A Closer Walk

“A closer walk”

Hebrews 11:5-6

I didn’t know I was competitive:

- until I got this new watch that tracks my steps

- It told me I was supposed to walk about 5700 steps a day

- I did that, and then I did 10,000, 14,000 camping

Last Thursday:

- I started walking south and got to about 4000 steps

- so I figured I’d see how many steps I could go

- I passed Dr. Wallace’s house, then I thought

I started to wonder:

- how many steps Mary Lou’s house is?

- It is just over 6,400 steps, round trip was almost 13,000 steps

- by the end of the day I had 19,413 steps

My problem now is:

- that I want to beat my own record

Doctors will tell you that:

- the best thing you can do for your health

- is walk several times a week

- consistency is important

- my Dr. wants me to exercise 150 minutes a week

The truth is….

The best thing we can do is walk regularly with God.

“Those who walk with God, always reach their destination.”

- Henry Ford

“If I walk with the world, I can’t walk with God.”

- Dwight L. Moody

“God’s mighty power comes when God’s people learn to walk with God.”

- Jack Hyles

“We want more men and women who walk with God and before God, like Enoch and Abraham.” –

- J. C. Ryle

“Smart men walked on the moon, daring men walked on the ocean floor, but wise men walk with God.”

- Leonard Ravenhill

In a way, God is saying to US RIGHT NOW….

“I’m here, Let’s walk together.”

– God

Since the beginning of time:

- God has pursued an intimate relationship with His people

- God gave Adam and Eve a perfect place to live

- and in the Garden of Eden sin destroyed that relationship

- it is the CROSS that restored what SIN destroyed

The most painful thing I have found so far in life:

- is loving someone who rejects you

- of someone meaning the world to you,

- only to find out you mean nothing to them

I imagine that is how God feels sometimes:

- how He displays His love to people

- and they do not love Him in return,

- they reject His pursuits…

What a blessing:

- that God wants a close relationship with us

- that He is not angry or indifferent

- that He made the first move towards us

- while we were His enemies…

God is not watching from a distance….

- the cross is proof that God

- God condescended to be our LORD and SAVIOR

- He desires an honest daily relationship

But a relationship takes two interested parties:

- there is no relationship

- if one person is uninterested

- it takes two, so to speak.

We can have a real:

• close and personal relationship with the Lord, but

• God will not force you to be in that relationship,

• you must want it too.

Amos 3:3 says,

“Do two walk together unless they have agreed to do so?”

We frequently treat our relationship with God transactionally:

- Jesus died on the cross for me. Check

- I believed and was baptized, Check

- now that I am saved from Hell, Check

- our business is concluded.

Unless we are careful, we will miss:

- that God reconciled us to himself

- paying the price for our sin on the CROSS

- so that We can be together with him for eternity…STARTING NOW

Our relationship with God:

- is not supposed to start in the future

- we are to be walking with God now!

One of the strangest occurrences in the Bible

happened to a man named Enoch.

Enoch is the Bible hero:

- we are going to learn from today

- a real Hall of Famer in God’s book

- Enoch is a person that God was pleased with

Most of Enoch’s story is found in Hebrews 11 and Genesis 5

“When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. 22 After he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked faithfully with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. 23 Altogether, Enoch lived a total of 365 years. 24 Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.”

Genesis 5:21–24 (NIV)

“By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”