Praying James 2 (Part 2)

Praying James 2 – The Real Faith Challenge

In this second part of James 2, James is really challenging us to make our faith real. Do we merely talk a good faith game or are we really walking the faith walk. Faith has a certain swagger, sometimes even a physical limp. But it is bold and can make huge spiritual leaps! It is more than just words. It is belief put into action.

James boldly claims that our belief in Christ Jesus as the risen son of the One True God is worth nothing if it’s not supported by our actions. Are we going to walk the walk or just talk the talk?

Let’s dig in and pray that our faith will be living and active!

James 2:14

James 2:15-16

Lord, you have explained so easily how we should love you and love others. We are to love you with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength and we are to love others as ourselves.

Help us keep this thought close to heart so that we will do more than just wish someone well. Let us pray over them to receive provision and then be the first one to actually provide for their needs.

You formed the church body to be there for each other. To not only offer encouragement but to provide for each other spiritually and physically.

May we see the blessings you’ve given us as yours and not ours. Then without selfishness, let us freely share with our brothers and sisters in need.

In the One that meets all our needs – Amen!

James 2:17

You are a God of action. You plan. You love. You are, you were, and you will forever be!

You ask us to be a people of action and follow in your footsteps. Faith to you is a word packed with action. You want our faith to drive us to do your will, to trust you, to be bold, and to be alive for Christ.

Satan tries to deceive us into thinking that our belief in you is enough. No action required. Studying and knowing your word but not putting it into practice is like slapping you in the face with our faith. What does our faith stand for at that point? A faith that doesn’t change our hearts is worthless. You say it’s dead!

We pray we do not become lukewarm Christians that stand for nothing. We want to be Christ followers that are saved by grace and bring glory to you by our words and actions.

In the One who by faith took action and made miraculous things happen – Amen!

James 2:18-19

The demons believe in you! This sets our minds spinning. How can they believe in you and not live for you?

Oh, Lord, this idea…no, this truth, that the demons believe you are who you say you are, causes us to pause and re-examine our faith.

Are we merely “believers” in that we, too, believe who you say you are, but our actions do not proclaim this belief? Do we pride ourselves for “knowing you” and that’s enough?

Our hearts are heavy to think that we could be in the same realm of belief as demons. We want to yell, “This is impossible!” But if we don’t further your cause with our actions, then we are working against you just like the demons.

Lord, help us not to fall into this trap of thinking that having a belief in you is enough. Demons believe and SHUDDER! Let us shudder at the thought of believing and not living for you. May we act in a way that shows we have more than a mere belief in you. May our love for you spur us on in showing you how much we love you and trust in you.

Help us proclaim our love for you like Jesus did! In Jesus’ powerful name – Amen!

James 2:20-22

You call us to be a living sacrifice for you, Lord. Actually choosing to sacrifice ourselves daily for you not matter what the cost. How many times do we count the cost and decide it’s not worth it to show our love to you?

We fail, Lord, to speak up for you out of fear of what others will say. We fear losing our comforts. Let us not throw out empty declarations of love and trust with our mouths and then refuse to back them up with actions

Our faith means nothing unless we act on our declarations. Abraham trusted you. He trusted you so much he was willing to sacrifice his son, simply because you told him to. He trusted the promise you made to him. He believed that you could raise his son back from the dead.

How long that walk up the mountain must have been. Watching his son carrying the wood that would soon cause him great pain and death. He had hours of time to change his mind and show “love” to his son instead of to you.

But then my placing his only son, Isaac, on the alter, Abraham showed all of his love to you and his son. In that moment, Abraham taught his son that you, Lord, are worthy to be entrusted with their lives. For loving you more than he loved his own son, you called Abraham righteous. Abraham’s faith was made complete by his actions. We pray our faith will be made complete by our actions.

In the One who sacrificed himself so that we might become the righteousness of God – Amen!

James 2:23 – 24

Trust. That is what you are longing for from us. To really trust you. To believe your word so much so that we will be willing to put it into practice in our lives. That we would trust your word even when we don’t understand how it could be possible.

You told Abraham that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the sky. It was at this point, that “Abram believed [you], and [you] credited it to him as righteousness (Gen 15:6).”

Scripture was fulfilled because his belief played out into action.
We pray that we will continue to fulfill scripture by our faith playing out into action.

You’ve called us to go to all the world. We can start doing that this minute in our daily lives by allowing our actions to show our faith in you and sharing how amazingly you’ve worked in our lives, even when we couldn’t fathom how you would do it.

Abram didn’t know how you would make him the father of many nation but you knew and he trusted you. May our faith show our trust in you too!

In the One who left heaven, walked this earth to die for our sins because he trusted you to raise Him up again – Amen!

James 2:25

Lord, you love us all no matter our pasts. You want to take hold of our future!

Rahab, the prostitute, heard how you had dried up the water of the Red Sea for the Isrealites to come out of Egypt, and how you completely destroyed two Amorite kings. She heard of your power and might and believed that the you were giving the land to the Isrealites.

Because of her belief, she took action and allowed you to use her as part of your plan. She did not fear her own people, even the king of Jericho. She feared and revered you. She proclaimed in word and action that “the Lord your God is God in heaven above and earth below” and she put her trust in you by hiding the spies (Joshua 2:11).

Lord, we have example after example in the Bible and in our lives of your power and might. May we revere you and trust you to take care of us the same way Rahab did.

May we be as bold and brave as Rahab and put our beliefs into actions no matter who confronts us and wants us to do otherwise. In Jesus’ powerful name – Amen!

James 2:26

Lord, you and you alone are worthy of praise! We pray that our lives will be living sacrifices for you. That people will see our actions and you will be glorified for it. May they stand in awe of who you are and your redeeming love.

We pray we will live out our belief in you boldly. May we proclaim you in word and deed as our risen Savior. You have given your all for us. May we give all our for your, Lord.

In the One who was, is and ever will be faithful – Amen!

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Kristi F

I am an Oklahoman by birth, a Texan by current living situation, but claim the world as my playground.I love to travel and hope to someday soon take our family on adventures to far off lands, where we can share God with others and experience all the wonders He has created.

I am a mother of 5 crazy, homeschooling children ages 10 & under, wife to an amazing man, and daughter of the King of the Universe!I enjoy reading, making my kids laugh, cooking, all things natural, learning to play guitar and dusting off my piano skills.One day I hope to run again, but until then I’m learning patience.