Devotional Reading; James 1: 16-27

Text: Be doers of the word not just hearers of the word who deceive themselves (v. 22)

The Letter of James is Christianity 101. It is how to put “following Jesus” into practical everyday use.

Many of us read the bible, take time for daily devotions and go to church. We often select “our” church based on the message, sermon or homily. Sometimes there are other reasons such as family, tradition and the like.

Many of us have what I call “a sponge” Christianity. We soak up all that we can about Jesus and faithfully attend classes and worship but we never do anything with what we learned. We never put it to practical use. We are like “sponges” that soak up water but never get squeezed out. We never clean anything up. We just set ourselves aside and let the water in us evaporate before going back for another “soaking.”

James says that that is not following Jesus. We have to do what Jesus told us to do. We have to do our part in cleaning up the messes around us in the word. Our faith has to come alive through the things that we do. Only then is God glorified.

Lord God, make me a doer of the word, an active follower of Jesus going where I sense He wants me to go, doing what I sense He wants me to do. Let me “test” the spirits that move in my life through the reading of scripture, the tradition of the saints and the fellowship of fellow followers of Jesus. Aemn.