Greg Laurie Daily Devotion - Apr. 14, 2010

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

How to Change

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
—James 1:22

If you don't need to be changed, then maybe you don't need the Bible. If you have it all together and don't have any questions or conflicts in your life, if you feel that your life is perfect, then you won't be all that interested in the Bible.

But if you are like most people and are aware of your weakness and your inadequacy, if you are aware of your need for God, then you will be thankful to know that the Word of God is perfect, and it can transform you and help you to be the person God called you to be.

We are told in Psalm 19:7-8 that God's Word transforms us: "The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple." The word "converting" also could be translated "reviving," "restoring," or "transforming." When you read God's Word, it will revive you. It will restore you. It will transform you.

But it is not enough just to read the Bible. You must understand it, and then you must obey it. James 1:22-24 tells us, "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was."

Like a mirror, the Bible exposes errors in our lives. It shows us something we need to do, something we need to correct. And if we don't, we are like someone who looks at his reflection in a mirror but doesn't heed what he sees. The same is true when we don't apply the Word of God to our lives.

For more relevant and biblical teaching from Pastor Greg Laurie, go to www.harvest.org
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