It was his farewell address, his final words to the people he’d shepherded for over 40 years. “And Moses called all Israel, and said unto them, Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your ears this day, that ye may learn them, and keep, and do them” (Deuteronomy 5:1). On the cusp of a new life with a new leader, this is what the people of God needed to hear. It still rings true.
We are on the edge of beginnings. Covid 19 was the springboard to new things in the spirit, and the take-away we must have from this experience is the same that Israel needed as they faced the Promise Land.
Hear. Our ears must be attuned to God’s voice. Faith, first and foremost, comes by hearing. Whatever voices we are listening to, whatever words we feed our spirits and grab the power of our faith. If we give heed to truth, we believe the truth. If we give our attention to enemy subtilties, then we will believe him. Hearing is our foundational responsibility to the Word, for we must tune in to its frequency in order for the Word to be perfected in us according to God’s will. These last days of quarantine need to be long on listening as we practice hearing the One who’s direction we need when active life resumes.
Learn. The Word we ingest must be digested. Otherwise, the Word of God loses its potency in our lives. It cannot be read like a work of fiction. Rather, it must be chewed slowly to extract its flavor.
Keep. From the Garden, man’s job has been to keep, to attend to what God has given. We are to take the Word we’ve learned and attend it. We nurture the growth of the Word through continually reading and rehearsing it. Paul says we are to exhort one another and to admonish one another in the Word. I have been guilty of hearing the Word, learning from it, and failing to keep it. I’ll hear a message that’s insightful and enriches my soul, but shortly thereafter, my mind is consumed with other things. What I learned becomes like a school subject, something forgotten because of disuse, something I need retraining in. Continual reading, listening to preaching, and conversation about biblical principles keep God’s words fresh and ready for use. While the “stay home” mandate looks different for each of us, we can all incorporate keeping the Word in our present schedules.
Do. The final responsibility to God’s Word is to do it. “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass,” (James 1:22-23). We can have a good start, but it is meaningless without a good finish. Applying the Word is the only way the Word works for us. Because I am in the practice of writing sentences, I can recall much of what I learned in high school and college English classes. Using grammar rules keeps me aligned with the standards governing our English language. When I live out the Word in my daily life, it stays alive, working for me, in me, and through me.
As I look toward greater spiritual victories, I must ask myself how I am handling God’s Word NOW, while I’m still in the “wilderness” season. This requires answering some questions.
Soon, this season will transition to a new one, and we are equipped for whatever lies ahead it because we have been given the everlasting Word of God.
Tip/Tidbit: Take some time today to listen. Then, move on from there until what you’ve read becomes a part of who you are.
"...a word spoken in due season, how good is it!" Proverbs 15:23.
We are on the edge of beginnings. Covid 19 was the springboard to new things in the spirit, and the take-away we must have from this experience is the same that Israel needed as they faced the Promise Land.
Hear. Our ears must be attuned to God’s voice. Faith, first and foremost, comes by hearing. Whatever voices we are listening to, whatever words we feed our spirits and grab the power of our faith. If we give heed to truth, we believe the truth. If we give our attention to enemy subtilties, then we will believe him. Hearing is our foundational responsibility to the Word, for we must tune in to its frequency in order for the Word to be perfected in us according to God’s will. These last days of quarantine need to be long on listening as we practice hearing the One who’s direction we need when active life resumes.
Learn. The Word we ingest must be digested. Otherwise, the Word of God loses its potency in our lives. It cannot be read like a work of fiction. Rather, it must be chewed slowly to extract its flavor.
Keep. From the Garden, man’s job has been to keep, to attend to what God has given. We are to take the Word we’ve learned and attend it. We nurture the growth of the Word through continually reading and rehearsing it. Paul says we are to exhort one another and to admonish one another in the Word. I have been guilty of hearing the Word, learning from it, and failing to keep it. I’ll hear a message that’s insightful and enriches my soul, but shortly thereafter, my mind is consumed with other things. What I learned becomes like a school subject, something forgotten because of disuse, something I need retraining in. Continual reading, listening to preaching, and conversation about biblical principles keep God’s words fresh and ready for use. While the “stay home” mandate looks different for each of us, we can all incorporate keeping the Word in our present schedules.
Do. The final responsibility to God’s Word is to do it. “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass,” (James 1:22-23). We can have a good start, but it is meaningless without a good finish. Applying the Word is the only way the Word works for us. Because I am in the practice of writing sentences, I can recall much of what I learned in high school and college English classes. Using grammar rules keeps me aligned with the standards governing our English language. When I live out the Word in my daily life, it stays alive, working for me, in me, and through me.
As I look toward greater spiritual victories, I must ask myself how I am handling God’s Word NOW, while I’m still in the “wilderness” season. This requires answering some questions.
- What has God been speaking?
- What insights, revelations, or understanding have I gained?
- Am I staying attentive to the Word by adding to my understanding of it through study, conversation, or further reading of it?
- Am I keeping what God is speaking to my heart, or am I shifting my focus to other things?
- Am I acting on what I know?
- Am I ready to step into a new level of letting the Word be alive FOR me and THROUGH me?
Soon, this season will transition to a new one, and we are equipped for whatever lies ahead it because we have been given the everlasting Word of God.
Tip/Tidbit: Take some time today to listen. Then, move on from there until what you’ve read becomes a part of who you are.
"...a word spoken in due season, how good is it!" Proverbs 15:23.
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