But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. James 1:22-25
Getting Right with God
When we take the time to consider the power of the Word of God, it becomes evident that the Word is very important to the Christian! How can it do it’s work in our lives? The value of the God’s word can only be realized in our lives if we follow His instructions.
…to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:22-24
Get Rid of the Sin
Before we can hear anything God is trying to tell us, we need to get right with Him, meaning we need to first confess our sins so that nothing impedes the communication between us. We need to lay it all out, confess to Him and repent. Repent means to get rid of it, turn away from it. Only when we leave the “old self” behind can we experience God’s power in our “new selves.” God takes our sin, our unholiness, our deep-down wrong motives, bitterness, anger, etc., and covers them with His merciful love and forgiveness. Only then is our heart and mind open to receiving all He has to offer us.
Before we can hear anything God is trying to tell us, we need to get right with Him, meaning we need to first confess our sins so that nothing impedes the communication between us. We need to lay it all out, confess to Him and repent. Repent means to get rid of it, turn away from it. Only when we leave the “old self” behind can we experience God’s power in our “new selves.” God takes our sin, our unholiness, our deep-down wrong motives, bitterness, anger, etc., and covers them with His merciful love and forgiveness. Only then is our heart and mind open to receiving all He has to offer us.
Get the Proper Attitude
The Word of God is a precious seed that is planted into the soil of the heart. Therefore, it is essential that we have the right attitude toward it. We must come with a gentle, open, and teachable spirit. We have to be accepting and willing to tend to the seeds that are planted in our heart.
The Word of God is a precious seed that is planted into the soil of the heart. Therefore, it is essential that we have the right attitude toward it. We must come with a gentle, open, and teachable spirit. We have to be accepting and willing to tend to the seeds that are planted in our heart.
Be Obedient
True worshipers are doers of God’s word. It is not enough just to “hear” God’s Word we must act upon it. We must be doers. If we fall short and do not act on it, we become self-deceived and self-deception is the root of hypocrisy. James does well to remind us that what we hear in Church needs to be lived out in testimony or there is no point in hearing at all.
True worshipers are doers of God’s word. It is not enough just to “hear” God’s Word we must act upon it. We must be doers. If we fall short and do not act on it, we become self-deceived and self-deception is the root of hypocrisy. James does well to remind us that what we hear in Church needs to be lived out in testimony or there is no point in hearing at all.
Be Honest
The passage above speaks of two listeners to God’s Word. One looked at himself and was “gone away” without lasting results. "Just a glance and off he goes." The other one looks “intently” and is transformed. One man looks at “himself” and the other at the “perfect law of liberty”. God’s word is like a mirror as it reflects what is taking place in our hearts. It shows us areas in our inner lives that need to be cleansed. A quick brush with truth will not produce lasting results. A fleeting vision of what God wants us to be will not produce character. It is important that we examine ourselves against God’s word and be honest with ourselves as to what needs to be cleansed and turned over to God.
The passage above speaks of two listeners to God’s Word. One looked at himself and was “gone away” without lasting results. "Just a glance and off he goes." The other one looks “intently” and is transformed. One man looks at “himself” and the other at the “perfect law of liberty”. God’s word is like a mirror as it reflects what is taking place in our hearts. It shows us areas in our inner lives that need to be cleansed. A quick brush with truth will not produce lasting results. A fleeting vision of what God wants us to be will not produce character. It is important that we examine ourselves against God’s word and be honest with ourselves as to what needs to be cleansed and turned over to God.
God’s Word is not something imposed upon Christians from without in the form of a code of external rules and regulations. It is not a dead letter for us, but a living power. It enables us to find true freedom in God's perfect will.
Crucial to everything is our attitude toward God and His Word. If wehave the right attitude toward God's Word, it becomes a living power in our lives. Do you love His Word? Are you eager to obey it? Or are you anxious to forget what you don't like as soon as possible?
Scripture to Claim:
Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. Hebrews 13:15 ESV
Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. Hebrews 13:15 ESV
