Be ye doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves – James 1:22.

Sunday after Sunday, Christians attend church and hear the Word of God preached, but the majority of attendees are not those who do the Word.

Every time we hear the Word preached or taught, God holds us responsible for what we hear. Many attend church but have not fully surrendered their lives to Him. Then it is those who have surrendered their lives to Him, but they suffer from past hurts, anger, judgment, and criticism.

Before we can reach the lost, the people sitting in the pews need to be delivered and set free. Some are speaking in tongues, running around the church, crying, but after the service, they will walk past you as though you’re not present. Many of God’s people have been hurt and wounded by these actions, and some have left the church because of the way they were treated.

We need to examine ourselves and see if we’re in the faith. How can I say I love God, but I can’t show love towards my Christian sisters and brothers? Or if I have been offended in the church, and I’m still holding on to the offense, then I am not being a doer of the Word of God. Jesus taught His disciples that they would be offended; it wasn’t just for them, but for the present-day Christian (Then said He unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offenses will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come – Luke -17:1)

Offenses come from people allowing Satan to use them, whether they are Christians or non-believers. True Christians will check themselves before speaking out because they don’t want to be offensive to anyone. We treat and interact with people the way we want to be treated and interacted with.

Because of a lack of prayer, Christians say and do things that are not appropriate for a Christian. The Bible instructs us to have our speech seasoned with salt (Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man – Colosians 4:6). The way a Christian lives is of utmost importance, not only because of the blessings they will receive from God, but also because of they way nonbelievers view them.

Our behavior is a living tract to both the saved and the nonbeliever. When people are around us, they should feel peace and the presence of God. As Christians, we should be Christlike in our actions, but so many are attending church, and their lifestyle is that of a nonbeliever. Don’t just listen to the Word and not be an example of it.

Every one of us has sin in our lives, whether it’s a practice of sin or a sin committed without awareness. This is why we need to have a consistent prayer life. There is no way we can continue to stay in the presence of God and continue to practice sin. God will always show us, rather than showing us someone else’s sin.

To be a doer of the Word, we must not only hear it from the pulpit but also take the time to read and study the Word. Reading the Bible is essential for spiritual growth, as it teaches us about the God we serve and what is required of us as His children. Reading the Word will help us determine whether we are abiding in the Word of God or if we are allowing sin to flourish in our lives.

The Bible is God’s instruction manual, and He expects those who profess to be Christians to read His instructions and align their lives with them. It’s more to sin than lying, cheating, stealing, fornication, and adultery. Are we loving others as we should? Are we willing to forgive those who have hurt or offended us? Are we showing respect to our spouses, children, and others we come in contact with?

Are we submitting ourselves to our spiritual leader, or are we in rebellion? Do we attend prayer meetings or on the days prayer has been set for prayer? Are we fasting to place our flesh subject to the Holy Spirit, or are we allowing flesh to dictate to us?

We’re living like the earth is our home: we will spend eternity somewhere, whether it’s heaven or hell. To enter heaven, we must change our lifestyle to adhere to God’s written Word. To enter hell, all you have to do is continue to live the lifestyle you’re living.