James 2:18-3:12.
Suppose someone disagrees and says, "It is possible to have faith
without doing kind deeds." I would answer, "Prove that you have faith
without doing kind deeds, and I will prove that I have faith by doing
them." You surely believe there is only one God. That's fine. Even
demons believe this, and it makes them shake with fear. Does some
stupid person want proof that faith without deeds is useless? Well,
our ancestor Abraham pleased God by putting his son Isaac on the altar
to sacrifice him. Now you see how Abraham's faith and deeds worked
together. He proved that his faith was real by what he did. This is
what the Scriptures mean by saying, "Abraham had faith in God, and God
was pleased with him." That's how Abraham became God's friend.You can
now see that we please God by what we do and not only by what we
believe. For example, Rahab had been a prostitute. But she pleased
God when she welcomed the spies and sent them home by another way.
Anyone who doesn't breathe is dead, and faith that doesn't do anything
is just as dead!
The Tongue
My friends, we should not all try to become teachers. In fact,
teachers will be judged more strictly than others. All of us do many
wrong things. But if you can control your tongue, you are mature and
able to control your whole body.
By putting a bit into the mouth of a horse, we can turn the horse in
different directions. It takes strong winds to move a large sailing
ship, but the captain uses only a small rudder to make it go in any
direction. Our tongues are small too, and yet they brag about big
things. It takes only a spark to start a forest fire! The tongue is
like a spark. It is an evil power that dirties the rest of the body
and sets a person's entire life on fire with flames that come from
hell itself. All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and sea creatures
can be tamed and have been tamed. But our tongues get out of control.
They are restless and evil, and always spreading deadly poison. My
dear friends, with our tongues we speak both praises and curses. We
praise our Lord and Father, and we curse people who were created to be
like God, and this isn't right. Can clean water and dirty water both
flow from the same spring? Can a fig tree produce olives or a
grapevine produce figs? Does fresh water come from a well full of salt
water?"
Father God, forgive my sins. Thank you for sending Jesus Christ down
to die on the cross and for shedding his blood for me. Three days
later you resurrected him. I accept that. I invite Jesus Christ into
my heart as my Lord and savior. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.
God bless you.
without doing kind deeds." I would answer, "Prove that you have faith
without doing kind deeds, and I will prove that I have faith by doing
them." You surely believe there is only one God. That's fine. Even
demons believe this, and it makes them shake with fear. Does some
stupid person want proof that faith without deeds is useless? Well,
our ancestor Abraham pleased God by putting his son Isaac on the altar
to sacrifice him. Now you see how Abraham's faith and deeds worked
together. He proved that his faith was real by what he did. This is
what the Scriptures mean by saying, "Abraham had faith in God, and God
was pleased with him." That's how Abraham became God's friend.You can
now see that we please God by what we do and not only by what we
believe. For example, Rahab had been a prostitute. But she pleased
God when she welcomed the spies and sent them home by another way.
Anyone who doesn't breathe is dead, and faith that doesn't do anything
is just as dead!
The Tongue
My friends, we should not all try to become teachers. In fact,
teachers will be judged more strictly than others. All of us do many
wrong things. But if you can control your tongue, you are mature and
able to control your whole body.
By putting a bit into the mouth of a horse, we can turn the horse in
different directions. It takes strong winds to move a large sailing
ship, but the captain uses only a small rudder to make it go in any
direction. Our tongues are small too, and yet they brag about big
things. It takes only a spark to start a forest fire! The tongue is
like a spark. It is an evil power that dirties the rest of the body
and sets a person's entire life on fire with flames that come from
hell itself. All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and sea creatures
can be tamed and have been tamed. But our tongues get out of control.
They are restless and evil, and always spreading deadly poison. My
dear friends, with our tongues we speak both praises and curses. We
praise our Lord and Father, and we curse people who were created to be
like God, and this isn't right. Can clean water and dirty water both
flow from the same spring? Can a fig tree produce olives or a
grapevine produce figs? Does fresh water come from a well full of salt
water?"
Father God, forgive my sins. Thank you for sending Jesus Christ down
to die on the cross and for shedding his blood for me. Three days
later you resurrected him. I accept that. I invite Jesus Christ into
my heart as my Lord and savior. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.
God bless you.
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