We can read God’s Word and know what it is says but that isn’t where the power comes from. We need to actively do and understand God’s Word, putting it into practice to become doers of the Word. By being doers of the Word because we understand, then we find power!
The Importance of Understanding God’s Word
In James 1:22-25, it states,
"But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing."
This passage emphasizes the importance of not only hearing the Word but also putting it into action. Understanding God’s Word enables us to apply it in our lives, leading to blessings and spiritual growth. When we delve deeper into Scripture with understanding, we gain insight into God’s will and His principles for living a righteous life.
Doers by Transformation through Application
Romans 12:2 encourages believers,
"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."
True transformation occurs when we allow the Word of God to renew our minds and guide our actions. Merely possessing knowledge without application limits its transformative power in our lives. Understanding Scripture prompts us to align our thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors with God’s truth, leading to spiritual renewal and growth. As we apply God’s Word in our daily lives, we experience His power working within us, shaping us into vessels of His grace and love.
Doers who experience The Fruit of Obedience
Jesus emphasizes the importance of obedience in Matthew 7:24-25, stating,
"Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall because it had been founded on the rock."
We liken obedience to God’s Word to building our lives on a solid foundation, ensuring stability and resilience amidst life’s challenges.
When we understand and obey God’s commands, we bear fruit in our lives, reflecting His character and glorifying Him. Through obedience, we demonstrate our love for God and our trust in His wisdom and guidance.
Doers who are Embracing the Power of Understanding and Application
In conclusion, the journey of faith involves more than mere knowledge; it requires understanding and application of God’s Word. James 1:25 reminds us that true blessing comes from being doers of the Word, not just hearers. As we deepen our understanding of Scripture and apply its teachings in our lives, we experience transformation, fruitfulness, and the power of God at work within us. Let us commit to being diligent students of God’s Word, seeking not just knowledge but understanding, and living as doers of the Word, empowered by His grace and truth.
Today’s Devotional:
This year, I am utilizing the 365 Daily Devotions book I received for Christmas, applying its teachings specifically in the context of fatherhood. It’s called WALKING WITH GOD by DAVID JEREMIAH. It’s exciting to get to learn from a new resource this year as we have tried different options the past two years and will keep working through this one for 2024. For more information about the author and his ministry, visit: DavidJeremiah.org.
NOW I UNDERSTAND
Verse: 2 Timothy 4:5 NIV
But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.
Firstly, let’s be the dads who can keep our head in all situations! Additionally, let’s be the dads who can endure hardship to glorify God! Finally, let’s be the dads who choose to do the work of an evangelist first in our home and then in our communities so that we may finish the good works God has prepared in advance for us to accomplish for His glory!
Doers look to God in the midst of disruptions
Today’s Devotional kicks off talking about disruptions and how they can trigger positive outcomes even though in the beginning they may be resisted. It speaks to “Clayton Christensen” who is a Harvard professor and “his theory on disruptive technology”. We get an overview through Today’s Devotional as “an unexpected product or service that disrupts an existing market and helps create a new category of customers.” It provides us with a list of examples too like: “CD-ROMs, DVDs, personal computers, steamships, telephones, and automobiles.”
Today’s Devotional then takes it back to how “God allows disruptive moments in our lives that we almost always question or resist” because they make us feel uncomfortable because of pain, surprises, misunderstanding, and how they tend to be things we have to go through and can’t be avoided. It also speaks to how going into them we resist but coming out of them we tend to see the benefits, the good, and the blessings.
Doers have perspective
Today’s Devotional focuses on the book of Job, a narrative that has often evoked a sense of anticipation and reflection throughout my journey through the Bible. As I engage in my morning readings, I find a profound connection between the passages and the circumstances of my life. In 2013, my understanding of Job deepened significantly as I recognized that amidst the struggles, there were also blessings waiting to be revealed. One particular moment stands out vividly: on my last day at the first company I ever worked for after graduating from school, my reading led me to Job 42:12, which, in paraphrase, declares that “the latter part of Job’s life was more blessed than the former.” This revelation served as a powerful source of motivation as I transitioned from one chapter of my life to the next.
Doers press in and persevere in the midst of disruptions
Today’s Devotional also speaks of Paul and the thorn in his side that God wouldn’t remove.
'or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. ' 2 Corinthians 12:7-10
Today’s Devotional closes with this powerful reminder: “If God has allowed a disruptive moment in your life, walk through it by faith rather than by sight. (2 Corinthians 5:7)”
“We all face a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations.”
CHUCK SWINDOLL
