The Way of the Master
James 2:14 says, “What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?” In light of what our pastor has challenged us with from God’s word as a church, I have been looking for ways to put my faith into action. Yet, whatever I do I want to make sure that the gospel is the motivation, center, and goal of my deeds. Therefore, to accomplish that I believe I need to not only know the gospel, but be able to communicate it effectively through my words and actions. One resource I have found that is particularly helpful is a website called The Way of the Master. I see the overwhelming statistics of how many children die each day from simple curable diseases, and the statistics on how big poverty and hunger is around the world. However, even more tragic is the fact that the majority of those men, women, and children that are dying do not know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. That must be at the front of our mission to make the gospel known wherever we go. The Way of the Master has been a great resource that I have used to not only learn how to share my faith, but how to take my faith to the nations. Check it out at:
http://www.wayofthemaster.com/
Does God Owe Me Anything?
This summer, our worship team went on a mission trip to New Orleans. The main focus was construction – repairing remaining damage from Hurricane Katrina, and getting to know the people at those homes. We were split up into several teams, with each team at a different house. My team had the opportunity of meeting and talking to several people who had lived there during Katrina. Their outlooks on their lives and their situations was strikingly different.
For example – we met a man who’s house had been devastated. Completely unsalvageble. He lost everything and lived in a FEMA trailer for 2 and a half years. His response? “It wasn’t so bad. There were others who were a lot worse! I got along just fine.” Then, we met a lady who had only had a couple of feet of water in her house. Many repairs needed, but definitely not total devastation. She’d lived in a FEMA trailer for several months. Her response? Anger and lawsuits. The trailer wasn’t up to specs, etc., etc.
This difference has had me thinking ever since. Obviously, I don’t know the ins and outs of each of their situation, much less what it must have been like to live in their shoes. But, it raises the question, “What am I entitled to?” In a country of financial aid, welfare and loans, we are groomed to believe that we are entitled to a certain standard of living. But, when you think about it, why should we be?
The same can go for our spiritual life. “I’m a good person. I deserve a great life. I deserve no pain. I deserve to have fun. I deserve good things. I certainly don’t deserve hell.” In a world of “self-esteem boosting,” we are groomed to believe how great we are and what we deserve. But…how does that fit with God’s word?
God’s word vividly describes our condition apart from Him. We are morally evil (Gen 8:21), spiritually sick (Matt.9:12), slaves to sin (John 8:34), blinded to truth (Eph 4:18), lovers of darkness (Eph. 5:8), children of wrath (Rom.5:10), and most importantly, we are spiritually dead (Eph.2:1). Any one of these things alone means that I am sinfully wretched. Try and comprehend being ALL of them.
It’s almost funny that we could consider ourselves “deserving” of anything.
That’s it right there. That’s the key.
If I “deserve” anything, I suck God’s power and grace right out of salvation. Any god that was merely giving me what I was entitled to, is no more powerful than the checkout lady at the grocery store – giving you what you paid for. The point is, we haven’t earned a thing! It’s only by God’s grace that I am free, saved, and empowered to glorify Him!
I don’t know why he chose to love us and save us by His grace. But I know that ALL of the work and glory comes from Him. My job is to praise Him for it.
Now that’s a God worthy of worship.