But be doers of the Word [obey the message], and not merely listeners to it, betraying yourselves [into deception by reasoning contrary to the Truth]. ~James 1:22 (AMPCE)
How often do we think we are smarter than God? The bible says we do it and when we do, we are “betraying ourselves into deception”. Betraying ourselves doesn’t sound like a very smart thing to do. Yet in our own natural intelligence we do it all the time by reasoning and thinking out doing things that are contrary to what God has said in His word. God says bless others and we reason out that they don’t deserve it. But God doesn’t say bless them if they deserve it. He just says bless them. In the book of James, we are told there is a person who listens to the word of God but doesn’t do it. He compares that person to someone who looks in a mirror and then walks away forgetting what he looks like. Have you ever been to church and heard a great sermon on forgiveness and thought as you left that you were going to forgive “in the moment” from now on, only to find yourself at odds with someone within a few hours? Jesus said to the disciples when He found them asleep after asking them to pray “that their spirit was willing, but their flesh was weak”. Many times, we are no different. We want to obey, but everything in us propels us to live according to this lower nature until our mind about it is renewed. We are told in 2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old is gone, the new is here!” (NIV) When we hear this scripture and believe it in our heart we can stretch and strengthen ourselves to step out and actually be doers of God’s word. Spending time in God’s word will remind us that we are chosen and that we are called to arise and take action in the world around us. God tells us to stand up and believe beyond what we know and are capable of. He says believe in Him for what only He is capable of getting done.
The bible describes the person who hears and obeys God’s word as someone who looks carefully into the scriptures. They are faithful to it and persevere in it. Are you faithful in the word? Scripture compares the word of God as food for the spirit man. How often do you fill up your natural man with food and how often do you fill up your spirit man with food? Sometimes our spirit man becomes so weak of malnutrition that we become lethargic and ineffective in life and that is in direct relation to the amount of time we are willing to spend with God in His word. We cannot be doers of something we do not know anything about. A doer of the word does not forget what God’s word says because they meditate on it and when they meditate on it, they incorporate what God reveals as truth into their lives because they have spent the time learning His will for every situation. When we spend time in God’s word whether in our quiet time or in church it is a call to action. We should leave church knowing God spoke to us. We should be able to apply God’s word to our lives effectively. We can either walk away from what God tells us, forgetting what He said, or we can agree with God and let our actions line up with His expectations and be blessed. Do your actions line up with His expectations?
He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.” ~Luke 11:28 (NIV)
Are you faithful in the word? What have you decided in your heart to do God’s way verses your own way today?
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