Why Do Daily Applications?

James 1.22  "But don't just listen to God's word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves"

If we listen (or read or study) God's word but don't do what it says James 1.22 says we are "only ________ yourselves".  What?  ONLY FOOLING YOURSELVES. 

So if we read our Bible daily but can't remember what we read we are "only fooling yourselves".

So if we read our bible daily and can remember what we read but don't "do what it says" we are "only fooling yourselves".

How To "do what it says"

3 verses after James 1.22 God shows us how to "do what it says"

James 1.25 "But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don't forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it."

1. We need to "look carefully".  Don't just quickly read, but ponder the passage.  And on your key section ask questions and look it up in 2 or more study bibles or commentaries.
2. Remember (don't forget) your applications and do what it says.  Write down how you will "do what it says".  Another name for this is "write down you applications (how you will apply God's word)".  Then daily review your applications (so you don't forget them) and do them.
3. Expect God to bless you to the degree that you "do what it says".  Expect God not to bless you to the degree that you do not "do what it says".  God probably emphasising obedience more than anything else.

More than anything else the quality of our life is determined by how much of God's word we learn (look carefully), remember, and do (obey).  Therefore developing the "daily" habit of reading (looking carefully into) the Bible and writing down our application (how we will "do it").  Only by writing our application can we can review it and thereby remember to do it.

A few of the many verses on why obeying God determines everything else

Deuteronomy 12.28   "Be careful to obey all these things I command you, so that you and your children after you may prosper forever, because you will be doing what is good and right in the sight of the LORD your God."

John 15.10-11  "If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete."

1 John 2.3-4 "We have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, I know him, but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him."

How to write an application ("do what it says")

1. Sin to avoid
2. Promise to believe and rely on
3. Example to follow
4. Command to obey
5. Knowledge/Truth to remember

Daily write a "SPECK" (Sin, Promise, Example, Command, Knowledge).  Some people turn the their application into a prayer asking God to help them do their application.  Then, the secret to doing your application is to share it with one or more people.  Your spouse, your children (if you want them to take God's word seriously they need to see you taking it seriously), extended family, and friends.