A Wise Walk
Notes
Transcript
A Wise Walk
Deut. 11:22-28
Theme: God gives three marks of a man who walks wisely.
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People do some stupid things to themselves. There are now TV programs of showing the funny things people do. They take risks, try to do dangerous things, and try do things that has never been done before. Evil Knievel who is not with us any longer has tried many dangerous jumps on a motorcycle, David Blain spent three days and three nights in a block of ice, and others have tried things like jumping off of bridges and cliffs with a bunjee chord tied to their feet.
Here Moses was preparing the Israelites for the Promise Land. He wanted to be ready because there is going to be obstacles they will face that they have never faced before. There will difficulties and struggles they have never had before. The Promise Land is a picture of spiritual victory, spiritual growth, and the fullness of the Christian life. However, spiritual victory is not simply handed to you, but you must go through spiritual battles to be victorious.
Moses was giving a necessity that is needed if they are going to be victorious: a wise walk. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and here we learn that wisdom starts in our walk with God. You don’t get spiritual wisdom from secular places: colleges, social media, Hollywood, news media, but you must go to God’s Word and hear what God has to say.
Moses is not quoting the philosophers of Egypt or the political power of Egypt or the paganism of his day, but He is giving them God’s direct command on wisdom to go into the Promise Land with spiritual victory.
There are three marks of a Christian who walks wisely.
Mark 1. . .
A heart for God
Deep love for God is what Moses is saying. This love is characterized by obedience.
“If ye love me, keep my commandments.” (John 14:15)
It is also found in verse 1 and verse 13. There is a serious deep seated love God’s people are commanded to have. God is looking for a deep-seated love for Him; yet, many have left Him out of their lives.
Janet had an uncle who was electrocuted on a job site many years ago. He had this German Shepherd dog that loved him and he obeyed him completely. When he died, the dog went to the cemetery and lay on the grave because of his tremendous love for his owner. The dog died on the grave because he did not want to live without his master.
What an illustration of the kind of love we should have for our Master, the Lord Jesus Christ.
It is a strange thing to see the lack of love and respect for God Himself. In these days, many churches have gone so woke, that is hard to recognize whether they are a church or a political institution.
A schoolteacher in England tells a charming story. At Christmastime she supervised the construction of a manger scene in a corner of the classroom. The children participated happily in the project. They also enjoyed casting characters for the drama depicting the Nativity.
The teacher noticed one boy was particularly enamored by it all and was forever going back and forth to the scene. At last she asked him if there was anything bothering him. He said, “No.” She said, “Are there any questions you would like to ask?” “Yes,” he said, “what I’d like to know is—where does God fit in?”[1]
Sometimes we go through life without a love for God. It is sad when our motivation is not in line with loving God. The reason we come to church is because we love God, the reason we pray is because we love God, the reason we obey is because we love God. The reason we give is because we love God. Moses said the reason you move into the land of spiritual victory in your life is because you love God.
There is the daily walk with God which means we walk alongside Him. “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” (Amos 3:3)
Walking with God means we walk daily with Him and let Him lead our lives, our paths-we seek Him daily to lead us. This is what Moses is telling Israel.
We are either walking with Him or without Him. Are you walking with God? This means He leads us and we yield to Him. Where your eyes, your body will go—what are looking at today? When you have a heart for God, you will want to be where God is.
Mark 2 . . . .
An allegiance to God
There is no divided loyalty. “A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.” (James 1:8)
Moses emphasized to diligently keep this means to exercise great care. Many diligently keep their money, their physical exercises, their hobbies, their collectibles, but what about our allegiance to the Lord.
Last week when I was away, I noticed several people had football jerseys of their favorite team. One guy had a hat, a jersey, socks, and even shoes to match. There was no doubt what team he gave his allegiance. He showed his allegiance by what he wears.
The way we show our allegiance to God is by obedience. Obedience proves our love for Him. Just as the sheep knows the shepherd’s voice, we should hear and obey our Shepherd’s voice. When He calls, we should response.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
The word cleave in verse 22 means to stick closely to, to catch or keep as close as you can be. Job speaks of his bones cleaving to his skin and Jeremiah speaks of this as well.
“My bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh, And I am escaped with the skin of my teeth.” (Job 19:20)
“The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst: The young children ask bread, and no man breaketh it unto them.” (Lamentations 4:4)
The command of marital fidelity is found in Gen. 2:24 where man will cleave unto his wife-wielded together. We are to cleave to the Lord means we will not let God go, we will not turn away from God, we are not to leave Him or let Him leave us. As Jacob said, I will not let thee go until you bless me.
One more truth about cleaving, whatever you cleave to, means you will have leave something else-if you cleave to the Lord, you will have to leave the world and all the worldliness.
Let me tell you, when you live for God and cleave the Lord, the world will hate you.
“If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.” (John 15:18)
Mark 3. . .
A trust in God
In verse 23, the Lord will drive out the enemies. We learn the battle is the Lord’s as woven throughout the Old Testament. God will allow us to possess bigger and greater nations than we can imagine when the Lord is in charge. A wise walk means we trust completely in God to defeat His enemies.
The land God promised will be delivered into the hands of the Israelites. Every person has areas in their lives they need to explore-area of prayer, area of soul winning, or a new area of service. God wants to deliver those areas to us when we walk with Him and make the right choices vv. 26-28.
Some of you might be here today and have never put your faith in Jesus Christ is your personal Savior. He died on the cross for you sins so you can put your faith in His work on the cross. Salvation is in no other place but Jesus Christ. Will you trust Him today? Will you turn from your sin and accept Him as your personal Savior?
As we direct our lives upward, God will led us as we listen and walk wisely according to His Word? Christian, are you walking in wisdom?
[1]Jones, G. C. (1986). 1000 illustrations for preaching and teaching (65). Nashville, TN: Broadman Press.