Good morning to all! Waine and I are back from our South American Adventure. We cruised from Buenos Aires, Argentina to Santiago Chile. The cruise took 13 days and we sailed to the Cape of Hope which is the southern most tip of the world before you head to Antarctica. The trip was a once in a life time experience for us and was part of the world we wanted to see. We are now official Patagonians and also can say we sailed among the icebergs. One of the treats of the trip were the spectacular sunrises and sunsets for that part o the world which I will share with you as soon as I figure out how to download the pictures. Waine and I had some real quality time together which for me was the highlight o the trip. It was hard to communicate on the boat because the internet connection was done by satellite at $0.50 per minute. I am anxious to continue my spiritual journey!!
We are continuing in James 2, verses 1 - 26 "My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom He promised those who love Him? But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of Him to whom you belong? If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right. But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. For he who said, “You shall not commit adultery,”also said, “You shall not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker. Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone. In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead." Hallelujah and Amen!!
I am on call this weekend and last night was called to come to the hospital for a sick baby. The baby was fine on the outside but kept dropping its oxygen level. Her parents are from a small community in Georgia that does not believe in modern medicine. They are almost like the Amish but do come to hospitals to deliver their babies. The mother was on a medication for her psychiatric problems and as it turns out the medication was making the baby very sleepy and the baby would take shallow breaths to the point of dropping her oxygen. The mother wanted to breast feed but because she was still on the medication I wrote an order to only formula feed the baby. This made the parents upset and they asked for another Pediatrician. Unfortunately for them there was only me. When I went in to talk with them and explain my actions, I found out that the baby's name was ZOe and that they were quite reasonable. We ended our meeting by praying together; the father prayed for her healing and for God to bless me her caregiver. We all stepped on on faith together with the act of praying.
All of ZOe's tests came back normal and as of this morning is stable. Now if you are wondering what this has to do with the passage in James, I'll give you my perspective. When I put my faith into action by praying with my patients the ACT of asking patients to pray with me PUTS my desired outcome into Fruition. God gives us the Provision for the Vision for which you stepped out in Faith. When you pray you must act as if what you have prayed for already exists. If you are praying to start a business, then ACT as if the business has already occurred. For example, when Waine and I started ZOe Pediatrics we went about and started talking to people about a building, we started interviewing staff, we secured all the proper licenses and then signed for the building and hired staff. We did all of this without a loan from a bank, backing from the hospital that originally pledged their financial support, and having not seen the first patient. The first day we opened we saw 8 patients. We had to make payroll in 2 weeks and we began to liquidate all our assets to make it happen. We kept the businee going on our own assets for 3 payroll cycles. Waine and I worked without pay and when we had to make payroll and had no more assets to liquidate, God had a Ram in the Bush. The Bank approved our line of credit. When that ran out, the payments for all the patients I had seen started to hit the bank. Hallelujah! God was watching our hearts and our attitudes through this process and when we had done all we could do He , Jehovah Jirah, stepped in! We have not missed a payroll, all of our bills are paid, the loan has been repaid and He has expanded us to a second site. Just as it says in Luke 6:38 "......give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”
When you ACT upon God's vision for you life with Faith, God's provision will be abundant. If you are fretting about anythingthis morning, these scriptures are for you. Now may the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace. Amen and amen!
Stephanie
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