The Daily Fountain Daily Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 2 May 2020 – TOPIC: THE PERFECT LAW OF LIBERTY

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DATE: SATURDAY, MAY 2, 2020
TOPIC: THE PERFECT LAW OF LIBERTY
READ: JAMES 1:13-27 (NKJV)

13. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.
14. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.
15. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.
16. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.
17. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
18. Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.
19. So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath;
20. for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
21. Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
22. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
23. 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;
24. for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.
25. 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.
26. If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion [is] useless.
27. Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, [and] to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

THE MESSAGE:

Liberty is one of the greatest desires of man but uncontrolled liberty is destructive. Law is necessary for proper regulation of man’s conduct. 2 Timothy 3:16 states that Scripture is given for reproof, correction and instruction in righteousness. Our text refers to the Scriptures as – ‘The perfect law of liberty’ (verse 25), and the law that regulates our liberty in Christ (Galatians 5:1). James states some of the laws:
(a) The soul that sins will die (Ezekiel 18:20). So avoid sin by overcoming its cause which is temptation (verses 13-15). 1 Corinthians 10:13 reveals that God is faithful; he will not allow you to be tempted more than you can bear.
(b) That Christians should dedicate themselves to God (James 1:18), just as first fruits of harvest are set aside (Proverbs 3:9; Leviticus 23:10).
(c) Believers should control their tongues (verses 19, 26; Ecclesiastes 5:2), especially when angry, because anger produces unrighteousness.
(d) Christians should not be filthy but rather pure in their lives (verse 21).

The Holy Spirit in us is our guide in this; we should obey Him. We should always read the Scriptures and apply them for in them is life. Avoid sin as you go about your life today.

PRAYER: Father, give me grace to always read and apply the Scriptures in my life.