Dead or Alive

How is your faith? What are your works? Do you marry the two of them? Do you consider each of them as one half of a larger whole? Would you consider one to be more important than the other? Does your life reflect your belief?

As Christians we hear and talk a lot about faith. But what is faith and how is it demonstrated? We need to know both the definition of faith and what we are to do with our faith. Our faith cannot be mere believing in God.

We look to Hebrews 11:1 as the definition of faith which says, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” That sounds good, but what hope is the author of Hebrews talking about? He is talking about our hope in Jesus Christ and eternal life. We cannot see either at this moment, but we look forward to them.

As we can see by the definition of faith, it is not merely belief that God exists or that Jesus is the Son of God. After all James tells us, “You believe there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.” (James 2:19) Faith is far more than believing in God.

Our faith must be put into action. As James states in 2:17, “In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” Is it any wonder James asks his rhetorical question in today’s passage? In other places in Scripture, action is called works. When to put together faith and works, we have a very nice reminder in a hyphenated word—faith-works.

A dead faith, or mere belief there is a God, does us no good. We are in no better position to inherit eternal life with God than the demons who also believe He exists. Our faith must be put into action. That doesn’t mean just busy work, but truly working to carry out God’s will. More on that tomorrow.

I pray we all have a faith that includes hope in Jesus Christ. I pray we put our faith into action. I pray each one of us seeks to know God more intimately and abide by His will for our lives. Faith is confidence. Faith is hope. Faith is assurance. Faith is put into action. Faith-works. Put your faith to work.

James 2:14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?

Cry Out To God

Have you been taught that the Christian life is wonderful? Does that hinder you from crying out to God? Have you ever asked God why things have happened?

Many of us have heard God is love, God is good, God blesses us, and God cares deeply for us. We likely have heard the “prosperity gospel,” meaning if we love God, all will be well with us.

These beliefs may cause us to squelch our desire to cry out to God. They may stop us from asking God why. If they are doing so, we are not fully communicating with God as He desires us to.

God knows things go wrong in our lives. He knows we are sad at times. He knows we grieve. He knows we grow angry. He knows every thought we think and every word we speak. It is because He knows that He wants us to express our worries, concerns, griefs, anger, and displeasures to Him.

Are we to stay in that state? No. But we need to voice them. Not because God doesn’t know, but for our own sake. Voicing them to God gets them off our chest and clears our conscience. Yet, it isn’t only about us.

We should voice our issues for our communities, nation, and the world. We need to repent of the wrongs our leaders commit. I know…that sounds absurd. We didn’t commit the wrong. However, much like the prophets of the Old Testament, we must admit the wrongs of our leaders and ask God to forgive them and change them.

I pray we all cry out to God in our anguish and sorrow. I pray we ask for forgiveness and a renewal of our hearts. I pray each one of us will then trust God to work as only He can. Cry out to God. Tell God your troubles. Tell God your worries. Tell God your griefs. Trust God to take care of them.

Luke 19:41-42 As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes.”

Ask God Why

Have you wept bitterly over the loss of a loved one? Have you had grief overtake you to the point of not knowing where to turn? Do you ever feel like asking God why bad things happen? Do you know that God weeps, too?

It may sound odd to hear that God weeps. But take a look at today’s passage. Jesus wept over his dead friend, Lazarus. Jesus was sad. Jesus did not like the idea of His friend no longer being with his sisters. He did not like that He could no longer enjoy his friend’s company.

In Jesus’ case, He did something about it. He raised Lazarus from the dead. But that doesn’t minimize Jesus’ emotional distress. His distress was very real…and it still is. Jesus continues to weep over the decay of this world. He continues to be distressed over the failure of mankind to follow Him.

So, what does this mean for us? It means God understands our grief. He understands our anger. He understands our frustrations. He knows we long for something better. So, cry out in your grief. Cry out in your anger. Cry out in your frustration.

Opposed to what we may have been taught, there is nothing wrong with crying out to God. So long as we are truly seeking him, there is nothing wrong with questioning God. The problem comes in when we start blaming him for the bad that has happened. God does not create the bad, but he understands it.

Crying out to God helps us release our grief, anger, and frustrations. Weeping tears of sadness and asking God to meet us in our sorrow is exactly what God wants us to do. It is in our times of distress that God does some of his best work. So, cry out to God.

I pray we all cry out to God in our distress. I pray we earnestly ask God to provide answers without blaming him. I pray each one of us will lay our troubles at God’s feet and trust him to take care of them. Cry out to God. Ask God why. Earnestly seek answers. Trust God.

John 11:35 Jesus wept.

Persistently Seek Justice

Do you feel as though you have been wronged? Do you see others being mistreated? Do you long for justice to be served? Are you seeking a wrong to be righted? Have you cried out to God, asking him to bring about the justice you seek?

When we have been wronged, it can seem to take forever for justice to be served. The saying, “The wheels of justice turn slowly, but grind exceedingly fine” comes to mind and its origin is traced back to a Greek philosopher named Sextus Empiricus from the third century.

Though the wheels of justice may grind slowly, some will claim they do not always grind fine. Of course, that can often be due to our perspective on time and what is just. Our desired outcome may not come within the timeframe we desire. However, that does not mean the wheels of justice have stopped turning nor that they will not ultimately grind true.

Jesus tells us to continue to cry out for justice. He says to continue to cry out to God. He says to cry out day and night. Perhaps our lack of crying out is the problem. In our immediate satisfaction culture, we want to cry out once and receive immediate justice. Persistence has been lost.

Jesus does not say justice comes immediately. He does say it will come quickly. But quickly is a relative term. If we desire God’s justice to come, we must be persistent, we must continue to cry out to God to administer his justice. We also must earnestly seek God’s justice rather than our own desire. Our desire does not always align with God’s. We must cry out for God’s justice to be served and trust him to serve it according to his will.

I pray we all cry out for God’s justice. I pray we are persistent in our asking for God’s justice. I pray each one of us will set aside our personal agenda to seek God’s will and cry out to him. Seek God’s justice. Be persistent. Set aside your personal agenda. Trust God to carry out his will.

Luke 18:6-8 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

Praying Earnestly

Are you going through a tough time, a time you do not think anyone else can understand? Are you feeling all alone, abandoned, misunderstood, or an outsider? Do you think Jesus cannot possibly understand what you are going through?

We may go through times of estrangement. We may be misunderstood by others in what we say or something we do. We may feel as though everyone has abandoned us, leaving us feeling like a castaway. But we should never think Jesus does not understand.

On the night that Jesus was betrayed, He was in anguish over what He knew was to come. He felt misunderstood. The chief priests, teachers of the law, and a large portion of the public did not understand His message nor who He was.

They were willing to come to Him as long as He performed miracles. They listened so long as He fed them. They brought their sick to Him when they had nowhere else to turn. And though He had many followers, He had far more opposers.

As Jesus prayed, His soul cried out to the Father so strongly that He was sweating. To sweat in the cool of the night requires expending a lot of energy. Not only did He sweat, but His sweat was like drops of blood, meaning they were thick, not merely drops of water. Jesus prayed as earnestly and cried out to the Father as strongly as anyone could possibly pray. But in the end, He trusted the plan God had put before Him. What a wonderful example for us to follow!

I pray we all pray earnestly during our times of anguish. I pray we seek God with our whole heart. I pray each one of us follow Jesus’ example of praying throughout our lives and trust God’s plan. Cry out to God in your anguish. Pray earnestly to God. Lay your worries and fears at His feet. Trust God. Trust in His plan.

Luke 22:44 And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.

Jesus Understands

Do you ever feel like God has forgotten you? Do you feel like he has abandoned you? Do you just want to scream, “Why God? Where are you God?” Do you know you are not alone? Do you know Jesus asked those same questions?

We are sometimes in some very dire situations. We feel as though we have been forgotten, abandoned, discarded, left for dead. We wonder where God is when we experience those types of situations. We feel like screaming at the top of our lungs.

Jesus cried out as He was on the cross. You might say He screamed. He felt all alone. He asked why God had turned his back on Him. And here is the kicker…Jesus knew the plan. How much more do you think He understands our situation, knowing that we don’t know the full plan? He understands!

Since Jesus is God, and yet He was human, He knows how we feel when things go completely south. He knows what it feels like to feel abandoned. But He also knows that He has not abandoned us. He knows what the final outcome will be. He knows His plan for each one of us.

So, it is perfectly fine for us to cry out in anguish. Jesus understands why. But we are not to stay in that state of mind. After we cry out, after we release our frustration, we are to trust God to pull us through it. We are to acknowledge his power to overcome whatever our situation is.

I pray we all feel free to cry out to God. I pray we release our frustration and anguish. I pray each one of us trust that God has a plan for us, and it will all work out in the end. Cry out to God. Ask God why. Release your frustration. Trust God. Know that God has a plan for you.

Matthew 27:46 About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).

Ready and Willing

Are you experiencing an extremely difficult time? Do you know where to find help? Have you been turned away by people you thought you could trust? Are others unable to help? Have you cried out to God?

We may experience an extremely difficult situation. It may be a situation that no one else can help with. We may be exasperated, exhausted, and at our wits end. We may think there is no one who can help, nowhere to turn for relief.

In today’s passage, we see a woman who was in the midst of an extreme situation. Her daughter was demon-possessed. There was no one who could help. She had heard of a man who some considered a prophet. She had heard he could perform miracles. She grasped at what she thought was her last straw, her last chance for help.

The apostles wanted to send her away. After all, she was not a Jew. She was a foreigner who was disliked at best, hated by many Jews. They did not think Jesus should be bothered by her. But Jesus stopped, took time to teach a quick lesson, and cast out the demon.

Jesus made the point to His apostles that no one is beyond His help. He is always available to help those who are desperate, distressed, or in dire straits. Jesus is waiting for each of us to cry out to Him in our times of trouble. He longs to rescue us when we have nowhere else to turn. But He is also available to us at all times—good or bad.

I pray we all turn to Jesus when we experience difficulty. I pray we remember Him in good times. I pray each one of us will rely on Jesus every moment of every day. Turn to Jesus. Rely on Jesus. Cry out to Jesus in your need. Trust Jesus to answer. Know that He is ready and willing to help.

Matthew 15:22 A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.”

Cry Out to God

Are you being overwhelmed by current circumstances? Do you wonder how you will ever overcome them? Does it feel as though they will completely consume you? Do you just want to cry out in a loud voice and ask why?

We may experience times of overwhelming bad news. We may be fired from our job, lose a loved one, a relationship may go south, or receive a bad medical report. Experiencing circumstances such as these can cause us to be distraught.

When facing situations that are extremely bad, we need to release our frustration. Many of us have grown up believing we should not blame God. It is true that God does not cause bad things to happen, but He does understand them and work in the midst of them.

There is nothing wrong with us crying out to God. There is nothing wrong with asking God why our specific situation is happening. There is nothing wrong with asking God when He will answer or if He is ignoring us. King David did that very thing in several of the Psalms he wrote, including in today’s passage.

Though there is nothing wrong with crying out to God, pouring our heart out, speaking our pain, asking our questions, we should not stay in that state. King David always returns to his faith and trust in God. Just a couple verses after crying out to God and saying He doesn’t answer, King David states that God saved the people.

Lamenting our troubles to God can cleanse our souls. It can clear our conscience. It can release our frustration and open our hearts for the answer God will provide. God does hear our cries. He works in our lives, even when we do not see Him working.

I pray we all cry out to God in our anguish. I pray we lay all our troubles at God’s feet. I pray each one of us will present our frustrations to God and trust Him to provide the answers we need. Cry out to God. Tell God your frustrations. Ask God why. Believe God understands. Trust God to answer. Hold on to your faith in God.

Psalm 22:2

My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer,

by night, but I find no rest.

Hunger and Thirst Satisfied

Do you long for the feeling of satisfaction? Does your heart long to be filled? Are you hungering after Christ? Do you thirst to know Him more fully? Do you know your hunger and thirst can be satisfied?

Jesus tells us that we will be filled if we hunger and thirst for righteousness. That righteousness only comes through Him. He is the One who will fill us. Jesus states multiple times that He is the bread of life and living waters will flow from those who believe in Him.

But…do we hunger and thirst for righteousness? To earnestly seek after righteousness we must put aside our worldly desires. That doesn’t mean we don’t work, go to school, nor live in this world. It does mean we make Jesus our top priority.

When we earnestly seek Him, He is there for us. He welcomes us with open arms. He fills us with His Spirit. He guides us through this life, down the path He has prepared for us.

Our spirit longs for a close relationship with God. That close relationship comes through the Holy Spirit, who Jesus sent to be our guide, comforter, and strength. Jesus knew we would need help along the way. He sent the Holy Spirit to be our helper. He is always with us. Will we seek to follow His guidance and live the abundant life?

I pray we all hunger and thirst for righteousness. I pray we earnestly seek Jesus. I pray each one of us will accept the strength of the Holy Spirit, follow his guidance, and accept his comforting arms being wrapped around us during difficult times. Be filled. Have your hunger and thirst satisfied. Seek to know Jesus. Listen for the Holy Spirit. Follow the path God has for you.

Matthew 5:6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”

Filled to Overflowing

Have you ever skipped meals and became very hungry? Have you fasted for a day or two or more? Do you remember what it was like to eat the meal following that? Have you been parched? Have you been in the heat of the day without a drink for hours? Do you remember that cool drink of water afterwards?

We all get hungry and thirsty. We may even feel as though we are famished or parched. The feeling becomes especially strong if we have done without for some time. The first bit of food and water we eat and drink following such a time taste extra good.

Our spirit’s long for God in much the same way. We need spiritual nourishment. We need spiritual food. We need spiritual drink. Jesus is our bread. He is our life-giving water. Jesus nourishes our spirit’s.

Jesus tells us in John 7:37-38 that anyone who believe in Him will have rivers of living water flowing through them. Doesn’t that sound amazing? Our spirit’s long for it, even if we do not consciously recognize it.

Make no mistake. This does not happen by mere belief. It happens when we devote our lives to Him. It happens when we commit ourselves to Him. Jesus fills His followers to the point of overflowing. Then our spirit’s pour out His blessings on others.

I pray we all hunger to know Jesus. I pray we thirst for the life-giving water He will provide. I pray each one of us believes Jesus will fill us to the point of overflowing so we can bless others. Hunger for Jesus. Thirst for life-giving water. Believe Jesus will satisfy you. Accept the overflowing of the Holy Spirit.

John 6:35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”