Session 7

Hear and Do

From Understanding and Applying The Bible

James 1:19-25

19 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. 21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

You might not know...
When James was writing this, the church was being persecuted and many people were going through hardships and he inspired them to gain wisdom from their situation by being obedient.

What does it say?
This passage talks about two big issues that Christians still deal with today: what to do about anger and evil, and what to do about what we hear in church and from the Bible. 

What does it mean?
What we think we're supposed to do in so many situations just isn't the best thing to do. When we're compelled by a situation to immediately get angry, that’s exactly what not to do. 

Similarly, sometimes we think that our Bible is just meant to be read. Reading the Bible is obviously a very good thing, but we’re missing the point and maybe not actually listening if we don’t make an effort to let it change us. 

What does it mean to me?
Understanding what I read in the Bible or hear in Church does not come from just more and more reading and listening, it is a product of both hearing AND doing. The Bible can still be hard to understand, but when I attempt to live out what the Bible says about loving God and loving others, the words in the Bible become less confusing. All it takes is to listen in church and to read the Bible in such a way that we respond with action - to be a hearer and a doer.

7 of 14

Session 1

God Can Take Care of Me

Psalm 23:1-6 1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he ...

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Session 2

God Is In A Position to Help

Psalm 113:7  "Who can be compared with the Lord our God, who is enthroned on high? He stoops to look down on heaven and on earth. H...

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Session 3

How To Pray According to Jesus

Matthew 6:5-14 5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the str...

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Session 4

Love Is Most Important

1 Corinthians 13:1-7 & 13 If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a...

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Session 5

Focus On Jesus

Matthew 14:22-33 Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds....

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Session 6

Jesus From the Beginning

John 1:1-18 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Thro...

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Session 7

Hear and Do

James 1:19-25 19 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become a...

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Session 8

When I Mess Up

Psalm 51 1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. 2 W...

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Session 9

Seasons of Life

Ecclesiastes 3:1-11 1 For everything there is a season,     a time for every activity under heaven. 2 A time to be born and a ...

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Session 10

Love Because God Loves You

1 John 4:15-21 15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. 16 And so we know and rely on ...

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Session 11

True Freedom

John 8:31-28 31So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,  32and you wil...

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Session 12

God Will Use Me Specifically

1 Corinthians 12:12-26 12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For...

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Session 13

If There’s Jesus, There’s Hope

Romans 5:1-5 5 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we ...

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Session 14

Jesus Took My Place

John 18:29-40 29 So Pilate went outside to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this man?” 30 They answered ...

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