This is Faith: Characteristics of Faith

As you know, or even if you don’t, there are 7 characteristics of faith that the book of James talks about. The first one being obey the word. Notice how God tells us to obey him first. So what exactly is he telling us to do here? 3 things:

1. Be quick to listen and slow to anger
2. Be doers of the word
3. Be pure and uncontaminated

Be quick to listen and slow to anger. Have you ever heard of the saying : Listen twice as much of you speak? This is what God is telling us to do. We all strive to be more like him well think about this: Does he not give us more mercy then we deserve? And it’s new everyday! So how can we so merciless? The word says we all fall short of his glory. Just imagine if God was quick to become angry…Ohhh there would be a lot of troubled people in this world. Which brings me to the next verse:

“For the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.”

Being quick to wrath is not of God. It does not bring the purity that God wants for us. Lay down the ways of the world and accept what is holy with humbleness. For his word lives in you so it’s not far away. And get this, it will save you from a life of destruction. There is a song I love to worship God with…it says “Lay down your idles give it all today.” If you truly know how much God longs for you to depend on him it softens your heart and you have no other choice but to give it all to him. Number 2 is simple: Do what he says. It’s simple but I personally think that man makes its hard. Why? Because we tend to want to do things our own way. But we should want please God. Just like a child would want to make their parents proud we should want and strive for the same thing when it comes to our Heavenly Father. And lastly, be pure and uncontaminated.

“Religion that God our father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”

When I read this verse I instantly thought about helping others in their time of need and staying uncontaminated from man-made waste (the world). These are things that are very important for us to do as children of God.

So today’s encouragement is: Listen, be doers, and stay pure! And watch God move on your behalf.

And As always,

Walk by Faith. Move w/o Fear.