LIVING THE WORD

…It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the God – Matthew 4:4

“Life is real. Life is not a rehearsal session. Life in Christ is also not limited to simply reading or listening to the Word, but being a ‘doer’ or ‘practitioner’ of the Word! Many people are fond of simply absorbing information rather than responding to or acting on it.

Consistent consumption of God’s Word is a commendable discipline, but should not be an end in itself. The Lord pointed prophet Ezekiel’s attention to such an audience who loved to listen but refused to act:

And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness. And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words, but they do them not (Eze.33:31-32)

If the number of those who commend pastors after Sunday sermons were the measure of Christian’s obedience to the Word, the Church would have been the better for it. Alas, most sermons and teachings only sound like “a very lovely song” and the preachers and teachers like pleasant entertainers before their audiences. Few people listen with a heart to respond, obey or practise the Word.

Jesus declared: “Whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock” (Matt.7:24). Why and how do you read the Bible? Do you skim through it like a newspaper, just to soothe your conscience, that you open it every day? Do you read, study, and meditate in it with the aim of doing what it says?

The value of the Bible consists not only in reading and knowing it but doing and obeying it. Invariably, your faith (what you believe) is revealed by your action (what you do). Don’t just read the Bible. Live it! Obey it!!