Believe

​Perhaps one of the dangers of living in the “information age” is that we glorify the brain--our computer, library and communications control center.  Misguided brain glorification can result in serious spiritual muscle fatigue.  For example, knowing becomes more valuable than doing.  Faith accordingly, is defined as knowing God.  We have the cerebral awareness that our salvation comes through His Son, Christ.  We determine that by reciting a formula in which we confess our sin and invoke the name of Jesus we shall be saved.  We therefore base our salvation on an intellectual assent to God’s plan.   But faith is not simply an intellectual act. 

Meditation
James 2:14-17--What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can his faith save him? If a brother or sister is without clothes and lacks daily food and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,” but you don’t give them what the body needs, what good is it? In the same way faith, if it doesn’t have works, is dead by itself.
 
Faith is a matter of the heart! James challenges us with the reality that a faith that does nothing is dead.  Doesn't faith engage the heart more than the mind?  The mind identifies what must be done, but the heart is the responding agent.  I can say that Jesus is my Lord with my mind but until I embrace Him with my heart do I really have faith?   
​
The faith we see demonstrated in the Bible is a faith that responds obediently to an invisible Creator.  God never affirms those who call Him Father but ignore His leadership. “You believe that God is one; you do well. The demons also believe—and they shudder” (James 2:19).  Faith that ignores observing God's will, that is entirely devoid of any evidence of a changed life, is not faith.  The demonstration that I have faith is not that I call myself a Christian but that I am a Christian.  
​
I know that my body must have water to survive.  I believe it when I drink.  If I don't drink I become physically useless and all the knowledge I possess about liquid nourishment is irrelevant.
 
Inspiration
Our Lord's word believe does not refer to an intellectual act, but to a moral act; with our Lord to believe means to commit.—Oswald Chambers in Approved Unto God
 
©1997 Daniel York  ARR.  Reveration is the weekly devotional ministry of First Cause.  If you would like to receive these devotionals go to www.firstcause.org and click on the “Click here to receive weekly devotionals” box.  Unlimited permission to copy this devotional without altering text or profiteering is allowed subject to inclusion of this copyright notice.      
 
Ecclesiastes 12:10-The Teacher sought to find delightful sayings and to accurately write words of truth.  (Holman CSB)