What is application? It’s when you take the truth of God and apply it to your life.

Satan doesn’t care if you study the Bible—as long as you don’t apply it to your life.

Jesus taught the opposite: “Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them” (John 13:17 NIV).

Just knowing God’s Word isn’t enough. You experience God’s blessings when you do what God’s Word says.

The Bible tells us in James 1:22: “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only” (ESV).

So how can you become a doer of God’s Word? How can you learn to apply it to your life? When I’m applying Scripture to my life, I like to write out the application. My applications have four characteristics.

First, an application needs to be personal. That means it’s about you—not your spouse, kids, neighbor, or coworker. Your life is the only one you can change. So your application will start with the word “I,” not “we” or “you.”

Second, it needs to be practical. It should be something you can actually do. It might be an entire project or a simple action step.

Third, it needs to be possible. If you choose an application that you aren’t actually able to do, you’ll get discouraged. For instance, you might say, “I’m going to read through the entire Bible every single day.” That’s highly unlikely, if not impossible. Instead, you can choose to read one chapter from the Bible every day.   

Fourth, it needs to be provable. This means that it needs a deadline. Take Philippians 2:14 for example: “Do all things without grumbling or disputing” (ESV). You might write this personal application: “Lord, I need you to help me not to grumble at work. I’m going to stay accountable by asking a friend to check with me next week to see if I did this.”

So, the next time you read a passage of Scripture, don’t be satisfied with just studying the passage. Instead, apply it by making it personal, practical, possible, and provable. Then you’ll start experiencing the blessings God promises to people who are doers of his Word.

PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick

For more Daily Hope with Rick Warren, please visit pastorrick.com!

Encourage a Graduate in Your Life

Graduation time is here, and chances are there’s a young person in your life who could use some encouragement, along with a little guidance.

Set them up for success with Pastor Rick’s The Purpose Driven Life: Selected Thoughts and Scriptures for the Graduate.

Filled with inspirational Scripture, biblical wisdom from Pastor Rick, and beautiful imagery, this unique, hardcover gift book provides a priceless reminder of the bountiful life God has planned for your graduate—and it will empower them to seek his unique plan and purpose for their life.

We’d love to send you a copy of this special resource as thanks for your gift today to help Daily Hope take the transforming power of Jesus into more lives around the world.

So request your copy below—and set a young graduate on the path to all God has for their life!

*The USA IRS code permits you to deduct the amount of your financial gift to Daily Hope that exceeds the fair market value of materials you received from Daily Hope.

This devotional © 2018 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

You can listen to Rick Warren on OnePlace.com.