CRCF\u201d\u201d10-4-09<\/p>\n
Just Do It!
\nJames 1:22-27<\/p>\n
ME<\/p>\n
My Daddy is a former Marine, raised by a career Air Force Colonel. So, growing up, obedience was often communicated and executed in military fashion. Daddy said, \u201cJump!\u201d And on the way up, I would ask, \u201cHow high?\u201d Questions like \u201cWhy?\u201d were not well-received. Even understanding and agreement with the given command was far from sufficient. Many a time, I\u201d\u2122ve heard my Daddy say, \u201cSon, just do it!\u201d<\/p>\n
There\u201d\u2122s a principle here that Daddy and God both highly endorse:<\/p>\n
Doing what you know is more important than just knowing what to do.<\/p>\n
WE<\/p>\n
Do you struggle more with doing what you know, or knowing what to do?<\/p>\n
I dare say that for everyone of us the answer is, doing what you know!<\/p>\n
We really need to get one simply truth this morning:
\nDoing what you know is more important than just knowing what to do, so that you don\u201d\u2122t deceive yourself about what is important to God and miss His blessing.<\/p>\n
Tony Evans: \u201cMany of us are spending so much time being like the Joneses that we don\u201d\u2122t have enough time to be like Christ.\u201d (57)<\/p>\n
Doing what you know is more important than just knowing what to do.<\/p>\n
GOD<\/p>\n
Let me show you where this comes from in God\u201d\u2122s Word.<\/p>\n
James 1:22-27 (NLT)
\n22 But don\u201d\u2122t just listen to God\u201d\u2122s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. 23 For if you listen to the word and don\u201d\u2122t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. 24 You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. 25 But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don\u201d\u2122t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.
\n26 If you claim to be religious but don\u201d\u2122t control your tongue, you are just fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless. 27 Pure and lasting religion in the sight of God our Father means that we must care for orphans and widows in their troubles, and refuse to let the world corrupt us.
\nDoing what you know is more important than just knowing what to do.
\n–Zit Illustration
\nContemporary English Version<\/p>\n
22Obey God’s message! Don’t fool yourselves by just listening to it.<\/p>\n
CEV<\/p>\n
25But you must never stop looking at the perfect law that sets you free. God will bless you in everything you do, if you listen and obey, and don’t just hear and forget.<\/p>\n
English Standard Version<\/p>\n
25But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.<\/p>\n
Henry Blackaby:
\n\u201cWhat you do reveals what you believe about God, regardless of what you say.\u201d<\/p>\n
James learned all of this from Jesus. He Himself understood and showed us what it means to love God:<\/p>\n
John 8:29 (NLT)<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd the one who sent me is with me\u201d\u201dhe has not deserted me. For I always do those things that are pleasing to him.\u201d<\/p>\n
And Jesus also taught His disciples the necessity of obedience:<\/p>\n
Luke 6:46-49 (NLT)<\/p>\n
\u201cSo why do you call me \u201d\u02dcLord\u201d\u2122, when you won\u201d\u2122t obey me? I will show you what it\u201d\u2122s like when someone come to me, listens to my teaching, and then obeys me. It is like a person who builds a house on a strong foundation laid upon the underlying rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against the house, it stands firm because it is well built. But anyone who listens and doesn\u201d\u2122t obey is like a person who builds a house without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against that house, it will crumble into a heap of ruins.\u201d<\/p>\n
John 14:15, 21 (NLT)<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you love me, obey my commandments . . . Those who obey my commandments are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them, and I will love them. And I will reveal myself to each one of them.<\/p>\n
Matthew 21:28-32 (NLT)<\/p>\n
\u201cBut what do you think about this? A man with two sons told the older boy, \u201d\u02dcSon, go out and work in the vineyard today.\u201d\u2122 The son answered, \u201d\u02dcNo, I won\u201d\u2122t go.\u201d\u2122 But later he changed his mind and went anyway. Then the father told the other son, \u201d\u02dcYou go,\u201d\u2122 and he said, \u201d\u02dcYes, sir, I will.\u201d\u2122 But he didn\u201d\u2122t go. Which of the two was obeying his father? They replied, \u201d\u02dcThe first, of course.\u201d\u2122 Then Jesus explained his meaning, \u201d\u02dcI assure you, corrupt tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the Kingdom of God before you do. For John the Baptist came and showed you the way of life, and you didn\u201d\u2122t believe him, while tax collectors and prostitutes did. And even when you saw this happening, you refused to turn from your sins and believe him.\u201d<\/p>\n
Doing what you know is more important than just knowing what to do.<\/p>\n
YOU<\/p>\n
So, how should this change your life, and mine?<\/p>\n
Do what you know God wants you to do, so that you can enjoy real freedom and blessing from God.<\/p>\n
The Kind of Obedience God Wants<\/p>\n
26 If you claim to be religious but don\u201d\u2122t control your tongue (Speech), you are just fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless. 27 Pure and lasting religion in the sight of God our Father means that we must care for orphans and widows (Serving the Needy)in their troubles, and refuse to let the world corrupt us (Purity).<\/p>\n
Do what you know God wants you to do, so that you can enjoy real freedom and blessing from God.<\/p>\n
1 John 2:6 (NLT)<\/p>\n
Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Christ did.<\/p>\n
WE<\/p>\n
I imagine that our lives would radically change if we simply made it our aim to do what we already know that God wants us to do. If we just focused on our speech, serving others and being pure, that would cause real revival and have a major impact on our community!<\/p>\n
–Zit Illustration Revisited<\/p>\n
Doing what you know is more important than just knowing what to do.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
CRCF\u201d\u201d10-4-09 Just Do It! James 1:22-27 ME My Daddy is a former Marine, raised by a career Air Force Colonel. So, growing up, obedience was often communicated and executed in military fashion. Daddy said, \u201cJump!\u201d And on the way up, … Continue reading