DEMONSTRATING OUR FAITH JAMES 1:22-25 cc: pmarkham -
"But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 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. cc: pmarkham -
For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 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 1:22-25 ESV cc: pmarkham -
THE BOTTOM LINE: IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU CAN QUOTE THE BIBLE. WHAT MATTERS MORE IS IF YOU LIVE YOUR LIFE DOING WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS. THE BOTTOM LINE: IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU CAN QUOTE THE BIBLE. WHAT MATTERS MORE IS IF YOU LIVE YOUR LIFE DOING WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS. cc: pmarkham -
1. It's not enough to hear God's Word because hearing is not obeying. God is not interested in your intent to be obedient, He desires that you are obedient. cc: pmarkham -
Every time the word of God is spoken, there should be a response of obedience to that word. cc: pmarkham -
“having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.” 2 Timothy 3:5-7 ESV cc: pmarkham -
“But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!” II Corinthians 11:3-4 NKJV cc: pmarkham -
Being a hearer only causes you to wander and you never allow the truth of God's word to free you because you live in a place of hearing only. “With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” Psalm 119:10-11 ESV cc: pmarkham -
2. Hearing the Word is like looking in a mirror 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. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. James 1:23-24 cc: pmarkham -
Hearers settle for the word on them which is why they forgot what they look like. They forgot who they are in God and forget what God called them to do....Hearers suffer from identity crisis God wants the word in us, so we know who we are and what we are to do....Doers know their identity and walk in the authority of who God called them to be cc: pmarkham -
The four characteristics of a doer: cc: pmarkham -
1. The doer looks into the word. The term “looks into," means a person who stoops down to examine something closely, with an intent to see and understand in detail. cc: pmarkham -
2. The doer is liberated by the word of God. cc: pmarkham -
3. The doer is a lifelong learner of the word. cc: pmarkham -
4. The doer does not forget what he or she learns. cc: pmarkham -
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.” God doesn't bless those that choose to hear only, God blesses doers, those that put His word into action. cc: pmarkham -
Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”” Matthew 7:24-27 ESV cc: pmarkham -
APPLICATION: Being a doer means that the bible and God's word is top priority. It means that you find pleasure in the word of God and in being obedient to the word of God. It means that I am not caught up in what I'm not supposed to do but what God is calling me to do. It means that I live in God's will for my life everyday by demonstrating my faith through my works. cc: pmarkham -
THE BOTTOM LINE: IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU CAN QUOTE THE BIBLE. WHAT MATTERS MORE IS IF YOU LIVE YOUR LIFE DOING WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS. cc: pmarkham -
DEMONSTRATING OUR FAITH JAMES 1:22-25 cc: pmarkham -