"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE ABOUT GOD'S BLESSING IN YOUR LIFE"
James 1:25 But if you keep looking steadily into God’s perfect law--the law that sets you free--and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it. For if you just listen and don’t obey, it is like looking at your face in a mirror but doing nothing to improve your appearance.
Some explanatory thoughts/application, and a prayer:
1. In this verse, it tells us very simply, about one of the ways, the Lord brings blessing into our lives. This is such an important and wonderful promise from God to His Children.
2. Notice what James 1:25a says, "But if you keep looking steadily into God's perfect law-the law that sets you free. So, the first thing is, that we must have a regular relationship with God's wonderful, life giving Word. To keep looking steadily, implies a consistency, rather then an on again, off again looking into God's Word. Please notice all so, how God's Word is described. "God's perfect law-the law that sets you free. So, two things are being said here about God's Law, or God's Word.
(1) It's perfect. The word perfect here, means of full age, or brought to it's end, finished, wanting nothing, mature. In other words, God's Word is complete. All we need for life and Godliness is found in His Word.
(2) It sets you free. Free means, come to pass, or to become, to arise, to be made finished. God has a plan for your life, and as you continue in His Word, He will reveal that to you, and as you obey and respond to His Word, you will find out just exactly what God wants for you. But, the key is to be a person who is consistently in God's Word.
3. Here's the next part that alluded to just above. And, this is the point where I believe many Christians find themselves. And, they wonder why they do not have the blessings of God that are promised. Look closely at what James says. James 1:25b and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it. Again, there are three things said here.
(1) And, if you do what it says. Doing what God says, is simply being obedient to what God says. It's putting God's word into action, taking God's Word seriously. So, hearing it is the first part, accompanied by doing it.
(2) And don't forget what you heard. And, here's the other important aspect of this truth that leads to blessing. And, it's not to forget what we have heard. In other words, don't just let God's Word go in one ear, and out the other as like to say. But, let it stay in your mind, and not forget it. How do we do that? Well, the Bible says we can "meditate" on God's Word, or ponder it, and think about it. Try to remember it. One way to do that is to think about what you read or heard, and then talk to yourself about it. Or talk to another person about it.
(3) James 1;25c "then God will bless you for doing it." There you have it. This is what God will do. It's not a reward for hearing and doing, but rather, it's just the way our Lord has arranged it for us. He gives us His Word, He wants us to not just hear it, but to remember it, doing it, and the result is we are blessed. Why is that, and what is the blessing He brings into our lives. A changed life. A Transformed life. A growing life. A useful life. A rejoicing life. A fruitful life. A hopeful life. A peaceful life. Etc, etc. But to be sure, He will bring blessing into your life.
4. Finally, in the last part of James 1;25d "For if you just listen and don’t obey, it is like looking at your face in a mirror but doing nothing to improve your appearance." James sums it up for us. And, illustrates what we are like if we just hear God's Word but fail to obey it. We are like a person who is looking at their face in a mirror, but doing nothing to improve their appearance. We can hear, forget and not obey. Or we can hear, remember, and obey. And, change will take place, and that change is the blessing of God.
A prayer:
Father, thank You for wanting to bless Your children. We want to be blessed as well. Thank You for the clear instruction, and the simplicity of how that blessing comes into our lives. Thank You for Your Word, and the Holy Spirit, who gives us power to live for You. Lord, we want to have that personal resolve to not only look into Your Word, but to understand it, and than to obey it. Blessings will become a regular part of our lives, if we are regularly following Your way. In Jesus name. Amen.
Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia
