Preached by Rev. Ed Brouwer at The Gathering Place, Osoyoos
Pulpit Series Volume 18, Issue 08, March 9, 2008
Part V “How To Be Blessed By The Bible”
Bibles are everywhere. They come in all sizes, shapes, translations, versions, leather bound, paperback. Last year there were 500 million Bibles published in the world in 18,000 different languages. We have the Word of God on the radio, TV, in books and magazines. It's everywhere! Yet millions of people still miss the blessing of the Bible. Why?
Because it's not automatic.
The Bible is a book of blessing, promising comfort, strength, hope, wisdom, joy, power, and purpose. But just because you have a Bible doesn't mean you're going to get its benefits.
James shows us a key to being blessed by the Bible. “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, will be blessed in what he does.” James 1:25
1. ACCEPT GOD'S WORD
“Accept the word planted in you” verse 21. Circle the word
“accept”. This word in Greek is a hospitality term which literally means “to welcome”.
We must welcome the word into our lives.
James says we must receive the Word with the right attitude.
A careful attitude
“Be quick to listen…” verse 19. When I'm talking, I'm not listening. Many of our problems are caused because we're quick to speak rather than quick to listen. An article in Reader's Digest said when you listen, it actually lowers your blood pressure, whereas talking raises it.
A relaxed attitude increases receptivity. What is your emotional state when you come to church on Sunday morning? Do you come with a calm attitude? Sunday morning in many homes is pretty hectic. Then we come in our stirred up state expecting to hear a word from God.
There are several things we need to do in preparation to receive the Word.
Be Clean
“Get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent…” verse 21. The word “filth” James uses, is actually the Greek word that means “earwax”.
This reminded me of a prayer I use to pray. “Please find me willing to hear what you have for me to learn. Heal me of my pre-conceived ideas and opinions. Remove the wax of worldly knowledge from my ears. Heal me of dull hearing and open my eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of your word.”
Be Compliant
Teachable, yielded, humble, willing to be changed. He says “humbly accept the word of God.”
2. REFLECT ON THE WORD OF GOD “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 immediately goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like." verse 23
James says God's word is like a mirror. The purpose of a mirror is to evaluate us. We look in a mirror to assess the damage from the night before. Then we do something about it. What good is a mirror if we don't do anything about what we see?
“To Hear the Word and Not Act upon it, robs us of
understanding and effectiveness!”
To reflect on the Word of God…
· Read it.
“The man who looks intently into the perfect law” verse 25. He's actually talking more about researching than reading.
There are two ways you look at a mirror. You gaze at it or you glance at it. All of us have done both. It's human nature that you can't walk by a mirror and not look at it. When you glance at it, you immediately walk away and forget what you've seen. It didn't do you any good. Many people try to have a devotional time that way.
· Review it
“...and continues to do so…” verse 25. That means over and over and over. The Bible calls this meditation.
If you know how to worry, you can meditate. Take a negative idea and think about it over and over, and it's called worry. Take God's Word and think about it over and over and it's called meditation.
Jesus said, “if you continue in My word, then you're truly My disciples.”
The Sword & Trowel I give you each week is so you can review it during the week.
· Remember it.
“...not forgetting what he has heard” verse 25.
Nothing will do more for your spiritual life than developing the habit of memorizing Scripture. “Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against Thee.”
The United States Air Force did a study and found that we forget 95% of what we hear within 72 hours. I spend all week preparing a message to give you on Sunday. By Wednesday, you've forgotten 95% of what I've said unless you've written it down.
3. RESPOND TO THE WORD OF GOD
I must do something about it, act on it, live it, practice it. “Don’t merely listen to what the word says and so deceive yourselves” verse 22.
I hear, I forget.
I see, I remember.
I do, I understand.
I need to practice it and apply it in my life. James said, “To him who knows to do good and doesn't do it, it's sin.”
Illustration: Let's say you all being concerned about your pastor's health, come to me saying, “Ed, as you move into the older years, we want to help you stay in shape, so we took up an offering and bought you Aaron Brouwer’s Fit To Save A Life Book. This book can change your life. It's fantastic. It has changed the lives of millions of people. Read this book. It will change you.”
I say “great” and I go away for 6 months and then come back and I'm the same. You say, “What happened? Didn't you read the book?” I tell you “I did and I loved it. I even underlined portions of it and memorized sections of it and even started a group study of the book.”
How often do we do that with the Word?
If you want to be blessed, you've got to “do” the Word of God, not just read it or hear it or even know it.
Each week I try to present it in a clear and “doable” way. I try to make it simple so we can put it into practice.
I heard about the guy who came to church late. He walked in just as the service was completing. He said to an usher, “Is the sermon done, yet?” The usher was wise and said, “The sermon has been preached, but it is yet to be done.”
I pray The Gathering Place will develop the reputation of being doers of the word.
James says, “The man who puts the law into practice wins true happiness.”
Three practical ways to practice the word:
· A controlled mouth “If any one considers himself religious and does not keep a tight reign on his tongue he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.”
· A caring heart “Religion that our God accepts as faultless is this....to look after orphans and widows in their distress.” .
· A clean mind “Keep from being polluted by the world.”
In order to do the word, find a place of ministry where you can get involved.
Impression without expression leads to depression: If you're always taking in, one study after another, and never get out in ministry, it's going to dry up your spiritual life.
James proves that the blessing of the Bible comes when we start living it.
Heavenly Father, You've told us to be doers of the Word. I ask for the courage to act on what we’ve heard today. Help us to do the right thing!
No comments:
Post a Comment