Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread.

Our Reading titled Faith in Action was written by Anne Cetus.

A tornado blew through a community on a June evening in 2021, destroying a family's barn. It was a sad loss

because the barn had been on the family property since the late 1800s. As John and Barb drove by

on their way to church the next morning, they saw the damage and wondered how they might help. So they

stopped and learned that the family

needed assistance with cleanup. Turning their car around quickly, they headed back home to change

clothes and returned to stay for the day to clean up the mess the violent winds had created.

They put their faith into action as they serve the family.

In James 2, James said that faith without deeds is dead.

He gives the example of Abraham, who in obedience followed God when he didn't know where he was going.

James also mentions Rehab, who showed her belief in the God of Israel when she hid the spies

who came to check out the city of Jericho.

If someone claims to have faith but has no deeds, it does them no good.

Faith is the root, good works are the fruits, comments Matthew Henry, and we must see to it that we have both.

God doesn't need our good deeds, but our faith is proven by our actions.

Today's Our Daily Bread Devotional Scripture reading is from James Chapter 2, verses 14 through 26.

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?

Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, go in peace,

keep warm and well fed, but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?

In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say,

you have faith, I have deeds. Show me your faith without deeds,

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