"Hello, Mr. James. Why thank you, you look dashing yourself tonight."

I am sitting, snuggled into the covers of my down comforter.  Classical music is playing, and I am stirred.  I squint to read a book in the dim light protruding from a lamp in the corner.  I know, it's bad for my eyes.  I know, but I can't seem to stand reading to a harsh, blaring light bulb.  The book I read has a particular name.  One word; it's actually the name of the author.  James.  You know when truth actually pumps through your entire body, like the blood in your veins.  It's more than information, you feel the warmth of truth, you clench your fists, tightly shut your eyes, and in a burst that comes from all of your being you say something along the lines of, "Oh Jesus!  I love your ways!  That's so right!"  This book is part of a larger book.  I've never read another book in all of the kingdoms of this earth that causes me to delight in the truth within as this one.  There are stories of love, adventure, treachery, loyalty, danger, dreams fulfilled, and dreams broken, but they are all a shadow of this story; the story intricately woven within the pages my fingers feather through.

"Receive with meekness the implanted word which is able to save your souls."  Jas 1:21.  

Meekness is the doorway by which one receives the words of this Book.

"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.  He looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.  But the one who looks in the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing." Jas 1:23-25
 Being a part of a freedom and restoration ministry, we do plenty of repenting.  We repent for lies we believe, wrong mindsets, etc...  However, it is true, one can repent over and over again and not walk into truth or freedom.  I've heard it said, "Now that you've repented, when you walk it out, true freedom will come."  I remember thinking, "That would be nice."  Excuse me, one problem, It's the truth!  "HE WILL BE BLESSED IN HIS DOING!"  As we hear the word and act on it, the blessing comes with the doing!  Change and truth will come when we act!  The emotion may not be there, but the ACTING on TRUTH will command a BLESSING!  It's time for me to act on what I see in the perfect mirror!  This takes perseverance!  It takes perseverance when that same lie comes up, the same old emotions, etc... to act on the truth that you've just looked at in the mirror.  I look in the mirror.  It says, "He leads me into paths of righteousness, in Him is life and life abundant, He gives me every good and perfect gift, all His promises over my life are yes and amen, etc..."  As I walk away from that mirror, the peace begins to slowly sink into the ground as I hear a familiar accusing voice, "You've blown it.  You've gotta work hard to get it right.  You'll never be able to make up for the way you've blown it.  You'll have to work really hard to try to earn His blessing again."  I have a choice.  Do I forget that which I just beheld in a mirror?  Or do I say, "Uhhhh, wrong!  That is NOT what I look like.  He has called me to live.  He has given me life and life abundant.  He has paid the price, and I am FREELY receiving this life.  You're right I'll never earn it.  So I'm FREELY RECEIVING LIFE TODAY!  Yes and Amen!"  In the acting, the peace will return back from the ground, and a commanded blessing will come.  Let me tell you it is not worth doubting.  A doubting life is a miserable one, take it from me.  Oh yeah.  James addresses that as well.  I'll leave you with those words.

" But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.  For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."  Jas. 1:6-8

Abba.  I will declare that which I see in the mirror in faith.  I will bend down and walk in meekness by agreeing with your words.  I believe you.  I walk as your daughter.  Oh!  Thank you for the law of liberty.  Holy Spirit, teach me how to walk according to the truth that I see in that law.  Teach me to walk in liberty.  You want me as a little girl, trusting completely in my Father, listening to you hum as i lean against your chest, no other questions.  No other voices.  That which I behold in your mirror.  That is.


The sound of strings and melody floats through my room as I snuggle a little deeper into my comforter.  Goodnight James.