In our last blog, we shared about walking with God! I hope it was a blessing to you. Today I want to share some practical things about walking with God. Not that I have fully arrived in this area, but I think I’ve left the building as they say. In our previous article, I mentioned the importance of humility and how God’s grace flows through humility. That God resists the proud in heart. It’s not that God has stopped loving us. We are just frustrating the grace of God because of our pride. Humility involves being teachable before God. Having a receptive heart goes a long way in walking with God. We are on a journey of constantly learning and growing in our relationship with God. Apostle Peter encourages us to grow in the grace and knowledge of God. 2 Peter 3:17-18 (NKJV)-17 You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked;18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen. It is possible to fall from our own steadfastness if we fail to grow in our walk with God. It is not the loss of salvation but the loss of quality and consistency in our fellowship with God. This is why we must guard our hearts as we pursue our relationship with God. We also mentioned the importance of agreement (Amos 3:3). Our lives grow in agreement with God’s Word. We know God through His Word and by putting it into our hearts (Romans 12:1-2,Psalm 119:11).
In the Old Testament, God’s people experienced a relationship with God by going to the tabernacle or the temple to worship. This is where God’s presence dwelt. This is not to say that people didn’t talk and worship God in their homes. As New Testament Christians, we no longer need to take a journey to some physical tabernacle because God has moved into a new home. That home is you and the body of Christ! 1 Corinthians 6:19 (NKJV)-19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? We can reach and fellowship with God twenty-four-seven! We can walk with God individually and corporately. We need the body of Christ; we need each other if we are going to grow strong in our walk with God. We cannot forsake either one! (Hebrews 10:25).2 Corinthians 6:16 (NKJV)-16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them, and walk among them.I will be their God,And they shall be My people.”
When we talk about this wonderful privilege of walking with God, it involves certain spiritual disciplines. This is what it means to be a disciple of Christ. It is being taught to be like Christ! ( 1John 4:17). Christianity is not living for God but God living through us. Spiritual disciplines are not about a works mentality or performance. It is not about striving or reaching spiritual perfection. It is more than just a religious duty or a have to. We get to grow in our walk with God. Spiritual discipleship or discipline is about cultivation and improvement. It is learning to enjoy our walk with God through certain disciplines. A good marriage doesn’t just happen. It takes effort, sacrifice, and consistency. It involves good communication and learning to listen to each other. Apostle Paul tells us we are married to Christ. (2 Cor. 11:2, Romans 7:4). We should expect the same effort, sacrifice, and consistency in our walk with God.
Our first calling in life when we become “Born Again” is fellowship with God. 1 Corinthians 1:9 (NKJV)-9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. This word fellowship is koinōnia. It means partnership and communion. Apostle John shares the same thought:1 John 1:3 (NKJV)-3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. Apostle Paul tells us that we are co-laborers together with Christ. We need to cultivate this partnership. It involves communicating with God daily. It involves God in every aspect of life. Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV)-5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. This requires effort and discipline daily.
A big part of our walking with God is our prayer life. This sounds basic, but it is essential: talking to God and listening to Him as He speaks to our hearts and speaks to us through the scriptures. The Bible tells us to pray without ceasing ( 1 Thess 5:17, Rom. 1:9, Eph 6:18). Because His Spirit lives in our spirit, we can talk to God throughout our day. It involves God and acknowledging him in everything. It can be simply thanking him throughout our day. Praying in the Holy Spirit is our spirit communicating with God. This is great when we don’t know what to pray in English. God hears the groanings of our hearts in the language of our human spirit(1 Cor 14:2, 1 Cor. 14:14-15, Jude 20). My wife and I text a lot when we are away from each other. To see how we are both doing. It doesn’t replace face-to-face communication, which is the most important (Exodus 33:11). But it helps to stay in touch as we think about each other. Meditating on God’s word is prayer. Holding a scripture before us and thinking about it throughout the day. Allowing the Holy Spirit to speak to us through it (Josh 1:8, Psalm 63:6, Psalm 119:27). It is mulling over, asking questions about how this verse applies to our lives. How can it make a difference in the way we think and act?
Walking with God, we need times of solitude. We need quiet time. Times of reflection. To be still and know he is God (Psalm 46:10). Our biggest challenge is distractions. With our iPhones, internet, Facebook, and social media, who can find time to talk to God? Not to mention our jobs, family time, and those tasks around the house. There is a song called “Dusty Bibles” by Josiah Queen. It speaks about our preoccupations with technology today and why we don’t hear from God. We place a value on what is important in life. Hopefully, our walk with God is. Charlie Kirk took the Sabbath seriously. To get off social media. To spend quality time with family and God. Jesus is our Sabbath. He is our rest! It takes discipline to plan times of solitude. Maybe we need to watch less T.V. as well (Matt. 11:28-30). Don’t let distractions keep you from God.
I believe God is always talking to us. Maybe we aren’t listening as we should. There is the discipline of learning to listen. I love the story of young Samuel and how he didn’t recognize the voice of God at first, thinking it was Eli the priest. Eventually, he realized God was talking to him. 1 Samuel 3:9-10 (NKJV)-9 Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down; and it shall be, if He calls you, that you must say, ‘Speak, LORD, for Your servant hears.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.10 Now the LORD came and stood and called as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel answered, “Speak, for Your servant hears.” Because God loves us so much, He always wants to communicate with us. What father doesn’t want to speak and listen to his Children? I think about all the times when I didn’t take the time to listen to God and how it brought problems in my life. If I had only listened?
As we close, we mentioned some practical things in walking with God. I’m sure there are more. Let us remind ourselves of the wonderful privilege we have to walk with God and God walking with us. To develop intimacy and closeness with Him. To realize the God of the universe who created us to fellowship with Him! What love and joy it brings. It truly is the cure for all that ails us in life. Let the Holy Spirit speak to you and encourage you to grow in your walk with God. It is life-changing and transforming. You were meant to walk with God.
Psalm 63:1-5 (NKJV)-1 O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You In a dry and thirsty land Where there is no water.
2 So I have looked for You in the sanctuary, To see Your power and Your glory.
3 Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips shall praise You.
4 Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name.
5 My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, And my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips.
In Christ’s Love;
Brent and Linda Bushen
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