THOSE WHO BEHOLD THE MIRROR TO FORGET AND THOSE WHO LOOK INTO THE PERFECT LAW OF LIBERTY TO REMEMBER

THOSE WHO BEHOLD THE MIRROR TO FORGET AND THOSE WHO LOOK INTO THE PERFECT LAW OF LIBERTY TO REMEMBER 

These are the two types of people that be as it concerns studying or relating with God's Word. 

We have those who only behold. They are glancers, terracers and superficial lookers. They have no special intent for beholding which goes beyond the ordinary. They just want to behold and get away. Their intent is not that what they behold should tarry for long with them.

They are rather beholders who do not experience. The Bible speaks of them in this wise. 

James 1:23-24, KJV

"23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:  

24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was."

Did you see how shoddy such people are?

The Bible says, "they behold and quickly get away forgetting who they are." These are the, "alakogbagbe." They are the forgetful hearers who are stuck with hearing only and never acted. 

Anytime you hear a truth communicated to you especially from the Bible and you refuse to live it out, the Bible likens you to these petty people who look their faces in the mirror and within a jiffy have forgotten how they look.

Such people don't give heed to themselves and how they live through what they have heard. They'll tell you, "I don't care! It doesn't matter." Even when they don't say that blatantly, their attitude reveal that.

The Bible calls them mere hearers. They may be fascinated with hearing the landed revelation of their pastor or preacher but if they never progressed to acting or living by it, they are empty barrels disguising as real. 

The Bible never speaks in favour of mere hearers; it rather praises those who moved to stage two and acted on what they have heard or read.

I think you deserve to see the true nature of these people. 

James 1:24, KJV

"For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was."

They are caught in a cross fire today and the Lord will not spare them. "Behold" as used in that context means glancing at. It means no thorough study of the Word or heartfelt following because they want to do or obey. I easily mark such people as I watch what they do even as the preacher preaches.

Those who don't pay attention or are easily distracted when the message is going on are part of these people who behold their faces in a mirror and quickly walk away, not knowing how they look. They don't give heed, pay attention or observe what is being said, meditating it in their hearts in order to do.

Another class of people in that category could be those who don't jot down as the preacher preaches. What they're saying is that they are enough and sufficient in themselves. Some don't even come to the church with a notebook.

It's part of the plan even if it's unconsciously done. It's still a silent protest and struggle not to do the Word after it might have been preached and heard.

A lot of people might contest that but what you must know today is that someone listening to write down or get revelation from what is being said listens more attentively and by this could commit things to his heart or recall what the preacher said more effectively when he wants to misbehave or do anything he'll need the guidance of that word over. 

Why? From the beginning he has been following carefully and noting down. 

That's why it is said that, "writing makes an exact man."

Today, go and get a book of spiritual things where you'll extract for yourself whatever God speaks to you as the minister preaches. The preacher might preach hundred things and the Lord may speak only one thing to you through that. Keep that Word.

That doesn't mean the remaining things he preached were a lie; it's only that they may not be your word for the moment or hit you home like others. They're probably the words of some other people seated in church and listening as well.

Stop beholding and not really going into the Word. You go into the Word when you listen to do - having set your heart to wanting to carry out and eventually doing it. Not someone who takes the Word for granted as they come around it.

Those of you taking the Word for granted, you're in trouble. The truth is this, you're a debtor to God of every Word or truth you have heard but which you have not acted upon or gotten better for."

"...goeth away..." This man not only behold but he leaves as quickly as he beheld. He didn't give the Word time to seranade or sip into his life. That shows he was so much in a hurry. He wanted to get off from his chair. He could be one of the people complaining the service was too prolonged or the message preached was too long. They are naturals in seeking escape from the Word.

They are set on edge when they sit to hear the Word. They're made uncomfortable from the start. If they had their way, they would want to leave from the onset. Some of these erratics are children forced to church by their parents or spouses forced to church by their partners. 

They just want to be excused sooner and not later. How would such take heed to the Word? So, they can't but be mere beholders or glancers! When they sit, they're almost falling off the chair, not out of eagerness and excitement at the revelation but to make the preacher uncomfortable to round off.

 "...and straightaway forgets what manner of person he is (when he first beheld the mirror."

You see, this last part is just the consequence or aftermath of not waiting and wanting to hear for the sake of doing in the first place. You can't be a mere beholder/glancer or someone who wants to be sooner excused from the Word (its study and his demands) and remember what the Word you heard in the church or that you read looks like. 

Never! That's why the Word never profit those category of people.

Now, let us go to the side B of the cassette. 

Let us talk about those who acted differently. The Bible calls them those who look into the perfect law of liberty. Kai! What a statement!

James 1:25, KJV

"But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed."

You're already smelling the revelation in that verse right... aren't you?

"But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed."

The usage of "but whose" immediately sets a contrast with, "for he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was."

That place is trying to say while one is a shallow looker (with little or no attention or effort to take note), the other begs to differ. 

He looks into the perfect law of liberty.

"But whoso looks into the perfect law of liberty...", what does this place mean? Let's start with the word, "look." Look as used there has a special meaning. It conveys a meaning that if you understand, you'll come to appreciate that entire verse in the context it is situated. I'll post a picture to help you understand.

Observe that image I posted, you'll see that a woman leans over the well. Why did she lean? She needed to have a view into that well. Obviously so as to be able to guide her bucket towards scooping water. 

The language the Bible used in that verse, "but whoever looks into the perfect law of liberty" paints an imagery of a well that you want to fetch water from and you need to pay attention to peer into before you can ever draw water from it.

In that process, you take heed unto yourself (by not making the mistake of falling into the well) or scooping water from that far bottom that'll have ben wasted before you draw it up due to its to and fro accidents or collision against the walls. 

Let's look at the further possible interpretations of the word, "look" again. It could mean any of these: to bend beside, to stoop down,to peer into, to look carefully or intently, to inspect closely."

The imagery is of someone leaning over to get a better look of something, not merely glancing. It conveys careful, earnest examination. It means to peep into in the hope to have a perfect viewing.

The same verb or word appears in other places:

John 20:5 - John stooped down and looked into the empty tomb.

John 20:11 - Mary Magdalene stooped down and looked into the tomb.

I Peter 1:12 - The angels long to look into these things.

This is the difference between those who behold or glance at the Word of God (without paying attention or taking heed) and those who take it as life because it's their instruction for living, succeeding and waging their warfare on earth. 

If you ever have an alternative guide to living your life, you will never look into the perfect law of liberty. Your comfort will be, "I already have answers to how I should be guided or live." So, you won't examine the scriptures let alone give it a say to guide your life (which is the doing side).

Observe that image I just posted, that's what it means to "look into the perfect law of liberty."

Not frivolous study, scanning, skimming or perusing as if you were reading a comprehension passage.

No, we are talking of delving into, getting into, falling into, ploughing into, diving into, penetrating into, dividing asunder and launching into.

When you have fulfilled all these words, you're looking into the perfect law of liberty that can set you free, instruct you for an upright and a prosperous living. 

When you look into, your intention is to see and have an evidence to hold at hand. Think of an investigator who pursues a murder case. He wants to get to the end of the matter. He wants to solve all riddles or puzzles. On his journey to "look into" or "investigate", he might encounter challenges but he must overcome them in order to be able to peep and have a clear look into that case.

It's after he'll be rewarded with special information that he has uncovered but not without effort, attention, constant peering in order to unravel and see what is true as to be able to hold unto it. 

Beholders don't care for evidence. It is burnt or forgotten as soon as they behold (glance) at the mirror and walk away. 

The evidence catches fire that soon. They are only consumed with immediate satiation.

Glancers cannot be anchored. Only investigators have an anchor in evidences they've gathered to rely on, trust or present as truths and facts. 

Those who behold their faces in a mirror have no evidence because they quickly depart (instead of spending time to unravel the knotty event) and then forget what they look like. 

They are not labourers with the Word. They are not assiduous at staying with the Word until its capsule breaks and they are let into the inner room where the treasures of the Word are locked.

"But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed."

Now, look at its part B: "and continues in it, being not a forgetful hearer (like the glancers) but a doer of what it says or command (that's the work), this man shall be blessed indeed. 

Didn't Jesus say, if you continue in my word, then you're my disciple indeed.

John 8:31-32, KJV

"Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed."

Do you want to be a disciple indeed or a mere disciple? They're two different things. Disciples indeed are doers and abiders. Mere disciples are hearers and followers (the multitude who just chase after a man of God) but who at day's end will still not act on His word. They might have been drawn because he does miracles or his anointing causes excitement but if nothing happens after that, they're mere disciples.

Unless you stoop down to peep or look intently into, you will not see valuables but only dust.

You must therefore come with an intentional, sustained and penetrating observation (not a casual look) to draw valuables from God's Word - both when you're studying on your own or when a preacher is teaching.

You cannot afford to be scattered and divided in attention. To draw from the well of God's Word takes looking into.

Unless you stoop down to peep or look intently into, you will not see valuables but only dust.

You must therefore come with an intentional, sustained and penetrating observation (not a casual look) to draw valuables from God's Word - both when you're studying on your own or when a preacher is teaching.

You cannot afford to be scattered and divided in attention. To draw from the well of God's Word takes a piercing looking into.

Until then, you'll see nothing and hear nothing. If you do hear something having not observed this intentional principle, it was your pen that fell off your table. 

God gives His best to seekers, investigators and adventurers; not mere visitors who can't tarry, stay with the Word or delight to look into it.

Don't stay at the mouth of the cave. Go in. Look into it. Probe it and you'll be satisfied with revelation both to live by and teach like myself. I am Olusola ADEJUMO! Bless you.

Olusola ADEJUMO,

M'Wings.

Morning Wings Ministry,

Nigeria.

morningwingministry@gmail.com 

+234 81 3704 6812

15/07/2026