Faith Without Works Is Dead

I am reminded of operating in faith. The word "operate" is a word that has an action behind it. To operate in my electronic dictionary states "to function effectively; work. To have an effect; act." If I am not mistaken this would be referred to as an action verb.
There was a small group last evening at our youth group. The youth leader taught on thanksgiving in our lives. We started out with having to find in the bible our favorite scripture that we are thankful for and read it and say why we are thankful for it. The children that attend are very astute to the things of God. They are a true blessing and it truly is my privilege and honor to be amongst them when I am able to attend their gatherings.
The youth pastor began to teach on prayer and what may happen sometimes when a prayer is not heard right away from God and answered. He gave an example of someone that had fear and they prayed and they prayed and they prayed and then it was answered. In the meantime this person was still thankful to God and prayed with a thankful heart in the process of waiting for the prayer to be answered. Now, another person comes along and they have fear. The person that had their fear taken away from them by God that persevered through prayer to God is now able to minister to the person before them that has fear. They can truly look this person in the eyes and say to them that they have been there before and knows what they are experiencing. The person that was set free of fear is now able to pray in faith for this person to have fear removed from their life. You can truly pray for another person with active faith when you went through something similar and you were delivered from it.
Each time you experience active faith your faith then in turn grows stronger and bigger. I like to think of it as the bible verse, "From glory to glory." It truly is. Each faith step seems to get bigger and stretch you more and more. That's OK that really is a good place to be. I will always look back upon one of those little faith stretches to stand upon when I am going through the larger faith steps now. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. I believe that if He did it in the past He will do it in the future and surely He will do it for me on that day also because the bible states that He will. Sometimes I can become a little impatient when I am in the midst of the faith walk situation. I attribute this to the prophetic gift that flows in me. I see things far in advance at times and I want it now when there really is a process to walking it out to bring glory and honor and again, ALL OF THE GLORY TO GOD. That is probably the area in which I struggle with the most. I also can get impatient with people that are not necessarily moving along quick enough to fulfill this. I need to work on this when it comes to areas of prophetic I look at it as cut and dry. You see what needs to be fulfilled just do it and I know that I need to cultivate the harshness of being so "on time" target so to speak. I must remember there are other peoples lives involved in this also and they need to grow in faith during this walk also. Forgive me anyone if you fell a victim to my rigidness at any time. I apologize.
At church I asked the youth to not call me Ms. Kim anymore weeks ago. I then requested that they call me Mrs. Kim. I explained to them that one day I will be married again and this is a part of the faith involved in this walk of mine. Some still call me Ms. Kim but there is one young man that faithfully calls me Mrs. Kim and at times I must admit it brings a smile to my face because he is so faithful to call me that. Even when we published our church cookbook I put faith in action again. I asked if it was OK to put just my first name only next to the recipes I submitted. That was honored. My thought on that is that one day I will be married and that cookbook will be in our home and I did not want to lock myself into my former husbands last name in a book that was published.
Last night at the close of our youth meeting the Holy Spirit put it upon my heart to dig through my purse to come up with $5.00 and give a dollar to each child that attended last night. I scrounged around and came up with the amount and two of the children had to receive theirs in change but hey a dollar is a dollar. I shared with them that sometimes when you are going through something and you are waiting for your answer it is always good to plant a seed into the lives of a person in which you are waiting upon yourself. An example...if you are not feeling well that is the most perfect opportunity to make/bake something and take it to a person that is sick. Even though you are sick you are reaching out to another in their time of need with faith to believe that you will be made whole. Another great example...if men or women are waiting upon the Lord for that spouse to come into their lives that is the most perfect opportunity for you to seek out godly married couples that have good, strong and solid relationships. Let them share with you so that when the time is right you will have been mentored by a couple that has a strong relationship not only with God but with each other. Let the Holy Spirit show you how you can plant a seed into their lives to bless them It can be something simple like baking/sharing a meal with them; getting them a gift card to do something fun; or even purchase an overnight stay for them somewhere at a bed-n-breakfast. If you really have big faith and are expecting big things to happen in your life then why not send them on a vacation somewhere! Remember, the Holy Spirit is giving you the idea are you willing to follow through? Again, a step in faith that has action behind it.
Back to my story about faith with the youth last night. As I distributed the money I shared with them that each and everyone of them is special in themselves and they will be able to reach people for Jesus that the person next to them won't be able to reach. I told them that I am planting the $1.00 seed of faith into their lives because I know each one of the children and their love of Jesus. I love the faith walk I truly do.
I truly trust that what I write and share with you is a blessing to you and hopefully you glean from my life and my life examples. Reach out today and not only be blessed but be a blessing to another. :)