Faith is expressed in action once The Word resides in our heart. Those in unbelief may acknowledge the existence of one of FATHER’S promises to us, but they do not trust and fully rely on HIS Word. Their minds have a greater trust in their senses and what the world says to them. James wrote by THE SPIRIT in chapter 1:
22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror;
24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.
25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.
We are given a key to walking in faith- continue in The Word. In the Amplified Version of verse 25, “But he who looks carefully into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and faithfully abides by it, not having become a [careless] listener who forgets but an active doer [who obeys], he will be blessed and favored by God in what he does [in his life of obedience].”
I cannot overemphasize the importance of meditating on The Word each day. When in the wilderness, the children of Israel had a daily reminder of FATHER’S promises when they looked at the pillar of smoke during the daytime and pillar of fire at night. They received manna for each day’s consumption thus they were given the opportunity to build up their faith in preparation of entering the Promised Land. The younger ones were more receptive since they had little of the world’s ways to be removed.
In chapter 2 of James:
20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?
Once we receive the Word in our hearts, there must be corresponding action to complete the work of faith. Some people will hear a message on faith, mentally agree with it, and then act out an action resulting in failure. They fail because The Word was not yet in their heart and they were attempting to “work the system” rather than truly walk in faith. We must hear, dwell, and meditate on FATHER’S Word in order for it to be firmly planted in our hearts. Sometimes it occurs quickly and other times it takes longer, depending on the condition of our heart. Jesus explained the issues of receiving The Word in our heart in Matthew chapter 13:
18 “Therefore hear the parable of the sower:
19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside.
20 But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy;
21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.
22 Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares (and distractions) of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.
23 But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it (and grasps it), who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”
It is my deepest desire for all who read these writings become fully established in faith by Love. The world is in desperate need of the good fruit produced by those who have matured in Christ. There is no other solution to the issues at hand, whether they be personal or worldwide in nature. Our success in resolving issues set before each of us depends on our commitment to growing our faith to the point of having “great” faith. The proof is in our actions.