In the Word and in the World

I believe that God teaches us twice - once through His Word and once through the World. The “Word” is the Biblical teaching - the theology and wisdom from our Bible and the World is the application - how the Lord brings us opportunities to put into practice what we have learned. James 1:22 “But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.” When we invest in God's Word and open our Bibles, we open our hearts and minds to God’s unconditional love, God’s infinite power and God’s perfect plan. There is no problem His Word can’t answer and there is no limit to how many times you can bring your problems to Him. But when we read His Word but don’t act on it, we are as the scripture says “fooling ourselves”. To glorify God we must take His commands into the world and live them out. Here at Mercy House we are constantly making sure that we are taking what we learn into the world. For us, that world is right here on Council street.

God’s Word commands us to love our neighbor as ourselves - Mark 12:31. God has not only taught this commandment but He has shown us countless examples of how to live that out here on earth through His Son Jesus Christ. So we are seeing our brother in need and opening our hearts to him 1John 3:17. James 1:27 tells us to care for the widows and orphans and so we are standing in the gap for single mothers and feeding and clothing the children. Matthew 25:40 is clear that when we serve God’s children we are serving Him. When we are offering a shower or groceries, clean clothes or a hot meal, we are not only hearers of the Word but we are doers of the Word. We are not just learning the lesson once but we are learning it a second time by living those verses out. I am in awe of the scriptures when I study them but the lesson is so much more powerful when we get to be the hands and feet of Christ. When we get to sit down with someone who is struggling to make a way, and really get to hear their story, that is when the scriptures we have learned come to life in the most incredible way. 

So my question for you today is simple “Are you just reading the scriptures and storing up His promises or are you applying those truths to a world that so desperately needs to experience them?” The question is not “What would Jesus do?” the question should be ``What would I do If I were full of Jesus?” If we really took the time to abide in all that God has for us in the Bible, what would we be doing with our lives? Is my Bible reading impacting my life? These are the types of questions we must ask ourselves daily so that we might stay in line with God’s strong desire for us to live out the commands He so clearly proclaims in the scriptures. The work we do here at Mercy House is never done. There is always someone else to care for. If you find yourself reading and studying but it just doesn’t seem to be changing your life…. you are missing the second lesson. It’s time to take your overflowing heart and pour it out on others. You are welcome to join us here. The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 

God Bless,

Pastor Ken Austin