Doers of His Word
by Adam Howard
Content Coordinator, CBN Europe
Featured Articles
Theory alone cannot change the world. It is the experience of that theory in action that shapes how we see what is around us. We understand the theory of gravity, but it is our experience of the force in our reality that takes it from the pages of a textbook and into our everyday existence.
These three remain; faith, hope and love. But what can we do to ensure that these three things move beyond the pages and become tangible forces in our world?
I believe the key lies in one simple shift; a transition of these words from adjectives to verbs. In other words, we need to be doers of His word and not just hearers. James 1:22-25 (TPT) puts it like this:
“Don’t just listen to the Word of Truth and not respond to it, for that is the essence of self-deception. So always let his Word become like poetry written and fulfilled by your life! If you listen to the Word and don’t live out the message you hear, you become like the person who looks in the mirror of the Word to discover the reflection of his face in the beginning. You perceive how God sees you in the mirror of the Word, but then you go out and forget your divine origin. But those who set their gaze deeply into the perfecting law of liberty are fascinated by and respond to the truth they hear and are strengthened by it—they experience God’s blessing in all that they do!”
James continues in the next chapter by saying that “faith without works is dead”. Now that doesn’t mean that you have to do more in order to receive some sort of reward. Rather, that a life of faith without an outworking of it through action lacks life.
I remember when I first started dating my wife that I couldn’t wait to tell everyone that we were together. How much more then, as believers and receivers of Christ in us, do we expect there to be an overflow that affects and effects our actions? Our relationship with Jesus should cause a chain reaction that shifts us from hearing to doing.
Our relationship with Jesus should cause a chain reaction that shifts us from hearing to doing
How do we do it?
Let me encourage you. It doesn’t have to be complicated and it isn’t about being busier doing stuff. It is about being responsive to His voice. Act justly, love mercy and walk humbly. What does that look like? Well, here’s the plan…
“…to break the chains of injustice, get rid of exploitation in the workplace, free the oppressed, cancel debts. What I’m interested in seeing you do is: sharing your food with the hungry, inviting the homeless poor into your homes, putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad, being available to your own families.”
and the promise that goes with it:
“Do this and the lights will turn on, and your lives will turn around at once. Your righteousness will pave your way. The God of glory will secure your passage. Then when you pray, God will answer. You’ll call out for help and I’ll say, ‘Here I am.’…. You’ll use the old rubble of past lives to build anew, rebuild the foundations from out of your past. You’ll be known as those who can fix anything, restore old ruins, rebuild and renovate, make the community liveable again.” – Isaiah 58:6-9, 12 (MSG)
If you would like someone to pray with you, call our Prayer Center Team on 0300 561 0700 or submit a prayer request here
