DEVOTION – DAY 221

James 1:22-24 “Applying God’s Word”

 

James 1:22-24 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in the mirror and after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.

 

God had given us the Bible, His Word, in order for us to mature as Christians. Spiritual maturity is a life long process and it includes reading God’s Word daily and making a point to apply something of what we have read in our daily lives. God’s Word is meant to be relevant to our every life situation. God never intended His Word to be just for our head knowledge, or something to challenge us intellectually. God’s Word when applied by us will transform us.

 

We see the truth of these verses when we look at people we know. There are people who when they converted developed a deep hunger for the Bible. They want to read it, meditate on its meaning and they want to consider what it means to them in their daily life situations. Such people become more caring, more considerate, more patient, more contented people. The changes in them can be confirmed by those who knew them before they were Christians and can vouch for the changes in them since they became Christians. On the other hand, we know people who go to church for many years. They have some head knowledge about the Bible’s teachings but they remain as spiritual “infants”. Often, the sermons they listen to, are soon forgotten after church services. They can remember what they ate for Sunday lunches but they cannot remember the sermon’s main message. Such people think the Bible teaches good things but they are not really practical for daily living. These are examples of people who remain spiritually immature. They are like people who looked at themselves in the mirror and forget their own faces soon thereafter.

 

In order to avoid remaining as spiritual “infants”, let us heed the advice of James in vv.22-24 above. Let us aim to always apply one principle, or truth, or command of God in a passage of the Bible every day in order that we may be transformed more into the likeness of the Lord Jesus. Will you and I do that?

 

Let us pray: Heavenly Father, we thank you for giving us your blessed Word, so that we can be transformed from the inside out. Please help us to apply one truth every day from your Word so that we can grow spiritually and for your glory. In the great name of the Lord Jesus we pray. Amen.

 

Questions

  1. Why do you read the Bible? What do you think is God’s purpose for giving you the Bible? Discuss.
  2. Do you seek to apply what you learn from the Bible to your daily lives? Discuss.
  3. How has the Bible and its teachings helped you? Discuss.