Lately, I’ve been thinking about what the Word of God has to say about acting on the Word of God. I’ve become frustrated with my ability to hear good sermons and read practical Scriptures and simply content myself with saying, “Oh, that’s a good idea,” remaining unchanged by it. Considering what the Word of God says about this topic – that’s about the stupidest thing I could do: nothing. According to Matthew 7:24-27, acting on the Word is what keeps my foundation from crumbling in the onslaught of temptations, trials, and spiritual attacks. Mark 4:20, in the Voice translation, says that the only way to bear fruit in the faith is to “hear the Word, accept it, meditate on it, [and] act on it.” James 1:22-25 and 2:26 tell us that acting on the Word is what proves our faith is alive, what keeps us from being like a foolish man who forgets what he looks like immediately after walking away from the mirror … I don’t know about you, but I often find myself staring into the Word going, “Oh, my goodness … How much I know to do … and don’t.” Anybody in the same boat?
I thought maybe.
So here’s a look at the verses I’ll be meditating this week, if you want to join me:
“I carefully charted out my paths to align my steps with Your decrees. I did not procrastinate and hurried to follow Your commands.”
~ Psalm 119:59-60, Voice Translation
With those Scriptures, and the personal strategy I’m employing this year to challenge myself to grow more, I’m hoping to begin eradicating this spiritual lethargy that so often keeps me from acting on the Word. I’m calling it my “battle plan,” because it’s my strategic and written out plan to build a more sturdy Scriptural foundation in my life that will not cave to compromise, accept mediocrity, or allow room for stagnation. Here’s how it works: I’m keeping a special notebook with me at all times, and in it, I am writing a list of “action principles.” One side of the sheet of paper has daily things I could be doing during my devotional time or throughout the day to be growing in my relationship with God, and the other has items that can be done perhaps every week or so, simply to be practicing. As I listen to sermon CDs, read in my Bible, or read from books that challenge me to grow in my walk with God, I jot notes about practical ways I could apply what I’m learning in whichever column it best fits within. I listen for things that jump out at me and write them down. Then, because it’s open with me everyday, I look at the list to see which of them I can be working on. When I find myself with free time, I consult the list for things I can be doing to grow, to develop discipline and to see new fruit in my life.
For example, my current list of Daily Action Principles is:
- Do more translation studies of verses, digging into the Scriptures on more than just a surface level.
- Keep a gratitude journal, noticing the bouquets of blessings my Bridegroom provides for me each day.
- Spend more time praying the Word – and praising God for answering those prayers.
- Take Communion daily, to enter into intimate fellowship of God on a regular basis.
- Read Psalm 145 and Hebrews 11 daily.
- Pray in tongues daily.
- Speak adventure/bold living Scriptures each day in faith (I call them my “purple verses,” because they were originally on purple notecards)
While I am not yet successfully doing all of these each day, I am pleased to report that having them written down and before my eyes is helping me grow. I am now doing about four of them on a regular, close-to-daily schedule.
My current list of other ideas is as follows:
- Hebrews 11:1 in the Jordan paraphrase says that “Faith is turning dreams into deeds …” Evaluate your dreams regularly, and begin listing practical steps you can take to achieve them, starting now (yes, I write them that way to myself – with “you” pronouns and commanding language, hoping they’ll help me be more intentional about them).
- Smith Wigglesworth says, “Faith laughs at the impossible.” Pick 2 or 3 things that look impossible and laugh at them regularly, trusting that our God is a God for whom ALL things are possible, and reminding the Enemy that he cannot get you into worry and fear about such silly things.
- Habakkuk 2 tells us to write out the vision God has given us and to keep it before our eyes. Look back to Hebrews 11:1 (Jordan) for help in this, but write out the vision of where you’d like to be in five years in your life. Be as specific as possible, and spend time looking back to this often.
- A sermon CD by Andrew Wommack (and my own personal study, as shown in the last entry) suggest remembering regularly how God has come through for us in the past – recite in your mind all the miraculous and marvelous ways He’s answered your prayers, been true to His promises, etc. So I need to block out specific times of remembering …
- Proverbs 22:17-18 in the New Berkeley translation say, “Incline your ear and listen to the words of the wise; apply your mind to know them; for it will be pleasant if you keep them within you; if all of them are ready upon your lips.” Spend more time “applying your mind” to memorizing Scripture so that it is within me.
These are just examples of action-principles God has put on my heart; the battle-plan notebook is just an idea that I am trying this year, hoping it will help me grow in my faith and my application of the Scriptures. But, I thought maybe there were more people like me looking for a way to hold themselves more accountable to grow in the Word, and could maybe benefit from this idea. So, if that’s you, please, be sure to share with me what action-principles God brings to your attention.
PS - Super funny ... so just after writing this and posting it the first time, I went to work out and listen to a sermon CD by Pastor George Pearsons, and in it, he talks about the fact that he likes to ask those older in the faith, "What is one thing they did in the church in your time that the church is not doing today?" Amie Simple-McPherson told him, "Singing in the Spirit." Someone working with Smith Wigglesworth said, "We used to talk about the second coming ALL the time." I guess I'll have to add them both to my list! :)
PS - Super funny ... so just after writing this and posting it the first time, I went to work out and listen to a sermon CD by Pastor George Pearsons, and in it, he talks about the fact that he likes to ask those older in the faith, "What is one thing they did in the church in your time that the church is not doing today?" Amie Simple-McPherson told him, "Singing in the Spirit." Someone working with Smith Wigglesworth said, "We used to talk about the second coming ALL the time." I guess I'll have to add them both to my list! :)
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