THINK TOGETHER.
List the places where you hear the word of God (the Bible).
READ TOGETHER
Proverbs 23:12. Apply your heart to instruction and your ear to words of knowledge.
Yesterday we talked about the fool who won’t listen to instruction or knowledge. They reject what God is saying to them through the Bible, through teachers, and even through parents. But instead of being a fool you can be wise. How? By applying your heart to instruction and your ear to words of knowledge. This goes beyond just hearing wisdom. You must also apply it. What does that mean? It means receiving it as true, trusting it, and then doing whatever it says. The book of James says it this way: Be doers of the word, and not hearers only.
Do you go to church to hear God’s word? Do you listen to Bible stories from your teachers? Are you listening now to this devotional? Good. But remember, mom and dad can take you to church to hear the word of God, teachers can read and explain the Bible to you, Pastors can preach sermons to you too, but only you can apply the instruction of the Bible to your own heart. Only you can decide if you will both hear it and do it. Only you know how much you trust God’s love. Only you know your secret thoughts. Only you can change your choices.
It’s easy when you hear the story of Jesus over and over to think “I’ve heard this a million times before.” But there’s a reason that we need to hear the story of Jesus over and over again. Because even though we’ve heard it, we haven’t always applied it. We haven’t let it change us on the inside.
And that’s the goal. God wants you to be like Jesus, and he has given you a new heart so that when you hear about Jesus from the Bible it will change you into the likeness of Jesus. Now you can be a doer of the Word not only a hearer of the Word. You can apply the good news of Jesus to your life, trusting it with all your heart, and following him in all his ways until he brings you to Heaven.
Because of Jesus we have a heart that wants to do the Word, not just hear it.
With Jesus we can apply the word of God to our hearts.
DO SOMETHING TOGETHER
Here’s a simple outline for applying the word of God that you can keep in front of you as a family: Is there a truth to believe? A promise to claim? A command to obey? An attitude to change?
PRAY TOGETHER
Jesus, make me a truster and doer and not only a hearer. Amen.
TLICfamily 