So many things are allowed to rule us: our impulses, our thoughts, the opinions of others. But the one thing that should be directing our lives is God’s Word. God doesn’t give us the Bible in an attempt to offer interesting insights or good advice to consider; it’s His fixed opinion.

Jesus said, ‘Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock’ (Matthew 7:24 NKJV). This builder’s foundation withstood life’s storms. On the other hand, Jesus said, ‘Everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them is foolish and the storms of life will sweep them away' (see v.26-27 NKJV). Jesus didn’t condemn the second man for building an inadequate structure or failing to hear, understand, and believe His words. He condemned the man for failing to act on them.

James wrote, ‘Obey God’s message! Don’t fool yourselves by just listening to it…God will bless you in everything you do, if you listen and obey, and don’t just hear and forget’ (James 1:22, 25 CEV). Just reading, knowing, and even believing God’s Word isn’t enough. There’s one more step. Because it is God’s Word, His instructions must be obeyed. That means not just believing it, but behaving according to it. James didn’t say we’d be blessed because of what we believe, but because of our obedience to what God’s said. When Moses read God’s Word to the Israelites, they said, ‘All that the Lord has said we will do, and be obedient’ (Exodus 24:7 NKJV). Let’s make that our rule for life, too.

What Now?

It can be difficult to think about obeying God’s Word if we’re not even sure it’s true. If that’s how you’re feeling, try picking one verse each day that contains wisdom you know to be solid advice (the book of Proverbs is a good place to start), and meditate on it throughout the day.