“The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do and the God of peace will be with you.”
There were actually five two-letter words in that sentence...I trust you spotted the one I wanted you to see. ‘Do’.
I cannot count the number of times over the years where I might glean some nugget from my studying and then ...’poof’...it just fades away or vanishes. I ‘saw it’ in one moment...and then...I didn’t. What happened?
James gives us good insight to that in his first chapter vs. 21-25. He starts out how we are to receive...the implanted word which is able to save our souls. (I spoke yesterday about how we can receive a word/thought/seed both good/bad and how it can take root in our hearts.). Then he admonishes us to ‘be doers...of that word’. (there’s that ‘do’ word again). He adds that if we just ‘hear the word’ but don’t ‘do’ the word, we end up doing what? ___________
He goes on...”if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror. Think of the bible as a ‘mirror’ for a moment. When we come to read and study...we should look at it in the same way one goes to a mirror to wash their face or shave or apply makeup, etc. People always say they would love to ‘hear from God’, yet never really spend time in His Word which is how He wants to speak to us. Remember, it is through the ‘word of God’ that we are ‘born again’ and it is how His bride is ‘washed...through the water of the word’. (1 Pet.1:23; Eph 5:26)
God wants to point out things in our lives that He wants to address, or remove or clean up or correct us in. The world may get by with that old phrase of “what I don’t know won’t hurt me”, but God’s people are ‘destroyed for a lack of knowledge’. (Hos 4:6). So James continues on...we ‘look into the mirror (God’s word) and we ‘observe ourself, then go away and immediately forget what kind of man we were/are’. (vs 24)
Do you remember in the parable of the sower who ‘comes immediately’ to ‘snatch the word from our hearts lest we believe and are saved’? (Luke 8:12). Satan does. He is the chief abortionist in the spiritual world for sure. Then James adds “but he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the word, this one will be blessed in what he does.”
So there you go...(IF) we hear...(IF) we continue...(IF) we do...we are blessed. Reminds me of that old phrase I heard someone ask years ago...”Did God put that in there for us to analyze or to do?” Which takes me back to Paul’s line I opened up with. – “These things you have seen and heard and learned...DO!” And IF...we ‘do’...what do we experience? The peace of God will be all over you and in you. Tell me friends...if there was ever a time in this world...where people are looking for peace...in the midst of the storm...is that time not now?
Keep in mind, the same storm and flood that is coming against the ‘world’ also comes against those who ‘hear the word’. (Matt 7:24-27) Jesus used that illustration to again remind us that it’s the ones who ‘hear His sayings and DOES them’ that stands firm upon the rock when the storm beats against the house. Everyone else...get swept away to destruction. (Matt. 7:27; Luke 17:27)
Oh...remember where this ‘flood’ originates? Revelation 12:15. That old serpent who knows how to spew all kinds of words out of his mouth to sweep people away. It tells us right there in verse 9 of that chapter that he ‘deceives the whole world’. Why Paul even clues us in that he (the devil) can disguise himself as an ‘angel of light’ along with his minions who disguise themselves as ‘ministers of righteousness’. (2 Cor 11:14-15)
And while James tells us back in that passage we were looking at that we can ‘deceive ourselves’ by just being a ‘hearer only’ of the word and not a ‘doer of the word’, we do know who the ultimate deceiver is -Satan.
We learned of that early on...back in that fall in the garden in Gen. 3. God told them ‘don’t eat off that tree or you will die’. The serpent came and spoke just the opposite to Eve. She believed a lie. When her world came crashing down and she cowered in shame and fear...do you recall what her answer was when God asked ‘What happened’? She said: “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” (Gen 3:13)
Here’s a couple of question to consider: Back in James 1:16, he writes: “Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.”
So...Can ‘brethren’ be deceived?
Do you think deceived people know ...they are deceived?
Did Paul not warn us as well in multiple places about how we could easily be deceived? (Eph 5:6; 1 Cor 6:9). Did Jesus warn us about many in the last days would be deceived? (Matt. 24:4,5,24-25)
So maybe James has some good advice there in 1:22 where we’d do good to be ‘doers’ of the word, and not hearers only.
We’ve all grown up with that often heard piece of advice about listening to our moms. I bet that came from John 2:5 in reference to Mary...the mother of Jesus who ‘said to the servants, “whatever He says to you, do it!” They did...and saw a miracle of transformation...water to wine.
It might help to get back to finding out what all ‘He has been saying to us’. We got a whole book full of His words, counsel, and advice. I have no issues with people who ‘call on the Lord’ in faith. But remember, ‘not everyone who says ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who ‘does’ the will of the Father in heaven’. (Matt 7:21). “Why...do you call me Lord...and not ‘DO’...?...(Luke 6:46)
-on a side note here regarding these postings I put up daily...
I’ve said before, I have no idea the reach on these and who or how many read them and/or get anything out of them. But I continue regardless, because I know where it’s coming from and will continue sharing as He has me doing these. I can tell you they are effortless to write out and are an outflow from the time I have spent in His word these past two years.
Admittedly, at times, I ask the Lord what is the ‘end game’ here or purpose? I can assure you this...I have nothing to prove to anyone nor myself. I am not looking for a pulpit or any form or title of ‘ministry’. I’m not on a mission to debate and argue. I simply feel compelled to share what God is saying straight out of His word. And they are not always easy things to share either. I have never found myself in such a place as I am today. This is nothing like have a super spiritual weekend after a great revival service before things ‘settle back to normal’. God awakened my dead heart 24 months ago and I continue on in awe of what He is doing and revealing in His word.
Having said that, there is one verse particular He reminds me of frequently. It’s Psalm 107:20- “He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.”
No doubt, for many, these are just way too long to give attention to. I get it. Others may skim over them and nod in agreement but move on to other things more pressing. Others may laugh, shake their head and roll their eyes and think ‘Poor Tony’.
But then, there is You. Something in Your heart has quickened and resonated within you.
You...have taken the time to look up the verses I give and something in your heart/spirit knows you are hearing something unlike what you have ever heard before, but it makes so much sense. You most likely have felt pangs of ‘fear’ wash over you as well. This is Good...it is the beginning of knowledge/wisdom.(Prov. 1:7)
What God has encouraged me with is this...as His word goes forth...seed falling on good soil like Your heart...as you receive it...and ‘see it’...then...begin to ‘do’ it...there is a healing and freedom coming to you like something you have never experienced before. I’m talking like mental ...emotional...spiritual and yes...even physical healings as stated in Ps. 107. Just let the Holy Spirit lead you in to His truth like He promised He would do. (John 16:13)
A passage I woke up with this morning comes from Col. 2:6- “As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him.” Man...this washed all over me. As YOU...are receiving His word...Christ the LORD (which means you DO what He says)...walk in Him...DO this...Abide in Him. Get out of the boat of lethargy and sleepiness and ease and dead forms of godliness and deception. FIX your eyes on Jesus...and you too will walk in a way you never envisioned possible with Him. Peter had a moment like that when he got out of the boat. This is YOUR moment. But look at verse 8 that follows as a word of caution/warning.
This is a divine moment...sleeping virgins everywhere are ‘waking up’ and ‘making themselves ready’ as they did in Matt. 25:1-13. The urgency of the hour cannot be overemphasized.
God. Will. Confirm. His. Word. To. You. (Mark 16:20)
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