Friday's Challenge

James 1:22-24, “But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. ²³ For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. ²⁴ You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like.” (NLT)

The Word of God has the ability and the authority to challenge our thinking as well as challenge a response to what is being revealed to our hearts. If we believe the Bible to be the truth, why do we sometimes struggle with its application? Perhaps we are self-deceived to think the Truth of Scripture is needed for someone else, but not for us (not for me). Truth is right and good and this is fulfilled as I stop rejecting the practice of the Truth and I choose to start living it out on a daily basis. Only the revelation and the application of the Truth to my life has the power and ability to transform our (my personal) behavior. What alters our actions is an inward change expressed in outward obedience. The wonderful benefit of this practical process is that Truth applied makes us fully alive.

One writer made this observation. "Truth is like a vaccination—that when administered—prevents you from being infected with foolish living. It is like a life-saving serum applied to sin’s poisonous snakebite—potentially healing you from relational, emotional, physical and spiritual death. There is no downside to honestly gazing into the mirror of Truth—assessing your life—better yet inviting godly friends to look with you, and then by God’s grace, applying truth for change.” Each of us need to remember and reflect on the powerful effect that the Truth of God's Word can have in and on our lives if we willingly submit to the application of Truth to our journey of life."

Ephesians 4:21-24, “when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. ²² You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; ²⁴ and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” (NIV)