Art for Jesus - in Japan

faith is simple: belief followed by action. Why do we need so many words?
 

Friend, please sign your name! I am afraid I will probably have to disallow anonymous commenting if you do not start putting up your name. I want to allow anonymous commenting for people who don't know how to use the system well. But people who leave unsigned semi-veiled indirect challenges to what I've written show a lack of integrity, courage, and willingness to dialogue if they do not sign their name or make a way for me to return contact to them.

Yes, faith is very simple! It is belief trusting in Jesus for your salvation instead of in your own actions. At times He leads us in steps of action, but it is His action that saved us. See these pictures: Believe On Jesus.

It gets complicated when people pick apart the "informational" aspect of it and the do battle about that. It also gets complicated when people bring "Law" into it, because the New Covenant (New Testament) proclaims that Christ fulfilled the Law, and now we live by His Spirit, not by the "ministry of death" (the Law).
 

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[Previous anonymous comment removed -- but bless you in His love. I pray that one day we can talk like men or women of God to one another, not in secret.]

"We have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God."

- II Corinthians 4:2

"Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."

- John 3:20

"This is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin."

- I John 1:5-7
 

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I suppose it's appropriate that a difficult exchange has taken place in the comments area of this particular picture, "The Heart of the Matter", and that the picture itself shows a heart enclosed, protected and hidden by walls of stone.

I'm trying to not be interested in mere debating of "beliefs" or "intellectual discussion". I want to know hearts. In the same way, I want people to know my heart, not merely my "ideas".

It's been a tough battle for me because really, for much of my life I was that stony heart in the picture. I didn't want to be hurt, so I didn't open my heart to many people, including to God. But He broke through, comforted me and set me free.

He let me know that it wasn't about my "ideas", but that He was interested in my heart. He wanted to "know" me and He wanted me to know Him.

I recall how when Jesus said "I never knew you" in Matthew 7, He said it to people who had been doing many deeds in His name (and likely believing many right things, too), but in the end He said, "I never knew you." They never let down their inner wall, the mask never came off, and they never let Him into their hearts.

Anyhow, wrapping this up... as Paul told the Corinthians, "Make room for us in your hearts!" He and his fellow workers had loved the Corinthians, but they had not loved him back, preferring instead to criticize him from afar. As a spiritual father, he wanted to give his love to them, just like our Father wants us to open our hearts and give our love to one another.

Blessings in His love to you today,
Ramone