Tag: motivate

Demonic Faith

Carl Pollard

Demonic Faith 

James 2:18-19 reads, “But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!” 

Until you have works, you cannot show that you have faith. Any verbal attempt is futile if your life doesn’t reflect your belief in God. The only real way to show your faith is to do something. If you never told someone that you were a Christian, could they tell by your actions? The question isn’t, how many works do I need to do to have eternal life, it is, how much disobedience can I have in my life and still call Jesus my master?

We aren’t working toward our reward and getting paid back like it’s a job; this faith motivates us to obey our master. James says, “show me a faith without works.” You can’t. In verse 19, he says, “you believe that God is one, that is good.” That is the Jewish Shema, and it is a great step in the right direction but it won’t save you if that’s all you have. Even demons believe. Satan ain’t an atheist! He believes in God more than most people do! It’s great that you believe in God, but so do many others who are filled with evil. 

If all you need is belief, why isn’t Satan saved? Why are the demons condemned? They believe in God! But their actions are contrary to their belief. Demons have faith! But it is an imperfect faith because it is not coupled with obedience. Demons believe and “TREMBLE!”

This is a step above dead faith. A demonic faith is comprised of intellect and emotion. Belief, and fear. But can this kind of faith save? No! Noah could have believed God and even been afraid of the coming punishment, but if he never built the ark would he have been saved? 

Saving faith demands a change in your life; it demands action. Dead faith is no works. Demonic faith is belief and emotion, but still no obedience, and God expects our faith to change our very being. He wants our lives to reflect the trust we have in Him. That can only be seen through action. 

Painful, But Exhilarating

Neal Pollard

    On a particular occasion, I was listening to a great sermon on worship. It was interesting and, in a very real way, enjoyable.  But it was also forceful and convicting.  The longer he preached, the more the message kept penetrating and pricking my heart.  His sermon consisted of two points, that worship is an intentional meeting with God and, when we come, we must bring an offering.  That may sound somewhat plain, but it was powerful.

   Do not think that my view is that it is not a good sermon if your toes have not been crunched and you have not gone on a guilt trip.  I love feel good sermons on grace and heaven, the same as the next brother or sister.  However, as I listened to him preach that night, I thought of so many sermons by Camp, Clark, McCord, Winkler, Nichols, and others of their ilk.  The rich overflow from a man who has studied, prepared, and honed his ability to present gospel truths reaches into the heart of a hearer.  If we open our hearts during such sermons, we will be convicted by our shortcomings but motivated by the lesson to improve, grow, and increase what is good. 

   As he spoke about the “bucket,” I thought about the fact that more times than I want to admit I have come with an empty or nearly empty bucket.  But hearing him preach about it, I felt resolve to fill it up next time I meet God in worship.  In fact, that was what struck me most about his sermon.  The more I heard, the more I wanted to please, love, and obey my Lord.  It was painful, but exhilarating!

   In our dramatically consumer-centric culture, you and I must break out of such selfishness and humbly approach the Audience of worship and give our everything to please Him.  We need to come with our prayers, praise, thoughts, longings, meditation, money, and the like, urgently desiring to give and give some more to our great God!   That will do more than transform our worship.  It will change our very beings to the core!