Yes, application is key.  We must learn from the things that God is trying to teach us.  We must study, we must apply our learning so that we can become stronger in the Lord.

Studying is a spiritual exercise.  The word says that you should study.  Spiritual exercise are things that you do to gain spiritual strength.

 

Yes! There are such things as Spiritual Exercises.  Check out this article on the first spiritual exercises that you should practice in order to become a doer of the word:

3 spiritual exercises

 

Remember to Review

 

One way that I try to keep up my spiritual strength is to review what God has already taught me.  I had an idea on my blogger page to promote a Throwback Thursday.  This allowed me to link old posts that may not have received a lot of attention the first go around.  It also forwarded me the opportunity to reread some of the lessons God had taught me.

It is a wonderful tool to have a recorded running record of the lessons God has taught you.  I learn my lessons and learn them quickly so that I don't have to be evaluated in an uncomfortable way!

 

Learn your lesson the first time around!

 

You can check me out on artteacher4purpose.blogspot.com for Throwback Thursday where I review topics that I wrote about in the past.

 

I need you to understand that I am not doing this in my own strength. Instead, it is the Holy Spirit coaching me.  Even though I write much of this content, I sometimes forget what the Holy Spirit has taught me.  Hence, I have to go back and study more, then apply my learning to my life.

In our weakness, He is made strong.

 

I remember when God was teaching me about taking action.  This life is not about sitting back and letting others do the work for you.  This life is not about hoping and waiting for the God to fix everything . . . Instead, we were placed here for a reason.  We are meant to learn and grow from this life so that we can enter into the next.  If we are not prepared then we will not enjoy the wedding feast.  Even if you were invited, you might be asked to leave. . . (read Matthew 22:1-14).

I encourage you saints of God to live obedient to the word of God.  Answer the call that God has placed on your life.  Be a doer and not a hearer only.  Get busy for God, and not busy for this world.  The following is an excerpt from an article I wrote last May:

 

This is confusing to explain.  Yes, we caste the burden on the Lord, but no we do not sit back and let things just happen.  We have to take an active role in our responsibilities to the Lord:

 

But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 

James 1:22

 

So, it is important to find out what it means to be a doer of the word.  Being a doer of the word means to go through the whole process.  We can't just stop at the receiving our salvation.  That would be like going to Pre-school then saying 'I'm done!'

 

We must become Doers

We must lead a changed life, by hearing the Holy Spirit. We must follow the directions given to us by the Holy Spirit.  You can not hear the voice of the Holy Spirit if you do not know the language.  You only learn the language by spending time in the word.  Studying, reading, praying, and communicating with the Lord teaches you the language.  We must grow in all aspects of the spirit.

 

You become a doer when you build your faith. . .

 

Your belief will give you the gift of faith. When you follow God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit  with your whole heart, you can start to increase your faith.  You must believe that your relationship is really happening.  You will have ups and downs but trials only come to build your faith up.  The longer you walk with the Lord, the stronger your faith, and the more comfortable you are in following that small still voice.  The more you believe, the more you become a doer.

I think this was my confusion when I was younger.  I thought I could live my life, and try my best to be a good Christian, by not drinking, cursing, or doing drugs.  I thought that I was a good Christian because I went to church, taught Sunday School, and participated in Church activities.  I thought I was doing what I was supposed to be doing.  I prayed, I read my bible, and I did my best. . .

 

Finally, friends, I encourage you to develop a relationship with the Lord.  Though I tell you all these things in this blog, you will not really "get it" unless the Holy Spirit reveals it to you.   You must study and apply this word to show that you are indeed seeking to know your creator.  He loves you and he wants your actions to reflect that you love him.

 

I can talk and write until my head falls off, but if you are not seeking a true relationship with the Lord, this will not make sense to you.  The word says if you draw closer to the Lord, he will draw close to you.  Believe that you are special to God.  Believe and know that you have secrets inside of you that the world wants to use for its agenda.  Know that God does not want you to be used up by this world, but instead he wants you to grow so that you can receive your inheritance.  Be a doer, and not a hearer only.

 

check out these past articles:

 Be a Doer

Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers.

15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

16But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. 17And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; 18Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some. 19Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

20But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. 21If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work. 22Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 23But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes. 24And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, 25In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; 26And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.