Be a Doer of the Word.. No more 'lukewarm' Christians!

James 1:22 (Amplified Bible),

"..But be doers of the Word [obey the message], and not merely listeners to it, betraying yourselves [into deception by reasoning contrary to the Truth]. 23 For if anyone only listens to the Word without obeying it and being a doer of it, he is like a man who looks carefully at his [own] natural face in a mirror; 24 For he thoughtfully observes himself, and then goes off and promptly forgets what he was like.
25 But he who looks carefully into the faultless law, the [law] of liberty, and is faithful to it and perseveres in looking into it, being not a heedless listener who forgets but an active doer [who obeys], he shall be blessed in his doing (his life of obedience)."

Be a doer of the Word! This is relevant because SO MANY have been tricked, through the american culture's turning away from Christian values, into simply claiming Christianity though not actually living a Christian life. Sometimes they claim Jesus as their savior just for fire-protection and do not actually live, or truly make an effort to live, the life that Jesus commanded us to live. This transforms their claims of Jesus as their Lord and Savior into vanity, as God knows our hearts and plans to bring those who LOVE Him up to Heaven. Matt. 7:21-23 states
"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' 23 And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'"
You cannot use Jesus simply for FIRE-PROTECTION!!! YOU CAN'T USE GOD JUST FOR PROTECTION FROM HELL!! YOU CANNOT USE JESUS SIMPLY FOR FIRE PROTECTION!!

That must be emphasized. If you don't want him, then GO! Why even worry about Jesus if its simply for appearances or to give you a warm and fuzzy feeling inside? If you're gonna be lukewarm, then you better go out and drink yourself into debt, be loose with whoever you want and completely disobey Him. Maybe then you'll finally realize how much you TRULY TRULY TRULY NEED HIM in life as well as death. And hopefully you'll have enough time left to flee from your lusts and jump into His arms by then!

Now! That was just for emphasis and to get you to understand the point. No, I don't want you to be "heathens" or anything like that, not my intent. Just understand that because you say "Lord, Lord" does not save you from the second death, so move beyond that! Get past it! God calls us to be servants of His divine will, to trust Him that He is not out to destroy those who love Him, and that He loves you MORE than you could ever love Him or comprehend. So give Him your all, because He gives you His. This is an eternal marriage, that WILL not work the way we do marriage nowadays in the world (41% of first marriages end in divorce). Remember that He abides in those who love Him, and even defines it in John 14:23, "Jesus answered and said to him, 'If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.'"

SO.. OBEDIENCE IS THE KEY! Do not be like the man who "looks carefully at his [own] natural face in a mirror; 24 For he thoughtfully observes himself, and then goes off and promptly forgets what he was like." The constant observance of the Word is to expose your flaws, that you may understand and with God's aid (He won't allow you to successfully do anything without Him, bc your pride would swell up) fix it to continue the perfection process. Remember that the Word is the light used to expose the hidden dark places! It is your mirror to see that spinach stuck in your teeth after lunch, and that pimple in the middle of your forehead. If we could see in the spirit and not the physical, you best believe we would be in the bible and worshipping Him at every hour of the day like we're in the mirror and at the gym,etc. Remember also, just like if you don't check your teeth after you eat, if you don't check yourself in the Word the hidden things will be exposed one way or another. Either you can expose them between you and God, and fix them... Or you can be publicly exposed and embarrassed the next time you smile.

Take this Word and do something with it!
This is meant in completely Love and In Christ,
Ryan