Geoffrey Trapani - July 29, 2007
how to be blessed by the bible
Developing a Faith That Works
James 1:19-27
"The man who looks intently into the Perfect Law that gives freedom and continues to
do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it — he will be blessed in what he
does." (vs. 25)
The Lord wants us to walk in his blessing. How do we walk in God's fullness?
I. I MUST _Receive_____ GOD'S WORD. (vs. 19-21) - if I am to be blessed by it.
"... accept the Word planted in you..." (vs. 21) - accept- the word in Greek means welcome.
We need to welcome God's word. It is a seed planted in you. Two seeds of the same kind can
be planted and bring for a different harvest. It matters what kind of soil. We need to prepare
our hearts (the soil) for receiving His word (the seed).
Matt. 13:1-9, 18-23, 1 Peter 1:23
ATTITUDES FOR "GOOD RECEPTION" aka 4 Hearing Aids
* _Be Careful_____________ (vs. 19a) - Be good listeners
"Be quick to listen, slow to speak..."
While we're talking, we're not listening. We can only think about one thing at a time.
* _Be Calm_______________ (vs. 19b)
"... and slow to become angry ... " (Ever try to talk to someone who is mad or anxious? They
can't hear you over all the noise in their own mind.)
Our lives are chaos during the week before we come to church. They're constantly on the go,
go, go. If you're constantly racing, how can you take the time to actually hear what God is
trying to say to you? We need to practice calmness and relax. What preparation do you take
to receive the word of God? Come expecting God!
* _Be Clean_______________ (vs. 21a)
"Get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent..."
Sin in our lives stands in the way of receiving God's word. If we confess our sins,He is faithful
to forgive.
* _Be Compliant______________ (vs. 2 Ib) - humble, willing to be changed
"humbly accept the Word planted in you..."
The best thing to realize is we don't know it all. The more you know, the more you realize you
don't know. The more you read the word of God the more you realize what you haven't seen
before.
II. I MUST __Reflect_________ ON GOD'S WORD (vs. 22-25)
Illustration: God's Word is like a mirror.
2 Cor. 3:18, 2 Tim. 2:7 (click on scriptures to see them online) Have you ever seen yourself
in the Bible? If it is a mirror for us, then we need to learn to let it reveal ourselves to us. We
glance at the word but we don't REFLECT on ourselves in the word and relate to how God sees
us.
1.__Reading___________ We can either glance at the mirror or gaze into it. (see
SPACEPETS) So many people grow up in church but don't walk with an understanding.
"... the man who looks intently into the per feet law... "
We can always make ourselves feel better or worse by looking at other people. We need to
look at ourselves.
2.__Review______________ We need to meditate on his word. We can't put our mind in
neutral. We need to think on his word again and again. Sometimes we try to "eat" too much
rather than enjoy what we have. We need to take his word a little at a time, a verse at a time.
We need to commit it to our hearts.
"... and continues to do so ..."
John 8:31-3, Ps. 119:97, Joshua 1:8
3.__Remembering_________ Nothing will do more for your life than memorizing scripture
for meditation.
"... not forgetting what he has heard..."
John 15:7, Heb. 2:1, Ps. 119:11, 2 Cor. 3:3 (write it on the fleshy tables of your heart)
III. I MUST ___Respond_______________ TO GOD'S WORD (vs. 22-27)
Live it, practice it. We hear God's word and that's all we do. God wants to speak to you
directly. He a has a word for each of us. Illustration: It would be like receiving a book on
body-building from a friend and they see you 6 months later and you're still the same
scrawny person. They ask how you liked it. And you're excited about it and can quote things
from it and have read it many times. But you still look the same. Just because you read it
doesn't mean you applied it. Every time you hear a sermon, you need to walk away with at
least one To Do.
"Do not merely listen to the Word, and so deceive yourselves. DO WHAT IT SAYS!" (vs. 22)
"The man who put the Law into practice wins true happiness." (vs. 25 PH)
Matt. 7:24-27, John 13:17
3 Examples (vs.26-27)
James 1:19-27
"The man who looks intently into the Perfect Law that gives freedom and continues to
do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it — he will be blessed in what he
does." (vs. 25)
The Lord wants us to walk in his blessing. How do we walk in God's fullness?
I. I MUST _Receive_____ GOD'S WORD. (vs. 19-21) - if I am to be blessed by it.
"... accept the Word planted in you..." (vs. 21) - accept- the word in Greek means welcome.
We need to welcome God's word. It is a seed planted in you. Two seeds of the same kind can
be planted and bring for a different harvest. It matters what kind of soil. We need to prepare
our hearts (the soil) for receiving His word (the seed).
Matt. 13:1-9, 18-23, 1 Peter 1:23
ATTITUDES FOR "GOOD RECEPTION" aka 4 Hearing Aids
* _Be Careful_____________ (vs. 19a) - Be good listeners
"Be quick to listen, slow to speak..."
While we're talking, we're not listening. We can only think about one thing at a time.
* _Be Calm_______________ (vs. 19b)
"... and slow to become angry ... " (Ever try to talk to someone who is mad or anxious? They
can't hear you over all the noise in their own mind.)
Our lives are chaos during the week before we come to church. They're constantly on the go,
go, go. If you're constantly racing, how can you take the time to actually hear what God is
trying to say to you? We need to practice calmness and relax. What preparation do you take
to receive the word of God? Come expecting God!
* _Be Clean_______________ (vs. 21a)
"Get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent..."
Sin in our lives stands in the way of receiving God's word. If we confess our sins,He is faithful
to forgive.
* _Be Compliant______________ (vs. 2 Ib) - humble, willing to be changed
"humbly accept the Word planted in you..."
The best thing to realize is we don't know it all. The more you know, the more you realize you
don't know. The more you read the word of God the more you realize what you haven't seen
before.
II. I MUST __Reflect_________ ON GOD'S WORD (vs. 22-25)
Illustration: God's Word is like a mirror.
2 Cor. 3:18, 2 Tim. 2:7 (click on scriptures to see them online) Have you ever seen yourself
in the Bible? If it is a mirror for us, then we need to learn to let it reveal ourselves to us. We
glance at the word but we don't REFLECT on ourselves in the word and relate to how God sees
us.
1.__Reading___________ We can either glance at the mirror or gaze into it. (see
SPACEPETS) So many people grow up in church but don't walk with an understanding.
"... the man who looks intently into the per feet law... "
We can always make ourselves feel better or worse by looking at other people. We need to
look at ourselves.
2.__Review______________ We need to meditate on his word. We can't put our mind in
neutral. We need to think on his word again and again. Sometimes we try to "eat" too much
rather than enjoy what we have. We need to take his word a little at a time, a verse at a time.
We need to commit it to our hearts.
"... and continues to do so ..."
John 8:31-3, Ps. 119:97, Joshua 1:8
3.__Remembering_________ Nothing will do more for your life than memorizing scripture
for meditation.
"... not forgetting what he has heard..."
John 15:7, Heb. 2:1, Ps. 119:11, 2 Cor. 3:3 (write it on the fleshy tables of your heart)
III. I MUST ___Respond_______________ TO GOD'S WORD (vs. 22-27)
Live it, practice it. We hear God's word and that's all we do. God wants to speak to you
directly. He a has a word for each of us. Illustration: It would be like receiving a book on
body-building from a friend and they see you 6 months later and you're still the same
scrawny person. They ask how you liked it. And you're excited about it and can quote things
from it and have read it many times. But you still look the same. Just because you read it
doesn't mean you applied it. Every time you hear a sermon, you need to walk away with at
least one To Do.
"Do not merely listen to the Word, and so deceive yourselves. DO WHAT IT SAYS!" (vs. 22)
"The man who put the Law into practice wins true happiness." (vs. 25 PH)
Matt. 7:24-27, John 13:17
3 Examples (vs.26-27)
19My dear brothers, take note
of this: Everyone should be
quick to listen, slow to speak
and slow to become angry,
20for man's anger does not
bring about the righteous life
that God desires. 21Therefore,
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.
22Do not merely listen to the
word, and so deceive
yourselves. Do what it says.
23Anyone who listens to the
word but does not do what it
says is like a man who looks at
his face in a mirror 24and, after
looking at himself, goes away
and immediately forgets what
he looks like. 25But the man
who looks intently into the
perfect law that gives freedom,
and continues to do this, not
forgetting what he has heard,
but doing it—he will be blessed
in what he does.
26If anyone considers himself
religious and yet does not keep
a tight rein on his tongue, he
deceives himself and his religion
is worthless. 27Religion 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(NIV)
of this: Everyone should be
quick to listen, slow to speak
and slow to become angry,
20for man's anger does not
bring about the righteous life
that God desires. 21Therefore,
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.
22Do not merely listen to the
word, and so deceive
yourselves. Do what it says.
23Anyone who listens to the
word but does not do what it
says is like a man who looks at
his face in a mirror 24and, after
looking at himself, goes away
and immediately forgets what
he looks like. 25But the man
who looks intently into the
perfect law that gives freedom,
and continues to do this, not
forgetting what he has heard,
but doing it—he will be blessed
in what he does.
26If anyone considers himself
religious and yet does not keep
a tight rein on his tongue, he
deceives himself and his religion
is worthless. 27Religion 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(NIV)
Ask yourself these questions when reading the
word of God:
S.P.A.C.E.P.E.T.S. Questions
Is there a SIN to confess?
Is there a PROMISE to claim?
Is there an ATTITUDE to change?
Is there a COMMAND to obey?
Is there an EXAMPLE to follow?
Is there a PRAYER to pray?
Is there an ERROR to avoid?
Is there a TRUTH to believe?
Is there SOMETHING to thank God for?
word of God:
S.P.A.C.E.P.E.T.S. Questions
Is there a SIN to confess?
Is there a PROMISE to claim?
Is there an ATTITUDE to change?
Is there a COMMAND to obey?
Is there an EXAMPLE to follow?
Is there a PRAYER to pray?
Is there an ERROR to avoid?
Is there a TRUTH to believe?
Is there SOMETHING to thank God for?
It's not a contest about how much we
consume. We want everything NOW!!! But
God wants us to slow down, reflect and
meditate on what he's try to say. We need
to receive God's word day by day. If this is
truly God's word, has it stood the test of
time? We need to listen and learn to say,
Lord I need a fresh view of your word. We
need to never look at it as common.
God breathes in his word. It's a living
book and a living word from him.
Dwell on it. Savor it.
consume. We want everything NOW!!! But
God wants us to slow down, reflect and
meditate on what he's try to say. We need
to receive God's word day by day. If this is
truly God's word, has it stood the test of
time? We need to listen and learn to say,
Lord I need a fresh view of your word. We
need to never look at it as common.
God breathes in his word. It's a living
book and a living word from him.
Dwell on it. Savor it.
Most of us are too afraid to get
close to God because we're afraid
of what he might do in our lives
or ask us to do. One main reason
is we're too comfortable in our
lives to want to "mess it up" by
stepping out in faith and changing
it. We have a good thing going;
job, family, house, watching a
game on the weekend. What
would God ask of you if you just
learn to see yourself in his word?
What would he ask you to change?
Sometimes, we don't grow in our
Christian lives, we just repeat.
We haven't expanded our
ministry. We just recycle it.
To whom much is given, much is
required. Luke 12:48
People are more likely to watch
your walk than pick up the Bible
on their own. How are you living?
Do you know HIS word, and have
you applied it to your life? How
consumed are you by everyday
life? How much space do you
leave in your heart and mind for
God's word?
close to God because we're afraid
of what he might do in our lives
or ask us to do. One main reason
is we're too comfortable in our
lives to want to "mess it up" by
stepping out in faith and changing
it. We have a good thing going;
job, family, house, watching a
game on the weekend. What
would God ask of you if you just
learn to see yourself in his word?
What would he ask you to change?
Sometimes, we don't grow in our
Christian lives, we just repeat.
We haven't expanded our
ministry. We just recycle it.
To whom much is given, much is
required. Luke 12:48
People are more likely to watch
your walk than pick up the Bible
on their own. How are you living?
Do you know HIS word, and have
you applied it to your life? How
consumed are you by everyday
life? How much space do you
leave in your heart and mind for
God's word?
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