Don’t Just Hear, Act on the Law of the LORD

It is easy to sit in church and hear a sermon and think that it is great and it all makes sense. We get instruction and can see the benefit of it as we leave after service. Yet, that is where it all ends a lot of the time. We hear it and then tuck it away.

“²³For 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. ²⁴For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.” – James 1:23-24 (ESV)

I know that too often we find ourselves receiving something, like instruction, and then walk away putting it aside as not useful, the Law of the LORD is no exception. How is it useful in today’s world as conditions are different? How are we going to implement those things here? Are they really the same today as they were in biblical times?

Doing the work of the LORD is not about our understanding of the impacts, but rather doing the work.

“¹⁸And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’” – Matthew 28:18-20 (ESV)

Jesus did not tell us to hear Him and then think about going and making disciples. He said to “go” which is action and not thought. He did not tell us who would accept His invitation, He said to invite them. He did not say to have intentions on delivering the gospel, He said to deliver it. Our work is to do the work that we are given. We are to take action and not just sit and only profess to know.

“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.” – James 1:25 (ESV)

James gives us the extension of and the results of our acting on the Law of the LORD. We will be blessed in doing so. He does not tell us that we will be receiving riches, or that our lives will be made easier, or that all of a sudden, everything will be in line, he tells us that we will be blessed. Line that up with the second part of Matthew 28:20 above and it aligns that our blessing will be our communion with Jesus always. Now that is a blessing. Don’t just hear the Law, but act it and you will be blessed.

What is your approach to learning you have received? Are you one who hears and tucks it away? What if you were to act on the Law of the LORD and receive His blessings of communion with Him?

Blessed Walking in the Law of the LORD

Again I find benefits to the Law of the LORD. This morning I am in Psalm 119 and I see that I am blessed through the Word of God.

“¹Blessed are those whose way is blameless,

who walk in the law of the LORD!”

— Psalm 119:1 (ESV)

In the above verse I see that I am blessed as I walk in the law of the LORD. Walking the way that is blameless. As the example of Jesus who was himself blameless.

I have to be careful in taking this verse and other too far. See what is written in that the way is blameless, not me. I am to “walk” in the law of the LORD, I am NOT the law of the LORD. It is easy for me to presume that I am somehow above all because I happen to be following the example of Christ. It is easy to act better than I am as I am seen as walking in the law of the LORD. The reality is that no matter what, I am a sinner as is everyone else and am no better than anyone.

I am no better, but I am saved. I have accepted Christ as my savior and I choose to walk in His way. I choose to abide by the law of the LORD. I choose to walk the narrow path. I choose to follow Christ. With my choosing, I have been blessed to know God. I have been blessed to call Him Father. I have been blessed to see the narrow path. I have been blessed to know that my lasting home is in heaven co-heirs with Jesus. I am blessed walking in the Law of the LORD!

Where are you walking? Are you walking your own path and hoping for some elevation to greatness? What if you were to accept Jesus as your savior and walk in the Law of the LORD to realize the blessing that comes with the blameless way?

Blessed are…

This is the opening phrase to the beatitudes that Jesus leads with in His Sermon on the Mount. Each of the blessed are those who are the disadvantaged in some way. The blessed are not those who are perceived as the strong and socially seen as having arrived. The blessed are the poor, the mourning, the meek, the hungry, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and the persecuted for righteousness.

“⁸Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” – Matthew 5:8 (ESV)

In my study of the word “heart” this is the verse that I was led to this morning. He I see the middle of the beatitudes and cast this one over all the others. I am not saying that this is the most important of the beatitudes, I am only saying that when it comes to the LORD, it is about what is in the heart that matters to Him and that is what should be driving the actions of His children. The LORD looks to the heart and, as you can see in the verse above, those “pure in heart…shall see God”. The blessed are those who are in need and who seek God. Whether poor or mourning or hungry or peacemaker, those who are seeking the LORD with their heart are those who are blessed.

Remembering all that glitters is not really gold. What is received in this world may look to be blessings, but we have to remember that the evil one deals in deception and will distort things. And being blessed is not what the world would consider. Look at the blessings bestowed on those who will be blessed, the kingdom of heaven, be comforted, inherit the earth, be satisfied, receive mercy, see God, and be called sons of God. Where the world would likely ask, what good is all that, the children of God see these as ultimate blessings.

For me I look daily at my heart. Where is my heart in relation to where I am and where I am going. I gave an impromptu “speech” at the engagement party of my son recently and where the focus was on their life together that is to come, it was about where we or they are when it comes to the heart that they and everyone else should look to that will mean the most as they travel the path together. I and the rest of society should not be concerned with what they have monetarily that would indicate their blessings, but that which is in there heart for the LORD and each other is what matters.

Blessed are those who have a heart for the LORD.

What is it that you have a heart for? Are you driven by the accumulation of things that you consider blessings? What if you focused on your heart for God and the blessings that come from that focus?

The House of the Righteous is Blessed

This explains to me the reason for the LORD’s sparing of the lives of the family of Noah, and the David’s prosperity throughout his household. The LORD blesses the dwelling of the righteous.

“³³The LORD’s curse is on the house of the wicked,

but he blesses the dwelling of the righteous.”

— Proverbs 3:33 (ESV)

Wherever there is the righteous, his house is blessed. The immediate household is the provision of the LORD. Where there is this thought that provision is the needs being met, I have to remember that needs are not just the physical. There are the emotional, social, spiritual, and others as well. The LORD ensures that all NEEDS are met.

As an adult educator, I understand that these other needs are important, to the point that I mention to all classes that for the participants in class to get anything out of the class, they have to be present in what I call the “allies”. These are, to name a few, physic”ally”, ment”ally”, emotion”ally”, etc. When one is distracted in any one of these areas, they are not able to focus and grow.

This is where and why I see the LORD blessing the full dwelling of the righteous. The LORD creates contentment in all the “allies” to ensure that the righteous are not distracted and are able to focus on the task of growing the kingdom of God here in this world. It is important for me to know that my wife and boys are doing well. When they are not, I am distracted with what I may have done or not done to cause them to be where they are, and yes, I know they are their own person and make their own choices and have to live with the consequences of those choices. I care for them none-the-less and will see things as though I was partially responsible and get distracted on what I should be doing in the name of the LORD.

The LORD provides and blesses to allow for His will to be done fully. In providing and blessing the house of the righteous, He is investing in the success of His plan and allows the righteous to focus on the task and be less concerned with all that goes on around them.

What are you seeing as you look at the house of the righteous? Are you questioning why they seem to have it all? What if you looked at it from the LORD’s calming the “allies” to allow for them to complete His work without distraction?

Fear the LORD and be Fruitful

This morning I was led to a simple but impacting passage in Psalm. I was reminded that I am blessed with fear of the LORD.

“Fear: profound reverence and awe especially toward God” – Merriam-Webster Online

Fear in the case that I am speaking is as defined just above. It is the awe inspiring reverence toward God. In my fear of the LORD, I am fully devoted to Him and all that He is. In return for my reverence and devotion, the LORD blesses me and my house.

“¹Blessed is everyone who fears the LORD,

who walks in his ways!

²You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands;

you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you.

³Your wife will be like a fruitful vine

within your house;

your children will be like olive shoots

around your table.

⁴Behold, thus shall the man be blessed

who fears the LORD.”

— Psalm 128:1-4 (ESV)

I have to look carefully at the words and meaning of them as I study. I want to ensure that I am on the right thought pattern. It is not said that everyone who fears the LORD will be rich or well off or without challenges. It says that they will be blessed. Being fruitful does not necessarily mean massive procreation or other worldly visuals of “success”. Being blessed and fruitful is being content in knowing that the LORD has provided and will continue to do so even when things seem grim.

Fear of the LORD brings blessing and fruitfulness. I have to remember to fear the LORD and that in doing so, I will be blessed and made fruitful.

What are you doing to gain blessings? Are you out there trying to earn it through your works? What if you just turned to God and demonstrated fear for Him and allowed him to provide and in turn you content with God’s provision and that provision turns to blessing and fruitfulness?

Works of the LORD to be Blessed

“²²Bless the LORD, all his works,

in all places of his dominion.

Bless the LORD, O my soul!”

— Psalm 103:22 (ESV)

All the works of the LORD are to be blessed. Not just a few of them that suit us and those that benefit me the individual, all of them. I believe it is too easy and we take pleasure in calling out those works that we identify as “good”. There are many that the LORD does that may be “good” for one and not good for everyone. And the “good” may not be known, as we are not able to see the entirety as God does. I may only be seeing a tragedy, when God is working under blessing. An example may be the one who is suffering through health decline and God calls that person home. We may only the death that occurred and do not know of the suffering that was fully relieved through the blessing of leaving this world and the pain experienced here.

“⁶The LORD works righteousness

and justice for all who are oppressed.”

— Psalm 103:6 (ESV)

The LORD provides for all of His people. All those who are under the pressure of the world. All those who are persecuted. All who fear the LORD. All who recognize Him as LORD. All who are in need of His grace and recognize it as so. I am one of those who need His grace and know that only He can and will provide it. I know that He will deliver me from that which there is no need for me to suffer with any longer. I have only to remember that it is His choice as to what relief is provided and not mine.

All works of the LORD are to be blessed by me. I have to recognize that all that goes in my life are determined by God for His glory and where I may suffer at times, it will never be more than I can bear and when the time is right, He will remove that suffering from me.

What are you experiencing in this world? Are you looking at that suffering as just that, suffering? What if you looked to the suffering as work done for the LORD and took on that they are a blessing and He will relieve you when He determines the time is right?

Give Mercy, Receive Mercy

I am sure that the saying, “it is better to give than receive” is one that most if not all have heard. Christmas is known as the giving season. With that in mind, my study this morning makes wonderful sense to me.

“⁷Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.” — Matthew 5:7 (ESV)

This morning I was brought again to “The Beatitudes” where I have studied a number of times. Specifically I was brought to the above as I am in a study of the word “mercy”. I see that in the verse, Jesus indicates that first we are to give mercy. In a society where blessing are celebrated through social media, Jesus tells me that the first step to receiving blessings is to give blessings to others.

Mercy does not seem much like a blessing to me. So I am to offer up the idea of not persecuting someone for what they have done to me or others? Well it seems as though it is a reward for bad behavior to give them a reprieve from the consequences of their actions. But that is not what Jesus is saying as I think about it. He is saying that I have to show them love and compassion, even in the midst of the bad actions they have embarked on.

“³⁴And Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.’ And they cast lots to divide his garments.” — Luke 23:34 (ESV)

Those that commit the acts are still accountable for their committing them. They are still liable for the consequences of their actions and deeds. My role is not to condemn them as I am not to pass judgment, I am to love them and show them the compassion and mercy that comes only from God. Once I have given mercy, I have completed my role in the ordeal and I will move on to the next as God designs for me.

But, what shall I receive in return? I or someone was wronged and I offered up forgiveness and love and compassion and simply overlooked the action that was committed. Yes, I have, and does not forget me. See that is the purpose of this “Beatitude”, I am blessed by the Father thanks to my obedience and love and compassion and mercy. I have loved and the Father loves me back. I have given and I shall receive.

The LORD does not leave me out there to give and give and give without the benefit of that giving. The thing is, what I receive may not be what I want. I will receive love and compassion in return. I have sinned and will continue to do so. I have been receiving the love and compassion from the LORD for my entire life and this was my chance to give. I will continue receiving from my Savior and I should continue giving as He does.

I am not saying that there is some sort of quid pro quo in the realm of mercy. What I am say is that in following Jesus, I will be blessed for doing as He does and providing mercy to others. I will be blessed with mercy as I provide mercy for others.

What are your thoughts as relate to giving of mercy? Are you willing to give love and compassion to those who have done wrong with no expectation of any thing in return? What if we approached mercy from the perspective of giving, knowing that what we give we will also receive?