TO WALK & TO WORK
Isaiah 54:2 - 3 (NKJV) 2 “Enlarge the place of your tent, And let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings; Do not spare; Lengthen your cords, And strengthen your stakes. 3 For you shall expand to the right and to the left…
It is time to stretch out and expand the work God has for us. But, there is a price to pay.
We that are called by God, We that have been chosen, have to prepare ourselves to walk with Him where He leads and to work for Hm as He directs us.
Before I get any farther into this message I do want to let you know that I did ask God about it.
I said “Lord, This is the Wednesday night & Sunday night crowd. These are the people that love you and are here because they want to spend time with your people. These are not the ones that only come because they love Pastor, he’s not here tonight. They’re here for you Lord.”
GOD said, “I am perfecting every one of you. Have you become perfect? Then why do you expect any one else to be, if you aren’t? Remember Paul?”
Romans 7:14 - 16 (NLT) 14So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin. 15I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. 16But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good.
Paul, the one that wrote most of the New Testament, admitted his imperfection. So here is the sermon God gave me for the ones that truly love him, His Sunday night and Wednesday night crowed.
Genesis 5:21 - 24 (NKJV) 21Enoch lived sixty-five years, and begot Methuselah. 22After he begot Methuselah, Enoch walked with God three hundred years, and had sons and daughters. 23So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. 24And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.
Hebrews 11:5 (KJV) 5By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
I hear people say I know it’s wrong but God knows my heart and he understands why I do this sin. Yes God knows. Jeremiah 17:9 - 10 (KJV) 9The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? 10I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.
This is why I cry out, “Oh God search my heart and reveal any wicked way in me, and help me to allow you to cleanse me. Prepare me oh Lord for your glory.
God has spoken repeatedly that He is returning soon, to take His people home. If this is the case, {and with every fiber of my being I believe it is}, then He will take those that are looking for Him.
Hebrews 9:28 (KJV) So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
I feel God is calling us to walk – Like Enoch walked because we will be leaving this world in a similar fashion. He had this testimony, that he pleased God.
To walk with God is to be in Agreement with Him. It is to agree with all of His Word and His ways.
Jeremiah 7:23 (NKJV) But this is what I commanded them, saying, ‘Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be My people. And walk in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you.’
I have come to believe, THAT WE ARE THE CHURCH OF THE 9 COMMANDMENTS. If this IS THE CASE THEN THAT IS WHY WE ARE NOT SEEING ALL OF THE BLESSINGS WE SHOULD BE.
WHERE ARE THE MIRACLE HEALINGS, WHERE ARE THE INSTANTANEOUS BLESSINGS?
GOD SAID WALK IN ALL THE WAYS THAT I HAVE COMMANDED.
Exodus 20:3 - 17 (KJV) 3Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 4Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 5Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; 6And showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. 7Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. 8Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: 10But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: 11For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. 12Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. 13Thou shalt not kill. 14Thou shalt not commit adultery. 15Thou shalt not steal. 16Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. 17Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.
Mark 2:27 - 28 (NKJV) 27And He said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. 28Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.”
Jesus tells us that he did not come to abolish the Law but to fulfill it. He does not say her that he is abolishing the commandment but that he is in command of it. This day was made for us, God knew that we needed it. The first century church rested on the Sabbath and went to church on the First day of the week.
Luke 4:16 (NKJV) 16So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read.
God has said that to whom much is given much is required. Not only is God calling His people to walk according to His commandments, but He is asking His people to start giving more of their time and energy to Him, and less to the cares and pleasures of this life.
Luke 21:34 - 36 34And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with carousing, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.
James 2:14 - 17 (NKJV) 14What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
There are many that give their time to clubs, sporting events, etc. Who spend their energy and time on entertainment, sitting at home watching shows that mock God and His commandments.
God wants us to give Him more of us. I have been very guilty of this and have decided to make changes in how I use my leisure time.
Enoch walked with God, this means Enoch was in agreement with God.
Enoch had faith as we are told in Heb. 11:5.
With out faith in God we will not want to do the works he has called us to do. We will not believe He is going to bless our work. “Nothing is going to come of it, why should I waste my time.”
The Holy Word of God makes it very clear that a true born again, Christ like person must have both faith and works.
It is time for God’s faithful to roll up their sleeves and start working for the Lord of lords and King of kings.
God needs teachers, door keepers and nursery workers, He needs those willing to go visit others, door knockers. There are people that need help fixing things around their homes. I know pastors that need help fixing the church building, etc, etc.
If you feel irritated or put upon by this message then pray that God will reveal what is wrong in your heart, why are you upset at God wanting more of your time? Ask Him to help you to change.
I’ve spoken briefly about working for God by helping out at the church. Now I want to spend a few minutes on the most important work we can do for God.
How many can honestly say that you have spoken to at least 1 person a day about the Lord?
Would you be willing to share your faith with 3 people a day 5 days a week if the church paid you $1000 for each person you spoke with?
What we have just admitted to is that our love for money is greater then our love for God.
God has told us about the lukewarm Christian.
Revelation 3:16 (KJV) 16So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
Jesus himself told us in - Matthew 7:21 - 23 (KJV) 21Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Jesus allowed Himself to be torn apart for you.
Is He asking, really asking too much in return?
Colossians 3:16 - 17 (KJV) 16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
Romans 7:24-25 Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? 25Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.
The spirit wars against the flesh and the flesh against the spirit.
Tonight is a night for inner searching.
Tonight is a night to humbly allow God to show us what needs to go, and let Him take it.
Reach out to God and wait upon Him.
