Beyond Mere Hearing

To begin today , I want to read a quote from Frederick Robertson , who was a pastor at Trinity Chapel in Brighton , england , back in the mid-1800s . He said Christian life is action , not speculation , not a debating , but a doing . One thing , and only one in this world has eternity stamped on it .

Feelings pass away , resolves and thoughts pass , opinions change , but what you have done lasts . It lasts in you and in the people around you Through the ages , through eternity , what you have done for Christ . That and only that is who you are and what will last .

Over the years , most of us have listened to dozens , if not hundreds , of Bible studies and sermons , and we've read many devotionals and maybe even listened to some podcasts , maybe even from a guy living on the west coast of Canada .

The purpose of all of those things , including the times we have our own personal studies , is not only to educate us but to stir us up to do what the Bible tells us to do . We need to be impacting the world and the people around us , and yet in our current culture , we tend to pull back and hold it to ourselves .

I believe that most Christians are educated way beyond their level of obedience . We know a whole lot more than we are actually living out and obeying in our lives , and that's where we fall short . I believe that we are entering into a very important time for our personal faith and for our churches .

It wasn't too many years ago that both Canada and the United States were founded very openly and proudly on Christian principles . The Bible was the most important book in our judicial system , in our governments and even in our schools . I can still remember beginning every day by praying the Lord's Prayer in elementary school . Things certainly have changed .

The Bible is no longer even regarded as valuable . In fact , some people are calling it hate speech . Christians and those who value the sanctity of marriage and families and faith are now being attacked , and as a church , we can sit back and just sort of let it happen and hope it goes away , but ignoring it will only create a greater

problem . So we need to be aware of what's happening and I really believe it's time for us to take a stand and not be ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ . This is exactly what James was talking about in James , chapter 1 , verses 22 to 25 . He said Be doers of the word and not hearers only deceiving yourselves .

For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer , he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror , for he observes himself , goes away and immediately forgets what kind of man he was .

But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work , this one will be blessed in what he does . We need to be exactly what James described doers of the word and not simply hearers of the word . Recently I've been reading a book by Stephen Mansfield and he tells this story

. In it . He says I remember some years ago I was listening to an African bishop describe the wonderful things his churches are doing in a very difficult part of his country . Hundreds of us listened to him and we were deeply moved .

And after he spoke , the bishop took some questions and someone asked what a great many of us wanted to know why aren't things like you described happening here in our country . The bishop wasn't a diplomat . I like that about him and I liked it more after he answered his question . He said there's a reason you do not have such things happening in this country .

You , americans , study your God . We Africans worship our God . You , americans , study your God . We Africans worship our God . You get smarter , we get changed , and then we change the world around us . I thought the audience was going to riot . The bishop wasn't finished , though His next words never left me .

By doing , rather than merely studying , we create a culture . Newcomers and the young feed on that culture . They watch , they do , they too are changed . Our culture expands . You , americans , create a system of thought . The most you ask is that people contemplate new ideas .

You might ask them to give or to sometimes attend meetings , but no contagious culture is created . Nothing is offered to newcomers and the young but thoughts and maybe a coffee mug . Nothing is offered to newcomers and the young but thoughts and maybe a coffee mug . So they think and they do not do .

I really believe that it is time for us , as Christians , to become better doers . We need to not only stand up for the truths and the values of Scripture and of God and His Kingdom . We need to be able to do it boldly Boldness based upon our faith and what we've learned in those sermons and those Bible studies .

We need to live and be the people of God so that other people can come to know God . The challenge is before us and it's up to us to decide if we are going to accept it and to declare God's goodness to this world while there's still a

chance . I hope you all have a really good day , my friends . We will talk again tomorrow . Thank you for listening today and I invite you to join me Monday to Friday , right here on , starting Right with Danny Mac .