Written by Pastor Jack Wellman– Augustine
When you Pray, Make Sure Your Hands and Feet are Moving Too
Faith Changes the Way We Behave
One of the most famous passages of the Bible goes to the heart of the essence of faith. According to the book of James, faith without works is dead. Real faith works changes in our lives. In other words, real faith changes the way we behave. Ask any corporate productivity consultant or management consultant and that person will tell you that to change any firm’s results, the people have to change the way they think which changes how they behave.
Pray, Then Do
While it is true that the world doesn’t really care about what we believe, what our intentions are or even our motivations, the world does care about results. If you want different results in your life and you want more out of life, you have to understand and live out the interplay between faith and works. As Augustine notes, you have to pray and have faith but you have to have that faith work out in your life in terms of increasing how hard and how smart you work. Simply ‘praying’ for changes without doing anything about the object of your prayer is not going to do anything because your faith hasn’t changed you enough to change your behavior.
Prayer without Faith or Action is Just Wishing
Faith is one of the most powerful forces in this world. You only need to read the book of Hebrews to see how faith has transformed the lives of Abraham and others. However, you also need to realize that they didn’t simply just ‘believe’-they took action based on that belief. When faith produces changes in the heart, it produces changes in the life and one’s behaviour. Then all sorts of things become possible. Simply praying and ‘believing’ without any changes or action coming from changes in one’s life is simply just glorified wishing and hoping.
Hope is Not a Strategy
Hope is never a strategy. There has to be change within. Are you ready to dissolve the thick wall between your mind and your heart today? Are you ready to follow the Holy Spirit’s leading in your life and give the Spirit permission to move your life in the right direction? Everything is possible with God. However, he is a gentle man. He doesn’t barge into our lives and demand to be loved and followed. Instead, as Revelation teaches, he stands knocking at the doors of our hearts asking to come in. Are you willing to let Jesus fully enter your life today so your life’s works will reflect your faith?
