James 2:14-18

A few weeks back in our life group meeting while we were praying the word of the Lord came to us and gave us James 2:14-18.

At first we did not know exactly why but during the course of the evening we decided that God wanted us to help somebody. Later on while we were chatting and giving testimony about what God was doing in our lives, a family was mentioned which lived in the area. They are having serious financial problems, the husband who is a theology major, cannot find work and the wife only has a job as an after care teacher because she does not have a work permit because she comes from Zambia.

Almost everbody in our group immediately knew that this is the family God wanted us to help. We put together enough groceries for a month and sent them to the family via the school where the lady works. We also prayed for their provision and for Gods grace to abound in their situation.

During the last few weeks God has been putting James 2:14-18 on our hearts to teach us a lessson and the lesson is this:

If we know of people in need and only pray for them yet do nothing in the physical to help them, then exactly where does our faith lie? God has been saying that if we actually physically help these people then He will also show us how He works through people who exercise their faith.

Well, this is the story to date: The lady apparently had been doubting God's power to do miracles but when she got the food and groceries - without asking and from an unknown source she immediately glorifed God. Secondly the food and groceries were exactly what she needed. Her exact words to one of the teachers at the school who gave us feedback were "it was as if God Himself came into my kitchen, saw my shelves and gave me exactly what we needed". Our small act of obedeince resulted in God being glorified and faith was restored in that family.

It did not end there. God answered more prayer. He gave the husband a job and somebody else provided bus fare for the lady to return to Zambia to get her work permit sorted out so she can get a full time job as a fully fledged teacher here in South Africa.

The moral of the story is - be obedient to God, dont just get spiritual and pray, but get actively involved in doing what the bible says. God will do the rest.
 
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