Stop Deceiving Yourself in 2024

 

Michael Edwards

"My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: 

Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. 

Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.

22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 

But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." 

James 1:19-27 ESV

James lists several things God states we should do, for our own good. 

In verse 22, he makes his main point. 

If we are just reading the Word but not doing what it says, we are deceiving ourselves. 

We are not going to truly benefit from the Word if we do not do the Word. 

In many places, Paul tells us to put God’s teaching into practice for our own benefit and other writers emphasize this too.

Instead of focusing on how much or how little of the Word we read this New Year, we could commit to putting it into practice one point at a time until it becomes second nature. 

One of these might be a great start:

…have faith and do not doubt… Matt 21:21 ESV

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Isa 26:3 ESV, (see Phil 4:8 too)

…walk by faith, not by sight. 2 Cor 5:7 ESV

May this New Year be our blessed year of total transformation as we do God’s Word.

Contact Michael