OF FAITH, WORKS & GOOD DEEDS
1 What is faith? It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see. (Hebrews 11:1 New Living Translation – NLT)
1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 2 For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. (Hebrews 11:1-2 New King James Version – NKJV)
1 To have faith is to be sure of the things we hope for, to be certain of the things we cannot see. 2 It was by their faith that people of ancient times won God’s approval. 3 It is by faith that we understand that the universe was created by God’s word, so that what can be seen was made out of what cannot be seen. (Hebrews 11:1-3 Good News Bible – GNB)
6 “Even if you had faith as small as a mustard seed,” the Lord answered, “you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘May God uproot you and throw you into the sea,’ and it would obey you! (Luke 17:6 NLT)
And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. (Matthew 16:19 NKJV)
12 “The truth is, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. 13 You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, because the work of the Son brings glory to the Father. 14 Yes, ask anything in my name, and I will do it! (John 14:12-14 NLT)
Faith can make the impossible happen. At one time or the other, we encounter situations that seems as if getting a breakthrough is unfeasible. Hard? Yes. Impossible? No, I wouldn’t be so sure about that. But is faith by itself enough?
But do you want to know, ........., that faith without works is dead? (James 2:20 NKJV)
......... Do you want to be shown that faith without actions is useless? (James 2:20 GNB)
14 Dear brothers and sisters, 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. .......... 18 Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” I say, “I can’t see your faith if you don’t have good deeds, but I will show you my faith through my good deeds.” 19 Do you still think it’s enough just to believe that there is one God? Well, even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror! 20 ........ When will you ever learn that faith that does not result in good deeds is useless? 21 Don’t you remember that our ancestor Abraham was declared right with God because of what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see, he was trusting God so much that he was willing to do whatever God told him to do. His faith was made complete by what he did—by his actions. 23 And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: “Abraham believed God, so God declared him to be righteous.” He was even called “the friend of God.” 24 So you see, we are made right with God by what we do, not by faith alone. 25 Rahab the prostitute is another example of this. She was made right with God by her actions—when she hid those messengers and sent them safely away by a different road. 26 Just as the body is dead without a spirit, so also faith is dead without good deeds. (James 2:14,18-26 NLT)
The establishing of a new covenant as well as the opening of a new chapter in Abraham’s life is mentioned under the topic OF AGENDA AND THE HOLY SPIRIT:
Remember the fellow called Abram whose name was changed by God to Abraham? The difference between 'Abram' and 'Abraham' is that the latter cannot argue with God. Abraham is God's 'yes-man'. It is not that he did not have the free will to go against God's will. It just happened that he was a 'new' creature in God. The spirit in him had been renewed. Hence, he was keen on the things of God than anything else. He was willing to go all the way for God - and beyond. He was willing to go beyond the call of duty for God. You can't expect the same from him when he was Abram. Here is a hint of what is being pointed out:
"But My servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit in him and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land where he went, and his descendants shall inherit it" (Numbers 14:24 New King James Version - NKJV). For more on "My servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit in him and has followed Me fully", click on OF INDIVIDUALS AND ATTITUDE.
Abraham will say 'Yes' to anything God tells him including taking his only son Isaac - the promised child - out to be offered as sacrifice. As hard and uncomfortable as this expectation was, Abraham did not object. He obliged. Mr The-Spirit-Leads-I-follow.
4 So Abram departed as the LORD had instructed him, ......... Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran (Genesis 12:4 NLT)
11 As he was approaching the borders of Egypt, Abram said to Sarai, “You are a very beautiful woman. 12 When the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife. Let’s kill him; then we can have her!’ 13 But if you say you are my sister, then the Egyptians will treat me well because of their interest in you, and they will spare my life.” (Genesis 12:11-13 NLT)
1 Afterward the LORD spoke to Abram in a vision and said to him, “Do not be afraid, Abram, for I will protect you, and your reward will be great.” 2 But Abram replied, “O Sovereign LORD, what good are all your blessings when I don’t even have a son? ......... 5 Then the LORD brought Abram outside beneath the night sky and told him, “Look up into the heavens and count the stars if you can. Your descendants will be like that—too many to count!” 6 And Abram believed the LORD, and the LORD declared him righteous because of his faith. (Genesis 15:1-2,5-6 NLT)
1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him ........ 3 ...... Abram fell face down in the dust. Then God said to him, ....... 5 What’s more, I am changing your name. It will no longer be Abram; now you will be known as Abraham, for you will be the father of many nations. 6 I will give you millions of descendants who will represent many nations. Kings will be among them! 7 “I will continue this everlasting covenant between us, generation after generation. It will continue between me and your offspring forever. And I will always be your God and the God of your descendants after you .......... 15 Then God added, “Regarding Sarai, your wife—her name will no longer be Sarai; from now on you will call her Sarah. 16 And I will bless her and give you a son from her! Yes, I will bless her richly, and she will become the mother of many nations. Kings will be among her descendants!” (Genesis 17:1,3,5,7,15-16 NLT)
Abraham (meaning “father of many nations”) continued to answer to that name for a long time - without having a child to show for it! There is no better way to make a laughing stock of himself, some might have thought. Imagine the baggage of ridicule and embarrassment he had to carry for years. Some might have assumed that there is not much difference between him and a loser with a low self-esteem. How deep he had immersed himself in his delusions of grandeur! If that is not enough to make him want to change his name back to Abram, you tell me what is. If he had reverted back to his old name – and the inherent old nature - some people would not have blamed him at all. Wouldn’t it have appeared justified if he had? But if he had done that, would his actions have rhyme with his faith in God? Fancy seeing him stick to that name and that God for that long! In such a situation, it takes the grace of God to be able to stand firm regardless.
10 And He said, “I will certainly return to you according to the time of life, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son.” ........... 11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age; and Sarah had passed the age of childbearing. (Genesis 18:10-11 NKJV)
Needless to say, circumstances that govern our lives are actually under His control. Just because the biological process is slowed down or cease to function is not indicative of God’s ability to move. The Lord cannot be limited by the workings of biological processes. Whenever necessary, the Almighty Creator is able to prove beyond the shadow of a doubt that He is in absolute control of His creations. By virtue of creation, biological processes are designed to function by entrenched codes in nature. By virtue of His status as the Almighty Creator, He can override any code in creation as He deems fit. Keep in mind that in Joshua 10:9-14:
“The sun stopped in the middle of the sky, and it did not set as on a normal day. 14 The LORD fought for Israel that day. Never before or since has there been a day like that one, when the LORD answered such a request from a human being (Joshua 10:13-14 NLT)
"Let the sun stand still over Gibeon,
and the moon over the valley of Aijalon."
13 So the sun and moon stood still ............ (Joshua 10:12-13 NLT)
If He can do it, He can also undo it as occasion demands.
1 Then the LORD did exactly what he had promised. 2 Sarah became pregnant, and she gave a son to Abraham in his old age. It all happened at the time God had said it would.......... 5 Abraham was one hundred years old at the time. (Genesis 21:1-2,5 NLT)
Well, so much for that episode on Sarah’s ticking biological clock – and Abraham’s delusions of grandeur!
8 It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going. 9 And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith—for he was like a foreigner, living in a tent. And so did Isaac and Jacob, to whom God gave the same promise. 10 Abraham did this because he was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God. 11 It was by faith that Sarah together with Abraham was able to have a child, even though they were too old and Sarah was barren. Abraham believed that God would keep his promise. 12 And so a whole nation came from this one man, Abraham, who was too old to have any children—a nation with so many people that, like the stars of the sky and the sand on the seashore, there is no way to count them. 13 All these faithful ones died without receiving what God had promised them, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed the promises of God. They agreed that they were no more than foreigners and nomads here on earth. 14 And obviously people who talk like that are looking forward to a country they can call their own. 15 If they had meant the country they came from, they would have found a way to go back. 16 But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a heavenly city for them. (Hebrews 11:8-17 NLT)
No matter how long it seems to be dragging, the Lord always lives up to His word. Don’t loose hope. Hold on, and keep your level of trust in Him up. And – whatever you do - don’t loose faith in Him. In the event you noticed that your faith in Him is on the decline, feed more on the word of God. Here is a relevant excerpt from the topic IN GOD WE TRUST! WHY WORRY?:
Please keep in mind that one way to derive comfort as you invest your trust in the Most High God is to be attentive to the voice of the Holy Spirit. Imbibe the word of God; "and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls" (James 1:21 NKJV). Get familiarized with it. Remember "Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path" (Psalm 119:105 NLT).
"So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17 NKJV)
Ask the Lord in prayer to let His Spirit rise up within you and cause an ever-increasing faith to surge through you. Keep in mind, under some circumstances, it takes the Spirit of God to stay focus and exercise faith. One of the nine gifts of the Holy Spirit is faith (1 Corinthians 12:4-11 NLT). More often than not, “the Spirit gives special faith” (1 Corinthians 12:9 NLT) especially in the midst of dicey situations.
But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills (1 Corinthians 12:11 NLT).
Abraham’s demonstration of faith and action at work was not limited to when he and his wife were expecting their son. It was also demonstrated years after the boy was born:
1 Later on God tested Abraham’s faith and obedience. “Abraham!” God called.
“Yes,” he replied. “Here I am.”
2 “Take your son, your only son—yes, Isaac, whom you love so much—and go to the land of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will point out to you.”
3 The next morning Abraham got up early. He saddled his donkey and took two of his servants with him, along with his son Isaac. Then he chopped wood to build a fire for a burnt offering and set out for the place where God had told him to go. 4 On the third day of the journey, Abraham saw the place in the distance. 5 “Stay here with the donkey,” Abraham told the young men. “The boy and I will travel a little farther. We will worship there, and then we will come right back.”
6 Abraham placed the wood for the burnt offering on Isaac’s shoulders, while he himself carried the knife and the fire. As the two of them went on together, 7 Isaac said, “Father?”
“Yes, my son,” Abraham replied.
“We have the wood and the fire,” said the boy, “but where is the lamb for the sacrifice?”
8 “God will provide a lamb, my son,” Abraham answered. And they both went on together. (Genesis 22:1-8 NLT)
There is a portion of the above scripture passage worth pointing out:
“We have the wood and the fire,” said the boy, “but where is the lamb for the sacrifice?” (v. 7)
And what was Abraham’s response?
“God will provide a lamb, my son,” Abraham answered............” (v. 8)
And what action did they embark on after his verbal response?
“And they both went on together.” (v. 8)
They kept going forward – just like he “departed as the LORD had instructed him” from Haran when he was 75 years old to a destination that is unknown to him - yet known to God (Genesis 12:4). Despite the obvious fact that his son pointed out: “but where is the lamb for the sacrifice?” Abraham did not hesitate to continue on the path of faith and obedience. He did not deny that there is no sacrificial animal in sight; yet the magnitude of his faith was revealed in the words that proceeded out of his mouth:
“God will provide a lamb, my son,” Abraham answered”
It is stated: "for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks" (Matthew 12:34 NKJV).
37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned" (Matthew 12:37 NKJV).
Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit (Proverbs 18:21 NKJV)
“God will provide a lamb, my son,” Abraham answered”
Well, let’s see.
9 When they arrived at the place where God had told Abraham to go, he built an altar and placed the wood on it. Then he tied Isaac up and laid him on the altar over the wood. 10 And Abraham took the knife and lifted it up to kill his son as a sacrifice to the LORD. 11 At that moment the angel of the LORD shouted to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Yes,” he answered. “I’m listening.”
12 “Lay down the knife,” the angel said. “Do not hurt the boy in any way, for now I know that you truly fear God. You have not withheld even your beloved son from me.”
13 Then Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught by its horns in a bush. So he took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering on the altar in place of his son. 14 Abraham named the place “The LORD Will Provide.” This name has now become a proverb: “On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided.” (Genesis 22:9-14 NLT)
4 A person’s words can be life-giving water; words of true wisdom are as refreshing as a bubbling brook. (Proverbs 18:4 NLT)
Isaac was expecting a lamb. But the Lord has a bigger idea that is beyond even Abraham’s expectation:
“Then Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught by its horns in a bush ......” (v. 13)
This isn’t about the Lord just providing a ram. The ram is actually “caught by its horns in a bush”. Hence, regardless of how much the sacrificial animal struggles to break free, it’s securely held in place for the man it is meant for to take upon his arrival. So regardless of how long it took Abraham to arrive at his destination, the Lord’s provision is assured and secured in place just for him. “A ram caught by its horns in a bush” is not going anywhere. Your miracle / provision from the Lord does not get any more assured / secured than that.
Such is Abraham’s faith - along with the corresponding actions – that the Lord could not resist the urge to “swear by my own self” and unleash a rather rare blessing upon him and his descendants. Remember David putting himself in the line of fire of God’s wrath? Well, here is Abraham putting himself in the direct line of the Lord’s outpouring of unusual blessing.
“I make a vow by my own name – the LORD is speaking – that I will richly bless you. ......” (Genesis 22:16 GNB)
15 Then the angel of the LORD called again to Abraham from heaven, 16 “This is what the LORD says: Because you have obeyed me and have not withheld even your beloved son, I swear by my own self that 17 I will bless you richly. I will multiply your descendants into countless millions, like the stars of the sky and the sand on the seashore. They will conquer their enemies, 18 and through your descendants, all the nations of the earth will be blessed—all because you have obeyed me.” (Genesis 22:15-18 NLT)
17 It was by faith that Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice when God was testing him. Abraham, who had received God’s promises, was ready to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, 18 though God had promised him, “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted.” 19 Abraham assumed that if Isaac died, God was able to bring him back to life again. And in a sense, Abraham did receive his son back from the dead (Hebrews 11:17-19 NLT).
Even though a person’s faith may be as small as a mustard seed, the action that goes with it can make a huge difference.
This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.” (Romans 1:17 NLT)
For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, The just shall live by faith.” (Romans 1:17 NKJV)
Remember the story of Naaman as described in 2 Kings 5:1-15? He was the one instructed by the Lord through Elisha the man of God to deep himself into river Jordan in order to be healed of his leprosy. Initially, he was reluctant to dip himself in a river he rated to be inferior in quality to the first class Rivers in his native Syria. He eventually let go of his ego, and adjusted his point of view to fit the Lord’s perspective.
14 So Naaman went down to the Jordan River and dipped himself seven times, as the man of God had instructed him. And his flesh became as healthy as a young child's, and he was healed! . ........." (2 Kings 5:14 NLT)
If Naaman had not taken an action of faith in the direction of the Lord’s will, he would have created a clog in the wheel of progress for God’s plan for his life and destiny. The importance of making a move that demonstrate backing up one’s faith with the corresponding action cannot be overemphasized.
Abraham was not the only one mentioned in the scripture passage we came across earlier on from James 2:14,18-26. Rahab was mentioned as well.
1 Then Joshua secretly sent out two spies from the Israelite camp at Acacia. He instructed them, “Spy out the land on the other side of the Jordan River, especially around Jericho.” So the two men set out and came to the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there that night. 2 But someone told the king of Jericho, “Some Israelites have come here tonight to spy out the land.” 3 So the king of Jericho sent orders to Rahab: “Bring out the men who have come into your house. They are spies sent here to discover the best way to attack us.” 4 Rahab, who had hidden the two men, replied, “The men were here earlier, but I didn’t know where they were from. 5 They left the city at dusk, as the city gates were about to close, and I don’t know where they went. If you hurry, you can probably catch up with them.” 6 (But she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them beneath piles of flax.) 7 So the king’s men went looking for the spies along the road leading to the shallow crossing places of the Jordan River. And as soon as the king’s men had left, the city gate was shut.
8 Before the spies went to sleep that night, Rahab went up on the roof to talk with them. 9 “I know the LORD has given you this land,” she told them. “We are all afraid of you. Everyone is living in terror. 10 For we have heard how the LORD made a dry path for you through the Red Sea when you left Egypt. And we know what you did to Sihon and Og, the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan River, whose people you completely destroyed. 11 No wonder our hearts have melted in fear! No one has the courage to fight after hearing such things. For the LORD your God is the supreme God of the heavens above and the earth below. 12 Now swear to me by the LORD that you will be kind to me and my family since I have helped you. Give me some guarantee that 13 when Jericho is conquered, you will let me live, along with my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all their families.”
14 “We offer our own lives as a guarantee for your safety,” the men agreed. “If you don’t betray us, we will keep our promise when the LORD gives us the land.”
15 Then, since Rahab’s house was built into the city wall, she let them down by a rope through the window. 16 “Escape to the hill country,” she told them. “Hide there for three days until the men who are searching for you have returned; then go on your way.”
17 Before they left, the men told her, “We can guarantee your safety 18 only if you leave this scarlet rope hanging from the window. And all your family members—your father, mother, brothers, and all your relatives—must be here inside the house. 19 If they go out into the street, they will be killed, and we cannot be held to our oath. But we swear that no one inside this house will be killed—not a hand will be laid on any of them. 20 If you betray us, however, we are not bound by this oath in any way.”
21 “I accept your terms,” she replied. And she sent them on their way, leaving the scarlet rope hanging from the window.
22 The spies went up into the hill country and stayed there three days. The men who were chasing them had searched everywhere along the road, but they finally returned to the city without success. (Joshua 2:1-22 NLT)
20 .......... Suddenly, the walls of Jericho collapsed, and the Israelites charged straight into the city from every side and captured it. 21 They completely destroyed everything in it ........... 23 The young men went in and brought out Rahab, her father, mother, brothers, and all the other relatives who were with her. They moved her whole family to a safe place ........... (Joshua 6:20-21,23 NLT)
This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.” (Romans 1:17 NLT)
For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, The just shall live by faith.” (Romans 1:17 NKJV)
By the way, here are the names of five women from the scriptures who we will come across shortly in this writing: Rahab, Ruth, Tamar, Bathsheba and Mary – in no particular order. There is something about these women other than the obvious reference to their gender. It has to do with some sort of identity or – to put it another way - the sort of character that has been attributed to them.
As mentioned earlier, one of them was Rahab (Joshua chapters 2 & 6).
Some profession, on the other hand, does not identify Ruth. Ruth’s name is generally used in relation / reference to a woman who stands firmly behind her man no matter what. As impressive as this may sound, one fact remains: she is originally from Moab. This makes her a bona fide member of the group of people or outsiders generally known as gentiles (Ruth chapters 1 to 4).
Tamar’s story is in a way similar to that of Ruth and Rahab. Her first husband died. The second husband (the first husband’s brother) died also. “Furthermore she is with child by harlotry” (Genesis 38:24 NKJV). It turned out that the father of her twins was also Judah her father-in-law. By the way, she was a Canaanite (Genesis chapter 38).
Bathsheba has a tale somehow similar to some of the ladies mentioned before her. Her husband Uriah is a Hittite, hence, she is considered of similar origin. She was involved in an affair with David. In an attempt to conceal the paternity of her unborn child, the affair led to the ‘death by arrangement’ incident of her husband. This chain of event ignited the wrath of God that led to the explosion of harsh punishment upon the household of David (2 Samuel chapters 11 & 12). David of all people should have realised that even though the Lord is described in Numbers 14:18 NKJV as “longsuffering and abundant in mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression”, He is also referred to in Hebrews 12:29 NLT as “a consuming fire”.
And as for Mary,
18 Now this is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant by the Holy Spirit. 19 Joseph, her fiancé, being a just man, decided to break the engagement quietly, so as not to disgrace her publicly (Matthew 1:18-19 NLT).
Enough said.
Now that we have been introduced to these five ladies, there is something else that is worthy of recognition. In the first chapter of the book of Matthew, the genealogy of Jesus Christ was traced all the way back to Abraham. As can be observed, the names mentioned in the family tree are predominantly male. This is traditionally the case for records of ancestors kept in many societies in the world. Individuals whose origin is of Christ’s lineage are renown for this traditional paternalistic approach to record keeping:
1 This is a record of the ancestors of Jesus the Messiah, a descendant of King David and of Abraham:
2 Abraham was the father of Isaac.
Isaac was the father of Jacob.
Jacob was the father of Judah and his brothers.
3 Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah (their mother was Tamar)............
5 Salmon was the father of Boaz (his mother was Rahab).
Boaz was the father of Obed (his mother was Ruth).
Obed was the father of Jesse.
6 Jesse was the father of King David.
David was the father of Solomon (his mother was Bathsheba, ...........)
16 Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary.
Mary was the mother of Jesus, who is called the Messiah.
17 All those listed above include fourteen generations from Abraham to King David, and fourteen from David’s time to the Babylonian exile, and fourteen from the Babylonian exile to the Messiah (Matthew 1:1-3,5-6,16-17 NLT).
As can also be observed from the line of ancestry listed, five women were mentioned. Rahab was one of them. Guess who the remaining four was. Hmmm. Such inclusions. It makes one wonder what the author of the Book of Matthew – and God Himself for that matter - was thinking.
20 So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world's brilliant debaters? God has made them all look foolish and has shown their wisdom to be useless nonsense. 21 Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never find him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save all who believe. 22 God's way seems foolish to the Jews because they want a sign from heaven to prove it is true. And it is foolish to the Greeks because they believe only what agrees with their own wisdom. 23 So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended, and the Gentiles say it's all nonsense. 24 But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the mighty power of God and the wonderful wisdom of God. 25 This "foolish" plan of God is far wiser than the wisest of human plans, ........" (1 Corinthians 1:20-25 NLT)
34 Then Peter replied, "I see very clearly that God doesn't show partiality. 35 In every nation he accepts those who fear him and do what is right. (Acts 10:34-35 NLT)
But does this mean / imply that God is endorsing sin / impropriety?
4 they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. 5 Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say? 6 This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear. 7 So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” 8 And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9 Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. 10 When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?”
11 She said, “No one, Lord.”
And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” (John 8:4-11 NKJV)
Of course, sin / impropriety is not being justified or endorsed. After all: “And Jesus said, “........ Go and sin no more.” (John 8:11 NLT)
For the Lord does not delight in the death of sinners; rather, that “little ones” like you and I may receive eternal life in that we “repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance.” (Acts 26:20 NKJV)
14 In the same way, it is not my heavenly Father’s will that even one of these little ones should perish. (Matthew 18:14 NLT)
4 But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so very much, 5 that even while we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s special favor that you have been saved!) 6 For he raised us from the dead along with Christ, and we are seated with him in the heavenly realms—all because we are one with Christ Jesus. 7 And so God can always point to us as examples of the incredible wealth of his favor and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us through Christ Jesus. 8 God saved you by his special favor when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. (Ephesians 2:4-8 NLT)
"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God; .........." (Ephesians 2:8,9 NKJV).
Talking about faith and action, the following scripture passages are eye openers:
25 After exploring the land for forty days, the men returned 26 to Moses, Aaron, and the people of Israel at Kadesh in the wilderness of Paran. They reported to the whole community what they had seen and showed them the fruit they had taken from the land. 27 This was their report to Moses: “We arrived in the land you sent us to see, and it is indeed a magnificent country—a land flowing with milk and honey. Here is some of its fruit as proof. 28 But the people living there are powerful, and their cities and towns are fortified and very large. .......... 30 But Caleb tried to encourage the people as they stood before Moses. “Let’s go at once to take the land,” he said. “We can certainly conquer it!” 31 But the other men who had explored the land with him answered, “We can’t go up against them! They are stronger than we are!” 32 So they spread discouraging reports about the land among the Israelites: “The land we explored will swallow up any who go to live there. All the people we saw were huge. 33 We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak. We felt like grasshoppers next to them, and that’s what we looked like to them!” (Numbers 13:25-33 NLT)
They obviously haven’t heard of the David versus Goliath story. More reading on David versus Goliath can be found under BLESSINGS OF FAITHFULNESS.
The testimony of “the other men who had explored the land” (v. 31) was so ‘wonderful’ it actually failed to acknowledge the grace, mercy and power of the Lord for the past, present and future. So ‘plausible’ and ‘commendable’ was their report it clearly berated / understated the goodness of God (milk and honey) as can be tasted in “some of its fruit as proof” that the Lord made possible for them to bring from their exploration.
So they spread a false report among the Israelites about the land they had explored. They said, “That land doesn’t even produce enough to feed the people who live there......” (Numbers 13:32 GNB)
As ‘sincere’ as they might have assumed they were with the wordings of their report, little did they realize that they had inadvertently insult the Lord who is described as the “God, who calls you, is faithful; he will do this” (1 Thessalonians 5:24 NKJV)
Who can ever forget astounding deeds like the ten plagues that ravished the land of Egypt (Exodus chapters 7 to 12); the parting of the Red Sea, and the subduing of the mighty Egyptian army (Exodus 14); the defeat of the Amalekites(Exodus 17); the provision of manna from heaven, and water from dry rocks (Exodus 16 & 17); etc? Certainly, Jericho - like the rest of the surrounding nations - have heard about how awesome Jehovah God have proved to be on behalf of His people. They - like the rest of the surrounding nations - have come to realize that "As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the LORD is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him" (Psalm 18:30 NKJV).
As for “the men who had gone up with” Joshua and Caleb who gave the people “a bad report of about the land” (Numbers 13:31,32 NKJV), how useful the excerpt below (culled from the topic IN GOD WE TRUST! WHY WORRY?) could have proved to be:
As you place your trust firmly in the Lord, avoid dwelling on your problems. It will only keep magnifying itself more than it really is. This is conducive to making ungodly moves, and decisions based on poor judgment. Rather than watch your crisis magnify itself, you take it upon yourself to continually magnify the Lord with praise and thanksgiving in the midst of it, and watch wonderful outcomes unfold. Remember the story of Paul and Silas?
22 A mob quickly formed against Paul and Silas, and the city officials ordered them stripped and beaten with wooden rods. 23 They were severely beaten, and then they were thrown into prison. The jailer was ordered to make sure they didn't escape. 24 So he took no chances but put them into the inner dungeon and clamped their feet in the stocks. 25 Around midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. 26 Suddenly, there was a great earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off! 27 The jailer woke up to see the prison doors wide open. .......... 29 Trembling with fear, the jailer called for lights and ran to the dungeon and fell down before Paul and Silas. 30 He brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" 31 They replied, "Believe on the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with your entire household." 32 Then they shared the word of the Lord with him and all who lived in his household. 33 That same hour the jailer washed their wounds, and he and everyone in his household were immediately baptized. 34 Then he brought them into his house and set a meal before them. He and his entire household rejoiced because they all believed in God. (Acts 16:22-34 NLT)
Avoid looking on and on at your not-so-pleasant circumstances / predicaments. Rather, look up to Jesus. He is the source of the solution to all your predicaments. Remember, circumstances that are beyond our control are all under His majestic control. Though the world look down on you, you take it upon yourself to keep "looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:2 NKJV). The circumstances we go through do not decide the course of our destiny; rather because we trust in the Lord, we - like Paul and Silas - will govern those circumstances. Like Peter, we will walk on water - no matter how uncanny it may sound (Matthew 14:28-33). Even if you look ahead and there seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel, do not despair. The Lord is still on the throne. Hence, you will rise and shine "for your light has come! And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; but the LORD will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you. The gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising" (Isaiah 60:1-3 NKJV)
Let’s continue with the story of Moses and Aaron, the people, and “the men who had gone with Caleb” and Joshua who “spread a false report” (Numbers 13:31,32 GNB)
32 So they spread discouraging reports about the land among the Israelites: “The land we explored will swallow up any who go to live there. All the people we saw were huge. 33 We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak. We felt like grasshoppers next to them, and that’s what we looked like to them!” (Numbers 13:32-33 NLT)
1 Then all the people began weeping aloud, and they cried all night. 2 Their voices rose in a great chorus of complaint against Moses and Aaron. “We wish we had died in Egypt, or even here in the wilderness!” they wailed. 3 “Why is the LORD taking us to this country only to have us die in battle? Our wives and little ones will be carried off as slaves! Let’s get out of here and return to Egypt!” 4 Then they plotted among themselves, “Let’s choose a leader and go back to Egypt!” 5 Then Moses and Aaron fell face down on the ground before the people of Israel. 6 Two of the men who had explored the land, Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, tore their clothing. 7 They said to the community of Israel, “The land we explored is a wonderful land! 8 And if the LORD is pleased with us, he will bring us safely into that land and give it to us. It is a rich land flowing with milk and honey, and he will give it to us! 9 Do not rebel against the LORD, and don’t be afraid of the people of the land. They are only helpless prey to us! They have no protection, but the LORD is with us! Don’t be afraid of them!” 10 But the whole community began to talk about stoning Joshua and Caleb. Then the glorious presence of the LORD appeared to all the Israelites from above the Tabernacle. 11 And the LORD said to Moses, “How long will these people reject me? Will they never believe me, even after all the miraculous signs I have done among them? ............... 26 Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, 27 “How long will this wicked nation complain about me? I have heard everything the Israelites have been saying. 28 Now tell them this: ‘As surely as I live, I will do to you the very things I heard you say. I, the LORD, have spoken! 29 You will all die here in this wilderness! Because you complained against me, none of you who are twenty years old or older and were counted in the census 30 will enter the land I swore to give you. The only exceptions will be Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun. 31 “ ‘You said your children would be taken captive. Well, I will bring them safely into the land, and they will enjoy what you have despised. 32 But as for you, your dead bodies will fall in this wilderness. 33 And your children will be like shepherds, wandering in the wilderness forty years. In this way, they will pay for your faithlessness, until the last of you lies dead in the wilderness. 34 “ ‘Because the men who explored the land were there for forty days, you must wander in the wilderness for forty years—a year for each day, suffering the consequences of your sins. You will discover what it is like to have me for an enemy.’ 35 I, the LORD, have spoken! I will do these things to every member of the community who has conspired against me. They will all die here in this wilderness!” 36 Then the ten scouts who had incited the rebellion against the LORD by spreading discouraging reports about the land 37 were struck dead with a plague before the LORD. 38 Of the twelve who had explored the land, only Joshua and Caleb remained alive (Numbers 14:1-38 NLT).
Take note of verse 24:
But because my servant Caleb has a different attitude and has remained loyal to me, I will bring him into the land, which he explored, .........(Numbers 14:24 GNB)
Need we say more? A person’s attitude reflects a lot and speaks volume; even the Lord knows that. Correlated reading can be found under the topic OF INDIVIDUALS AND ATTITUDE. In light of the matter of faith and action, the above passages from the book of Numbers chapters 13 & 14 speak for themselves.
Joshua and Caleb clearly proved beyond the shadow of a doubt that the scripture is right in its assertion that “the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits. And those of the people who understand shall instruct many; ......... Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever” (Daniel 11:32,33 and 12:3 NKJV).
Individuals like Joshua and Caleb are the faithful / dynamic duo that the Lord is able to use as wonderful and effective instruments to accomplish His purpose. Often, words of mouth can hardly describe how the Lord can use such individuals to record amazing feats of their time, and in their generation. Initially, they could easily have passed as the terrible two. But as it turned out, the ‘terrible two’ are actually the terrific two. How the faith of the duet rhymed with their actions / words / gestures was music to God’s ears! And He in turn did not hesitate to bless them.
One way that the Lord use to reach out to us is by converting the written word (also known as printed matter) into living words that carries anointing and power that is able to effect and perfect the work of redemption / deliverance in our lives. The same applies to Spirit-inspired words that are spoken (oral). This, of course, is accomplished through the activity of the Holy Spirit. Our eyes of understanding are opened by His word through the ministry of His Spirit. I pray that these words will truly come alive in a very meaningful and profound way in our lives. Of course, “It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the LORD Almighty” (Zechariah 4:6 NLT). Needless to say “a man does not triumph by his own strength” alone. (1 Samuel 2:9 GNB)
I pray that the seeds that the Lord has use these words to sow will find fertile soils in our heart & lives, and germinate into plants that yield abiding fruits (Matthew 13:3-9). The scripture passage in Matthew 13:24-30 NKJV contain an account of “a man who sowed good seed in his field; 25 but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. 26 But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. 27 So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ 28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’” I ask the Lord in prayer that He “gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them” (v. 30). As a result, His word can flourish in our heart & lives, and bountiful harvests of blessings can be reaped in our lives.
1 To have faith is to be sure of the things we hope for, to be certain of the things we cannot see. 2 It was by their faith that people of ancient times won God’s approval. (Hebrews 11:1-2 GNB)
God bless
Yours
Adekunle Majek’
HIAFEM
Of impact, quality & excellence
That’s the Spirit!
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