Participants: Chris Shelton (Host), Kenny Shelton
Series Code: BTLP
Program Code: BTLP000002
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00:38 Welcome back to Behold the Lamb Ministries.
00:40 Our message today is gonna be entitled 00:42 "Walking with God". "Walking with God," 00:45 have you ever thought about that? 00:46 What does it intend? 00:47 What does it mean to actually walk with God? 00:50 Can you walk with God? 00:52 There's been many testimonies and scripture that say 00:54 that men and women have walk with God 00:57 and I know that you can too. 00:59 Let's look at a promise that God has given us in 01:02 Second Timothy chapter 1, 01:04 and we are gonna look at verse 7. 01:05 The Second Timothy chapter 1 and verse 7, 01:09 I love this promise it says, 01:11 "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear. " 01:15 I don't know anyone in this world that would relish 01:18 the thought of having the spirit of fear, 01:21 I certainly don't, but God's promise are this he says, 01:24 "But of power, Holy Spirit power, and of love, 01:29 and of a sound mind. " You know, God is all about love 01:33 and everything that we do as we begin 01:36 that spiritual journey with God, as we walk with him, 01:39 as we talk with him, as we draw closer to him 01:42 and worship him and prayer and, 01:45 and witnessing being his witnesses. 01:47 Everything we do needs to be encompassed, 01:50 relished about with love, Godly love. 01:54 And I love this next part of, a sound mind, 01:57 how many of you would desire to have a sound mind, 02:00 we live in such a chaotic world and so many things 02:04 are attacking our mind, why? 02:06 Because, if the devil if Satan can get control of our mind, 02:10 he knows he's got us for eternity, so God says, 02:13 hey my gift to you is a sound mind, peace, 02:16 Love and power and the Holy Spirit, 02:18 praise the Lord for those promises and don't you desire, 02:22 don't you desire to have those promises, 02:24 I know I do and it's so wonderful because as we walk 02:29 with God and as we talk with him, 02:30 and we get begin to make him a part of our life, 02:33 he begins to change us, 02:35 he renews us from the inside out. 02:38 What a friend we have in Jesus. 02:40 Beautiful thought, it's also a beautiful song, 02:44 we are gonna go back to 3ABN's worship 02:47 center and Lyndon Carriger has got sing for us, 02:50 as he's gonna prepare our hearts for the message, 02:53 what a friend we have in Jesus. 02:58 What a friend we have in Jesus, 03:07 All our sins and griefs to bear! 03:16 What a privilege to carry 03:24 Everything to God in prayer! 03:34 Oh, what peace we often forfeit, 03:43 Oh, what needless pain we bear, 03:51 All because we do not carry 04:00 Everything to God in prayer! 04:08 Have we trials and temptations? 04:18 Is there trouble anywhere? 04:26 We should never be discouraged 04:35 Take it to the Lord in prayer. 04:44 Can we find a friend so faithful, 04:52 Who will all our sorrows share? 05:00 Jesus knows our every weakness; 05:09 Take it to the Lord in prayer. 05:36 Are we weak and heavy-laden, 05:43 Cumbered with a load of care? 05:52 Precious Savior, still our refuge 06:01 Take it to the Lord in prayer. 06:09 Do thy friends despise, forsake thee? 06:17 Take it to the Lord in prayer! 06:25 In His arms He'll take and shield thee, 06:35 Thou wilt find a solace there. 06:43 Take it to the Lord in prayer! 07:05 Thank you, very much Lyndon for that beautiful song, 07:08 in fact that's one of my favorites. 07:10 What a friend we have in Jesus, 07:12 and certainly that is the case. 07:14 I hope he is your best friend today. 07:16 By the way, welcome to everyone where ever you may 07:18 be joining us around the world 07:19 we are glad that you here with us, 07:22 and we are gonna be studying God's word 07:23 and as we study God's word, I want you get your Bible, 07:26 pencil or pen, start jotting down some of these saying, 07:30 so that we can go back study to show ourselves 07:33 approved unto God, but a good policy always as before 07:37 we get into God's word is to have a word of prayer. 07:40 Won't you do that with me, where it's possible 07:41 just kneel down or if it's not you're driving whatever 07:44 it might be, you can still lift your voice in prayer, 07:47 let's pray together. Merciful Father in heaven, 07:51 we thank to you for the privilege of prayer, 07:53 thank you that we can call you our Father. 07:55 Today we invite the Holy Spirit to give us proper 07:58 understanding of your word, how desperately 08:01 we need a closer relationship with you. 08:02 And as we open these beautiful pages of the Bible, 08:08 we pray the words will come alive, the Holy Spirit 08:12 would touch them we'll be able to understand them 08:14 and it will change our lives forever, 08:16 give you praise and honor and glory. 08:18 Bless everyone, each one who watches and listens, 08:21 may it be a life changing experience, 08:24 in Jesus name, amen. 08:28 Well, again we are glad that you're with us and again 08:31 I want to get that Bible, give you another opportunity 08:33 in case you've forgotten and by the way you know, 08:35 you know, we don't need to be getting up 08:37 and taking breaks and so on so forth. 08:39 I want you stay right here because you know, 08:40 we can't afford to miss one single word, right from God 08:44 that he is gonna be speaking to us today. 08:46 Our subject by the way is "Walking with God," 08:48 and that to me pop some questions, 08:52 if we're gonna walk with God, we are gonna look 08:55 at the experience of one man. 08:57 Now, this one man by the way, he is a man that just 09:02 I get inspired every time that, 09:04 in fact that I mentioned his name. 09:05 And we will see as we begin to study about this man. 09:09 See what it does to you, by the way 09:10 and your relationship with Jesus, 09:12 but as we study this man is more than just a man, 09:15 it's a man that I want to say 09:17 he was after the heart of God. 09:19 And a man that represents the people that will be alive 09:23 on earth when Jesus comes. 09:25 So, it has to do with some character building blocks 09:30 here that we want to look at very closely. 09:32 And so I want to ask you these questions, 09:34 you take that pencil and paper and just jotting 09:36 them down and by God's grace, we are gonna answer these 09:38 you know, what kind of character did this man have? 09:41 What kind of character did he have? 09:43 And what did this he do to develop this character? 09:49 Now, after all remember he represents the people 09:52 that where when Jesus comes we will be going to heaven. 09:55 So, there must be something very special about this 09:58 character that means I have to be like that, 10:00 you have to be like that. And number three; 10:02 in order for us to go to heaven 10:05 must we have these same characteristics. 10:07 This is a good study and by the way you don't want 10:11 to miss it because this will be life changing. 10:13 I hope you always pray for that by the way everyday 10:16 I do. And praying first of all is you know, 10:19 not my will, but God's will be done. 10:22 And then we submit our will to him. 10:24 So, as we study the word we're gonna submit our will 10:26 to him, our mind, our energy, everything that we have 10:29 we submit to God say. Now, God help me to see something 10:32 in this message that will change my heart and my life. 10:35 Now, there's many people by the way that just study 10:38 the Bible quite regularly, but they have maybe a little 10:42 difficult time with things and when you say character, 10:45 so why don't we define character. 10:49 Otherwise my character has to change, 10:51 what does that really mean? 10:52 I know, when I was younger running around the house 10:56 and maybe friends would come over and my dad would say 10:58 to me something like this, 11:00 he said that friend of yours he is a character. 11:03 I thought well that's good and that can't be, 11:06 but what was my dad saying? 11:08 He made that judgment on how the boy acted. 11:12 The way that he talked, the way that he played 11:14 and so on. So, that's kind of what we are, 11:17 our character is what, what we say, 11:19 what we do, what we really are? 11:21 So, being a character you know, I looked at up, 11:24 I said I need to know a little bit more about that, 11:29 character is a distinctive trait. 11:33 And by the way everybody has distinctive 11:36 characteristics, don't they? Not everybody's the same, 11:39 we're all a little bit different,but 11:40 what kind of characteristics do you have today? 11:44 You know, I want my characteristics by the way 11:47 to be like Jesus. As we study this man we will find his 11:50 characteristics was like Jesus 11:52 and how these things will developed. 11:54 Now, if we think about this word character 11:58 or characteristics, it's actually how one behaves. 12:01 How do you behave, how do I behave in different 12:05 circumstances of life? By the way, character's 12:08 personality, as I looked it up, it said 12:10 character proves, is tested by the way when something 12:16 goes wrong in my life. Think about it, your character 12:20 is tested when something goes wrong. 12:23 Character is really not tested when everything is going 12:26 smooth and easy go. It's when it's challenged, 12:30 but you know I believe this a person who is filled 12:33 with the spirit of God, when they are tested 12:38 and proved you know what's going to happen? 12:40 They are gonna be tha same kind of person, 12:42 they are gonn be that person 12:43 he is gonna be like Jesus. 12:44 They are gonna be able to handle that situation; 12:46 we are not going to change. 12:48 So, a man or a woman that is filled with what? 12:52 The spirit of God, listen to this, the more severely 12:56 that he is tested and tried the more clearly 13:01 that he proves, listen that he proves 13:03 that he is a representative of Jesus Christ. 13:07 Now, did you get that? It took me a little while 13:10 to kind of decipher that, but the more severely 13:13 that I'm tested and proved the more clearly 13:17 it becomes to our parent that I'm a child of God, right? 13:21 If we hold on to his hand, in fact we are going to set 13:26 kind of a little mark that we want to reach by the grace 13:29 of God in this study. And so this mark 13:32 that is set before us today is simply this, 13:34 perfection of character. After all we're going to be 13:38 walking with God and what happens 13:39 when you walk with God day by day, is your life change, 13:43 is the life changing events happening. 13:46 You know, I like that, I heard my brother say one time 13:48 he said you know, I like to be around movers 13:50 and shakers. And I've adopted that and I said 13:53 you know what I do too. I love to be around, 13:55 what does that mean about movers and shakers? 13:57 That means something is taking place, 13:59 something is happening and everyday in your 14:02 in your Christian experience if it's the same, 14:03 may I say same, you know, same, same old. 14:06 Then there's something's wrong. 14:08 I believe everyday with Jesus can be sweeter 14:12 than the day before. 14:13 Everyday with Jesus can be different, 14:16 everyday with Jesus should bring new challenges, 14:19 new victories. And so I believe this passage 14:23 of scripture that would just, what would fit us, 14:25 if we listen to it very carefully find 14:28 in the Book of Colossians chapter 2 verse 10. 14:31 Very simple, but now please listen it says, 14:33 "Ye are complete in him. " 14:37 Now, notice complete who, in him, which is the head 14:41 of all principality and power. 14:44 Now, we are what? We are complete in him. 14:47 I wondered about that word principality, 14:50 I don't know about you, you hear this things, 14:52 okay I understand. Principality it says, 14:55 we are complete in him, 14:56 which is a head of all principality. 14:58 You know, what that means? That means, he is the chief, 15:01 Ah! We become complete in Jesus because now I can say 15:07 this nicely because he is the chief. 15:09 He is the cornerstone by the way in time, 15:14 in place, in rank; he is first that's what this word 15:20 really means. He is the corner, as I read in my Bible 15:24 by the way, he is referred to many times says 15:26 the chief cornerstone. So, think about having someone 15:31 like this on your side. Day- by-day regardless of what 15:35 you go through, to have someone here who we become 15:39 complete in and because he is the chief, 15:42 because he is the first, and he is the last 15:44 And then the word at the end says, we empower, 15:48 think how many Christian lives really don't have the 15:53 Holy Spirit power. I had a lady who used to call 15:57 quite regularly and she say, brother Kenny, 16:01 I want you to, I want you to pray for me 16:02 I said sure I'd be glad to pray for you 16:05 And then she would go and tell me what 16:08 we want to pray about, and I said, 16:09 well okay you want to pray for, no, no you go ahead 16:12 and you do the praying Now, I said you know, 16:16 I am reading the Bible whether that you know, 16:17 we have a situation where the physical, spiritual, 16:20 Jesus said to a woman one time he said, 16:22 thy faith had made thee whole. 16:25 So, I said, you need to have faith and, Oh! No, 16:28 when I pray here's what I believe, when I pray 16:30 I don't believe that my prays go any higher 16:33 than the ceiling. I said you know what 16:36 you're exactly right It shocked her, 16:38 what? I said that's the measure of your faith, 16:42 how far do your prayers go? 16:43 Now, they just go and bounce off the ceiling 16:46 I said it really won't do you any good to pray then, 16:49 boy that was a shocker. Well, what do you think about, 16:52 I said listen my Bible tells me very clearly 16:54 that I may go boldly to the throne room of God, why? 16:59 Not, because I'm any good, but by faith 17:01 because of who he is, I go boldly to the throne, 17:05 don't hesitate about it, I'm gonna get down to business 17:08 because that's what God says that I could do. 17:10 That's beautiful I become what? 17:12 Complete in his power and that power means 17:15 in his authority that means in his strength 17:18 and that means with his force 17:22 And another word that I though was beautiful 17:24 when you begin to look it little bit in the Greek 17:27 and so on, this may blow some of your minds, 17:30 I really don't want you to do that, but it says, 17:32 super human, super human that's the power 17:39 that you believe that Christ has super human power 17:42 you better believe it. 17:43 Absolutely, nothing gets past God. 17:48 He is the originator of all. 17:51 And so we are looking at this man here who was 17:55 translated without seeing death. 17:59 Now, that's interesting, it's not just a story 18:03 about this man, but it's a story about those 18:05 who are alive at the coming of Jesus the second time, 18:10 if God took this man, there must be something 18:14 about him that God said was acceptable 18:16 and if it was acceptable at that time listen 18:19 it's acceptable now. And he is not gonna take anybody 18:22 any different than that. We're talking about character 18:24 here, aren't we? So, the important thing is here, 18:27 he represents those who will be alive and translated 18:31 at the coming of Jesus, listen, I want to be apart 18:36 of that, how about you? Oh I hope you do, 18:39 some of you must say Oh! You know what, oh I do. Oh! 18:43 It's gonna be too much, Oh! It is for you and 18:45 this for me, it's not for Jesus. 18:46 I want to be, if God sees alive and translated 18:50 without seeing death. And you know what 18:52 it's possible. Why because I'm so good? 18:55 No, but because of who Jesus is. 18:58 I think that's so important for us to realize 19:02 that we need to get away from looking at our self 19:05 all the time; we need to be looking who? To Jesus, to 19:07 look to yourself is failure to look to myself is fair. 19:11 But not to look to Jesus, is complete victory in him. 19:14 So, as we go through this subject of walking with God. 19:19 You know how beautiful, is that something 19:22 new in scripture? Walking with God, no. 19:26 Remember in the very beginning in the Book of Genesis, 19:30 God he walked with whom? 19:33 He walked with Adam and Eve. 19:36 He walked with him you know, in the evening 19:39 and he talked to them before sin. 19:41 God is always wanted to be with his children. 19:45 He's always wanted to bless to be, to be close to us, 19:49 but you know, this thing sin came in 19:51 and has separated us, if you have your Bibles 19:55 I want you to turn with me. 19:56 The Book of Hebrews I'm going to do that right here, 19:58 the book of Hebrews. Those of you where you can 20:02 You turn me to the book of Hebrews. 20:04 Now many people will say Hebrews Chapter 11 20:07 what would you say? He would say, 20:09 well that is the faith chapter. 20:11 We are going to go through all of that, 20:14 but I do I want to bring out some very, very important 20:16 points in Hebrews chapter 11. I'm going to read 20:19 a couple of verses. Now, these verses I hope 20:22 they set you on fire as much they have been setting 20:25 me on fire. See, when I read God's word 20:27 I don't plan on just reading God's word, 20:29 and letting it down, it didn't do anything for me 20:32 or in me, but every time I read the word I thoroughly 20:35 believe that God is speaking to me from the book, 20:39 from the Bible. How about you? When you read it, 20:42 it says love letter to me. When I read it, I know that 20:45 he is going to speak to me. And I need to listen, 20:48 and I need to respond, and I need to be obedient 20:52 to his word. Notice, Hebrews chapter 11 verse 6, 20:57 Bible is very clear it says, "But without faith, good 21:02 I think heard someone without faith it is impossible 21:06 to please him. " To please whom? To please God. 21:10 And there's many people Christians who will say Ah! 21:13 I don't really have any faith. 21:15 Oh! Don't you kid yourself. Bible says, God has given 21:18 everybody a little measure of that faith, 21:20 what you are gonna do with that? You want it to grow. 21:22 Bible says this, listen faith cometh by 21:24 hearing-and-hearing by the word of God. 21:28 You want your faith to grow then faith cometh by what? 21:31 Hearing, put yourself in a position to where you can 21:35 hear the word of God, go where you can hear 21:37 the word of God. It takes whatever it might be, 21:39 preaching services; hearing by the word of God 21:43 that faith in it is going to increase. 21:45 So, get this point quickly faith without faith it is 21:49 impossible you can't please God without faith. 21:51 So, if you don't have that faith, say O God I need some 21:54 faith because I want to please you. 21:55 Notice this, "For he that cometh to God, 21:58 reading on verse 6, must believe that he is, 22:02 and that he is a rewarder of those who diligently 22:06 seek him. " Now, to me the key word is, 22:09 diligently seek him. We've got to seek him, 22:11 but we have to do it what? 22:13 Diligently, we have to do it as though we're digging 22:15 for that? Treasures! Hidden treasures, 22:18 we can't let anything stop us, we can't let anything 22:21 get in our way, but I have to diligently be seeking him. 22:26 And then as I read verse 5, I get these things 22:30 you know what they're called? 22:33 Now, some of you don't, you're not going to get this, 22:36 but you know, I'm going to give it to you anyway. 22:38 I call them Spiritual Goose bumps if you've never 22:42 had spiritual goose bumps pop out all over you 22:44 with the name of Jesus. Something that he's done 22:47 in your life you know what? You have missed it. 22:49 I get those every once in a while. 22:51 And you know, when I get those I'm talking some 22:57 physical bumps come up. Oh! Yeah, 23:01 I heard someone say, well you know, the world you know, 23:03 and we're living by faith, we are not living by faith, 23:05 I understand that, but I tell you when my God 23:07 touches me and when he touches you, 23:09 there is gonna be some bumps. And I get bumps; 23:15 I get bumps, when I read verse five. 23:18 Well, let's do that, shall we Hebrews chapter 11 23:20 verse 5, it says, By faith Enoch, Oh! I've given it 23:24 away, this is a man who we're talking about, Enoch. 23:26 Oh! Everybody know Enoch, but it says, by faith Enoch 23:29 was translated that he should not see death. 23:33 So, once again by the way as we're learning together 23:36 here today, he represents the people, 23:38 that's going to be translated when Jesus comes 23:42 the second time without seeing death. 23:45 Some of you say now, hold on, now wait a minute, 23:48 hey look, when you take your Bible and you have 23:50 opportunity you want to jot down, let's jot down little 23:53 First Thessalonians 4:16 and 17. Bible says that, 23:57 the death in Christ shall rise first. 23:59 We which are alive, what? 24:02 Alive and remain will be caught up to meet him 24:09 in the air, we which what? 24:10 Are alive and remain we are going to be caught 24:13 up in the air. And so shall we ever be with him. 24:16 Oh! How beautiful that is? 24:18 So, there will be individuals alive when Jesus comes 24:22 they won't see death, they are going to be translated 24:24 and here it says, here he didn't see death, 24:28 they shall not see death and was not found because 24:30 God did something, what? When they begin to look 24:34 around for Enoch, he couldn't be found. 24:37 Today, we dial 911, we put them on the milk cartons, 24:43 are you still with me? We've lost him, 24:45 he was here walking around and all the sudden now, 24:48 you know, he is not here anymore. 24:50 Somebody say, where is dad, somebody say, 24:52 where is grandpa? Bible said, he was not found, 24:59 to be found I mean somebody was looking for him 25:03 and especially such a man as Enoch, such a man 25:08 that had certain, made such an impression on those 25:10 all about him. When he came up missing they wonder 25:15 what happened, you know what I believe a lot of people 25:17 understood because of his life. 25:19 How about your life today? How about my life today? 25:23 Now, the Bible says we continue reading verse 5, 25:26 God had what? Translated him here is where I start 25:32 getting those spiritual goose bumps. 25:34 Here is where my feet want to work a little bit, 25:36 as people get turned off sometime, but you know, 25:39 I just, I can't help it. My feet want to works 25:41 sometimes, as I getting down to the nitty gritty. 25:43 Nitty gritty for me is, write this before he was 25:48 translated, he had this testimony. 25:51 Wow! Before he was translated he had this testimony 25:57 listen that he pleased God, isn't that awesome? 26:03 I mean I've often, I've often thought about that. 26:07 How about when God looks at you? 26:12 How about when God speaks to you? 26:14 Maybe in the stillness of the, we say the midnight hour. 26:17 What does he see? Is he pleased when he sees you 26:23 and by the way some of you, he sees you know, 26:26 the lights maybe out he sees you. 26:27 You maybe thinking nobody knows where you're at, 26:30 he knows where you're at? But you know, 26:34 I'm just thinking Oh! Bear with me, on a tombstone. 26:40 You see a lot of nice things that are written, if you 26:44 know, how nice it would be and verified by heaven, 26:51 if you had on there he pleased God. 26:54 I'd love to heard back and say, oh! 26:57 He was a good husband, he was a good father, 26:59 all these are very, very important. Somebody say, Oh! 27:01 He was a good preacher, he was a good teacher, 27:03 he was a good, these are all good, 27:06 but look wouldn't be better to say he pleased God. 27:10 After all that's should be our interest, shouldn't it? 27:15 We should be willing, we should be willing 27:20 by the grace of God to put him first and everything 27:23 to please him and here is a man that pleased God. 27:25 Or a man that measured up, how do you measure up 27:31 by the way today? The Bible says, by faith Enoch 27:36 was translated that he should not see death. 27:39 And I wondered about this word because when I said, 27:45 he pleased God I'm saying, well look if he please God, 27:48 God thought so much of him and his life 27:51 was just right that he translated him. 27:53 I need to know how am I pleasing God, how about you? 27:56 A lot of people will say, well I give about, listen. 28:00 He pleased God and I look up that word he said, 28:04 he gratified God. Interesting and the word was he 28:12 gratified God entirely, think about it. 28:15 He was acceptable to God, 28:18 he was fully agreeable to God, 28:22 think how that must be when God knows everything 28:27 about you and me and everybody else in the world 28:30 he knows every secret thing and he could 28:33 look at this man and he could say that walked with him 28:36 and said, he is fully agreeable with me. 28:40 I want to take him, Wow! I like to have 28:45 that kind of life, I want that life you know, 28:49 I know you do too. So, we are dealing with what? 28:51 The issue of faith, we are dealing with what 28:54 the Bible says is a substance. I'm not going to dwell 28:57 on the faith chapter, but I think it's very important 29:00 that we bringing out. The Bible says, in Hebrews 11:1, 29:03 faith is a substance, and as Christians you and I need 29:07 to reach out and grab this substance, 29:09 it's not a some kind of a myth, 29:13 substance means that it is a confidence, 29:19 a substance is an actual being, 29:23 a substance here is a reality. 29:27 So, our faith, right, needs to be a reality. 29:33 It doesn't need to be a put on, he might they fool 29:37 some of the people some of the time, 29:38 but not all the time, isn't that right. 29:40 What are we trying to do, we go to church to fool 29:42 people or to please to God. 29:43 I'm much more concerned about what God thinks 29:49 about me than what man thinks about me. 29:51 Now, I want to be a good representative to him, 29:54 but you know what some people will just, no matter what 29:56 you say, no matter what you do, no matter how you live, 29:57 they're going to talk about you, they're going say things, 30:00 they're gonna do the devils work, 30:04 but I'm more interested in how God use me. 30:07 And I know you are too. 30:09 So, I'm looking at genuine faith, genuine faith. 30:14 A faith that God says is acceptable, 30:17 so it to me it rests on something that is firm. 30:22 A substance, it's there, I reach up, I can touch it, 30:28 a faith that rest upon listen, sufficient evidence, 30:33 feel like me a lot of times, I need sufficient 30:37 evident. Well, somebody is trying to convince me 30:39 of something I'm not sure, I'm going to need sombody 30:41 éconvince with some evidence. Not just because 30:45 they said so, you know, I need in fact I need more. 30:50 I see a TV ad one time and a man was trying to sell 30:55 vacuum cleaners and so he sucks up this bowling ball 30:59 and holds it over his head. 31:02 Some of you are not with me. 31:05 That convinced a lot of people, but you know, 31:08 I need more than just an advertisement to convince me 31:11 that I'm gonna hold one of those over my head. 31:13 I need some weight of what? I need some weight 31:15 of evidence here, something firm, but it's still true 31:22 even though we haven't seen it as it was, 31:25 we haven't seen it, so by faith a Christian 31:28 then considers himself already in possession 31:33 think with me, of what he has been promised. 31:36 So, in God's word when you read a promise friend, 31:38 listen when you read a promise you have to believe it 31:41 as though you what? Somebody said that you already 31:45 have it, that's how sure he is. 31:47 And then you go about what? Thanking him forward 31:50 in advance or it might be a little while in coming, 31:52 but you know, why? Because God's got some things 31:54 to workout between you and him, you know, that. 31:55 I've been through that, 31:57 I know you've been through that too. 31:59 So, we lay claim then on the Bible promises 32:03 and blessing. And you know, what people 32:06 well I'll tell you, listen we can have those blessings 32:09 right now. In this church I love the little theme song 32:13 that we sing blessings are refreshing, 32:16 friend, I need those blessings, 32:19 by faith I receive those blessings. 32:22 In fact, we pray in our home many, many times 32:24 I'm saying Lord thank you for the, listen thank you 32:27 for the blessings that you're sending our way. 32:30 How about you? I don't know if it will happen or not? 32:34 I don't know, what's going to happen? 32:36 You're a child of God you should know. 32:40 Those blessings are coming, they're there, 32:45 you can lay your hand and lay claim to those blessings. 32:49 What's invisible becomes visible through faith, 32:53 how did this man, how did this, how that this man 32:58 walk with God so closely that God took him. 33:05 That's the same as First Thessalonians 4, 33:08 he's talking about, I said you know, I need to dig 33:10 in this a little bit deeper I don't know about you, 33:11 but the Book of Hebrews chapter 12 verse 2 tells 33:17 us that faith. Now, notice how the faith always 33:19 begins and ends in Christ Jesus. Faith does what? 33:24 Faith begins; faith ends in Christ Jesus, 33:27 set that in stone. Do you know what Enoch pleased God? 33:32 Now Enoch by the way as you study a little about 33:35 his life it says, he was the seventh from Adam; 33:38 it's interesting the seventh from Adam. 33:41 The Bible also says that he live, now listen this 33:44 careful here what the study really begins. 33:46 It said, he was 65 years old and he had a son. 33:52 Listen, the son change his life, 33:56 his thinking just as many of us who have had children 34:00 that we maybe running in one direction and now a child 34:03 comes on and all of a sudden our thinking changes 34:05 maybe our attitudes and our life all change because 34:09 this little package shows up, 34:11 but the Bible says 65 years older and he had a son 34:15 and then the Bible goes onto say, 34:17 now I will give you that passage here, 34:19 you will need to write it down in Genesis chapter 5, 34:22 like I'm going to turn my Bible, as some of you begin 34:23 to turn yours too. Genesis chapter 5, 21 and 22 it said 34:27 after he had a son, now this is important. 34:29 "After he had a son then he began to walk with God 34:33 for 300 years. " Wow! What did having a son have to do 34:41 with him beginning to have a walk with God 34:44 faithfully for 300 years? Hey, you and I have 34:48 a very difficult times three minutes at a time, 34:51 three days at a time, you follow my thinking. 34:55 Three hundred years, how did Enoch's life change? 35:05 And let me just say, friend we can have the same, 35:09 the same experience that Enoch had if you want it. 35:15 To me that's just good news. 35:17 Oh! Somebody is not getting it, 35:19 experience; I can have that same experience 35:22 I can have that experience today with Jesus 35:26 that if I can walk so closely with him, 35:31 then you please God. You know, awesome, 35:34 to me that's awesome. And so we look and say 35:39 where does this character begin to change 35:41 after he was 65 years old. The Bible says, 35:43 and I believe this, as you study a little bit about, 35:45 you realize that Enoch always did love God. 35:48 He was a good Christian man, 35:50 but when that son was born, 35:52 he began to watch his son as people do. 35:58 And he began to watch that son that he had you know, 36:00 as he grew he seem that love that that baby 36:03 had for him. He watched his father and he accepted 36:08 in simple trust, he trusted everything 36:11 that the parents were doing. 36:13 Think about that, he was secure in his parents, 36:18 in his father. He was secure in the protection 36:21 of his father, Enoch began to put it together 36:25 as the father and son, and his relationship that God 36:32 cared so much for us. This in simple faith we accepted, 36:39 we have security, and we have protection 36:42 and that's how God feels about us, that's how God 36:45 felt about his son? So I say well this is, 36:48 this is good, he begin to understand how the heavenly 36:51 Father then loves each of us, think about it. 36:54 His understanding now after he became 65 begin to open 36:59 up new avenues that they had never traveled before. 37:02 This is how God feels about us, it's how 37:07 I feel about my son and my son feels about me. 37:10 Oh! I want to know more about this, 37:13 I want to have that simple childlike faith, 37:16 have you heard that? Everybody by the way has probably 37:24 done this at least the fathers. 37:25 You know, your child's a couple of years old 37:28 you sat him on top of the car, jump to daddy. 37:32 No, the child just simply what trust, 37:37 doesn't look around said, 37:40 well I'm not going to jump to you dad. 37:42 Hey, you are not going to be able to catch me, 37:44 they just fly all their arms open just knowing 37:48 for that daddy is going to catch him. 37:50 Enoch said you know what, I need to understand 37:53 that kind of a simple faith, that kind of love, 38:00 I need to understand. So, he began to spend sometime 38:02 by the way. You know, what happened? 38:05 Christ became his daily studies. 38:08 Now, remember preparing to be translated 38:12 and if you want to be translated 38:13 we need to be doing what? We need to be preparing 38:16 day-by-day studying on the subject of Jesus Christ 38:21 that we may please him. 38:25 He meditated upon God day in and day out. 38:30 Let me just shock you some of you not many of you 38:32 may know this, but look Enoch had no scripture 38:38 in which to read and to learn as we do today. 38:41 Remember he was the what? Seventh from Adam, 38:45 but by faith he began to be get a acquainted with God. 38:54 It was a reality to him that he that could hear God, 38:59 that he was drawn by the spirit of God. 39:02 And you know what he did? He obeyed everything 39:05 that God revealed to him. 39:07 So, he began just find out what? 39:10 I love him more-and-more and-more and you know, 39:13 what happened? Here is what happens to us by the way. 39:16 The more that God revealed his love to Enoch 39:19 and the more Enoch was filled with the love of God 39:22 he began to love other people more-and-more, 39:26 isn't that beautiful? Think about it. 39:30 It's not just falling in love with Jesus, 39:31 but he was be what? Being filled and he begin to love 39:35 other people. Now, how did Enoch walked with God. 39:37 This is a good question, how did Enoch walked with God? 39:39 Some people say, well you know, he most have been 39:42 in some kind of trans or, he must have been in some 39:45 sleepy state, it couldn't be the way 39:48 we're thinking about walking with God. 39:50 No, it wasn't in a trans, 39:51 it wasn't in some kind of a vision, 39:53 but how Enoch walk with God was in his daily duties 39:57 of life. Wow! He walked with God how? 40:02 In his daily duties of life. What does it mean? 40:07 It means he walked with God even when he was with 40:11 his family. He walked with God 40:15 as we would say on the job. 40:18 He walked with God in his relationship 40:21 with other people as a father, as a husband, 40:26 as a provider, as a friend, as a citizen 40:31 he was a servant of God. 40:35 And he walked with God and people saw something in him, 40:40 they saw the spirit of the living God, 40:43 think about that with me. Four important points 40:47 I want you to do remember quickly is there 40:49 time is winding down and I'm praying the Holy Spirit 40:51 is bringing conviction on you as bringing 40:53 conviction on me that I need this closer walk with him. 40:56 More than ever before, I don't, I don't have much time 41:00 do you have much time in this world, no you think 41:02 you might, you may not. Four important things 41:07 that begin to develop as Enoch spend time with God 41:12 and you know what it would develop in your life 41:14 and in mine, if we will spend that quality time. 41:17 I mean how many of us can just honestly say, 41:20 he is my meditation day and night. 41:23 I can't think of anything else. 41:25 You know, as a Christian sometimes it's, it's difficult 41:30 to have friends who are not Christians. 41:33 Now, I want you to think it through with me. 41:35 Because you just don't have anything in common. 41:38 They don't want to meditate and think about 41:41 Jesus Christ, you like people to be around 41:43 that you are inspired by, they are telling you about 41:47 the blessings and how God loves them, 41:49 I want to be around people just like that, 41:52 I want to be like somebody that loves Jesus 41:54 and if I'm around other folks and it is not trying 41:57 to condemn it, if it's not trying to judge, 41:59 it's just simply saying is that I can't seem 42:01 to have the contact, it's not something 42:04 I want to be around all the time. 42:08 You know, what you find yourself, 42:10 you want to be around the world more you know, 42:12 what your relationship is with God. 42:15 Here is what happened to Enoch? 42:16 As he spend more time with God, meditating upon 42:20 the good things of God. 42:25 Faith cometh by hearing, hearing by the word. 42:27 So, his faith then begin to rise just really, 42:31 really increase. Because he begin to talk with him 42:35 as he were a friend. He began to believe everything 42:38 was impressed and he begin to walk as God 42:39 would have him to all day-by-day, 42:41 he didn't dare venture out of the house without praying. 42:43 He didn't dare make a decision without talking 42:47 to God first. Oh! How often we do that? 42:50 And number two, as he spent this time with God, 42:56 his love for him became stronger. 42:58 See this is the key, the more time we spend with Jesus 43:03 the more we can't help, but be more of if that makes 43:08 sense to you, it makes sense to me 43:11 the more you read of this savior. 43:14 Willing to come down to this miserable world 43:18 and to go through what he went through what? 43:21 From some miserable individual like me. 43:23 Wow! What can you do, but to stand back 43:28 and praise him why because heaven would never 43:31 be my home without Jesus, 43:33 I can never live the life by myself. I'm a sinner, 43:38 I'm a failure, but with him he's changing my heart 43:42 and my life and my, and my desires, how about you? 43:45 And when I think about him and meditate about him. 43:50 And I give that thoughtful moments in some maybe 43:54 an hour on Calvary I'm just overwhelmed, 43:58 Absolutely overwhelmed, why? 44:01 What a love Enoch recognized this and he just felt more 44:05 in love with Jesus and what do this bring on. 44:10 Step number three, he wanted to spend more time 44:13 on his knees in prayer, what a relationship? 44:19 And so he began to talk to him as he went about 44:23 his work on his daily activities. 44:24 All he did was talk that's being like praying 44:27 without ceasing. What an attitude? 44:32 I want that attitude, I wanna pray without ceasing 44:35 you know, I want to have God on my lips. 44:39 And you know, what happened? 44:41 Number four, very important even though Enoch lived 44:45 in this world, listen carefully 44:47 Oh! Even though he lived in this world, 44:48 he lived in the atmosphere of heaven. 44:53 Wow! That means you can too, I can too. 45:00 We are in this old miserable world. 45:02 Oh! Man I say, you know, people as a pastor, 45:05 you should say, I'm going to say stinky, 45:07 pathetic, sinful world, but you know what 45:11 if I put my hand in his hand by faith. 45:14 I can live in the atmosphere of heaven with the mass 45:18 going on down here, boy we need that don't we, 45:20 would that strengthened like a peace that passes 45:23 all understanding I believe so, 45:24 do you want that in your life, 45:26 oh! I'm telling you right now. 45:27 I want it in my life and what did that mean? 45:31 What does that mean living in the atmosphere of heaven? 45:35 See, this just boasts people's mind sometime. 45:37 Careful listen Enoch placed himself, placed himself 45:46 in his family where he would be less taunted 45:50 by the enemy, did you get that? 45:52 He withdrew from those places that he knew 45:56 could hurt him or hurt his family, could get him going 46:00 in the wrong direction. So, he placed himself 46:03 where becoming the less contact with the world 46:07 is possible. You want most Christians are not willing 46:10 to do that you know, what? Because they love the world 46:12 and things that are in the world, 46:13 professing to love Jesus. Jesus said, 46:15 you can't love the world in you, 46:17 if the father's loves not in you, think about it. 46:22 So, this one of the key factors to this man pleasing 46:26 God is he withdrew from the things of this world 46:31 that he could as far away as possible, 46:33 so he could maintain his integrity 46:35 and his love for Jesus. Oh! How I can learn from that 46:39 I don't know about you, I want you to learn from that. 46:42 And you know, what began to take place in his life. 46:45 He no longer was just a bystander. 46:49 Enoch became a preacher of righteousness. 46:55 Wow! Giving a right message, how about us today? 46:59 He was telling everyone that he came in contact 47:02 about Jesus. That how changed his life, and you know, 47:07 not only talking about Jesus, but let me tell you 47:10 he gave him a warning, you have pastor or a teacher 47:15 or a friend today, they are standing in the pulpit 47:17 and they are not giving a warning message for today. 47:20 Somebody needs to get them another job. 47:26 I know somebody say, oh! Boy, you know, that's just 47:28 too bold, no. If a man's not doing the job that God 47:34 has called him to do, go get another job. 47:37 I heard somebody saying one time and I've said 47:39 this many times, they say well, we are going to, 47:42 in the boards okay. He said, we are going have to take 47:44 it the board. And I look at them and I said you know 47:47 what you need to take the board to the board, 47:49 somebody is not with me? You think about this. 47:57 The warning message should be given; 48:00 Enoch was giving that warning message, what? 48:03 He felt the power of the Holy Spirit in him, 48:05 he could not remain silent, I hope it's the same way 48:09 in your life? I want it the same way in my life 48:12 and God's servants in the last day will bear a similar 48:17 message to that of the Enoch just before Jesus comes, 48:20 I'm convinced of that, if they're not bearing 48:22 that message, they are not a messenger from God. 48:24 Hope everybody heard it, Oh! Yes, truthful, yes. 48:29 There is too much peace and safety and sweetness 48:32 and tingling of the ears, but I can say this as you 48:37 study the live I mean the deeper the world grew in sin. 48:40 The stronger he became with his message, 48:45 we live now in a time, think about it. 48:47 A time of the world where it's almost total darkness, 48:50 apostasy on the truth of God's word. 48:54 Shouldn't we be bold as never before. 48:56 He never ceased to warn, he never ceased to plead, 49:03 he never thought about quitting. 49:05 Let me tell you why? 49:08 For he by faith had seen the city of God. 49:13 Oh! Friend have you seen the city of God by faith, 49:16 have you read about it in scripture, 49:17 I know that you have, but did you really accept it, 49:20 was it really tangible, you reach out by faith 49:22 and you touched it and you really know 49:24 there is a city of God. Enoch knew there was a city 49:27 of God, he had seen it by faith. 49:28 He had touched it by faith and he said, 49:31 I can't quit I've got to keep ongoing. 49:34 He said, I have seen the king of glory. 49:37 How long has been that you have seen the king of glory? 49:41 How long has it been that you spend some real 49:44 quality time with God that really changed your life, 49:49 but when you see the king of glory when by faith 49:52 you see all of these things. 49:53 Remember Enoch never seen God, 49:55 he only seen him by faith, that's how real it was. 49:59 You can have it and I can have it today. 50:01 I want to see the king of glory, how about you? 50:04 And he longed for that home. 50:07 Are you longing for that home the home 50:09 that you have never seen, I love to sing the song, 50:13 not a good singer at all, 50:14 but I love to sing this world is not my home? 50:17 Every line of that just reminds me, 50:20 I'm just, I'm just passing through, it's not my home, 50:25 it's not your home, by faith I've seen my home. 50:28 Jesus said, I have gone to prepared it for you 50:30 and I'm going to come again. 50:32 And I believe there was a just such a key here 50:36 to all of this that we put together, 50:38 but remember he lived on this earth, 50:40 but he dwelled by and live by faith. 50:44 Same thing with us today Oh! Friend are you doing that? 50:48 In the realms of reality, I tell you I need that Jesus 50:52 said in Matthew chapter 5 verse 8, 50:54 "Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God. " 51:00 Didn't say the defiled. "Blessed are the pure in heart 51:03 for they shall see God. " Enoch walked with God, 51:06 he purpose to everyday that would said, 51:09 I want to know more about Jesus, day-by-day 51:12 somebody stay with now. 51:14 I said day-by-day Enoch walked with God. 51:16 Day-by-day for 300 years he walked with God. 51:19 And one day he was just walking along with God 51:22 I can just picture it he was just talking with God 51:25 for 300 years God looked at him and said 51:27 I approve of this man, I approve of this man. 51:30 He is my friend, and one day he began to just walk 51:33 and one day he took that big old long step of faith 51:36 and you know, what happened. He stepped right, 51:38 he was translated and went up into the kingdom, 51:40 think about that. What if he had stopped one step 51:46 short of that walk with God he would been translated. 51:49 By faith he took that last step and that last step 51:55 of faith there friend like bolstered him 51:57 into the kingdom of God. Oh! God, help us 51:59 that we can see, see what God's calling us today. 52:03 He is calling by the way in that communion with him 52:08 just like Enoch. I want by faith take that step, 52:11 I need you to take that step, I want to take that step, 52:16 he's calling me to a holy their lifestyle. 52:20 He is calling me to have a character change, a holy 52:26 character. He wants me to be one of the redeemed, 52:33 how about you when he comes the second time. 52:35 Oh! What an experience and friend along with each one 52:40 who is listening, those who are watching, 52:43 I want this to be with all my heart your testimony 52:46 It's I want to my testimony, as God looks at you, 52:53 he looks at me. The bottom line as we walk with him 52:58 day-by-day-by-day, he is getting ready to come 53:01 by the way in the cloud of, clouds of glory, 53:04 but I want to say it that he pleased God, 53:10 can you think of anything else, 53:14 anything else more important in your life, 53:17 or in my life today that that we pleased God 53:21 and if there is something that doesn't pleased God 53:23 ask the Holy Spirit to reveal it to you, 53:25 so that you give it to him, would this be a good time 53:27 to give it to him. So, the at the bottom line 53:29 at the end of the day we please God, 53:32 if we displease him, we won't make it to heaven. 53:36 For those of you who has said, yes. Oh! 53:38 By faith I've seen your hand raising your heart, 53:40 let's pray about it quickly right now. 53:42 Shall we, as we kneel together and ask God's blessing. 53:45 Loving Father in heaven, I thank you for the hands 53:49 and the hearts that was raised to decisions 53:50 that were made right now that we want to pleased you 53:54 and all thing we trust you, we love you, 53:56 we long for the day when you shall come, 53:58 help us to be ready in Jesus name, amen. 54:01 Thank you, for joining us today. 54:04 By the way we look forward the next time 54:07 we come together, we're gonna have another 54:09 spirit filled message, God bless. 54:12 In closing let's look at a couple more precious, 54:15 precious thoughts given to us in scripture, 54:18 it's found in First Timothy and we are gonna 54:21 look at verses 11, and 12. 54:24 First Timothy and chapter 6 verses 11 and 12. 54:28 It says, "But thou, O man of God, flee these things; 54:34 and follow after righteousness, what is righteousness? 54:38 Righteousness is right doing, 54:41 Godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. 54:46 Fight the good fight of faith, 54:48 lay hold on the eternal life, 54:51 where unto thou art also called, and has professed 54:55 a good profession before many witnesses. " 54:59 Now when you desire these things, I pray that you do, 55:02 do they just happen overnight. No, God teaches us, 55:07 it's a walk of sanctification, 55:10 it's a daily learning process, 55:12 he is never gonna force you to be righteous, 55:15 he is never gonna force you to love him, to please him, 55:19 to serve with him, to walk with him on a daily basis. 55:22 You have to make that this choice, 55:25 you have to make that decision, 55:27 you have to decide to make your home, 55:31 a home of Christ and the angels want to dwell. 55:34 And you can do that, and we loved to hear 55:37 about what you are doing 55:39 and how you are doing please contact us. 55:41 Our contact information is on the screen, 55:43 you can contact us at Behold the Lamb Ministries, 55:46 that's PO Box 2030, 55:49 Herrin, IL or call us at 618-942-5044. 55:56 Email: BeholdTheLamb Ministries@yahoo. com. 56:00 Visit us our website, www. BeholdTheLambMinistries. com. 56:07 We want to hear from you, we want to know 56:10 what it's like as you began to change 56:12 because as I mentioned earlier, 56:14 as we dwell closer to Jesus, as we make these changes, 56:19 as we leave stations like 3ABN on everyday 56:24 instead of all these other things 56:26 that gloating out there on the airway, 56:28 you watch how God will began to change you 56:31 from the inside out until we see you again. |
Revised 2014-12-17