Scripture

“Anyone who belongs to God listens gladly to the word of God. But you don’t listen because you don’t belong to God.”

Observation

Jesus continues to discuss with the Jewish people in the Temple forecourts.

He tells them they are children of the devil because they love to do the things he did from the beginning. The devil is a murderer and a liar. Therefore they cannot see the truth that Jesus conveys.

Anyone who belongs to God welcomes God’s words.

The leaders accuse Jesus of being possessed by a demon. Jesus replies that His only aim is to honour the Father. Anyone who obeys Jesus will never die.

Application

Jesus tells us here that anyone who belongs to God listens gladly to God’s words. If we don’t want to listen to God’s words, it is a sign that we do not truly belong to God.

When I first got saved, my immediate priority was to read the Bible. I started at Matthew and read right through the New Testament in a few weeks. The Holy Spirit in me stirred up a hunger for the word of God.

If you find that reading Scripture is too hard or if you are bored during the sermon at church, then it may be a sign that you are really not born again.

God’s people love His word because it gives life. The Scriptures show us who God really is, and what He expects of His people. Preaching that is faithful to God’s word should make us hunger for more. That is not to say that there are no bad preachers, but a pastor’s love for God’s word should inspire us to go back to the scriptures for more.

Prayer

Lord I love you and I want to know you more. Please help me to read and understand your word, and to know how to apply it to my daily life. Amen.