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James 1:22 - Living the Word.

James 1:22 (NIV): Do not merely listen to 
the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it 
says. 

COMMENTARY PEARL

   Lets imagine together that you want to 
get serious about your physical health. You buy 
a book about exercise and tell a friend about 
it. Its going to change my life, you 
say. 
   Then six months later you see your friend 
again, and youre still in the same shape. 
Its the greatest book Ive ever read, you 
say. I underlined parts of it, memorized whole 
sections, and even started a study group about it. 
   But you never practiced what the book 
taught, so it didnt change you. 
   Do you find yourself doing the same thing 
with Gods Word? You may mark your Bible, but 
do you let your Bible mark you? 
   The book of James says, Do not merely 
listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do 
what it says (James 1:22 NIV). 
   To receive the blessings of the Bible, 
you have to respond to it and let it change 
you. 
   If you havent practiced intentionally 
responding to Gods Word, it might be hard to know 
where to start. Here are some questions you can 
ask yourself as you read a passage of 
Scripture: 
   	Does this show me a sin I need to 
confess or an attitude I need to change? 
   	Does God give me a command to obey or 
an example to follow? 
   	Is there a prayer in this passage of 
Scripture that I can pray for myself or for other 
people? 
   Start with these questions. As you put 
them into practice, youll soon find that 
youre not the same person. 
   Theres a translation of the Bible 
called The Living Bible. Thats what each of us 
should be - a living Bible. The best translation of 
Scripture is when you translate it into your life and 
let it change you. [Daily Devotional by Rick 
Warren: https://pastorrick.com/devotional/] 

COMMENTARY

   Just as a mirror reflects what you look 
like on the outside, Gods Word reflects what 
youre like on the inside. 
   Have you ever seen yourself in the Bible? 
Hebrews 4:12 says that Gods Word discerns your 
hearts thoughts and intents. Thats a reason many 
people dont read the Bible. Theyre afraid to 
look into the mirror of Gods Word and see 
themselves as they really are. 
   If youre ready to use Gods Word as 
a mirror into your own soul, the book of James 
gives you three practical ways to do this. 
   First, read it. But dont just read it 
casually. Read it carefully, like the person in James 
1:25 who looks intently into the perfect 
law (CSB). We all have just glanced into a 
mirror, walked quickly away, and forgotten all the 
details of what wed seen. But God wants us to 
spend time gazing into the mirror of his Word. 
   Next, review it. That same verse in James 
talks about the person who doesnt just look 
once into Gods Word but continues to do 
so (James 1:25 EHV). This person comes to 
Gods Word over and over. Jesus told his 
followers: If you continue in my word, you are truly 
my disciples (John 8:31 NRSV). And Psalm 
119:97 says, How I love your teachings! I think 
about them all day long (NCV). 
   Finally, remember the Bible. James 1:25 
talks about people who, after reading Gods 
Word, remember what they have heard. Nothing will 
do more for your spiritual life than developing 
the habit of memorizing Scripture. Psalm 119:11 
says, Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I 
might not sin against thee (KJV). 
   Another way to remember Gods Word is 
by writing down what God teaches you. Hebrews 
2:1 says, Therefore we ought to give the more 
earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest 
at any time we should let them slip (KJV). 
Next time God teaches you something during a 
sermon or a devotional time, write it down. Give it 
earnest heed so that it doesnt slip away. 
   Remember that person who gazes in the 
mirror and then uses it to change himself? You can 
be that person when you reflect on Gods Word 
by reading, reviewing, and remembering it. 
[Daily Devotional by Rick Warren: 
https://pastorrick.com/devotional/] 

   If you want to genuinely grow in 
spiritual maturity, it is not enough to simply be 
instructed by the Word of God. You may love going to 
church or listening to Christian radio programs. 
You might talk about everything you hear and 
assume you're growing because your knowledge is 
increasing. However, if you don't actually grow closer 
to God by allowing His Word to change you from 
the inside out, your head will merely continue 
to fill with information. You might even sound 
like a godly person who is admired for the 
ability to quote chapter and verse. But if you don't 
take the next step and allow God to touch others' 
lives through you, you're missing the point. 
   Spiritual growth is the result of 
practicing the truth you receive from God. He wants you 
to give away what He gives you--that is, by 
loving and serving others and sharing the truth of 
the gospel. Our example is Jesus, who said that 
He did not come to be served, but to serve even 
the lowest outcasts in His society (Matt. 
20:28). He could have exalted Himself and spent all 
His time preaching and teaching. Instead, Jesus 
did only the Father's will, which was to reveal 
His heart of love to a broken world. The Lord 
sacrificially involved Himself in people's lives, and He 
calls us to follow in His footsteps. 
   God's plan is to reach the world through 
you. If that weren't the case, He would have 
taken you to heaven as soon as you were saved. But 
you are here for a purpose - to live out 
Christ's life alongside hurting people who 
desperately need to experience His love. [In Touch Daily 
Devotional by Charles Stanley at www.intouch.org] 

   Have you ever had one of those days when 
it seemed as though everyone was smiling, maybe 
even laughing, at you? Then you saw yourself in 
the mirror and discovered why. You had something 
stuck in your teeth. No wonder they were smiling. 
   The mirror just told you the truth about 
yourself, and you saw what everyone else was seeing. 
Then you had a choice: ignore the problem and 
leave it there, or clean yourself up. 
   The Bible is a lot like a mirror; it 
tells us the truth about ourselves. James wrote, 
But dont just listen to Gods word. You 
must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only 
fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word 
and dont obey, it is like glancing at your 
face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, 
and forget what you look like (James 
1:22"24 NLT). 
   It is not simply a matter of hearing 
Gods Word; it is doing what it says. The Bible 
must be our model for how we think and live. 
Problems will happen, family conflicts will happen, 
temptations will happen, sickness will happen, or 
something else may come our way. We cant control 
that. But if we are in Gods Word and walking 
closely with Him and in fellowship with His people, 
then we will have the resources we need to face 
those challenges as they come. And challenges will 
come our way Just do your part, and then watch 
how the Lord will bless you. [Greg Laurie from 
Harvest Ministries; https://www.harvestdaily.com] 

CLOSING THOUGHT

   It's been pointed out that just as 
sitting in a garage doesn't make you a car, sitting 
in church doesn't make you a Christian. In the 
same vein, listening to solidly biblical sermons 
doesn't make you a follower of Jesus. Neither does 
reading God's Word religiously. After all, as James 
pointed out, knowledge without action is useless. 
Knowing who God is and how much He loves you without 
loving Him and obeying Him in return is empty. 
Knowing what God demands and desires from His people 
but not doing any of those things is 
meaningless. Knowing calls for a practical response. The 
person who truly believes God's Word is not the one 
who studies it the longest or who argues most 
eloquently on its behalf. The person who truly believes 
God's Word is the one who incorporates it into his 
or her life. 
   We are to do what God's Word tells us to 
do, and we are to shun all that His Word 
designates as sin. That is how we express our faith. We 
deceive ourselves when we merely nod along in 
agreement with God's truth but do nothing in response. 
[Being Still With God Every Day by Henry Blackaby] 

LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS PASSAGE

James 1:22 - Living the Word! " updated: 
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2005/20050706-1035.html 

YOUR COMMENTS

If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or 
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either 
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in 
hearing from you.  Thanks in advance and let's keep 
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred 
Gibbs  

LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT

Most Important Decision in Life: 
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0 

A Man without Equal by Bill Bright: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiVa7UoruIo 

Seeking God Made Real: 
http://vimeo.com/31489782 

Prayer Made Real: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8VdMV26VE 

Importance of Choice: 
http://creationhealth.com/CREATION-Health/Choice [click on video]  

Medical Seminar on Healthful Living by David 
DeRose, MD, MPH: 
https://www.smartlifestyletv.com/lifestart 

LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES 

Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies: 
http://www.liftingupjesus.net/ 

Amazing Facts Bible Studies: 
http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx  

Glow Tract Video Bible Studies: 
http://www.bibleresearch.info/ 

LINKS FOR BIBLE PROPHECY SEMINARS

The Last Day of Prophecy by Pastor Doug 
Batchelor: 
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmGvdtMCf1aJTiC59-lPtuUMEq_uEn0BK 

Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet: 
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657  

Hope Awakens by John Bradshaw of IIW (Live 
Series): 
https://www.discoverhopeawakens.com/webinar-registration-21585698406854