Today's Word - Diligently

 Deuteronomy 28:1, 2

And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe [and] to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:  And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God. 

Hearken DILIGENTLY: attentiveness (listen intently); to hear intelligently (pay attention, take what God is saying to us to heart (meditate on His Word), and obey His Word).

How do we know if we are blessed by God? 

When we listen to His Word being spoken to us - whether it is we who read aloud in our own hearing or whether we hear The Word preached by another person - and when we obey The Word that is given to us daily. we are blessed by God. When we love to hear from God knowing He loves to hear from us, we are blessed by God. When we approach the throne of glory on which He is seated, knowing He hears the words we speak and the words we cannot, we are a blessed people. For our GOD HEARS US. 

To Observe God's commandments is to read and study them out for ourselves: it is to study His Word daily: verse by verse when needed or chapter upon chapter. It is to pray His Holy Spirit apply The Word to our hearts that we might live in joyful obedience to Him. It is not just to read our Bibles and set them aside, forgetting what we have just read. It is not about how often we attend church, nor where we attend church, but about what we do with The Word that is preached in our hearing in these churches, regardless of denomination. For our GOD KNOWS OUR HEARTS. 

In this passage of Scripture it is not the stranger Moses is speaking to, but to God's people. And in this New Testament time of Grace in which we live, The Word speaks to the Christians, as well. "Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you." James 4:8.

WORD OF GOD SPEAK - MercyMe 

Blessed Obedience_Deuteronomy

HEARKEN: to hear, to listen obediently, to hear and obey; to listen carefully and attentively; to make known, to proclaim, to summon. 

I used wind here to illustrate the breath of God, the voice of God, the Spirit of God. For it is wind that comes upon us, overtakes us and surrounds us. Though we cannot see wind, we are able to see what wind can do. 


God has spoken to us through His Written Word in the Holy Bible, the Holy Scriptures, what we are to do pertaining to same: Hearken. 

It is not enough to just listen to the Word of God, we must obey His Word, as well. Could we just hear our Mother or Father tell us how to behave? No. We had to obey, do what we were told to do or suffer the consequences. The consequences of not obeying God in this chapter of Deuteronomy are found in verses 15-44, which is a separate study. This month we are continuing THE BLESSED study. 

We are not to listen and obey just anyone, either. We are to listen obediently to the Voice of THE LORD our God. We recognize that He Is LORD of all, including us. And that He Is THE LORD our GOD, not just any god, but GOD ALMIGHTY. He Is the Forever, Eternal God. 

Almost 16 years ago I could no longer find it possible to just sit in a pew and do nothing with what I have heard. Nor could I just read or peruse my Bible. So I became a preacher, a minister of the gospel. I am compelled by the Holy Spirit of God to study The Word and proclaim the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ and none other. 

I want the Blessings of God to come upon me and overtake me. "Come upon" sounds lovely doesn't it? When we're outdoors in the summer heat, a gentle breeze 'comes upon' us. When we search and search for that one thing, suddenly there it is before us: we have come upon it. When the blessings of God come upon us, they rush to meet us, welcoming us into a closer relationship with our LORD. 

And when He overtakes us, He wraps Himself around us with the wings of His favor, enveloping us with His love. We are captured by Him, encircled by His joy and completely enraptured to be with our LORD GOD. It is a love like no other, an all-encompassing love, that takes our breath away........

I will hearken. I will listen obediently to God. I will endeavor to be more obedient than I have been. And God will bless me.