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February 24, 2002
Living the Word My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. 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. 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. If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. 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. James 1: 19-27 (NIV) To be rid of the filth in our lives is what growing as believers is all about. In order to become more like Jesus, we must be ready to let go of all that is not like him! Are you quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to anger? If you are not, then pray and ask God to remove from you that hot temper. Is your life pure and upright? If not, ask God to make you pure and holy, blameless in his eyes. To hear the word of God is not enough. We must learn to live it. The law gives freedom. That is a bold statement that James made here. How is it that the law gives freedom? The law tells us what is sin and sin is what keeps us in bondage. We must read the law of God, his word, and then let him make us able to live that law. We cannot do it on our own. We must let him work through us. In doing what the Lord’s word says, we are blessed beyond anything we can imagine. Only in this freedom of living by the Word of God can we be of worth. We are not of this world, although we live in it. WE are to live above the world, above the law (and I don’t mean act like you are better than the law and do as you please), and above the sin nature that once enslaved us. In Jesus, we are no longer slaves to sin, but rather should be slaves to Jesus! I hate the word religion, for religion alone is worthless and useless in the Kingdom of God. What does the Father desire of us? He desires that we keep the tongue checked and still when it should not speak. He desires for us to take care of those who have less. He desires for us to remain a pure and holy people, set apart from the world and not polluted by the worlds desires. He longs for us to live what his word says. In getting rid of the moral evil, we give room for the living word to grow in our lives, unhindered by the cares of this world and the thorns and briars of sin. In order to do these things, we must be willing for the Lord to change us and we must read his word. How can one do what is written in a word that one never opens and reads? Are you willing, this day, to give to the Lord all those things that are not of him and not like Jesus? Are you willing, this day, to ask him to remove all this moral filth and evil? Then ask him to do it! Become willing to let him change you, even when change is scary. Let him make you like Jesus. Father, this day, give to each that desire to be made clean and pure and holy. Lord, in Jesus name remove from me the garbage that has held me down. IN Jesus name, I read your word, I meditate on your law, I long to live for you and you alone, and I long for you to cleanse me and make me like Jesus. Lord, this day, I hold nothing back and ask that you remove all from me that is not of you. This day, help me to read and live the word and not just sit and hear it read. Lord, in Jesus name, make me pure and holy before you, amen. All rights reserved: Amy Seelbach To be added to the devotionals mailings, click on the button below.
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