{"id":2772,"date":"2014-01-16T13:45:30","date_gmt":"2014-01-16T13:45:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/?p=2772"},"modified":"2014-01-16T13:45:30","modified_gmt":"2014-01-16T13:45:30","slug":"just-do-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/?p=2772","title":{"rendered":"Just Do It"},"content":{"rendered":"

Both of my women\u2019s Bible studies have started and I spend much of my early morning in God\u2019s Word through the two studies I lead. I\u2019ve always been impressed when teaching two studies how they align between the two. The same idea will be focused upon in each study and when I bring them both together, there is greater understanding of the idea.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"DSC04227\"<\/a>So if it\u2019s happened in the past, you would think I wouldn\u2019t be surprised when it happens. But I am. And it has.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

This past week I read (and re-read) these two statements.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThe best thing to do with the Bible is to know it in the head, stow it in the heart, sow it in the world, and show it in the life.\u201d[i]<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cA Bible at home does us no good unless we carry God\u2019s teachings in our hearts and apply them when we are hit with a fiery dart.\u201d[ii]<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Reading the Bible isn\u2019t enough. Studying God\u2019s Word isn\u2019t even enough. The words we read and study must make an impact on our lives. When we allow Scripture to penetrate our hearts, we are transformed. When we are transformed, we are able to change our world.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

James, Jesus\u2019 half-brother and pillar of the Jerusalem church said it this way. \u201cDo not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.\u201d <\/i>(James 1:22 \u2013 NIV)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Did you catch the phrase \u201cso deceive yourselves?\u201d Until we allow God\u2019s Word to make an impact upon our lives, we are being deceived. Making ourselves believe we are followers of Christ without actually doing anything about it. That\u2019s not the way we are live.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

So how can God\u2019s Word touch us in a way that we are compelled to make a change in our lives and to make an impact on our world? We read and listen with an open heart. A heart that is willing to allow transformation. Or as Luke 8:15 (NIV) says, \u201cBut the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

How is your heart? Is it open to hearing and understanding all that God\u2019s Word has in store? Is it available to listen when things are going well but doubts when troubles come? Is your heart really in it?<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I\u2019ve come to understand that it\u2019s just not good enough to read God\u2019s Word. It must reach our hearts and change us. If it doesn\u2019t, we\u2019re just reading another good book.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Jesus left us with a mission. \u201cTherefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.\u201d<\/i> (Matthew 28: 19-20 \u2013 NIV) When we allow God\u2019s Word to touch our hearts, we cannot wait to share this message with others. That\u2019s what \u201cliving it\u201d is all about.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Donna<\/p>\n


<\/p>\n
\n
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[i]<\/a> \u201cLive Deeply: A Study in the Parables of Jesus,\u201d Lenya Heitzig and Penny Rose, David C. Cook, 2009, page 28, author unknown.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

[ii]<\/a> \u201cPray with Purpose, Live with Passion,\u201d Debbie Williams, Howard Books, 2006, page 193.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Both of my women\u2019s Bible studies have started and I spend much of my early morning in God\u2019s Word through the two studies I lead. I\u2019ve always been impressed when teaching two studies how they align between the two. The same idea will be focused upon in each study and when I bring them both […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_s2mail":"yes","_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22,296,16,20,15,11,17,10,14,21],"tags":[1721,1722,1725,466,1720,1723,1724,338],"class_list":["post-2772","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-believing-god","category-experiencing-god","category-following-god","category-hearing-god","category-knowing-god","category-loving-god","category-obeying-god","category-proclaiming-god","category-seeking-god","category-trusting-god","tag-live-deeply-a-study-in-the-parables-of-jesus-by-lenya-heitzig-and-penny-rose","tag-pray-with-purpose","tag-allow-gods-word-to-touch-our-hearts","tag-james-122","tag-just-do-it","tag-live-with-passion-by-debbie-williams","tag-luke-815","tag-matthew-2819-20"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2772","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2772"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2772\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2773,"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2772\/revisions\/2773"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2772"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2772"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2772"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}