Tag: stand

50.w. Wilderness – 15.b. “See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse”

 

 

Deu 11:16  Take care lest your heart be deceived, and you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them; then the anger of the LORD will be kindled against you, and he will shut up the heavens, so that there will be no rain, and the land will yield no fruit, and you will perish quickly off the good land that the LORD is giving you. “You shall therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, that your days and the days of your children may be multiplied in the land that the LORD swore to your fathers to give them, as long as the heavens are above the earth. For if you will be careful to do all this commandment that I command you to do, loving the LORD your God, walking in all his ways, and holding fast to him, then the LORD will drive out all these nations before you, and you will dispossess nations greater and mightier than you. Every place on which the sole of your foot treads shall be yours. Your territory shall be from the wilderness to the Lebanon and from the River, the river Euphrates, to the western sea. No one shall be able to stand against you. The LORD your God will lay the fear of you and the dread of you on all the land that you shall tread, as he promised you. “See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse: the blessing, if you obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you today, and the curse, if you do not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside from the way that I am commanding you today, to go after other gods that you have not known.

God had to warn Israel against the deceptions of prosperity. The person who turns from God in prosperity is simply deceived. They believe they are somehow responsible for the blessings received and become proud and self-reliant. It is good for us to have things that keep us in constant dependence on the LORD. We should never despise those things and long for the day when we will no longer need to depend on God as much.

God called Israel to not only read the Word of God and to know the Word of God, but to treasure it. In the same way, we should love God’s word and miss it when we are separated from the Word of God. We should call it to mind with longing, having laid it up in our heart and soul. God’s Word was to be the topic of their conversation. We can fairly measure our love for God’s word by how much we will talk about it with others. God doesn’t want us to have a secret love relationship with His word. To love the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways, and to hold fast to Him: All the commandments are summarized in these three phrases. Each of these speaks of more than a bare and compelled obedience; they speak of a real relationship of love between God and His people, with obedience flowing naturally from that relationship.

Many desire God to fight their battles but have little interest in obeying Him – or cultivating the deep relationship of love which obedience grows from.  When Israel walked in love with the LORD and was obedient to Him, they were unbeatable. No man could defeat them. Greater was God who was with them than he who was in the world!

The three great elements to the Old Covenant were the law, the sacrifice, and the choice. Israel had a choice – to obey and be blessed, or to disobey and be cursed. It was a cause and effect relationship with God. It is important to recognize that we, in Jesus Christ, do not have an Old Covenant relationship with God. We expect to be blessed, not because of our obedience, but because of our position in Jesus. The curse we deserved was laid upon Him (Galatians 3:10-14). Though there may be an inherent curse of consequences in our disobedience or even in the correcting hand of God, under the New Covenant, He does not punish us or curse us – because all that we deserved, past, present, and future, was poured out upon Jesus.

 It was up to Israel. If they wanted to be blessed, then they should walk in obedience (as they were in the days of David and Solomon), but if they disobeyed, they would be cursed (as they were in most of the days of the later kings). A choice was required. There was no neutral ground. God wouldn’t just “leave them alone.” It would either be blessing or cursing. A choice was required. There was no neutral ground. God wouldn’t just “leave them alone.” It would either be blessing or cursing. (Guzik)

 

50.h. Wilderness – 14.n. “You shall not covet the silver or the gold”

 

 

Deu 7:22-26  The LORD your God will clear away these nations before you little by little. You may not make an end of them at once, lest the wild beasts grow too numerous for you. But the LORD your God will give them over to you and throw them into great confusion, until they are destroyed. And he will give their kings into your hand, and you shall make their name perish from under heaven. No one shall be able to stand against you until you have destroyed them. The carved images of their gods you shall burn with fire. You shall not covet the silver or the gold that is on them or take it for yourselves, lest you be ensnared by it, for it is an abomination to the LORD your God. And you shall not bring an abominable thing into your house and become devoted to destruction like it. You shall utterly detest and abhor it, for it is devoted to destruction.

Sometimes to our frustration, this is the way God often works in our life. He clears things away little by little even though we might prefer it all at once. But God wanted Israel to grow spiritually in the process of taking the Promised Land. Doing it all at once might seem easier and better to us but will have consequences we cannot see or appreciate. God cares that we grow, and so He grows us little by little.(Guzik)

Thou shalt not be able; I will not assist thee with my omnipotence, to crush them at one run of success and victory; for you are not yet numerous enough to people the whole country at once. But I will bless thee in the use of ordinary means, and thou shalt destroy them by degrees, in several battles, that thou mayest learn by experience to put thy trust in me. (Benson)

It is an abomination to the Lord thy God; not only the idol itself, being put in the place of God, and so derogatory to his honour and glory, but the gold and silver on it, being devoted to a superstitious and idolatrous use; and even the taking of it, and appropriating it to a man’s own use, was an abomination, and resented by the Lord as such. (Gill)

We need to rely upon God’s leading to discern what is good and right and what is worldly and heavenly. The problem arises when we think we can discern this on our own. We lean on our own understanding. We listen to pastors and teachers who do not preach and teach the full Word of God. It would seem they are more interested in how big they can become rather than what you learn. They feed baby food day after day. We should not expect to be able to discern anything living on baby food. It is no wonder there is little difference in how the world lives each day and how many “Christians” live. The love of this world and pleasures of the flesh easily find their way into the hearts that should be far from it. Oh, you may feel comfortable in your church and it might be growing but are the people maturing? Is there a difference in their lives? How many examples does the Bible show us of how easy it is to fall away and blend in with the worldly? How many examples of God’s anger and judgment do we need to read before it changes how we live? How much preaching is on sin? How much teaching is on God’s holiness? How many times are you in church and you feel comfortable and satisfied? 

I am not sure we should be comfortable though we ought to find comfort. I don’t think we should be satisfied though we ought to find satisfaction. When we are being led by pastors and teachers who feed baby food we will be very comfortable and very satisfied when in fact we should be in awe, wonder, reverent, humble, thankful, and ever searching our hearts and minds for maturity in knowing and understanding God’s holiness and our sinfulness. 

Oh that God would raise up pastors and teachers who rightly divide the Word of God and purpose to do so over butts in the pew and money in reserve.

38.g. “Because of the greatness of your arm”

 

 

Genesis 35:5  And as they journeyed, a terror from God fell upon the cities that were around them, so that they did not pursue the sons of Jacob.

 Exodus 15:15-16   Now are the chiefs of Edom dismayed; trembling seizes the leaders of Moab; all the inhabitants of Canaan have melted away.  Terror and dread fall upon them; because of the greatness of your arm, they are still as a stone, till your people, O LORD, pass by, till the people pass by whom you have purchased.

 Exodus 23:27   I will send my terror before you and will throw into confusion all the people against whom you shall come, and I will make all your enemies turn their backs to you.

 Psalms 14:5    There they are in great terror, for God is with the generation of the righteous.

 Deuteronomy 11:25   No one shall be able to stand against you. The LORD your God will lay the fear of you and the dread of you on all the land that you shall tread, as he promised you.

 2 Chronicles 17:10    And the fear of the LORD fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were around Judah

 Joshua 2:9    and said to the men, “I know that the LORD has given you the land, and that the fear of you has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you.

For most of our lives, we will be unaware of the protecting angels or of God’s protection. It is there even though we do not see it or know of it. There are those times we are keenly aware of it because there is no other reason for the outcome. I still wonder how many we miss – (thousands, hundreds of thousands, millions hundreds of millions?)

Our God is all-powerful. He has no limits in wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. He is ever-present and all-knowing. He has steadfast love for His children. He has plans and purposes far beyond our understanding. These plans and purposes are for our good and not to harm us. There is peace, joy, comfort, and rest for the soul that clings to and humbly relies on and trusts in God through Jesus Christ.

34.t. “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts”

 

Matthew 21:28  “What do you think? A man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ And he answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he changed his mind and went. And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, ‘I go, sir,’ but did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not afterward change your minds and believe him.

 Isaiah 35:8    And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it. It shall belong to those who walk on the way; even if they are fools, they shall not go astray.

 Jeremiah 6:16    Thus says the LORD: “Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’

 2 Peter 2:21   For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them.

 Psalms 81:11-12    “But my people did not listen to my voice; Israel would not submit to me.  So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts, to follow their own counsels.

 Zechariah 7:11-12  But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears that they might not hear.  They made their hearts diamond-hard lest they should hear the law and the words that the LORD of hosts had sent by his Spirit through the former prophets. Therefore great anger came from the LORD of hosts.

 Hebrews 3:12   Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God.

This is a parable; the design of which is to show the hypocrisy and deceit of the Scribes and Pharisees, in pretending to works of righteousness, and not doing them; and to reprove them for their disbelief and rejection of John’s ministry; and to make it appear, that the worst of sinners in the Jewish nation were preferable to them.  There are many churchgoers that imitate these sons. They admit that the Word of God is true. They intend to get serious about it someday. They talk about doing the Father’s work. They keep up the external appearance of religion, but their heart is not right with God. They think that words and promises are enough.  “The second son said, ‘I go, sir,’ but he went not; and these people do not go. They talk of repenting, but they do not repent. They speak of believing, but they never believe. They think of submitting to God, but they have not submitted themselves to him yet. They say it is time they broke up the fallow ground, and sought the Lord, but they do not seek him. It all ends in a mere promise.” (Spurgeon)

The point of this parable is clear. What matters is living for God, not saying the right words. The religious leaders were good at talking righteous talk, but their stubbornly unrepentant hearts showed that repentant sinners would enter the kingdom before them. When you meet people with hearts like flint, you know they did not become that way overnight. There was a gradual, certain progression to their present place of hardness. It begins with simply refusing to heed God, then a self-justifying shrugging of their shoulders, then stopping their ears. It all ends with hearts as hard as flint. In their hardened state, they just didn’t want to hear God’s word. When we lose our hunger for God’s word it is sobering evidence of the progression of rejection and hardness of heart. The progression from a soft heart (able to hear the call of God to repentance) to a hardened heart (unable to recognize or hear the call of God to repentance) is one that can happen very fast (immediate and lasting rejection) or it can happen over a long period of time (a continued recognition of the call to repentance and rejecting it over and over again until it can’t be heard). At the end of the day, both have rejected the loving, merciful, and graceful call of God. Though some may have the appearance of doing the right things and saying the right things, their hearts are as hard as stone to the call from God to repentance.

“Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts”

29. “Open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light”

 

Colossians 1:13  He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

 Acts 26:18   to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

 Hebrews 2:14   Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil,

 Psalms 119:18    Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.

 Isaiah 53:11 Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.

 Acts 10:43   To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

 Acts 13:38-39    Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you,  and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses.

 Psalms 130:3-4   If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?  But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.

“The domain of darkness”.  In the darkness, we truly do not see what is happening, though we might hear it.  We don’t perceive what may happen, leading us to fear.  We may get confused, angry, and anxious. In the darkness, a starving person does not see the tree with fruit on it which would give them hope and life.  In fact, they may even think what is close by is evil and something to be feared, when in fact it is what will save their life. Darkness can make us feel vulnerable and alone. Darkness can lead you to believe something is there that is not and something is not there that is.  If others are in darkness with us we may be lead to think this is what life is meant to be like. We do not clearly see but we certainly can hear and may even join in with whatever it is the group is doing.  We may not even know what it is or why they are doing it, but because everyone is doing it we perceive it to be alright to do. However, we may know exactly what we are doing and may believe that what we are doing in darkness can’t be seen, giving us the courage to do in darkness which would never be done in the light. Adultery, pornography, child abuse, lying, stealing……. would not be done in the light.  It is done when it is perceived to be in darkness and not exposed where others could readily see it.  

Without the Light of Jesus Christ, we are in darkness. We will do things in darkness and think it is alright. We may be given to fear, confusion, and anger because things around us seem out of control, without purpose and meaning. Without Jesus Christ, we live in darkness.  We live void of light and our actions, whatever they are, we perceive to be right and worth doing. God sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, into the world to save us from the darkness, Sin.  He came to bring light to the darkness and redeem, forgive, and transform those from darkness to light. Light will expose what is done in darkness in both thought and action. God’s Word is light to our souls. It exposes darkness “sin”. God’s Word does not stop with just exposing sin, it explains God’s grace, mercy, and love. It gives us the light of hope when all around us is darkness. It reveals to us that God is in control. It reveals to us that we are never alone. It promises and gives us courage, hope, and peace. God’s Word tells us that many choose darkness over the light and are choosing Hell over Heaven.  They reject the light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ who died for their sin and offers redemption, salvation, forgiveness for what they have done in darkness, and eternal life. 

Do you think your life is free from darkness – ask God to expose your thoughts, words, and actions to the light of His Word.

26.g. “How then can man be in the right before God?”

 

Galatians 2:15  We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.

Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

 Job 9:2-3   “Truly I know that it is so: But how can a man be in the right before God?

 Job 25:4     How then can man be in the right before God? How can he who is born of woman be pure?

 Psalms 130:3-4   If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?  But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.

 Acts 4:12     And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

 John 20:31    but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

We all grew up observant to do what is right and good. Yet somehow we think we are considered right before God because of doing right and good – justified – by these works of the flesh that we did. We should know that we, even though we grew up as observant of doing right and good, we are only considered right before God by faith in Jesus Christ. It will be a sad day for those who, in self-reliance, trust in doing right and good on judgment day.

“‘Faith in Jesus Christ’, then, is not intellectual conviction only, but personal commitment. The expression in the middle of verse 16 is (literally) ‘we have believed into (eis) Christ Jesus.’ It is an act of committal, not just assenting to the fact that Jesus lived and died, but running to Him for refuge and calling on Him for mercy.” (Stott)

Self-righteousness and self-reliance will never justify a person before God. There is but one way – belief in and through Jesus Christ.  This belief is more than a piece of intellectual knowledge, it is a life surrendered.  Casting away any thoughts of self-reliance and self-righteousness, and clinging to, relying on, trusting in, following, obeying, and living to honor and glorify Jesus Christ. 

19.j. “The effect of righteousness will be peace”

Romans 5:1  Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 

 Romans 10:10    For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

 Habakkuk 2:4  “Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but the righteous shall live by his faith.

 John 3:18   Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

 Galatians 2:16    yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.

 Philippians 3:9   but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith

 Psalms 85:8-10   Let me hear what God the LORD will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints; but let them not turn back to folly. Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him, that glory may dwell in our land.  Steadfast love and faithfulness meet; righteousness and peace kiss each other.

 Isaiah 32:17   And the effect of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever.

 Isaiah 57:19-21    creating the fruit of the lips. Peace, peace, to the far and to the near,” says the LORD, “and I will heal him.  But the wicked are like the tossing sea; for it cannot be quiet, and its waters toss up mire and dirt.  There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”

“I am delighted to find that sin stings you, and that you hate it. The more hatred of sin the better. A sin-hating soul is a God-loving soul. If sin never distresses you, then God has never favored you.” (Charles Spurgeon)

Justified by faith speaks of a legal decree. Romans 1:18-3:20 found us guilty before the court of God’s law, God’s glory, and our conscience. Then Paul explained how because of what Jesus did, the righteousness of God is given to all who believe. The guilty sentence is transformed into a sentence of justified, and justified by faith. 

Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: This is the first benefit. Because the price is paid in full by the work of Jesus on the cross, God’s justice towards us is eternally satisfied.  This is not the peace of God spoken of in other places (such as Philippians 4:7). This is peace with God; the battle between God and ourselves is finished – and He won, winning us. Some never knew they were out of peace with God, but they were like drivers ignoring the red lights of a police car in their rear-view mirror – they are in trouble even if they don’t know it, and it will soon catch up to them.  Ignoring it does not make them guiltless.  Ignoring God and our sin does not make it go away.  Shouts of God’s word, to the souls of man, can be ignored but that soul will never have or find peace with God. 

Remember that the Bible doesn’t say we have peace with the devil, peace with the world, peace with the flesh, or peace with sin – but we are able to have peace when faced with battles against them. Life is still a battle for the Christian but it is no longer a battle against God – it is fighting for Him and His honor, glory, and praise. (Guzik) 

16.w. “For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.”

John 10:7 So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.

Psalms 23:1   The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

Isaiah 40:11     He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.

Ezekiel 34:12    As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness.

Ezekiel 37:24   My servant David shall be king over them, and they shall all have one shepherd. They shall walk in my rules and be careful to obey my statutes.

Micah 5:4    And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth.

Hebrews 13:20    Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant

1 Peter 2:25   For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

1 Peter 5:4    And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

The true Shepherd knows the sheep of His flock.  He keeps watch over His sheep. He laid down His life for His Sheep. There is one “Shepherd” and one “Flock”.  I am sure we can all agree that the “Shepherd” is Jesus Christ.  I think many get confused about who makes up the flock. The flock is made up of those who live and pursue to honor and glorify Jesus Christ, ALL OF THE TIME.  There is a false belief that one can live for Jesus on Sundays and the rest of the week live for themself. On Sundays they get all these religious feelings and they think, “I am a Christian and I am pleasing God.” But then Monday comes around and they are interested in other things. They are replacing “Living for God” by pursuing other interests, goals, and worldly important, )not eternally important), stuff. “If you’re going to grow in living a life that is pleasing to God, you must come to the point when you decide, ‘If I don’t accomplish anything else, I am determined that I will live my life for an audience of one. I am going to please God. This is the one thing I am going to do.’”  Being a follower of Jesus Christ is not a game that is played on Sunday.  It is the essence of eternal life.  Why would Jesus use words like, the Word of God is “Living”, “Living Water”, and the “Bread of Life”?

So you have to ask “how does a person please God and what pleases God? Essential to pleasing God is repenting and turning away from sin, seeking forgiveness of Jesus Christ for the sinful life that had been lived, following, trusting in, relying on, and clinging to Jesus Christ, taking care of the widows, orphans, and the poor, giving generously, and surrendering your will to the will of God. All of these “God Pleasing” actions are things you do every living moment of every day to honor and glorify Jesus Christ.  To think we can give a head nod toward Jesus on Sundays and think we are pleasing to God is nothing more than a deception and living a lie.

Recount all of the activities of your last week.  Were you doing that which is pleasing to God or self?  Were you doing it as unto the Lord or self? Did it honor and glorify Jesus Christ or was it done to honor and glorify self? Were you seeking and desiring to do all you could every single moment of every day to please Him? If “Pleasing Him” is not first most in your heart and mind, then something else has taken its place.

Wake up each morning with the Living Word and drink full of the living water and eat of the bread of life seeking to do that which honors and glorifies Jesus Christ throughout the day.  This is pleasing to God.  At the end of the day think about all of the things God allowed you to experience to honor and glorify Jesus and then give thanks to God for that day. This is pleasing to God.  Living to be pleasing to God will not allow one’s self to be neglectful or complacent in studying His Word or for doing that which pleases Him.  Jesus Christ is truly worthy of honor and glory every minute of every day.

16.i. “Whoever is of God hears the words of God”

John 8:39  They answered him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works Abraham did, but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did. You are doing the works your father did.” They said to him, “We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father—even God.” Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.”

“Because My word has no place in you” – Their rejection of the word of Jesus proved they were not yielding and trusting in God’s Word.  Spurgeon considered several ways that God’s word should have a place in the believer.

· The word of God ought to have an inward place.

· The word of God ought to have a place of high honor.

· The word of God ought to have a place of trust.

· The word of God ought to have a place of rule.

· The word of God ought to have a place of love.

· The word of God ought to have a permanent place.

How will we know true freedom without such reverence for His Word in our lives? If there is no hunger and thirst in your heart for His Word you have to ask yourself what is it that is filling your heart?