Hebrews 11:6 "Without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him."
"There are many in the Christian world who claim that all that is necessary to salvation is to have faith; works are nothing, faith is the only essential. But God's Word tells us that faith without works is dead, being alone. Many refuse to obey God's commandments, yet they make a great deal of faith. But faith must have a foundation." F&W 47
"God's promises are all made upon conditions. If we do His will, if we walk in truth, then we may ask what we will, and it shall be done unto us. While we earnestly endeavor to be obedient. God will hear our petitions, but He will not bless us in disobedience. If we choose to disobey His commandments, we may cry, 'Faith, faith, only have faith,' and the response will come back from the sure Word of God, 'Faith without works is dead' James 2:20. Such faith will only be as sounding brass and as a tinkling cymbal. In order to have the benefits of God's grace, we must do our part; we must faithfully work and bring forth fruits meet for repentance." F&W 47
We are not to sit around and do nothing. Our work is to do the things that lie in front of us, even the little things. If Christ is living in us we will know what He has for us to do. In order for Him to live within us we must confess our sins daily if you don't know what they are, ask Him to show you and after we confess them we are to repent of them in sorrow that we have hurt the One who can save us. He will live within us and direct our paths every day if we choose to let Him. We must surrender our lives to Him, everything we are, every thing we do and even our thoughts. It is not an easy thing to do because we are set in our worldly ways it is hard to give them up, our temper, our pride anything that dishonors God. He cannot live in a temple that harbors sin and our bodies are His temple. He has promised to forgive us when we confess them and repent of them. Keep striving to do this so that He can abide in you and direct your lives to His paths and you will have happiness just knowing that you are letting Him live within you.
"Faith and works will keep us evenly balanced and make us successful in the work of perfecting Christian character. Jesus says, 'Not every one that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of My Father which is in heaven.' Speaking of temporal food, the apostle said, 'For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat'. The same rule applies to our spiritual nourishment; if any would have the bread of eternal life, let him make efforts to obtain it." F&W 49
"There is no excuse for sin or for indolence. Jesus has led the way, and He wishes us to follow in His steps. He has suffered, He has sacrificed as none of us can, that He might bring salvation within our reach. We need not be discouraged. Jesus came to our world to bring divine power to man, that through His grace, we might be transformed into His likeness." F&W 49,50
When it is in the heart to obey God, when efforts are put forth to this end, Jesus accepts this disposition and effort as man's best service, and He makes up for the deficiency with His own divine merit But He will not accept those who claim to have faith in Him and yet are disloyal to His Father's commandment. We hear a great deal about faith, but we need to hear a great deal more about works Many are deceiving their own souls by living an easy-going, accommodating, crossless religion." F&W 50
Matthew 16:24 "If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me."
Denying self could be a heavy cross that we must take up to follow Jesus. While there are other crosses, the heaviest will probably be the one of denying self, selfish pride.
Micah 6:8 "He has shown you O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." Grandma Joan
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