James wrote by THE SPIRIT in chapter 2:
14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food,
16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?
17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!
20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?
22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?
FATHER challenges us to walk in great faith by reading, studying, and dwelling in HIS Word, then expressing The Word by corresponding actions. I discovered this Truth many years ago and have exercised my faith accordingly. However, I also found that walking in faith is similar to exercising my body. If I fail to continue in The Word and cease doing good works, my faith will suffer and I can and will become “void” in HIS Word. FATHER expects us to stay well-rounded in HIS Word and not allow ourselves to become weak in any area.
In 1984, I contracted hepatitis from shellfish while on a business trip to New York. I had been so busy with work, I became lax in the study of FATHER’S Word. I had walked in Divine health for several years then suddenly… I became deathly sick, literally. I had the worst case of hepatitis the local clinic had seen. I was mad at FATHER for I had studied many facets of HIS Word, listened to teaching tapes, etc. When I enquired about this situation of getting sick, HE replied “You are void of MY Word”. Then HE said, “When was the last time you studied MY Word in the area of healing?” Oops! It had been sometime ago because I had not been sick. After I repented, HE instructed me to immerse myself in HIS Word concerning healing. I literally did so all day long since I was off work.
The doctor had said I would be off work for six to eight weeks because of the severity of my case. FATHER intervened and I was healed and back to work in eleven days. I paid a price to learn a valuable lesson. I purpose to stay well-rounded in my study of FATHER’S Word. Unfortunately, I have had to “re-learn” this lesson a few more times since then. At least I know now what to do when I have grown weak in an area. Faith comes by hearing, reading, studying, and dwelling on FATHER’S Word. Then we must take corresponding action to become mature and complete. This is true for our health, our finances, and other areas. Faith and corresponding actions bring forth abundance in the focused area because we become fruitful in that area of our lives. As we become well-rounded, we will have sufficiency in every area of our life. Faith without works is dead.
Let each of us do a personal assessment and identify the weak areas where we have become lax. The problem is correctable and today is the best today to address those weaknesses. Take corresponding actions.