"For this reason, I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man; so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we could ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen." Ephesians 3:14-21

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Do You Believe?

"I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me shall live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die, Do you believe this?" John 11:25-26 (NASB)

Believing is more than just acknowledging that God exists. To believe actually means to trust in, rely upon, and cling to. We need to do more than just say we believe... God's word says, "You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder." James 2:19 (NIV) But believing in God should actually be demonstrated by action. We should be spurred on to love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:24) because of our belief and because of His love. Don't be confused! Our action does not save us; it is merely evidence that we have been changed...

1 Peter 2:4-8 "And coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected by men, but choice and precious in the sight of God, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For this is contained in scripture: 'Behold I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious corner stone, And he who believes in Him shall not be disappointed. ' This precious value, then, is for you who believe, but for those who disbelieve, 'The stone which the builders rejected, this became the very corner stone,' and 'A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense'; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were also appointed."

Hebrews 11:6 "And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him."

James 1:22-25 "But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. For if any one is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man shall be blessed in what he does."

Are you trusting in, relying upon, and clinging to Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior? Believing is being an effectual doer of the word and not merely a hearer. Do others know that you are a follower of the Way? You can sit in the garage all week but that won't make you a car. Likewise, calling yourself a Christian or sitting in a church won't make you a believer.

John 13:35 "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

Dear Lord, Help me to act upon my belief. Make me obedient to Your word. Let me not be a mere hearer of the word but let me be an effectual doer. Help me to trust in, rely upon, and cling to You...and help me to show Your love to those around me.
Posted by at
Labels:

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)