Our reading for today is the book of James. A very practical book, with a lot of specific instruction for followers of Christ. We are challenged by Dr. Horn to determine:

“This is the Word of God, I do not understand all it says to do, but as God gives me understanding, I will obey, because this is God’s Word.” (27).

Horn challenges us to:

• Receive the Word: In order to receive the Word we have to read it consistently and we ought to read it with an eagerness to hear from God.

• Respond to the Word:  The Word of God is not like any other book. It is not just a bunch of history and stories; it is instructive for us in how we live our lives in obedience to the Lord. When the Bible gives us instruction we need to obey quickly and completely.

• Recognize the Benefits of Obeying the Word of God: We should obey God’s instruction because He is God, but we should be reminded obedience to God is ALWAYS the best path for our lives.

May we all be hearers of the Word, but also respond to and obey the Word.

James 1:19–25 ¹⁹ Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; ²⁰ for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. ²¹ Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. ²² But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. ²³ For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. ²⁴ For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. ²⁵ But 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.