Posted by
TAB on Saturday, October 25, 2008 5:18:55 AM
Doing The Word
"But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves." James 1:22 (KJV).
It is amazing how positive the Word of God is. James uses the positive rather than the negative in stating how we are to be. Most of us like positive. Whether you are negative or positive can be determined by the answer to this question, "Is your gas tank half empty or half full?" My answer to that is that it would be half full, because empty is empty, and saying "Half empty" is like saying it has half of nothing. Now what does James say that is positive?
In the past three studies or so we have looked at some of the things which James has been positive about. Being "swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to wrath"; "Laying aside all filthiness…, naughtiness…", "receive with meekness the implanted word…" The negative of those things are easy enough to see. James tells the Hebrew Christians and the Christians of all ages to "Be doers of the word, and not hearers only".
One of the easiest things that we can do as Christians is to read, study and criticize the Bible and its teachers. However, there is a reason for the reading, study and listening to the teachers and preachers of the Word of God. That is that we might hear and do it. Do it with all our heart. When we really hear what God says, and we love Him, there will be no problem with doing it with all our heart. The prophet Jeremiah said, "Your words were found, and I did eat them; and Your word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart: for I am called by Your name, O LORD God of hosts." (Jeremiah 15:16).
The eating of God’s word is far more than just tasting, but devouring, allowing it to get into the bottom of the stomach, so to speak, to accomplish its work in us. John the apostle likened it in his stomach as bitter, a rumbling, rolling, stomach, and that was after saying it was sweet in his mouth. There is more for the Christian to do concerning the written word than just reading it. There is the taking it into our lives and having it accomplish its work in us, and that is to make us more like Jesus.
To be doers of the word prevents us from deceiving ourselves into thinking we are in God’s will, because we are merely hearing the word. When the Christian is really hearing the Word we will be doing the word as well. When the Word of God is truly being heard it will be bitter in the belly, through conviction of sin, revealing any unconfessed sin which may be in the recesses of our heart and mind. We have all heard the phrase, "The preacher stepped on my toes this morning", and by that is usually meant that they were convicted by what was spoken. That is a good thing, unless, you do nothing with what convicted you. Did you put that evil deed, or thought, or word away from you? Do you allow God to accomplish His work in you? Will you continue to do so?
In these economically troubled times is especially the time for hearing the Word of the LORD. He is the answer for the ills of the USA. Hear the Word of God, and do it. Do it with all your heart.
-Tim A. Blankenship