James 1:22-27  Our God has given to us His Word.. He has implanted it in us, so that we might be saved. Because of this, we are new creatures.. able to endure.. able to persevere in trials.. able to live according to the Truth, in  the wisdom that He has given to us.  We are truly blessed! We can look forward to the day when we will receive "the crown of life". 

"But prove yourselves doers of the word and not merely hearers who delude themselves." (v2) 

Twice in these few verses James warns us about the problem of "self".  We can delude ourselves.. and we can "deceive [our] own heart". (v26)  To deceive is to mislead or lie about what is true; to misrepresent  the facts by words or actions;  to delude is to fool someone..( in this case ourselves).. so completely that we accept what is false to be true.  Exactly what Satan did in the garden.. and what occurs in mankind.. as Romans 1:25 says,  when ".. they exchanged the truth of God for a lie." 

To hear the Word but not act according to the Word and think that everything is fine with God.. is a delusion.. and we have tricked ourselves into believing what is absolutely false! James equates this with looking in a mirror, then turning away .. and forgetting what we look like.  Its shallow and unfruitful.. it hasn't changed us at all.  It's seed sown in the hard soil that doesn't grow at all, or maybe it has popped up but doesn't have roots, or gets choked out by the weeds. 

When God implants His Word in us, He wants it to make a difference in us.. to bring Life.. to bear fruit. James writes, "But one who looks intently at the perfect law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man shall be blessed in what he does." 

If we are an "effectual doer" of the Word.. we will act according to the Truth.  We will not delude or deceive ourselves with falsehoods.  For one thing, we will learn to "bridle [our] tongue". We will abound in love towards those in need.. " to visit orphans and widows in their distress." And we will "keep [ourselves] unstained by the world." v27 In other words, the Light of the world, Jesus Christ will abide in us and we in Him. 

 "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be My disciples." ( John15:7-8)

The old saying is "the proof is in the pudding". I have no idea what that means literally.. but I see what it means spiritually - the proof of discipleship is seen in us as we "DO" what the Word says. It's seen  in our words and in our deeds...as we walk according to the Truth...as we endure the testing of our faith with joy.. as we persevere through trials .. as we receive the wisdom to count it a blessing to know Jesus more than anything.  

Lord God, our Great Heavenly Father, help us to live for You as effectual doers of Your Word. We confess that it is so easy to look at the Word and then walk away and just do whatever we feel like. But, we want to prove ourselves to be Your true disciples.. to abide in You and to walk in Truth.. to bear fruit for the glory of Your Name.  So we ask.. that You would do that work in us, filling us with Your Holy Spirit, so that we will stand before You "without blame at the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ."  You are faithful and You will bring it to pass. Thank You. "How precious, God, is your grace!" In the name of Christ Jesus our Lord we pray.   Amen.