United Church of God

I'll Walk With God

You are here

I'll Walk With God

Downloads
MP3 Audio (8.53 MB)

Downloads

I'll Walk With God

MP3 Audio (8.53 MB)
×

God will be with you if you are walking in His ways. Wherever you go, don't walk by yourself, walk with God.

Transcript

As I paced outside my dorm while waiting on the street corner for one of my cousins, one of my older cousins, to take me by car to his home for Thanksgiving in Southern California when I was a freshman, a car pulled up beside me and stopped. It was my cousin and since I was walking with my back toward him when he arrived I wondered how he knew it was me and he said: Because you walk just like your dad. You walk just like your dad. Many children walk like their fathers. I've known of children whose dads had a limp and they walked with a slight limp not because there was anything physically wrong with them but because that is what they saw in their dads.

We all need to walk like our Father, our God, in Heaven. Do you walk like God or do you walk with God? When you go somewhere, do you walk with God? When you travel, when you leave, when you go from here to there, do you take God with you? When you go out into the world, students, will you take God with you? Students in my class will know for years I tell them: Don't forget God when you go. Don't forget to take Him with you. Don't walk by yourself, but walk with God.

There are some pretty famous biblical personalities who walked with God. In fact there are over three hundred-and-twenty scriptures that talk about walking. Many of them talk about walking with God. I am not going to go through all of those — only to tell you about them and also to tell you that the words for "walk" in the Hebrew are very similar. No. 1980 and no. 3212 in the Old Testament: One is halak and the other one is yalak and they both mean to walk but one is interesting. It talks about walking and carrying on and it talks about walking continually. It talks about behaving yourself as you walk; talking about exercising yourself; talks about moving forward and moving along; it talks about marching; it talks about leading. This is how this word is translated.

In the New Testament the word there is peripateo and it has to do with walking at large but it also says when they are walking it has to do with proving that you have that ability. You are actually walking to show: I can walk with God. I can do it and it means figuratively to live; it means to deport oneself; it means to follow as a companion. It is translated to go; to be occupied with; to walk about. Some of those of those who walked with God and are spoken of in the scripture: Enoch — walked with God and he was taken. Noah walked with God; Abraham walked with God.

I want to read about Moses. Moses walked with God too but specifically in Exodus 33:12 he said: I don't want to go if You are not going to go with me - when he was leading the Israelites and taking them through the wilderness. When he resumed the journey: I don't want to go if You are not going with me. Let's read verses 12 to 17 - one of these heroes, these Biblical characters that walked with God.

Exodus 33:12 Then Moses said to the Lord, "See, You say to me, ‘Bring up this people.

But you have not let me know whom You will send with me. How am I going to do this? Who is going with me? Yet You have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found grace in My sight.'

V.13 — Now therefore, I pray, - I pray you; I beg you; I ask you — if I have found grace in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You and that I may find grace in Your sight. And consider that this nation is Your people."

V.14 — And God said to him: "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." I'll go with you; I'll be with you.

V.15 — Then he said to Him, "If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here. If You are not going to go with me I don't want to go.

You and I need to make sure when we go we take God with us. One of His Hebrew names is: Yahweh-Shammah - God with us. He promises to be with us. The Israelites had the opportunity to walk with God. God says: Walk in My ways and I will bless you, in Leviticus 26.

David was a man after God's own heart and it says: David walked before the Lord and David walked in His ways. You can find that in 1 Kings 3. Hezekiah walked with God. He said: Remember me God, how I have walked in your ways. Josiah, another great king of Judah — it is said of him that Josiah walked with God. The apostle Paul walked with God too. In Philippians 3:17 — let's note this scripture real quickly — just seeing some people who walked with God and there are many others. I didn't pick out every single one.

Philippians 3:17 He says: Brethren, be followers together of me and mark them which walk so as you have us for an example. You want to walk like us because we're walking like God. Follow us because we are walking like God.

Now the negative — there are many negative walks that you can find and the scriptures reveal that if we are foolish, if we walk foolishly, if we walk disobediently, if we walk according to the worldly precepts, if we won't listen to the truth, if we won't take instruction, then we will not be able to walk with God. There are lots of scriptures on those. You can search them out if you choose.

But I want to emphasize the positive characteristics that are absolutely necessary if we are going to walk with God. These are characteristics that say we need to walk in them. We need to live in them. We need to do them and our students as you go out, as you leave the halls of ABC or the big room of ABC, and the computer room, and the ping-pong area, and where else — the pool-table out here, as you leave, I hope and pray that you walk with God.

Notice Deuteronomy 5:33: We are encouraged to walk in His ways. Walk in God's

ways. Don't walk in your own ways. Walk in His ways.

Deuteronomy 5:33 You shall walk in all the ways which the Lord your God has commanded you — we have to walk with Him. If you want God to walk with you, you've got to be walking in His ways — that you may live and that it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which you shall possess.

In 2 John 6 we read this: This is love, that we walk according to His commandments.

If you were walking with God we will be walking the path of God's commandments. We will be walking down the same paths of righteousness where God would lead all of His children. It is important that we walk in His ways.

Psalms 26:11 gives us another way to walk. It tells us that we need to walk with integrity. The students also know that I tell them often that the one thing God hates is subtlety and conniving. God absolutely hates that. That is the opposite of the way Jesus Christ was. The way Jesus Christ was, was true en genuine; open and honest. It talks about: do not be a conniver - Satan the devil is. He is the most subtle of all beings. He is the one who deceives; he is the one who likes to mislead.

Psalms 26:11 But as for me, I will walk in my integrity; redeem me and be merciful to me.

If we want God's mercy, if we want God to pay attention to us and rescue us, we must not walk being cagy, trying to be conniving, covering up. We don't want to go in that direction. We want to walk in integrity.

Proverbs 28:18 talks about walking uprightly. He who walks uprightly shall be saved.

Is God going to save anyone who does not walk uprightly? It doesn't mean walking on two feet instead of four — hands and feet. It doesn't mean walking like a human instead of like a lion or tiger. It means to walk blamelessly, where you are not accused. Walk blamelessly.

Proverbs 28:26 He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but whoever walks wisely — if we are going to be walking with God, we must be walking wisely and the whole lieu of the week-end was about walking in wisdom, but the wisdom that comes from above. It is not talking about your own wisdom; not talking about that wisdom. He is talking about the wisdom that comes from God. James 3 talks about that as well. We have to be walking wisely.

2 Corinthians 5:7 tells us another way we need to walk if we are going to be walking with God - another characteristic we need to have.

2 Corinthians 5:7 For we walk by faith, - Who was it that went out walking by faith who didn't even know where he was going? God told Abraham: Get out of this country and go and I will tell you where to go. Take up all your tents and take up all your animals and get all of your servants and go, and I will tell you where to go. Abraham was called the father of the faithful because Abraham walked not knowing where he was going. We have to walk by faith sometimes in life where we can't always see what the outcome is going to be. We walk by faith, not by sight. Not always being able to see exactly what is there but we have to walk by faith.

Amos 3:3:- Famous scripture. It is interesting how many scriptures you come across that talk about walking.

Amos 3:3 Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?

So if you are going to walk with God you better be in agreement with Him. Our lives better be in agreement with the way God is. Our lives better be in agreement with the path He leads us to; with the way He asks us to go. Can two walk together, unless they are agreed? So if we are going to walk with God we are going to walk as He wishes us to go.

Ephesians 5:2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us — walk in love. We are not talking about just an emotional feeling although there would be feelings attached. We are talking about walking according to God's commandments because what is the love of God?

1 John 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And they are not grievous. So he says walk with God.

Ephesians 5:2 walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.

So if we walk with God we will be walking in love and why is that? Because what is one of God's very names? God is love. We will be walking in love because we will be walking with God who is the God of love.

Romans 8:1 When you walk with the Spirit, walk in the Spirit — there are lots of scriptures that talk about that. There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. So you are not going to be condemned as long as you abide in Christ. .... no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, - not going after fleshy pursuits, - but according to the Spirit. Notice: but who walk after the Spirit; who follow the lead of God's Holy Spirit in their life.

God's Holy Spirit does not drive you. God's Holy Spirit leads you. And if we are going to walk with God we need to walk after His power, His might, His majesty, His strength.

We need to walk after the Spirit.

When we are counselled for baptism Romans 6 comes up and one of the areas that we talk about when we talk about what pictures in baptism there are, is coming out of that water after having your sins cleansed from you with the shed blood of Jesus Christ and as you come up out of that water and step out of that tank or hot-tub or whatever it might be, and when you step out of there you're saying to God, I want to walk in newness of life. Thank you for cleaning me up. Thank you for washing away every rotten, dirty deed that I have ever committed. Thank you for cleansing and cleaning this old person. Thank you for giving me a new lease on life, actually putting in the death, but figuratively, but literally cleaning up you and giving you a lease in life.

Romans 6:4 He talks about baptism: Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

I have a new lease on life. I am free from my sins. I have been cut free from the influences of the world and Satan the devil - Oh, they are out there still but not the same grip — and my old self. Now I need to walk in newness of life. I have new hope. I have new life in front of me. I need to walk in newness of life.

As we walk along the paths of righteousness we need to always keep our eyes on the goal of God's Kingdom. We need to walk as people who anticipate the glory that God has in store for us.

Ephesians 4:1 I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, (Paul is in prison) beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called.

What are we called to be? Christians. And what are we called to be Christians for? To further the work now and to help be a part of the Kingdom of God when Jesus Christ comes back, as part of the first resurrection, as part of those who can join Him and helping to bring about a world that will be a whole lot better than the world is today. Walk worthy.

You know everyone of us, when we walk we put on our uniform. What is on the back of our uniform? Christian. Everybody sees you. You have your Christian uniform on and they will know, if you are in their presence for very long, that they are in the presence of someone different to them. As we walk we need to know that if we mess up we cause them to think that is the way all Christians are. We need to walk worthy of that vocation to which we all have been called.

Psalm 23 — I quoted this to Mom when she was lying there, to give her hope.

V.1 — The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. I don't need anything.

V.2 — He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He always leads you where it is good and right. He leads me beside the still waters. Not the turbulent waters because turbulent waters will scare the sheep.

V.3 — He restores my soul; When I am sick He heals me; he helps me. He leads me — where? — in the paths of righteousness. God leads us to the paths of righteousness but we still have to do the walking, don't we? He doesn't take us through it like a robot. He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake.

V.4 — Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, - though death is near, though death is around — though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.

I am not afraid of what is to come. I am not afraid of the difficulties that this world has out there and there are a lot of them out there, guys and gals, students, brethren. There are lots of them out there but you walk with God. Do not be afraid.

For You are with me. Several times as we went through the minor prophets we saw the term: I am with you. In the book of Haggai; in the book of Zachariah. You built this building: I am with you. I will not depart from you. What a great thing to say — have God say: I am with you. My question is: Will you take Him with you? Will God be with you when you go? He will be if you are walking in His ways; if you are walking wisely; if you are walking in integrity; if you are walking in love; if you are walking with Him in newness of life and walking worthy of His calling.

So He says: For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

V.5 — You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.

V.6 — Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Comforting words. God will be with you if you're willing to walk in the paths of righteousness. I will be with you.

God is light. When Jesus Christ came into the world, He brought light in the midst of darkness and He expects us all to walk in that light. Not in darkness, but in light.

1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another.

See if I am walking in the light and I am walking in the path of righteousness, I am going to find all of you in that same path. We are going to be bumping into each other, passing

each other; the faster walker or slower. Other people are going to be passing us and they are going to be waving to us: Hey, how are you doing? You're doing alright? Yea, I am doing alright. We are all running, not a marathon but whatever it is, for the rest of our lives and we are walking the paths of righteousness and people are going by us. If we are walking in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another. We are all walking in that same direction; we are all walking with Him. ....and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

Walking in the light; the light walking in brightness; walking in truth; walking in God's grace; in God's blessings.

Micah 6:8 is one of the most powerful scriptures I find in the Minor Prophets. Here we find God adds another dimension, and that is humility. We need to walk humbly, not: Well, I've got the truth now and you don't have anything and I am smarter than you and better than you, wiser than you and I can use the truth to judge you and I can use the truth to say I am better than you. That is not what the truth is all about. Those who are godly use the truth to help people. They use the truth in their own lives to grow and change. They use the truth to disseminate to people as a witness. It can't make people come to the truth; they try to reach them.

Micah 6: 8 He has shown you, O man, what is good; - Here it is. Here is what God wants. And what does the Lord require of you — what does God want of us? Let's boil this down. What does God want of us? But to do justly, - to do the right things — to love mercy — boy, you love it when people are forgiven — ...love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?

We have to walk in humility. Humility says: I am conscience of my own defects. I know I make mistakes. I know I stumble. Who am I to judge somebody else's servant? I walk looking up. I walk being willing to receive help. I walk knowing I need help. I walk knowing I need forgiveness. Walk humbly with our God. Beautiful verse — Micah 6:8

That gives you a number of characteristics. There are more and some of them add little dimensions here and there but most of them are about walking in God's ways. Walking after God's commandments; walking in the Spirit; letting God walk in you.

I want to go to John 6:63—68 because sometimes people might get tired walking with God. They might even give up on walking with God.

John 6:63 Jesus Christ said this: It is the spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. You don't count on yourself. You count on God. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. The words that I am giving you, they are that which lead to life

eternal.

V.64 — But there are some of you who do not believe." - Some of you are just playing a game.

Was I ever shocked at Ambassador College when some 90% did not follow this way when they were given a shot at following the world with the Church's blessing. I was shocked. I've got pictorials from that time and try conjure up any person that I know in the Church of God group that there is. I get about one tenth. Why did they turn away? You know what brethren? It is easy to externalize Christianity. It is easy to even pretend to walk like a Christian and not really be walking as a Christian because God knows what is inside and it is important that you know that He knows what is inside. Now what is external? It is easy to externalize Christianity but it is not so easy to internalize it. As we walk, we must walk with God. So He says:

V.64 — But there are some of you who do not believe." For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were — not just who he was — who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him. He knew about Judas but He also knew about some of the others, and notice what happened.

V.65 — And He said, "Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father." My Father has to call you; My Father has to draw you; My Father has to be with you and care for you and make sure you are coming with me and you have to make sure you are with Him.

Verse 66 is very interesting.

V.66 — From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. Some became offended at His teachings and did not want to walk with Him anymore. The very Son of God; the One who turned water into wine;, the One who could walk on water; the one who could calm the seas; the one who could raise the dead and heal all manner of sickness and disease. They would not walk with Him.

V. 67 — Then Jesus said to the twelve, "Do you also want to go away?" You are also going to quit walking with Me? You're also going to forget about Me?

V.68 — But Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.

If we want to walk toward God's Kingdom; if we want to walk in God's ways; if we want to walk with Him in the paths of righteousness to His Kingdom, we cannot turn away. We cannot let ourselves turn away, no matter what. God wants us to walk with Him.

There will be difficulties and there will be times and there will be temptations and there will be situations and circumstances that say to you: Oh, go ahead and compromise.

Give in on that. God won't matter, and you minimize God, and then you begin to

externalize Christianity because Christianity is a matter of the heart and it will affect how you walk.

Colossians 2:6 As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him. Walk in Him; walk the way He would walk; walk where He would go; do what He would do.

1 John 2:6 He who says he abides in Him — I am a Christian; I abide in Christ — ought himself also to walk just as He walked.

Some translations put it: live even as He lived. If I am walking the same path that He walked, I am going to be living the same way He lived.

Walk with Him. Walk with Him. Don't walk away from Him; don't walk contrary to Him; don't walk against Him. A horrible thing you don't want to hear is for God to say: I am against you. When He is against nations He tears them down. When He is against people He takes them out. You want to hear God say: I am with you. I want you to walk with Me and I want to walk with you.

If we walk with God He will be with us always and what kind of a resource do we have, what kind of hand are we holding on to? When I was sitting there with My mom, and my wife was sitting there and my daughter, we took turns and my Mom would really hold our hand tight and I would say to my Mom: I am here with you Mom, don't worry. I'll care for you. Don't worry. We are here. You can relax. You can go to sleep. We are here with you. Just her holding my hand - that the strength that my hand gave to her and when I think of the strength that God's great hand can give each one of us, if we walk with Him.

Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.

And then in verse 20, breaking into the thought He said:

V.20 — teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, - as long as you are with Him, He will be with you — even to the end of the world.

Do we realize what He said? I will be with you. I am not just with you, not just to strengthen the human being, but the power of God, all power, is with Me. I will help you climb mountains you never thought you could surmount. I will help you swim rivers you never thought you could span. I will be with you through thick and thin as long as you want to be with Me. That is all power in heaven and on earth. Always. Always He will be with us if we want to be with Him.

You know the beautiful part about it is - if you and I learn to walk with God now, one day God can use you and me to help other people walk with Him because in the glorious World Tomorrow people will come to Jerusalem from all over the world to learn how to walk with God.

Isaiah 2 — These beautiful millennial scriptures that we all know.

Isaiah 2:2 Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established on the top of the mountains, - a lot of play on the word "mountain of the Lord's house". It is talking about the Kingdom and about the Church — and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow to it.

Why are they going to flow there? What are they coming to find out?

V.3 — Many people shall come and say, "Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths." For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

They are going to come to learn God's way; they are going to come to learn how to walk in the paths of righteousness that you and I have been learning to do in this life. And what happens when they slip up?

Isaiah 30:20 And though the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your teachers will not be moved into a corner anymore, but your eyes shall see your teachers.

Who are going to be the kings and priests at that time? God says you will be if you are faithful to the end; if you have learned to walk with God; if I have learned to walk with God; if we have all learned to walk with God, now.

V.21 - Your ears (Israelites) shall hear a word behind you, saying, - Those who are called; those from all nations coming to know God — "This is the way, - here, this is the way — walk in it,"

How will you direct them to that way if you have never walked in that way? God wants us to walk with Him now. He says: When you turn to the right or when you turn to the left. So God's glorious Kingdom — He is going to be teaching all peoples how to walk with Him. He wants you and me to learn now so that we can be part of the group that will be teaching them.

Final scripture, but not the final part of the sermon — Revelation 3:4 The Church in Sardis is what is addressed but really, if you have an ear to hear, the Bible says, listen to

what God says to any of these churches. Here is what He says to the Church at Sardis.

Revelation 3:4 You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; - you have not been out getting them filthy and dirty; you have not been out running amuck; your garments are clean — and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.

As the Church of God, will we pay attention to this verse and say: Will we walk with God in white and will we walk worthy? Will we be counted among those few faithful Christians? I hope so.

Let me close with saying this: Wherever you go, walk with God. Take Him with you students and brethren and by the way, since you never really saw how my dad walked, you won't recognize whether I am walking like him but I do hope you will recognize my walk when I walk like my Heavenly Father as I hope I will recognize your walk when you walk with Him.