Doers of the Word

God is doing something with this generation. Of course He does something with every generation, but I am confident that He is doing something special with us. That does not make our generation more “special” than previous generations, because the very nature of what God is doing is teaching us to deny ourselves. He is teaching us to deny ourselves, so that we might properly glorify Him. He is teaching us to deny ourselves so that our lives will act as a giant telescope magnifying a magnificent God to the nations. Many influential church leaders bear witness to what God is doing, that He has instilled zeal in today’s young people that most preceding generations cannot boast of. Praise God! May He continue to fan and fuel that fire! Many of us would rather listen to a sermon on podcast than G105 in our vehicles. Many of us would rather spend time in Bible study with our brothers and sisters than picking up random men or women at the bar. Many of us wake up early to read Scripture, and pray as we lay down our weary heads at night. Many of us would rather talk theology than sports. Praise God! We must be careful though, when we have so many avenues by which to hear the Word that we do that Word which we hear. The Apostle James writes:

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.-James 1:22-25

Francis Chan cautions us to carefully consider each sermon we listen to, each word we read, and their implications; so that, we do not become accustomed to dismissing that which we learn. When you fail to act upon the convictions you face time and time again, dismissing conviction becomes habitual. You become a habitual hearer of the Word. A hearer of the Word is like a man who looks in a mirror, sees himself as filthy, and leaves without washing His face. What good did it do for that man to look in the mirror? Bible study is great, theological conversations are wonderful, sermon podcasts are amazingly convenient; but the Apostle continues:

If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.-James 1:26-27

True Christianity happens when we put into practice that which we have read and heard. Paul writes to the Corinthians that they should be imitators of him as he is an imitator of Christ. He also writes in 1 Corinthians that, “whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” When we “hang out” it must be under the umbrella of glorifying God. We must minister to each other’s needs, as well as the needs of the community and world around us. When we are doers of the Word, then we will face persecution. We must face persecution, for “no slave is greater than his master.” If Jesus was persecuted, then we will be persecuted. Christians in America do not receive a pass on persecution. If God continues to impress change on this generation, then we will find it impossible to serve two masters. For years Americans have toyed dangerously with the idea that a person can say a short prayer that marks salvation and guarantees eternal life—and put off making Jesus their Lord until they are ready. I think our generation is finding that that concept of Christianity is false, and that it is impossible for Jesus to be one’s Savior if He is not also Lord. I praise God that, in the midst of a people who are by and large rejecting Him, He has raised up a generation who desires to hear His Word; but I pray that that generation (myself included) will be doers of that Word.


If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you-John 15:18-20

-Gary

Gazing, Longing and Tasting

Gazing leads to longing, and longing to tasting, and tasting to more tasting. I heard this saying on a commercial over the radio for Carabba's one day and thought, "Wow, this guy is really onto something." No, I did not have a sudden urge to turn around and find a great meal of Italian cuisine, or a desperate need to travel to the Sicilian beach front, but a taste of hatred of sin in my mouth. How often and how easy it is to venture down the wrong path. Ken has often quoted this and it has really changed my outlook on the way that I view many things: "What we tolerate today will become acceptable tomorrow."
I have been searching for scriptures that deal with this, and have found that they are too plentiful to begin to put them all in here. Almost all of the Old Testament is a message to Israel to turn from their sin and worship their God and keep his Sabbath and Laws. One case that I think is particularly applicable is the story of David. For those of you who came to VBS last year, you may remember Steve J. teaching our class a couple of days. One of his lessons was concerning David, and how the situation with Bathsheba was not a one-time shortfall, but the natural progression of a series of sins. David had been committing several "small," less notable, sins all throughout his time as king. This situation caused his protective wall of spiritual discernment to be down, until eventually he was in position for a great fall. He saw Bathsheba (While his men were at war and he was not), wanted her, took her, found out she was with child, and arranged for her husband to be killed after Uriah (her husband) was unwilling to sleep with his wife (because of his devotion to David and Israel's army). You see an obvious pattern of gazing, longing, tasting, and more tasting.
As followers of the Lord, we need to be mindful what we allow to come into our lives. While we are on the internet; while we are listening to the radio; while we are watching tv; while we are reading magazines. Everything that comes into our mind influences us in some way. Even if there is not an immediate sin or action, it will do one of two things: tear us down or build us up. Christ has bought us with a great price: His Life. It is no longer us who lives, but Christ who lives in us. We have died to ourselves. In Luke 9, Christ asks us what does it profit a man to gain the whole world yet forfeits his soul? Jim Elliot once said "He is no fool to give up what he could never keep, to gain what he could never earn.
Colossions 3 gives us several lists of things to put us on a path to putting on righteousness. Not for our own sake, but to glorify Christ. There are two lists of actions and characteristics that we should not associate ourselves with, and we are instructed to put off these things (Col 3:5-11). But in Col 3:12-17 we are given the characteristics of the "New Man" that we are in Christ, and are instructed to let love be our bond and to let the Peace of God rule in our hearts.
If in fact, we do these things, and seek the kingdom of God, and make intentional efforts to be in His word and be in fellowship with one another, we will be successful in fighting off our sinful nature and avoid the great fall that so many Christians find themselves in. This is not to say that we will not sin, but we will be in a better position to pull ourselves up after one sin and not allow our appetite for sin to consume us. Grace and peace, hope everyone is having a great week. -Bubba