But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
For further study – James 1:13-27
Have you ever noticed how practical the Bible is? What a foolish question, of course you have noticed that it is very practical if you have spent any time at all reading through it’s pages. I must say that our extended reading for today fits the description of being “practical”.
Remember the last reading we had in devotions from James was the first twelve verses of James 1, ending with the promise of the prize, the “Crown of Life” given to those of us who endure temptation. Enduring temptation, in other words, is not yielding to temptation. That “Crown of Life” is given at the Judgment Seat of Christ.
Now as we read this “practical passage” for our devotional today, we see how to stand against temptation, to be able to endure temptation. Our key verse, verse 22, is a great starting point for being able to endure temptation.
Remember what the Psalmist wrote in 119:11, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”
The first step to not yielding to temptation is to hide the Word of God in our hearts. But then we must be “doers” of that Word and not “hearers” only. If we only “hear” and we are not “doers”, we have deceived ourselves.
This is very practical. Verse 14 tells us that our “lust” draws us away from the right lifestyle that we must live to be able to receive that “Crown of Life”. “Lust” is a craving, a longing, a desire for that which is forbidden by the Lord.
The Apostle John wrote, I John 2:15-16, that a “love for the world” and the “things of the world” causes us to enter into temptation, through the “lust of our eyes” and the “lust of our flesh”. Lust starts with the eyes, we must guard our eyes because the Word tells us to do so. Remember, to be a “doer” of the Word, not a “hearer” only.
Every time I select a passage of scripture for our devotional reading I am amazed how much there is contained within that passage for us to be able to appropriate and live out in our lives.
I’ve barely shared all that is contained in our reading for today. Please spend more time in this passage. As you do you will see how we can prepare so that we will receive the “Crown of Life” for not yielding to temptation at the Judgment Seat of Christ which takes place right after the rapture as we stand face to face with Jesus.
By the way, the rapture could happen today, keep looking up!
PRAYER THOUGHT: Thank you Lord, for your practical Word given to me. Please help me to be a “doer” of this Word and not a “hearer” only.
