Reference: James 2:17-20
A fairly good definition for the wordexercise would be saying to put something into practice or into use. Theapostle James is telling us in the above scriptures that if we say we havefaith, but fail to put it into practice then we will have what he calls a deadfaith. We may say or think that we have faith, but if we fail to put our faithinto a practical use, then it's an evident fact that our faith will be a deadfaith.
According to God's word of the Bible weare all given a measure of faith. This faith that God has given can be madestronger if we are willing to obey God's instruction book that we call theBible. God's word tells us that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the wordof God. Our faith grows in strength aswe go through all the trials and temptations that we will be faced with. Wewill be faced with these trying circumstances so that our faith can beincreased. This is God's way of causing our faith to grow.
Each time we go through a trial thisenables us to be strong enough to overcome another trial that may be a littlemore severe. Each temptation that we are faced with will not be too severe thatwe could not endure, because God has promised in his word that he would providea way of escape so that we would be able to bear it. God does not remove thetrial so that we won't have to go through it, because this is the only way thatour faith can be increased. The apostle Jamestells us in verses two through four of the first chapter of his epistle to count it all joy when we fall into diverstemptations. He tells us this simply because that this is the trying of ourfaith and that this trying will work patience on our behalf.
To go through a trial will work patiencein us because this process will remove all our doubt and fears from our heart.Fear is exactly what causes a person to fail in their trust in God. When aperson fears they will automatically do things that will cause them to make thesituation worse. A person who is frightened to the point of panic will manytimes do things that will cause them death.
During the time of war a soldier will getso scared that in many instances he will panic and begin to run headon towardthe enemy and will be killed. When fear grips the heart and takes completecontrol over a person they will do things not being able to control their ownactions. There has been many people killed through the action of a person thatpanicked when a fire broke out in buildings and other places where many peoplewere gathered.
This fear will actually cause many peopleto die of a heart attack. This is the fear that Jesus spoke about when he saidthat men's hearts will fail them. This is one of the signs of the endtimespoken of in Luke 21:26. There are varying degrees of fear that a person may have.Any degree of fear will cause a person to doubt what God's word says andreveals. We are told that if we do not doubt in our heart that God will bringto pass whatsoever we ask, then we shall have what we ask for.
Fear is what makes a person doubt. Thisfear is present in everybody, but we can absolutely remove this fear fromwithin us by keeping and obeying God's word of the Bible. The apostle Johntells us that perfect love casteth out fear. This love is of course referringto the love of God. The love of God can be perfected in us if we keep and obeyhis word. As this love is being perfected in us this will at the same timeremove all fear.
If we are yet fearful then it's an evidentfact that we are not made perfect in love. We become stronger as God's love isbeing perfected in us. If we have fear at all in us then we can't fully put ourfaith in God and expect him to do what we want him to do to or for us. Thereason why a person will not attempt to do something in the realm of thesupernatural is simply because they are doubtful that God will do what theywant done.
Many people fail to trust God for healingsimply because they are afraid they will die if they don't get medical help.Anytime we fear for our own life or safety, then we will not be able to putfull confidence in God. What most people fail to realize and understand is thatGod absolutely will not allow us to be tempted with trials and temptations thatwe would not be able to bear. We are told that God will make a way for ourescape, but failing to believe this will cause us to become and be an impatientperson.
We must go through trials in order thatour faith can be increased. It takes faith to believe that God will help us outof our situation no matter what it may be. Many people will fail to conquertheir fears and thereby fail to get anywhere with God. The old testamentworshipers such as Job, Moses, Abraham, and many other, are our examples and wecan learn from them. Job said he would trust in God no matter if he took his life.The Hebrew children said they would trust in God no matter if he let them diein the firey furnace. These instances are true manifestations of faith.
They did not count their own lives asbeing more important than their trust in God. We are told in Hebrews chapter twelve tolay aside every weight and the sin which so easily besets us, and to run thisrace with patience that is set before us. We are told to look unto Jesus who isthe author and the finisher of our faith. This chapter goes on to tell us thechastening we will get from God and of things we must go through in order tobecome a child of God. We are chastened of God so that we can become partakersof his holiness.
Many people get the idea that being achristian will make you a person who will be greatly loved by the people andthat nothing ever goes wrong in their lives, but what they are totally ignorantof is how God deals with those who are truly his. This is the very reason whythe children of Israel were destroyed in the wilderness. In the third chapter of Hebrews weare told that God was grieved with them saying that they always were erring notknowing God's way.
We are told to take heed lest there be inus a heart full of unbelief. We can allow our own heart to deceive us by notknowing God's ways in how he deals with us as becoming sons and daughters ofhim. If we are sons of God then we will be scourged and chastened of him, butif we are not sons then we will not be chastened. Many people get the idea thatchastening of God is being punished for all the sins they commit, but this onlyproves that they do not know God nor do they truly know his ways.
The average person's description of achristian is far from what a true child of God actually is. We are told thatwithout faith we cannot please God. Our faith grows as we are obedient to God'sword which many times places us in very trying circumstances. Most people failto go through the trials and temptations they are faced with thinking they arenot in the will of God. They listen to some false prophet who teaches thatbeing a christian will make you an outstanding citizen of the community and youwill be active in community affairs etc. Your faith my friend, can only becomestrong and be pleasing to God by obedience to him.