James 2:14-17

Good morning girls!
It looks like we'll be reading alot about the relationship between faith and actions this week, so I want to share with you a few quotes that I found helpful in my study this morning!

"Works are a necessary, concomitant, inevitable fruit of real faith." -Kretzmann's Commetary
"The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love." -Galations 5:6
"A man is justified by faith alone, but not by a faith that is alone." -Martin Luther

It can be difficult as a Christian, at times, to see ourselves "in the faces of the crowd" that James addresses in this part of chapter two. It's easy to pass over it, reassuring ourselves that we are Christians who, um, OF COURSE, believe that Jesus saved us from our sins, and that he'll bring us to heaven someday. We know the Creeds, we are thankful for His sacrifice for us, we try to be aware of his blessings. The End. That's it - we're good, right?

But just how often haven't I reflected on times in my own life where I ask myself where that string of lonely, godly-actionless days came from? How could I be that way? I surely didn't resemble a woman of faith then! What happens when we know in the deep caverns of our hearts that we are faith-filled people, yet time elapses without the proof thereof? What's missing - what gives?

John 15:5 says, "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me, you can do nothing."

God is reminding me there that remaining in Him means reading, studying, abiding in His Word. His Word is the water, food, and fertilizer that keeps me, the branch, firmly connected to Him, the Vine...and not only connected, but growing, producing fruit and flowers, and beauty that lasts. Proof.

On our own we are small and weak and without the capacity to prove our faith by the dirty rags we call our "good works".

Only by His power and life-blood running through us by His Word can we do his will and show his love at all. This truth is becoming more and more apparent to me every day. It is giving me hope. Hope that I don't need to try at all to be a godly woman. Because all my trying only produces failing.

But I am filled with energy and uncontainable joy that he will do everything through me and spur me on by simply remaining in Him.

Remaining in Christ may look different for everyone, but the one thing that is the same is the presence of God's Word.
We can't remain in Him by only going to church on Sunday morning.
We can't remain in Him by only reading Christian books.
We can't remain in Him by only having Christian friends and a Christian family.
We CAN remain in Him by remaining in His Word.

I may sound like a broken record lately writing about the power of being regular readers of our Bibles. But it's not myself in whom I boast, it is and can only be in Christ. I have always struggled to study the Bible daily.

I still struggle, but one thing I know is that lately something is propelling me back again and again, something is getting hungrier inside me for the Life-giving strength and assurances found in this Book...and through subsequent prayer...And I know, girls, you know what that something is. :)

Praying you hunger today, and that your hunger may be filled in Him!
Love you all,
Have a beautiful Monday!!
~Cait