Bible reading: James 1:1-25
Key verse 22

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

Let’s say you’re loosing your hair and somehow you discover there’s a medicated cream that will cause your hair to grow back. But you’re not sure; so you do some research. You ask your doctor about it, you question other people who have applied the cream, and after all your research you conclude that it really works… this medication will definitely grow your hair, no doubt about it.

So, you go out and buy it, you read all the directions, and then you store it in the medicine chest but never apply it. In terms of your hair growth, what good will the cream do if you don’t apply it? Can your knowledge and the fact that you own the cream grow your hair? Absolutely not!

The same is true when it comes to spiritual growth. Many believers today know God’s Word; they’ve actually heard, read and studied it. They own multiple Bibles; they have them in print, audio, and even on their mobile devices. But they deceive themselves in believing that owning a Bible and knowledge alone is sufficient. No, the formula for spiritual growth is the study and application of God’s Word.

Heavenly Father, I want to grow spiritually. I want to know your word not only for the sake of information, but also for the sake of application.