What does it mean to walk with God?
Genesis 12:1-3
I. Isolation
II. Obedience
III. Protection
I. Isolation
a. God wants us isolated so that God can mold us into His image.
b. Look how many times Jesus said leave your brothers, family, land, etc.
c. God wants us isolated
d. When we are isolated or alone then the only one that can influence us is God.
e. Isolation makes us look to God and God alone
f. We won’t make decisions based on us, but on God.
g. We need to be away from those things that influence us, those habits, and temptations, those things that give us security.
h. When we are isolated with God He is our security, and habit.
Jeremiah 18:1-7
a. We see a picture of a potter molding clay into a vessel.
b. We are messed up. We are a people who are confused, selfish, arrogant, messed up folks
c. We look to ourselves first, others second and God last (or even at all). We are marred, messed up, a bunch of clay waiting to be molded.
d. When was the last time you prayed about a decision before you made it
e. We are messed up, just like the clay.
f. We sit here and allow abortion to be legal, we allow people to say sexual preference is OK; we allow schools to say kids can’t bring bibles and pray at school.
g. We are messed up!
h. WE CAN’T FIX OURSELVES
i. As hard as the clay spins around it can’t be a pot without the potters hand
j. We can try everything in this world to fix ourselves, but were not able to fix ourselves, we are unfixable
k. You can do all the things you think you need to do, but the reason we’re unfixable is because of you. You are not part of the equation of a Life Molded by God.
l. God is the only one that can fix us. His hands are perfectly mad to mold us into his vessel.
m. Hymn "Have Thine Own Way, Lord" Baptist Hymnal 294
n. When we are isolated from this world, friends, and family. God can truly mold us and fix us.
o. Only then can we rely completely on him. Isolated with Him. Giving him our every thought and desire, realizing His power His strength and His ability to overcome every situation and problem in our life.
p. Isolation means dependence
q. Dependence on the one true healer and savior of this world Jesus Christ.
II. Obedience
a. Obedience is the second key to walking with God.
b. Obedience marked Jesus as the Son of God.
Hebrews 5:7-9
c. Jesus learned Obedience by suffering. John 14:31 “but the world must learn that I love the Father and that I do exactly what my Father has commanded Me.”
d. Jesus became the author of Eternal Salvation by Obedience. Verse 9(first part)
e. Romans 5:19 “For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also though the obedience of one man the many will be made righteous.”
f. Adam lost everything by disobedience. Adam gained everything by obedience.
g. Jesus is the example of walking with God by his obedience.
h. “This is my Son in whom I am well pleased”
i. Obedience marks us as the sons of God.
j. Verse 8 (first part)
k. Obedience is critical in walking with God. You cannot walk with God unless you obey him.
l. Rebellion is a mark of a self-filled heart
m. Everything in God’s creation obeys him: wind, rain, seas, animals, air, except for man.
n. We expect our children to obey us. Right? Because they are our own.
o. Luke 6:46 “Why do you call me, Lord, Lord, and do not do what I say?”
p. Why are we not obeying God?
q. Why are you not tithing? Why haven’t you been baptized? Why haven’t you taken that Sunday School Class? Why aren’t you studying His word? Do you not call Him Lord, Lord?
r. Rebellion is the mark of a self-filled man.
s. Obedience and disobedience marks the two ways of life.
t. Deuteronomy 11:26-28 “See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse—the blessing if you obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today; the curse if you disobey the commands of the Lord your God “
u. Isaiah 1:19-20 “If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land; but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken”
v. We have to learn obedience sometimes by suffering.
w. Saul, David, Samson, etc
x. A Child that disobeys suffers
y. A Child of God that disobeys suffers, But the Child of God that obeys Walks with God.
z. Obedience and Disobedience marks the two destinies of life.
III. Protection
a. Walking with God Means He is our bodyguard, protector
b. No matter how tough you think you are, everyone needs a bodyguard
c. Boxer with a bodyguard. What’s up with that?
d. Listen to what called told Abraham.
e. Verse 2-3
f. When we walk with God he blesses us, more than what Grandma says when you sneeze, but God’s blessing is only limited by us not by his resources, power, or willingness to give.
g. He will make us great
h. He’ll beat up that bully. The bully of sin. He’ll conquer the sins of our lives if we walk with Him.
i. He has the power to conquer every sin in your life, and wisdom to solve every problem, when we walk with him.
j. This is what walking with God means
