Listen and Obey

March 26, 2007

Deuteronomy 4:1 - 6 (NKJV) 1“Now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the judgments which I teach you to observe, that you may live, and go in and possess the land which the Lord God of your fathers is giving you. 2You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you. 3Your eyes have seen what the Lord did at Baal Peor; for the Lord your God has destroyed from among you all the men who followed Baal of Peor. 4But you who held fast to the Lord your God are alive today, every one of you. 5“Surely I have taught you statutes and judgments, just as the Lord my God commanded me, that you should act according to them in the land which you go to possess. 6Therefore be careful to observe them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes, and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’

Moses is nearing the end of his life, as he gives final instructions to the children of Israel. He encourages them to listen carefully to all the laws and regulations. Obey them so God can bless them.

He warns them not to add or subtract from them, because they are from the Lord. They are just to obey them.

Listen and obey is still what God is looking for in his servants. It seems that today it is harder to find Christians who will simply obey. A servant’s job is obedience. True obedience requires careful listening.

Maybe today we are not obeying because we are not listening. How do you listen to the Lord? Do you listen to him through others (preachers, books, songs)? Do you listen to him through his Word? Do you listen to him through prayer?

I believe the Lord is always saying something, the question is are we listening.

God is looking to bless you, I encourage you to listen and obey all that he says. Follow the advice that Mary the mother of Jesus gave the disciples when Jesus performed his first miracle. “What ever he says just do it.”

Pastor Larry