Skip to main content

Application

     There are many ways to learn. There are many things we can know and be in the know about. Having scripture committed to memory is important. Having strong knowledge of what the word says is essential. The other major part of Christianity is applying God’s word to your life.

     It is always an intriguing moment when I hear a member of the body say “I don’t know if I agree with that” or something to that affect. What makes that even more intriguing is if something like this happens right after a solid sermon, gospel meeting, and or Bible class on this subject. What are they really saying? It is often hard to assess such a statement. How can you come to such a conclusion especially when we just spent a designated amount of time studying it? There are an endless amount of questions and thoughts that are brought up from such a biblically uneducated statement. The statement is not from the lack of learning, being able to hear, and understanding. It comes from the lack of willingness to apply it.

     They would rather surround themselves with teachers that say what they are willing to apply. (2 Tim. 4:3) This is the issue we are seeing today. Many are simply unwilling to take what God says and do it. Therefore, they seek out teachers, preachers, leadership and members that take their same stance. Perhaps those same people are willing to teach those stances as biblical truth. Isaiah said “Here am I send me.” (Isaiah 6:8) Joshua was told to do according to all that was in written in the law. (Joshua 1:7-8) These two examples are exactly the attitude and approach to God’s word God wants.

     Knowledge of the truth is one thing, application of the truth is another. I have heard of people “knowing” the Bible or having read the Bible through three times in a year without any application. If you do not want to obey what God wants no amount of Bible knowledge is going to help you. The word contains everything that pertains to life and godliness. (2 Peter 1:3) If we apply it, we will have the life that God wants us too. If we use the word we can be trained to be more like Christ every day. (2 Tim. 3:16-17, Heb. 5:14) We can successfully live and walk the way Christ did with the proper application of the truth.

     Let us not be the ones who have ears and are not willing to hear. We must be willing to take what Christ says and apply it to our lives. When it comes to being able to please God we cannot have the attitude that my mindset is more important than God’s word. We should be willing to hear and study any subject in Scripture and apply it to our lives. It does not matter what we personally may have previously thought about it. Knowledge of the truth is one thing, application of the truth is another. They must be married together in our life for us to be successful Christians. (Col. 3:16)

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Your Structure

“But  I  discipline  my  body and bring it into subjection, lest, when  I  have preached to others,  I myself  should become disqualified” (1 Corinthians 9:27). It would be best if you worked on creating in your mind mental structures for success. A study was done where  two basketball teams had to shoot free throws. One group went out and shot 100 free throws with something life 30% accuracy. The second group had sat for 30 minutes and visualized making a perfect free throw 100 times. That team went out and shot 100 free throws with 75% accuracy. What is the difference? The mental structure. You can do the same. Paul said, “I discipline my body, I seek to please God.” Just like Paul, we must get in our heads what we will do to be successful in Christ. Work to create Godly mental structures.                          ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Love Provoked

         The world is provoked for different reasons. Anything from God’s word to good deeds for others to envy can cause wrath to be poured out (Jonah 3:10-4:1; Luke 15:20-28; Genesis 30:1, 2). What should provoke a New Testament Christian is quite different. Things like idol worship, inadequate treatment of others, turning from God, and dishonoring the house of God should cause indignation to swell up inside us (Exodus 32:19-22: 1 Samuel 20:33, 34; Matthew 21:12, 13; Acts 17:16, 17). This type of anger is justified (Mark 3:1-5). However, when this righteous indignation sets in, we will not forget who we are. We must be slow to anger (Nahum 1:3). It should not set in fast (Titus 1:7; Ephesians 4:6). We should be seeking to stir up love and good works no matter what (Hebrews 10:24, 25; 1 Corinthians 9:1, 2). We love the Lord so much it should bother us when He and His are mistreated. We need to handle things right and make sure we are never at fault for mistreat...
Post a Comment
Read more

Reality

Mature souls have an understanding that transcends the world. Often, it even goes beyond those around them.  The hope we have in Christ is beyond anything in this world. All man’s pursuits will never reach what God gives us in eternity. This hope anchors us in Christ, “This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the presence behind the veil” (Hebrews 6:19). As much as this anchor is tried and confirmed, there is still more to understand. Mature souls understand that worthy efforts may go unrewarded. In Christ, even our most significant accomplishments are simply out of obedience to Him. Jesus made it clear with this statement, “So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do” (Luke 17:10). The reality is those mature souls retain high hopes but know that worthy efforts may go unrewarded. Yet, they hold tight to those hopes and stay true to ...
Post a Comment
Read more