The Kind of Life God Intended (Part 1)

And so you say you are blessed.

But is it that kind of blessed life that God wants for you—for us—that we are experiencing?

Do you think it’s the kind of life that God wants for you that you are experiencing right now?

Well, I hope so.

So this morning, I’d like for us to look at the kind of life that God intends for us to have.

Let’s open our Bibles to Deuteronomy 30:15–18.

I’ve been sharing on this with the young people, and some of them already know certain portions of it. That’s why I always tell them—raise your Bible if you’re there. I want to know who’s really following, who’s really with us.

Now listen carefully.

“Today I am giving you a choice…”

A choice between what?

Life and prosperity—or death and disaster.

And I command you today—to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commands.

If you do this—what will happen?

It’s not in my face—it’s in your Bible.

You will live and multiply, and the Lord your God will bless you.

But if your heart turns away, if you refuse to listen, and you are drawn away to worship other gods—then there is a certainty.

You will surely perish.

You will not live a long and good life.

So let’s pray…

(Prayer—asking that hearts and minds be open, ready not only to hear but to obey the Word of God.)

Now, let me ask you:

What is the first command in the passage?

Sometimes, we miss the first instruction.

It’s like when we give instructions—people skip the first step and go to the last, and everything becomes messed up.

Just like in baking—there is an order. If you don’t follow it, the result is ruined.

And in the same way, when we read the Word of God, we must pay attention to the order of His commands.

Because many times, we hear—but we do not listen.

And there is a difference.

Hearing is just sound entering your ears.

But listening—listening involves intention.

It means you are paying attention.

It means you are focused.

It means you are ready to respond.

That’s why sometimes we repeat instructions—because people hear, but they don’t listen.

And so here, God is not just asking us to hear His Word—

He is calling us to listen with intention,
to pay attention,
and ultimately, to obey.

Because the life that God intends is not just heard—

It is lived out in obedience.