DOER OF THE WORD

Receiving, reading, researching, remembering, and reflecting on the word are all useless if we fail to put them into practice. We must become doers of the word. This is the hardest step of all, because Satan fights it so intensely. He doesn’t mind you going to bible studies as long as you don’t do anything with what you learn. We fool ourselves when we assume that just because we have heard or read or studied a truth, we have internalized it. Actually , you can be so busy going to the next class or seminar or bible conference that you have no time to implement what you’ve learned. You forget it on the way to your next study. Without implementation, all our bible studies are worthless. Jesus said: everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. Jesus also pointed out that God’s blessing comes from obeying the truth, not just knowing it. He said, now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them. Another reason we avoid personal application is that it can be difficult or even painful. The truth will set you free, but first it may make you miserable! God’s word exposes our motives, points out our faults, rebukes our sin, and expects us to change. Its human nature to resist change, so applying God’s word is hard work. This is why it is so important to discuss your personal applications with other people. It is very important to be part of a small bible study discussion group. We always learn from others truths we would never learn on our own. Other people will help you see insight you would miss and help you apply God’s truth in a practical way. The best way to become a doer of the word is to always write out an action step as a result of your reading or studying or reflecting on God’s word. Develop the habit of writing down exactly what you intend to do. This action step should be personal, practical, and provable. Every application will involve either your relationship to God, your relationship to others, or your personal character. The question you should ask yourself is: what has God already told you to do in his word that you haven’t started doing yet? Then write down a few action statements that will help you act on what you know. You might tell a friend to hold you accountable. Moody said: the bible was not given to increase our knowledge but to change our lives.