VALUE GOD’S WORD IN YOUR LIFE

SCRIPTURE:

“Be careful, or you will be enticed to turn away and worship other gods and bow down to them. ¹⁷ Then the Lord’s anger will burn against you, and he will shut up the heavens so that it will not rain and the ground will yield no produce, and you will soon perish from the good land the Lord is giving you. ¹⁸ Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. ¹⁹ Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. ²⁰ Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, ²¹ so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth.”  (Deuteronomy 11:16—21)

OBSERVATION:

            God promised the Israelites a good land.  The good land will continue to be good, given that the Israelites will do all God commanded.  There is always a struggle, even in my own life, to do what God commands me to do and what I think is right.  The reality is that I am entering into God’s good land of promises, not mine.  So many times, believers want God’s blessings and to receive his promises but want to do whatever seems right in their own eyes.

            If I want God’s promises and blessings, I must do everything according to His plans and purpose.  Here, Moses gave the Israelites a clear warning, saying; If you want the heavens to open up so that the rain may fall on the ground, so you may enjoy what it produces, BE CAREFUL of being enticed by your surroundings that your heart will turn away and worship other gods. 

            That is an excellent reminder that I must always be careful of the enticement of my surroundings that I would disobey Jesus.  So, Moses gave them this advice to keep them from being drawn away from God;

• FIX GOD’S WORD…The word of God must be FIXED in their minds, hearts, and hands and tied on their forehead as a reminder not to be ENTICED by their surroundings.
• TEACH GOD’S WORD…They are to TALK to their children when they sit at home or walk along the road.  They are challenged to have the word of God spoken to their children when they are home and even when they are outside of the home. 
• WRITE GOD’S WORD…The house leaders must write them on the doorpost of their homes and gates to their houses.  Everywhere there must be a reminder so that nothing can entice them to worship other gods. 

This is so needed even today in followers of Christ.  We are to FIX, TEACH AND WRITE God’s word everywhere.  This is my responsibility to the next generation.

APPLICATION:

            I am reminded again that the Word of God must be valued in my life as a binding truth to affect my mind and heart.  I want to faithfully hear him whether I am reading his word or listening to someone else teaching or testimony of God’s word.  I want to devote myself to reading his word daily. 

PRAYER:

            Jesus, please help me to value your word above all else in life.  Teach me to hear your word and be guided by it.  Please help me to encourage others and the next generation of believers to see and know the power of your word that can be experienced in their lives.  Thank you for your word, for it is our life.  Amen!