Doing God's Word!

Many Christ-followers are fooling themselves; they are wrongly thinking that because they’re reading the Word, hearing the Word, and talking about the Word, they are maturing and making progress in their faith journey. But James makes clear that doing the Word is what matters most! 22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. James 1:22

At Watermark, we’re committed to making an impression and leaving a mark for Jesus Christ. We want to be more than hearers of the Word; we want to be doers of the Word! Why is that so vitally important? Because God wants us to grow up in our faith; to mature, so that we can produce abundant, Christ-honoring fruit with our lives!

In James 1:19-27, we discover three ways that we can be more than hearers of the Word, but doers of the Word.

1) Permit the Word to take root in your life! (James 1:19-21)

This phrase, humbly accept the word planted in you, is important. If we’re going to produce fruit in our lives, it is imperative that the Word takes deep root in us. Jesus taught about this too in His Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13).

James tells us how to let the Word take root in our lives so we can be fruitful for Christ’s sake. 19 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, James 1:19. This verse offers us three characteristics of a Believer who is permitting the Word to take root in their life.

Eager listening. “…be quick to listen,” Take in the Word! Consume it and let it consume you!
Slow speaking. “… slow to speak.” Too many times we want to argue with what God is teaching us in His Word rather than to obey it.
Right reacting. “… and slow to become angry,” Some people get angry with God and His Word because they don’t like what it says about their sin. James might say that is wrong reacting. Right reacting is not to be angry, but to be changed.

So what if you’re having trouble permitting the Word to take root in your life? What is the problem? I think James would say: “Get your heart right! Turn the soil! Make it receptive to the seed.” How can we do that? 21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. James 1:21

The picture painted here is literally throwing out garbage. If you walk into your house after a week away on vacation this summer and your house stinks, what might be the problem? You forgot to take out the trash before you left! So what will you do next? Of course, you’re going to throw that trash out before you even finish unloading the luggage! So why wouldn’t you do the same thing with the trash that’s stinking up your life?! Get rid of it! It’s keeping the Word from taking root in your life.

Confess your sin. Trash it and head in the opposite direction! 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 Once your heart is right to receive the Word, it will take root in your life and you will produce vibrant, Christ-honoring fruit!

2) Practice the Word! (James 1:22-25)

In the previous verses, James compared the Word to seed; now he compares it to a mirror. Have you looked in a mirror today? Chances are great that you did. Why? To see how you look before you go anywhere!

In many ways, God’s Word is like a mirror for us. It gives us an opportunity to take a close look at ourselves. And that mirror always tells us the truth, whether we like it or not! James outlines three critical mistakes that we can make when we look into God’s mirror (His Word):

Mistake 1 - Glancing too quickly at ourselves. 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away… James 1:24a Sometimes we just don’t look closely enough at ourselves as we read and hear God’s Word. We give a cursory, quick glance in the mirror and head out the door, content with what we look like, not really interested in making any changes or any improvements. God’s Word will always cause us to make some changes when we take the time to look in the mirror! Are you willing to do that?

Mistake 2 - Forgetting what we see. 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. James 1:24 How often do you think Believers hear the Word, are prompted to make a change in their lives, then walk right out the door and ten minutes later forget all about it? It happens far more often than it doesn’t, and James knew it! That’s why He wrote these inspired Words, to challenge us to take to heart what the Word reveals to us and to commit to making the changes needed in our lives!

Mistake 3 - Failing to obey what we’re to do. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do. James 1:25. Some people equate hearing with doing, and that is not right. The blessing always comes in the doing.

If we’re going to use God’s mirror in the way He intended, quick glances aren’t enough. We must look deeply into our hearts, letting it penetrate and change us. Not forgetting what we see, taking it to heart and then fully obeying it! Then we can and will experience the blessing that comes when we practice the Word!

For much more, including the third way James tells us to “do the Word,” click here to listen to the message.