Ok ladies, I am really excited to go through the book of James with you all!! (even though I am blog illiterate and a day behind already...I will catch up) It is going to be fun :)
As I was reading James 1, there are so many areas to "camp out" and to apply! But really tried to simmer over one :)
S - But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom and perseveres in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but one who does good works - this person will be blessed in what he does. James 1:25
O & A - this verse really hit home. "looks intently into" - I really want to dig in, so I looked up the word intent - to plan or purpose, a state of mind, having full attention or focused on one thing, determined. When thinking about this in terms of Scripture, that is how I want be every time I open God's Word! I want to get into the passage, what God is saying, what He is teaching because the truth is that all Scripture is living and active and useful. I want to live like it is!
Next, "perfect law of freedom" - God's Word is perfect. It gives freedom to those who are in Christ.
"Not a forgetful hearer" - many times I find mysef as a forgetful hearer, reading the Bible or listening to a sermon and never thinking about it the rest of the day or applying it in the situations I face each day. I'm reminded of Ps 103:2 "My soul, praise the LORD, and do not forget all His benefits." More than once God tells us to remember what He has done and what He will do. I want to always be mindful of the things of God, what Christ did and what He promises to do.
"one who does good works" - I want to be found faithful in doing what God has called me to do
"will be blessed in what he does" - God is always faithful! He is always with us and providing for us. I want to be a doer of God's Word and not just a hearer. The section following this verse provides and interesting spin also. Before this verse, it talks about doing not just hearing. After this verse it talks about doing and not just talking about doing. I want to be active in my faith not just hearing but doing, not just talking about doing or giving advice to someone on doing but I want to be living it out daily.
P - pray that I would approach Scripture with hunger to glean the Truth and to apply it.
I do a lot of counseling with girls, pray that I would be effective in teaching truth to them and helping them deal with sin.
There's that completeness again hearing goes with doing and doing goes with hearing. Why is that so hard to always do both? Sometimes I wish I had a drain valve for my brain to get rid of all the unnecessary and make room for all the important!
ReplyDeleteCINDY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (I just wanted to yell your name.)
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