Oct2

"Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves." James 1:21-22

We should put away all filthiness of our flesh and implant the Word of God on our hearts and in our minds! Sin will either keep us form the Word of God or the Word of God will keep us from sin! If you are a child of God, you have received the implanted Word ~ it has been planted in your hearts. God's Word has already brought salvation to you, but you have to live as a Christian. The child of God can never get away from the Word of God. Every child wishes to hear the voice of his Father, especially if it is a voice of comfort, as well as a viove of correction. Anyone who isn't interested in the Word of God or doesn't stay near it, and claims to be a child of God, is going to get into trouble.

You and I live in a day when we have many translations of the Bible. They seem to be multiplying every year ~ a couple new translations are published. I, personally, prefer the Authorized King James version for my reading text. However, any of us could make a new translation ~ we might call it a "Doer's Translation." The world today is not reading the Bible as they should. But, they are reading you and me! Paul wrote, "Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of heart" (2Corinthians 3:2-3).

Someone has expressed this poetically:
The Gospel is written a chapter a day
By deeds that you do and by words that you say.
Men read what you say, whether faithless or true;
Say, what is the Gospel according to you?
"Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only" ~ this requires attention and action! The Lord Jesus said, "If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself" (John 7:17). The Word of God demands action!

You can read history, but it asks nothing of you. You can read literature, but there are no imperatives, no declarations, and no explanations. You can read science, but it makes no demands on you whatsoever. You can read a cookbook and it will give you a recipe, but it doesn't mean you have to cook! There is no demand there that tells you to make a batch of cookies or whip up some biscuits. However, the Word of God is a command! It is a trumpet ~ an appeal for action!

Application:
The message of the Lord Jesus is to "repent", "come unto me," and "believe." The Word of God demands belief. Hearing and reading the Word of God will lead to doing for God that which is motivated by the inner desire. The intent of God's Word is to produce creative action and to make for productive performance, exciting living, and an altogether thrilling experience!

May God bless you with a wonderful day as you are motivated with an inner desire found in God's Word to do His will in your life today.

Love in Christ,
Sandy