Yesterday's Bible Study |
In this verse from James, we get an important reminder that we should not only listen to the Bible, but also do what it says. We could have the entire Bible memorized, but that doesn't mean anything if we have not applied it to our lives. We cannot give our lives to Christ and continue to be the same people. Knowing Him catalyzes radical transformation.
It can be easy to feel like our work as Christians is done for the day after we've read the Bible for fifteen minutes in the morning. The box on our checklist is checked, and we want to move on with the rest of our day. However, if that is the limit of the Bible's influence on our lives, says James, we are deceived. If we read the Bible but never become more like God, we are missing out on the purpose of studying the Word.
There are several ways to avoid the self-deception that can come from studying without application. The first is to cultivate an active prayer life in addition to studying the Word. When you pray, you can ask the Lord for clarity about areas in your life that need to change. He will show you specific sins that He does not want you to live in bondage to. Then, when you open the Bible, you see how people talked to the Lord about sin and how He worked in their hearts and minds to draw them closer to Him.
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In this verse from James, we get an important reminder that we should not only listen to the Bible, but also do what it says. We could have the entire Bible memorized, but that doesn't mean anything if we have not applied it to our lives. We cannot give our lives to Christ and continue to be the same people. Knowing Him catalyzes radical transformation.
It can be easy to feel like our work as Christians is done for the day after we've read the Bible for fifteen minutes in the morning. The box on our checklist is checked, and we want to move on with the rest of our day. However, if that is the limit of the Bible's influence on our lives, says James, we are deceived. If we read the Bible but never become more like God, we are missing out on the purpose of studying the Word.
There are several ways to avoid the self-deception that can come from studying without application. The first is to cultivate an active prayer life in addition to studying the Word. When you pray, you can ask the Lord for clarity about areas in your life that need to change. He will show you specific sins that He does not want you to live in bondage to. Then, when you open the Bible, you see how people talked to the Lord about sin and how He worked in their hearts and minds to draw them closer to Him.
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