Making A Better Effort
In Serving The Lord
We all CAN do better,
Are we willing to do better?
Diligence, Diligently
• Hebrew word: shâmar
• To enclose or imprison for keeping and
protection; to keep; to guard as a
shepherd; to watch as a watchman; to
keep safe; to protect; to observe intently;
to beware; to revere.
• Careful attention which was paid to the
obligations of a covenant, laws, statutes.
Diligence, Diligently
• Greek word: spôudē
• Earnestness; devotion; speed or haste;
eagerness; forwardness; carefulness;
• To make every effort; to give your best
effort
Pr 4:23 Keep your heart with all
diligence, For out of it spring
the issues of life.
• The heart is the source of sin for each
person.
• We must take care to keep it pure and
righteous.
Exodus 15:26 and said, "If you diligently
heed the voice of the LORD your God and
do what is right in His sight, give ear to His
commandments and keep all His statutes,..."
• NAS “if you will give earnest heed to the
voice of the LORD your God, and do what
is right in His sight, and give ear to His
commandments…
• To pay attention for learning what to do,
and actually doing it.
Deuteronomy 4:9 "Only take heed to
yourself, and diligently keep yourself, lest
you forget the things your eyes have seen,
and lest they depart from your heart all the
days of your life. And teach them to your
children and your grandchildren,
• Deuteronomy 6:7 "You shall teach them
diligently to your children, and shall talk of them
when you sit in your house, when you walk by
the way, when you lie down, and when you rise
up.
Deuteronomy 6:17 "You shall
diligently keep the commandments of
the LORD your God, His testimonies,
and His statutes which He has
commanded you.
• Deuteronomy 13:14 "then you shall
inquire, search out, and ask diligently.
And if it is indeed true and certain that
such an abomination was committed
among you,
Deuteronomy 17:4 "and it is told you, and
you hear of it, then you shall inquire
diligently. And if it is indeed true and certain
that such an abomination has been
committed in Israel,
(Thoroughly)
• Deuteronomy 28:1 "Now it shall come to pass, if
you diligently obey the voice of the LORD your
God, to observe carefully all His commandments
which I command you today, that the LORD your
God will set you high above all nations of the
earth.
2Chronicles 34:33 Thus Josiah removed all
the abominations from all the country that
belonged to the children of Israel, and made
all who were present in Israel diligently
serve the LORD their God. All his days they
did not depart from following the LORD God
of their fathers.
• True leadership was demonstrated here.
Proverbs 8:17 I love those who
love me, And those who seek me
diligently will find me.
(The voice of wisdom speaking)
• Compare to: Hebrews 11:6 But without
faith it is impossible to please Him, for he
who comes to God must believe that He
is, and that He is a rewarder of those who
diligently seek Him.
Psalm 119:4 You have commanded us To
keep Your precepts diligently.
• Zechariah 6:15 "Even those from afar shall
come and build the temple of the LORD.
Then you shall know that the LORD of
hosts has sent Me to you. And this shall
come to pass if you diligently obey the
voice of the LORD your God."
Hebrews 6:11 And we desire that
each one of you show the same
diligence to the full assurance of
hope until the end,
• 2Pe 1:5 But also for this very reason,
giving all diligence, add to your faith
virtue, to virtue knowledge,
Diligence in the real world.
• Sports: Only those who are diligent will
overcome the opponents.
• Business: Only those who are diligent will
be successful. They will be appreciated
by their employers.
• We demand diligence from the doctors,
pharmacists, bank tellers, store clerks, and
a host of others.
Conclusion
• Why not make the effort in our spiritual
lives to be diligent in our service.
• For some, even a little effort is better than
they are offering right now.
• For others who have shown diligence,
there is still room for improvement.
• Can you commit yourself to be diligent in
serving the LORD?