Truth transforms us. Spiritual growth is the process of replacing lies with truth. To become like Jesus, we must fill our lives with His Word. The Spirit of God uses the Word of God to make us like the Son of God.

A Bible on the shelf is worthless. To be a healthy disciple of Jesus, feeding on God's Word must be your first priority. God's Word generates life, creates faith, produces change, heals hurts, builds character, infuses hope, releases  power, cleanses our minds, brings things into being, and guarantees our future forever!

Accept its authority.
The Bible must become the benchmark that you use for evaluating everything. Determine to first ask, "What does the Bible say?" when making decisions. Don’t base your choices on:

• Culture
• Tradition
• Reason
• Emotion

 

Assimilate its truth.
It is not enough just to believe the Bible; I must fill my mind with it. Many believers are more faithful to reading their daily newspaper than their Bibles. We can't watch television for three hours, then read the Bible for three minutes and expect to grow. You receive God's Word when you listen and accept it with an open, humble and receptive attitude. Research and study the Bible. The difference between reading and studying the Bible involves two additional activities:

- Ask questions by the text.

- Write down your insights.

You haven't really studied the Bible unless you've written your thoughts down on paper or computer.

Apply its principles.
Without implementation, all our Bible studies are worthless. Personal application can be difficult or even painful, but the truth will set you free. The Bible was not given to increase our knowledge but  to change our lives. God's Word exposes our motives, points out our faults, rebukes our sin, and expects us to change. Every application will involve either your relationship to God, your relationship to others, or your personal character. The best way to become a "doer of the Word" is to always write out an action step as a result of your reflecting on God's Word.

 

Question to Consider:

What has God already told me in his Word that I haven't started doing yet?

 

Verse to Remember:

If you continue in My word, then are you My disciples indeed; and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

John 8:31-32