“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” – James 1:22

God’s Word, the Bible, is truth that demands action. Always. At all times, God expects a response of faithful obedience to what He’s written us. It isn’t enough for us to like the Bible. It isn’t enough to know a lot about the Bible. It isn’t enough to attend many Bible studies. It isn’t enough to memorize large portions of the Bible. We must also act on what the Bible says.

The commands of Christ are meant to be obeyed, not merely admired. What if we’re merely collectors of Bible studies instead? What if we hear and study the Bible without actually doing what it says? James is clear – we deceive ourselves…

What do we deceive ourselves about? Our salvation. If we aren’t acting on the commands of Jesus then He isn’t actually our Lord and if He isn’t our Lord we probably aren’t actually saved from our sins. We also deceive ourselves about holiness. It isn’t enough to study holiness – God commands His people to be holy because He’s holy. We deceive ourselves about ourselves. We imagine we’re particularly righteous when we aren’t. We convince ourselves we’re following Jesus when we’re really just sitting on our spiritual sofa watching Him on Netflix.

Don’t just hear what God said in the Bible. Do what He said!

“Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.” – James 1:12

Trials will come. There will be seasons in your life that hurt and leave you questioning God’s will, plan, presence, and goodness. Blessed are those who endure those trials with steadfast faithfulness in the Lord! Blessed are you when you can continue praying, praising, and worshiping God through fire.

Whether your trials last for months or years, know that what lies ahead is the eternal joy and reward of the Lord. God gives the glorious crown of life to those who love Him and endure the agonies and sorrows of a broken world in a manner that glorifies Him through faithful following of Jesus Christ. Whether your earthly life is long or short, prosperous or poor, comfortable or miserable, always remember that eternal life, joy, and reward lies ahead for everyone who loves God through Jesus Christ.

If you’re in a fiery trial, be encouraged! It won’t last forever. On the other side is the eternal peace, comfort, and joy of God Himself. Suffering is temporary. Peace, love, and joy are eternal. Remain steadfast for God is good and faithful toward those who love Him!

“Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” – Hebrews 13:2

Having recently spent time in a true hospitality culture, it was striking how much hospitality has become a lost art in western culture. It was true before COVID but has become even more true since 2020. Hopefully that isn’t true for you, but it’s worth evaluating from time to time.

How excited are you to have strangers just drop in? How open is your home to church friends, neighbors, and new acquaintances? Would you invite them in on little or no notice? In this country we often demand weeks or months of pre-planning before letting people come over. If our house isn’t perfect we consider cancelling. We fret over the rising cost of whatever we feel must be served to impress our guests.

These matters aren’t the heart of biblical hospitality! It isn’t about place, space, or food. It’s about heart attitude. It was astonishing to be a in culture where no matter how little they had, no matter how unexpected you were, and no matter how unprepared their home, they welcomed strangers with joy and the offer of whatever they happened to have on hand.

Biblical hospitality doesn’t require a clean and tidy home. Biblical hospitality doesn’t require an expensive spread of food. All biblical hospitality requires is a heart that’s genuinely excited to meet people, to get to know them over whatever food or drink may be available, and to encourage one another on the road of life. How’s your hospitality toward strangers? You never know when angels may be knocking!

“Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.” – Hebrews 12:28-29

Over the centuries nations, kingdoms, and empires rise and they fall. The Kingdom of God, however, will never fail. It cannot be shaken. God’s Kingdom, which was inaugurated when Christ first came, will continue to grow and grow until Christ returns and makes all of creation His Kingdom.

God’s Kingdom will never falter or fail. As God’s Kingdom pushes back the domain of darkness, captives are set free from the power of evil and death, minds are liberated from enslavement to sin, the sick are healed, and Satan is progressively defeated. Give thanks for this Kingdom, for if you’re a Christian, you’re a citizen of this Kingdom. You have received an unshakable, unbreakable inheritance, citizenship, and Kingdom which you will enjoy forever.

If you’re a follower of Jesus, live with a Kingdom mindset. God’s Kingdom is your true home and it’s eternal. Markets may crash and earthly treasures will pass away along with the empires that made them. Devote your life, energy, time, talent, and treasure to the spread of God’s glorious Kingdom. Likewise, devote your heart, soul, mind, and strength to worship the Living God, the King of Kings. Delight in Him. Rejoice in Him. Praise Him. As glorious as His Kingdom is, He is even more glorious! Live a life full of reverence and awe for God, the sovereign ruler of the universe, Who welcomed you into His Kingdom, His family, and His presence.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.” – Hebrews 12:1

Every follower of Jesus has a race set before him or her. Every follower. God really does have a plan for your life. He’s prepared good works for you to do and there are disciples of Jesus Christ waited to be made by you.

Your race may be long or short. It may be fairly comfortable or extremely painful and difficult. It may show wonderful visible fruit for all the world to see or may be characterized by a hidden fruit known only to God. Regardless of what race God’s prepared for you, run it! Run your race with endurance. Run your race with total devotion and full integrity. Run your race in the knowledge that the saints of old are cheering you on. Run your race well.

To run your race well and endure to the end, you must do what the writer of Hebrews commands here. Get rid of the things holding you back. Get rid of the baggage of the past that makes you afraid about the future. Crucify the sins in your life that weigh you down and trip you up.

You may be doing great things for God but if you’re also stuck in some habitual sin, you need to repent of it and reject it forever. You must battle the sin that wraps around your legs and squeezes your lungs slowing you down. Whatever that sin is – pride, sexual immorality, anger, addiction, envy, materialism, jealousy, whatever – fight hard to kill it. Get help from other believers in this battle so you can truly leave it behind as you race forward to the thunderous cheers and applause of the faithful witnesses who’ve already completed their race!