do something about it…

james says, “receive GOD’s word with the right attitude, reflect on GOD’s word by reading it, reviewing it, remembering it.”  but even that’s not enough.  i must respond to the word of GOD

i must do something about it, act on it, live it, practice it. james 1.22 (niv), do not merely listen to what the word says and so deceive yourselves.  do what it says.  practice. 

what good is a mirror if you look at it and don’t do anything about it?  the word listen in greek is the word for “auditor”.  if you audited a class in college you didn’t take it for credit, no tests, no responsibility, no research.  you were totally relaxed.  you just listened, you didn’t have any intention of applying it.  we have a lot of auditors in the church.  they come to church, walk in, hear the word of GOD, walk out with no intention of ever being changed.  we must respond to GOD’s word, let it change us if we’re going to be blessed by it. 

james says it’s self-deception when we don’t let it change us. we think that just gaining content is making us spiritually mature.  the test of maturity is not knowledge.  the test of maturity is character.  a lot of people have great bible knowledge and they are spiritual midgets.  i need to practice it, apply it,  and put it in my life. 

just a thought from the front porch..