Learning How to Apply the Bible to My Life

In review of James 1:22 it says, “But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.” (NIV)

While it is important to listen to listen to what God's Word says, it is much more important to obey it and do what it tells me. I can measure the effectiveness of my Bible study time by the effect it has on my behavior and attitude. Put what I hear into action.

The most difficult part of Bible study is personal application. Application is when I take the truth of God and apply it to my life.

Satan doesn’t care if I study the Bible, just as long as I don’t apply it.

Jesus taught the opposite: “Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them” (John 13:17 NIV).

Just knowing God’s Word isn’t enough. I experience God’s blessings when I do what God’s Word says.

The Bible tells me in James 1:22: “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only” (ESV).

To become a doer of God’s Word and apply it to my life, it helps to write out the application. Applications will have four characteristics.

First, an application needs to be personal. That means it’s about me and not someone else. My life is the only thing I can change. So my application will start with the word “I,” not “we” or “you.”

Second, it needs to be practical. It should be something I can actually do. It might be an entire project or a simple action step.

Third, it needs to be possible. If I choose an application that I”m not actually able to do, I’ll become discouraged. For instance, you might say, “I’m going to read through the entire Bible every single day.” That’s highly unlikely, if not impossible. Instead, I can choose to read one chapter from the Bible every day.

Fourth, it needs to be provable. This means that it needs a deadline. Take Philippians 2:14 for example: “Do all things without grumbling or disputing” (ESV). I might write this personal application: “Lord, I need you to help me not to grumble at work. I’m going to stay accountable by asking a friend to check with me next week to see if I did this.”

So, the next time I read a passage of Scripture, don’t be satisfied with just studying the passage. Instead, apply it by making it personal, practical, possible, and provable. Then I’ll start experiencing the blessings God promises to people who are doers of his Word.

In summary, don't just listen to God's Word, do what it says. Otherwise I'm only fooling myself. I can measure the effectiveness of my study by the effect it has on my behavior and attitude. I need to put what I hear into action. The most difficult part is personal application. Application is when I take the truth and apply it to my life. Just knowing God's Word isn't enough. I experience God's blessings when I do what God's Word says. To become a doer and to apply it, it helps to write out the application. The application needs to be personal, about me. It needs to be practical, or something I can actually do. It needs to be possible. And it needs to be provable, it will need a deadline. So I shouldn't be satisfied with just studying the passage. I need to apply it by making it personal, practical, possible and provable. 

Father, with your help, I pray today that I will learn to not just read, but be a doer. I’ll work to make what I read personal, practical, possible and provable in my life. I ask you also for wisdom and guidance for my day, my work, my leadership and my interactions with others. I ask these things through you Son Jesus name, Amen.