01/20/2009

James 1:21-27 NIV
21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 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 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 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.
26 If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. 27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

In verses 19-21 it basically says that we should not be blaming God for our trials and tribulations but learn from them and what it teaches us. Another good one is not to bring anger to any disputes we might have. That's very important! We should admit to our faults (none of us is perfect) and even hear our faults that others might notice. Be thankful that it is brought to your attention and learn from it. I love Verse 22 - don't just listen to the Word but DO what it says! Ahhh...that is so good. There are plenty of people who come into church and listen to the Word but they do not do what it says. We should be producing fruits. Bringing the lost into the Kingdom. In Verse 25 the key to blessing is obedience.

Verses 26 is serious. Sometimes we think we are so holy and yet our tongues get us in trouble. We talk about other believers in the church. In this verse it tells us if we don't watch what we say, we deceive ourselves and basically our "religion" is worthless. That is a serious statement and we better what what we say. I know I don't want my walk with God "worthless." Stop being vain and trying to bring yourself to the forefront of everything. It is not pleasing to God at all. In 27 it says about not being polluted by the world. This is what the world does - gossiping, being hateful to one another, treating one another with disrespect. Unfortunately the church is doing it too. When we do that we are being just like the world. We should have true love for God and for fellow believers before we can go out and love others. So what is taking us so long? Let's get it right! There is so much work to be done in our cities in this nation and around the world. We need to get our act together.