In our comments last time we talked about two of three ways in which the child of God can get the most out of the teaching and preaching of the word of God. 1. Hearing the Word. 2. Receiving the Word. This time we shall have a few things to say about “Practicing the Word.” I thought that Pastor James Paxton’s article last week, titled “By Whose Standards” was excellent and very thought provoking. May each child of God realize that it is His standard and not our own by which we will be judged at the Judgment Seat of Christ.
What does the Bible say about our responsibility to do what the word of God says? James 1:22 “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” As we mentioned last time, separate and apart from the word, there can be no spiritual blessings of any kind. If we hear the word, and receive the word, it would be a contradiction if we did not do what the word teaches as well. You may be able to hear it without doing it, but you cannot truly receive it without doing it: for to receive the word means to embrace it. Oh that God’s people would willingly and joyously practice the word; then pastors could preach on pleasant topics all the time.
How about you? Are you a doer of the word or just a hearer? Are you a burden or a blessing to your church? If every church member who heard the word of God would embrace it and endeavor to practice it, our lives would be over flowing with blessings and much greater work could be done. I encourage you to be the kind of Christian who is willing, ready and able to practice what the blessed word of God teaches. If we have the right Christian attitude and the proper motive in our Christian service, the worship of God and the service of God would be a joy and not a burden. That is exactly what the Lord Jesus meant when he spoke in Matthew 11:28-30 “Come unto me, all [ye] that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
In conclusion allow me to summarize the lesson we should learn: the word of God is the source of our spiritual prosperity and nourishes our souls. It is our spiritual food. It does all the things that beans and potatoes and milk and meat and bread do for our physical body. Each time we open the Bible or listen to the preaching of it we should want to get the most out of it by, HEARING THE WORD OF GOD, RECEIVING THE WORD OF GOD and PRACTICING THE WORD OF GOD. James 1:25 “But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth [therein], he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.” Do you want to be a happy Christian? I mean really happy? Look into God’s wonderful word and let Him speak to your heart; “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord” (Colossians 3:16).
It is true that many people cannot find peace and joy in their service and worship because they do not know the One whom they read and hear about. Have you been born again? Please understand that the only way that you can please God in anything or have any joy in service and worship is to know the blessed Lord as personal Savior. Only through the precious word of God by the effectual working of the Holy Spirit can you have abundant peace in what the word of God says. Receive the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior and let the word of God work through you. johnpruitt@frontiernet.net
