How to be Intentional with your Walk with God

As someone leading a new Bible Study (Katie Orr's new study Everyday Peace. You should check it out here), it was brought to my attention that it is important to teach and guide those who you are studying the word with on how to be more intentional about applying God's word to our lives. I am learning that it takes more than just reading His word and then giving someone a question to think about and discuss with. There has to be clear application and you have to be intentional about it. If we don't we are like the person in James 1:21-25 NKJV

Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 

 ²³ 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; ²⁴ for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.

  ²⁵ But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

 

 So how can we prevent ourselves to not become like the man who looks in the mirror and turns away to only forget what he saw?

 

1) Lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness

 

When we are intentional about applying God's word to our lives we need to say no to the awfulness that creeps into our hearts. For example, I really want to go to this women's retreat being put on by my church, but I cant find a babysitter for my big kid (you know she is sleeping in a big girl bed right now as I type this). It is kinda frustrating because I really think I deserve to get away which I don't get very often. So my fleshy heart starts getting frustrated with my husband because he isn't trying hard enough to make the time for me to be able to go. Its just one day. But in all reality, he can't and I know that. So instantly (oh how it isn't easy to do that) I needed to take my thoughts captive and give them over to God. That was not and still not a one time deal either. It is a constant laying aside over and over and over again. He is so unbelievably faithful and will meet you there and give you the peace that you need. 

 

2) Receive with meekness the implanted word

 

The word of God is powerful, you know. But the key is accepting it humbly. You cant have a prideful heart because that's when we allow filthiness to creep in and we wont be able to hold onto what God's word says to us. When you claim a verse humbling, your heart is softened by its words. As you claim your verse over and over and over again, it becomes implanted. It becomes a promise to hold onto when that situation keeps coming up. The promises are the key.

 

Another verse that pertains to this point is Philippians 4:6 in the NLT,

     

⁶ Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.

 

 

So in those times when you are tempted to get frustrated or worry about something, give it to God and hold onto the promises He has shown you by thanking Him for what He has already done. This is a huge one for me.

 

3) Remember that "it will save your soul" and you will blessed in all that you do

 

When we confess and give our filthiness and fleshiness to God and hold onto His promises in His word, we will be "saved" and blessed in all that we do. The Greek word for saved is sozo which means both to be saved someone from perishing but it also means to make whole and to preserve. The Word of God is there to make you whole and complete. So when you hold onto the same scripture over and over and over again you are making yourself complete.

Holding onto the word of God also blesses you. A little update on my situation for the women's retreat. God blessed me in a way I didn't expect. My husband called me and asked if we could do this one plan by staying over a friend's house so they could watch our big kid. He really cared and it blessed me! I just thanked God that He used my husband to do that. It also came to the conclusion after more talking that it probably is not my season right now to go because my big kid is my priority. Once again He blessed me because I have absolute peace in the decision.

So as Christians, when we are struggling with something, we need to check our hearts, hold onto scripture over and over and over, and open yourself to be made complete and blessed by God.

link up with Jennifer #tellhisstory and Holley coffee for your heart