Amaziah Christian by The Mad Preacher Rod
Davis
How
would you like for God to bless everything you do? Silly question, isn’t it?
Who wouldn’t want God to bless everything they do? But will God do that?
Absolutely, but He expects something from us first.
In George Orwell’s classic book, 1984, he
describes a world not only bound in deception but also thriving on it. It’s a
civilization not unlike our own. In it, Orwell spoke of a language called
“newspeak” where terms like “bad” were changed to something a bit more pleasant
like “ungood.” Our society has adopted a similar language. Only we call it
political correctness. For example, a person is no longer deaf, he is called aurally
challenged, and one who is blind is visually challenged. And in my
case, I’m not getting bald, just I’m follicle challenged. It all boils down to
the same thing. It’s just said in a way that some think is less offensive.
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive
yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do
what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after
looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But
the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and
continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it― he will
be blessed in what he does. (James
1:22-25)
We should be careful less we make the mistake of
thinking that just because we’re a Christian, we’re immune to deception. Sadly,
Christians often fall under gross deception. James tells us in this passage how
to decrease the chances of being deceived. “Do not merely listen to the word,
and so deceive yourselves.” he said. “Do what it says.”
Orwell used another term called “Doublethink.” It’s
the notion that one can equally embrace two separate belief systems, i.e. that
one can believe one way, yet act another way. Does this sound familiar? A lot
of us call ourselves Christians yet we live a life devoid of Christianity. I
know this may sound a bit bizarre, but many of us “Christians” treat the Bible
like it’s a spiritual smorgasbord. We want to pick and choose what we want to believe
in the scriptures, and also, do the same when it comes to obeying God’s Word. Then,
we still expect God to bless us. The Bible calls “doublethink”
doublemindedness. It also calls it being deceived. James spoke of the effects
of such an attitude earlier in this chapter.
If any of you lacks
wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault,
and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not
doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the
wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he
is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.
(James 1:5-8)
To be double-minded is to vacillate between two
opinions. 2 Chronicles 25 speaks of a double-minded man named Amaziah, who was
king of Jerusalem.
Verse 2 says, “He did what was
right in the eyes of the LORD, but not wholeheartedly.” God is
searching for sold-out saints in the midst of a society of half-hearted church
members. He’s looking for those who are willing to follow Him unconditionally,
without question or reservations. God is looking for servants who will finish
the course and obey Him in all things.
“I believe that if there is
one thing which pierces the Master's heart with unutterable grief it is not the
world's iniquity but the church's indifference.” - F. B. Meyer [1]
But the man who looks
intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not
forgetting what he has heard, but doing it― he will be blessed in what he does.
(James 1:25)
Are
you an “Amaziah Christian”? Are you double-minded? Do you sort of follow
God by sort of obeying Him? In other words, do you do what is right
in the eyes of the LORD, but not wholeheartedly? If so, don’t expect God to
bless what you do. God never has, and never will bless disobedience. It’s the
one requirement that James said was essential in order for a believer to be blessed
in what he does.
Let
me make something clear before I give the wrong impression. You must understand
that I’m not talking about gaining God’s favor through good works. No, I’m not
talking about works; I’m talking about fruit. Jesus said, “...by their fruit you will recognize them.” (Matthew 7:20) Your level of
obedience will reflect in the integrity of your fruit, of your willingness to
obey God. People will look at you and see the uncompromising relationship you
have with our LORD and they will want what you have.
“Have you ever noticed the difference in the Christian
life between work and fruit? A machine can do work; only life can bear fruit.”
— Andrew Murray [2]
And we pray this in order
that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way:
bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, (Colossians1:10)
Let’s all repent of being Amaziah Christians, shall we? Let’s get serious about
reaching this fallen world for Christ. Then and only then, will God bless all
that we do.
“What our Lord said about cross-bearing and obedience
is not in fine type.
It is in bold print on the face of the contract.” —
Vance Havner [3]
I’ve got a Bible on the table, I've got 5 more on my
shelf
I've got a head half full of knowledge far from what I’d call a wealth
But I know what I do know, better yet I know who knows me
And he's given us directions and He's throwing us the keys. [4]
😎
[1] Taken
from Christian Quote of the Day ¾ Copyright 1999-2003.
Retrieved May 2, 2003,
from http://cqod.gospelcom.net/
3 Taken from Christian
Quote of the Day ¾ Copyright 1999-2003. Retrieved March 26, 2004, from
http://cqod.gospelcom.net/
4 Rubber
Meets the Road by Steven Curtis Chapman from his Signs of Life album. ©1999 Sparrow Records
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