Growing Spiritually: Living Out God's Word Daily
Summary
In our journey through the book of James, we are called to grow up spiritually, not just grow old. James, the brother of Jesus, emphasizes the importance of spiritual maturity, urging us to accept, act on, and authenticate God's word in our lives. Spiritual growth is not just about hearing the word but living it out in our daily actions and interactions.
James begins by urging us to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger. This is not just about controlling our speech and temper but about cultivating a heart that is receptive to God's word and the needs of others. Anger, when unchecked, does not produce the righteousness of God. Instead, it often reveals the condition of our hearts. We are reminded that our words and actions should reflect the transformation that God's word brings into our lives.
The process of growing up spiritually involves putting away filthiness and wickedness and receiving the implanted word with meekness. Meekness is not weakness; it is power under control. It is about allowing God's word to guide our actions and decisions, recognizing that we do not see the whole picture, but God does. The implanted word is powerful, capable of saving our souls and guiding us in righteousness.
James also calls us to be doers of the word, not just hearers. Hearing without doing is self-deception. It is like looking in a mirror and forgetting what we look like. True spiritual maturity is demonstrated in our actions, in how we live out the truths we profess. This involves getting off autopilot, aligning our lives with God's word, and being intentional about our spiritual growth.
Finally, our lives must be authenticated by God's word. This means our conduct and character should reflect the teachings of Christ. It involves taking ownership of our actions, seeking fruitfulness over fun, and living out the love and truth of Jesus in our communities. Jesus himself authenticated his love through his actions, and we are called to do the same.
Key Takeaways:
- Quick to Listen, Slow to Speak, Slow to Anger: Spiritual maturity begins with a heart that is open to God's word and the needs of others. Anger, when unchecked, reveals the condition of our hearts and does not produce the righteousness of God. We must cultivate a heart that listens and responds with grace. [39:05]
- Receiving the Implanted Word with Meekness: Meekness is power under control. It is about allowing God's word to guide our actions and decisions, recognizing that we do not see the whole picture, but God does. The implanted word is powerful, capable of saving our souls and guiding us in righteousness. [46:51]
- Be Doers of the Word: Hearing without doing is self-deception. True spiritual maturity is demonstrated in our actions, in how we live out the truths we profess. This involves getting off autopilot, aligning our lives with God's word, and being intentional about our spiritual growth. [54:58]
- Authenticating Our Lives by God's Word: Our conduct and character should reflect the teachings of Christ. This involves taking ownership of our actions, seeking fruitfulness over fun, and living out the love and truth of Jesus in our communities. [01:04:15]
- The Role of the Holy Spirit: We are not alone in this journey. The Holy Spirit is our helper and guide, reminding us and teaching us all things. We have a responsibility to plan and live differently, bringing others into our journey of growth and transformation. [01:09:59]
Youtube Chapters:
- [0:00] - Welcome
- [39:05] - Introduction to Spiritual Growth
- [40:29] - Quick to Listen, Slow to Speak
- [41:50] - The Overflow of the Heart
- [43:03] - Anger and Righteousness
- [44:22] - Putting Away Wickedness
- [45:40] - Receiving the Implanted Word
- [46:51] - Meekness and Power
- [48:12] - The Power of God's Word
- [49:27] - Anger and Sin
- [50:44] - Jesus and Righteous Anger
- [51:59] - Accepting God's Word
- [53:28] - Acting on God's Word
- [54:58] - Be Doers, Not Hearers Only
- [01:04:15] - Authenticating Our Lives
- [01:09:59] - The Role of the Holy Spirit
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide: Spiritual Maturity in the Book of James
Bible Reading:
- James 1:19-27
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Observation Questions:
1. According to James 1:19, what three actions are believers encouraged to practice in their interactions with others? How does this relate to spiritual maturity? [40:29]
2. What does James mean by "receiving the implanted word with meekness" in James 1:21, and how is this word described as powerful? [46:51]
3. In James 1:22-24, what analogy does James use to describe someone who hears the word but does not act on it? What does this reveal about self-deception? [54:58]
4. How does James describe "pure and undefiled religion" in James 1:27, and what actions does he associate with it? [01:04:15]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. Why might James emphasize being "quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger" as foundational to spiritual growth? How does this reflect the condition of one's heart? [41:50]
2. How does the concept of meekness as "power under control" challenge common perceptions of strength and weakness in the context of receiving God's word? [46:51]
3. What does James mean by saying that hearing without doing is self-deception? How does this concept challenge believers to evaluate their spiritual maturity? [54:58]
4. How does James's instruction to visit orphans and widows in their affliction relate to authenticating one's faith? What does this suggest about the relationship between faith and action? [01:04:15]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a recent situation where you were quick to speak or become angry. How might applying James's advice to be "quick to listen" have changed the outcome? [41:50]
2. Consider an area in your life where you struggle to receive God's word with meekness. What steps can you take to allow God's word to guide your actions and decisions more fully? [46:51]
3. Identify a specific truth from God's word that you have heard but not yet acted upon. What practical steps can you take this week to live out this truth? [54:58]
4. Think of someone in your community who might be considered an "orphan" or "widow" in a metaphorical sense. How can you reach out to them this week to demonstrate pure and undefiled religion? [01:04:15]
5. Reflect on a time when your conduct did not align with your professed faith. What changes can you make to ensure your actions authenticate your beliefs? [01:06:57]
6. How can you involve the Holy Spirit more actively in your journey toward spiritual maturity? What role does the Holy Spirit play in helping you plan and live differently? [01:09:59]
7. Consider an area of your life where you feel stuck on "autopilot." What specific changes can you make to align your life more closely with God's word and grow spiritually? [01:00:18]
Devotional
Day 1: Cultivating a Listening Heart
In the journey of spiritual growth, James emphasizes the importance of being quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger. This is not merely about controlling one's speech and temper but about developing a heart that is open and receptive to God's word and the needs of others. Anger, when left unchecked, often reveals the true condition of our hearts and does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Instead, we are called to cultivate a heart that listens and responds with grace, allowing God's word to transform our interactions and relationships. [39:05]
James 1:19-20 (ESV): "Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God."
Reflection: Think of a recent conversation where you were quick to speak or became angry. How can you approach similar situations with a listening heart and grace today?
Day 2: Embracing Meekness
Receiving the implanted word with meekness is a crucial step in spiritual maturity. Meekness is not weakness; it is power under control. It involves allowing God's word to guide our actions and decisions, recognizing that we do not see the whole picture, but God does. The implanted word is powerful, capable of saving our souls and guiding us in righteousness. By embracing meekness, we acknowledge our limitations and submit to God's wisdom and direction in our lives. [46:51]
James 1:21 (ESV): "Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls."
Reflection: In what area of your life do you struggle to submit to God's guidance? How can you practice meekness by allowing His word to direct your actions today?
Day 3: Living Out the Word
James calls us to be doers of the word, not just hearers. Hearing without doing is self-deception, akin to looking in a mirror and forgetting what we look like. True spiritual maturity is demonstrated in our actions, in how we live out the truths we profess. This involves getting off autopilot, aligning our lives with God's word, and being intentional about our spiritual growth. It is through our actions that we authenticate our faith and demonstrate the transformation that God's word brings into our lives. [54:58]
James 1:22-24 (ESV): "But 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 who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like."
Reflection: Identify one specific truth from God's word that you have heard but not yet acted upon. What practical step can you take today to live out this truth?
Day 4: Authenticating Our Lives
Our conduct and character should reflect the teachings of Christ, taking ownership of our actions and seeking fruitfulness over fun. This involves living out the love and truth of Jesus in our communities, just as Jesus himself authenticated his love through his actions. We are called to do the same, ensuring that our lives are a testament to the transformative power of God's word. By aligning our lives with Christ's teachings, we become authentic witnesses of His love and truth. [01:04:15]
James 1:26-27 (ESV): "If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world."
Reflection: How can you demonstrate the love and truth of Jesus in your community this week? What specific action can you take to reflect Christ's teachings in your conduct and character?
Day 5: Guided by the Holy Spirit
In our journey of spiritual growth, we are not alone. The Holy Spirit is our helper and guide, reminding us and teaching us all things. We have a responsibility to plan and live differently, bringing others into our journey of growth and transformation. By relying on the Holy Spirit, we can navigate the challenges of life with wisdom and grace, allowing Him to lead us in righteousness and truth. [01:09:59]
John 14:26 (ESV): "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you."
Reflection: In what area of your life do you need the guidance of the Holy Spirit? How can you invite Him to lead you in your journey of spiritual growth today?
Quotes
1. "How does that also affect us spiritually? You know, sometimes we can be a Christian for a very long time but guess what we can fail to grow up. We might grow old without growing up and that just be an absolute shame so um James the brother of Jesus as he's writing the book of James one of his things that he's calling us to do is to grow up so today we're going to look at how do we grow up what's the process how do we grow up and in looking at that we're going to talk about three aspects um of growing up that help us reach spiritual maturity one of the aspects is going to be accepting god's word the next next is going to be to act on the word of god and that's going to be to authenticate the word of god." [39:05] (45 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "Do you know what the mouth says the overflow of the heart the mouth says the overflow of the heart what's going on in the heart normally comes out the mouth oh no no that's not really true yes it is if there's deception in your heart the deception will come out of your mouth there's lies in your heart the lies will come out of your mouth there's anger in your heart the anger's gonna come out of your mouth and he starts this with what quick to listen slow to speak slow to get angered and he goes and now he's going to tell you why he says for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of god." [43:03] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Meekness doesn't mean weakness so many times we miss the word meekness and weakness whenever we see meekness we think oh that's somebody being weak it's not meekness it's somebody being weak it's somebody not at all I remember when my kids were young and we would play uh catch in the yard we play football in the yard when they were little right um I would like toss them the ball like underhand and they would just be right there and they'd catch it with both hands and there was their catch and as they got older you know you throw it a little farther and eventually you're throwing a little farther and eventually your kids are trying to throw it over the tree and you're trying to throw it over the tree when you were tossing it to them when they were really little you still had the same power to throw it as far as you do right now you can throw it so hard you hit them in a chest and blow them away meekness is power under control you have all that power that you need but how are you using it when we receive this from the lord we've got to understand that we don't see the whole picture god is explaining to us through his word and through the holy spirit that we've had um when james is talking about brothers he's talking about brothers who believe the second someone believes they have the holy spirit within them and the holy spirit and the Holy Spirit will be in them and the Holy Spirit will be in them God's word within us equips us to live and act different." [46:51] (74 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "We grow up by acting on the Word of God. Not just hearing it, but acting on it. We grow up. I don't know if you saw this or not, ever experienced this, but have you ever been to a grocery store where you see this little kid, and they're throwing an absolute temper tantrum? Tell me you've never seen it at a grocery store, right? All of us have seen it. We've either seen it, or we were their parent, and that was our kid, right? And we're like, ah! And have you ever thought, when you see this kid acting crazy, have you ever thought, well, somebody just spanked that kid, you know? But what's going on? That kid is throwing a whole temper tantrum. We want to look at that kid and say, what? Grow up. We want that kid to act like an adult. Act older. We talk a lot about here that God didn't just come to change our actions. He came to change our heart. It starts with your heart. When your heart changes, the overflow of the heart is how you live and how you act." [54:58] (58 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "How do we act on God's word? Well, we got to get off autopilot. That's the first thing. It's really easy to be a Christian and be a Christian for a long time and know all this and come to church and just do the same thing. And you can get stuck on autopilot. It's easy to get stuck on autopilot as a Christian. And autopilot works really good until you get a lot of turbulence. Then maybe not so much. Autopilot works really good until you got to land and take off. Autopilot works really good until you're out of fuel. Like all these different things going on. So how do we act on it? Well, we got to get off autopilot and begin to live." [01:00:18] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "How do we authenticate by God's word? When your conduct and your character come from God's word. That's how we authenticate. It's real when your conduct and your character come from God's word. It's one thing if you get up here on Sunday morning and, Don, you talk a lot, but if you don't act like it, it means nothing. My conduct and my words have got to go together. And they've got to be based off from God's word. How do we authenticate by God's word? When you choose ownership, not blaming. Over and over and over, James is telling them, do this, do this, do this. Go to the widows, go to the orphans. What happens when you spend the whole time blaming everybody else for where you're at? There's no authentication in that. You're pretending." [01:06:57] (44 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "We grow up by living out these three aspects of spiritual maturity. One, by accepting God's word. Two, by acting on God's word. And three, by being authenticated by God's word. Jesus says to John the Baptist, he says, I am living out who I said I was. He says to John the Baptist, guess what? He says, I am living out who I said I was. And he says, I am living out who I But I have said that I'm going to love people. Watch me authenticate it as I go to the cross and die on your behalf. If someone says that they love you and they're willing to die for you, that's real. If someone says that they love you and they're not willing to die for you, hmm, maybe that's not love. Maybe that's infatuation, concern. Maybe that's whatever else. But Jesus authenticated his love by his actions. He lived it out." [01:09:59] (50 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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