live a life of prayer. Real faith will cause me to live a life of worship. As I live a life of real faith, I will continue to give you praise and thanksgiving as I walk through life with you. These things will all be true because you will be with me to help me. You will be near to me. I will be near to you. I will be living in an intimate, moment by moment life of real faith in you. Yes, you will. Then real life will also fill my life with peace and hope and joy as I love, follow and serve you. This is what real faith will look like. Yes, it does. Yes, it will. All my faith is you. Yes, it is. That is very good. 

Lord, you have changed the course of my life. You have given me new thoughts to think, words to speak and deeds to do. It is my pleasure and joy to follow and serve you. I will go where you guide me and do what you ask of me. Bear fruit through my life. Amen

Key Question…  When has the Lord directed you to meet the needs of someone in distress?

Living It Out…  With a heart filled with faith, go and do what the Lord asks you to do for Him.

Seeing It Happen…  Have faith that the Lord will have you go and help others who are in distress.

Get Ready To Share…  Share with another person or your small group what the lord has given you to go and do for Him.

Prayer To Bless Others…  May your faith be accompanied by action.

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:

Becoming Like Christ – Day 179 – James 2-14-17 – What Good Is It? – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

Please consider sharing these devotionals with others through the social media you use.

Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.

By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                   Copying not permitted                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com

What Does It Profit?

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The Compassionate Life - Day 256 - James 2:14-17 - What Does It Profit? - Growing As Disciples

The Compassionate Life – Day 256 – James 2:14-17 – What Does It Profit? – Growing As Disciples

What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?  If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?  Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. James 2:14-17 (NKJV)

Take Action

My faith in you requires that without a doubt. Your faith in me requires what, without a doubt? My faith in you requires me to take action. What kind of action does your faith in me require of you? I’m not sure where to begin and where to end in answering that question. Actually, there is no end to answering that question. My faith in you requires something every day. That something is new and different and unfolding every day as I love and follow and serve you. To begin my journey of faith with you, I turned away from my old life of sin. I stopped living according to the principles, patterns, and values of this world. I traded in an earthly perspective for a heavenly perspective. I stopped trying to store up treasure on earth. I stopped living for the applause of the world. My focus was taken off myself and the things of this life. My heart and mind and life are now focused on you. I am following you to where you lead me. I am doing what you ask of me. You have been molding and shaping my life as I have lived with and for you. You have given me new thoughts to think, words to speak, and actions to take. You have placed new desires in me. What new desires have I placed in you? You have given me the desire to serve you with all my heart and mind and soul and strength. I am now at your service. My faith in you is living and active. I want to be able to know and do your will. What is my will for you? You want me to become like you. You want me to love like you loved. You want me to give like you gave. You want me to serve like you served. Yes, this is my will for you.

So now, my faith in you is taking action. I will no longer ignore those who are in need. I will no longer walk right on by those who are suffering. I will allow you to use me to love and serve others. As I take action, I know that I will be bearing fruit for your kingdom and bringing glory to your name. As I take action, I know that I will be a bright and bold witness for you in the world. As I take action, I know that I will be storing up treasure in heaven with you. This is the desire you have placed in my heart and mind and life. This is the life you have called me to live. This is what faith looks like. It requires me to take action. Yes, it does. This is what I will do. That will be very good.

Lord, my faith is not theoretical. My faith is not simply accepting theological doctrines. My faith has turned my life around and changed my perspective. My faith in you has transformed my thoughts, words, and actions. Now it is my desire to help others in need. Amen

Key Question…  When has your faith caused you to take dramatic action to help someone in need?

Living It Out…  Make sure that your faith is alive and proved genuine by helping others who are in need.

Seeing It Happen…  Have faith that your faith will lead you to want to help others who are in need.

Get Ready To Share…  Share with another person or your small group how your faith has led you to go out of your way to help others in need.

Prayer To Bless Others…  May your faith be alive and cause you to do good works.

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:

The Compassionate Life – Day 256 – James 2-14-17 – What Does It Profit? – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

Please consider sharing these devotionals with others through the social media you use.

Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.

By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                                                        Copying not permitted                                                                                    www.GrowingAsDisciples.com

Faith – Works

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Rhythms - James 2:14-17 - Faith - Works - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Rhythms – James 2:14-17 – Faith – Works – Growing As Disciples

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. James 2:14-17 (ESV)

Into Action 

I have blessed your life. I have given you many good things. You have not wanted. You have not lacked. You have had all that you need. Why do you think I have so richly blessed your life? What do you think I want to do with what I have given to you? I’m pretty sure that not all  you have given to me is meant for me. That’s a good thought. That’s a start. Tell me more of what is on your mind. I think you have blessed me so that I can be a blessing. You want me to freely give to others just as you have freely given to me. You want me to be generous with others just as you have been generous with me. You are a giver. You want me to become like you. You want me to become a giver. That’s right. You got it.

What will happen to you as you give like I gave? You will use me when I give like you gave. I will bear fruit for your kingdom. I will bring glory to your name. I will shine brightly for you in this world. My faith will be on display. All my thoughts and words of faith will be tested and found to be true as I put them into action by giving like you gave. As I share with others from what you have given to me my faith will grow vibrant and strong because I will know that you are using me. You are working in and through me when I help others in need. Yes, I am.

How will you know when I want to use you? How will you know when and where and how to give? I will keep my eyes and ears open. I will watch and listen for opportunities to serve you by serving others. No longer will I walk right on by those who are in need. I will be your hands. I will be your feet. I will go where you guide me. I will do all that you ask of me. I will let you make my faith real as you put me into action in your service. That will be very good.

Lord, thank you for my faith in you. You are my Savior and Lord. It is my joy to serve you. My eyes and ears are looking and listening for opportunities to serve you. Help me to do good works that will bear fruit for your kingdom and bring glory to your name. Amen

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:

Rhythms – James 2-14-17 – Faith – Works – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

Please consider sharing these devotionals with others through the social media you use.

Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.

By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                   Copying not permitted                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com

What Good Is It

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Promises - Day 160 - James 2:14-17-What Good Is It?- Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Promises – Day 160 – James 2:14-17-What Good Is It?- Growing As Disciples

What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?  Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.  If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?  In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.  James 2:14-17 (NIV)

What Good?

What good is your faith in me? That seems like an odd question. I will ask you some more questions, so it does not seem so odd to you. How has your faith in me changed your life? How are you now different because you have faith in me? What are you now doing that you would not be doing if you did not have faith in me? Now, I understand where you are headed with this line of questioning. You could have asked, “How is my faith in you observable?” Or you could have asked, “How can others see that I have a vibrant faith in you because of the way I think and speak and act?” Yes, those are two very good questions as well. How will you answer my questions? I will tell you one thing without a doubt. What’s that? I wouldn’t be having this conversation with you if I did not have faith in you. Nor would I be writing about our conversation. So, I could also say, I would not be living in an intimate relationship with you if I did not have faith in you. Yes, that is quite true. What else? I can’t think of one thought or word or action of my life that has not been touched or changed or transformed because the life of faith I am living with you. You have changed the entire course of my life. My former way of thinking and speaking and acting is long gone. Those who knew me back then, before I came to have faith in you, would not recognize me today. Every day, as I have lived a life of faith in you, you have been molding and shaping my life. I’m as sure as I can be that you are not finished with me yet. No, my work in and through you will continue until the day you come to live forever in heaven with me. Well, that is another thing, I should mention. What’s that? You have continually asked me to go and do things for you. You have worked through my life so that I can bear fruit for your kingdom and bring glory to your name. I know without a doubt, there is no sitting around, doing nothing, on this journey of faith I am on with you. That’s true. And I will keep on saying yes to you. I will keep on going and doing whatever you ask of me. That will be very good. So, what good is my faith in you? Living a life of loving and following and serving you is the goodness of the faith I have in you. Good answer. Thank you, Lord. 

Lord, I want my faith in you to be living and active. I want others to be able to see my faith in you as I go and do whatever you ask of me. I want my faith in you to bear fruit for your kingdom and bring glory to your name. Use my faith in you in your service. Amen

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:

Promises – Day 160 – James 2-14-17 – What Good Is It? – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

Please consider sharing these devotionals with others through the social media you use.

Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.

By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                   Copying not permitted                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com