James 1:22-25 NLT - 22 And remember, it is a message to obey, not just to listen to. If you don't obey, you are only fooling yourself. 23 For if you just listen and don't obey, it is like looking at your face in a mirror but doing nothing to improve your appearance. 24 You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. 25 But if you keep looking steadily into God's perfect law—the law that sets you free—and if you do what it says and don't forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.
02/16/07-02/18/07
Those who take the Word of God into their minds, either by reading or by listening, but never obey its commands, never put it to work in their lives or in their hearts – such people only fool themselves if they think that they get any benefit from this. God will not reward us for superficially receiving His Word by hearing and not obeying – rather, we are accountable to Him for knowing His Word and yet not obeying what we know. But if we will take in God’s Word and let it work in our hearts and be worked out in our lives, we will have the benefit of pure hearts, godly character, and transformed, righteous lives – this is what pleases God. He will bless our efforts, conforming us to the likeness of Christ, and He will pour many other blessings out on us. Oh, Let us all pray, “Lord God, may we be doers of Your Word and not hearers only. May we truly receive Your Word and hide it in our hearts that we would not sin against You (Psalm 119:11). Oh, Father, give us the desire to obey You and the power to do what pleases You (Philippians 2:13). God, move in our hearts and help us to follow You*. Let us not be conformed to this world but may we be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:1-2) by Your Spirit and through Your Word. Lord, You have set us apart as Yours, help us to surrender all our selves to You that we would live completely for You. May we seek to know You and to see Your will at work in our lives. Amen.”
*See the song Every Day of Forever
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1 comment:
This is great info to know.
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