What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. James 2:14-17
“So the man who does not love his neighbor does not obey God’s command. But one who does not obey His command cannot love God. A man is blessed if he can love all men equally… Such a man cannot hoard wealth. Rather, like God Himself, he generously gives from his own resources to each man according to His needs… A charitable mind is not displayed simply in giving money; it is manifested still more by personal service as well as by the communication of God’s Word to others… By itself faith accomplishes nothing. For even the devils believe and shudder. No, faith must be joined to an active love of God which is expressed in good works.”
Maximus the Confessor (c. 580-662) in Chapters as recounted Milton Walsh in Witness of the Saints: Patristic Readings in the Liturgy of the Hours (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2012) 559-560.
Maximus calls us to love all men equally and to show it my our generous sharing. I want to give you an opportunity display your faith in good works in a way that helps love all men equally.
God has opened doors for GTP to do program work in Laos, Honduras, Cambodia, Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Ukraine in the next 8 weeks. Much of this work represents new opportunities in new countries not in the current budget.
We call this “serving the underserved” at GTP. This gets at the heart of what it means to “love all men equally.” We’ve never done work in new places like Laos, Cambodia, and Slovakia.
And will have meetings in Lviv, Kyiv, and Kharkiv, Ukraine where the needs are huge. And top Christian workers have asked GTP to join a strategic alliance to shape the future of ministry in the county.
Message me if you want to learn more or click here to give generously. We have staff and volunteers waiting to play roles in these efforts and praying for $156,000 to activate them.
Display your faith with deeds. And if you lack resources at this time, and want to offer personal service, reply and I will let you know how you can pray daily for these efforts.