Have you ever noticed all the action verbs in the Bible?
Sounds kind of odd doesn’t it? Usually, we think of the Bible as a source for our beliefs, our theology, and our faith. But have you ever looked at the Bible through the lens of the action items that need to be on our daily to-do list? So, I invite you to think about the Bible as a verb.
Click here to download a full transcript of this episode.
This week, I talk to my wife, Polly Castor, about the Bible as resource for how we are to behave, what we are to do, not just what we’re supposed to believe.
Action verbs in the Bible
Polly shares LOTS of Bible action items, things we need to do, like:
- Obey the Commandments
- Let your light shine
- Love your neighbor as yourself
- Be reconciled to one another
- Edify one another
- Sing unto the Lord
- Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness
- AND so many more
Polly makes a practice during her Bible study to keep track of all the things the Bible instructs us to do.
Spiritual toolbox
She sees these action items as tools in her spiritual toolbox. When someone is demanding or really needs her attention, she practices patience.
If there’s a misunderstanding with a friend or family member, she takes out the “be reconciled to each other” tool and works toward healing the situation.
You get the idea.
You’ll love the practical wisdom and humor Polly brings to living the Bible in her daily life.
She talked about the practical application of the Bible and the importance of taking action based on its teachings.
When you notice and follow all the Bible injunctions in your daily life, it helps you become your authentic self and embody more Christ-like qualities.
The more you obey the imperative commands and actions in the Bible, such as “Fear not,” and “Let your light shine,” it brings peace and reassurance in challenging situations.
Polly emphasized over and over again the importance of recognizing and depending on God’s assistance in everything we do, instead of thinking you can do something on your own.
Polly Castor quotes
I’m a doer of the word and not a hearer only as the Bible would say. I’m only really interested where the rubber hits the road. Theory is all fine, but if there’s no practice to it, I’m not as interested. I guess that’s probably why I ended up being an engineer. I was good at math, but why should I just do theory of math? I need to apply it to something. So here’s the Bible. It’s the same kind of thing. I wanna apply it to something.
We should walk in love. Are you walking in love? I love to walk in love. I go on my walk. And I love all the trees, and I love all the moss, and I love all the rocks, and I love the ripples on the water. I take pictures of all of it. I love walking in love, but it’s not just the trees and the rocks. Can you walk in love and see every person down the hall that way, and you see everybody at your dining room table that way.
Jesus came with a big message, but it doesn’t happen unless we all do it.
One of my favorite, favorite phrases in the Bible is, “Be like a watered garden, like a spring of water whose waters fail not.” That’s a very different image than a candle on a candlestick. It’s very similar though. We need water and we need light in order to live. And God’s given both to us, and we are both and need to be both. And lastly, I would say, try this for a summary, “Rejoice forevermore.”
Previous episodes mentioned:
Episode 53: How I Met My Wife
Episode 15: How to Stop Fighting Your Brother and Love Him Instead
Polly Castor, my wife, grew up in Michigan, went to engineering school, and then was a structural engineer in New York City renovating old skyscrapers, often dangling from the tops of them to inspect the work being done.
Later, she shifted careers to the spiritual healing practice. She helps people overcome challenges and find healing in their lives. She home schooled our three children, planned all the curriculum, did an amazing job with our kids, being the home school mom supreme.
Polly is also a fabulous cook, and she loves color, whether it’s food on the plate, the flowers that she puts in a vase, or in her artwork. And now that the kids are all grown and on their own, in addition to her healing work, she’s also an award winning artist. She’s been in multiple international shows and won numerous awards. She just loves her art. It’s an expression of who she is and her spirituality.
Polly also has a daily blog which is now in its 16th year.
Polly Castor contact info:
Daily blog: pollycastor.com
Art website: pollycastorart.com
Instagram: @pollycastor
Email: pollycastor@gmail.com_____________
James Early, the Jesus Mindset Coach, is a Bible teacher, speaker, and podcaster. He conducts Bible workshops online and in person. His focus is on getting back to the original Christianity of Jesus by embracing the mindset of Christ in daily life. Contact him here.
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Bible References
Action verbs in the Bible verses are in bold
James 1:25 KJV
25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
John 8:32 KJV
32 know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Mark 10:8 KJV
8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.
2 Corinthians 3:5 KJV
5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;
2 Corinthians 9:8 KJV
8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:
John 5:30 KJV
30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
Philippians 4:13 KJV
13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Joshua 22:5 KJV
5 take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law,
Deuteronomy 11:32 KJV
32 love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, and to cleave unto him;
Deuteronomy 6:5 NKJV
5 love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
Psalm 40:8 KJV
8 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.
Mark 19:19 KJV
19 Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
1 John 4:7 KJV
7 let us love one another: for love is of God;
Ephesians 3:17 KJV
17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
Ephesians 5:2 KJV
2 walk in love,
2 Corinthians 13:11 KJV
11 Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 KJV
11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.
Genesis 1:27, 31 KJV
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good.
1 Peter 3:8 KJV
8 Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:
1 Thessalonians 5:14 KJV
14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.
Matthew 5:24 KJV
24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
1 Corinthians 1:10 KJV
10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment,
Luke 4:18 KJV (Jesus, but for us too)
18 preach the gospel to the poor;
heal the brokenhearted,
preach deliverance to the captives,
recovering of sight to the blind,
set at liberty them that are bruised,
Joshua 24:15 KJV
15 choose you this day whom ye will serve;
Ezekiel 18:32 KJV
32 wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.
Romans 12:2 KJV
2 be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Romans 6:14 KJV
14 sin shall not have dominion over you:
Ezekiel 18:31 KJV
31 Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
Proverbs 19:20 KJV
20 Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.
Romans 12:21 KJV
21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
James 4:8 KJV
8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
John 8:32 KJV
32 know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Ephesians 4:23, 24 KJV
23 be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
24 … put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Mark 10:21 KJV
21 take up the cross, and follow me (Jesus).
Matthew 6:33 KJV
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Romans 6:22 KJV
22 become servants to God,… have your fruit unto holiness,
Titus 2:7 NIV
7 In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness
Psalm 4:11 KJV
11 walk uprightly
Micah 6:8 KJV
8 do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God
Matthew 5:15, 16 KJV
15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Galatians 5:22, 23 KJV
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Psalm 101:2 KJV
2 I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.
3 John 1:2 KJV
2 I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health,
1 Timothy 6:11 KJV
11 follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
Proverbs 31:26 KJV
26 She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.
Psalm 26:6, 11 NKJV
6 I will wash my hands in innocence;
11 I will walk in my integrity;
Ephesians 3:19 KJV
19 be filled with all the fulness of God.
James 4:10 KJV
10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
2 Peter 1:7 KJV
7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
2 Corinthians 8:7 KJV
7 Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.
James 1:4 KJV
4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
1 Corinthians 15:53 KJV
53 must put on immortality
Matthew 4:17 KJV
17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
2 Corinthians 6:2 KJV
2 behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)
Psalm 17:5 KJV
5 I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.
Hebrew 4:16 KJV
16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Hebrews 12:1 KJV
1 let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
1 Corinthians 15:58 NKJV
58 be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord,
Philippians 1:27 KJV
27 Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;
1 Corinthians 16:13 KJV
13 Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.
Nehemiah 2:18 KJV
18 Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me; as also the king’s words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work.
Isaiah 43:1 KJV
1 Fear not: for I have redeemed thee,
Daniel 10:19 KJV
19 O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong. And when he had spoken unto me, I was strengthened, and said, Let my lord speak; for thou hast strengthened me.
John 5:19 KJV
19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.
Colossians 3:15 KJV
15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
John 14:27 KJV
27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
Romans 14:19 KJV
19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.
Psalm 9:1 KJV
1 I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works
Psalm 100:2 KJV
2 Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
1 Chronicles 16:23 KJV
23 Sing unto the LORD, all the earth; shew forth from day to day his salvation.
Matthew 5:14, 15 KJV
14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
Isaiah 58:11 KJV
11 And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.
1 Thessalonians 5:16 KJV
16 Rejoice evermore.
