Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, “Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” 13 Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, “Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it. See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess. But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Deuteronomy 30:11-20
To be alive, like fully alive, as in, not drifting through life aimlessly but to have a sense of passion, and enthusiasm, and clear eyed vision and hope for the future...that's what I want. Thats what we all want.
Tim Bounds
Consider
It's in listening to His voice, and holding fast to Him that we find there is life. The life that each of us deep down longs for. This is what it means to be obedient to his commands. When we seek God first, we're invited to live life with a kind of godly wisdom.
Reflect
...you and I are called to be different. We're called to be obedient to the commands of God, to speak humbly in love, to be champions for justice, to cultivate peace in our communities.
"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God."
Matthew 5:9
Do
Do you believe that God is there for you today helping you to savor the great moments and giving you the courage and strength to live in the tough moments?
How will this message help you to understand that this "abundant' life of Jesus begins now?
Discuss how you can be more effective bringing peace into your world.
Pray for our city and all the communities that are hurting because of the pain of injustice and violence.