A July Word from the Pastor
James 1:22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.
The story is told of a man who came home all excited about the church service he just attended. He went on & on about the music, the atmosphere, the lighting, and then the message. “It was all so inspiring and uplifting”, He breathlessly told a friend, “You could really sense the Lord’s presence!” The friend replied back, “That’s wonderful. What was the message about?” The man answered, “I have no idea! But it was really good!”
Unfortunately, this scenario plays out more times than we care to admit. We treat scriptural truth much like a Hallmark Card - inspiring, moving, and uplifting, but soon to be put in a drawer and forgotten. We do everything with God’s Word but put it into practice. We listen to sermons and songs. We (hopefully) read our Bibles. We listen to special speakers and read devotional material. We even print certain scriptures on calendars, bookmarks and the like. We enjoy the temporary lift these things give us, but way too often we don’t become a “doer of the Word”.
This is exactly what James warns us against. There is nothing wrong with hearing God’s Word. As a matter of fact, we need to hear it for anything else to happen. There is nothing wrong with being inspired or uplifted by God’s Word. It should be bread for our soul and life to our spirit. Go ahead and listen to sermons and songs, read the scriptures, and post favorite Bible verses. Go ahead and be moved and inspired. Just make sure it does not stop there. The most important thing is to put into practice what the Bible reveals to us. If we do not, we deceive ourselves.
Has God been speaking to you through His Word? Have you looked into the mirror of scripture and seen things that need to change? There is no power in good intentions. Be a doer of the Word. Follow through on the truth you know. Only then will your house stand firm in the storm (Matt 7:24-27) and you reap a harvest in your life. (Luke 8:15)
Pastor Chris