In the pilgrim life, you must go ?from faith to faith? (Rom. 1:17) if you would go ?from strength to strength? (Ps. 84:7). G. A. Studdert Kennedy said, ?Faith is not believing in spite of evidence; it is obeying in spite of consequence.? ?By faith Abraham . . . obeyed? (Heb. 11:8). Faith without obedience is dead (James 2:14?26), and action without faith is sin (Rom. 14:23). God has wedded faith and obedience; like the two sides of a coin they go together.

This does not mean that sinners are saved by faith plus works, because Scripture declares that sinners are saved by faith alone (John 3:16?18; Eph. 2:8?9). Dr. H. A. Ironside, longtime pastor of Chicago?s Moody Church, was told by a lady that she expected to get to heaven by faith plus her good works. ?It?s like rowing a boat,? she explained. ?It takes two oars to row a boat; otherwise you go around in a circle.? Dr. Ironside replied, ?That?s a good illustration except for one thing: I?m not going to heaven in a rowboat!?

The faith that saves is the faith that proves itself in good works (Eph. 2:8?10; Titus 2:14; 3:8, 14). Abraham was saved by faith (Gen. 15:6; Rom. 4:1?5; Heb. 11:8), but his faith was made evident by his obedience (James 2:21?24).

Today?s verse: "That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him for that day" (2 Tim. 1:12, niv).

Read: Hebrews 11

Action assignment: Thank the Lord that by His grace He has saved you, that your salvation does not depend on your good works. But tell Him also that you believe in good works and to direct you today to be a blessing to someone through something that you can do.