“Make a list of three blessings that you’re asking God to manifest in your life!” This is a very good faith-building exercise. Try telling that to Angela who said her list has been the same for the last three years and nothing in her circumstances seem to have changed. No husband—no significant other—no prospects! She’s seen too many of her Christian sisterfriends without a husband or boyfriend, and she is very discouraged about the possibility of one on the horizon. Feeling defeated and emotionally exhausted, she’s just about ready to throw in the towel on her list. In her mind, her petitions to the Lord have gone unanswered and she doesn’t know what else to do.
When it comes to our faith, some of us think that we can tell God when our faith is where it needs to be. We think we’re the best judge of what is in our hearts, and we know when our hearts are where they need to be for faith to produce results. This line of thinking will bring us disappointment, because it is inaccurate. The prophet, Hanani, said in 2Chronicles 16:7 that the eyes of God search the whole earth to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are strong towards Him. Heavenly Father also told His prophet, Samuel, in 1Samuel 16:7(NLT), “The LORD doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” God knows us better than we could ever know ourselves. He knows exactly what is in our hearts, and He knows when our faith in Him IS OR ISN’T where it needs to be.
Faith is required for anything we attempt to do, and most importantly, it is required for our relationships with God. Having faith in God is the way to please Him, and we cannot please Him without it. Our faith in Heavenly Father can’t be about what we receive from Him. It must be about who He is. Our God is faithful to His promises. A perfect faithfulness is in God’s nature, so we can count on Him to be faithful to His Word continually. He blesses His Word.
James 2:26 tells us that faith without good works is dead. Faith requires good works to back it up. So, when Angela made her list, you have to wonder if she made another list, one identifying what she planned to do to back up her faith. God requires ‘Good Works’ to back our faith. These are the works Jesus Christ was referring to when he said in Matthew 5:16(NKJV), “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” We must ask ourselves if we are engaged in the type of good works that will glorify God, because if we aren’t, it’s time to get busy making that list.
These are just a few of the works that glorify God:
- Honorable conduct (1Peter 2:12)
- Motivate others to acts of love and generosity (Hebrews 10:24)
- Godly thoughts and Godly conversations and confessions (Romans 15:6)
- Confess your sins to God (Joshua 7:19)
- Declare the glory of God to others (Psalm 57:5)
- Confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (Philippians 2:11)
- Use your money to do good by being generous to those in need and sharing with others (1Timothy 6:18)
- Live a lifestyle that equals the call that God has upon your life (1Thessalonians 2:12)
- Use your whole body to do what is right in God’s sight (Romans 6:13)
- Be an example to others by doing good works of EVERY kind (Titus 2:7)
Practices like these must be our continual habit pattern. It can’t be that we do them when we want to or do them here and there. These practices are part of the example of Christ, and God requires that we have a heart that seeks to do them as often as we can, because it is an extreme privilege to honor Him in these ways.
There is always a good work that we have been called to, but for some reason have neglected or overlooked as part of our Christian walk. Some of us have erroneously thought that God will give us a pass, but God is unyielding when it comes to His Word. When we have a petition that is yet to materialize, it is usually because the Lord wants us to put on more of Christ, and He wants us to see the areas where we need to change. Jesus Christ commanded us in Mark 11:22 to have faith in God. In Mark:23(NLT), he said, “I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart.” The good works that glorify God back our faith and prove that we have no doubt in our hearts. When we do what we are called to do, we are representing the light of Christ, and this demonstrates that our faith is genuine and firmly placed in God. ■
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
“The List”, written by Kim Times, edited by Reverend Fran Mack, for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2021. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! SMS is dedicated to inspiring and encouraging Christian Women through the Word of God.