It was great to see new faces at Penuel this morning, including Poppy, who was a great hit with both young and old! Our guest speaker was Jea-Hyun from Bethel Evangelical Church, Clydach. Originally from South Korea, he is now a missionary and came to share a message of the importance of obedience from James.

Today we can hear and read God’s Word from a variety of sources, including the internet, TV, mobile phones and in church. We are able to visit God’s Word everywhere. In James 2:17 we read, ‘So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.’ We should listen to the words of God and be people who obey it. In South Korea Christianity is about love, resurrection and the words of God.

How should Christians listen to God’s Word? James tells us to humbly accept the Word. When we hear His Word we should accept it with all our heart, without arguing or doubt. People who do not accept the Word of God are deceiving themselves. In Matthew 7:21 we read, ‘Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.’ Without obeying God’s Word you can’t enter the Kingdom of Heaven. We should do what the Bible says. Have you been deceiving yourself or have you been following His Word?

James tells us God’s Word is like a mirror. The function of a mirror shows us what we are like. The mirror shows every spot, every wrinkle. God’s Word is like that; it shows us what we are really like, it shows every blemish in our life.

Praise Him and honour Him when we speak. We should ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ (Matthew 22:37).  

James says that God’s law is good, it is perfect. He continues to say that if we obey God’s law we will be really blessed. He doesn’t say we will never have problems but God will always be near to us, we will know His presence, no matter how difficult our circumstances are.

To listen to God is easy but to do His work is really hard. Can you love your neighbour as yourself? Works must always go with faith. We must obey His Word.