imported_rachel
02-19-2007, 09:27 AM
In the last two messages we've considered the importance of our love
relationship with God; how Jesus desires our love much more than any
of our works and how we must continue in prayer for our love to
grow. ALL we do ought to be driven by love! When we study God's
Word, we do so to understand His character, seek His direction, and
then to obediently follow where His Word leads; "If you love Me, you
will obey what I command" (John 14:15). True love will always
express itself in action.
As we continue to study God's Word, we must never stop with the
simple accumulation of knowledge. Knowledge by itself will deceive
us into a false sense of Spirituality; we must never equate an
increase of knowledge with an increased closeness to God; "The man
who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know"
(1 Corinthians 8:2). Knowing ABOUT God is only the beginning of the
journey toward a closer relationship with Him. An intimate
understanding is only gained through the loving application of what we
know.
James 1:22-25
"Do not merely listen to the Word, and so deceive yourselves. Do
what it says. Anyone who listens to the Word but does not do what it
says is like a man who looks at his face in the mirror and, after
looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks
like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives
freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard,
but doing it - he will be blessed in what he does."
We will never know the true meaning of faith until we step out and
put our faith into practice. We cannot possibly know the peace of
trusting God to work for the good in all things (Romans 8:28) until
we love Him with all our heart, surrender our life, and allow Him to
actually begin His work. Without allowing His words to cause action
in our life, we become as the godless who are "always learning but
never able to acknowledge the truth" (2 Timothy 3:7). Do we really
believe His Word is true? True enough to trust and follow?
God has a message for each of us today, a specific truth He wants us
to understand and apply. His message may be delivered through
something we hear or something we read, but His words will never
change our life and draw us closer until we put them into
practice. We will never see the wonder of His truth until we apply
His truth in our everyday life!
God is calling us today - He is calling us to know Him and walk with
Him in love. The study of His Word (His entire Word from cover to
cover!) should never cease, but we MUST take the next step. We must
study with the great expectation of hearing His direction for our
life. Then as we hear His Word, we must embrace it, step out in
faith, and do what it says.
Have a Great Day!
Steve Troxel
God's Daily Word Ministries
************************************************** ***
Archive of previous devotions : http://www.gdwm.org/archive06.htm
Subscribe/Unsubscribe by email to closerwalk@gdwm.org
Subscribe via web: http://www.gdwm.org/subscribe.htm
relationship with God; how Jesus desires our love much more than any
of our works and how we must continue in prayer for our love to
grow. ALL we do ought to be driven by love! When we study God's
Word, we do so to understand His character, seek His direction, and
then to obediently follow where His Word leads; "If you love Me, you
will obey what I command" (John 14:15). True love will always
express itself in action.
As we continue to study God's Word, we must never stop with the
simple accumulation of knowledge. Knowledge by itself will deceive
us into a false sense of Spirituality; we must never equate an
increase of knowledge with an increased closeness to God; "The man
who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know"
(1 Corinthians 8:2). Knowing ABOUT God is only the beginning of the
journey toward a closer relationship with Him. An intimate
understanding is only gained through the loving application of what we
know.
James 1:22-25
"Do not merely listen to the Word, and so deceive yourselves. Do
what it says. Anyone who listens to the Word but does not do what it
says is like a man who looks at his face in the mirror and, after
looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks
like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives
freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard,
but doing it - he will be blessed in what he does."
We will never know the true meaning of faith until we step out and
put our faith into practice. We cannot possibly know the peace of
trusting God to work for the good in all things (Romans 8:28) until
we love Him with all our heart, surrender our life, and allow Him to
actually begin His work. Without allowing His words to cause action
in our life, we become as the godless who are "always learning but
never able to acknowledge the truth" (2 Timothy 3:7). Do we really
believe His Word is true? True enough to trust and follow?
God has a message for each of us today, a specific truth He wants us
to understand and apply. His message may be delivered through
something we hear or something we read, but His words will never
change our life and draw us closer until we put them into
practice. We will never see the wonder of His truth until we apply
His truth in our everyday life!
God is calling us today - He is calling us to know Him and walk with
Him in love. The study of His Word (His entire Word from cover to
cover!) should never cease, but we MUST take the next step. We must
study with the great expectation of hearing His direction for our
life. Then as we hear His Word, we must embrace it, step out in
faith, and do what it says.
Have a Great Day!
Steve Troxel
God's Daily Word Ministries
************************************************** ***
Archive of previous devotions : http://www.gdwm.org/archive06.htm
Subscribe/Unsubscribe by email to closerwalk@gdwm.org
Subscribe via web: http://www.gdwm.org/subscribe.htm