It seems like life has become so challenging and difficult. Perhaps a blessing from God will do? It appears like a woman from the crowd Jesus was in, was trying to gain brownie points by pointing out to Jesus that surely His own mother would be blessed. Jesus instead pointed out that each one who puts into practice what they learned from His Word would be even more blessed than His very mother. Our challenge today is to evaluate whether Jesus would consider blessing us!

DATE POSTED Thursday, 2021-08-26
WRITTEN AT: Hattiesburg, MS

BY: Ed Algreen

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 11:28
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: 28 He replied, “Yes, but even more blessed are all who hear the Word of God and put it into practice.”

APPLICATION: I believe if we were to follow the idea of the woman from the crowd that Jesus was in, we would probably point out some very important people that we consider blessed, and that is sure to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. We would probably be quick to point out the pastors; evangelists; priests; church elders; millionaires who are very generous in helping the poor; most of our church members; etc. But stop and think for a moment why you would choose them. Is it because of the position they hold? Is it because of what they have taught you from the Bible? Or is it because of what they have given to you? But then we read Scripture like our verse today and we ponder if our judgment in the previous sentence is justified, based on what the Bible says about how one is supposed to qualify for acceptance into the Kingdom? In this verse today, Jesus shows us what really qualifies a person for being blessed by Him? Think about the suggestion before Jesus, that His own mother is a great example of who will be blessed of God. He set all agendas aside and told the woman, and the crowd, that blessings are in store for those who:
– -> Not only hears the Word of God – and I believe this not only includes hearing what is taught, what is preached, and what a child of God shares with you from the Word, but also when you pick up the Word each day to see what God has to instruct you on;
– -> Applies the Word to your own life and practice it daily – It is so easy to see the needs of others, but I believe God wants us to base our daily decisions, actions and words to our own lives first, then we could share with others what God has taught us to do. Without this basis, we are merely sharing our personal failures with them. Not good!
Reading the Word, learning the Word, and understanding the Word, are all good, but unless you apply it to your walk and to your talk, your intake of very important life-changing information is just sitting idol in your ‘do-nothing box’! I believe that Jesus is saying in His Word that if we use what we learn from Him and His instructions, we will be blessed beyond anything we could imagine. That’s my goal today! Won’t you join me!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Blessings are in store for the one who not only hears the Word of God, but also applies it to his daily life so that he might look and sound more like Jesus.

PRAYER: Lord, we read a lot, and we listen a lot to the preaching and teaching of Your Word, but having been reminded of the importance of applying the principles we learned to our everyday life, I beg of You to open our eyes and our understanding to all that we read and hear. May this cause us to live noble lives patterned after Your perfect life here on earth. Oh that You may be glorified in every aspect of our lives. Lord, we need Your blessing, for everything else seems empty and void of great value. Touch the lives of those we love and care for today, and use us for Your ultimate glory. AMEN!