After many years of hearing the gospel preached, taught and listening to men and women share the word of God; we have to put our faith into action. The purpose of growing in grace and spending time in the presence of the Lord; it is strictly for your own spiritual growth as a believer. As Christians, we must mature in our conduct and serve others; whether they are believers or not. In the book of James written by the apostle James, Jesus’ half brother, one of his main teachings was maturity and becoming a doer rather than someone who would speak without works.
He emphasized being available and sharing with others the many gifts and blessings one can have in one’s possession. One concern for sure was being brought up with real life issues and knowing how to respond to different life events. Another concern was being strong in his own spirit to do the right thing; instead of relying on others who could easily persuade or guide you in the wrong direction. He wanted to make sure that as Christians we are strengthened in our faith and not fooled by the many distractions we see and hear on a daily basis.
When people fight in general and they know that you and I are Christians; some will ask us to pray for them. Today there are many people who are sick, both physically and spiritually. Jesus is lord of both. When we pray and ask God to heal us; It is through prayer that our circumstances change. (James 5: 13-15). Is anyone suffering … is one of you sick? Let him call the elders of the church … This text can be related to both physical illness and spiritual condition. These scriptures deal with the spiritual condition of a man’s well-being; ensuring that he or she remains spiritually strong and does not weaken during times of persecution; remain morally upright and healthy inside and out.
The whole Word of God is about building relationships. ” First, to be in communion with the One who created all that exists and then to allow ourselves as human beings to be vessels available to be used by His foreknowledge and His all-sufficient grace. He equips us with the gifts of knowledge and wisdom not only to help ourselves, but also to help and be a blessing to others. Life’s troubles and good times are meant to develop character. And secondly, when it is guided by our inner man as we trust in the Lord; we do the right thing for ourselves and others. So the next time times are tough or even when things seem to be going well, are you spiritually mature enough to be thankful for both of you?
In 1970 the song “Reach Out And Touch, Somebody’s Hand”. was written by Ashford & Simpson, and sung by Diana Ross, one of the hooks or main lyrics was “make this world a better place if you can”. We can all reach out and touch lives, let’s do it to help make this world a better place. Take heart and remain faithful in what you have been called to do as a believer in Jesus Christ!