Coffee With The Lord

Couldn’t resist reposting this from 10 years ago …

I just finished reading apostle James great passage dealing with faith and works this morning (James 2.14-26). Maybe I’m the only one who would enjoy this, but I would LOVE to sit in and listen to apostle Paul and James have a “one-on-one” discussion on the relationship of faith and works! I think it would be intellectually stimulating, spiritually enlightening, and highly practical for our understanding of salvation and a life of discipleship… and probably highly “animated” as well (they’re dear “brothers in Christ” after all)! J (Might remind me a little of the “discussions” I have with my brothers).

Listen to the two sides of the issue for awhile today…

James: “What good is it if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? … Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action is dead! Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. Look at Abraham… His faith and his actions were working together. His faith was made complete by what he did. And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, ‘Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness… You see, a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone… As the body without the spirit is dead so faith without deeds is dead!” (From James 2.14-26 NIV)

Paul: “We maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law… What then shall we say that Abraham… discovered in this matter? What does Scripture say? ‘Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.’ To the one who does not work, but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, faith is credited as righteousness… For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works so that no one can boast!” (From Romans 4 and Ephesians 2.8-9 NIV)

I know what you’re thinking… He’s going to try to resolve that age-long issue for us today! NOT!!! In fact this issue reminds me a little bit of the response of Charles Spurgeon when he was asked to resolve two apparently opposing theological truths… His response? “I never reconcile friends!”

“Faith” and “works” … properly understood “forever friends!’

There’s a figure of speech that hunters and others who work with firearms understand… The figure of speech I’m referring to is “GOING OFF HALF COCKED.” It refers to the accidental discharge of a firearm before the shooter is prepared… a very dangerous thing. It has been applied to conversation and speech and means to do or say something without preparing for it or thinking about it. In a passage I read today, that figure of speech came to mind… We need to be very careful when we venture to speak for God – when on His behalf and in His Name, we deliver a message to others that “seems right” to us…

Nathan, the prophet, made this mistake with David the king, and God corrected him for it. Here’s the account of it from the Bible…

“After king David was settled in his palace, he said to Nathan the prophet, ‘Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord is under a tent!’ Nathan replied to David, ‘Whatever you have in mind, do it, for God is with you!’ But that night the word of God came to Nathan, saying: ‘Go and tell my servant, David, This is what the Lord says: You are NOT the one to build me a house to dwell in… I declare to you that the Lord will build a house for you! … I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, one of your own sons… He is the one who will build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever. I will be his father and he will be my son.’” (From 1 Chronicles 17:1-15)

What David had in mind “seemed right” – and Nathan judged it to be a noble desire! So a word of affirmation – a word of encouragement seemed in order… the problem was, it wasn’t what God had in mind!

It seems to me, therefore, before I venture to “speak for the Lord” I should pause and listen and seek to find out what the Lord desires to say – what He has in mind. Sometimes I’m all too ready to “speak for Him” when He may have something else (something “better”) to communicate. Hey, I’m going to try to do more “listening” – and avoid presumptuous speaking for the Lord. I don’t want to “go off half-cocked for God!”

Today I’m sharing a wonderful promise and word of assurance I’ve depended upon a lot over the years. Fact is, I can’t remember the first time I discovered it, claimed it, and found it true, but the times since then that I’ve relied upon it have been numerous. Just take it from me – it works! I read it again this morning in my Bible reading and just paused and offered thanks for the wonderful truth it expresses.

Early on I found the old “Living Bible” paraphrase by Ken Taylor especially helpful in applying it to my life… Here it is:

“If you want to know what God wants you to do, ask Him, and He will gladly tell you, for He is always ready to give a bountiful supply of wisdom to all who ask Him; He will not resent it. But when you ask Him be sure that you really expect Him to tell you, for a doubtful mind will be as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind; and every decision you then make will be uncertain, as you turn first this way and then that. If you don’t ask with faith, don’t expect the Lord to give you any solid answer.” (James 1:5-8 Living Bible)

We all need wisdom and guidance! Those who “fear (or reverence) the Lord desire to know and do His will. This wonderful passage lifts discovering God’s will out of the arena of stress and anxiety and transfers it into the domain of confident assurance and faith. We can ask for wisdom and God has promised to supply it. We are not told precisely how He will supply it or how it will be revealed – simply that He will. He has an innumerable number of ways at his disposal… clear direction from His word, counsel from Godly leaders and friends, circumstances, a “word of wisdom, word of knowledge, or prophecy (1 Corinthians 12:7-11), researching your options bathed in an atmosphere of prayer, or just simply “faith walking” through the issue every day sensitive to the Lord’s presence and help… and that’s just a handful of possibilities. BUT THE TRUTH IS, GOD WILL SUPPLY THE WISDOM YOU NEED! ONE OF MY FAVORITE TRUISMS IS… “THE WILL OF GOD GROWS ON YOU!”

Trust Him! Ask for His wisdom! Believe that He’ll do what He said and supply it! Then expectantly watch, wait, listen, visit with Him about your options and depend upon His leading… and obey! Hey, it works!