A Faith That Walks

A Faith That Walks

Griffith Baptist Church – 10/26/08

A.M. Service

Text: Hebrews 11:5-6

Key verse: Hebrews 11:6 – But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Premise: Our faith should be demonstrated in a close walk with God that grows stronger every day.

The Introduction

I remember teaching our daughters to walk. Those little legs were wobbly at first and they spent more time falling down than actually standing up or walking. But eventually they got the hang of it, and with mommy and daddy’s help, they learned to put one foot in front of the other. Soon they didn’t need our help to physically walk. Incidentally, isn’t it amazing that we can’t wait for our children to walk, and then when they actually do walk, we wish they would sit down and behave themselves.

But now they need our help in a different type of walk. They need to know how to walk through life and be taught how to walk with God.

Enoch walked with God. Let’s turn to Genesis 5:18-24

In this text we notice two things about Enoch and his faith:

• It was consistent (300 years of walking with God – 22)

• It was exceptional (he experienced the first rapture – no death – 24)

Enoch walked with God!

• What an interesting phrase.

• So how does that relate to us?

• What does it mean to walk with God?

There are four distinct qualities we need to have in practice so that we can have a proper faith walk with God.

Body

1. To Walk With God Is To Know God

A. The more you know God the more you will have faith in God

B. Howard Hendricks shares this insight about the value of learning: When I was a college student -- I worked in the college dining hall, and on my way to work at 5:30 every morning I walked past the home of one of my professors. Through a window I could see the light on at his desk, morning after morning. At night I stayed late at the library to take advantage of evening study hours, and returning home at 10:30 or 11 o’clock I would again see his desk light on. He was always pouring over his books. One day he invited me home for lunch, and after the meal I said to him, "Would you mind if I asked you a question?" "Of course not." "What keeps you studying? You never seem to stop." His answer, "Son, I would rather have my students drink from a running stream than a stagnant pool." (Knowing God every day is a running stream – Psalms 42:1 - As the deer panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.

C. To know His character

i. What do you know about God?

ii. Colossians 1:10 – That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

D. To know what pleases and displeases Him

i. It is about responding to His Spirit - Galatians 5:16, 25 - 16This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 25If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit

ii. Every action and reaction should be geared towards pleasing Him

iii. Every thought that we have should come from knowing God and desiring to please Him alone – 2 Corinthians 10:5 - Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

E. To have an ongoing commitment to Him

i. This is a daily spending of time with the God you love

ii. This is getting to know Him better, deeper, and higher than the day before

2. To Walk With God Is To Obey God

A. The evidence of our faith is seen in our obedience to Him

B. Another minister related this story - I used to have problems getting my son to clean his room. I would insist that he, “Do it now,” and he would always agree to do so, but then he wouldn’t follow through – at least, not right way. After high school, he joined the Marine Corps, which is where he is now. When he and I were on the plane together coming home for his leave after Boot Camp, he said to me, “My life makes sense now, Dad. Everything you said and did when I was growing up now makes sense. I really, really understand.” “Oh yeah, Dad,” he added. “I learned what ‘now’ means.”