1. Making A Better Effort In Serving The Lord We all CAN do better, Are we willing to do better?

2. 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.

3. Diligence, Diligently Greek word: spôudē Earnestness; devotion; speed or haste; eagerness; forwardness; carefulness; To make every effort; to give your best effort

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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,

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. 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.

11. 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."

12. 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,

13. 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.

14. 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?