1 Way Only--Do What It Says

Do What It Says--by Kimberly B. Southall

How much do you know about the Bible? Do you use what you know from the Bible to actually live and behave the way it says you should? Does it even matter? Yes, it does:

²²Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. ²³Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror ²⁴and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. ²⁵But 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. --James 1:22-25 (NIV)

We deceive or trick ourselves if we know what God's Word says but don't do what it says. And can you imagine looking at yourself in a mirror and then quickly forgetting what you look like? That would be awful, wouldn't it? Well, the Bible compares that to knowing what the Bible says but not doing it. Why? Because once you know the truth of God's Word but choose not to live it, you are ignoring or "forgetting" what you're supposed to be--a child of God. And that's why you'd be deceiving or tricking yourself. If you know what is right (from God's Word) but don't do it, you are forgetting that you are a child of God and are tricking yourself. The wonderful thing is that God's Word promises that when you do what it says, then you'll be blessed.

So read the Bible and do what it says.