BTC Presents: "...but God..." A Weekday Morning Devotional Series James 2: 24-26

James 2: 24-26

Creators and Guests

Host

Chad McBeam

Business Leader, Foster Advocate and Fighter of Human Trafficking, Chad enjoys hosting this podcast channel as a way to spread and highlight the great examples of those who live out their faith daily. He can also be seen on occasion on your TV or Film Screen or be heard narrating one of your books as his love of acting has stuck with him since his childhood.

Writer

Aaron Marcarelli

After getting his under-graduate degree from Cal State University San Bernardino where he played college baseball and received all American honors. he was a graduate assistant baseball coach at both Trevecca Nazarene College in Nashville, Tennessee, and at Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington.  He received his master’s degree in Teaching from Whitworth, with plans to someday be a head baseball coach at a university.  However, God had other plans.  Aaron started teaching English and History and coaching baseball and other sports at the high school level and found out how much he loves high school kids, and he has been doing that for the past 27 years.     Personally, heI has been married to his wife Sharon for 32 years, they have one daughter, Amanda Parrish, who has been married to Austin Parrish for 2 years. Aaron also has two grandsons Travis age 2 ½ and Aden who is 13 months and are blessed to have another on the way due in May. Aaron loves reading, golfing, and spending time with his wife and grandkids.

LC

Designer

Linda Cowen

Linda Cowen of San Antonio Christian School is our gracious and talented art designer for the But God, weekday morning devotional series.

What is ...But God?

A weekday morning devotional series written by Aaron Marcarelli and hosted by Chad McBeam

Chad McBeam: 00:22

Good morning, and welcome to today's But God weekday morning devotional. We are looking at James 2 verses 24 through 26 today. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. In the same way, was Rahab the prostitute not justified by works also when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.

Chad McBeam: 00:50

James gives the example of Rahab and her actions. Yes, she was a sinner as a prostitute, but God used her to help the Israelites win victory over their enemies in Jericho. She feared God, and therefore, she took action, and her actions saved not only her family, but also gave Israel victory. If we read this story, we can find it in Joshua 2 8 through 14. It reads, Now before the spies lay down, she came up to them on the roof and said to them, I know that the Lord has given you the land, and that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land have despaired because of you.

Chad McBeam: 01:27

For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the 2 kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihan and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. When we heard these reports, our hearts melted and no courage remained in anyone any longer because of you. For the Lord, your God, he is God in heaven above and on earth below. And now then, please swear to me by the Lord, since I have dealt kindly with you, that you also will deal kindly with my father's household, and give me a pledge of truth. Spare my father and my mother, and my brothers and my sisters and all who belong to them, and save our lives from death.

Chad McBeam: 02:10

So the men said to her, Our life for yours if you do not tell this business of ours. And it shall come about, when the Lord gives us the land, that we will deal kindly and faithfully with you. The rest of the story in Joshua is quite compelling and I certainly encourage you to read it. But going back to James in verse 26, he makes the connection between faith and works and the body and the spirit, concluding that a follower of Christ must continually be working as a witness for Christ. Otherwise, we are dead and useless.

Chad McBeam: 02:43

If we hear God telling us to do something, we must listen just like Rahab. She risked her life because she feared the Lord. We too must fear the Lord. Just like Rahab, my greatest fear is that my friends and family will not know the love of Christ and his saving grace. If that's the case, should I not do all that I can to share the gospel message through my actions as well as my words with them?

Chad McBeam: 03:08

Let us do what God calls us to do: go, love, serve, and baptize. This is what Jesus asks of us, and this is the way the gospel of Christ is spread. Lord God, give us the strength and peace to be humbly serving you by serving others through both our actions and our deeds. Help us to risk it all to save others just like you did. Let us rely on your Holy Spirit to get in the game and make a difference for your Kingdom.

Chad McBeam: 03:41

In Jesus Name, Amen. Shalom. Shalom blessings. Press in. And press on.