Devotion
In 1959 Charles Blondin became the first man to cross the Niagara Falls gorge on a tightrope, and he did not stop with that one feat. He crossed this ¼ mile overpass several times afterwards with various challenges: walking blindfolded, on stilts, and even on a bicycle. Large crowds came to see The Great Blondin perform these exploits. During one of his crossings, he pushed a wheelbarrow in front of him. When he got to the other side, he asked the cheering crowd if they thought he could walk across with someone in the wheelbarrow. The people responded that he could do it, that he was the greatest tightrope walker in the world. Blondin replied, “Okay, get in the wheelbarrow.” No one did. These folks said that they had faith, but they did not back it up with their actions. These are the kinds of people James is addressing in chapter two. The people James was writing to said that they believed in God, but their lives showed no evidence of faith. There were no works to back up their words.
In verses 21-23, James provides the perfect example of faith and works acting together in the life of Abraham. You know the story. God gave Abraham the son of promise, Isaac, in his old age. Through this boy, the Lord was going to fulfill his oath to give Abraham as many descendants as there were stars in the heavens. When Isaac grew older, God commanded Abraham to offer his son as a burnt offering. This was the promised son that Abraham had waited so long for and now God was telling him to kill the boy. However, Abraham also trusted that the Lord was going to fulfill the promises that He had made to him; in fact, he believed that if God required Isaac to die, He would also raise Isaac from the dead. As you know, God stopped Abraham from slaying Isaac, and through him He fulfilled his oath to Abraham. This is the true faith James is talking about. Abraham had faith that the Lord would do what He said He would do, and his belief led him to take action and follow God’s commands. “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” Abraham simply took God at His word. This is the simple faith that God calls us to as well. Read your Bible, find out what He promises, then take Him at His word and live your life accordingly.
Devotion
In 1959 Charles Blondin became the first man to cross the Niagara Falls gorge on a tightrope, and he did not stop with that one feat. He crossed this ¼ mile overpass several times afterwards with various challenges: walking blindfolded, on stilts, and even on a bicycle. Large crowds came to see The Great Blondin perform these exploits. During one of his crossings, he pushed a wheelbarrow in front of him. When he got to the other side, he asked the cheering crowd if they thought he could walk across with someone in the wheelbarrow. The people responded that he could do it, that he was the greatest tightrope walker in the world. Blondin replied, “Okay, get in the wheelbarrow.” No one did. These folks said that they had faith, but they did not back it up with their actions. These are the kinds of people James is addressing in chapter two. The people James was writing to said that they believed in God, but their lives showed no evidence of faith. There were no works to back up their words.
In verses 21-23, James provides the perfect example of faith and works acting together in the life of Abraham. You know the story. God gave Abraham the son of promise, Isaac, in his old age. Through this boy, the Lord was going to fulfill his oath to give Abraham as many descendants as there were stars in the heavens. When Isaac grew older, God commanded Abraham to offer his son as a burnt offering. This was the promised son that Abraham had waited so long for and now God was telling him to kill the boy. However, Abraham also trusted that the Lord was going to fulfill the promises that He had made to him; in fact, he believed that if God required Isaac to die, He would also raise Isaac from the dead. As you know, God stopped Abraham from slaying Isaac, and through him He fulfilled his oath to Abraham. This is the true faith James is talking about. Abraham had faith that the Lord would do what He said He would do, and his belief led him to take action and follow God’s commands. “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” Abraham simply took God at His word. This is the simple faith that God calls us to as well. Read your Bible, find out what He promises, then take Him at His word and live your life accordingly.
Devotion
In 1959 Charles Blondin became the first man to cross the Niagara Falls gorge on a tightrope, and he did not stop with that one feat. He crossed this ¼ mile overpass several times afterwards with various challenges: walking blindfolded, on stilts, and even on a bicycle. Large crowds came to see The Great Blondin perform these exploits. During one of his crossings, he pushed a wheelbarrow in front of him. When he got to the other side, he asked the cheering crowd if they thought he could walk across with someone in the wheelbarrow. The people responded that he could do it, that he was the greatest tightrope walker in the world. Blondin replied, “Okay, get in the wheelbarrow.” No one did. These folks said that they had faith, but they did not back it up with their actions. These are the kinds of people James is addressing in chapter two. The people James was writing to said that they believed in God, but their lives showed no evidence of faith. There were no works to back up their words.
In verses 21-23, James provides the perfect example of faith and works acting together in the life of Abraham. You know the story. God gave Abraham the son of promise, Isaac, in his old age. Through this boy, the Lord was going to fulfill his oath to give Abraham as many descendants as there were stars in the heavens. When Isaac grew older, God commanded Abraham to offer his son as a burnt offering. This was the promised son that Abraham had waited so long for and now God was telling him to kill the boy. However, Abraham also trusted that the Lord was going to fulfill the promises that He had made to him; in fact, he believed that if God required Isaac to die, He would also raise Isaac from the dead. As you know, God stopped Abraham from slaying Isaac, and through him He fulfilled his oath to Abraham. This is the true faith James is talking about. Abraham had faith that the Lord would do what He said He would do, and his belief led him to take action and follow God’s commands. “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” Abraham simply took God at His word. This is the simple faith that God calls us to as well. Read your Bible, find out what He promises, then take Him at His word and live your life accordingly.
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