Do What It Says

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” – James 1:22

Author Colleen Strachan writes: “Dallas Willard gave a series of lectures on the kingdom of God. In one, he discussed the popularity of the phrase, ‘The truth will set you free’ by putting it in its proper kingdom context:

The whole passage from John 8 is this, ‘When Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, ‘If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’ It’s amazing how people will just start at the end and come back and chop off what they want.

We have an elevator at USC [where I teach philosophy] in the humanities building that just says ‘The truth will make you free.’ Apparently, you don’t even have to know [the truth]. It just works, right?

Jesus really said, ‘If you continue in my word.’ That means ‘If you put in practice what I do, if you walk in it.’”

Reading and listening to the Bible is good. Following the Lord’s teaching is even better.

Spend some extra time reading God’s Word. Then ask the Lord how you can better live out the Bible in your life.

“Let us receive nothing, believe nothing, follow nothing which is not in the Bible, nor can be proved by the Bible.” – J.C. Ryle

“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” – Psalm 119:11