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

Preached in Greenhills today after being out of the pulpit for 3 weeks. What a way to start my preaching again – James is a HARD BOOK not because of its theology but its blunt command for Christians to APPLY THE WORD.

Have you ever deceive yourself? How did it feel? It feels awful right. Well how many times have we listened to a message yet not apply it even if we know it will help us. It stinks right. That is how we are when we hear or read the Bible and do not apply the word.

I challenged our congregation to apply the lessons they learn. I challenged the Christians who have been faithfully attending to start loving their families, the students to get their grades up a little higher than F, the business people to make their businesses legal, the singles to stop having sex.

I am excited and challenged for the next 4 weeks of our series. We are on a tough ride to obedience!