Bible Knowledge Requires Action

Bible Knowledge Requires Action

BY RICK WARREN — OCTOBER 10, 2014

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“Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” (Matthew 7:24 NIV)

Did you know studying the Bible can be dangerous? In fact, the results of Bible study could be disastrous.

Sounds strange, I know. But God intended for us to apply the Bible to our lives, not just read it. The Bible is about transformation, not just information. At the end of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, “Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock” (Matthew 7:24 NIV). Applying God’s Word is vitally important.

So why is it important that we apply God’s Word to our lives?

1. Knowledge produces pride if we don’t apply truth to our lives. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 8:1, “Knowledge puffs up while love builds up.” We’ve all seen people who know the Bible backward and forward but have never let it seep into their lives. They use the Bible has a hammer to pound on other people. We can be the most cantankerous, evil, mean-spirited, cranky, critical, judgmental people we’ll ever meet — if we never take the extra step and apply the Bible to our lives. Knowledge without application produces pride. It’ll “puff” you up without a love-based application. It’ll cause harm, not help.
2. Knowledge requires action. James 1:22 says, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” What a person knows should find expression in what he does. We’re deceiving ourselves if we think we’re growing simply by taking notes on a Bible study. God’s commands are not optional.
3. Knowledge increases responsibility. “Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it” (James 4:17 NLT). With a deeper knowledge of Scripture comes a stronger judgment if we fail to apply what God shows us. When we start studying the Bible, God begins to show us areas of our lives that need to be changed, and he calls us to greater and greater responsibility as he does that.

Talk It Over

• What do you do with your sermon notes once you leave church or with your Bible study notes once your quiet time is finished?
• Think about your words and actions of the last hour. Do they reflect what God has been teaching you lately from his Word?
• What has God called you to do through your study of his Word that you still need to follow through on?

Deep Waters

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters, but one who has insight draws them out.”

(Proverbs 20:5, NIV) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdWGLm4zxEA

TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria

You are equipped with everything you need to fulfill your passion and purpose in this life! Everything you need is on the inside of you — like deep waters. You draw those deep things out when you stay open and humble before the Lord. You draw those things out when you are submitted to His Word. That’s what makes you a person of understanding. Proverbs also tells us that a person of understanding delights in wisdom. A person of understanding is even-tempered. A person of understanding is not easily led astray and maintains peace and order. (Prov. 10:23; 15:21;17:27; 28:2) Don’t just live on the surface of life today. Draw from the resources that God has placed on the inside of you. As you keep your heart open by obeying the Word of God, His purposes will become clearer; His provision will be more clearly seen. His direction for you will unfold so you can move forward confidently in the direction of your dreams!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, thank You for equipping me with everything I need to be successful in life. I choose to humbly submit to You and obey Your Word so that I can be a person of understanding. Thank You for revealing Your plans and purposes for me as go down into the deep waters in Jesus’ name. Amen.