SHOW AND TELL

Therefore they left the house of the Lord God of their fathers, and served wooden images and idols; and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem because of their trespass.

(2 Chronicles 24:18, NKJV)

King Joash had lived in the temple, was the nephew of the high priest, and had led a campaign to restore the Temple in Jerusalem. But after the high priest died, Joash was swayed by the leaders of the kingdom to practice idolatry. He ordered the stoning of his cousin, a prophet, in the courtyard of the same Temple he had earlier restored. The actions of Joash indicated he was not a true believer.

Profession of faith does not guarantee possession of faith.

Many people say they are believers. Yet their lives show us something different. When our actions do not match our words something is wrong.

Our actions show what we really believe.

None of us are perfect. We all stumble from time to time. But for the true believer, that is the exception, not the rule. The life-long trend in the life of a believer is faithfulness to God - not just in words, but in actions. What do our actions say about what we truly believe?