James 1:22 Be doers of the word, not hearers only so you will not be deceived.
I've recently completed Beth Moore's study "James:Mercy Triumphs." Wow! For a short book, James has a lot of meat! I've learned so much about James, the half-brother of Jesus, and so much about me too. Well, I'm not here to rehash what Beth said about James. If you're interested, study it for yourself. What I do want to talk about today is my "life verse."
I've heard people say things about their "life verse" before but I never had one. I've thought "I need to look through at some of my favorite scriptures and pick out a life verse for me to use." I never did and at this point I don't think you pick a life verse. I think it picks you. I think this James 1:22 picked me a long time ago and I just didn't realize it. I can remember as a kid going to Sunday School and when I was in 5th or 6th grade being in the "Junior" department. That department had it's own special song and it seemed like we sang it every Sunday. "Out of James 1 and 22 comes a call for Juniors true, be ye doers of the word. Be ye doers and not hearers only, be ye doers of the word." To begin with, it's a known fact that when something is set to music, people will remember it easier and longer. But that verse is one that has really impressed me. I've tried to live my life by it. Oh--not that I always succeeded but I have tried. It just always seemed to be in the back of my brain even when I wasn't aware of it.
I know that we do not come to salvation through our works, "lest any man should boast." Salvation only comes through believing that Jesus Christ died for our sins and accepting Him into our lives. But how can anyone know what we believe when they just listen to us? What we truly believe shows in who we are and the things that we do in our lives. Those who tell people about Jesus but then go around lieing, stealing and cheating others don't "walk the talk." If our life doesn't show what we believe, then how can any one believe what we say. Our "talk" and our "walk" have to go together. That's where being a doer of the word come in. To be a doer of the word you have to "walk your talk." Jesus told us to love others (John 13:34) and we do that by reaching out to them. Taking food to the hungry, giving clothes to the naked, and comforting the sick. Basically, doing for others--not just keeping everything for our own selfish selves.
So anyway, as I was finishing up this study and Beth was asking us questions about the impact of James on our lives, James 1:22 just jumped out and landed right smack dab on top of me. This is the verse that I have tried(not always know it & not always succeeding, but tried) to live for the majority of my life. This is MY life verse. "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves." James 1:22
So let's go out and JUST DO IT. Just do what our Lord Jesus wants us to do. He tells us over and over in his word. Be doers and not hearers (or talkers) only.
(The picture shows my son-in-law delivering things to soldiers when he was stationed in Baghdad. He's a doer in every sense of the scripture.)
I've recently completed Beth Moore's study "James:Mercy Triumphs." Wow! For a short book, James has a lot of meat! I've learned so much about James, the half-brother of Jesus, and so much about me too. Well, I'm not here to rehash what Beth said about James. If you're interested, study it for yourself. What I do want to talk about today is my "life verse."
I've heard people say things about their "life verse" before but I never had one. I've thought "I need to look through at some of my favorite scriptures and pick out a life verse for me to use." I never did and at this point I don't think you pick a life verse. I think it picks you. I think this James 1:22 picked me a long time ago and I just didn't realize it. I can remember as a kid going to Sunday School and when I was in 5th or 6th grade being in the "Junior" department. That department had it's own special song and it seemed like we sang it every Sunday. "Out of James 1 and 22 comes a call for Juniors true, be ye doers of the word. Be ye doers and not hearers only, be ye doers of the word." To begin with, it's a known fact that when something is set to music, people will remember it easier and longer. But that verse is one that has really impressed me. I've tried to live my life by it. Oh--not that I always succeeded but I have tried. It just always seemed to be in the back of my brain even when I wasn't aware of it.
I know that we do not come to salvation through our works, "lest any man should boast." Salvation only comes through believing that Jesus Christ died for our sins and accepting Him into our lives. But how can anyone know what we believe when they just listen to us? What we truly believe shows in who we are and the things that we do in our lives. Those who tell people about Jesus but then go around lieing, stealing and cheating others don't "walk the talk." If our life doesn't show what we believe, then how can any one believe what we say. Our "talk" and our "walk" have to go together. That's where being a doer of the word come in. To be a doer of the word you have to "walk your talk." Jesus told us to love others (John 13:34) and we do that by reaching out to them. Taking food to the hungry, giving clothes to the naked, and comforting the sick. Basically, doing for others--not just keeping everything for our own selfish selves.
So anyway, as I was finishing up this study and Beth was asking us questions about the impact of James on our lives, James 1:22 just jumped out and landed right smack dab on top of me. This is the verse that I have tried(not always know it & not always succeeding, but tried) to live for the majority of my life. This is MY life verse. "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves." James 1:22
(The picture shows my son-in-law delivering things to soldiers when he was stationed in Baghdad. He's a doer in every sense of the scripture.)
