Thought For Today - Jauary 24 - Effort Demanded Before Blessing Can Be Given !

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Thought For Today - January 24 - -
EFFORT DEMANDED BEFORE A BLESSING CAN BE GIVEN - -

Faith without works is dead,. We are told that we are justified by faith, and we are to live by faith. Faith is believing in something even though the object of our faith remains unseen. We are told that if we have faith, even as small as a grain of mustard seed, we can say to the mountains in our lives to move, and they shall move and be cast into the depth of the sea.
We all have mountains in our lives that we wish that we could remove and we are told to ask our Father in heaven to move them for us , and he says that he will, according to his purposes for us if we believe and have faith. We read in Hebrews chapter 11:1, that “faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
Yes, we believe in eternal God who is high above in the heavens, having all power and authority, who can do all things because nothing is too hard for him. Nothing is impossible with God; but God often tests our faith by requiring some sort of effort and action on our part to show that our faith is genuine. Many times God accomplishes his purpose by miraculous, supernatural means, but more often he requires some kind of action on our part. “What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? Can faith save him?” James 2:14. We may believe and have faith that the bible says that Christ was the divine son of God, and that he was crucified and died, and was even resurrected, but just by simply believing this fact of history alone will not save us. We must act on what we believe, and receive the free gift of God with gratitude , and rest upon the promises of God for our salvation.
James gives us an example of how faith and works must work together to be effective. “Seest thou how faith wrought with works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the friend of God.” James 2: 22,23. Abraham believed God and took action as to that which God had told him to do and God blessed him for it.
We might also use the illustration of how faith and works go together by considering the story of a man caught in a flood, and taking refuge on the roof of his house. He was a godly man and believed in the power of God, and he kept praying that God would save him from his difficult situation. Soon a helicopter flew over and called to him with their loudspeaker, telling him that they were come to rescue him and would drop a ladder, but he refused to climb onto the ladder because he said that God would soon answer his prayer and save him. The helicopter was God’s means of saving him. Our faith must be combined with our common sense and work in order for us to receive blessings from God. Before blessing can be given, effort is demanded.
Jesus and his disciples were confronted with the tax collectors and needed money to pay their taxes. Jesus, almighty God, creator of all things, could have materialized the money instantly, but he instead, performed the miracle of obtaining the money by requiring effort on the part of the disciples. “And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said, doth not your master pay tribute? He saith, yes, and when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, what thinkest thou Simon? Of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? Of their own children, or of strangers? Peter saith unto him, of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, then are the children free. Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast a hook, and take up a fish that first cometh up,. And when thou hast opened his mouth thou shalt find a piece of money, that take and give unto them for thee and me.” Matthew 17: 24,27. They had faith to believe that the coin would be there in the fishes mouth, but they were told to go and cast a hook. Faith was combined with works.
Christ, being in the synagogue on the Sabbath encountered a man with a withered hand. “And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, stand forth. And he saith unto them, is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath, or to do evil, to save life or to kill? But they held their peace. And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out; and his hand was restored whole as the other.” Mark 3: 2-5 Faith alone was not enough to heal his withered hand. Jesus required him to stretch forth his hand, works combined. With faith.
Jesus saw fit to bless Peter and the other disciples with a great drought of fish. They knew he could provide the blessing. He told them to make an effort to do something to receive the blessing by launching out into the deep. They had fished all night and had caught nothing, but Jesus told them to go and try again by launching out into the deep and to let down their nets. When they obeyed his command they were successful. “And when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a drought. Luke 5: 4. “And when they had this done, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes and their nets brake.” Luke 5: 6. Again, for Peter and the other disciples to receive this blessing from the Lord, it required effort on their part. By doing that which the Lord commanded they showed their faith in his provision.
When the Lord healed the ten lepers he told them to put their faith into action, he told them to go and show themselves to the priests. They did, and they were healed. Luke 17: 14.
All the blessings that we receive from God our Father come to us because of God’s grace. God blesses us because he wants to. God will surely help us in every situation in which we find ourselves, but he does not want us to be negligent of the powers, and abilities he has already instilled within us. Sometimes in order for God to bless us, he requires action on our part. We need to know the talents and abilities that God has already given to us, and use them to the best of our ability to accomplish God’s purpose in our life. Much of the time effort is demanded before a blessing can be given.

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