[Paul Moody] The theme for last year's General Conference of Elders was "Labor in the Word," and its focus was to remind all of us in the ministry of the importance of studying through God's Word, for the purpose of understanding it more thoroughly and then being able to go on by extension and teach it more effectively. Now obviously laboring in the Word is not an activity that's limited to the ministry only, it's something that all of us, as God's people, must engage in. Laboring in the Word for us helps us to understand God more clearly and helps to produce growth in our life spiritually, and it helps to direct us to the vision that God has in store for all of His people.

Now this year's theme for the Conference of Elders seeks to build on last year's and it's essentially the next step in the progression of how God's Word is to affect our lives. The theme this year is "Live the Word." Live the Word, because you see, once we've studied into God's Word and we’ve acknowledged the instruction that it has for us and we understand the importance of it, our next course of action as God's people is then to go on to do something with the precious knowledge that we've been given, or to put it in action. We are to live the Word.

Brethren, I’d like to begin this afternoon in the Book of James, James chapter 1, this is probably a scripture that will become an anchor scripture throughout this conference, throughout the next week, and it’s probably the first one that comes to your mind when you think of living the Word. Let’s go to James chapter 1, and begin in verse 21, important principle for us here, James 1:21, here James instructs us, and he says, “Lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness,” he says, “and receive with meekness the implanted Word which is able to save your souls.” So the first step in the process is we must receive into our hearts with that meekness and humility the Word of God and the instruction that He has for us. We need to recognize it for what it is, because brethren, these are the words of life. We acknowledge our need for them and we acknowledge our continual needs to study and to grow and to practice them.

Now it goes on from there, it tells us that the next step is to do something with what we've been given. Verse 22, James says, “But be doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” So James calls “hearing only” actually a deception. And you see, it can be a deception because we can sit here in services, we can listen to the messages, we can look at the scriptures for ourselves in the Bible, and then walk away thinking that we're somehow improved, improved in terms of character, improved in terms of righteousness. But you see, if our forward momentum stops with the obtaining of the Word of God, if we don't take what it is that we've learned and put it into practice in our lives, the truth is we’ve not really gained much of anything beyond now becoming accountable to what it is that we now know.

James carries on in verse 23, he says, “For if anyone is a hearer of the Word and not a doer, he's like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of a man he was.” You know, it's not going to stick with him. It’s not what's going to be applied as he goes about his daily routine. He’s simply going to walk away and forget.

“But,” verse 25, “he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the Word, this one will be blessed in what he does.” And so the blessing from God ultimately comes in the doing. It comes putting into practice what it is that God's given us to do. Now knowing is good, and I don't want to diminish that in any way because knowing sets the foundation for us. It points us in the direction by which we need to go and we need to order our steps. Again knowing—laboring in the Word—is essential. But brethren, we've been called in to go on and put it into practical application in our lives. We've been called to put into practice that which God has given us, and it is in the doing that we learned so many valuable lessons.

This afternoon, I'd like to address one specific aspect to living the Word. I’d like to look at just a slice of the pie, one benefit that comes as a result of living according to these words of God. And we find that portrayed here in Psalm chapter 111 and verse 10, so if you’ll follow me over there please, Psalm 111:10, here the Psalmist writes for us and he says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever.”

So brethren, we essentially have a progression of thought here. It begins with the fear of the Lord, begins with having a proper reverence for God and understanding in terms of who He is and who we are, and the relationship we’re to have with him. But that fear of the Lord then moves into our response to Him. And our response is to do, to do what it is He's given us. The passage then concludes with the outcome of fearing God, the outcome of living His way, and that is our praise. Because you see, as we acknowledge these words and we put them into practice in our life, we begin to see the blessing and the benefit of doing them. We give God the glory and the praise, and we direct our honor and worship towards Him, because of the wonderful blessing of these words. So again, “a good understanding have those who do His commandments.”

Notice it doesn't say a good understanding have those who know His commandments. Again, to know is good, and I in no way want to diminish the knowledge and the knowing, but if we're truly going to have a good understanding as to what God has given us here, the principles behind it, why it works and how it works, then we must go on beyond just the academic acknowledgement of these words. We have to live them ourselves. “A good understanding have all those who do His commandments.” It's in the application of the Word, brethren, that we change, that we grow. It’s in the application of the Word that we begin to develop the mind of God and His character and His righteousness that He imputes to us within our lives. By the doing of those things take place. We learned so many lessons. We understand the ins-and-outs and the operation of the Word of God by doing.

Now, that's a principle that applies both spiritually and physically. There’s so many lessons that we learned in this life by simply walking through the process. I was thinking back recently to my youth, and at the day when I first began to drive, and I remember the first vehicle or one of them that I first began to learn to drive on was my father’s stick shift pickup truck. And probably, a lot of you had had the ability, at one time or another, to drive a manual transmission. And it's one of those things that you either like or you don't. I tend to like it myself, but I was thinking back on that process, and I’d invite you to do the same. Consider what was it that you had in terms of knowledge as to how that process worked. You know, when you first sat behind the wheel of that manual transmission, what did you know about how that process worked? Well, you probably had somebody that told you, “It’s easy.” Maybe it's your parent sitting next to you, they say, “That's easy. You just push that clutch in, put your foot on the brake, put the vehicle into gear, and then as you ease out on the clutch, just give it a little gas. It's easy.” And you know, academically, it ought to be, but how’d that first attempt work out for you? [audience laughs]

I seem to remember my first attempts being filled with things like a stalled engine from popping the clutch, or the opposite which was laying down a strip of rubber. You know, you have one or the other. I remember the vehicle kinda rolling backwards on a hill while I was trying to get started with the engine racing. I remember the smell of the burnt clutch. Ew, nobody likes that. But again, it should have been easy. I knew what I had to do. I knew the principles that I had to apply, but actually doing it was a different story. What I figured out very quickly was the only way I was going to become proficient at it was just simply by getting out there and doing it, by driving. My good understanding wasn’t going to come sitting in the garage reading the manual. It was gonna come by going out there and driving.

So I had to get out, jump on the freeway quickly, I had to sit at the red light on the hill, I had to maneuver my way through traffic, and eventually, I became proficient with the process. Again by doing, I gained a good understanding as to how that vehicle functioned, how that process worked. And you know, I actually got proficient enough at it that I could do it all at once. I could roll back on the hill, race the engine, pop the clutch, and lay down a strip of rubber intentionally. [audience laughs] That was in my youth long, long ago. The truth is the only manual transmission I can have opportunity to drive this today is Mark Mickelson's vehicle. And I can assure you, it's all done according to the strictest of ministerial conduct. [audience laughs]

Brethren, my point is this. In order to become proficient at living the Word of God and coming to truly understand it, you know, if we're gonna know it, we have to do it. And to understand it, we have to live it. We must put it into practice daily. We can study God's Word. We can know what it says and why it says it, but unless we go on then to be doers of the Word and not hearers only, we will not have a good understanding as to how and why it truly functions. You know, until you lay your life down in service to someone else, you'll not have a good understanding of what it means to be a living sacrifice. Until you visit a widow or an orphan in their time of trouble and affliction, you'll not have a good understanding of what it means for pure and undefiled religion to exist in your life. Until you're willing to extend the hand of forgiveness to someone who has wronged you, you’ll not have a good understanding of the concept of reconciliation.

Brethren, you and I learn so much through the process of doing. A good understanding comes from being doers of the Word. A good understanding comes from putting these things into practice. We’ve just walked through the Days of Unleavened Bread, and for us, that was a very enjoyable and very spiritually uplifting time. What did we do in the run-up to those days? Well, we cleaned our house. We vacuumed our car. We did all the things necessary to put the leavening out of our lives. You know brethren, there's a perspective we gain by that action which could not come by simply just reading the command. There's things we learn through walking through the process, seeking out the leavening, putting it out. And that's why it's not just the wife's job or the mom's job to deleaven the house for the whole family, that's why it should be a family event, because we all learn through the process.

Through deleavening, we came to understand more fully the pervasiveness of sin, and the manner in which it can slip into our lives so easily. We learned that sin can be discovered in a place that we weren't even looking. You know, how did that bagel get behind the couch, anyway? It just simply is a lesson we learn. We learned, brethren, that it takes effort to put that sin out of our lives. Now as we continued forward from there, we walked through the Days of Unleavened Bread when we recognized that we needed to replace that leavening with the Bread of Life, Jesus Christ living within us. And so we took in of that unleavened bread throughout the process as well. It is in the doing that so many lessons are learned. And it is indeed how God would have that to work.

And so we go forward from the Days of Unleavened Bread, counting to Pentecost. There’s lessons we can learn in that process as well. We fast on Atonement. We stay in temporary housing at the Feast of Tabernacles. We assemble on the Sabbath. God has given us so many things to apply for the purpose of learning and understanding His ways more fully. A good understanding have those who do His commandments.

Let's go to Psalm chapter 119 and verse 97. We want to look at the words of King David here because he understood very clear the application of this principle in his life. Psalm 119:97, here King David said, “Oh, how I love Your law. It's my meditation all the day.” You know, David says, “It's what I think about, it’s what I focus on. Your Word is what directs my steps.” Verse 98, “You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies; for they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the ancients, because I keep Your precepts.” David says, “I have understanding and knowledge through both knowing and doing your way.”

The word here translated “ancients,” it's interesting, it could actually be translated “aged,” and it's a reference to those who were older than he was. And so David’s essentially saying that, “Living this way of life has given me more understanding than those who are beyond my years. Those who have lived this life and should have a greater understanding than I,” he says, “I’ve surpassed them because I know and I live your ways.” David was a man after God's own heart. That came not only by the knowing, that came by the doing.

Verse 101, continuing on, he says, “I have restrained my feet from every evil way, that I may keep your Word. I have not departed from Your judgments, for You Yourself have taught me. How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth. Through Your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way.” Verse 105, “Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” And so God's way is what, His Word is what illuminated the path in the way before David. It’s what created that perspective then by which he would place his feet as he walked through this life day by day.

Brethren, God's Word must be the standard by which we walk as well. You know, we can never go through this life and just assume that we have it all figured out, that it’s okay, apart from doing it God's way. It will not be okay, the results in this world are not okay. God has called us to live according to His Words. He challenges us to do so. In fact, He says, “Go ahead. Give it a try. Do what I’ve commanded here and see if it does not work for good in your life.”

In fact, He challenges Israel to do so, in Malachi chapter 3 and verse 8. Let's go there. Last book in the Old Testament, Malachi chapter 3 and verse 8, where God is offering a rebuke and an admonition to His people because of their behavior before Him. In Malachi 3:8, the question is asked, “Will a man rob God?” God says, “’Yet you have robbed Me.’ But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ ‘In tithes and offerings.’” God says, “I’ve told you what you are to do,” but you see, they weren't doing it. So God says, “You’re robbing Me.” Verse 9, “You are cursed with a curse, for you have robbed Me, even this whole nation.” He says, “’Bring all the tithes into the storehouse that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out such a blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it.’”

God said, “Try Me, test Me, prove Me. Live this way, and see if it doesn't work for good in your life. I am Your God. You are My people.” You know, we're not in this for our harm or destruction. God is leading us to life. His words lead to life, so He says, “Try Me, test Me, prove Me. See if in fact, doing it My way does not work for good in your life.”

Brethren, it’s in the doing that we come to understand the mercy and the blessings of God. It's when we submit to Him in obedience and faith that we see His way really does work. And you’ve probably all heard the phrase, “the proof is in the pudding,” and despite what some might say, it's not a reference to rum pudding. The proof is in the pudding. “The proof is in the pudding” essentially means that if you try it, you will see for yourself, because the results are there. That's the instruction for us. Because you see, I could tell you all day long that God's way works. I could tell you why it works and how it works, but you see, you’ll never truly know for yourself unless you go and try it and put it to practice in your life, and see the end result personally, so go ahead. That's the invitation of Scripture, go ahead and do it. The proof is in the pudding.

King David essentially said the same thing in Psalm 34:8. He said, “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good.” Taste and see that the Lord is good. Give it a try, imbibe in this way of life, put God's way to the test, see if it really does work. And it does. You could read about it; we definitely need to do that. And you could study into it, and we certainly should. But brethren, even beyond that, if you truly want to understand and have a good understanding and a good knowledge of the Word of God, we must practice what it is that we've been given. We must be doers of the Word, not hearers only.

When we live the Word of God, it becomes a part of who and what we are. It impacts how we think, the words that we speak, how we order our lives. Suddenly, everything we do is done through the perspective of putting God first. God's Word actually draws a framework in our life—I kind of envision it as a picture frame—and anything you're going to do in this life cannot exceed outside the parameters of that frame. So I tell the young people at home, the career you’re going to seek, the job you're going to perceive, the education, the spouse you're going to marry must all be done through the perspective of putting God first, keeping that vision clearly in your mind. You know, we evaluate life's circumstances through the lens of God's Word if we're not like the man who looks in the mirror and walks away and forgets. If we’re doing it, that is the perspective then that we keep as we walk through this life.

And so the process of doing the Word that we begin to take on a deeper understanding into the character and the nature of God because, you see, these are His words. They were inspired by His mind for us, and when we live them, we begin to walk in a manner and according to His nature and His character. His ways begin to become our ways as well. If you want to come to know God, if you want to come to have a deeper understanding and a good understanding of who He is, who His Son Jesus Christ is, then we must be doers of the Word.

Notice 1 John chapter 2 and verse 3, 1 John 2:3, here John says, “Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.” And so obedience is sort of a litmus test as to whether we know God or not. If you're not keeping His commandments, you don't know God. If you are keeping His Commandments, it would indicate at least you know God's Word, and you're coming to gain a deeper understanding into who He is. The word here “know,” in the Greek, denotes more than just a passing acquaintance. It denotes an intimate understanding and relationship. It denotes personal experience and firsthand knowledge. To know God, it denotes knowing Him by doing, by putting these things into practice. If you want to know God the Father and Jesus Christ in a manner beyond simple intellectual acknowledgment, we must be doers of the Word.

Continuing on in verse 4, it says, “He who says, ‘I know him,’ and does not keep His commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” Again, if you aren’t keeping them, you don't know God. If you are keeping them, you know Him, and by the keeping of them, you know Him even better, your understanding becomes even stronger, and you keep them even more faithfully and the process just simply goes hand-in-hand.

Verse 5, “But whoever keeps His Word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought also himself to walk just as He walked.” And so the example that Jesus Christ set must be displayed in us as well. And it will be displayed if we are hearing, if we are studying, and then we are doing the Word. If we do these things, we will walk just as Jesus Christ walked.

Jumping forward to verse 15, it says, “Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of this world.” And so there's a vast difference in outcomes that come as a result of either doing it according to this world's ways or doing it according to God's ways. Brethren, we've been invited to do it according to God's ways, and indeed the outcome is so much better.

I want to shift gears just a little bit, because I want to talk about the youth in the Church. I want to talk about our children and our grandchildren, our brothers and sisters. Because you see, our children have a calling extended to them from God. They have an opportunity to come into a relationship with God, to be led by Him, to have Him involved in their life. But you see, this world is also calling out to our children as well. And unless they grow up with a good understanding into God's Word and how it works, they may be tempted to answer that call. As parents, we have a responsibility to teach this good understanding and convey it to our children as well.

Listen to this, Deuteronomy 6, familiar passage to us, but it contains some important instruction. Deuteronomy 6, beginning in verse 6, Deuteronomy 6:6, it says, “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart.” It says, “You shall teach them diligently to your children and you 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.” I don't take this scripture to just essentially mean you have to quote Scripture every waking moment of the day, but I do think that there is always opportunity throughout the day to teach our children life lessons in how God's Word applies to those situations.

And one thing I appreciate about my wife is she is very good at that. If our children face a situation, perhaps at school or with another individual, she'll stop and she’ll say, “Now, this is how God's Word tells us we need to handle it. This is how God would have us to do it.” She’ll quote Scripture to them, so explain to them how and why it works. You know what, they come to learn that even if it's not what the other person is doing, they have an obligation to live according to the Word of God themselves, put these principles into the practice. And it is then through the doing that they begin to understand for themselves that yes, God's way really does work.

So we try to teach that to our children and instill that in their lives. Our young children are not converted, but again, God’s Spirit is working with them. He wants a relationship with them. They have the ability, in their way, to respond. And as such, they too can gain a good understanding that comes as a result of living God's Word. You know what, they’ll need that understanding. They’re going to need us as parents and as fellow brethren to reinforce that understanding as well before them, in terms of the example that we set. Because you see, the day is coming where then now, they have to make their own choice. The question becomes, “Which will they choose?”

Darla and I recently attended a high school orientation for our daughter Tabitha. I'm still trying to get over the fact that the baby of the family is attending high school end of this year, but I will get over it, eventually. But nevertheless, we went to the high school orientation, and at the door, they're handing out these welcome packs, were essentially these green plastic bags with a handle, and inside they had all these pamphlets in them. They handed them out to all the parents as they’re coming in, and they smiled and they said, “Welcome to high school.” Then we then proceeded into the cafeteria where the meeting was going to take place.

So we had a few minutes before that meeting started, and I thought, well, I'll just shuffle through the pamphlets and see what kind of information they gave to us. I have to admit, brethren, I was a bit taken back. I was honestly a bit dismayed as I considered some of the pressures that would be facing my daughter with this new advancement. Maybe I shouldn't have been, maybe I shouldn’t have been shocked, but I was a little concerned. It was a little sad to me to see her moving into a different, a different set of options in her life. What is it, do you think, that the school wants you to discuss with your children as they enter high school? Academic excellence? Well, I have no doubt that is part of the process. But let me just share with you a little bit what we received in the welcome pack.

This is the bag that they were handing out. And there's a tag on the front that you could take a picture with your smartphone and take you to a website, but it says on the front of the bag, “Start talking now.” And you know, I agree, we need to start talking to our children now, about many things, especially about the Word of God.

But this is what the high school tells us now we need to start talking to our children about now. So I'm just going to show you the contents of the bag here. First thing I pulled out was just this magnetic calendar. You can slap that up on the refrigerator. Actually that's kind of handy. As a parent, you need to know when to wake your child up from summer vacation. That's all right.

Next one, this floppy thing, at first, I wasn’t sure what that was, but that’s a gripper for a jar. You can put that on a lid and grip and open that jar. My wife particularly likes this. But on the other side, there's a message printed and it says, “Your opinion counts. Talk to your kids about alcohol and drugs.” Obviously, it's an important conversation we should be having with our young people, and it brings to light some of the things they face. I kind of like this myself. I told my wife you can use it to keep their heads screwed on straight, but she told me that wasn't funny. [audience laughs] Actually, she's the one who tells me to put a lid on it, but you know, you got to know where the borders are.

The next pamphlet I want to pull out, this one comes from the Northwest HIDA, as well as the Washington State Office of the Lieutenant Governor Brad Owen, and it says, “Say it straight. Marijuana: Myth Versus Fact.” Because you see, recreational marijuana is now legal in the state of Washington, has been for some time, and you have to be of a certain age in order to go and purchase it. If you're in high school, that's not necessarily something that you're legally allowed to do, but I'll just say it is available. It is easily obtained all over the place. And actually this pamphlet went on to say that 27% of 12th graders have admitted to using marijuana in the last month. 27%.

So I thought all right, moving on, maybe there's something more encouraging here for me. Next, this one came from the Seattle Children's Hospital Research Foundation. It's a parent's guide to preventing underage marijuana use. Of course, that's important, but I reinforce it even with those who are of age.

Next pamphlet, this one comes from the Office of National Drug Control Policy and the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign. And it says, “Suspect your teen is using drugs or drinking? Here’s things you should discuss with them and things that every parent should know.” Again, it's important information, but the fact is, it kind of just really impacted me and brought to light in my mind just at least even one slice of what it is that our young people face, what it is we need to be talking to them about.

This one was “Underage Drinking: Myth Versus Fact,” and this one, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I'm getting closer to the end. It’s kind of like the marathon bag, it kept going and going. This one, Washington State Liquor Control Board, “Marijuana: What Parents Should Know.” And I heard a statistic recently on the news in Washington State that said that fatal automobile accidents by those who are impaired, those who are impaired by drugs have surpassed the number of those who are impaired by alcohol in terms of traffic fatalities. So it’s a serious situation.

This one, “Marijuana Facts for Teens,” and it's put out by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Then I was excited because I got to the end, got to the end, but now we have something new. “Vaping and E-Cigarettes: 8 Things Every Parent Should Know.” This is put out by Journeyworks Publishing, copyright 2014. It says, “By any name, all e-cigarettes are the same,” and it walks through hookah pens, personal vaporizers, e-hookahs, vape pens, mods, tanks, e-shishas. I had to look some of that up online. “But essentially,” it goes on to say, “they are all drug delivery devices.” And I have a family member that teaches alcohol and drug recovery at some of the local churches in Spokane, and he's rather horrified by what he sees in these things. They're simply a gateway to heavier substance abuse. In fact, I was driving down the street the other day, and I see young people puffing on these things all the time. They look like a steam engine.

But you know, brethren, that's just a slice of what it is that our young people are facing in the society, and it can go a hundred different directions. There's real pressures facing our teens and young adults in this world, and if they don't have the vision of the Kingdom of God burning brightly in their mind, this world will give them a vision. It will give them the vision.

Additionally, we need to understand that the pressures facing our young people aren't just social. They're not just societal. They are spiritual as well. We can never forget that we have an adversary on the loose. Satan the devil has his sight set on our young people, have no doubt of it. I've seen it directly. Satan is after the future of the Church of God. He's after the future family of God. There's a very real spiritual contest that's going on around us. And it's not like the battle lines are way off over there somewhere. They've been drawn right at the feet of the Church of God.

Parents, please teach your children to live this way now. Teach them the importance of God's calling, and show them by your example that it really does work, because it's working in you. It’s working in your relationships. It’s working in your marriages. It’s working in how you live this life. It’s working in your relationship with God. Our young people are watching. They're smart. They can make decisions. But they need to see, yes indeed, God's way truly does work. We could tell them until we're blue in the face that it does, but they need to see it applied.

And for our young people who grow up living the Word of God, building a personal relationship with Him, it will give them a good understanding as to why they must resist the ways of the world. Living the Word will give them a good understanding of the value of doing things right in the first place, because it's so much easier not to have to go back and fix all the damage, all the mistakes that were made because you didn't do it right the first time.

God is merciful. God does grant us forgiveness upon repentance, and gives us the ability to go back in and change and clean things up, but there is simply damage, at times, that will not go away physically in this life because of decisions we've made. But living God's Word will help them to understand the value of doing it right in the first place. Living the Word of God will also give our young people a good understanding as to the vision of the Kingdom of God and what is their purpose. Why has God created them? What is it that God is seeking to do in their life?

So let's help instill in them that understanding by living the Word with them today. That's not a responsibility just of the parents, that's the responsibility of the family—the Church of God. Each of us have an opportunity and an obligation to be an example to our young people that God's way does indeed work.

And the final thought I'd like to share with you is that that as you live the Word, others in this world will see by our example that there is something to understand and notice as well. By our light, they can see God's Word in action. Let's go back just a couple of pages, to Deuteronomy chapter 4 and verse 5, Deuteronomy chapter 4 and verse 5. Here now, that new generation of Israel is preparing to go up and enter into the Promised Land, so Moses has some instruction for them. Deuteronomy 4:5, it says “Surely I have taught you statutes and judgments, just as the Lord my God commanded me, that you should act according to them in the land which you go to possess.” So he’s saying, “You know what, I’ve taught them to you, now you go and live them.” Verse 6, “Therefore be careful to observe them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’ For what great nation is there that has God so near to it, as the Lord our God is to us, for whatever reason we may call upon Him?” And brethren, is that not the relationship we have with God as well?

Verse 8, “And what great nation is there that has such statutes and righteous judgments as are in all this law which I set before you this day?” You know, Israel was to go up into the Promised Land. They were to live this way. They were to be a light and example to the nations around them. They were to be a model nation. Now unfortunately, they were never really able to live up to what it is, that standard that had been set for them. But you know what? God has set a standard for us today, as the people of God, and as we live the Word of God in a world that is going completely the opposite direction, people will take notice. Believe me, they'll take notice, one way or the other. And some may even respond favorably.

Brethren, what's the understanding that they will gain from observing us as the United Church of God? What is the understanding that someone might gain from walking in the door to one of our congregations? What is it that they will see when they look at you and me personally? Well, I pray what they see is a people that are dedicated to laboring in the Word of truth, and then applying it faithfully. I pray that they see that God’s way really does work, because it's working in you, it's working in me. For that to be the case, God's way has to be functioning right here. We have to be living the Word and applying it right here at home, because see, we've been given opportunity to then create an environment where others can come in, where they can study, where they can learn, they can grow, and they can gain a good understanding as well. I do believe that is a part of our focus as a Church. I believe that's an environment we're working very hard to create in the United Church of God.

Brethren, God has called us out of this world into His service. He's given us His Word of truth to be a guide as to how we’ll live our lives. It's to direct to our steps, to be a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. Let's use it well. Let's be doers of the Word and not hearers only, so that as we apply these words to our lives, you and I can be a people of good understanding in the sight of both God and man.