“I had rather exercise faith than know the definition thereof” is a paraphrase of  Thomas a Kempis.   That statement can stir the brain if one allows time to contemplate it.  Yes, we do have a brief definition of faith in the Bible, “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” Hebrews 11:1.  Aside from that functional definition, Biblical references to “faith” are usually found in stories of active living, cause and effect, rather than theoretical or philosophical descriptions.   We can measure faith by asking these questions: 1. Am I diligent in obeying the commands of the Father?; 2. Am I fully devoted to love the Lord my God?; 3. Am I making a conscious, active choice to “die daily?”

Diligence.  A tough word.   Seriously, after a commute and a 9-5 day with maybe a few hours of overtime, shouldn't I have “down-time” and “me-time” and “relaxation” and “entertainment?”   How about good old rest?   Why be diligent?  Proverbs 4:23 speaks to that.  “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”  Wow, life is such a gift.  Whether working or relaxing or resting, may God grant us diligence to “keep (our) hearts” for His glory! 

Devotion.  That's easier.  “Do” devotions and get on with the day, right?   How does one “do” devotions?  For those who have not learned Christianese, “devotions” is that regular quiet time of the day which a believer spends in communing with the Father through prayer and the Word.  This time alone with God is foundational for faith in action, and may be the single biggest indicator of how your relationship is with God and your fellow man.  Funny how that works, because it is also not too visible to others.   Unless one asks for accountability in this area or someone asks how the devotional life is going, a believer can go for a long time without a daily schedule of reading the Bible and praying.   But stumbling through life without a daily connection to the Father through prayer and the Word is like the dust rattle of a slow dry drowning.  The dust of that drowning scatters discouragement, desolation, and discontent.  May God draw our hearts to him in fervent devotion, so His love can flow out of us in “rivers of living water!”

Death.  Not much to explain here.  Die to self.   If people accuse me of being in denial about my past or even about my present, that's not all bad.  Being in denial is good if it is on God's terms, because our Lord Jesus Christ said “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”   As we live a life of faith that works, let us be diligent to love the Lord and love our neighbor, and put “SELF” to death to the glory of God!                            

Much time is spent theorizing about evangelism; much less time is spent doing “the work of an evangelist.” Did Paul tell Timothy to “do the work of an evangelist” (II Tim. 4:5) just because it was Timothy's gift?  Was this an exclusive command to Timothy but not for all believers, because “Well, that is not my ministry or gifting”?  Acts 21:8 describes Philip, one of the early deacons, as “Philip the evangelist.”  Wasn't his “ministry” to wait on tables?  Jesus “Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers” Ephesians 4:11.  The word(s) for evangelist in all three passages can be translated “messenger of good” and a “preacher of the gospel” or “to proclaim glad tidings.”  True, there is a greater gift of evangelism for some believers, but on some level every believer in Jesus is called to proclaim the good news. 

This brings me to the topic “Evangelism is Discipleship.”  At FJMC, over the years we have experienced pain when brothers or sisters fell away from the faith. Some have left the fellowship of the church of Jesus Christ and never entered another community of believers.  A rallying cry regarding this painful development can and should include “We need to live and walk closer to God and to each other so that we can encourage one another in the faith.”  Certainly, a natural outworking of that goal is discipleship, giving ourselves fully to knowing God, to the work of discipling each other in the faith through prayer in the Spirit, through the ministry of the Word, and through the fellowship of the Gospel. 

Even with this discipleship focus, let us not pit discipleship against evangelism.  Every disciple, whether a new believer or a “seasoned” follower of Jesus, should be a “preacher of the gospel.”  If God has given you the privilege of mentoring another believer, or of participating in a Bible study with someone, do not forget that some of the greatest discipleship that person can experience is the privilege of sharing his/her faith with family, friend, and even complete strangers.  Look at the blessings we receive when we see others released from bondage!  Because we have received the blessings of redemption and freedom from the bondage of sin through faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, we should regularly share our faith with others, and pray for opportunities to “do the work of an evangelist.”  If we don't the “first love” we had with Jesus Christ wanes.  Evangelism is most effective when done as a pouring out of the love that God has given us, as in “If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God” I Peter 4:11.  While we should build each other up and encourage each other in the faith, let us not neglect to “do the work of an evangelist”, because evangelism has that remarkable ability to encourage discipleship.