"Therefore, anyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand." - Matthew 7:26
"Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says." - James 1:22
"For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous." - Romans 2:13
Don’t just listen to the Word of Truth and not respond to it, for that is the essence of self-deception. So always let his Word become like poetry written and fulfilled by your life! If you listen to the Word and don’t live out the message you hear, you become like the person who looks in the mirror of the Word to discover the reflection of his face in the beginning. You perceive how God sees you in the mirror of the Word, but then you go out and forget your divine origin. But those who set their gaze deeply into the perfecting law of liberty are fascinated by and respond to the truth they hear and are strengthened by it—they experience God’s blessing in all that they do! Jacob(James) 1:22-25 TPT
Talking the talk refers to talking about something, but not actually doing anything about it. It is easy to talk about our values and beliefs, but it is much more difficult to live according to them.
Walking the walk refers to putting our words into action. It is about living according to our values and beliefs, even when it is difficult. It is about being a person of integrity.
In today's world, there is a lot of emphasis on “talking the talk”. We are constantly bombarded with messages about the importance of having a strong personal brand and being able to articulate our goals and aspirations, especially if we are trying to sell and upsell something.
While it is important to be able to communicate effectively, it is equally important to walk the walk of what it is you’re communicating. In other words, we need to live our lives in accordance with the values and beliefs that we profess to hold- especially if we consider ourselves to be Ambassadors of Jesus.
Talking the talk and walking the walk are two phrases that are often used to describe the difference between what you are teaching or preaching and practicing those things yourself.
You are an example either way!
(I taught 2 weeks ago about the power of our words to create and last week on the power we possess to control our thoughts 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 bringing every though captive.)
Before we can enter this message, we HAVE TO understand those foundational principles.
What you think about or what you concentrate on 'not' thinking about will gravitate those very things to you.
Some people spend their entire lives reacting to what they don't want to be - instead of responding to the call of God on their lives, and most times this leads to becoming that which you don’t want to be.
It is important to both talk the talk and walk the walk.
In the Christian life, it is important to both talk the talk and walk the walk. We are called to be both confessors and doers of the word. We are called to both proclaim the gospel and live it out in our daily lives.
Be honest with yourself about your beliefs. Are you really sure what you believe?
Why is it important to talk the talk?
First, our words reflect our hearts. When we talk about our faith, we reveal what we truly believe. If we are not willing to talk about our faith, it may be because we are not really sure.
what we believe.
Second, our words can have a powerful impact on others. When we share our faith with others, we are planting seeds that may eventually lead to their salvation.
Third, talking about our faith helps us to grow in our own faith. When we put our faith into words, we are forced to think about it more deeply. This can help us to better understand our beliefs and to strengthen our commitment to our faith.
But talking the talk is not enough. We must also walk the walk.
This means living our lives in accordance with our faith. It means putting our beliefs into practice.
Walking the walk is not always easy. It can be challenging to live a life that is consistent with our faith, especially in a world that is often hostile to Christianity. But it is important to remember that we are not called to be perfect. We are called to be faithful.
Reasons why it is important to walk the walk.
First, it is the only way to be truly authentic. When we say one thing and do another, we are essentially sending the message that we are flakey and that our words are not to be trusted. This can damage our relationships with others and make it difficult to achieve our God given Kingdom assignments here on earth.
Second, walking the walk is essential for personal growth. When we challenge ourselves to live up to our highest standards, we become better people. We develop new skills, expand our horizons, and become more confident in our abilities.
Finally, walking the walk is a powerful way to inspire others. Just as when we see someone living their life with integrity and purpose, it gives us hope and motivation. It shows us that it is possible to achieve great things if we are willing to put in the hard work, and that we too can and will inspire others to do the same.
Our words have power.
The things we say can have a profound impact on others. When we talk about our values and beliefs and are sharing with others the Gospel message and encouraging them to live by them.
Remember there is creative power in our words.
Our actions speak louder than our words.
When our actions are consistent with our words, it shows others that we are serious about our values and our beliefs, making us more credible and trustworthy to those watching.
We are called to be examples.
As Christians, we are called to be examples for others.
When we both talk the talk and walk the walk, we are showing others what it means to live a life of faith.
Here are some things we can do to become better at both talking the talk and walking the walk.
Spend time reflecting on our values and beliefs. What is important to us? What do we believe in? Once we know what we stand for, it will be easier to both talk and live by those values.
Set goals for ourselves.
What do we want to change in our lives? What do we want to achieve? Setting goals will give us something to strive for and help us to stay on track.
We need to stay connected to a supportive community, like this, and surround ourselves by people who will encourage us to live according to God’s values. Don't just sit around and wait for things to happen, take action.
Talking the talk and walking the walk are important aspects of a genuine Christian life.
When we do both, we are living out our faith in a way that can shine light in a darkened world and have a positive impact on the world around us. It is not always easy to walk the walk. There will be times when you fall short of your goals. But the important thing is to never give up. Keep striving to be the best person you can be. And remember, you are not alone. There are many people who are walking the walk with you.
I challenge each of you to take some time to reflect on your own lives.
Are you talking the talk AND walking the walk? If not, what are some things you can do to change? Let us all strive to be people of integrity who live our lives in a way that is consistent with our beliefs in following Jesus as our example and being that example, we see in Him to the world around us. Amen!
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