"Applying The Sermon"

"For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass." James 1:23

What do you do when you hear a sermon preached, read a word in a devotional or writing, or hear a teaching? Do you take what you hear or read and pray about it? Yesterday morning we talked about hiding our lights under the "bushels" of intimidations, fear, rejection, etc. After having read it, did you take it in prayer before God or did you ignore it, forget what you read, think that it applied to someone else instead, or did you let it shine a light into your own heart and bring exposure, truth and repentance.

When we read or hear a word, that should not be the end of it. We should take that word and ask the Lord to show us how it applies to us. We should ask the Lord to forgive us if we have failed in the area that it addressed. We should ask the Lord to help us to do what that word taught.

If you read a message about hiding your light, for example, you should ask God to show you if you are doing that. If He shows you that you are doing it, you should ask Him to show you how you are doing it. Once He shows you, you should repent and ask for forgiveness. From there you should ask for the help and empowerment of Holy Spirit to make a change and stop hiding your light. This goes for every message/teaching you hear or read.

Jesus said that a wise man is one who not only hears, or reads, the word but then applies it-- does something with what He hears. James says that we aren't justified by the word until we do more with it than just hear it-- we become a doer of it.

The Lord didn't bring that word across our paths just so that we can talk about what a "good sermon" or "message" it was, but so that we can apply it to our lives-- not just its truths, but its convictions as well. We have to let that word bring repentance and transformation in our lives. "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." (2 Timothy 3:16,17)

Have a great day. When you hear the word being preached, or read it, what do you do with it?

For further reading:
James 1:22-25
John 8:9
Matthew 7:24
Acts 17:11
Luke 24:32