Saying and doing are two different things. Many times people say one thing but do another. There are many Christians, who go to church and say they believe in Jesus and His redemptive work and they testify of Jesus Christ but through their works, they don’t do what they say. In the Book of Ezra, we see the same phenomenon. Ezra said one thing but did another.
Ezra’s deed contradicted his saying
Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance. For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way: because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him; but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him. So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was intreated of us (Ezra 8:21-23).
Ezra was a witness of God and had testified of the greatness of his almighty God to the king. When the king offered his army for protection, Ezra denied his offer (his protection) and told the king that they didn’t need his army to protect them. Because God would be with them and protect them.
But when push came to shove, Ezra required an army to protect them against their enemies.
Do Christians say one thing but do another?
It’s the same in the lives of Christians. Many Christians say one thing but do another. For example, there are many believers, who call Jesus Christ their Jehovah Rapha, their Healer, while going to doctors. That’s mainly because the world says, if you are sick or you don’t feel well, you go to a doctor, take medicines and you will feel like your old self again”
Therefore it’s so important to renew your mind with the Bible (the Word of God) to find out the truth of God, believe the truth, and apply the truth of God in your life. So that you walk according to the Word in the truth of God, instead of walking according to what the world (system) says.
The world says, go to a doctor, and the Word says, that by His stripes we were healed (Isaiah 53:5, 1 Peter 2:24).
Doctors heal from the natural realm through their carnal knowledge, wisdom, ability and natural means. Jesus operates and heals from the spiritual realm (that becomes visible in the natural realm).
People can say that God has blessed doctors, but we don’t read anywhwere in the Old Testament and the New Testament that God, Jesus, or the apostles, send the people to physicians (doctors).
Did Jesus send sick people to Luke for healing?
Some Christians say that Luke was a physician. But then again, Jesus and the apostle didn’t send the sick people to Luke for healing or a check-up. And let’s not forget, that Jesus was also called a Physician, while Jesus was not a medical doctor.
Medical science is not based upon the Word of God and not inspired by God. Medical science does not have its origin in the Kingdom of God. (Read also: Jehovah Rapha, or doctors, the choice is yours).
Saying and doing are two different things
Now let’s go back to Ezra. When the king offered Ezra an army to protect them, Ezra proclaimed to the king that God would take care of him (them) and that God would protect them. Therefore, they didn’t need an army to protect them.Ezra trusted in the Lord and made this known to the king. He told the king about the almighty God and His promise. The king respected Ezra because he saw that God was with Ezra.
So you would think, that when Ezra and the people went on their way to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, they wouldn’t need an army to protect them. Because Ezra believed that God would protect them. That is what Ezra believed, because that’s what Ezra told the king.
But that’s not what happened. Ezra said he believed, but Ezra’s deed proved otherwise.
When Ezra went on his way, Ezra required the king for soldiers and horsemen to protect them against the enemy.
But on their way, Ezra knew something was not right. So Ezra stopped and didn’t continue his way with the people, the soldiers, and the horsemen.
Ezra felt ashamed, because Ezra knew, that he had disappointed God. He had disappointed God, by not trusting God completely. He doubted God’s protection. Ezra put his trust in the carnal protection of the army of soldiers. He had more faith in the visible protection of people, than in the invisible protection of God. And by trusting in people instead of God, by his action Ezra rejected the word of God.
Therefore Ezra proclaimed a fast to repent of his deed. Ezra and the people humbled themselves before God and they besought God.
The love of God
When Ezra and the people humbled themselves through fasting and besought God, we see the love of God and the grace of God. God saw and heard His people and was intreated by them. He saw their repentance and God, in His great mercy, forgave them.
You can also make a wrong decision in life. You can do something that opposes the Word of God and enter the wrong path in life. But the most important thing is, what you will do next. What will you do, when you find out that it isn’t the will of the Lord? and that you’ve left the Word and no longer walk in the way of God.
Let your saying and doing line up
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9)
Do you continue and pretend like nothing has happened? Or do you stop and repent and humble yourself before God and admit, that you didn’t walk in alignment with His Word? Do you ask forgiveness and repent and do you seek His way or not?
Your saying and doing have to line up. Don’t say one thing but do another. Don’t stay a sayer of the Word of God, but confirm your words with your actions, so that you become a doer of the Word.
Only if you say the Word and do the Word you will build upon the Rock Jesus Christ and your foundation shall be strong and solid. The storms will come in your life, but because you build upon the Rock, you shall stay strong and overcome and not be moved.
‘Be the salt of the earth’
