I am reading again through the OT books on the history of Israel found in Joshua-Ester. This morning I started in 1 Kings. “Be strong and become a man! Do the job the Lord your God has assigned you by following his instructions and obeying his rules, commandments, regulations, and laws as written in the law of Moses. Then you will succeed in all you do and seek to accomplish, and the Lord will fulfill his promise to me,”(1Kings 2:2-4)

Here we have the last words of a dying father, David, to his son, Solomon. In his last lesson on raising his son to be a man, David reminds him of what becoming a man is about. What does it mean to become a man, or a woman if he was speaking to his daughter? Listening to God and doing what God tells you to do. A man or woman of God is someone who actively listen’s to what God is telling them to do, and then does it. Actively listens; meaning spending time searching the Scriptures, praying and fasting, and seeking mentorship and accountability. And then when they hear what and where God is calling them to do or go, what the next right thing is for them to do, they obey and do it.

What is a Christian? What is a disciple? Cut away all the religious fluff, hoops to jump through, and traditions. A Christian, a disciple is simply; A person who listens to what Jesus is telling them to do, and then does it.

Jesus tells those who were following him, “…Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it” (Luke 11:28) = Blessed is a person who listens to what Jesus is telling them to do, and then does it.

God tells Abram, “When Abram was 99 years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am the sovereign God. Walk before me and be blameless. Then I will confirm my covenant between me and you, and I will give you a multitude of descendants.” (Genesis 17:1) “Walk before me”= Listens to what I am telling you to do, and then do it.

Listen and Do.