Read James 1:19-27
Title in NIV: Believers must obey God’s Word, not just listen to it.
Theme: Maturity
Maturity has been the theme for James so far and it continues in vs. 19-27. A mature Christian is quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry. I think this is saying it is much better to hush than it is to talk. When we speak we tend to gossip, stretch the truth and tell people what they want to hear (for lots of reasons: approval, acceptance…). Vs. 26 says if we cannot control our tongue our religion is worthless.
Also, mature Christians are not supposed to allow anger to overtake them. I have little ones and what makes me the angriest is their lack of obedience after I have told them them 100 time. I get so frustrated telling them over and over and do something and picking up after them when they are capable of doing it themselves. I have to constantly keep my anger in check. (I wonder how God feels when I constantly disobey Him over and over.) Keeping vs. 20 close to me has helped. Put scripture on your mirror to help remind you to change your behavior.
We should be ridding our self of all filth and evil in our lives and accept the word planted in us. We have the Word planted in us!! We should be taking steps to make that Word sprout. That Word should be growing and making fruit, too. Vs. 22 says that the fruit on our tree does no good unless you share it so someone else can benefit.
Vs. 23 describes people (Christians, too) who listen to the Word but never act. Maturity is action, immaturity is sitting stagnant.
Vs. 27 says, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” How can you do that sitting down?? Let’s get up and act on love! And, be aware how the world is polluting you and take action to stop it.
You have a unique story that can heal and change lives. You have been steeped in it since before birth. I want to give you the tools using Biblical principles to understand, accept and share your story.
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2 comments:
It is interesting to me that the Spirit never leads us to more than this simple love and yet we spend so much time looking for new revelation to distract us from what we are called to do. Maturity rests not in our age but a path to the image of Christ. Oh how we fall so short but the grace of having His hand pick us up to keep moving forward. The death of the church is the missing of this teaching. Too many have retired their faith since they were baptized as if this was the completion of their walk with God and not a connecting point. The pollution the world has put into us is that it doesn't matter what you do but who you say you are.
My prayer is that the greatest sermon I preach is my life and not in some pulpit
If a baseball stopped right at the 'connecting point'on the bat, it would not be very useful in progressing the game forward. If a Christian's attitude is, "I met the goal, I was baptized", they stop at their 'connecting point' with God and they are not useful either. That is a neat concept.
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