Wow – I haven’t written in 2 months. Where did the time go? Since the last post, I’ve moved and changed jobs. Lots of new stuff in my life. In the midst of change, it is good to know that my relationship with Jesus does not change. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Placing my faith and trust in Him is the best decision I have ever made. He gives me that confident assurance that in the midst of turmoil everything is going to be OK.
Our house in Georgia is for sale. Probably the number 1 thing you don’t want to do in this economy is sell your house. We had an investment property on Saint Simons Island that we are also selling. Instead of making us money for our retirement, it is costing us money to “dump it”. It’s a good thing I trust God to take care of me because if I trusted in money and material things, I would be very worried right now!
So what have I been thinking about lately …..
There are basically two types of people. Those who obey God’s Word and those who don’t. I think you can see that in the Scriptures. Noah did. The builders of the tower of Babel didn’t. David did. Most of his sons didn’t. Zacchaeus did. Pilate didn’t.
Reading the book of Deuteronomy gives us insight into Moses’ life. Moses had a tough job. Leading the Israelites must have been really frustrating. What a fickle people! They begged to get out of Egypt and then complained about the free manna that God provided. When Moses stood at the edge of the Promised Land the second time, he reminded the people that he had stood there 40 years prior with their parents. He reminded them of their parents’ unbelief and disobedience. He reminded them that God cursed their parents to die in the wilderness. You can sum up what Moses said into these points. 1) Listen 2) Hear. 3) Write it down. 4) Obey.
In Deuteronomy 30:19, Moses sums up everything when he says “This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live”
The people chose to obey and God blessed them.
The New Testament gives more examples of this concept.
Luke 28:11 says - blessed are those that hear the Word of God and obey it.
In Acts 2:42 it says that the early church devoted themselves to the apostle’s teaching, to fellowship, and to prayer.
James says that we are not only to listen to the Word but we are to do what it says. (James 1:18, 22)
2 John 6 says that “this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands.” and then in 3 John 4 ‘no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.”
The Christian finds his purpose as he listens to the Word of God and attempts to live it out in his daily life. Your primary objective is to listen to God and obey. You don’t need to worry about being strategic, sensitive, or relevant. If you simply Listen, Trust, and Obey, others will see that you are different. Others will want to know your secret for living a happy and fulfilled life. It is simply trust and obey God.
