EVENING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR
9/14/2026 9:02 PM
My
Worship Time Focus: PT-2 “Be Careful How You Listen”
Bible
Reading & Meditation Reference:
Luke
8:16-21
Message of the verses: “16“Now no one lights a lamp and
covers it over with a container, or puts it under a bed; but he puts it on a
lampstand so that those who come in may see the light. 17For nothing is concealed that will not
become evident, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to
light. 18So take care how you listen; for
whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even
what he thinks he has will be taken away from him.”
19Now His mother and brothers came to
Him, and they were unable to get to Him because of the crowd. 20And it was reported to Him, “Your
mother and Your brothers are standing outside, wishing to see You.” 21But He answered and said to them,
“My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it.”
Just so you know this is the introduction to these
verses above.
MacArthur continues, “But all too
often Israel failed to listen to God’s word.
In Psalm 81:11-13 God lamented ‘ My people did not listen to My voice,
and Israel did not obey Me. So I gave
them over to the stubbornness of their heart , to walk in their own devices. Oh that My people would listen to Me, that
Israel would walk in My ways!’ Isaiah
30:9 described the children of Israel as ‘a rebellious people, false sons, sons
who refuse to listen to the instruction of the Lord,’ while in Jeremiah 13:10
God indicted them as a ‘wicked people, who refuse to listen to My words.’ ‘This has been your practice from your youth,’ God said in Jeremiah 22:21, ‘that you have
not obeyed My voice’ (cf. 7:26; 11:10; 17:23; 35:17; 36:31; 40:3; Ps. 106:25;
Isaiah 28:12; 66:4).
(cf. 7:26; 11:10; 17:23; 35:17; 36:31;
40:3; Ps. 106:25; Isaiah 28:12; 66:4)
“26 Yet they did not listen to me or incline
their ear, but stiffened their neck. They did worse than their fathers.”
“10 They have turned back to the iniquities of
their forefathers, who refused to hear my words. They have gone after other
gods to serve them. The house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken my
covenant that I made with their fathers.”
“23 Yet they did not listen or incline their ear,
but stiffened their neck, that they might not hear and receive instruction.”
“17 Therefore, thus says the LORD, the God of
hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I am bringing upon Judah and all the
inhabitants of Jerusalem all the disaster that I have pronounced against them,
because I have spoken to them and they have not listened, I have called to them
and they have not answered."
“31 And I will punish him and his offspring and
his servants for their iniquity. I will bring upon them and upon the
inhabitants of Jerusalem and upon the people of Judah all the disaster that I
have pronounced against them, but they would not hear.’"
“3 The LORD has brought it about, and has done
as he said. Because you sinned against the LORD and did not obey his voice,
this thing has come upon you.”
“25 They murmured in their tents, and did not
obey the voice of the LORD.”
“12 My dwelling is plucked up and removed from me
like a shepherd’s tent; like a weaver I have rolled up my life; he cuts me off
from the loom; from day to night you bring me to an end;”
“4 I also will choose harsh treatment for them
and bring their fears upon them, because when I called, no one answered, when I
spoke, they did not listen; but they did what was evil in my eyes and chose
that in which I did not delight."”
“Not only
rebellious Israel, but also all those who reject the truth are guilty of
failing to listen to the Lord speaking in Scripture. As Jesus pointed out in the parable of the
soils, the people represented by all four soils hear the word (Luke 8:12, 13,
14, 15); what differentiates people is how they react to the truth they hear.”
(I just finished looking at those verses in the last section, so won’t repeat
it here.)
“The kind of listeners people are
reveals their spiritual condition. Many
make a superficial response to the Lord Jesus Christ, but He will one day say
to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness’
(Matt. 7:23; 25:11-12). Jesus said that
such are the ones who hear His words, but fail to act on them (Matt.
7:26). When the flood of divine judgment
comes, their spiritual houses, lacking a solid spiritual foundation, will be
swept away (v. 27). On the other hand
those who hear Christ’s words and obey them are His true disciples (v. 24 cf.
John 8:31-32, 47; 10:3-5, 16, 27; 1 Cor. 2:12-16).
(Matt. 7:23; 25:11-12)
“23 And then will I declare to them,, ‘I never
knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
“11 Afterward the other virgins came also,
saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12 But
he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’
(Matt. 7:26)
“26 And everyone who hears these words of mine
and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the
sand.”
(Mat.25:27).
“27 Then you ought to have invested my money with
the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with
interest.”
(v. 24 cf. John 8:31-32, 47; 10:3-5,
16, 27; 1 Cor. 2:12-16)
“24 He also who had received the one talent came
forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did
not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed,”
” 31
¶ So Jesus said to the Jews who had
believed him, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,
32 and you will know the truth, and the
truth will set you free."
“47 Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The
reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God."
“3 To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear
his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before
them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 A stranger they will not follow, but they
will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers."
“16 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.”
“27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and
they follow me.”
“12 Now we have received not the spirit of the
world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things
freely given us by God. 13 And we impart
this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting
spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. 14
The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for
they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are
spiritually discerned. 15 The spiritual
person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. 16 “For who has understood the mind of the Lord
so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.”
“Jesus challenged those who
identified themselves as His disciples, who were gathered around Him to hear
His explanation of the parable of the soils, to take care how they listen. He noted four ways in which true hearers
listen to the word: evangelistically, authentically, fruitfully, and
obediently.”
9/14/2026
10:00 PM
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