It has been a long time since I wrote a blog post. So Just an update before I get started. I have been studying the book of James this summer using the study by Beth Moore. It has been rocking my world so far. I am currently studying James 1:25.
"The one who looks into the perfect law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing."
This ROCKED my world. let's back up a little. Before this verse, James 1:22-24 says:
"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. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like."
When I first read this verse, the word that stuck out to me was "deceiving." I thought back to how in the Garden of Eden, Eve saw that apple and was deceived into believing that it could provide for her what only God could. DECEPTION. In this text, James is talking about how being a hearer only is deceiving. If you think about it, even an unbeliever can hear the word. They can go to church, read the word, listen to sermons, etc.
But what makes the difference between an unbeliever and a believer is the Word taking root and ACTIVELY working in the believer, while in the unbeliever the Word just falls on deaf ears.
I see a connection here with Matthew 13:1-9 & Matthew 13:18-23. This is the parable of the sower. To sum it up, Jesus is on a boat with a crowd around him. He tells them of the parable of the sower. The sower sowed seeds on a path, seeds on rocky ground, seeds among thorns, and seeds on good soil.
The seeds on a path represent someone hearing the word of God and not understanding it. When this happens the evil one (bird is the symbol in this parable) comes up and snatches away what is sown in his heart.
Seeds on a rocky ground represent someone hearing the word and receiving it with joy, but the word not taking root in his heart. This man endures some trials and persecution and he is immediately defeated and falls away.
The seed among thorns represents the person who hears the word, but the cares of the world and riches in the world choke the word and they bear no fruit.
Lastly, the seed on good soil represents someone who hears and understands the word. This person bears fruit.
What I noticed here was that the seed on good soil was not just one who heard the word, but also one who understood the word.
To understand the word, we must be prayerful. We must meditate on it. We set our minds on Him. This combines hearing with action. Understanding takes effort on our part. This effort is to seek God for understanding.
Beth Moore said in the study: "Our 'doing' may not always show up as physical activity. The initial act of obedience might be waiting upon the Lord or setting our minds zealously upon His faithfulness."
Sometimes I find myself like the seed sown on rocky ground. I hear the word and gladly receive it. I get excited and tell others about it, post status updates about it...get absolutely EXCITED! But let a trial come against me. I stumble. I began focusing on my trials instead of my ALL Powerful father who is way bigger than any trial i may face.
God is teaching me so much in this study. He is teaching me how to fight the good fight of faith. Cause if you didn't know already, it's a fight! We fight with the word of God. The enemy is constantly feeding us lies. We feed ourselves lies too. We must line everything up with the Word of God. The easiest way to do that is by the WORD BEING IN OUR HEARTS. Prayer, meditating on the Word, and relying on the Holy spirit cause the word to permeate our hearts.
Also, know that there is no condemnation in Christ. Because of Jesus living a perfect life we could not live, dying, and raising from the dead, we have eternal life and a relationship with him when put our trust in Him. There may be times when we are like the seed on rocky ground, or the one in thorns. When there is, just repent and trust God to help you trust Him. Trust Him to help you be steadfast and immovable in trials. Trust Him to help you keep your eyes fixed on Him.
Ultimately, being a doer who acts is one who not only hears the word, but seeks God for understanding and obeys his instruction. Also, because of God's love for us by sending His only son to die for us, our response is to want to read our word and understand it.
Holy spirit take over! Permeate our whole lives. Help the word to permeate our hearts that we may be doers of the Word, and not hearers only. Give us a thirst for your word and a desire in our hearts for understanding. Thank you for your presence! AMEN!
