"Obeying God's word"

James 1:22 But be doers of the word and not hearers only
deceiving yourselves.

This passage of scripture is telling us to prove ourselves to be people who put the word of God in practice and who obey God’s principles, his instructions, and his precepts. Prove that we are not just listeners who hear the word, but fail to internalize its meaning.

Prove that we’re not just listeners who hear and know the word, but fail to do the word. The last couple of words in this verse are interesting because the bible is telling us that if you do this, if you hear the word but fail to do the word then we are actually deceiving yourself.

It’s not the devil deceiving you, no, you deceive yourself should you hear the word but fail to act on it, we always think that deception comes from Satan, from the antichrist, from some demonic false teacher, but something as simple as knowing God’s word, but failing to do it, is an act of deception towards yourself.

Because how can you claim to love Christ, but fail to obey him. How can you say you are a Christian striving to be Christ-like, but yet fail to bow the knee, to bow your will and obey him.

The amplified translation for James 1:22-24 says but prove yourselves doers of the word actively and continually obeying  God’s precepts and not merely listeners who hear the word but fail to internalize its meaning, deluding yourselves by unsound reasoning contrary to the truth for if anyone only listens to the word without obeying it he is like a man who looks very carefully at his natural face in a mirror for once he has looked at himself and gone away he immediately forgets what he looked like.

So, let me ask you a few questions concerning God’s word in your life; Are you using God’s word as a lamp to your feet? Are you obeying God’s word and putting it into practice?

I do not believe that anyone can be a doer of God’s word without being challenged by it. God’s word has to challenge you and it will challenge you when you really try and put it into action it tells you to pray without ceasing; that’s challenging.

We all know how busy our lives are, but in order to be a doer of the word, you need to pray without ceasing. The word tells you to love your neighbor as you love yourself; that’s challenging.

Because some people will test you. They’ll test your patience, they will test your character. But God’s word also tells you to be long-suffering and slow to anger. Do you see what I mean?

The good fight of faith, it involves being changed and challenged by the word of God and I would venture to say if you're not being challenged by the word of the Lord, then you are probably cherry-picking the parts you like. Like the promises that make you feel good.

So, pray saints, pray that you would be a doer of the word of God.