Elucidation

Faith without works is dead…

March 19, 2018

What does this mean? What is this scripture saying??

Here is my take on this…

I have Faith. I pray. I believe in God. I believe in Jesus. I believe in miracles. I believe in healing. I also believe in being proactive.

What do I mean by that?

WORKS.

work

noun

1 a day's work in the fields: labor, toil, slog, drudgery, exertion, effort, industry, service; informal grind, sweat, elbow grease; literary travail.

James 2:14-17 (esv)

14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

Let me give you an example:

I pray…

Dear Lord, Please let me lose weight. You know Lord that I should be healthy and by losing an extra few pounds will make me healthier. You say our bodies are temples. Please remove these extra pounds. Amen.

Then I go sit on the couch and eat a bag of Doritos and expect this miracle to happen.

I have the Faith that God hears me and that He truly wants me to be healthier, BUT Faith without works is dead… I - ME - MYSELF needs to take action in this!!! By eating healthier and exercising.

I pray…

Lord, I really want our family to be financially fit and to get out of debt. This is not what you want for us. Thank you Lord, Amen.

Then I go and charge some new boots on a charge card.

I have the Faith that, again, God hears me and truly does not want me under this burden of debt, BUT Faith without works is dead. I - ME - MYSELF needs to take action in this!!! I need to stop spending and find a way to have more income (working)?!?!

I pray…

Dear Heavenly Father, I want my family to be more Spiritual and be Godly people. Thank you, Amen. Then I don’t go to church, involve my self in small groups, or begin fellowshipping with other believers.

I have the Faith that, again, God hears me and He truly wants me to seek His presence and press in to Him, BUT Faith without works is dead. I - ME - MYSELF needs to take action in this!!! I need to start stepping out and going to church and reading the Bible.

Action - Intention - Proactive

Do I want my house to be clean? Of course, but it is not magically going to get clean with out taking action. I need to grab cleaner and a cloth, I need to pick up things and put them back in the right spots, I need to not just physically move, but mentally move too.

Do I want to be a better keyboard/piano player? Of course, but, there is not going to be a magic wand tapped on my head to make me better. I need to learn from others, practice, research, change my thinking…

Romans 12:2 (ESV)

2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

God gives me talents and does do miracles, but what am I going to do (take action) with those talents??? Matthew 25:14-30

Do I want my body healed from a car accident that I was in? Of course, but it is not magically going to happen. Like I said, I do believe in miracles, but, I also believe that I need to take action - WORKS. I need to not only seek help from doctors, etc. but also I need to eat right, take vitamins and supplements, educate myself on my injuries, loose weight, gain some muscle, and of course ALWAYS be praying.

I am no Bible scholar, and I don’t pretend to be. These are my opinions and things that I have been learning and I am continuing to learn about. AGAIN I DO believe in miracles, I DO believe in prayers and I DO BELIEVE in prayers being answered, but I also have learned that I need to be proactive, being made aware, conscious of, informed, wise to, clued in to, alert… in my life. To be aware of my surroundings. I need to stop going through life with blinders on like a horse pulling a carriage. I don’t want to stay in the same ruts that I had continued in. I DO want to be on the path that God has made for me! And He does NOT want us in bondage.

I love words!

I am not great with grammar, spelling, punctuation, etc.

But I still love words.

I love what they represent, what they say, and what they mean.

So I thought I would change the name of this page to reflect that.

This page is going to be more than a 'blog' page...

It will be my thoughts, ideas, opinions, loves, likes, feelings......

It will be - my words.

elucidate

[ih-loo-si-deyt]

verb (used with object), elucidated, elucidating.

to make lucid or clear; throw light upon; explain:

an explanation that elucidated his recent strange behavior.

Synonyms: clarify, illuminate.

verb (used without object), elucidated, elucidating.

to provide clarification; explain.

Synonyms: clarify, clear up, illustrate.

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FAITH

posted Dec 2, 2016, 4:21 AM by Heidi Haskin [ updated Dec 2, 2016, 7:12 AM ]

I sometimes feel like I am drowning.

I panic.

I try to grasp everything in sight.

Grabbing at things in all different directions - Flailing around - Gasping for air.

When we panic while in troubled waters, we will take on water, we will tire, we could drown;

but if we just allow ourselves to be

still

calm

let go of trying to be in control of everything

and to just float on our backs

we will ride the waves and allow them to guide us back to safety.

I need to have FAITH that God knows what He is doing.

But do I?

Do I have doubt?

Can Doubt and Faith take up the same space?

Can I have Doubt and Faith at the same time?

I don't know. I hope not. I pray that I don't.

I do not want to doubt.

I do know that I need to quit flailing about.

I look ridiculous running around with my arms flying above my head

with my brow all wrinkled and scrunched up.

Kicking and screaming....

Taking on water and possibly drowning.

I need to TRUST.

I need to have FAITH.

God has got this! He has it ALL!!

It is time for me to relax, float, and believe that I am being directed to safety.

I KNOW that HE has the perfect plan for my life.

He has a perfect plan for your life.

He promised.

Jeremiah 29:11

New Living Translation (NLT)

11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

~hh~

12/01/2016

Hate

posted Dec 1, 2016, 12:41 PM by Heidi Haskin

Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory, but now it's blurry, no literally.

posted Nov 19, 2016, 4:49 PM by Heidi Haskin [ updated Nov 21, 2016, 1:30 PM ]

Here I sit at my kitchen table.

It is hard to see.

As every minute passes, I get older.

What I have noticed changing the most in this last year, are my eyes… my eyes are getting older. Heck, I have had them since I was born. Not only have I not been able to see long distances without corrective lenses since I was in the fifth grade, but now, alas, my near sightedness is now failing. Anything that is 18 inches or closer, I struggle to see! Sad, really.

I love to read.

I love to hand write.

I love to draw.

I love to type.

Ahhhh how I miss the days where I did not have this struggle.

I now also know why they advise you not to have babies in your forties…

It’s not just because it may be harder on your body, No! It is MOST definitely because when you are holding them in your arms, snuggling them, you won’t be able to see them...

they are nothing but blur.

Being a human who loves to wear contact corrective lenses, and has always worn them, I am now at the point of trying to adapt into glasses. Ah, glasses, how I loathe thee. Why, you ask? I can’t see out of the sides. My peripheral vision is blurred. OH the dilemma I am faced with.

Where are the large print Bibles?

Where are the large print word finds?

Where is the zoom button for my desktop screen?

Where is the Accessibility Settings on my phone to make everything larger?

No, No, No… I do not want bifocals, but I really do think the time has come.

~hh~

11/19/2016

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