How to Be Blessed By God
Diligence

Scripture: Joshua 1:8

Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.

          What are the characteristics you think of when you see a diligent person?  Hardworking, tenacious, refusing to be discouraged are all terms that come to me.

As God prepared Joshua for the leadership of His people, God knew Joshua had to be diligent.  Look at the phrase our scripture used: “Do not let this book of the law depart from your mouth” or “meditate on it day and night” and “be careful to do everything written in it”!  In other words, God told Joshua that if he was diligent in his lifestyle…he would be blessed, prosperous, and successful!

Isn’t that what all of us want…to be blessed, prosperous and successful in all we do?  If so, we must be diligent in our handling of God’s Word.  Our society encourages “just getting by” and “more pay for less work”!  Our modern technology has softened us with its many conveniences.  This has slipped over to the way Christ followers walk with God.  I feel that over the last decade the church atmosphere has gotten less diligent in its demands for radical obedience to God’s Word.  God’s rich blessings are ready to be delivered to any and all who diligently seek after Him!

Let me put some practical handles on this lesson.  Set time aside every day to read God’s Word and be ruthless in protecting it from interruptions.  Another suggestion would be to keep a pad of paper close by.  Be diligent to write down any truths you read and determine to evaluate your lifestyle with those truths!

“Father, I don’t want to be loose and flippant with the handling of your Word.  Reveal to me any lack of diligence in this area.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”