we hear the things we want to hear
James 1 21-27 "Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 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 work, this one will be blessed in what he does. If anyone among you thinks himself religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one's religion is useless. Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world." We can all hear, we hear exactly what God is telling us, the question is, are we doing what we are hearing? We tend to put away all that we don't want to hear, and just keep the things that we like to hear. We could hear God's word all day, and tattoo it on our bodies, but if we are not living it, breathing his word is it really meaningful just to hear?God did not have His word written just for us to memorize it, to read it all day, but to implant His word in our actions, in our speech, and in our daily lives for others to see Him through us. We can say we know the word, but if our actions are not showing it, is it really doing us good, or are we becoming a stumbling block for another? My mom would be a wealthy woman today if she had a dime for everytime I heard her say,"Everything I say goes in one ear and out the other!" Yes, my mom said many things to give me wisdom, but I didn't listen, I thought I knew it all, only later to find out I knew nothing at all. I think God knew all the things we would struggle with, and all the temptations right in front of us, He knew just what we needed to hear, and our flesh fights every word He has to give us.Following His word, living His word makes our lives easier when we put our faith, hope, and trust in Him. His word is not a buffet, where we can take and pick and choose what fits our needs and wants, He meant for us to take it all, and live by all. Life is hard, it throws trials our way daily, but we can overcome those trials if we are reading His word, thinking upon it, and placing it in our lives. Many think becoming a christian means you have an easier life, no trials come to face, and whatever you want is just a prayer away. Christ meets our needs as they are to His will for us. He answers each and every prayer, but it is according to His will and purpose for our lives, not ours. If we look at it that way, we have not submitted to Him and we have not given Him control of our lives. That my friends is what makes all the difference. Being a christian makes are lives better when we follow Christ in all we do. When we trust in Him and understand He knows whats best for us. Don't you see, then it takes all the power away from us and places it in His hands, the one who created us, loves us and died for us. We only think we have power in our lives, without Christ everything is out of control, but when we surrender to Him, life takes on a new meaning, joy comes when we least expect it and we begin looking at things with a new perspective. For me, this understanding came when I was trying to control situations around me, and the more I tried to fix things, the worse they got. The worse I became, I wasn't putting my faith and trust in my Savior, I was taking it back daily, picking it up and trying to fix things the way I thought they should be. Christ showed me to let go and let Him. When I let go I began to have a new peace, a peace that gave me a new understanding. I can't control situations or others actions, I can only place myself in God's hands and follow Him, knowing He is going to lead me just where I need to go. The trip there may be climbing a mountain I really don't want to climb, but through that mountain, through God's word and hearing what He has for me, is going to make me the person He created me to be and He will begin to shine through. We need to listen and act, two verbs we must put into action to follow Christ. Are you ready to be a doer of His word today? Are you ready to listen to all He has for you? Each day I stumble over something and I have learned the more I listen, the more content I am and the more solid I am in God's choices for me. Just as when we were little ones, and our Mommas told us not to touch the stove, it was hot. If we chose not to listen, we got burned from touching, when if we listened the first time, there would be no burn. God wants us to listen and He will grab our attention one way or another. I think I would rather listen the first time, instead of being punished for not listening and going my own way. May we listen to all the Lord has for us today, and may we follow through with our actions.
James 1 21-27 "Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 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 work, this one will be blessed in what he does. If anyone among you thinks himself religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one's religion is useless. Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world." We can all hear, we hear exactly what God is telling us, the question is, are we doing what we are hearing? We tend to put away all that we don't want to hear, and just keep the things that we like to hear. We could hear God's word all day, and tattoo it on our bodies, but if we are not living it, breathing his word is it really meaningful just to hear?God did not have His word written just for us to memorize it, to read it all day, but to implant His word in our actions, in our speech, and in our daily lives for others to see Him through us. We can say we know the word, but if our actions are not showing it, is it really doing us good, or are we becoming a stumbling block for another? My mom would be a wealthy woman today if she had a dime for everytime I heard her say,"Everything I say goes in one ear and out the other!" Yes, my mom said many things to give me wisdom, but I didn't listen, I thought I knew it all, only later to find out I knew nothing at all. I think God knew all the things we would struggle with, and all the temptations right in front of us, He knew just what we needed to hear, and our flesh fights every word He has to give us.Following His word, living His word makes our lives easier when we put our faith, hope, and trust in Him. His word is not a buffet, where we can take and pick and choose what fits our needs and wants, He meant for us to take it all, and live by all. Life is hard, it throws trials our way daily, but we can overcome those trials if we are reading His word, thinking upon it, and placing it in our lives. Many think becoming a christian means you have an easier life, no trials come to face, and whatever you want is just a prayer away. Christ meets our needs as they are to His will for us. He answers each and every prayer, but it is according to His will and purpose for our lives, not ours. If we look at it that way, we have not submitted to Him and we have not given Him control of our lives. That my friends is what makes all the difference. Being a christian makes are lives better when we follow Christ in all we do. When we trust in Him and understand He knows whats best for us. Don't you see, then it takes all the power away from us and places it in His hands, the one who created us, loves us and died for us. We only think we have power in our lives, without Christ everything is out of control, but when we surrender to Him, life takes on a new meaning, joy comes when we least expect it and we begin looking at things with a new perspective. For me, this understanding came when I was trying to control situations around me, and the more I tried to fix things, the worse they got. The worse I became, I wasn't putting my faith and trust in my Savior, I was taking it back daily, picking it up and trying to fix things the way I thought they should be. Christ showed me to let go and let Him. When I let go I began to have a new peace, a peace that gave me a new understanding. I can't control situations or others actions, I can only place myself in God's hands and follow Him, knowing He is going to lead me just where I need to go. The trip there may be climbing a mountain I really don't want to climb, but through that mountain, through God's word and hearing what He has for me, is going to make me the person He created me to be and He will begin to shine through. We need to listen and act, two verbs we must put into action to follow Christ. Are you ready to be a doer of His word today? Are you ready to listen to all He has for you? Each day I stumble over something and I have learned the more I listen, the more content I am and the more solid I am in God's choices for me. Just as when we were little ones, and our Mommas told us not to touch the stove, it was hot. If we chose not to listen, we got burned from touching, when if we listened the first time, there would be no burn. God wants us to listen and He will grab our attention one way or another. I think I would rather listen the first time, instead of being punished for not listening and going my own way. May we listen to all the Lord has for us today, and may we follow through with our actions.
