Follow-up to a topic we discussed at the last men's discipleship meeting.
For example, perhaps my prayer life is suffering or lacking, or perhaps I’ve left off developing an effective prayer life (which really amounts to developing a discipline of making time to hear from, and commune with God). Or perhaps I’m finding my appetite or hunger or thirst for the Word of God waning or lacking.
We know what God requires, and we know those things are always good for us! But the question was asked, “Where do I go from there?”
I was moved at our last Sunday morning Bible study (Sep 29th), with Pastor Mark recently teaching through James 1:22-27. From that, I heard the Lord pointing out two very distinct things that allow us to overcome the things that are lacking. Verses 25 & 27 specifically stood out to me.
But whoso looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continues therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
—James 1:25
Pure religion and undefined before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
—James 1:27
First, from verse 25, I see the following two specific things that lead to being blessed in the “deed” or work that we put our hands to:
1. Remember!
- You can’t remember something you don’t know, so first, there’s an element of the knowledge that comes from hearing the Word of God, I.e., “looking into the perfect law of liberty”, meaning studying to show yourself approved (2 Timothy 2:15), and digging into the whole council of God, which sets at liberty the captives. (Luke 4:18; Isaiah 61:1).
- Also, it says, “he being not a forgetful hearer”, i.e., remembering what you heard - from the Word of God; remembering is huge!
And,
2. Choose!
- Make the choice to do two things:
i. “continue therein” – continue in the study and digging into God’s Word; and,
ii. “he being . . . a doer of the work” – there is work to do; Jesus Christ came to do the work & will of His Father (John 4:34, 6:38). How did He know what His Father’s work & will was? How do we know what the Lord Jesus Christ’s Father's work & will was (or better, "IS")? We can know from His Word! But if we only hear that Word, and don’t do it, we’re spinning our wheels!
Thus, we must choose daily, moment by moment to do His will!
Then, from James 1:27, I see a parallel with Isaiah 1:11-17 (especially vss. 16-17), which sums up what the remedy is for one’s lacking or waning hunger and thirst for God’s precious Word, and in the context of being a DOER of the Word.
Here's the parallel:
Isaiah 1:16-17:
(James 1:27b)
- Wash yourself; clean yourself; But this can only be done under the blood of Jesus Christ).
- Put away evil; do away with evil; cease to do evil; Basically, STOP IT! Stop doing the things we know and easily recognize as evil. CHOOSE to stop it!
- Learn to do well - LEARN IT (discipline);
- Seek judgment;
- Relieve the oppressed;
(James 1:27b)
- Judge the fatherless (bring justice to the orphan);
- Plead for the widow;
The thing that really strikes me about these "works" is that they involve both internal and external works.
If we won't choose the first things first; for instance, if we continue to choose to do only thing that satisfy our self, and only in the moment, such as hunting, sports spectating, etc., and if our life is really only about our own pleasure over the pleasure of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ; then we'll never get to a place where we're willing to be a doer of the work of our "supposed" Lord of our life.
But if we are willing to choose the Lord Jesus first; and not just include Him in our plans, but allow Him to dictate whether we make plans for anything at all in the first place, He'll never ever set you up with boring or mundane or harmful plans that make you think, "oh man, why did I ever choose to include Him?"
It always comes back to making time with Him, on your knees, on your face, humbled before Him "walking humbly with your God". There is nothing better!
And suddenly, you'll find yourself being poured out for those around you, saved or unsaved, doing His work with seemingly little effort as he carries you in His arms and blesses every deed you do! CHOOSE to make Him FIRST!
For example, perhaps my prayer life is suffering or lacking, or perhaps I’ve left off developing an effective prayer life (which really amounts to developing a discipline of making time to hear from, and commune with God). Or perhaps I’m finding my appetite or hunger or thirst for the Word of God waning or lacking.
We know what God requires, and we know those things are always good for us! But the question was asked, “Where do I go from there?”
I was moved at our last Sunday morning Bible study (Sep 29th), with Pastor Mark recently teaching through James 1:22-27. From that, I heard the Lord pointing out two very distinct things that allow us to overcome the things that are lacking. Verses 25 & 27 specifically stood out to me.
But whoso looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continues therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
—James 1:25
Pure religion and undefined before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
—James 1:27
First, from verse 25, I see the following two specific things that lead to being blessed in the “deed” or work that we put our hands to:
1. Remember!
- You can’t remember something you don’t know, so first, there’s an element of the knowledge that comes from hearing the Word of God, I.e., “looking into the perfect law of liberty”, meaning studying to show yourself approved (2 Timothy 2:15), and digging into the whole council of God, which sets at liberty the captives. (Luke 4:18; Isaiah 61:1).
- Also, it says, “he being not a forgetful hearer”, i.e., remembering what you heard - from the Word of God; remembering is huge!
And,
2. Choose!
- Make the choice to do two things:
i. “continue therein” – continue in the study and digging into God’s Word; and,
ii. “he being . . . a doer of the work” – there is work to do; Jesus Christ came to do the work & will of His Father (John 4:34, 6:38). How did He know what His Father’s work & will was? How do we know what the Lord Jesus Christ’s Father's work & will was (or better, "IS")? We can know from His Word! But if we only hear that Word, and don’t do it, we’re spinning our wheels!
Thus, we must choose daily, moment by moment to do His will!
Then, from James 1:27, I see a parallel with Isaiah 1:11-17 (especially vss. 16-17), which sums up what the remedy is for one’s lacking or waning hunger and thirst for God’s precious Word, and in the context of being a DOER of the Word.
Here's the parallel:
Isaiah 1:16-17:
(James 1:27b)
- Wash yourself; clean yourself; But this can only be done under the blood of Jesus Christ).
- Put away evil; do away with evil; cease to do evil; Basically, STOP IT! Stop doing the things we know and easily recognize as evil. CHOOSE to stop it!
- Learn to do well - LEARN IT (discipline);
- Seek judgment;
- Relieve the oppressed;
(James 1:27b)
- Judge the fatherless (bring justice to the orphan);
- Plead for the widow;
The thing that really strikes me about these "works" is that they involve both internal and external works.
If we won't choose the first things first; for instance, if we continue to choose to do only thing that satisfy our self, and only in the moment, such as hunting, sports spectating, etc., and if our life is really only about our own pleasure over the pleasure of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ; then we'll never get to a place where we're willing to be a doer of the work of our "supposed" Lord of our life.
But if we are willing to choose the Lord Jesus first; and not just include Him in our plans, but allow Him to dictate whether we make plans for anything at all in the first place, He'll never ever set you up with boring or mundane or harmful plans that make you think, "oh man, why did I ever choose to include Him?"
It always comes back to making time with Him, on your knees, on your face, humbled before Him "walking humbly with your God". There is nothing better!
And suddenly, you'll find yourself being poured out for those around you, saved or unsaved, doing His work with seemingly little effort as he carries you in His arms and blesses every deed you do! CHOOSE to make Him FIRST!