Walking in His Ways - Part 2

Recap from last week:

Question: What does it mean to walk with God?

Definition of walk: to live, act or behave a certain way; to pursue a particular course

We looked at the 7-fold admonition from Joshua to the Israelites on how to walk with God

Joshua 22:5 (KJV 1900)

5 But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the Lord charged you, to love the Lord your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.

To Heed (take constant notice of)

To do (Don’t just be a spectator)

To love (Fuels our reason for doing)

To walk (choose your course)

To keep (preserving the course of life or choice)

To cleave (stick close to God once you’ve chosen His path)

To serve (Now do it with everything you got)

These are the foundational truths for walking in all His ways…

Introduction

Think about it: when you go on a walk, you take constant notice of certain things without even thinking about it:

Which path to take (you need a consistent and confident direction in order to get where you want - no one just walks randomly when they have an intended destination)

Terrain of the path (You need discernment to stay on course)

Obstacles in the path (You need preparation to handle the obstacles; i.e. right tools, right knowledge, right attitude)

Lighting on the path (you need the right Light leading you)

Right gear or equipment (You need to lay aside weights and that which will not profit you)

These are some of the things we will be looking at over this study…

The Bible mentions several people who walked with God:

Enoch

Genesis 5:22 (KJV 1900)

22 And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:

Genesis 5:24 (KJV 1900)

24 And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.

2. Noah

Genesis 6:9 (KJV 1900)

9 These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.

3. Abraham & Isaac

Genesis 48:15 (KJV 1900)

15 And he blessed Joseph, and said, God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God which fed me all my life long unto this day,

4. David

1 Kings 3:14 (KJV 1900)

14 And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days.

Pretty good company to be in…

Their “walk”: how they chose to live, act or behave… the particular course of action they took in life…

It was “with God”…

Primary Text:

John 8:12 (KJV 1900)

12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

Ephesians 5:8–13 (KJV 1900)

8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: 9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) 10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. 12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. 13 But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.

1. The Command (Walk as children of light)

Ephesians 5:8 (KJV 1900)

8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

Chapter 4 is about the old man vs. the new man…

Old man:

Ephesians 4:31 (KJV 1900)

31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

New man:

Ephesians 4:32 (KJV 1900)

32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

This letter from Paul is addressed to the saved and faithful Christians in Ephesus:

Ephesians 1:1 (KJV 1900)

1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:

To the saved people, Paul is exhorting them to WALK AS CHILDREN OF LIGHT…

Walk: how they choose to live, act or behave; the particular course of action…

a.) Act like what you are

People say, “Act your age”…

“Act like what you are”…

If you’re a Christian, than live like it!

I’m tired of people who claim to be Christian’s today and there is not an ounce of evidence to prove that true in their life…

b.) Bear evidence to others

John 1:1–9 (KJV 1900)

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. 8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

John 3:16–21 (KJV 1900)

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

Colossians 1:10–14 (KJV 1900)

10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; 12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: 13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: 14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

1 Peter 2:9 (KJV 1900)

9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

Matthew 5:14–16 (KJV 1900)

14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

If you are a child of the Light, WALK AS CHILDREN OF LIGHT…

1. The Command (Walk as Children of Light)

2. The Cause (Proving what is acceptable to the Lord - the goal)

Ephesians 5:10 (KJV 1900)

10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.

Walk as children of light, proving what is acceptable to the Lord…

We don’t just walk however, wherever, whenever we want and expect God to be pleased with it.

Walk like His child… How? By proving what is acceptable to the Lord…

Prove: to try, test, establish as truth, examine

Question: “Is everything I do, say, wear and think acceptable to the Lord?”

Acceptable: Pleasing to the receiver

1 John 1:4–10 (KJV 1900)

4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. 5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

1. The Command (Walk as Children of Light)

2. The Cause (Proving what is acceptable to the Lord - the goal)

3. The Cure (no fellowship with darkness)

If I’m in a cave, where do I go to find light? Away from darkness… to the outside…

If I want more darkness, where do I go? To the darkness, away from light…

Ephesians 5:11 (KJV 1900)

11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

Reprove: to make manifest

Call out the darkness…

How to walk in all His ways?

Walk as children of light…

Prove (test, examine) what is acceptable (pleasing) to the Lord…

Don’t fellowship with the darkness, instead call it out and make it known…

Jesus Saves Lyrics:

The church has been silent While the world raised its voice In loud and angry tones they took the lead But all across Creation There’s a rumbling in the hills As the chosen ones of God stand up And make His message known I’m gonna shout it from the housetops Proclaim it from the mountaintops Tell the world around me Jesus saves I have made my choice I’m gonna make a joyful noise The world will hear my voice, Jesus saves