Doing the Word | Friday
Devotional
There’s a dangerous deception that many of us fall into: we think that simply knowing God’s word is enough. We read our Bibles, attend church, maybe even memorize verses, but then we ignore what God actually says. This is like looking in a mirror, seeing that your face is dirty, and then walking away without washing it.
True belonging to God’s family isn’t just about hearing the word—it’s about being aligned with it through complete surrender and obedience. If you want to know how to grow in the likeness of Jesus, here’s the simple answer: do the word. The expectation for every single one of us is to gaze upon Christ and then do what He says.
This isn’t about earning God’s love or trying to work your way into heaven. You don’t do these things to enter God’s kingdom—you do them because you belong to His family. When we truly understand the gospel, obedience becomes the natural response of a grateful heart. James reminds us that we deceive ourselves when we only listen to the word without doing it. But when we look intently into God’s word and continue in it—not forgetting what we’ve heard but actually doing it—we will be blessed in what we do.
One day, we’ll all stand before the Lord and give an account for how we stewarded what God revealed to us. The question isn’t whether we knew the right answers, but whether we lived them out. Today, choose to be not just a hearer of the word, but a doer. Let your life be shaped by the truth of God’s word.
Bible Verse
“Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.” – James 1:23-25
Reflection Question
What specific truth from God’s word have you been hearing but not fully putting into practice in your daily life?
Quote
If you want to know, how do I grow in the likeness of Jesus? Here it is. Do the Word.
Prayer
Lord, help me to be not just a hearer of Your word, but a doer. Show me where I’ve been deceiving myself by knowing Your truth but not living it out. Give me the strength and courage to obey what You’ve revealed to me. Amen.