What's in your heart?

James 1:19-21

This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God. Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the Word implanted, which is able to save your souls. 

One thing is for sure. Anger must not be in your heart. God wants us to get rid of all filthiness and from all the remains of wickedness. If we stop all this bad behavior, God will cleanse us. We can read this in Ezekiel 36:

Ezekiel 36:25-27

Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances. 

We just read how God cleanse us. Now we are going to read what the implanted Word is, which is able to save our souls. We read this in Jeremiah 31:

Jeremiah 31:33

“But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the Lord, “I will put My Law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 

The Word is also called the Law in the Bible. God will put His Word in us. He write it on our hearts. And He will cause us to obey His Word.

We're going to read James 1 verse 25:

James 1:25

But one who looks intently at the perfect Law, the Law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.

When we study seriously God’s Word, and don't forget it and do it, we will be blessed in what we do. God’s Word is implanted in us. And He gave us a new spirit. So that we are able to do God’s Word. 

You see what's happening here? We do first something and then God does something. We cleanse us from bad behavior. God cleanse us. We study and remember God’s Word. He makes it possible for us to do His Word. Here you see very well how God works. You do something good and He will help you to succeed. 

We are going to read Romans 2 now:

Romans 2:13

for it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified. 

Whoever does God’s Word is righteous. It's not enough to hear His Word, we have to do it in our daily life.

We continue with James 2 verse 14:

James 2:14

What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him?

And we read James 2 verse 26:

James 2:26

For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.

I give an example: 

Do you believe that telling a lie is bad because it is a sin? If your answer is yes, then you will stop telling lies. Because you don't want to sin. You become a better person because of your belief. You are a doer of God’s Word. If you say that telling a lie is bad because it is a sin, but you continue with telling lies. What kind of fruit you will get from your belief? Nothing! You stay the same person. Your belief in God’s Word is dead.

We going to James chapter 3 now:

James 3:13-18

Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

The fruit we talk about is about the character. Jealousy and selfish ambition is from the devil. It brings chaos, pain and destruction. The fruit of God brings order, healing and peace. The fruit of God repairs.

James 4:1-3

What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.

To want things can cause quarrels. You want something so badly that you start to become jealous. You fight with someone because you don't get it. Instead you have to ask God. If you don't receive it from God, you asked for the wrong reason. You asked for your own pleasure. While we suppose to ask for someone else or for help to obey God.

We finish with James chapter 5:

James 5:7-9

Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until it gets the early and late rains. You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near. Do not complain, brethren, against one another, so that you yourselves may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing right at the door.

We have to do our best to do good. We have to make our heart strong. We have to stop living according to what we want, but we have to start to live according God's Law. Because Jesus will come soon and He will judge us. He will judge our deeds. The fruit of our faith. Will it be Godly fruit? Or evil fruit? Do good then you produce Godly fruit. And stop complaining so much.