James 1:21-23 (KJV)
21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
THE WORD OF GOD FOR THE CHILDREN OF GOD
VERY BRIEFLY I WANT TO REASON WITH YOU ON THE THOUGHT
( I WOKE UP THIS MORNING WITH MY MIND STEAD ON JESUS)
MY BROTHERS AND MY SISTERS
ANYTHING THAT IS BUILT HIGH MUST HAVE A FIRM FOUNDATION
BECAUSE NO ONE CAN BECOME A TRUE BELIEVER WITHOUT A SOLID FOUNDATION
BECAUSE THE STRENGHT OF THE FOUNDATION WILL DETERMINE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE BELIEVER
AND OUR FOUNDATION MUST BE THE WORD OF GOD
I KNOW SOME OF YOU THINK THAT COMING TO THE WORSHIP EXPERIENCE ON SUNDAY MORNING IS YOUR FOUNDATION
BUT I HATE TO BUST YO BUBBLE
BECAUSE THE WORD OF GOD SHOULD BE ALL OF OUR FOUNDATION
THAT WHY JAMES SAYS
THAT WE MUST NOT ONLY BE HEARERS OF THE WORD BUT WE MUST BE DOERS OF THE WORD
IN OTHER WORDS
ONE OF THE MAIN OBJECTIVE FOR THE BODY OF CHRIST SHOULD BE TO LAY HOLD UPON SPIRITUAL MATURITY
AND OUR SOURCE AND DIRECTION FOR SPIRITUAL MATURITY COMES FROM THE WORD OF GOD
BECAUSE IF YOU GOING TO WAKE UP IN THE MORNING WITH YOUR MIND STEAD ON JESUS
IF YOU GOING TO WALK AND TALK AND SING AND PRAISE WITH YOUR MIND STEAD ON JESUS
WE HAVE TO BE ROOTED AND GROUNDED IN THE WORD OF GOD
AND THE REASON WHY IS IF YOU DON`T KNOW THE WORD
YOU CAN`T GROW IN THE WORD
BECAUSE THE WORD OF GOD IS NOT A DECORATIVE APPLIANCE
THAT WE TAKE HOME AND SIT ON A SHELF FROM SUNDAY TO SUNDAY
BUT THE WORD OF GOD IS VEHICLE THAT GOD USES TO REVEAL HIS PRECIOUS AND DIVINE WILL
IN OTHER WORDS
IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHO WOKE YOU UP THIS MORNING
(IT`S IN THE WORD)
IF YOU WANT KNOW ABOUT THE ONE WHO STEP OUT ON NOTHING
AND TOOK NOTHING AND MADE SOMETHING
THEN TOOK SOMETHING AND MADE EVERYTHING
(IT`S IN THE WORD)
HUSBANDS IF YOU WANT TO KNOW HOW TO LOVE YOUR WIFE
WIFE IF YOU WANT TO KNOW HOW TO RESPECT YOUR HUSBAND
CHILDREN IF YOU WANT TO KNOW HOW TO OBEY AND HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER
CHURCH IF YOU WANT TO KNOW HOW AND WHY WE SHOULD LOVE ONE ANOTHER
(IT`S IN THE WORD OF GOD)
NOTICE – NOTICE –NOTICE
WHAT JAMES SAY
THAT NOT ONLY SHOULD WE BE A HEARER OF THE WORD BUT A DOER ALSO
YOU SEE IT WAS THE WORD
THAT CHANGED PETER FROM A CUSSING FISHERMAN TO A PREACHING PREACHER
IT WAS THE WORD
THAT CHANGED MATTHEW FROM A TAX COLLECTOR EXTORTIONER TO A GOSPEL WRITER
IT WAS THE WORD THAT CHANGED PAUL FROM A HEARTLESS KILLER TO A PREACHING MAILMAN FOR JESUS CHRIST
YOU SEE
IT`S HARD TO COME IN CONTACT WITH THE WORD OF GOD AND REMAIN THE SAME
BECAUSE THE WORD OF GOD WILL EITHER DRIVE YOU OR DRAW YOU
AND IF YOU ARE ROOTED AND GROUNDED IN THE WORD
YOU OUGHT TO GIVE YOUR NEIGHBOR A HIGH 5
AND TELL THEM
IT AIN`T NO HARM IN KEEPING YOUR MIND STEAD ON JESUS
IN THE TEXT -IN THE TEXT
JAMES SAYS
IF WE WANT TO WAKE UP WITH OUR MIND STEAD ON JESUS
WE HAVE TO LAY APART ALL FILTHINESS AND SUPERFLUITY OF NAUGHTINESS
IN OTHER WORDS
WE HAVE TO TAKE OFF THE FILTHY GARMENTS OF THIS WORLD AND LAY THEM ASIDE
SO WE CAN HEAR AND RECEIVE THE WORD OF GOD
YOU SEE THE WORDS LAY APART MEANS TO STRIP OFF ONE`S CLOTHES TO GET RID OF DIFILEMENT
AND WHAT JAMES IS TELLING US IS THAT WE HAVE TO GET RID OF ANYTHING
THAT’S HINDERING US FROM HEARING THE WORD OF GOD
BUT NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE TO TAKE THE DIRTY GARMENTS OF THIS WORLD OFF
BUT TEXT ALSO REVEALS THAT
WE HAVE TO RECEIVE WITH MEEKNESS THE ENGRAFTED WORD WHICH IS ABLE TO SAVE OUR SOUL
THE WORD ENGRAFTED MEANS INPLANTED WORD
WHICH SUGGEST THAT WE HAVE TO BE HUMBLE
GENTLE
QUITE AND ATTENTIVE IN LISTENING TO THE WORD OF GOD
AND IN ORDER FOR IT TO TAKE ROOT
WE HAVE TO HUMBLY ACCEPT THE WORD WITH A TEACHABLE SPIRIT
BUT NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE TO TAKE OFF THE GARMENTS OF THE WORLD
AND RECEIVE WITH MEEKNESS THE ENGRAFTED WORD WHICH IS ABLE TO SAVE OUR SOUL
BUT THE TEXT IS ALSO TAILORED TO TEACH US
THAT WE HAVE TO BE DOERS OF THE WORD AND NOT HEARERS ONLY
BECAUSE HEARING AND NOT DOING MAKE US DECIEVERS OF OUR OWNSELVES
IN OTHER WORDS
WITHOUT APPLICATION THERE CAN`T BE ANY SANTIFACTION
BECAUSE WITHOUT THE WORD ON THE INSIDE
THERE WON`T BE A CHANGE ON THE OUTSIDE
NOTICE WHAT JAMES SAYS
WHEN WE ARE A HEARER AND NOT A DOER
WE BECOME DELINQUENT IN OUR WALK WITH GOD
AND WHEN WE BECOME DELINQUENT IN OUR WALK WITH GOD
IT`S LIKE HAVING GRACE BUT NO TESTIMONY
WE ARE ABLE TO RUN - - -BUT YOU STILL GET WEARY
YOU `RE ABLE TO WALK AND STILL FAINT
YOU SEE MY BROTHER AND SISTERS
WITHOUT THE WITHOUT THE WORD OF GOD
IT`S IMPOSSIBLE
TO WAKE UP WITH OUR MINDS STEAD ON JESUS
WITH OUT THE WORD GOD
IT`S IMPOSSIBLE
TO WALK AND TALK –SING AND PRAY WITH OUR MINDS STEAD ON JESUS
THAT’S WHY JAMES LET`S US KNOW
THAT NOT ONLY DO WE NEED TO BE HEARERS OF THE WORD BUT DOERS OF THE WORD
BECAUSE WITHOUT THE WORD OF GOD
WE WOULD`NT KNOW
THE WILL –THE WAYS—THE WORK OR THE WORTH OF GOD
WITHOUT THE WORD OF GOD
WE WOULD`NT UNDERSTAND THE LOVE OF GOD
HOW GOD SENT HIS SON TO A SIN SICK WORLD TO DIE FOR YOUR SINS AND MINE
AND WHEN I THINK ABOUT HOW JESUS CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN GLORY
SO THAT ONE DAY WHEN THIS LIFE IS OVER WE CAN GO UP
WHEN I THINK ABOUT HOW HE WORE A CROWN OF THORNS DOWN HERE
SO THAT WE COULD WEAR A CROWN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS UP THERE
WHEN I THINK ABOUT
HOW JESUS WALK UP CALVARYS ROAD
SO THAT ONE GLAD MORNING WE CAN WALK ON STREETS OF GOLD
AND WHEN I THINK ABOUT HOW HE HUNG – BLEED –DIED -RESURECTED
AND HAS RULE –REGENCY AND SHALL RETURN
THAT`S WHY I`M GOING TO BE OBEDIENT TO HIS WORD
I’m not going to be just a hearer,
but I’m going to be a doer.
I’m going to walk like he wants me to walk.
I’m going to talk like he wants me
