November 20, 2024 -- James 1:19 to 25 -- Where practice really does make perfect

/

Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 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. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25 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 1:19-25 ESV
 
Let me ask you a question. Do you read the Bible, delight in God’s promises for you, and then, having read it, go and do whatever you want to do defying what you’ve just been instructed to do? You might be a bit offended by the very question. It is the same issue James is pressing against you today. He is commanding people not just to hear the word, but to do what it says.

Notice that believers are supposed to hire dumpster bins and toss out filthiness and wickedness. Pause here for a second. Ask yourself, “What are the things which interfere with my walk with God and keep me from enjoying to the full the righteousness that is mine in Christ?” It might be your anger. It could be the fact you gossip (what you say is true, but it is not helpful, or you speak it with the intention of ruining the reputation of others, or you want to make yourself look good at the expense of others). Filthiness and wickedness are shorthand to describe the “a” to “z” of all sinfulness. No doubt there is a lot of heart-cleaning that needs to happen so that your life is open to the implanted word.
 
What happens when the word of God is planted in you? The word is a life-filled, tenacious seed that will grow if given the least little bit of space in your heart and mind. If you find your bible reading times dull and the commands of God too demanding, it could very well be you are glancing at the bible like some people look in the mirror. Quick check before going out the door, and then never giving your appearance a thought again until you get home. But those who have the word implanted in them, who read and expect the Spirit of God to bring germination to the word so that it accomplishes the purpose for which it is sent out will

  • be prepared for the word to convict them of wrong doing.

  • The word will encourage the broken-hearted.

  • The word will direct holy living.

  • The word will guide the steps of a man so that he will be compelled to act as Jesus, His Master and Teacher, teaches him.

  • The word will put steel in the spine of the man who suffers so that he can face all that the world can throw at him because God, Who loves him and lives in him, is greater.

  • The word will show you the beauty of Jesus Christ so that old sins and patterns of behavior are revealed as rotting garbage that needs to be carried out.

 
Some of you know I really enjoy dad jokes. One of them goes something like this, “I’m not going back to my doctor because all he does is practice medicine.” Christians, followers of Jesus Christ, intentionally submit themselves to Jesus and practice what He teaches. His words bring blessedness into the life of the believer. We practice what He teaches to so that we will become perfect in Him. Believers hear and put into practice what He says and by doing that spread the blessedness of Jesus to all whom we meet.
 
Father in heaven, I need all the help Your Spirit can give me to remove all the garbage that has accumulated in my heart and mind. Bless me, my Savior, so that cleared and constantly being cleansed, my heart and mind will practice the word You implanted in me. Bring me to the place where the more I practice Your perfect law the greater will be fragrance of blessed freedom that You bring into my life and through me into the life the people You intend to bless. Amen.
 
 
https://youtu.be/DV-V4xZMQx0?si=oKyxcKZh7UPV9mK- “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing”
 

Copyright © 2024 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.