Shield of Faith: Devotions for Military FamiliesSample

## Don’t Be Fooled James warns those who hear God’s Word—that it should move us to obedient action. We fool ourselves when we think we can only hear God’s Word and still live a God-pleasing life. Jesus even said in John 8:31–32, “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (KJV). We need to practice this in our lives if we are obedient followers of God. We can’t just sit in church on Sundays, hear the message, and move on with our lives. God’s Word must affect life change. Our hearts should be changed by what we hear and learn from it. Have you allowed the Bible to change your heart? How has that affected your family relationships? In the busyness of life and especially the craziness that often accompanies military family life, it’s easy to open our Bibles on Sunday, listen to an interesting message, and then not be affected by it until we open our Bibles again the next Sunday. If you haven’t been a doer of the Word , it might be time to evaluate the impact you’re allowing God’s Word to have in your life. Dear God, thank you for your Word. Please give me the desire to hear it, read it, and be changed by it.