“Why have we fasted, but you have not seen?
We have denied ourselves, but you haven’t noticed!”
“Look, you do as you please on the day of your fast,
and oppress all your workers.
You fast with contention and strife
to strike viciously with your fist.
You cannot fast as you do today,
hoping to make your voice heard on high.
Will the fast I choose be like this:
A day for a person to deny himself,
to bow his head like a reed,
and to spread out sackcloth and ashes?
Will you call this a fast
and a day acceptable to the Lord?
Isn’t this the fast I choose:
To break the chains of wickedness,
to untie the ropes of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free,
and to tear off every yoke?
Isaiah 58:3-6 (CSB)
We might profess with our mouths Jesus is Lord, volunteer our weekends for house building in Mexico, fast coffee for Lent, and give our spare change to the homeless man outside the grocery store, and yet our hearts could be missing the mark. Jesus came to do the deep work of restoring justice in this world, and how are we joining Him in that work? Are our eyes open to see the oppressed who are right in our midst? Are we aware of the unjust systems we are a part of? How are we facing the wickedness of our own hearts when we realize it?
True religion is a combination of faith and works — both internal and external. It means uprooting and examining the faith of our childhood against the Word of God. It means wrestling with what it means to love ourselves and our neighbors and then actually doing it in whatever way God asks of you. It means knowing about God and theology is only a part of our faith but learning to live it out is what bears fruit.
True religion changes our lives, our posture before God and others, and frees us so we can free others.
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In Courage,
James 2:14,17,26 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead. As you can see the Bible has much to say about this. We must show this sinful world the love of God by our actions. Words alone are meaningless. Even the devil believes in God. We must pray for our enemies, feed the homeless & less fortunate, volunteer at church & do other activities. This requires some sacrifice on our part. That is partly what we owe God for willingly saving our lives from Hell & Damnation. This is true evidence that our faith is a true faith & not just religion. Everyone believes in something or someone. By doing these deeds the world sees something different about us. That could be the beginning of a conversation about faith & repentance. Start showing your true faith by helping others. It will make you feel good, bless others & you will get eternal rewards for it.
Blessings 🙂
True Religion is us. We that are saved. We that are believers of Jesus and why Jesus was born as Baby in a Manager with no Airs or Graces that went on Cavalry Cross for us. We are the Church to the unsaved. We are the hands and feet of Jesus. Jesus wants us who are saved to live for him as his word the Bible says. So as everything we do and says reflexs Jesus and the way he lived when he was on earth. So the unsaved and hurting see Jesus shinning out of us. We go the extra mile like Jesus did when he was on earth. Like the kids songs say. One is Jesus Loves all the People of the World Red and Yellow Black and White. Another Song is Jesus hands Where Kind Hands Doing Good Too All. We that love Jesus and are saved are to do the same as theses two songs. As Jesus was like that when on earth. Jesus wants us too do the same for him. Live the True Religion for him. That the unsaved and Hurting and People no one else wants to know would See in us. Like Jesus did when on earth. Just like the words of thoes two songs. As if we are true followers of Jesus and Love Jesus with all our hearts. We will do that and have the Jesus Religion flowing out of our Soles. Then if people ask us what it is we have. There is something different about You. Then you can tell them You have Jesus living themYou. That is all you need. You trust in the word the Bible and Prayer. Plus you love to help people. Show them love of Jesus. Plus live for Jesus. Love Dawn Ferguson-Little xxx