Day 1 - Daily Inspirational Verses from Real Life

Art used by Permission from www.GoodJobNotes.com

If you live in a world where things are just not going your way a little too many times, there is some powerful help from the word of God, written just for you and me. Unlike what I used to believe, the Lord provides real change, real help in real time.  Here is one of those awesome words.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. - Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV1984)

Hope generally is most needed and noticed in our lives when things are going badly, and we can not alter our emotions.  Despair begins to take over, and we start seeing catastrophic results are possible everywhere.  

It is even possible that catastrophic results are real, and not just possible, but happening.  Yet, Hope is still possible.  

Hope is like Superman, arriving just in the nick of time, to change how you look at everything, and make a good outcome possible in your mind and life.

1) Yet, you do not need to wait for despair to arrive.  In Jeremiah, God is telling you that he HAS PLANS FOR YOU.  Not the person next to you, not your country, your church, the good people, the other people, but YOU.  

2) Better than that, he is going to MAKE YOUR LIFE BETTER (prosper) you, and he will do it with out harming you.

Of course, the ultimate good is heaven, and we all have a solid hope in Heaven, if we have accepted the free gift. This promise is more worldly too.  God WILL give you HOPE.

In my life, I have been sued by corporations with money. One of these experiences was solely based on them wanting to escape from their responsibility to me. They knew I did not have money, and could not defend myself. Worse, the attorney was the very picture of evil in thoughts words and actions. Because of him, I learned a new word, Ad hominem, in court, which means "personal attack."  He was cautioned for that over and over again.  The ONLY hope I had was in the Lord.  End of story, God showed up in this world by providing an attorney for us, who allowed us to have some dignity, and escape the ad hominem and the corporation.  Yea God!

This is not some long range promise, but rather a promise for the here and now as well.  Your faith, if you have it, can be based on the Lord's own words.

_________________________________

For information on be certain of your Status with God, overcoming your actions that keep you from God, and allowing you to accept his free gift of eternal life, Click Here.

_________________________________

Is Life Supposed to Be Fun?

Postcard used with permission from www.GoodJobNotes.com

I went to a private high school in the upper mid west, back in 71 - 75. I was an army brat and a scholarship kid, and my roommates were from families of wealth and privilege.  I know that now.  Back then, they were just kids.

Anyway, I was on the wrestling team, and we had a match against a team from a Blind School, where all the children were legally blind.

There were different rules.  If we let go of our opponent, the match was stopped, for example.  We destroyed them.  My match was very easy.  I wondered, at the time, why they even bothered.
Then I found out.  The were evangelical Christians, as well as blind.  The each approached us, and starting tell us how we were going to hell, and how God loved us so much, he had a way out.  I can recall thinking something like, "You are already in hell, save yourself and leave me alone you freak."

Most of us bugged out as fast as we could.  This was not fun for us or for them.

That picture colored the rest of my educational life and how I looked at Jesus.  I find it amusing now, how I can't remember where I live or what time it is, or how to add 2 digit numbers, but I can remember a spiritual event that happened a lifetime ago.  God really does work in mysterious ways.

From that point until today, I think most Christians fall into 1 of two or three different categories.

Category one is the one I find most often applies:

1) I am duty bound to work out my salvation, after the fact, by following every law in the bible and in the land that I can, except for ceremonial law.  I will keep my head down in prayer, and never make a noise in my life, as life's purpose is about God, not me.  I can not have fun, it would be disrespectful.

This one is pretty classic.  You either believe that you were saved by the grace of God, as outlined in Ephesians, or you believe that you have to work your salvation out by works, from James.  Perhaps, you believe that you must do good works because you saved.

Personally, I do what is right when I am walking with the spirit, because is gives glory to God's name, and it seems as though there is no other choice.  Simple example.   I always return the shopping cart to the place that it belongs at the grocery store.  Even if I am late.  Even if it is raining.  It seems right.  I would hate to have someone who is NOT a Christian yet, see we just rolling it next to my car and leave, just because I did not want to get wet.  I am not a fair weather Christian.  I love the Lord.  All the time.

Category two is the polar opposite, and seems to apply to the youngest adults most often:

2) I am already saved, if I have been called to be saved, and God has given me the world, so I will use it. All of it, un-apologetically and without gratitude to my fellow humans, since God gave it to me.  Those who help are only vessels for God's grace, so I don't owe them anything.

This example nearly prevented me from becoming a Christian as well.  One of our karate students, about 16 at the time, and a member of a very conservative Evangelical Baptist church in our area, was bragging about how he and his girl friend (now wife) had gone to a move, and since there were already in the theater, when that show, for which they had paid, was over, they just got up and walked into a different movie, for which they had not paid.  Why I asked them.  "Why not," they answered.  "I thought you were a Christian?" I said.  "What's that got to do with it?" they said.

What would Jesus do?  Go to the movies for free, because God has given him the whole world, right?

The third category is the reason for this blog.  Live life large, as God intended us to do.

3) You must celebrate the life here and the life eternal you have been given.  Every living thing has difficulty, and we too will have our share.  Some of it will be because we live in a fallen world and some will be there for teach us.  But we have something those who are not yet saved do not have.  We have the helper (John 14:26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you"), they holy spirit, praying for us, guiding us and keeping us within God's grasp, (Romans 8:26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words..  We have assurance of life everlasting (John 14:1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.), and we have the love of the creator of the universe.

Live you life like you were the child of the King, because you are.

Love that is Real

1 John 4:18

1 John 4:18: "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love."

Sometimes the bible says it all,  and there is little need for additional words.

This series is about "Inspirational and Motivational Quotes," that are founded in something solid, rather than in the human spirit.  It is said that God is the source of all Wisdom, so I am spending some time collecting and sharing that very wisdom.

If you would like to download the PDF version of this poster, then click HERE.

Where's Jesus - The Many Names of the Savior - Part 2

I have this poster on the wall of my home, with dozens, maybe hundreds, of names that Jesus is called in the Bible.  I though it was cute, even spiritual, and a testimony to my salvation.  After I had read it once, it has never crossed my mind to read it again.  I still have not read it again.

In the spirit of the Bible reading tool I discovered and explained in Where's Jesus Part 1, I found these names and descriptions of Jesus in the Old and New Testaments by my own hand.  I did this with a certain degree of joy.  If you want to know why, and you have not read Where's Jesus Part 1, you might want to read my

Book Review: Good News for Those Harder - by Alan Kraft

so you can see where the joy came from.  

The cool thing is, this list ties the entire Bible together in a way I have heard about, read about, studied in College a quarter of a century ago, but I have never felt.  Now I do.  Here is the short list.

Advocate - 1 John 2:1 - My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

Power of God - 1 Corinthians 1:24 - But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.

Wisdom of God - 1 Corinthians 1:24 - But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.

Adam - 1 Corinthians 15:45 - The Scriptures tell us, “The first man, Adam, became a living person.” But the last Adam—that is, Christ—is a life-giving Spirit.

Righteous - 1 John 2:1 - My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous.

The Savior of the World - 1 John 4:14 - Furthermore, we have seen with our own eyes and now testify that the Father sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.

The True God - 1 John 5:20 - And we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life.

Living Cornerstone - 1 Peter 2:4 - You are coming to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God’s temple. He was rejected by people, but he was chosen by God for great honor.

Great Shepherd - 1 Peter 5:4 - And when the Great Shepherd appears, you will receive a crown of never-ending glory and honor.

Mediator - 1 Timothy 2:5 - For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus,

Potentate - 1 Timothy 6:15 - which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords,

King of kings - 1 Timothy 6:15 - which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords,

Lord of lords - 1 Timothy 6:15 - which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords,

Our God and Savior - 2 Peter 1:1 - To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:

Lord and Savior - 2 Peter 1:11 - for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Savior - Act 13:23 - From this man’s seed, according to the promise, God raised up for Israel a Savior—Jesus—

­­The Holy One - Acts 3:14 - But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you,

Prince of Life - Acts 3:15 - and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses.

Jesus - Acts 7:59 - And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”

Christ - Acts 9:20 - Immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God.

Son of God  - Acts 9:20 - Immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God.

The first-born - Colossians 1:15 - He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.

Head of the Church - Ephesians 5:23 - For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body.

Author and Finisher of our faith - Hebrews 12:2 - looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Captain of Salvation - Hebrews 2:10 - For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

Mighty one of Israel - Isaiah 30:29 - You shall have a song,  As in the night when a holy festival is kept, And gladness of heart as when one goes with a flute, To come into the mountain of the LORD, To the Mighty One of Israel.

Man of sorrows - Isaiah 53:3 - He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.

Commander - Isaiah 55:4 - Indeed I have given him as a witness to the people, A leader and commander for the people.

Immanuel - Isaiah 7:14 - Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.

Prince of Peace - Isaiah 9:6 - For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given;  And the government will be upon His shoulder.  And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Wonderful Advisor - Isaiah 9:6 - For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given;  And the government will be upon His shoulder.  And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Mighty God - Isaiah 9:6 - For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given;  And the government will be upon His shoulder.  And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Everlasting Father - Isaiah 9:6 - For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given;  And the government will be upon His shoulder.  And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Child - Isaiah 9:6 - For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given;  And the government will be upon His shoulder.  And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Lord of glory - James 2:1 - My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality.

Lamb of God - John 1:29 - The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

Teacher - John 1:38 - Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, “What do you seek?” They said to Him, “Rabbi” (which is to say, when translated, Teacher), “where are You staying?”

Messiah - John 1:41 - He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated, the Christ).

True Light - John 1:9 - That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.

Bread of life - John 6:48 - I am the bread of life.

Messenger of the covenant - Malachi 3:1 - “Behold, I send My messenger, And he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, Will suddenly come to His temple, Even the Messenger of the covenant, In whom you delight. Behold, He is coming,” Says the LORD of hosts.

Lord of the Sabbath - Mark 2:28 - Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.”

Carpenter - Mark 6:3 - Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?” So they were offended at Him

Son of David - Matthew 15:22 - And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.” 

Nazarene - Matthew 2:23 - And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, “He shall be called a Nazarene.”

Son of Man - Matthew 8:20 - And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” 

Bridegroom - Matthew 9:15 - And Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.

Anointed - Psalms 2:2 - The kings of the earth set themselves, And the rulers take Against the LORD and against His Anointed, counsel together, 

Mighty One - Psalms 45:3 - Gird Your sword upon Your thigh, O Mighty One, With Your glory and Your majesty.

Alpha and Omega - Revelation 1:8 - “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,”^[a] says the Lord,^[b]“who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

Almighty - Revelation 1:8 - “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord,^[b]“who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

Lord of Lords - Revelation 17:14 - These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.” 

Word of God - Revelation 19:13 - He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.

Bright and Morning Star - Revelation 22:16 - “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.” 

Offspring of David - Revelation 22:16 - “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.” 

Amen - Revelation 3:14 - “And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, ‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God:

Lion of Judah - Revelation 5:5 - But one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.” 

Lord of the dead and living - Romans 14:9 - For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living.

Where's Jesus - Part 1

Where's Jesus

Luke 24:27 (NLT) "Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself."


I recently finished reading a book by Alan Kraft, Good News for Those Trying Harder, and he made an astounding point; one that I knew, have heard in church, have told other people, but yet still never really understood.


He wrote, "Jesus is the Point."  The entire body of the scriptures is about leading us to Jesus.


Pretty simple. Yet that is not the whole deal. He went on to ask if I had ever had difficulty putting the Old Testament into the context of my life.


Well, Let me think about that....

  YES! 

Frequently I force myself to read the bible out of obedience, hoping not so much that I will get something out of it while I read, but rather that I will survive the process, and be rewarded for being such a good bee.  


Instead, I usually fall asleep, banging my head on the chair or computer. Especially in Numbers.   


Alan Kraft suggested, with Luke 24:27 as his support, that the entire reason for reading the scriptures was to "Find Jesus."  He then asked another simple question. 


"Would you ever read a Where's Waldo book, without looking for Waldo?


NO.  That is the whole point of the "Where's Waldo" book; finding Waldo.  Alan suggested I read the bible the same way, except make it a "Where's Jesus" kinda thing.  


That changed everything.  I read too much now, rather than not enough or just when my life is hard.  It is AWESOME.  (For you goal setters out there, this really is not a goal, it is more like an explanation of what the purpose of the Bible.)  


Without the Holy Spirit, you are not going to find much in the bible.  if you want to know more about getting the Holy Spirit into your life, click HERE.)


So, since this has made such a huge change in how I view and read and use the bible, I am going to share some of it with you.  This is Part 1. I hope you enjoy the journey, and you gain some understanding of the Power of our Lord Jesus.  I strongly encourage you to read the book I got this idea from, "Good News for Those Trying Harder," by Alan Kraft.  I read it on a free downloaded Kindle app on my phone. It took 2 nights as I was falling asleep.  I am re-reading it again now.


_____________________________________________________________

Psalm 84:4 "Blessed are those who dwell in Your house; They will still be praising You.  Selah"


For the sake of clarity, Selah means Stop and Listen, or Stop and Think, but either way, it is used to let the singer of the psalm know that this is an important point, worthy of remembering.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20  (NKJV) - "Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s."

Jesus sighting #1: So, because of Jesus giving us the Holy Spirit, YOU ARE THE TEMPLE OF THE LORD. 

Romans 8:26 (NKJV): "Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered."

Jesus sighting #2: Because you have the spirit of the Lord within, the spirit Himself prays for your needs, even if you do not know how or what to say.  Spiritual weaknesses are the core of most worldly weaknesses, but this verse is talking about HELP in OUR WEAKNESSES.  Real help for real people. This, if you listen to the Spirit, is the blessing of peace in a fallen world.

Romans 8:28 (NKJV): "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose."

Jesus sighting #3: Even more blessings ---  everything will work out for good if you are called according to His purpose.  If you have the Holy Spirit within you, and you listen to him, then you ARE CALLED ACCORDING
TO HIS SPIRIT.

In one verse of the Old Testament, with the attitude of certainty that Jesus is the reason for the bible, I was able to find Jesus 3 times.  

That is pretty cool.  Didn't fall asleep 1 time.  Didn't have to put my obedience or false spirituality hat on even once.  It was Fun.  Try it!

Book Review: Good News for Those Trying Harder by Alan Kraft

I came to this book because I longed for an emotional & spiritual experience which I perceived that other followers of Jesus the Christ all had, or said they had, when they became followers of Jesus. I was literally crying out for something more, something deeper, something real from my faith.  If you would like to know more about my spiritual journey, and why "crying out," is not something that would surprise me, read my article on my conversion experience called Diving In, an Act of Faith.

It was actually recommended by Amazon when I finished another book, The Barbarian Way: Unleash the Untamed Faith Within by Erwin Raphael McManus, so I bought it. It rocked my world.  It rocked my spiritual world first, but it ripped the foundations off of my life in the "World."  I will never be the same again.  

Before I tell you what I learned and what else I thought of the book, let me tell you a little about the author.   Alan Kraft is the lead pastor of Christ Community Church, Greenly, Colorado, and he is both a husband of many years and a father of several ages of children.  He has lived life, made mistakes, admits them, and is willing to share what he has learned with us. 


I recommend this book  to anyone who does not believe that they have not yet experienced “brokenness, faith or a personal relationship with Jesus" at the levels they once expected or hoped for. If you long for the “Peace of God that surpasses all understanding,” (Philippians 4:7) then this book is for you.

I recommend this book with even more urgency if your life is full of fear.  I don't mean spiritual fear, (like fearing God, fearing you are not worthy, fear of death), though it will help with that too.  I mean fear of anything in your life that is tangible or not.  If you are tired of being chased by the same anxiety; if you think a lot, "I can not catch a break," or you are having trouble sleeping because of the pressure in your life, this is a MUST READ.

If you have the world by the tail, and you really are "all that," you won't like this book.

In the reading of "Good News for Those Trying Harder,"  I discovered three things that I was lacking and looking for.

1) A personal relationship with Jesus.  I had asked friends at two churches in two states what a "personal relationship with Jesus," was, and what it felt like, because I was tired of the "Jesus Speak," I always heard from Christians like myself when speaking about Jesus.  I really did not know what it meant.  One church, only members answered.  Even though it was a monitored page and the pastors read it, no one who was trained answered.  The people said things like, "it's just like your relationship with other people." and the like.  NO IT IS NOT.  It is mind blowing and emotional, and it is all over the Gospel and can even be found throughout the old testament.  This book tells you where it is in the Bible and even shows you how to start down the path.  It will make you cry.  It will make you happy.  It will make you safe.

2) An Emotional Recognition of my Brokenness beyond the technical definition of sin we have all heard so many times before.  I discovered just exactly how I could discover what my sins really were, and that brought me to the floor, face down, several times.  Way past mind blowing.  Deeply soul stretching.


3)  An understanding of the roles of the Holy Spirit, Jesus and God the Father in my prayer life and in my mortal life.  I have always wondered what the deal was with the Trinity.  Why the doctrine was created by man, justified by scripture and memorized by millions, but not understood by anybody.  I discovered the sameness of God.  I discovered the Power of grace in the three parts of God, and most importantly to me, I discovered the universality of the Gospel.  How it applies to my life in all its aspects, every moment of the day, and just how amazing grace really is.

I don't know if these things were the intended messages of the book, but I do believe that the Holy Spirit and the Bible support the messages that I got for my life, and I suspect it will in your life as well.

The Bible Lies for Tomorrow we Die

And if there is no resurrection“Let’s feast and drink, for tomorrow we die!” wrote Paul to the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 15:32b

Just so you know what Paul was talking about, when he was suggesting we party, I read this basic description of ancient middle eastern parties or feasts in the Sacrilege of Belshazzar: "Great feasts were characteristic of antiquity. Persian kings frequently dined with as many as 15,000 guests," and "It was the custom at Ancient Near Eastern feasts for the king to sit on a raised platform, apart from the guests. Excessive drinking after the dinner was common in this period. Many feasts became drunken orgies, since people who are overly excited by alcohol are apt to lose control of their thoughts and actions." 

So Paul is suggesting that if the Gospel is NOT true, we should party hardy, and do it now. 

For more on Persian Feast, check out Ken Raggio's bible study.

If the Bible is wrong in one place, it is wrong, since its claim is that it all true.  If it is wrong, we die.   Here is one of the classic examples of where the bible is wrong by contradiction, and therefor our ticket to drunken debauchery.

Paul writes in Romans 3:24 “being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” – NKJV  Pretty clear.  Justified means making a sinner righteous before God, or leading a life that God approves of. Pauline Doctrine of Faith IS saved by Grace. We get to go to heaven, according to Paul, because we are justified "freely" by God's grace, or unmerited favor.

Paul does not stop there though, just in case his readers in Rome don’t get it yet, in Romans 5:1 he writes “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”  So God reaches out to you, because he wants to, and gives you GRACE, and you reach back and accept it with FAITH.  Clearer yet. Yea.  Life with God is good.

Then James shows up, and writes, James 2:14 “Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” NKJV  

Ok James, I really want to thank you.  Paul says Grace and Faith, God reaching to us, and we accepting.  You, brother, say that Faith without Works is dead. Way to contradict Paul, invalidate the whole bible, and call on the party of all time.

Ouch.  Hope not. 

So, let us explore what else this might mean, starting with a pretty fair assumption. 

Jesus, Paul and James did not speak English or write English or think in English.  They wrote in Greek.  So let us see what James said in Greek.

The word that is used in Romans 5:1 and James 2:17 for "faith" is the same greek word and it means: assurance, belief, faith, fidelity, for them that believe (Studylight.org Lexicon) – drum roll please ….. sounds like a contradiction and we all get to die … 

But let’s look at what James actually says before we start the party.

The subject of the sentence is “Faith,” thus it is Faith that is dead, not us. 

What does James mean by dead?  The Greek word used either means physical death, (but since Faith is NOT corporal), and the second definition is what he was using the word for.  

It is a metaphor for Spiritually dead, or destitute of a life that that is devoted to God or inactive as respects doing right or destitute of force or power, inactive, inoperative. - as taken from http://www.studylight.org.

So it is seems James is saying that once you have been justified by Grace and Faith, you will do good works.  If you do not, you still have faith, but it is inactive, destitute of force or power (from God) in active, inoperative, destitute of a life that recognizes the Lord, and you seem to have given up.

Looks like we are Saved (as in we don’t have to pay the ultimate price for our sins) by Grace, a free gift of God through the life and death (sacrifice) of his son Jesus.  Yet, by faith we accept that gift, thus accepting the free gift of eternal life.  

So why did James write that thingee he wrote about faith and works (behavior – actions)?

Let’s look at what comes after – James 2:18 – 22 (NLT) -  “Now someone may argue, ‘Some people have faith; others have good deeds.’ But I say, ‘How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.’  You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless?  Don’t you remember that our ancestor Abraham was shown to be right with God by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see, his faith and his actions worked together. His actions made his faith complete.”

James is saying the Proof of your Faith is your good works.  They are like the “fruit” of your salvation.  Just believing in God and Jesus can’t be enough, for even the demons do that. You need to "believe" in Jesus, that he paid the price for your sin, he died for it, he rose from the dead proving his words were true.

Wow.  So, if you are saved by faith, your behavior changes.  If you behaviors has not changed, you have issues, like stubbornness.  HIS ACTIONS MADE HIS FAITH COMPLETE. 

Justified by Grace; Saved by Faith in the Grace of God; Fruits that prove the Faith, that James calls works.

Darn No Party after all, for tomorrow we live.

Wait a minute.  Tomorrow we live.  Party Time!!!

------------------------------------------------------

For more from our Christian Blog, click here.

For our Humor in Life Blog, click here.