Remaining In The Word

Introduction

I know you all have been in a series called “Words Have Power.” I haven’t had a chance to hear all the messages you’ve been walking through, but today I want to talk about the most powerful Word of all — God’s Word.

This book — the Bible — is not just a collection of ancient writings. It is the very Word of God. And it has the power to shape, transform, and completely change lives and even the world.

Listen to what Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 10:3–5:

“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the tearing down of strongholds, as we tear down speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.” (LSB)

And then the writer of Hebrews says this in Hebrews 4:12–13:

“For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are uncovered and laid bare to the eyes of Him to whom we have an account to give.” (LSB)

Do you see the picture here? This book is not passive — it is living. It is active. It tears down strongholds. It discerns the thoughts and intentions of the heart. It lays us bare before God.

But here’s the catch: we won’t experience any of that power unless we actually open it and read it. James 1:22 puts it this way:

“But become doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.” (LSB)

And here’s the sobering truth: most Christians aren’t doing that.

A study of over 40,000 people found that while 93% of Americans own a Bible — and the average household has four — less than two out of five read it even once a week. Only one in four Christians say they regularly study the Bible to find direction for their lives.

This lack of engagement has consequences. The study found that many Christians today are biblically illiterate — three out of ten teens didn’t know who preached the Sermon on the Mount, and half of young adults and more than one-third of older adults couldn’t name the town where Jesus was born.

And when we don’t know what the Bible says, we’re vulnerable to false teaching. We can be led astray by internet personalities, influencers, and even well-meaning friends who twist Scripture to fit their own ideas — and we won’t even know the difference.

But there’s good news — there is a solution. The same study found what they called “the power of four.”

When Christians engaged with Scripture at least four times a week, their lives looked radically different:

57% less likely to get drunk

68% less likely to engage in relations outside of marriage

61% less likely to view inappropriate content on the internet

74% less likely to gamble

228% more likely to share their faith

231% more likely to disciple others

407% more likely to memorize Scripture

And here’s what’s fascinating: there was no significant difference between Christians who read the Bible two or three times a week and those who barely read it at all. In other words, if we want the Word of God to transform us, we have to engage with it consistently — at least four times a week.

That’s what I want to talk about today — how we can become not just hearers of the Word, but doers of the Word, by building four key habits into our lives.

Main Body

You know, it’s interesting — James 1:22 uses the word “delude” in some translations. In psychology, a delusion is defined as “a persistent false belief that is maintained despite indisputable evidence to the contrary.”

Think about that for a moment. If we were to walk into a mental hospital and meet a man who claimed he could fly — but when he jumped off his roof, broke his legs, and still insisted he could fly — we would say, “That man is delusional.”

James is making the same point here in James 1:22–24:

James 1:22–24 LSB

But become doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he looked at himself and has gone away, he immediately forgot what kind of person he was.

James is warning us that hearing God’s Word without acting on it is spiritual self-deception. It’s like saying we believe one thing, but living as if it’s not true — just as delusional as the man who believes he can fly after breaking his legs.

But here’s the real challenge: how can we possibly live out what the Word says if we don’t actually know what it says?

We actually have to open our Bibles and read it if we want to know what they say.

I remember being at a men’s conference where the speaker was talking about the importance of memorizing Scripture. He looked out at the crowd and said, “How many of you want to be better husbands?” Nearly every man in the room raised his hand.

Then he said, “Great. Now keep your hand up if you also want to be better fathers and spiritual leaders in your home.” Every single hand stayed up.

Then he said something that hit me hard: “Alright then — how many of you can quote three verses, with their references, that teach on those subjects?”

Almost every hand dropped.

That moment made a powerful point. Most of us genuinely want to grow as Christians — to be better husbands, fathers, friends, and leaders — but many of us don’t even know what God’s Word actually says about those areas of our lives.

Going back to the study, they asked believers why they don’t spend time in Scripture. The most common answer? “I’m too busy.” People admitted that their schedules, distractions, and priorities get in the way. Others confessed that it wasn’t really about time at all — it was about their hearts. Some said they avoid Scripture when they feel discouraged, angry at God, or guilty. Others admitted they get comfortable when life is going well and stop feeling the need to hear from God.

And it’s not just new believers who struggle — even Christians who have been going to church for ten, twenty, thirty years said they often don’t know where to start, don’t have accountability, or find the Bible hard to understand.

And that’s why this has to be where we start.

If we want to grow — if we want to be the husbands, fathers, and spiritual leaders God has called us to be — we have to start with consistent time in God’s Word.

Everything else flows from that. We can’t obey what we don’t know. We can’t claim God’s promises if we’ve never heard them. We can’t fight temptation don’t have scripture memorized to fight the enemy.

So the first key step is simple, but powerful: read the Bible consistently.

Reading The Bible Consistently

We’ve already talked about the incredible statistics that show what happens when we engage with Scripture four or more times a week — how it radically changes our behavior, our attitudes, and even the trajectory of our spiritual lives.

But here’s the thing: if we don’t know where to start, we’re far less likely to actually do it. Thankfully, we live in a time where there are countless resources to help us stay consistent.

There are free apps like YouVersion with hundreds of Bible reading plans to choose from.

There are podcasts like The Bible Recap, which my wife just finished, that walk you through the entire Bible in a year with helpful commentary and historical context.

There are books like Core 52 by Mark Moore, which takes you through 52 core principles of the Bible with daily meditations.

But you don’t need a program to get started — you can just open the Bible and begin reading. If you’ve never read it before, a great place to start is the Gospel of John, then continue through Acts and the rest of the New Testament.

Ultimately, though, it comes down to discipline. We have to make the time. I’ve learned personally that if I don’t do it first thing in the morning, it won’t happen. And I’m not naturally a morning person — but I know that 5:30 a.m. is the only time I can consistently have quiet time with God. So every weekday, I wake up early to read my Bible, work on Scripture memory, and pray.

Now I am not going to sit up here and tell you that i am perfect with it, but I made decision to make God’s Word a priority so my goal is to have a quiet time at least 4 days a week.

Memorizing Scripture

That leads us to the second key point: memorizing Scripture.

Dallas Willard, a well-known Christian philosopher, once said:

“Bible memorization is absolutely fundamental to spiritual formation. If I had to choose between all the disciplines of the spiritual life, I would choose Bible memorization, because it is a fundamental way of filling our minds with what it needs.”

He’s reflecting on Joshua 1:8, which says:

“Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” (NIV)

Memorizing Scripture has been a turning point in my own spiritual growth. Honestly, my life didn’t start changing until I began hiding God’s Word in my heart.

Suddenly, throughout the day, verses would come to mind — not always when I wanted them to. After dinner, when all I want to do is sit on the couch and relax, Ephesians 5:25 comes to mind:

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her.”

And that conviction drives me to get up, help with the dishes, and serve my wife — not because I feel like it, but because God’s Word is shaping my actions.

That’s the power of Scripture memory. It changes your behavior, your attitude, and your perspective in ways that wouldn’t happen if you didn’t have those words ready in your heart and mind.

If there is an area that I am struggling with, I go and find a few verses that deal specifically with that and I memorize them. Then when I am anxious or stressed out, I recite those verses to myself and it helps me change my perspective.

Prayer

The next key point is prayer.

This one might not sound as connected to reading your Bible, but it’s absolutely essential if we want to remain in God’s Word and grow in our faith. Prayer is how we talk to God. It’s how we communicate directly with the Creator of the universe.

Think about it like this: imagine a husband who works hard every day, provides food, housing, and everything his family needs — but never actually talks to his wife or kids. He might be meeting their physical needs, but what kind of relationship would that be?

Sadly, this is exactly how many of us treat God. We check the boxes — we go to church, sing the songs, maybe even read our Bibles — but we never actually talk to Him. And then we wonder why our relationship with Him feels distant.

We can’t possibly hope to know God intimately if we aren’t talking with Him regularly. Prayer is where we pour out our hearts, confess our sins, thank Him for His goodness, and ask for His guidance.

And if prayer feels awkward or new to you, you don’t have to start with fancy words or long speeches. You can pray the prayers you already see in Scripture:

Take the Lord’s Prayer and expand it in your own words, reflecting on each phrase.

Pray through the Psalms — many of them are simply David’s prayers written down.

Use Paul’s prayers for the church (like Ephesians 3:14-21) and make them your own.

The goal isn’t to get the wording perfect — it’s to spend time with your Father. You can’t have a close relationship with your spouse if you never talk to them, and you can’t have a close relationship with God if you never pray.

Accountability

The last point is accountability. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 says this:

Ecclesiastes 4:9–12 LSB

Two are better than one because they have good wages for their labor. For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not a second one to lift him up. Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone? And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can stand against him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.

We are not meant to walk this Christian life alone. God designed us to live in community — to have brothers and sisters who will walk with us, encourage us, and pick us up when we stumble.

This is why accountability matters. We need people in our lives who will ask us the hard questions:

“How many times did you open your Bible this week?”

“How’s your Scripture memory going?”

“How are you handling the stress at work or in your family?”

And we need those same people to celebrate with us when we’re faithful, and lovingly challenge us when we start to drift.

For me personally, I meet with a group of men every week. We quiz each other on memory verses, talk about what God has been teaching us in our quiet times, and dig into a study together. Those men sharpen me, encourage me, and keep me from slipping into spiritual laziness.

Sunday worship and corporate prayer are beautiful and necessary — but they can’t replace smaller circles of accountability. Imagine what could happen if we had groups of men and women meeting weekly, encouraging one another, memorizing Scripture together, and praying over each other’s lives.

Because here’s the reality: we are all going to fall at some point. We are all going to have weeks when we’re too busy, too distracted, or too discouraged to stay disciplined. That’s normal. But when you have people around you — when you have that cord of three strands — you don’t stay down. You get back up. And that can be the difference between a short stumble and a long spiritual setback.

Summary So let’s bring it all together.

We’ve talked about four key habits that can transform your walk with God:

Reading the Bible Consistently — making Scripture a regular part of your life, four or more times a week, so that God’s truth shapes how you think and live.

Memorizing Scripture — hiding God’s Word in your heart so that it comes to mind when you need it most, guiding your actions and attitudes in real time.

Prayer — not just checking boxes but actually talking with your Heavenly Father, sharing your heart with Him and inviting Him to lead your life.

Accountability — surrounding yourself with brothers and sisters who will walk with you, ask the hard questions, pick you up when you fall, and celebrate with you when you grow.

These four habits aren’t just spiritual “extras.” They are essential if we want to be doers of the Word and not hearers only. They are how we guard against self-deception, how we stay spiritually awake, and how we keep from drifting.

So here’s my challenge to you this week:

Pick one area to start with. Maybe it’s reading your Bible regularly, maybe it’s finally memorizing that verse you’ve been meaning to, maybe it’s carving out time each day to pray, or maybe it’s finding a group or even just one person to hold you accountable.

Commit to one small step. Don’t just nod along today — put it on your calendar, text a friend, start tomorrow morning.

Imagine what your church would look like if everyone here engaged with Scripture four days a week, hid God’s Word in their heart, prayed daily, and encouraged one another regularly. That kind of church would not just hear God’s Word — it would live it.

Let’s be that kind of people.