Believe? You? Me?

We mentioned "believing" in a post earlier this week.  It's a word which can come up in poker, every bit as much as it does at church.

Let's say you have pocket Kings, and are looking at a flop of 5-6-7.  You might be in the lead  - or your opponent in the Big Blind might have been dealt 4-8, and is sitting on a well-hidden straight.

If you believe your Kings are best, what should you do?  Do you merely say, "I've got you beat" - then throw in your cards?  Of course not.  You stay in the hand, and perhaps bet for the pot.  By doing that, your belief is backed by action.  The Bible puts it this way:

But someone will say: "You have faith; I have deeds."  Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. - James 2:18

Bragging about your poker skills might scare a table for a hand or two -- but sooner or later, someone with strong cards will rise up and challenge you.  Your faith in your skills will have to be put into action.  And in life as well as poker, our actions should speak louder than our words.

For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. - Romans 2:13

God wants not only action - but obedient action.  And every little act helps:

The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!"  He replied: "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it will obey you." - Luke 17:5-6

You say you don't know much about the Bible and walking with Jesus?  That's OK.  Act on what you know.  Then study the Bible daily and learn more.  Then apply what you learn.  And keep repeating the process.  That's how faith in God can build - not by merely saying you're a Christian, but by putting belief into action.