Faith without works is dead. James 2:26

James was one of the most fascinating disciples to not only contribute his life for the cause of spreading the gospel, but to also giving each of us clear and understandable direction for our lives. He made it clear that the Christian life is not about lip service, but about SERVICE.

He writes in James 1:26 & 27, If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless. Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. In other words, DO SOMETHING that will have a impact on your life and the life of others.

The first part of that verse speaks of helping and reaching others. The last part speaks to working on yourself. Yes, yourself. You and I all need to work on ourselves until we come into the likeness of the one we follow, Jesus. James makes it clear what the Christian walk requires of us. As James writes in James 1:22, Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. Deceiving yourselves! Not the devil, YOU. How is it done? By not being a doer of the word.

Many people have a hard time taking action. Mainly because it requires change. We don’t like change, for the most part. We like the familiar and comfortable. But God demands change, and that requires action. As I reflect back on my life and think of those who have had influence and impact on me (and the list is long), there was one man who put pen to paper and wrote one of the most important of life’s lessons if you want to be successful in your career, family life and yes, your Christion walk. His name was Og Mandino. He wrote:

My dreams are worthless, my plans are dust, my goals are impossible. All are of no value unless they are followed by action. I will act now.

Never has there been a map, however carefully executed to detail and scale, which carried its owner over one inch of ground. Never has there ever been a parchment of law, however fair, which prevented one crime. Never has there been a scroll, even such as the one I hold which earned so much as a penny, or produced a single word of acclamation. Action, alone, is the tinder which ignites the map, the parchment, the scroll, my dreams, my plans, my goals into a living force. Action is the food and drink which will nourish my success. I will act now.

My PROCRASTINATION which has held me back is born of fear and now I recognize this secret mined from the depths of all courageous hearts. Now I know that to conquer fear I must always act without hesitation and the flutters in my heart will vanish. Now I know that action reduces the lion of terror to an ant of equanimity. I will act now.

Henceforth, I will remember the lesson of the firefly who gives of its light only when it is on the wing, only when it is in action. I will become a firefly and even in the day my glow will be seen in spite of the sun. Let others be butterflies who preen their wings yet depend on the charity of the flower for life. I will be as the firefly and my light will brighten the world. I will act now.

I will not avoid the task of today and charge them to tomorrow, for I know that tomorrow never comes. Let me act now even though my actions may not bring happiness or success, for it is better to act and fail, then not to act and flounder. Happiness, in truth, may not be the fruit plucked by my action, yet without action all fruit will die on the vine. I will act now.

I will act now. I will act now. I will act now. Henceforth, I will repeat these words again and again and again, each hour, each day, every day, until the words become as much a habit as my breathing and the actions which follow become as instinctive as the blinking of my eyelids. With these words I can condition my mind to perform every act necessary for my success. With these words I can condition my mind to meet every challenge which failure avoids. I will act now.

I will repeat these words again and again and again.

When I enter life’s door, I will say them immediately and confront my first situation immediately while the failure ponders yet his possibility of rebuff. I will act now.

When I face a closed door, I will say them and knock while failure waits outside with fear and trepidation. I will act now.

When I face temptation, I will say them and immediately remove myself from evil. I will act now.

When I am tempted to quit, I will call upon the Lord and He shall renew my strength and I shall mount up with wings as eagles to press on. I will act now.

Only action determines my value in the market place and to multiply my value I will multiply my action. I will walk where failure fears to walk. I will work when failure seeks to rest. I will talk when failure remains silent. I will say it is done before failure says that it is too late. I will act now.

For now, is all I have. Tomorrow is the day reserved for the labor of the lazy. I am not lazy. Tomorrow is the day when evils become good. I am not evil. Tomorrow is the day when failure will succeed. I am not a failure. I will act now.

When the lion is hungry, he eats. When the eagle has thirst, he drinks. Least they act, both will perish. I hunger for Godley success and righteousness. I thirst for happiness and peace of mind. Lest I act I will perish in a life of failure, misery, and sleepless nights.

I will command, I will obey my own command. I will act now.

Success will not wait. If I delay, she will become betrothed to another and lost to me forever.

This is the time. This is the place. I am the man/woman. I will act now.

All of us are called to something. Stepping out and acting, as Og most wonderfully wrote, is the only way to find our path. You have never seen a parked car cross a finish line. You have never seen a parked car turn right or left. If God is going to lead you and guide you, you first must get in motion. Then, and only then, can He help you cross the finish line and hear those words ” Well done thy good and faithful servant.” ACT NOW!