By David Brenneman
Revelation 22:12 NASB "“Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to reward each one as his work deserves."
James 1:22-25 NASB "But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not just hearers who deceive themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who has looked intently at the perfect law, the law of freedom, and has continued in it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an active doer, this person will be blessed in what he does."
John 15:7-11 NASB "If you remain in Me, and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. Just as the Father has loved Me, I also have loved you; remain in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love. These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full."
Matthew 25:14-29 Parable of the Talents
Acts 17:11 NASB "The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. Now these people were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so."
Luke 9:23 NASB "And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me."
2 Timothy 2:3-5 NASB "Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him. And if someone likewise competes as an athlete, he is not crowned as victor unless he competes according to the rules."
My Dear Reader, God began picking these various Scriptures last night as I was going to bed. Today I looked them all up and put most here for you to read and examine.
I was finishing my reading through the Bible in a year today and that opening reference to Revelation 22 stood out, this went right into the message for today.
We head to James where we read about the responsibility of a Believer in being a Doer of the Word. We read of passages from Jesus, Timothy and others.
What are you doing in your life towards obedience?
Do you only go to Church to listen and not do anything?
Do you do nothing with God throughout the week?
Are you deluding yourself in regards to salvation?
The Lord Jesus had some pretty harsh words for the people in Malachi. It was in regards to tithes and offerings but it showed that He knew their hearts. He knew their hearts were not in serving God.
Jesus was a Master teaching His Disciples. The Disciples were instructed to go make more Disciples in the Great Commission. We can read one or all the 4 Gospels to know what a life that follows Christ is about.
You aren't living for yourself. You live to do the will of your Master, Jesus Christ.
You aren't doing your own thing, you are doing that which you are taught.
You aren't wasting time, energy and money on things that do not align with your Master's wishes.
You aren't neglecting time with your Master.
You seek to obey in all you do.
You listen when He speaks and as Jesus said, His sheep know His voice.
A doer of the Word lives out their sanctification and salvation. Each day working out their salvation. Each day seeking to show a lost world the Light of Christ. Not just a few hours on a Sunday.
We ought to be living lives that so reflect the Son of God so much that people are interested in knowing more.
We see easily in Jesus’s question to Peter and what immediately followed that Peter confessed that Jesus was indeed the Christ. Then put his foot in his mouth a few seconds later to be rebuked. We must be alert as the Scriptures tell us to be. We cannot leave room for an attack by Satan.
Reality is this: for Believers Satan must get permission to do things to us. He needs no permission for the unbelieving.
We are told to expect life to be difficult as a Believer because once we come to Jesus we are no longer of this world. We are marked as targets by Satan and his minions. We will have difficulties but Jesus said to take heart He has overcome the world.
You who have come to Christ have a job to do in Christ. Are you doing it?
You are to be a reflector of the light of Christ Jesus. You are to be a Disciple. You are not to be seeking your own personal desires but rather desire to please the one who saved you.
It's really sad that I see Christian people who are so immersed into this world yet they show little signs of being Christ to the lost in this world. You look at their clothes and can see idolatry. You enter their homes and find idolatry, self-centered living. Of course they would disagree with that, but compare the reality of their lives with the work of being a Disciple and they lose the argument.
You who are in this world as a Believer are supposed to be a 24/7 Disciple.
In my recent months of separation from my possessions I came to a rude awareness of the realization that my life wasn't as God-centered as I thought. With my possessions in boxes just where was my thoughts during that time? What was I drawn to?
It's not a practical challenge but it is a challenge nonetheless. Separate yourself from what you gravitate to rather than God. Putting everything in boxes it the long way to this, maybe just storing it somewhere for a time will reveal your hearts desires.
My stuff is still in boxes. My MacCave is going to be a study first. It's going to be a prayer room. It's going to be far more God-centered than it has been in the past.
There is no living life close to obedience yet not obeying. There is no getting warmed by being with Believers and yet doing nothing.
You cannot live two lives. You see that the 12 gave up everything personal to learn to live as Jesus taught. Everything. They knew that Jesus had the words of Life.
You see them in the 4 Gospels taking up their own cross.
You see them learning to be like Christ.
You can see them learning to be a Doer of the Word.
You can see...but do you?
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