In James 1:22 I read, “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” (ESV)
God wants me to focus on doing what he tells me to do, not on just hearing what he tells me to do. He calls me to be an active follower of Jesus, not just a passive listener.
The Bible says, “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (James 1:22 ESV).
The truth is, I can listen to sermons and study the Bible for decades. But if I never do anything about what I’ve heard and learned, I’m deceiving myself and not really growing more like Christ.
D.L. Moody, an influential evangelist and Christian educator of the late 19th century, once said, “The Bible was not given to increase our knowledge, but to change our lives.” It’s a manual for living.
The Bible says, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete” (2 Timothy 3:16-17 NKJV).
That verse points to four things about God’s Word. It shows me the path to walk on; that’s doctrine. It shows me where I got off the path; that’s reproof. It shows me how to get back on the path; that’s correction. And it shows me how to stay on the path; that’s instruction in righteousness. God’s Word is practical, real-world truth.
The problem is, I know a lot more than I actually put into practice. I say I believe in forgiveness, but do I forgive the people who’ve hurt me? I say I believe in waiting on God, but am I patient? God doesn’t want me to just take notes and say I believe things about his Word. He wants me to be a doer of his Word.
Jesus said in Matthew 28:20: “Teach them to do everything I have commanded you” (GW). He didn’t say, “Teach them to know everything I commanded you” or “Teach them to think about everything I commanded you.” He said, “Teach them to do.”
I shouldn’t fool myself into thinking that hearing God’s Word also means I’m applying God’s Word. Make plans to do something about what I hear so that I can grow into the person God created me to be.
In summary, I need to be a doer of the word, and not just hear, deceiving my self. God wants me to focus on doing what he tells me to do, not on just hearing. He calls me to be an active follower of Jesus, not just a passive listener. I can listen to sermons and study the Bible for decades. But if I never do anything about what I’ve heard and learned, I’m deceiving myself and not really growing more like Christ. The Bible was not given to increase my knowledge, but to change my life. God’s Word shows me the path to walk on; that’s doctrine. It shows me where I got off the path; that’s reproof. It shows me how to get back on the path; that’s correction. And it shows me how to stay on the path; that’s instruction in righteousness. I know a lot more than I actually put into practice. Do I forgive the people who’ve hurt me? Am I patient? God doesn’t want me to just take notes and say I believe things about his Word. He wants me to be a doer of his Word. Jesus said: “Teach them to do everything I have commanded you”. He didn’t say, “Teach them to know'' or “Teach them to think about.” He said, “Teach them to do.” I shouldn’t fool myself into thinking that hearing God’s Word also means I’m applying God’s Word. Make plans to do something about what I hear so that I can grow into the person God created me to be.
It is important to listen to what God's Word says, but it is much more important to obey it and do what it says. I can measure the effectiveness of my quiet time by the effect it has on my behavior and attitude. Am I putting into action what I have studied?
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