Respond and Be Transformed

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. – (James 1:22, NIV) 

Do what God’s teaching says; don’t just listen and do nothing. When you only sit and listen, you are fooling yourselves. – (James 1:22, ERV) 

Don’t just listen to the Word of Truth and not respond to it, for that is the essence of self-deception. So always let His Word become like poetry written and fulfilled by your life! – (James 1:22, TPT) 

We are called to listen and act upon the Word of God. He gives us instructions as to how to live our lives according to His will. What good does it do if we hear the words, yet choose to do nothing about it? The only way that we can truly become who we were created to be, is if we listen, learn, and act upon all that God is calling us to become. Our transformation is an ongoing process that comes through reading, hearing, and obeying that which is asked of us to love God and love people well. The more we know and understand, the better equipped we are to move forward in the goodness and grace that God has granted, so that we may live out our days as He intended. May we ever seek the Lord and spend time in His word, listening and acting upon what He calls us to do. Our salvation is not earned, but our transformation takes work and a heart willing to obey His word. 

Don’t merely listen, 

To God’s holy word; 

But choose to respond, 

To all that is heard. 

Through love and His grace, 

He opens our eyes; 

To the way to live, 

True love realized. 

For as we allow, 

All that the Lord says; 

To transform our hearts, 

The more we show His. 

Lord, help us listen, 

And respond in love; 

To all You’re asking, 

So we may become. 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You call us to not only listen to You and Your Word, but You ask us to respond and allow Your words to transform our hearts, minds and actions. Thank You that as we seek and respond to You, You change our hearts to reflect Yours. Forgive us for the times that we have listened and heard Your heart, but chose not to respond and act upon all that You were asking. Teach us to trust You more, so that all that we do and say may shine Your light of love each day. Show us how to best love those around us in the ways You are calling us to love. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we listen and act upon all You are asking, so that we do not deceive ourselves, but live in truth and light and love. Amen. 

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. – John 13:34 

Listen and Do

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. – (James 1:22, NIV) 

Do what God’s teaching says; don’t just listen and do nothing. When you only sit and listen, you are fooling yourselves. – (James 1:22, ERV) 

Don’t just listen to the Word of Truth and not respond to it, for that is the essence of self-deception. So always let His Word become like poetry written and fulfilled by your life. – (James 1:22, TPT) 

The word of God is alive and active. As we hear His words, we ought to be both challenged and encouraged, as we are meant to learn and do, not just passively listen and agree it is true. I love the imagery of allowing “His Word to become like poetry written and fulfilled by our lives”. The idea of living it out, is how we navigate life as His poem, His handiwork and masterpiece, through loving as we are called to love. We are not merely called to listen to His Word, but rather we are meant to hear, internalize and act upon all that He is teaching us as we go. May we all go beyond mere listening, and choose to take God’s words to heart and set them in motion in our lives. 

We are meant for more, 

Than hearing God’s word; 

We’re meant to respond, 

Act on what is heard. 

For we’ve each been called, 

He knows us by name; 

He’ll love us to life, 

So our lives proclaim. 

Proclaim His goodness, 

All mercy and grace; 

Let His love be known, 

Throughout all our days. 

 Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You call us to not only hear Your Word, but to set it into actions that clearly reflect Your love and light to the world. Forgive us for the times that Your words have been heard but not applied. Teach us to listen, learn and set what You are speaking to us in motion. Show us how to apply Your Word to how we love those around us. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we listen, learn and apply Your Word to how we live out each day. Amen. 

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

Blessed are those who act justly, who always do what is right. – Psalm 106:3

Poetry Lived Out

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. – (James 1:22, NIV)

Do what God’s teaching says; don’t just listen and do nothing. When you only sit and listen, you are fooling yourselves. – (James 1:22, ERV)

Don’t just listen to the Word of Truth and not respond to it, for that is the essence of self-deception. So always let His Word become like poetry written and fulfilled by your life! – (James 1:22, TPT)

 

If we listen to God’s Word and know the truth of who we are and what we are called to do, but choose to neglect to walk it out, we are deceiving ourselves and creating a void that was intended to be filled by our obedience to God’s leading. However, as we seek after the Lord and pursue a life lived out according to His purposes, “His Word becomes like poetry written and fulfilled by our lives.” I know that I would much prefer to be like poetry than deceive myself. Listening to His Word is not a “one-and-done” situation. Each time we spend time in His Word, He uses it to transform our hearts and minds to become more like His. God opens our understanding and refines us to more clearly reflect His heart to the world. Each time we invest time in His Word, we have to choose to allow the Lord to speak to our hearts so that we can adjust according to His leading. This refining process is lifelong. Not one of us ever “arrives”. The more we listen, the more apt we are to act according to His will, rather than our own. May we all go beyond simply hearing the Word of Truth, boldly stepping out in obedience to become more of who we are called to be as we reflect the radiance of our Redeemer’s love and light to the world around us.

 

For we are all called,

To hear the Lord’s word;

Not just to know it,

But act on what’s heard.

As we choose take in,

The Word of the Lord;

He shows us the way,

To walk in accord.

When we walk with Him,

His love light will show;

Through our words and deeds,

As His good’s made known.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Word. Thank You that You teach, refine and lead us as we listen to and act on what You instruct through Your Word. Forgive us for the times that we have heard and known what is good and pleasing in Your sight, but chose to either do nothing, or go a different direction. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would listen and act upon Your leading. Show us how to love those around us in tangible and practical ways. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we obey what You say, and trust You to provide all that we need to do all that You ask. Amen.

 

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

 

Let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance. -Proverbs 1:5

 

Our Thoughts Control Our Life

Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. – (Proverbs 4:23, NLT)

Above all, be careful what you think because your thoughts control your life. – (Proverbs 4:23, ERV)

Above all else, watch over your heart; diligently guard it because from a sincere and pure heart come the good and noble things of life. – (Proverbs 4:23, VOICE)

 

The thoughts we hold in our heart determine the direction that we take in life. If we hold onto negativity or fear or frustration, each step that we take is weighed down by the heaviness we are holding. However, if we guard our hearts and listen and trust in His word of truth, our burdens lessen and we are better able to stay the course to which we have been called. Obstacles will always stand before us, yet if we move forward with our eyes open and our hearts fixed on He who is greater, the challenges will not determine our direction; the path that has already been presented will continue to propel us to progress in the life to which we are being led. May we ever guard our hearts and minds, fixing all securely on our Savior; for in Him, we find safe harbor and a course that has been set for us to successfully navigate with Him.

 

Let us guard our hearts,

photo by Dee Jones of Open Door Photography. ❤

Above other things;

For the thoughts we think,

Impact our blessings.

As we are weighed down,

Fixed on weight we bear;

We miss so much good,

That God has to share.

Protect heart and mind,

For good things shall come;

Our path is made plain,

When we seek the Son.

The blessings in life,

All good things that flow;

Are from God to us,

As we seek to grow.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that when we guard our hearts and place our trust in You, You lead us on a course that is far greater than we could have hoped or imagined. Thank You that though trials and difficulties will come, as we fix our eyes on You, rather than the challenge, You lead us on and carry us through. Forgive us for not guarding our hearts from the heaviness that life can bring. Teach us to trust You more, so that we do not get weighed down by the difficulties and instead rise up in Your strength to press on. Show us how to love those around us well, so that we may extend Your goodness, strength and grace to help others navigate the course to which You are calling them. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we guard our hearts and fix our eyes on You; for with You, good and noble things light the path to which we are called to walk.

 

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

 

Because of the tender mercy of our God, …the rising sun will come to us from heaven. – Luke 1:78