THE MOSES OF HER PEOPLE

Imagine a woman, barely five feet tall, with a scar on her head from a childhood injury, and no formal education. She’s born into slavery, escapes it, and then -- against all logic and fear -- goes back. Not once, but again and again.

Her name? Harriet Tubman (1822-1913). Harriet was called the “Moses of her people.” And like Moses, she believed that freedom was not just a dream—it was a divine promise. She said, “I always told God, I’m going to hold steady on You, and You’ve got to see me through.”

And He did. Tubman led at least 70 enslaved people to freedom via the Underground Railroad. She never lost a single passenger. Not one.

She didn’t have maps. She couldn’t read. She couldn’t even rely on people to hide her -- because if they were caught, they’d face prison or worse. But she had something else: she had faith.

Harriet said that every time she stepped onto a path in the woods, every time she knocked on a door or waited in a swamp for the cover of night, she prayed: “Lord, go with me. Make me invisible.”

And sometimes, it was as if she was. Slave catchers passed within feet of her group and never saw them. Dogs couldn’t catch their scent. Fires stayed low. She credited it all to the power of God.

Later, during the Civil War, she even led military raids, guiding Union troops to free more than 700 enslaved people in a single night.

But it all started with faith. Not faith in herself. Not faith in a cause. But faith in a God who sees the oppressed, and acts. That’s mountain-moving faith. Faith that risks everything, not just to believe, but to rescue. The kind of faith that says: “Even if I walk into darkness, You are my light.” 

-- Excerpted from Wikipedia

#6303

THE DEPTH OF GOD’S LOVE

In today's world, wracked by terrorism, poverty, lawlessness, disease, and violence, the message of the gospel and the need for Christians who put their faith into action has never been more acute.  We, the followers of Jesus Christ, are an integral part of God's plan for the world -- the same world that God loved so much -- "that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).  In this famous verse we see the depth of God's love for our world. It was not a passive and sentimental love but rather a dynamic, active, and sacrificial love.  For God so loved the world that He acted! 

-- Richard Stearns, former President of World Vision, Inc., in “Introduction to Faith In Action Study Bible: Living God's Word in a Changing World”  [2005]

#6200

KEEPING BODY AND SOUL TOGETHER

“And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”  (Micah 6:8 NIV)

What exactly does the Lord require of us? He requires what Jesus Christ modeled during His public ministry – the Good News in word and in deed. At dinner with His disciples, as He walked through the marketplace, as children crowded around Him, Jesus continually pointed the way to the Father. At the same time, He fed the poor; He healed the blind, the sick and the lame; and He affirmed the dignity of women, Samaritans, and other social outcasts of the day.

Before Christ ascended to heaven, He left clear commands to His followers in Matthew 28:19: “As you go, preach, making disciples and baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” God’s Old Testament commands are equally compelling: “Impress [the words of God] on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up” (Deuteronomy 6:7). If we believe in… the Scriptures, we must take those commands to heart. For the believer, living the law of God, spreading His Word, and leader men and women to Christ should be as natural as breathing.

So, too, should be the acts of doing the gospel. In his epistle, James told the people of God that “pure religion and undefiled is this: ‘to feed the orphans and comfort the widow in her distress’” (James 1:27). The Apostle Paul helped to raise funds for famine relief and commended the Macedonian Christians for their rich generosity in giving to their brothers and sisters in physical need. 

“What does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” 

-- Charles Colson (1931-2012) in an article entitled “Doing Justice, Loving Mercy, Walking Humble” in Discipleship Journal, No. 63

#6171

ACTING ON GOD’S WORD

“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves."  (James 1:22 ESV)

It’s easy to nod along in agreement when we hear a powerful sermon or read a moving devotional. But James reminds us: agreement is not obedience. God's Word is meant to be lived.

C.S. Lewis said, “Obedience is the key that opens every door.” There are many everyday doorways to obedience. The Grocery-Line Test: You’re behind someone struggling to count coins. You’re in a hurry. The Word says, “Be patient.” Do we live it -- or just know it? The Inbox Moment: You get an email from someone hurting. You think, “I’ll pray for them.” James nudges: Don’t just say it -- do it. Pause. Pray. Reach out. The Family-Room Challenge: Tension simmers. You recall “be quick to listen, slow to speak.” Do you speak gently -- or do you just remember the verse?

Faith isn’t a theory, it’s traction. The difference between hearer and doer is the footprint left behind. One fades like breath on glass. The other leaves indelible marks of grace and love.

To paraphrase a familiar quote, “The world does not need more outstanding sermons. It needs more obedient servants.” This quote underscores James 1:22’s challenge: not just to hear truth, but to embody it. It’s a call to let our lives preach louder than our lips. What’s one truth you’ve recently heard that you haven’t yet acted on? It could be forgiveness, generosity, humility, or compassion. Choose one. Live it today. 

-- SOUND BITES Ministry™, compiled from a variety of sources 

#6166

PRAYER LEADS TO JUSTICE AND MERCY

“You shall not oppress a hired servant who is poor and needy, whether one of your brethren or one of the aliens who is in your land within your gates. Each day you shall give him his wages, and not let the sun go down on it, for he is poor and has set his heart on it; lest he cry out against you to the Lord, and it be sin to you.”  (Deuteronomy 24:14–15 NIV)

Prayer and action… can never be seen as contradictory or mutually exclusive.  Prayer without action grows in powerless pietism, and action without prayer degenerates into questionable manipulation.  If prayer leads us into a deeper unity with the compassionate Christ, it will always give rise to concrete acts of service.  And if concrete acts of service do indeed lead us to a deeper solidarity with the poor, the hungry, the sick, the dying, and the oppressed, they will always give rise to prayer.  In prayer we meet Christ, and in Him all human suffering. In service we meet people, and in them the suffering Christ. 

-- Henri J. M. Nouwen (1932-1996) in “Compassion” [1982] 

#6151

BELIEVING AND DOING

“We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us.”  (2 Corinthians 5:20)

If you plan to reach the next generation for Christ, don’t ask them to believe what you believe, instead invite them to do what you do.

Beliefs are a dime a dozen. This generation has seen every variety of spiritual beliefs you could imagine (and many you couldn’t imagine).

They’re extremely turned off by people who don’t live what they claim to believe.

This generation doesn’t want to hear about what you believe. They want to see your beliefs in actions. And if you’re daring enough to live like Jesus, you’ll have a shot at reaching the next generation. If your version of Christianity is limited to what you’re against, you’ll not likely reach many. If, on the other hand, your faith is so alive you must feed the hungry, clothe the naked, heal the sick, and love the outcasts -- all in the name of Christ, the King -- you will attract interest.

As strange as it might sound, if you truly live a missional and Spirit-filled life, the young generation might join you and do what you do, then one day believe what you believe. 

-- Craig Groeschel 

RESPONDING WITH COMPASSION

Every time the Gospels mention that Jesus was moved with the deepest emotions or felt sorry for people, it led to His doing something -- physical or inner healing, deliverance or exorcism, feeding the hungry crowds or praying for others. The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) was commended precisely because he acted. The priest and Levite, paragons of Jewish virtue, flunked the test because they didn’t do anything. Jesus ask, “Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the man who fell in with the robbers?” The answer came, “The one who treated him with compassion.” Jesus said to them, “Then go and do the same.” 

-- Brennan Manning in “Reflections for Ragamuffins”

#6079

TALK IS CHEAP

“Now someone may argue, ‘Some people have faith; others have good deeds.’ But I say, ‘How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.’” (James 2:18 NLT)

“Miraculous!”… “Revolutionary!”… “Greatest ever!” We are inundated by a flood of extravagant claims as we channel surf the television, [browse social media,] or flip through magazine pages. The messages leap out at us. The products assure that they are new, improved, fantastic, and capable of changing our life. For only a few dollars, we can have “cleaner clothes,” “whiter teeth,” “glamourous hair,” and “tastier food.” Automobiles, perfume, diet drinks, and mouthwash are guaranteed to bring happiness, friends, and the good life. And just before an election, no one can match the politician’s promises. But talk is cheap, and too often we soon realize that the boasts are hollow, quite far from the truth.

“Jesus is the answer!”… “Believe in God!”… “Follow me to church!” Christians make great claims but are often guilty of belying them with their actions. Professing to trust God and to be His people, they cling tightly to the world and its values. Possessing all the right answers, they contradict the gospel with their lives.

With energetic style and crisp, well-chosen words, James confronts this conflict head-on. It is not enough to talk the Christian faith, he says: we must live it. “Dear brothers and sister, what’s the use of saying you have faith if you don’t prove it by your actions? That kind of faith can’t save anyone.” (James 2:14) The proof of the reality of our faith is a changed life. 

-- From the “Life Application Study Bible” 

#5948

BELIEVE IN THE LORD JESUS – Part 4 of 4

“Show me how anyone can have faith without actions. I will show you my faith by my actions.” (James 2:18b GNT)

Then is basic Christianity the belief that Jesus is the Son of God who came to be the Saviour of the world? No, it is not even that. To assent to Christ’s divine person, to acknowledge man’s need of salvation, and to believe in Christ’s saving work are not enough. Christianity is not just a creed; it involves action. Our intellectual belief may be beyond criticism, but we must transfer our beliefs into deeds.

What must we do, then? We must commit ourselves, heart and mind, soul and will, home and life, personally and unreservedly to Jesus Christ. We must humble ourselves before Him. We must trust Him as our Saviour and submit to Him as our Lord; and then go on to take our place as faithful members of the Church and responsible citizens in the community. 

-- John R. W. Stott in “Basic Christianity” 

#5791

 

FEELING WHAT GOD FEELS

“My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God.”  (Psalm 84:2)

Let me ask you a question:  what will kill you if you don’t do it?

What makes you glad or sad or mad?  What puts a holy smile on your face?  What causes your spirit to sob uncontrollably?  What makes you pound your fist on the table out of righteous indignation?  Somewhere in the mixture of that gladness, sadness, and madness is your God-ordained passion.  Or maybe I should say compassion, because you are feeling what God feels.  And once you identify it, doing something about it isn’t optional.  You can’t not do something about it. 

-- Mark Batterson in “PRIMAL: A Quest for the Lost Soul of Christianity”

#5713

ROUTINE ACTS OF DEVOTION

“But as for you… pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith; take hold of the eternal life, to which you were called and for which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.”  (1 Timothy 6:11-12 NRSV)

A few years ago we started a praise band at church. In that context commitment took over where my desire has always tended to fall short. Simply put, I placed myself and my Ovation [guitar] in a position of discipline and encouragement, and my ability to play has grown accordingly.

It turns out my faith is a lot like that.

Being a disciple of Jesus is much like playing guitar in the band. While desire may be the spark that ignites the fire, my spiritual journey flames out with relative ease – all too readily and distressingly quickly. My love for God can also find its way into the closet, and there it gathers dust; God does not force His presence on me any more than my neglected instrument will leap into my hands to say, “Let’s play.”

There’s a lot to be said for showing up to play music with the band every week, for picking up my guitar every day, and for running through even the simplest songs of praise. In the middle of such routine acts of devotion, I often find that God’s love sneaks up on me unawares.

It’s that “long obedience in the same direction” idea. 

-- Derek Maul in “Get Real: A Spiritual Journey for Men”

#5711

WALKING THE TALK

"Be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves." (James 1:22 NRSV)

My conduct is the only trustworthy indicator of what I truly value. It is the difference between Christianity as talk and as walk. All of us value evangelism, but when was my last spiritual conversation with a person in need of faith in Christ? All of us value unity, but when was the last time I resisted the urge to say something negative about a peer? All of us value our families, but when was the last time I took a day off just to be with them (and turned off my cell phone)? 

-- Dr. Earl Creps in the “United Methodist Reporter”, January 7, 2010

#5525 

FAITH INFORMING LIFE

There is no need to multiply examples of what is so patently an essential condition of the Christian walk. We are saved through faith – an unflagging, unwavering attachment to the person of Jesus Christ.

What is the depth and quality of your faith commitment? In the last analysis, faith is not a way of speaking or even thinking; it is a way of living. Maurice Blondel said, “If you want to know what a person really believes, don’t listen to what he says but watch what he does.” Only the practice of faith can verify what we believe. Does faith permeate the whole of your life? Does it form your judgments about success, about death? Does it influence the way you read the newspaper? Do you have a divine sense of humor that see through people and events into the unfolding plan of God? When things are turbulent on the surface of your life, do you retain a quiet calm, firmly fixed in ultimate reality? As Therese of Lisieux said, “Let nothing disturb you, let nothing frighten you. All things are passing.”

How has your faith shaped this past year? How will it shape the year ahead? 

-- Adapted from “Reflections for Ragamuffins” by Brennan Manning

#5506

THAT SINKING FEELING

“Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ Immediately Jesus reached out His hand and caught him. ‘You of little faith,” He said, “why did you doubt?’”  (Matthew 14:29b-31 NIV)

I've heard many Christians say that faith is not a matter of feelings. Generalizations can be misleading. God created us -- feelings and all. In many Bible stories, we see God being "moved" to action. Many miracles of Jesus are preceded by heartfelt compassion.

It is not wise to deny our feelings. Rather, we should seek to know the source of our feelings. Peter, in his joy and relief of seeing the Lord, began to walk on water. But fear of the rough sea soon caused him to sink. For Peter, fear of being overcome by the sea literally became a sinking feeling.

Do you ever get that sinking feeling? Denying it won't change your situation and going it alone isn't going to save you. Instead do what Peter did: Immediately take hold of the Lord's hand. A rescue may seem far away, but the Lord is always within reach. Your feelings can be a very powerful way in which the Lord works out His plan in you. 

-- Alan Neal

#5345

FAITH IN ACTION

Faith is not merely a belief in ideas or concepts but a belief that moves us to action. The New Testament usage of "faith" derives largely from the Hebrew understanding that "to believe" is to have firmness, reliability, or steadfastness. Faith in action is a steadfast trusting in God and in our relationship with God. ...

A significant part of our faith is how we live it out daily, for our actions and our lifestyles witness to the true faith we hold. Somehow in our upbringing, many Western Christians have missed the critical link between faith and lifestyle. Faith should express itself in what we eat, how we spend our time, how we entertain ourselves, and how we spend our money. ...

For faith to grow, we must be open and listening to God through scripture, prayer, worship, music, nature, people, and the circumstances of our lives. Then we must be obedient to God's will and direction for us as we discern them. True Christian faith leads us to involvement with others and sensitivity to their needs. 

-- Ann Hagmann in “Climbing the Sycamore Tree”  (Nashville, Tenn.: Upper Room Books, 2001)

#5274

HOW OTHERS PERCEIVE YOUR FAITH

"Ever since the creation of the world God's eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through the things God has made." (Romans 1:20)

When I was in high school, I was the drum major for our marching band. When we would perform on the football field or in a parade, the band director would always say, “People listen with their eyes.” In other words, if band members were out of step or out of line, the audience would perceive the band to be out of tune.

I have come to realize the same thing holds true with our faith. People cannot see your faith. So they judge your faith by what they can see. People will trust their eyes long before they will ever trust your words. What do your visibles say about the invisible things you believe?  

-- Rev. David T. Wilkinson

#5238

A MATTER OF PERSONAL INVESTMENT

“So also faith, if it is unaccompanied by obedience, has no life in it -- so long as it stands alone.”   (James 2:17 WNT)

Too many people think of religion, and particularly Christianity, as a matter of having to believe impossible things.  Faith and belief are related, but they are not the same things.  I can believe all kinds of things (dogs are better than cats, angels have wings and stand by my bed at night, or even that God exists), that make little or no practical difference in how I actually live my life.

Faith, on the other hand, is a matter of personal investment.  Faith usually implies belief, but it also assumes that this belief makes a profound difference in how I treat others, engage the world, or spend my time and money.  Faith moves me to risk, sacrifice, grow, and challenge.  Believing is easy; it requires nothing much of us.  But having true faith is the hardest thing in the world.  Interestingly, many people report that they don't really know what they believe until they begin to act on faith. 

-- Clifton F. Guthrie in “Faith: Living a Spiritual Life” 

#4919