What Does it Mean to LIVE by FAITH.

Living by faith means putting faith into action. Some people seem to have the idea that living by faith means living by nothing, or living for nothing, or with nothing. Living by faith means putting feet to your prayers. It means doing everything you can possibly do as if everything depends on doing, and praying like everything depends  on prayer. Real faith is not a passive thing, it puts into action what it believes.

Most of God’s promises are conditional. –Meaning that God blesses those who are putting ACTION into their faith: those who are faithful, diligent, hard-working, truly trusting and genuinely obeying. God rewards hard work, diligence and faithfulness. So whatever you do, don’t have a do-nothing faith. Have a “do anything” faith. Anything you have faith for.

Actually, faith and obedience come first. Throughout His Word God, commanded man to do something first before He met them. God told Moses to strike the Rock and then He’d bring forth water (Ex17:6). And when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead He said, “Roll ye away the stone” (Jn 11:39). They manifested their faith by obedience. If we take that step of faith in doing God’s will, then God meets us.

We often have to take the step of faith, by obeying first, if we want to receive his blessings. Many times, we don’t see the ground we’re going to put our foot on. “We walk by faith, and not by sight” (2Cor 5:7). It means holding on to the promises as firmly as if we were to hold on to the hand of God.

The best way to walk out your faith, is to walk out God’s love. You believe in love as much as you love. If you have real love, you can’t face a needy situation without doing something about it. You can’t just pass by the poor man on the road to Jericho. You must take action like the good Samaritan did (Lk 10:.25-37). It’s not enough to say, “Oh, I’m so sorry, it’s so very sad.” Compassion must be put into action.

Jesus was very compassionate. It says, “He was moved with compassion for the multitude, and so He healed all that came unto Him” (Mat 15:30; Mk 6:31-34).

You can’t say you believe in something if you don’t do something about it, if you don’t practice it. We should live out love as God intended for it to be applied. “With all thine heart, with all thy mind and with all thy strength” (Mat 22: 37). Which means to really care and truly be concerned. And not just say, “I love you,”  and then walk off and forget it, saying, “Be thou warmed and fed when you have it beside you to give, to help, and to love” (Jam 2:16). Love without physical application is like faith without works. It’s dead (Jam 2:26; 1Jn 3:18).

Faith and love work together. The whole message of the Gospel is love. Faith works through love (Gal 5:6).  Love is an obligation, not a choice. Jesus said, “The first and greatest commandment is to love. To love the Lord thy God, and the second is like unto it, to love thy neighbor as thyself” (Mat 22: 36-40).

They asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?”  And with the story of the good Samaritan, He showed them that it is anyone who needs your help, regardless of color or creed. If we have real love, we cannot face a needy situation without doing something about it. We must take action like the Samaritan did (Lk 10:25-37).

Jesus said, “Even as My father has sent Me, so send I you” (Jn 20:21). Calling us to give our lives daily in love and concern and care for others, to share His heart and His love. He came to love the world and He calls us to do likewise. That’s what walking by faith means: it’s to walk out love. There are opportunities to love all around us.

I like what this preacher said when someone came back from witnessing and just didn’t feel “led” to share God’s love. The preacher replied, “Here’s a piece of lead that you should carry in your pocket. Whenever you see a need, reach into your pocket and feel lead.” There’s never a time that it’s not proper to share God’s love.

Be instant in season and out of season. Be an instant Christian (2Tim 4:2). Obedience has to be instant. Otherwise it’s disobedience. Witness instantly, continue instant in prayer, instantly serving the Lord, every instant. Always loving, always witnessing, always showing God’s love. With all your heart and all your strength and all your mind, give it all you’ve got, instantly.

Show love and compassion by putting kind deeds to your kind words.