Our Christian Walk

Every good medical doctor knows the value of walking, this is why they strongly recommend it to their patients. But walking has also proven to be good for other things.

Illus: A young fellow was walking in the park one day and he saw a beautiful young lady sitting on a bench reading a book.

• He walked past her, hoping she would notice him. She did notice him, she glanced up and smiled and went back to reading her book.

• He walked past her again and she looked up and gave him a nice smile and went back to reading her book.

• He walked in front of her the third time and she looked up and gave him a nice smile again.

• He walked by the fourth time, and she looked up and said, “Sorry, I am not trying to ignore you but I am reading this interesting book and I just can not stop reading it.”

• He said, “What is the book about?” She said, “It is about the kind of fellows a girl like myself should date and marry one day.”

• He said, “Who does the author recommend?”

• She said that research showed the best kind of men to date for a meaningful relationship were Indians and Hispanics.

She said, “What is your name?” He said, “Tonto Hernandez”

Walking has also proven to be good for expecting mothers.

Illus: A husband and wife were taking a Lamaze class where the husbands assist their wives in child birth. The instructor was teaching:

• How the women need to breathe properly

• How The men are to give the necessary assurances at this stage of the delivery

The teacher then announced, "Ladies, exercise is good for you. Walking is especially beneficial.”

The instructor looked at some of the overweight dads in this class and said, “And, gentlemen, it wouldn’t hurt you to take the time to go walking with your partner!"

The room got quiet. Finally, one of the husbands raised his hand.

"Yes?" said the teacher. "Is it OK if she carries a golf bag while we walk?"

Walking has proven to be very beneficial to us in many ways, but have you noticed that everyone has their own peculiar walk?

• Some walk on their toes

• Some walk on their heals

• Some walk pigeon toed

• Some walk light footed

• Some walk as if they are carrying a hundred pounds of potatoes on their shoulders

We all have distinct ways of walking.

Illus: Some say my brother and I both have a strange walk. I agree that my brother has a strange walk, but I do not think I do!

Everyone has a way of walking that makes them unique.

Illus: Have you ever noticed how John Wayne walked? His walk was different than any other man I have ever seen.

• PHYSICALLY we each have a distinctive walk that we are known for.

• This passage of scripture shows us that SPIRITUALLY we should have a distinct walk that is different than the lost. The Christian should not walk as those who are lost walk, we should be different from the lost world.

SPIRITUALLY there are only two kinds of walks, and every one of us has to choose which of these two we want for our life.

Some have chosen-

I. THE CARNAL WALK

Look at Ephesians 4:17-19, we read, “This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.”

Paul tells these Christians they are not to walk as the Gentiles.

HOW DID THEY WALK? He mentions three things about their walk. They walked:

(1) IN THE VANITY OF THEIR MIND

We see vanity everywhere in our society.

Illus: A young girl knelt in the confessional booth and said:

• "Bless me, Father, for I have sinned."

• "What is it, child?"

• "Father, I have committed the sin of vanity. Twice a day I gaze at myself in the mirror and tell myself how beautiful I am."

• The priest turned, took a good look at the girl, and said, "My dear, I have good news. That isn't a sin... it's simply a mistake.”

The lost of this world have a high opinion of themselves. They put themselves above God their Creator.

HOW DO THEY DO THIS? Their attitude in life is, “I am the god of my life. I have things I want to do, things I am going to do, and no one is going to stop me!”