He was caught in the act. A friend spotted him in a solitary place and what he saw had a profound effect. He caught him writing a single Bible verse on a 3x5 card and stuffing it in his pocket. But what he learned about that simple act was what made the difference.
The Bible is designed not just to be read but to be applied. God instructs us to "observe to do" - read so that we can heed. It's about shaping our lifestyle and our character, which takes us back to that simple act of writing a verse on a 3x5 card and carrying it around all day. This was a long-time practice of a brother in the Lord who not only disciplined himself to read a portion of God's word every day, but to also look for that one verse that he felt the Lord had for him to guide him that day. By writing it out and referring to it often during the day, he was "hiding God's word in his heart" (Psalm 119:11). This simple act was an important step of obedience.
The Apostle John found great joy in knowing of those who obeyed the truth:
"For I was very glad when brethren came and testified to your truth, that is, how you are walking in truth. I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth." (3 John 3-4)
Simple disciplines such as writing a verse a day on a 3x5 card and committing it to memory are keys to obedience. Anything that we can do to integrate God's word into our lives is a valuable discipline. As such we prove ourselves to be "doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves" (James 1:22).
It might sound cliché but the challenge is to get into the Word so that the Word can get into our lives. A lifetime of reading and heeding will result in a Christ-like lifestyle that will keep us on the road to the Kingdom of God. And that's the road I most want to travel.
Steve
The Bible is designed not just to be read but to be applied. God instructs us to "observe to do" - read so that we can heed. It's about shaping our lifestyle and our character, which takes us back to that simple act of writing a verse on a 3x5 card and carrying it around all day. This was a long-time practice of a brother in the Lord who not only disciplined himself to read a portion of God's word every day, but to also look for that one verse that he felt the Lord had for him to guide him that day. By writing it out and referring to it often during the day, he was "hiding God's word in his heart" (Psalm 119:11). This simple act was an important step of obedience.
The Apostle John found great joy in knowing of those who obeyed the truth:
"For I was very glad when brethren came and testified to your truth, that is, how you are walking in truth. I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth." (3 John 3-4)
Simple disciplines such as writing a verse a day on a 3x5 card and committing it to memory are keys to obedience. Anything that we can do to integrate God's word into our lives is a valuable discipline. As such we prove ourselves to be "doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves" (James 1:22).
It might sound cliché but the challenge is to get into the Word so that the Word can get into our lives. A lifetime of reading and heeding will result in a Christ-like lifestyle that will keep us on the road to the Kingdom of God. And that's the road I most want to travel.
Steve
posted by steve @ 7:06 AM
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