Posts
James 1:22-27 But become doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. (23) For if anyone is a hearer of the Word and not a doer, he is like a man studying his natural face in a mirror. (24) For he studied himself and went his way, and immediately he forgot what he was like. (25) But whoever looks into the perfect Law of liberty and continues in it, he is not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work. This one shall be blessed in his doing. (26) If anyone thinks to be religious among you, yet does not bridle his tongue, but deceives his own heart, this one's religion is vain. (27) Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit orphans and widows in their afflictions, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.
Blessed Saints of the Living God, Greetings in the Name of Jesus Christ, Our Lord
It is our hope that you and your families had a blessed Resurrection Day celebration. We are pleased to be offering our first E-News for Open Arms Outreach and Kairos Caribe, the name of our projects in
- We desire to edify believers of every level of maturity by offering devotional material for study and,
- From that teaching we desire to stimulate action that is strategic, purposeful and fruitful for the
- Assist you in carrying out the ministry God has called you to so that you are a “workman that needs not be ashamed.”
- Coordinate with a vast company of saints who live missionally both here and abroad. We will bring all the news we can of our mission both here in NH and abroad.
Please feel free to circulate this newsletter amongst your family, friends and congregation and to anyone who might benefit.
Now let’s consider the quoted scripture from James for our instruction.
Listening and understanding are the first necessities of our walk with God. These are fixed firmly on the bedrock of our faith in Jesus. The disciples were immersed in teaching. But James warns us of the static and fruitless position we find ourselves in when we listen but fail to obey. Jesus himself emphasized this point in the parable of the house built on sand versus the one built on the rock. (Matt 7:24- 27) He closed the Sermon on the Mount with this final admonition to be doers of the word, and James here is driving the point home to us in very clear terms.
We all know of believers who soak up teaching week after week but seldom change within themselves and in the world they are a dim light and as tasteless salt. This blight is caused by little faith, slowness of heart and dullness of hearing. It is the virulent inattentiveness to the clear trumpet call to action and it affects many of us with torpor of vision, energy or resources to do the work of ministry.
What is the remedy, we ask? Preach harder, rebuke more stridently or should we look into the perfect law of liberty and continue in it!
This is an interesting spiritual phrase, choice words implicit with meaning. “Look” in the Greek is parakupto: to lean over, bend down, draw near and peer into. This gives us the picture of active and keen attention to the point of changing your body posture to a humbler, more interested and inquisitive search, actively looking into the matter, like an investigator looking for clues. The Western model of education requires thoughtful and critical analysis to absorb facts and develop cerebral skills. However we are to learn in every dimension of our faculties this new way of life. We love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength! Disciples are doers, the world the classroom and active learning and actionable doing flow naturally. The clear sense we get from looking into this perfect law that liberates us is that we are on a journey, living a narrative that is recorded in heaven and we continue in an adventure that propels us forward with the promise of blessedness and fruitful endeavor.
Doing the word requires acts of omission and commission. Righteousness is about both refraining from evil, as in the restless tongue that can destroy our testimony and render our religion worthless, and about doing justice and loving mercy. At the close of the passage James sums up a description of pure religion that challenges all of us as to the reality of our religiosity. Yes, he states clearly that we should keep ourselves pure, but before that mentions the other dimension of mercy-doing that gives a holistic picture of piety. Here it is. To visit the orphans and widows in their affliction. Now, visit does not mean to pop in and check them out momentarily like a spiritual tourist. Neither does it mean to survey dispassionately and develop a program. The Greek word episképtomai means to inspect, examine carefully and relieve. It is close and personal, costly and engaged. It is with love and mercy and with the intention of strategically improving their circumstances.
This is my passion and compassion. We are actively learning how to care for the downtrodden. There are enough books on the subject to keep you learning about this for the rest of your life. But I am calling for “doers of the word” who will cast off their selfish agendas and follow the calling to wherever God might lead. Let us together “look into this perfect law of liberty” that liberates us from fear and worry and activates us to care for our neighbors in true Christian love. Let us carry the Great Commission and the Great Commandment to the nearest and furthest reaches of our world. And let us proceed with courage and joy, to His Glory, Amen!
The cure for your apathy is to take action, and may God grant you through godly sorrow the grace to follow through: REPENT- that is the first action to be taken!
If anyone desires prayer along this line seek out someone mature whom you trust to walk with you in your repentance. We would also love the opportunity to pray with you and walk with you in your pursuit of God. May God bless you richly as you follow after Him.
Peace and Blessings,
