Many of us read the Bible daily, but how many of us take the time to ask God to show us what He wants us to do after we read it? The Bible is an active and living Word that can change us from the inside out if we let it. The first step is to read, but don’t forget to ask God what the next step is…what do you need to do with what you have learned from your reading? There is so much meat in God’s Word, but sometimes I get so busy that I suck it down like it’s milk and move on. I want to take the time to chew slowly, savor what I have read and really let it nourish my spirit. We all need to spend time with God reading His Word, but when we leave our quiet place of reading, do we let His Word change us to be more like Him? Reading is fine…but doing is where the change takes place.

The Living Word of God

One of the biggest misconceptions about the Bible is that it’s just another book.

In fact, many Christians treat Scripture as if it’s just a collection of ancient letters and books that inform us about God and religious matters.

While the Bible is certainly a collection of ancient documents, it is also much more than that. It is the very word of God. The Bible is inspired by God, which means He spoke through humans to create these letters and books.

More than that though, God’s Word is living and active. The Holy Spirit uses the Bible to speak to us even today. This is what makes Scripture distinct from any other book.

James tells us in James 1:22-24 that the power of Scripture doesn’t just come by hearing it, but by living it out.

Scripture has the power to radically change the way we live, but we must take the effort to first read it, and then do what it says.

James says that anyone who reads Scripture and doesn’t follow God’s way is only deceiving themselves. We think we are following God simply by reading His Word, but God desires that we live out the truths of Scripture in our own life.

This is what it means to follow God’s way rather than our own.

Take a moment to consider a few ways you can begin to live out the truths in Scripture. Spend some time in prayer asking God to reveal to you an area of your life to transform by His Word. And then, resolve to not just hear God’s Word, but to do what He says as you follow after Him.