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DAY 20
“Do not merely listen to
the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to
the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in
a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets
what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that
gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard,
but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.”
(James
1:22-25)
At times it
is easy to listen, but it is much harder to put into practice what we hear.
James deals with this reality in his letter. He
notes that we often listen to what God says, but then we fail to put that
word into practice in our lives.
We hear
what the Lord says to us about giving to spread His Word.
We hear what he says about giving to help God’s people and others who
need to hear the Word. We nod and say, “Yes, that’s
important. We should be giving.” But
then we do nothing about it.
The Lord
promises us blessings when we follow His Word. Just
consider the blessings we have when we trust Him that He does forgive us and
has removed from us the eternal punishment we should receive for all our
sins. We have true peace and lasting joy.
So He also blesses us when we follow His Word in our life of giving.
Questions to Consider
1)
Why is it so
easy to listen but not to put into practice what we hear?
2)
What does
God say happens when we follow and do His Word?
3)
What
blessings do I receive when I put God’s Word into practice in my life?
Prayer
Faithful Savior, Your Word has changed my life.
It has given me freedom and peace that is unbelievable. Help
me not only to listen to Your Word, but also to faithfully follow it and
conform my life to Your will. Amen. |
