From the Kitchen Table

Kitchen Table Devotions

James

Day 31

For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well James 3:2

The first tool of our faith is our tongue.  We speak it before we step into it.  Our walk follows our words.  There’s a need to follow our words, even in the fallen world, or we will be liars who can’t be trusted.  Our words let the seen and the unseen worlds know our wills and our wants.  But more important than that is that our words instruct our own actions, ambitions, and affections.  It’s here that we first begin this walk with Jesus.

Kitchen Table Devotions

James

Day 29

You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone.                James 2:24

Faith bears fruit with feelings for God, self, and others.  A changed will has a changed walk.  It might not be immediate but it will be inherent to the heart of faith.  Our walk and our works are the proof of our will and our want.  Let your faith show, it’s natural.

Kitchen Table Devotions

James

Day 28

You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected James 2:22

Faith bears fruit with feelings.  That’s why you see faith working with his works, Abraham had deep feelings for God that came from great faith in God.  Faith isn’t just a position on life, it is power for life.  Faith inspires us to act.  Faith exchanges feelings of paranoia for feelings of possibilities.  We don’t just know it, we feel it.  We read God’s word and think, feel, and act differently.  God has inspired us to live in love.  It’s a great thing that God’s word works in our lives.  And as we obey and act, that faith becomes more and more refined and perfected.  It just gets better and better with Jesus.

Kitchen Table Devotions

James

Day 27

You believe that  God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. James 2:19

Faith is more than believing in God, it’s about believing for God.  The demonic believes in God and fears Him.  The believer believes not only in God but for God to act in us, for us, and with us according to His word.  And here’s something else to think about.  Faith that is real is faith that believes for God to act in the lives of others too.  Faith, real faith, looses us to love, care, and help others, not just ourselves.  Faith believes in God for more than ourselves and with more than enough for our needs.  Faith believes that God loves us, really loves us.  Just believing in God can be scary, but believing for God is a peace that passes all understanding

Kitchen Table Devotions

James

Day 26

But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”           James 2:18

Faith has fruit.  We cannot hide faith, it shows up in everything we are and everything we do.  Decide right now to always live in truth.  Who says they have faith but don’t have fruit?  It’s the person living a lie.  The greatest obstacle to truth is faith in a lie.  Even when we are truthful about not being truthful, we begin to find truth and healing.  But it all takes faith; understand that!  There is no life in lies.  We must place our faith in truth and then trust it and live it.  Many place their faith in lies, not truth, and the consequences are lethal.  Start here, start with just being truthful, it will help you place your faith in what brings life.  Life is the fruit of faith in the truth.

Kitchen Table Devotions

James

Day 25

Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.                    James 2:17

Words without a walk are worthless.  With our words, we speak a life into existence and with our walk, we step into that life.  The life we’re living right now is the one we’ve chosen, or spoken into existence.  Dead is a big word with big consequences.  Dead can’t do anything but be dead.  Don’t let your religion be dead!  Don’t let your faith die.  By faith, begin to speak the life you want to live into existence so that you can step into the life you want to live.  Speak the name of Jesus into your day and it will open the door for you to step in behind Him and follow Him to life.  Anybody can die, and everyone can live, but it takes faith to choose the one you want.  Just a note, if your faith is in death, you’ll die.

Kitchen Table Devotions

James

Day 24

What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him?

James 2:14

I can’t get past that question.  Can that faith save him?  Do you have the “faith” to live in heaven, not just with the idea of heaven?  Well, what kind of faith saves?  The salvation of Jesus doesn’t just save me from death, but it saves to for life, for living life right here, right now.  It’s not about appeasing God, Jesus did that, it’s about agreeing with God for the here and now and the then and there.  Faith that saves doesn’t just give me hope, it gives me heaven for the here and now in the here and now  Do I have faith that saves?  Would I offer the faith I have to others?  Would they want it?  What kind of fruit is hanging from my faith?  If my faith is truly in God, there is fruit hanging from my faith because that’s what God does, He makes life fruitful and saves us completely from death.  Praise God!  I want a faith that is fruitful and that saves completely, not just my life but the lives around me.

Kitchen Table Devotions

James

Day 23

What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him?

James 2:14

Where there is faith, there is fruit. There is always evidence of faith.  Words are cheap; it’s the walk that counts, that is valuable.  Faith without fruit leaves us with fruit that’s without faith.  Faith will leave us with the fruit of heaven, but fake faith will leave us with the fruit of here.  We say things to make people believe.  We need to say things that make God believe.  It’s easy to lie to ourselves and others, but we can’t lie to God.  Just look around!  Jesus said we could judge a tree by its’ fruit. (Luke 6:4)  We live in a world of fake faith where we want people to believe a tale rather than the truth.  That doesn’t work.  That’s not the real stuff.  Faith in God will bear the fruit of God in action, attitude, appearance, and anticipation.  That’s real stuff.  If you’re going to live a lie, be truthful about it, but don’t live a lie, it’s lethal. 

Kitchen Table Devotions

James

Day 22

So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. ¹³ For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment. James 2:12-13

Live in love, with love, and by love.  It’s love that fulfills the law and it’s love for God, others, and self that empowered Jesus to fulfill the law.  There’s liberty in love and that’s what the law was trying to tell us.  Remember what James wrote earlier? If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF,” you are doing well. ⁹ But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. (James 2:8-9).  Laws point out and preserve love.  Good laws point out what is good and right and true because they point to the Almighty law Giver who is always good and right and true.  If we rebel, the law brings disapproval, darkness & death. But, we can’t let the law condemn us; let it convict us of the need for love.    Mercy triumphs over judgment.

Kitchen Table Devotions

James

Day 21

So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. ¹³ For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment. James 2:12-13

The way of God is the way of life and the law of God is the law of life.  The law of God is good, not bad; it is life even though it reveals death.  If we would live by the law of God, we would live in the life of God, but we can’t.  We can’t but He did and when He does live in our hearts we can.  Never let the law of God become a bad thing, those who let the law of God guide them, find life & liberty.  What keeps us bound and slaves is guilt.  The key to living out the law of God and living in the life of God is “mercy”.  Without “mercy” no one makes it out alive.  To fulfill the law of God to live in the life of God with the liberty of God is to live in the “mercy” of God.  God always has “mercy” for you & I.  When we live in His “mercy” and with His “mercy”, we share His love and life with others.