“And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God.” Deuteronomy 28:1-2
Hearken Diligently- To hear intelligently, give ear to, to be attentive and discerning. Strongs
Hearing the word of GOD thoughtfully serves as bookends as the chapter opens. The NKJV renders it, “if you diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God…” and “…because you obey the voice of the LORD your God.”
The wording of the OKJ, “hearken diligently” and the NKJ, “diligently obey” complement one another well.
Consider the truth regarding faith and how the two connect.
“Without faith it is impossible to please Him….” Hebrews 11:6
“Faith comes by hearing the word of GOD.” Romans 10:17
“You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?” James 2:19-20
To hear the LORD’S voice diligently is to be attentive and discerning, which produces faith. Not the mere acknowledgment of a fact, but an active acceptance of truth which necessitates obedience. By hearing with diligence, we surrender ourselves to the word of GOD, producing a desire to diligently obey.
Prospering Pathway 
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