I don’t know about you, but sometimes I think we’ve made following Jesus more complicated than it was ever meant to be. We spend a lot of time worrying about the parts of life the Word doesn’t give us exact answers for. I’ve been wondering what would happen if, instead of stressing over those unknowns, we simply did what the Bible clearly tells us to do.
When we focus on what we do know, the unknown often comes into focus.
We Know More Than We Practice
We read the Bible. We even study it. We underline verses, highlight truths, and make notes. Some of us Memorize Scripture. And yet, when it comes time to live it out, we often hesitate, delay, or overthink it.
Lately, I’ve been asking myself a simple but powerful question:
What if the problem isn’t that we don’t know enough… but that we don’t always do what we already know?
That question is what led me to this new series, Just Do the Word.
Why James
Not because obedience is easy.
Not because life is simple.
But because Scripture gives us very clear instructions that we often overlook.
When we choose to do what we already know to do, we discover that God is faithful to light our path and provide what we need to walk out the plans He has for us.
One of the things I love about Scripture is how practical it is. One of the best books in the New Testament that makes this clear is the book of James.
James is straightforward. He writes with clarity and purpose, connecting faith and action in a way that is hard to ignore. As you read through this short letter, you can’t help but notice how often it tells us exactly what to do:
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- Consider it joy when trials come
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- Ask God for wisdom
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- Be quick to listen and slow to speak
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- Care for those in need
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- Watch your words
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- Pray faithfully
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- Walk humbly before God
Do What It Says
And then there is the verse that sits at the very heartbeat of this series:
“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”
(James 1:22)
James isn’t calling us to complicated faith. He’s calling us to lived-out faith. Faith that shows up in our words, our choices, our relationships, and our everyday obedience.
That’s the heart behind this challenge.
One Week at a Time
Over the next 52 weeks, we are going to focus on one clear instruction from Scripture at a time. Not to overwhelm ourselves. Not to strive for perfection. But to practice simple obedience, one step and one week at a time.
My prayer is that as we do, we won’t just grow in our knowledge of God’s Word, but in trust, faithfulness, and freedom as we live it out.
I challenge you to read the book of James this week. Don’t just highlight the instructions. Pause and choose to apply what you’re reading. What is the Holy Spirit speaking to you about?
Next week, we’ll begin with the very first instruction James gives us, one that feels especially challenging in real life: “Count it all joy when you meet trials of various kinds.” We’ll take a closer look at what that really means and how we can begin to live it out.
This week, don’t just read the Word. Let’s do it.