Do It

James 1:22-25 (NKJV)
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 observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

For many of us, the passage of scripture that encourages us to be 'hearers AND doers' of the word in James 1:22 is pretty familiar. I've always likened this phrase to a common cultural saying, "Don't just talk about it, be about it." Meaning, let your actions reflect the words that you use to describe what you believe. 

Hearing the word of God is essential to our faith. Romans 10:17 declares, "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." When we hear God's word we are experiencing perfection. God's word is perfect and infallible; no word from God will ever fail (Luke 1:37).  Receiving the word of God into our hearts builds our faith by reminding us of what to trust as true in our lives. It plants seeds of hope and confidence in the unseen (Hebrews 11:1). When the word of God is received as truth in our hearts with understanding  for our lives, it produces fruit (Matthew 13:23). Receiving the word of God builds our faith. But let us remember the declaration of God's word in James 2:17 AMP:
So too, faith, if it does not have works [to back it up], is by itself dead [inoperative and ineffective].
As we strive daily to live our blessed lives, let's take direction from our focus scripture today on what it takes to be blessed. Let's be encouraged today to live our faith by operating our lives as a demonstration of the word of God, being not just hearers but also doers of the word. Let us receive the word in our hearts with understanding, and by faith do works that produce good fruit by what we do. Here are 5 ways to do this:

1. Listen to God's word
2. Study God's word
3. Make it a habit to hear and study God's word
4. Memorize God's word by meditating on it
5. Do it!

Be Blessed!
​~Nina

Declaration: Lord, help me to be a hearer and a doer of your word.

Today's encouragement is inspired by the May 6, 2020 Bible Study lesson of Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church (Atlanta, GA) entitled, "Anchored By the Almighty".