Faith is a Verb

Meditations on

Staying in the Grace for Today 

May 22, 2026

Faith is a Verb

“So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.”

James 2:17 

It has been said that God created us as human beings and we have turned into human doings. That is certainly true in our modern culture. With all the electronic gizmos we have available to us, seldom do we come to a place of rest, peace and quiet in our lives. I am convinced that for God to do His work of transforming our lives and forming Christ within us, we need ample periods where we respond to God’s call to us: “Be still, and know that I am God!” (Psalm 46:10). However, there is a greater danger to our progress in transformation than not resting in God; it is being idle.

Jesus perfectly modeled a life balanced with times of prayer and meditation and times of action. This, I believe, is what James wanted the church to see in his powerful affirmation that the followers of Christ are called to action. Just as love is not a feeling but a verb, so also is faith. The evidence of God’s love is in His doing. He sent His son, He sends His Holy Spirit and His mercies never end; they are renewed every morning.  The evidence of our faith in God is in our doing: “Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds” (James 2:18).

The words of James can be quite chilling: “Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works” (James 2:26). If we are not careful, our adversary will use guilt and condemnation to steal our joy in serving Christ. As we press on to achieve the balance between rest and good works, we are always mindful that God loves us, unconditionally, just as we are. We want to glorify God and live in a manner that allows others to see Christ in our mortal flesh.

My Takeaway: The witness of Christ within us comes by grace, not an accumulation of good works. (See 2 Corinthians 4) I believe reaching a balance where our good works are evidence of God’s grace at work in our lives is more of an art than a skill to be learned and thus requires a daily dialogue with Christ.

Jesus never said following him would be easy.

Sē’lah

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

 

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2026 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

 

I Press On

Meditations on

Staying in the Grace for Today 

May 21, 2026

I Press On

“Can a mother forget her nursing child? Can she feel no love for the child she has borne? But even if that were possible, I would not forget you! See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands.”

Isaiah 49:15b-16a

People believe all manner of different things about God and His relationship with humankind. There are some who say that God only saves a chosen few, and those chosen are saved for all eternity. There are others who say that God wants all people to be saved, but people must choose to be saved by God. Once saved, these people have to behave themselves, and if they don’t, they get unsaved. If they decide they want to be saved again, they must start the process all over again.

Then there’s me. I believe God wants all people to be restored to a right relationship with Him. I believe God stirs the sin-sick souls of people to awaken their spirit to become aware of His love for them. Once awakened, these people get to make a choice. Do they want to live their way, or God’s way? If they chose God’s way the Holy Spirit baptizes them into the life of Christ. Then they hear Jesus say to them: “You are now my sheep; listen to my voice. I know you, and now you will follow me. I give you eternal life, and you will never perish. No one can snatch you away from me, for my Father has given you to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch you from the Father’s hand. Because the Father and I are one, you are safe and secure for all eternity.” (See John 10:27-30)

Then, as these new children of God gaze in total amazement at their Shepherd, Christ Jesus, they see God the Father Almighty standing behind Jesus, and He is inscribing their name on the palms of His hands.

My Takeaway: I know some people disagree with me. Some people have tried to convince me that it is possible to lose our right-standing with God. Maybe, but I don’t think so, because I am convinced Jesus has me in his hand and isn’t going to let me go. Therefore, I press on with the Apostle Paul to “lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:12b NASB).

Sē’lah

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

 

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2026 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

 

Training Myself in Godliness

Meditations on

Staying in the Grace for Today 

May 20, 2026

Training Myself in Godliness

“No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.”

1 John 4:12

A few weeks ago, the Board for my Homeowners Association honored me for many years of service to our community. For the most part my participation in the HOA has been well and good, but there have been some contentious issues. My fight against the temptation to be drawn into these issues has had mixed success. To this end, the Apostle John’s affirmation about our life in Christ is very helpful to me.

The ways of the world’s culture teach us that it is all about winning and losing, tit for tat, and being ever ready with an appropriate rejoinder when we feel slighted, or that the other person may prevail. Over and against the prevailing sentiment of our culture is the truth that all my thoughts and deeds, my words directed at other people, are directed. Did Jesus really mean this when he said, “I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!” (Matthew 25:40). Yes, I think so.

To conduct myself in the reality that every word that comes out of my mouth, as well as every thought that rattles around in the recesses of mind, are directed to Jesus seems like an impossible mission! This is a good time to remember that it is possible to do with training, what is impossible to do by trying. Authentically seeking the life in Christ as my way of life requires that I submit to appropriate spiritual disciplines to “train (myself) in godliness” (1 Timothy 4:7b NRSV).

My Takeaway: A spiritual discipline for me is to fully immerse myself in 1 John 4:12 so that before I speak, I will first think, “God lives in me, and his love is brought to full expression in me.”

Sē’lah

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

 

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2026 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

 

Where’s the Power?

Meditations on

Staying in the Grace for Today

May 19, 2026

Where’s the Power?

“He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed.”

1 Peter 2:24 

In Romans 8, after identifying almost a dozen obstacles, difficulties and adversities in life, the Apostle Paul declares, “overwhelming victory is ours through Christ” (Romans 8:37). So how is the overwhelming victory coming into your life? For me, sometimes it seems it is not me, but all the obstacles, difficulties and adversities in life that are winning the overwhelming victory. More often, I identify with Paul’s metaphor that I am like a fragile clay jar (2 Corinthians 4), rather than being more than conquerors as the NRSV renders Romans 8:37.

Of course, the spiritual reality is not either / or; rather it is both / and. There are times when we will be more than conquerors, winning an overwhelming victory over the issues in our lives. Even when we are feeling more like fragile clay jars, we know that through the power of Christ within us, we are not defeated. “We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9).

The Holy Spirit baptizes us into the life of Christ so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed and have “become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17). This is the power that leads to overwhelming victory. This is the power to make reality in our lives the truth that when we get knocked down, we are not destroyed. The power is in our new life in Christ that enables us to be dead to sin and live for what is right.

My Takeaway: “What shall we say about such wonderful things as these?” Thanks be to God “for Christ Jesus who died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us” (Romans 8:31a & 34b).

Sē’lah

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

 

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2026 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Now You Are My Friends

Meditations on

Staying in the Grace for Today

May 18, 2026

Now You Are My Friends

“He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?”

John 21:5a NIV

Soon after the resurrection of Jesus, Peter and several disciples left Jerusalem and returned to Galilee and their former lives as fishermen. After fishing all night and coming up empty-handed, they returned to shore. That is when Jesus called out to them from the beach, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?” These are the same disciples who fell asleep in the olive grove called Gethsemane after Jesus had asked them to pray for him. These are the same disciples who denied knowing Jesus and scattered into hiding after his crucifixion. Jesus had already appeared to them after his resurrection; he had already eaten with them and commissioned them to take the Gospel to the world. But they were not watching and praying; they were fishing, and not very well. On the beach that morning, no other person would have called them friends. However, Jesus did. Why? Jesus wasn’t enabling their bad behavior; he was affirming their truest identity: “I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me” (John 15:15).

Three times in John 15, Jesus calls us his friends. This word “friend” gives me pause to examine my life for evidence that I have more than head knowledge about Jesus. Do I live my life in the reality of a relationship with Jesus? If so, is that relationship more like boss and employee or servant; or do I hear him call me friend?

My Takeaway: Our friendship with God is the heart of the Gospel of Grace so eloquently proclaimed by Paul.  Today, learn to rest in the wonder of God’s affection for you, or as I heard it in a song, “Resting in His Smile.”

 “So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.” (Romans 5:11).

Sē’lah

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

 

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2026 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Our Fears for Today

Meditations on

Staying in the Grace for Today

May 15, 2026

Our Fears for Today

“Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?”

Romans 8:35 

St. Paul said, “Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 13:13). While faith and hope will last forever, they will change. Faith will become sight and hope will become reality. However, love will last forever, and will not change, because Jesus Christ is love, and “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).

In affirming the great love of God in Christ Jesus, the Apostle Paul is most eloquent in his prose extolling the inability of anything in the earth, above the earth, or below the earth to separate us from God’s love. For me, sometimes Paul’s prose in Romans 8:35-39 is so beautiful I have a hard time processing it in a way that I can personally experience the truth he is conveying. I find it difficult to personally identify with calamity, persecuted, hungry, destitute, danger, threatened with death, we are killed every day, we are being slaughtered like sheep, death, angels, demons, powers of hell, power in the sky above or in the earth below.

However, when he includes our fears for today and our worries about tomorrow, he is getting my attention. Those two realities help me incorporate the issues of my world such as my weakness, my being “Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, Prone to leave the God I love (Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing), my inadequacies, my loneliness, my depression, my anxiety over my grandchildren’s future, my negative self-image, economic uncertainty, and health issues, just to name a few. “Despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us” (Romans 8:37).

My Takeaway: Indeed, nothing I experience in all my life, “will ever be able to separate (me) from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:39). I hope your heart is rejoicing in this Good News.

Sē’lah

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

 

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2026 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Heart of God

Meditations on

Staying in the Grace for Today

May 14, 2026

The Heart of God

“When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”

Matthew 9:36

Do you think, or feel, differently about God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit?

If we were playing the TV game, Family Feud, the survey would reveal that people respond in a significantly different way between God and Jesus. This probably has something to do with the vision captured in the sermon, Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.(Jonathan Edwards, 1741) However, the Bible tells us that Jesus is the “only begotten Son” of God (John 3:16 KJV). Colossians 2:9 tells us that, “in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body.” In describing his ministry, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does” (John 5:19. See also John 5:30, 8:28). So Jesus is God in human form. In Jesus, you see the very heart, the compassion, the love of God the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.

When Jesus was celebrating with friends at a wedding, God was showing him how to turn the water into wine. When Jesus was chatting with the culturally despised Samaritan woman at the well, God was giving him the words to say. When Jesus hung out with women and children, ate with sinners, and healed the Centurion’s servant, he was following the lead of his compassionate Father, whose mercy never ends, and encompasses all that He has created.

My Takeaway: Some people see Jesus standing between humans and an angry God. Yet the Bible teaches us that all the compassion that flowed from Jesus first flowed from the heart of God.

Sē’lah

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

 

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2026 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.