ConneXus Blog

By Julia Fowler, Worship Arts Pastor

Text: “Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” James 2:17, NIV

“Faith and works should travel side by side, step answering to step, like the legs of men walking.  First faith, and then works; and then faith again, and then works again—until they can scarcely distinguish which is the one and which is the other.” –William Booth, October 5, 1992.

No matter who you are in life, what you do, your level of income, your status at work, your heritage, your preferences, your lifestyle, race, creed, whatever it is that makes you, you is wonderfully, uniquely and miraculously put together for a two-fold purpose.  The serve God and to edify others. 

We know what service to God means—it means obeying him in everything we do, and living a life that allows Him to be at the center of everything we do.  It means watching for and listening for opportunities to share God’s great love and mercy with other people.   Edifying others is the ‘how’ we do the service part.  We have all been given particular gifts and graces to utilize in the world in which we are placed that give us the best chance to reach those we come in contact with.  Edifying others is building them up, teaching them, instructing them through the means of our abilities and towards God. 

These two things must go hand in hand, and are partnered with Faith and putting it into action.  Our service to God is stimulated by our faith.  Our faith is the fuel that fans the flames of our desire to obey God and to ‘serve’ Him by putting our ‘gifts’ into action and edifying others.  It’s really quite a marvelous combination of abilities when they are put to use as they are designed to.

Our responsibility is to keep the marvelous plan in place – believing and then exercising our faith through taking action. 

I’m praying for you today that you are edified through this reminder to walk, putting one foot in front of the other, coupling faith with action to bring God glory!  God will be with you in whatever you do, so put yourself to good use for Him and for the good of the entire body. 

Go in His strength today!