Pastor’s Blog 8.23.18
“Are you walking in your current life situation by chance or choice?”
That was the question I heard the Holy Spirit ask me as I was praying about 2 weeks ago. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it. I believe the current state of crisis in our culture, with people living irresponsible lives is revealed in this statement.
Studies in sociology over the last couple of generations have demonstrated that the entitlement, and a victim mentality of a fatherless culture is wrecking our economy. Every week I have employers tell me that they can’t find anyone who wants to work. They tell me that they will hire someone and they won’t show up for work during the first week!
Last week I shared this scripture:
Genesis 18:19 For I have known (chosen, acknowledged) him [as My own], so that he may teach and command his children and the sons of his house after him to keep the way of the Lord and to do what is just and righteous, so that the Lord may bring Abraham what He has promised him. AMP
We read that the Lord says He instructed Abraham to command His children to walk in the ways of God so He could bless him. So what if he and his children did not walk in His ways? Would Abraham still be the father of our faith? Well the answer is no, because faith without works is dead!
James 2:14 TPT “My dear brothers and sisters, what good is it if someone claims to have faith but demonstrates no good works to prove it?”
How could this kind of faith save anyone? For example, if a brother or sister in the faith is poorly clothed and hungry and you leave them saying, “Good-bye, I hope you stay warm and have plenty to eat,” but you don’t provide them with a coat or even a cup of soup, what good is your faith?
Faith that doesn’t involve action is phony.
However, someone might object and say, “One person has faith and another person has works.”
Go ahead then, and prove to me that you have faith without works, and I will show you faith by my works as proof that I believe. You can believe all you want that there is one true God, that’s wonderful! But, even the demons know this and tremble with fear before Him, yet they’re unchanged—they remain demons.
James 2:20-24 “O feeble sons of Adam, do you need further evidence that faith divorced from good works is phony? Wasn’t our ancestor Abraham found righteous before God because of his works when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? Can’t you see how his action cooperated with his faith and by his action faith found its full expression? So in this way the Scripture was fulfilled: Because Abraham believed God, his faith was exchanged for God’s righteousness. He became known as the lover of God! It is clear that a person is seen as righteous in God’s eyes not merely by faith alone, but by his works.” TPT
Are you ready to own the things you should own in your life situation? I am. If I don’t own my personal mistakes, I can’t move from the past curse to the future blessing! How deep is your, “We won’t do that again file?” Mine is the biggest file in my brain. I have said it for years and I believe it today more than ever. “Wisdom is the anticipation of consequences.”
Be blessed! And make good choices!
- Date - August 23, 2018
- Author - David Chisholm
