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From cover to cover, the Bible is jam-packed with verses and
passages that talk about the vital necessity of hearing and
obeying God’s Word. God is very concerned about how preachers
preach. But based on the sheer amount of biblical references to
hearing and listening, it is unmistakable that God is just as,
if not more, concerned about how listeners listen. [3]
Based on 2 Timothy 3:16, which states that Scripture is useful
for four things, start by asking yourself the following four
questions every time you read the Bible: what did I learn?
(teaching), where do I fall short? (reproof), what do I need to
do about it? (correction), and how can I make this a consistent
part of my life? (training). [38]
You can’t afford to be a passive listener. Your growth and
maturity as a Christian are at stake. Improving your ability to
discern biblical preaching when you hear it, along with your
ability to apply what you hear to your life, will greatly
increase the effectiveness of God’s Word working in your life to
grow and change you into who He wants you to be. [82]
Listening is hard work because application is inherent in it.
You have to connect the information to your life, to do
something about what you hear. Once you hear a sermon, the ball
is in your court. Failure to apply a sermon is not just lazy
listening; it is sin. [87]
If you are honest, you have to admit that you know far more than
you are presently putting into practice. If you never heard
another sermon, you would have enough biblical truth to work on
applying for the rest of your life. You may feel spiritually
satisfied by the fact that you go to church every Sunday, that
you have your devotions every day, and that you go to Bible
Study every week. But if you are not applying what you are
reading and hearing, then you are only kidding yourself. You are
forgetting the whole point of looking into God’s Word in the
first place. [98]
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