How to be blessed by the Bible

By Steve Conley

Scripture: James 1:19-27

A1: Actor 1
A2: Actor 2

A1 enters with an 8 ball in one hand and a Bible in the other hand.

A1: (Shaking the 8 ball) God, will I have a blessed day? (looks down at the answer the 8 ball gives) Reply hazy, try again. (shaking the 8 ball asks again) God, will this be a blessed day? (looks at 8 ball) Concentrate and ask again) I’m beginning to think this thing is broken! God, how can I be blessed? (looks at 8 ball again) Are you kidding? Am I kidding? No I’m not kidding! I really need to know.

A2 enters.

A2: What are you doing with that thing?

A1: It’s an 8 ball. I’m asking it questions.

A2: Really?

A1: Yes, watch this. (speaking to 8 ball) 8 ball, am I a good person? (shaking and looking) Outlook so so.

A2: I can’t believe you are asking an 8 ball questions. Don’t you know that thing is just a toy? It’s not real!

A1: Yes, but I can get some quick answers.

A2: I’m finding it hard to believe you have an 8 ball in one hand and a Bible in the other and you’re looking for answers from a toy instead of the Bible.

A1: Oh, I look through the Bible also, but like I said, this is just the fast way.

A2: You can ask all day with that but you will not find God’s true answers or be able to receive His blessings from an 8 ball.

A1: Hey that was one of my questions. Will I be blessed?

A2: Well, you can be blessed by the Bible. Did you know that?

A1: How so?

A2: Did you know in America, Bibles are everywhere. Yet millions of people still miss the blessing of the Bible?

A1: Why?

A2: Because it's not automatic like that 8 ball. The Bible is a Book of blessing. It promises comfort, strength, hope, wisdom, joy, power, and purpose. But just because you have a Bible doesn't mean you're going to get the benefit from it.

A1: But I need the benefit!

A2: Listen; there are steps on how to be blessed by the Bible. Let me show you. First you need to receive God’s word. See, it says here in James 1:21, “Accept the Word planted in you.” If we're going to be blessed by the Word of God, first we must welcome the Word into our lives. We must be receptive. James says we must receive the word of God with the right attitude. He gives us four attitudes, be Careful. “Be quick to listen...” , (vs. 19) be Calm. “…and slow to become angry…” (vs. 19b) Be Clean. “…get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent…” (vs. 21) and be Compliant. “…humbly accept the Word of God planted in you” (vs. 21b)

A1: Hey you know me. I can do all of those things. I’m careful, I’m calm, I’m slow to anger, I’m rid of all moral filth and I’m humble!

A2: Hummm… yes, well we also need to reflect on God’s word like it says in verse 23. Here look in this mirror.

A2 hands A1 a mirror.

A1: Oh would you look at me!

A2: Humble huh?

A1: Ah, yes, I think so.

A2: James says (reading), “22Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror 24and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.” You see, God's Word is like a mirror. The purpose of a mirror is to evaluate us. God says a mirror reflects what we're like on the outside. God's Word reflects what we're like on the inside. Here (handing A1 the Bible), I want you to read this part.

A1: Ok, “25But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.”

A2: There are three ways to reflect on the Word of God. Read it, review it and remember it!

A1: So, I need to focus my attention on the Word of God. Meditate on the Word of God, and memorize the Word of God.

A2: Yes, and like the good Book says, “he will be blessed in what he does.”

A1: In what “we” do.

A2: You’ve got it!

A1 (shakes 8 ball and asks) Will A2 buy me lunch? (looking at 8 ball) Yes, definitely!

A2: My sources say no!

A1 and A2 exit.

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