Hearing and Obeying God’s Word
For
Israel, a real turning to the Lord with ‘all the heart and soul’
involved obedience to ‘His commandments... written in this book of the
law’ (Deuteronomy 30:10).
We are not left wondering what God wants
us to do - ‘...the Word is very near you...’ (Deuteronomy 30:11-14).
Through His Word, God ‘sets before’ us a choice. He calls us to ‘choose
life’ (Deuteronomy 30:15-20).
Joshua was to succeed Moses
(Deuteronomy 31:1-2, 7-8). Conflict lay ahead. God’s people needed His
Word of encouragement: ‘Be strong and of good courage, do not fear or be
in dread of them’.
Beyond the conflict, there would be triumph. God
gave His Word of promise: ‘It is the Lord your God who goes with you;
He will not fail you or forsake you’ (Deuteronomy 31:6).
Turning
from the people to Joshua, Moses spoke the same words (Deuteronomy
31:7-8). Hear; Learn to fear the Lord; Be careful to obey His Word
(Deuteronomy 31:12-13).
Following Christ
The way of blessing is the way of obedience (Psalm 119:1, 9, 11, 17).
Many will choose the way of disobedience - ‘influential people sit
together and slander me’. We must choose the way of obedience - ‘Your
servant will meditate on Your teachings’ (Psalm 119:23).
Following
Jesus Christ will not be easy. We see many people turning back from
following Him. We are tempted to join them. We feel the pull of the
world. We must not take our eyes off Jesus. We must not return to the
world’s way of living. We must remember all that Jesus has done for us -
‘He loved us and gave Himself for us’ (Galatians 2:20) - and recommit
ourselves to following Him: ‘I have decided to follow Jesus... The world
behind me, the Cross before me... Though none go with me, I still will
follow... No turning back, no turning back’ (Mission Praise, 272).
The heart of the matter is the matter of the heart.
The
teaching of Jesus here may be summed up thus: The heart of the matter
is the matter of the heart. Jesus’ teaching was much more penetrating
than the pronouncements made by the scribes and Pharisees. Not content
to scratch the surface, Jesus asked the deeper question, ‘What's going
on in your heart?’. Jesus’ teaching has real spiritual depth. He takes
seriously the Biblical teaching that ‘the heart is deceitful above all
things, and desperately corrupt’(Jeremiah 17:9). He knows that we need a
‘new heart’(Ezekiel 36:26). The Pharisees were bogged down in intricate
details - Do this. Do that. Do the other. All the emphasis was on what
we do. Christ was much more direct - Get the heart right.
Ask God for a heart of love (Matthew 5:21-26), purity (Matthew 5:27-32), and truthfulness (Matthew 5:33-37). Do not say, ‘Look what I've done’(7:22).
Ask God for a heart of love (Matthew 5:21-26), purity (Matthew 5:27-32), and truthfulness (Matthew 5:33-37). Do not say, ‘Look what I've done’(7:22).
Let Christ live in your heart; let Him change you. Never think too
highly of yourself. Always remember this - ‘only God ... gives the
growth’ (1 Corinthians 3:5-7).
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