Topical

Read {bib=James 1:22-27}

Read again v. 22 "Be doers of the word and not hearers only"

Everyone stand up. How many heard me? (everyone) How many responded (most - if not all, some quickly, some slowly). Sit down.

What is the difference between "hear" and "listen"? (discussion: hearing is when your ear transfers vibrations on the ear drum in such a way that your brain can interpret it as sound - listen is to think about the sounds or words being heard for meaning or emotional input).

Are you a hearer of the Word? (example: daily devotions - Big Church - Sunday School - small groups - mid-Week Bible Study, etc). Are you a listener of the Word? Do you focus on the speaker? Do you think about what you heard or read? Do you mediate on the meaning and impact of the Word to your life? If not, you are a hearer only and not a listener.

If you listen, do you do? Does reading your Bible, coming to Sunday School, going into Big Church services, or coming to small groups or mid-Week Bible study change your life? If you are really listening, it will. You will automatically be a doer. If you are a hearer and not a doer because you aren't really listening, you are not obeying this command.

Read vs. 23-24 "Look in a mirror"

Why do we look in mirrors? (think about it: What action follows looking in a mirror - is there generally a reaction to looking in a mirror? What would keep you from taking action after looking in a mirror? - looking for the word "change").

Something needs to change. We look in a mirror to see if anything is wrong, and if so, to know what to change. The only reason you would not change anything after looking in a mirror is if nothing is wrong.

This verse is telling us that the Bible is our spiritual mirror. We are to look into the Bible to see what in our lives needs to change - and change should be the result. When we look into the spiritual mirror of the Bible (and really listen to it) we will see in ourselves what is lacking in godliness, and Christlikeness. We must work then to make changes.

Turn to a passage like Gal 5:22&23. These are the fruits of the Spirit. This passage tells us what the Spirit-filled (ie: Christlikeness) life should look like. When we read something like this we are looking at a mirror of what we should be like. We must ask ourself questions like, "Am I loving?" "Am I patient?" "Am I faithful" "Am I gentle?" etc ... and - probably the most important for Jr Highers, "Do I have self-control?" If not, what am I going to change to be like that?

Maybe that passage didn't help you see what's wrong. Maybe you should read Eph 4:25-32 or go back a few verses to James 1:19-21. The Bible is full of places where we are told what needs to change. It's hard to read the Bible without finding sme admonition or some instruction to do or not do.

v. 25 What is the "Law of Liberty"? Clue: This is not the 10 commandments. We obey God because we are set free from the bondage of sin. We are at liberty to obey God - Love God and Love our neighbors.

How do you avoid being a forgetful hearer. How do you remember what you wanted to change when you looked into the spiritual mirror of the Bible once you are no longer looking into it.

• Write Notes that you look over later.
• Memorize Scripture verses
• Think about it often
• Check the Mirror again - go back to the Bible and reread what impacted you most in the areas you are working on.
• Always have something you are working on in your life so that it is a practice in your life to be checking.

Take away:

• Read your Bible every day - you can't change what you don't see needs fixing.
• Look for something to fix in your spiritual walk.
• Remind yourself to make the change
• Check up on yourself. Are you making the change? Hold yourself accountable before God.