James
1:21-25 says: “So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly
accept the message God has planted in your hearts, for it is strong enough to
save your souls. And remember, it is a message to obey, not just to listen to. If you don’t obey, you are only fooling
yourself. For if you just listen and
don’t obey, it is like looking at your face in a mirror but doing nothing to
improve your appearance. You see
yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you keep looking
steadily into God’s perfect law-the law that sets you free-and if you do what
it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.”
NLT
While reading the book
of James and discussing this passage of scripture during our house church one
evening, I found myself reflecting on the garden I used to plant years
ago. I remember the process that
happened when we tilled the soil, prepared the ground (hoeing and raking,
removing the rocks and weeds) and made the rows for the seeds. I remember also the waiting and watering that
took place so that the precious seeds would germinate and grow. When they first peeked from the ground the
whole family got excited! Soon we would have beans, corn, onions, squash and
tomatoes and our table would be filled with bounty. But it is a process of preparation and
growth. The seeds had to be planted
before the growth process could happen.
So it is with the Word of God, the message of the Gospel of Jesus, the
TRUTH. In verse 21 we are told that we
must get rid of all the filth and evil in our lives (rocks, weeds, grass, etc)
and humbly accept (receive) the message God has planted (the seeds planted) in
our hearts. That message is strong
enough to save our souls. It has grieved
my heart for years to see people sitting in a service listening to the pastor
feed the Word of God to them, seek to plant the Word in their life and hearts
and then to watch them walk out the door and not do anything with it. It truly was not planted for what is planted
will grow and mature as it is nurtured, watered, fed the nutrients of a life
lived for Christ, obeying His Word, studying His Word and acting out His Word
through works of love and compassion. I
lived this way for years so I know how it feels to hear the Word but not do the
Word. What is faithful about that? Our God is faithful! He does what He says He
will do in our lives if we will seek Him with our whole heart. If the Word is planted deep within our heart,
it will come forth in our words and actions.
Do we live like believers in Jesus or do we live like the world? Charley has told people for years, look at
the Fruit of the Spirit and the Acts of the Flesh listed in Galatians 5. Your life will line up with one of
these. Where are you today in your
relationship with the Lord? Jesus is
coming soon to get His Bride, the Church.
Will you be with Him in Glory or will you be left behind? Seek the Implanted Word in your heart and
walk out each day with Jesus. If you are
going to talk the talk you must walk the walk. 1 John 2:6 says: “He who says he
abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.” NKJ Walk, live,
conduct yourselves daily, as Jesus walked.
