Are You Fooling Yourself?

²² But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.
-James 1:22 (NLT)

 ²³ Jesus replied, “All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them. ²⁴ Anyone who doesn’t love me will not obey me. And remember, my words are not my own. What I am telling you is from the Father who sent me.
-John 14:23-24 (NLT)


As I was sitting here preparing to write today's post, I started wondering how many people actually read their Bible. I searched online and found these statistics a wiki.answers.com for how many people actually read their Bible. Here is what it said: 


Although most Americans own a Bible, use of the Bible varies significantly. In a poll taken by the Gallup Organization in October, 2000, 59% of Americans reported that they read the Bible at least occasionally. This is down from 73% in the 1980s. The percentage of Americans who read the Bible at least once a week is 37%. This is down slightly from 40% in 1990. ³ According to the Barna Research Group, those who read the Bible regularly spend about 52 minutes a week in the scriptures. ⁴ Barna, "The Bible," data is from 1997. 

Which gender is more faithful at reading the Bible at least weekly? The prize goes to the women. Women (42%) are more likely than men (32%) to have read the Bible in the past week. What version do people prefer? As of 1997, those who read the Bible preferred the King James Version to the New International Version by a 5 to 1 margin.* 

How can people grow into the person that Jesus expects, without reading His Word? How can we expect to know God, without reading His Word? James says, "But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves." How can we do what God's word says if we do not read it? It can't be done. I wonder how many of those people, in the stats above, actually put into practice what the Word says. When I'm teaching or preaching, I always ask God to help us apply what we are reading. Applying the Word to our lives is essential to our growth as a Christian. In fact, it proves our faith and love in Jesus. Don't believe me? Look at the words of Jesus in John 14:23-24.

Jesus replied, “All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them. ²⁴ Anyone who doesn’t love me will not obey me. And remember, my words are not my own. What I am telling you is from the Father who sent me.

Jesus said that all who love Him will do what He says. Those who doesn't love him will not do what He says. This is a simple concept to understand. By putting the Word to action in your life, you are proving your love for Jesus. And because of your love for Jesus, He and he Father will make their home in you. This is one promise you can bank on. 

So here is our challenge for today. Do you apply God's Word to your life, or do you merely read it, and walk away unchanged? James says that if you don't apply the Word to your life, you are fooling yourself. You may be fooling yourself, but you'll never fool God. Jesus said that if you don't apply God's Word to your life, you don't love Him. Wow, powerful words. Which of these is true in your life? Do you love Jesus? Think About It.
*Read more: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_percentage_of_people_read_the_Bible#ixzz1ggT70TVX