Am I a doer of God’s word?

When you hear the word ‘doer’, what comes to mind?

For many of us, the word signifies action, following through, and doing something. It is active rather than passive, demanding our attention and application.

There are a number of Bible verses that lay credence to this word.

Here’s how the Book of James puts it:

“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 observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.”

James 1:22-24 NKJV

Trust James to never beat around the bush nor sugarcoat God’s word.

A few things stand out from the above scripture verses:

• One who only hears the word without corresponding action deceives themselves
• God’s word can only be activated in our lives when we apply its truth.
• It’s easy to forget what one has heard.

How many sermons have you listened to in your life? Probably hundreds. How many of these did you go on to study and practice? If you’re anything like me then, you only open your sermon notes when it’s time to jot down the next sermon. We often tell ourselves we will go back and read and understand and re-listen to God’s word. But how many times do we do this? Imagine if we applied just 50% of all we have heard and read. Wouldn’t our lives be better?

• Hearing and doing God’s word has to be intentional and regular acts.

 

Invariably, we don’t just read the Bible for reading sake or to pass some assumed test for godly Christianity. We must apply what we hear/read.

The Late Dr Myles Munroe, in this teaching on relationships, shared three stages of taking action.

Stage 1: Knowledge

Stage 2: Understanding

Stage 3: wisdom/application

The knowledge stage is the point where we hear or read the word. After which, we meditate on it to understand it and thereafter apply what we have learned.

Roadblocks to being a doer of God’s word

Some of us are Bible scholars.

We can quote hundreds of scriptures, we know what Paul said to the Corinthians and can season our prayers and our conversations with scriptures. In many ways, it is used as a sign of one’s diligence and spirituality.

But if we agree with James words above and Dr Myles Munroe’s submission, then knowledge is not enough.

Perhaps you weren’t expecting that. I know I used to covet the ability to memorize and quote scriptures word for word. I used to look at people who did like they were special beings.

Memorizing scripture is a good thing though our motive, like in everything we do, matters.

The real question is:

What do we do with what we’ve learnt? What effect do these scriptures and these words have in our lives?

I have learned that it is one thing to read the Bible for head knowledge and another for head and heart knowledge.

The former is mainly an academic exercise. Like the Pharisees of old who could quote most of the Old Testament. 

I need you to take a moment to think about that; they could quote not just a few verses of the Bible but whole books, offhand. It was a required part of their training and scholarship, yet they couldn’t recognize the Messiah while he was with them. 

I have also been guilty of often reading my Bible just to get it out of the way…one less thing to do. I was barely reviewing and meditating on what it says.

How about you?

Is the idea of reading the word a boring exercise you feel has to be done and is done grudgingly?

I can totally relate.

What I found was that my reluctance had more to do with my attitude. I was the problem, not the Bible.

 

What kind of Christians are we?

It has become so critical for our generation to be those who are doers of the word.

To be those who live in the truth of God’s word.

This urgency is clear as the world becomes more linear, with clear differences between those who are God’s and those who are not.

The days of lukewarm Christianity and staying on the fence are quickly fading, as we are more than ever required to be clear on who we follow.

Imagine if we make that decision for Christ without even understanding or applying Biblical principles to our lives? Wouldn’t that be a tragedy?

It would be double jeopardy.

It’s like choosing the path of persecution, rejection but not having the weapons and tools to help one overcome.

As the Late Dr Munroe said, we need to know the word, we need to understand it and we need to apply it.

Four ways to be a doer of God’s word

Some suggestions to make you a doer of God’s word:

1. Pray for strength

Seek the help of the Holy Spirit to enable you to hear and do God’s word

The Holy Spirit is our greatest weapon in this life but often the most underused. He was given to us as a gift from God.

God literally gave us His Spirit to help us know and understand his plans and his ways.

It is the power of the spirit of God that transforms and renews our mind. We cannot do God’s will without the help of His Spirit.

 

2. Create reminders and moments for reflection/meditation

In Deuteronomy, Moses told the Israelites on several occasions that they needed to remember God’s commands and obey them, in effect – be hearers and doers of the word.

Here’s one of the ways he said they could remember:

“And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders.”

Deuteronomy 6:6-8 NLT

3. Review your day or week

Make time to constantly review your decisions and your choices.

I like to call this the ‘self-awareness exercise’. Where we check our actions and are aware of who we are not who we think we are.

You can do this through journaling. Record the things you’ve done throughout your day – your choices, experiences; challenges etc.

Journaling can be done via writing, audio or video recordings.

 

4. Get Accountability 

“Two are better than one for they have a good reward for their labour. For it they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls for he has no one to help him up.”

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

It can help to have a fellow believer who can support and encourage you on this path. This could be someone or a group who have decided to know God’s word and apply it to their lives.

You can join an accountability group or get an accountability partner. Likely someone who understands the journey and you can both help and support each other in your walk with Christ.

 

The journey to being a doer of God’s word

It is possible to live a life where we are conscious of God’s word and can live it out. This is not a claim to perfection, which doesn’t exist. We will not always get it right but when we lean on the Holy Spirit and obey God, he gives us his grace and strength to overcome.

The scriptures below testify to this:

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

Ephesians 2:10

“For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.”

Philippians 2:13