PREACH - Be doers of the word and not hearers only

Entrance

Excitement around Christmas - Wednesday

Gifts and great food.

We get excited for things we dont have.

Lets remember the greatest gift we have already received.

The gift we have received is Jesus. Christmas is around something we already have.

Today I want to tell you of another gift God gives.

I remember when I was 12 how excited I was that morning about a remote control helicopter I received. At christmas service I was lookin in the air at the trees wondering how high my helicopter can go. Little did I know the exciting gifts that God has in store for me.

Lets be like children again, excited for gifts.

James 1:17–25 (GNB)

Every good gift and every perfect present comes from heaven; it comes down from God, the Creator of the heavenly lights, who does not change or cause darkness by turning. By his own will he brought us into being through the word of truth, so that we should have first place among all his creatures.

Remember this, my dear brothers and sisters! Everyone must be quick to listen, but slow to speak and slow to become angry. Human anger does not achieve God’s righteous purpose. So get rid of every filthy habit and all wicked conduct. Submit to God and accept the word that he plants in your hearts, which is able to save you.

Do not deceive yourselves by just listening to his word; instead, put it into practice. Whoever listens to the word but does not put it into practice is like a man who looks in a mirror and sees himself as he is. He takes a good look at himself and then goes away and at once forgets what he looks like. But those who look closely into the perfect law that sets people free, who keep on paying attention to it and do not simply listen and then forget it, but put it into practice—they will be blessed by God in what they do.

Hearing the Word of Truth

Rebirth through the gift of the word of truth, to those God chose

God’s will

Rebirth => Child of God

When I was young I had some great encounters with God. Especially when reading the bible God would talk to me.

I remember feeling God, didnt know it was the HS that time, but It was very exciting as a young boy.

I remember going to my parents saying I want to be baptised.

I got baptised when I was 10, despite most people telling me I should wait.

Can you remember your first encounter with God? Can you remember the gift of truth He gave you and how He chose you?

Dont forget what God says

But as time goes on and facing life’s challenges, its easy to forget...

As I grew older, I started to forget God and what He revealed to me when I was younger.

Its so easy to forget our encounters with God.

Its so easy to forget this present of the Word that changes our lives.

Where have you forgotten?

Unfortunately as time went on, I forgot it was God that revealed Himself to me, I started thinking I chose God, that it was something I did.

I eventually thought I had to do everything out of my own strenght in this life. That that is how it works.

Its easy to become religious...

I stopped listening to God.

Anger, Resistance towards the word of God

As I was growing older, I remember when my mother would play her gospel music or talk about God, I would get angry or irritated.

I would care too much about something I wanted, and that thing I desired was above God.

If her music or watching TBN or talking about God intefered with what I wanted or my time, it would make me mad.

There was so much oppertunity and word around me, but I resisted it everywhere.

What I was missing out on...

Where are you missing out on God’s word?

Where are you resisting Him?

I even eventually thought God rejected me, although its me that resisted Him.

There is no darkness in God, God is good. Every perfect present is from God.

When I was 17, things turned for the worst. My wants only brought pain, hurt and eventually almost death.

I was depressed and suicidal…

Nothing gave me purpose, filling, hapiness.

My curcumstances was hectic and full of pain.

The word of truth that brings life came to me. It changed me, healed me, brought me freedom.

Thank God for shaking me, for revealing His love towards me, for showing me the truth, that I need Him, He is the one that needs to be first, He will give me life!

Where I would have been if He didnt bring me this truth through His Spirit?

Humility and Submission to God’s Word

If I was asked, what would I tell my young self knowing what I know today, I would tell him to be humble before God, to submit to hearing God’s word.

Thank God for all these times He kept calling me, exposing me to Him, never stopping, waiting for that day when I would reach rock bottom and actually out of desperation, completely hear and accept what He is saying.

Dont hit rock bottom before you listen to God.

Dont wait for things to go bad before you listen.

Lets put away our pride, our selfish habits, and receive from God, even if its from that one person you dont want to hear it from like it was for me with my mom that time.

Lets be careful of taking offence towards the word of God too quickly… we think its the person telling us… Its the truth we resist.

Be a doer of the Word

Little did I know after I heard God’s Word again and was freed from depression, I would hear His word and command’s to me more often.

But this time it wasnt just okay to just hear what He is saying and get freedom.

This time I really had to make hard choices, will I obey what He says? Will I trust him? Will I keep on submitting to Him?

It started with my first decision to go to church that Sunday.

In church that sunday, God clearly told me to break up a toxic relationship I was in at the time. That relationship was my idol. God showed me I need to put him first.

The Monday I broke up with that girl. I remember crying while doing it, and the other person also crying when hearing it.

It really didnt feel like freedom, healing or joy at that moment. But I quickly saw God carrying me and healing me when I did what He asked.

Be a doer of the Word, not just a hearer. If I didnt do the hard things He put before me, I would have quickly gone back in to slavery and bondage.

Jesus said “For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.”

Where are you hearing God, sunday in and sunday out. Hearing from your husband or wife. Hearing from the Holy Spirit, but not doing what God is asking of you?

Dont be deceived! Hearing God’s Word but not chosing the turth that brings life, but rather your own will which produces death, will not produce freedom in your life.

James uses a nice metaphore of a mirror

James 1:23–24 ASV

For if any one is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a mirror: for he beholdeth himself, and goeth away, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.

What manner of a man or women are you?

Are you God’s child, which listens to when your King speaks, and does what He says?

Now I didnt get it every time after I changed when I was 17. I many many times still failed to do what God says. But this is where He has so much grace. But its up to us to decide if we want to listen, do and then receive blessing and Freedom.

Blessed in your doing

James 1:25 GNB

But those who look closely into the perfect law that sets people free, who keep on paying attention to it and do not simply listen and then forget it, but put it into practice—they will be blessed by God in what they do.

I want to be blessed in what I do!

God’s ways will set you free.

Not my will be done but yours.

My life drastically changed after I was 17. Even as my life became more and more difficult, with my parents divorcing, with me leaving home when I was still in school, I remember how God kept on carrying me through.

I kept on seeking him, hearing His word whenever I could and more importantly, trying to do what He asked.

I remember it produced happiness, I felt completness, even in the midst of the graetest trails I faced in my life.

Today I stand blessed, a completely different person to what I was, I stand with confidence, with healing, with so much more.

I beleive I heard God when He told me which university I should go to.

I believe God gave me my first job when I was 19 while studying, building my reputation.

He blessed me so much with the first job I got after I finished studying. I finished with Magna Cum Laude, and with a dream job that only accepted 5 of the best.

I am not boasting in my achievements, I am boasting in the gift of God, Word of God that brings life.

Conclusion

Lets not be like a child that receives a gift and then forgets about it later in life.

What use has a gift if not used?

Is that gift really important?

Is it something we cherish, or do we just move on to the next best thing we dont have?

What use does the gift of knowledge or truth have without us doing what we heard?

Lets remember the gifts God has given us this Christmas

Lets be grateful and celebrate what God has given us.

Lets start using this gift of the word, with the Holy Spirit to have a different type of christmas, and a different year in 2025

Let the word and doing what the word says, produce the freedom and blessing God has in store for you.

Notes

Entrance

· Christmas – Gifts

Word of truth

· Rebirth through the word

o My first encounters with God

o God chose

o Word of truth

o What a gift!!!

o Can you remember when God revealed truth to you?

· Don’t forget

o I forgot…

o Its easy for us to forget the gift of God

o What have you forgotten?

· Resistance, anger towards the word of God

o I forgot and stopped listening…

o My mother, gospel, TBN, talks about God would anger me

o I resisted, up to where I thought God rejected me

o There is no darkness in God, God is good.

o I was 17..depressed, suicide

o God’s word broke through, he freed me.

· Humility and Submission to God’s Word

o Tell my younger self to submit and stay humble

o Don’t wait to hit rock bottom

o Let’s put down pride, offence, selfish habits – Receive

Be a doer of the Word

· It didn’t stop at me hearing and getting that freedom, I had to do to become more free!

· Hard decisions, breakup, putting God first

· I would have gone back into slavery and bondage If I didn’t do what God said

· Whoever wants to save their life will lose it, whoever loses their life for me will find it

· Where are you hearing God, Sundays, partner, HS, but not doing?

· Don’t be deceived! Hearing but not doing wont bring freedom and life!

· James 1:23-24 – Mirror metaphor

· What manner of a man or women are you?

Blessing in your doing

· James 1:25 – blessing

· Who wants to be blessed in what they do?!

· Not my will but your will be done…

· My life changed after 17, even if my circumstances was difficult

· I heard God – university, magna cum laude, first job 19, dream job 21. Im not boasting of my achievements, but boasting in the gift of God, what will happen when we do what God tells us to do!

Conclusion

· Let’s not forget our gifts from God

· Lets hear the word of God

· Lets use the word of God by doing!

· Allow God’s blessing in your life by doing what God asks.