What do you believe that makes you a Christian? What is the value in knowing the Apostle’s Creed?

Because I believe in Him, I have relationship with Him (from our most recent blog).

The value for you in knowing the Apostle’s Creed today is to identify the main principles Christians of all denominations agree are the foundation of faith in Christ.  

We have works to do and we’re going to need faith to do them!

Once you accept the Word, that you have entered His house by faith, and that by faith you have been given grace (Ephesians 2:10), you can conclude that you belong.   

Having accepted the above, you can then say this:   

Because I believe in Him, I have relationship with Him.    

We have works to do and we’re going to need faith to do them!

“Whether you believe you could ever do any of the works we are talking about, it is important that you know what He thinks of you and what place you have in His house.”  

 If that’s true, then the right questions should be, “What does God think of you?” What place do you have in His House? His Kingdom? Whatever He thinks of you, what place you have is only relevant if you believe in Him.   

We have works to do and we’re going to need faith to do them!

Do you walk through every day thinking and wondering if God even knows who you are, let alone any thought that you might come to know who He is?  

Whether you believe you could ever do any of the works we are talking about, it is important that you know what He thinks of you and what place you have in His house.  

We have works to do and we’re going to need faith to do them!

You have a relationship with the Living God who cares for you and has a plan for you to do His works. You belong. Because of you belong, you can ask Him questions about what to do, how to do it, and when to do it. And if you do something that doesn’t work the way you expect it to, you can ask Him what happened and how it should have gone differently. Because of the riches of His grace in kindness to you, He will help you understand.  

We have works to do and we’re going to need faith to do them!

One of these days, I’ll get to it!

My old snowblower kicked the bucket last year after about 25 years of reliable use. It’s behind my garage right now because I want to “tinker” with it. It’s been there a year already. It’s still there because I don’t know exactly what to do to take it apart. And I tell myself I don’t have time right now.We have works to do and we’re going to need faith to do them!

One of these days, I’ll get to it!

My old snowblower kicked the bucket last year after about 25 years of reliable use. It’s behind my garage right now because I want to “tinker” with it. It’s been there a year already. It’s still there because I don’t know exactly what to do to take it apart. And I tell myself I don’t have time right now.We have works to do and we’re going to need faith to do them!

Do you tackle tasks and projects with a “Fire! Ready! Aim!” approach? You and I tend to think, as soon as we know we’re supposed to do something, that we actually know how to do it… When we do this, its like It’s like trying to put together a piece of Ikea furniture without reading the instructions. Maybe I’m the only one who has had this experience! This is exactly what I mean by the “Fire! Ready! Aim!” approach.  

We have works to do and we’re going to need faith to do them!

“Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God.” Rev 1:2 Being passive in our walks with Christ might be the biggest problem we face as men and women in the body of Christ. You and I have received an invitation into a deeper, more meaningful relationship with Jesus.

We have works to do and we’re going to need faith to do them!

In Revelation 3, Jesus is giving a serious warning to all of us. His words to the church of Sardis indicate He is keeping track of what we do; your deeds, my deeds are not done yet. The response we are encouraged to take is to “Wake up!” and strengthen the things that remain, which are about to die. Receive His discipline and be earnest and repent.   

We have works to do and we’re going to need faith to do them!

We look at this passage (Rev 3:1-6) because it is the end of a process. The process we all go through begins with a discovery that we have, by relationship, been chosen to do things that are for the Kingdom of God. It continues, in case we aren’t sure, with an affirmation or confirmation that we have, indeed, been chosen. As we think about all this, we are reminded of the need to grow in and apply faith to do these works.   

We have works to do and we’re going to need faith to do them!

We look at this passage (Rev 3:1-6) because it is the end of a process. The process we all go through begins with a discovery that we have, by relationship, been chosen to do things that are for the Kingdom of God. It continues, in case we aren’t sure, with an affirmation or confirmation that we have, indeed, been chosen. As we think about all this, we are reminded of the need to grow in and apply faith to do these works.   

We have works to do and we’re going to need faith to do them!

Jesus, in the book of Revelation, asked John to write letters to seven churches of the day. In the letter to Sardis (Rev 3:1-6), Jesus notes that their deeds aren’t done. In fact, He not only notes that their deeds aren’t done, He adds this warning: “If you don’t wake up, I will come to you like a thief in the night…”  

  We have works to do and we’re going to need faith to do them!

I’m reminded of an old commercial on TV when I was a kid. The commercial was for an oil filter.

The end of the commercial had an older guy who looked like a mechanic holding an oil filter. The tag line was, “You can pay me now, or you can pay me later!”

We have works to do and we’re going to need faith to do them!

What should you do? What do you do? How do you do it?  

I mean for you to ask yourself these questions when you encounter a circumstance that seems to demand attention.

Should you be passive, waiting or should you do something, anything, believing something good is going to happen even when it seems like something bad is going to happen?

We have works to do and we’re going to need faith to do them!

t would be good to have a better understanding of faith in God and in His Kingdom. What are some ways you can grow in understanding faith in God?

When you begin at the beginning it is easier to end at the ending. But, where do you want to end? Do you simply want to know more about God? Or, do you want to know Him?

We have works to do and we’re going to need faith to do them!

It’s my belief that the key to answering the questions of faith and works is relationship with God.  In short, imagine what you would do if you heard Him tell you to do something outside of your comfort zone.  The challenge for you and me is to persist in relationship with Him, rather than striving to do things He hasn’t asked you to do.

We have works to do and we’re going to need faith to do them!

Look at the last part of the paragraph in James 5:16,”The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” again. James, and God, as this is His Word, are telling you that your prayers, the prayers of a righteous man or woman, made righteous by faith in Christ, are powerful and effective.

Hold on! Are you righteous? According to the Word, you are righteous by one thing. Faith.

We have works to do and we’re going to need faith to do them!

It might be easy, having looked through this passage, to tell yourself that all you’re required to do is give a little money and take your used clothing to the Goodwill or Salvation Army. Until you look ahead to James 5. In verses 13 – 16, you can see that the work(s) of faith isn’t giving a little money or donating clothing. The work of faith is effective prayer.  

James 5:15 ‘…and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him.'

We have works to do and we’re going to need faith to do them!

James’ letter to the church is an exhortation, or multiple exhortations. One of the messages of Chapter 2 in his letter is an exhortation to grow in and act on faith.  

In essence, he says faith without works is dumb and useless: “What use is it…if someone says he has faith but he has no works?” Upping the ante, he then says:   

“Can faith without works save you?

We have works to do and we’re going to need faith to do them!