Doer of the Word

But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 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: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. James 1:22-25

Wow, does this passage hit a nerve! Oh how often I read the Word or hear it preached with big plans to make a change in my life, yet just like the man looking at himself in the mirror, I walk away and forget the decision I made before God. I deceive myself and my God each time I do this. God only blesses when we ACT on what we hear. Making the decision in my mind does nothing until I act on it.

But why is it so hard to act on the decision to change my life?? It's quite simple, really. Satan surely doesn't want me to change my life for God's glory. He doesn't want me to grow stronger in the Lord. He wants me to fail miserably. He wants me to make empty promises to God. You can bet that once I've made the decision to repent and turn from sin, Satan is going to do all that he can to trip me up. When I am a hearer of the Word but not a doer, I allow Satan to have the victory and I bring sadness to the heart of God.

So how can I keep this from happening? By taking care of first things first....God MUST be first in my life. There is nothing more to it than that. If He is not first, everything else will be out of place as well. I won't have the strength, His strength, to help me make the right decisions. In my weakness, I will fail. When Satan tempts me to do wrong, to forget the promise I made to God to act on His Word, the only way I can succeed in thwarting his (Satan's) plan is to keep my eyes fixed on Christ. When I take care of first things first and put God before myself, I am able to turn from temptation because I want to please God. I REMEMBER the promise I made and I keep it.

Oh how I want to please God and keep my promises to Him! Oh how I want to be a doer of the Word!

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for pointing out this sin in my life. Help me to be a doer of Your Word and not a hearer only. It saddens me to think that I often renege on my promises to you because I don't put YOU first in my life. Help me to have a passion for You, for Your Word and for Your will. Give me the strength to stand up to the temptations of Satan and not surrender to them, but instead surrender to YOU and Your perfect will. May you receive all the glory! In Jesus most precious and holy name, AMEN.