Faith without Works is Dead!

              “As Jesus was on His way, the crowds almost crushed Him. And there was a woman there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. She came up behind Him and touched the edge of His cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped. ‘Who touched Me?’ Jesus asked. When they all denied it, Peter said, ‘Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you.’ But Jesus said, ‘Someone touched Me; I know that power has gone out from Me.’ The woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at His feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched Him and how she had been instantly healed. Then He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace’” (LUK 8:43-47).


          This event is recorded in 3 of the 4 Gospels, Matthew, Mark and Luke. It records that she had an issue of blood that no doctor was able to cure. She had spent all of her savings trying to get cured. 
         Its curious why we have to get to the end of our WORKS before we turn to Christ. We seem to be able to put all we have into trying to WORK things out on our own but, complain when we have to put a little effort into our faith to get what we should have done in the beginning. Believing on Christ as the scripture says.  


          You can imagine this women was weak and anemic from 12 years of constant bleeding. Jesus had just come from Jarius and healing his daughter from the dead. I imagine she had heard of it and it encouraged her and help make up her mind that she could receive her healing from the Master.  She had decided that all it would take would be, just to touch the edge of His cloak. She saw the massive crowd and knew it was not going to be easy but was determined to put whatever effort into it necessary to touch the Master. 
          Faith of this magnitude was great but she had to put WORKS with it.  Even in a weaken state, just saying that she could receive her healing was not enough, but it took pushing through a major obstacle.  


           James 2:14-17 and vs 26
              What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?  Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.   For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.      


         For the women with the issue of blood, it would have not been effective for her to just sit on the side saying,"The Master can heal me" and left it at that. Her faith had to have legs and WORK her way through the crowd. This is "FAITH WITH WORKS".


          John 7:37-38
         On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, 
“If anyone is thirsty (the need), let him come (YOUR WORK) to me and drink. Whoever believes (YOUR FAITH) in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” (The outcome of the effort)  

In Luke 18:38-43 tells of another event with a need   
            As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging.  When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening.  They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by".  ”He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me"!  Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”  Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” "Lord, I want to see,” he replied.  Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.”  Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. 
When all the people saw it, they also praised God.


           Do you have situations in your life that requires you to become desperate in going to Jesus for a answer.........
            1. Can't control you Sexual appetite 
            2. Your marriage messed up
            3. Your children out of control
            4. Either your job is too stressful or you need a job
            5. Too many addictions-cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, clubs, gambling, unfaithful
            6. Depression
            7. Money
            8. Guilt
            9. Not able to forgive


          Whatever it is you have need of, he has already done his part by coming into a world that did not want him, they refused to believe he was the Messiah, took our sins upon Himself, became our perfect sacrificial lamb, died a horrible death on a sinners cross........but claimed victory over death, Hell and the grave and rose on the third day. He gave instructions that they should tarry until he sent back his Holy Spirt and they would become his witness to others. (Luke 24:44-49)


         All we have to do is "Believe" that he is the Christ, repent or turn from your sinful and carnal ways, believe that his Word is truth and have him come into your life according to scripture. (Acts 2:38-47)


          By staying in his Word and believing that he is the Savior and will keep us until he returns, we will seeing our life healed and changed to walk in the newness of life. (Romans 6:4)


         Believing is not going to be enough....you have to make the effort to come to him, ask and make a daily devotion to him. Nothing is easy but it is soooooo worth it.