WEBVTT 00:00:19.600 --> 00:00:20.559 Morning awakening. 00:00:20.719 --> 00:00:21.519 Great to be with you. 00:00:21.679 --> 00:00:22.079 Welcome. 00:00:22.160 --> 00:00:25.359 We're so thrilled that you joined us today. 00:00:26.000 --> 00:00:29.199 We're continuing our series Knowing God. 00:00:29.359 --> 00:00:30.399 Would you say that with me? 00:00:30.719 --> 00:00:32.719 Knowing okay, that's what I thought. 00:00:32.799 --> 00:00:34.159 I was just trying to get you back with me. 00:00:34.320 --> 00:00:36.000 Would you say Knowing God with me? 00:00:36.719 --> 00:00:37.600 Oh, there we go. 00:00:37.679 --> 00:00:38.079 There we go. 00:00:38.240 --> 00:00:38.719 There we go. 00:00:38.960 --> 00:00:48.079 Hey, here's the most incredible reality that you can actually personally know God. 00:00:48.479 --> 00:00:48.960 Praise the Lord. 00:00:49.200 --> 00:00:57.119 Not just information or facts about God, a relational dynamic that changes your everyday life. 00:00:57.280 --> 00:00:59.359 That's what this series is all about. 00:00:59.439 --> 00:01:01.439 And how do you get to know God? 00:01:01.600 --> 00:01:04.719 Today we have a special guest speaker, dear friend, mentor, Dr. 00:01:04.799 --> 00:01:05.760 Charlie Self. 00:01:06.480 --> 00:01:08.159 Thrilled to have you join us today. 00:01:08.319 --> 00:01:09.599 The first service was awesome. 00:01:10.079 --> 00:01:11.599 Here's what you need to know about him. 00:01:11.760 --> 00:01:19.840 He's got an extensive bio, but he is a longtime pastor here in the local area, a professor has so many degrees. 00:01:20.000 --> 00:01:20.799 It's crazy. 00:01:21.760 --> 00:01:25.439 He is a prolific author, strategist, historian. 00:01:25.599 --> 00:01:33.519 He uh helps churches all across the country and leaders that lead well in this age and season. 00:01:33.760 --> 00:01:40.480 I am looking forward to what he's talking about because I've learned so much from your life over the years of how to walk with God. 00:01:40.719 --> 00:01:43.920 So would you give a warm awakening welcome to my friend Dr. 00:01:44.079 --> 00:01:44.640 Charlie? 00:01:52.079 --> 00:01:54.319 Good morning, awakening family. 00:01:55.120 --> 00:01:59.280 Thanks for welcoming us uh with such beautiful hospitality. 00:01:59.519 --> 00:02:01.280 It's fun to be home. 00:02:01.519 --> 00:02:05.280 We uh moved to near Denver, Colorado, nine years ago. 00:02:05.599 --> 00:02:15.439 Lots of family reasons, work reasons, but uh this is a very special home, and awakening is one of our special homes away from home to feel part of the body of Christ. 00:02:15.680 --> 00:02:25.199 Um my old friend Brian Sussman used to say that I have more degrees in a thermometer, but uh um I do I am a ban I'm a three-time banana slug. 00:02:25.520 --> 00:02:31.919 So I have three degrees in history from Santa Cruz, one in theology from Berkeley, and I'm still a Christian. 00:02:32.159 --> 00:02:36.479 And um but I say that because I had a I had really good educators. 00:02:36.639 --> 00:02:40.560 I I don't want to make too many jokes about people that really invested in me. 00:02:40.800 --> 00:02:46.879 And um our our three children are all band geek graduates of Lee High School. 00:02:47.120 --> 00:02:48.639 A shout out for Lee. 00:02:49.360 --> 00:02:58.479 And um, our last home in this area was right near the Campbell uh community center and the Campbell track there, which I'll talk a little bit about. 00:02:58.800 --> 00:03:07.039 But just a real honor to be with you, and we want you to know that we love you so much that Kathy and I are spending our anniversary with you. 00:03:08.240 --> 00:03:10.479 Today is our 46th anniversary. 00:03:10.960 --> 00:03:12.479 Kathy, thank you. 00:03:14.080 --> 00:03:19.360 And just so you don't think I'm some weird religious zealot, our kids got us a B and B in St. 00:03:19.520 --> 00:03:21.199 Helena tomorrow, okay? 00:03:21.520 --> 00:03:25.280 So we're gonna take some time off this week as well. 00:03:25.520 --> 00:03:27.759 But are you glad to be in God's presence together? 00:03:28.319 --> 00:03:29.120 Ready to learn. 00:03:29.280 --> 00:03:31.520 What a great series we're in. 00:03:32.319 --> 00:03:43.280 We've been learning so much, and by the way, I've love the messages, and I love coming in and doing an expertise, guest speaking kind of moment, but I really love fitting in with the family. 00:03:43.599 --> 00:03:47.360 We've been learning so much about God speaking to us, haven't we? 00:03:47.759 --> 00:03:51.199 And um what an honor to continue the series. 00:03:51.439 --> 00:03:57.759 And I want to open this walking with God theme with a wonderful story. 00:03:58.159 --> 00:04:01.039 We're in the midst right now in our American context. 00:04:01.199 --> 00:04:05.439 Uh, how many of you know it's just a little contentious sometimes out on social media? 00:04:06.000 --> 00:04:08.240 A little politically, socially contentious. 00:04:08.400 --> 00:04:15.039 But you know, one thing we can all celebrate, I hope you can celebrate with me, are great stories of great people. 00:04:15.439 --> 00:04:20.639 And the last couple months we've had African American or Black History Month, and we've had Women's History Month. 00:04:20.720 --> 00:04:25.040 And as a historian, I just love uncovering and learning new stories. 00:04:25.120 --> 00:04:35.199 And one of my heroes is Harriet Tubman, a runaway slave, an underground railroad leader whose nickname was Moses. 00:04:36.240 --> 00:04:43.920 She led troops, um, the Union troops and helped liberate hundreds more slaves during the Civil War. 00:04:44.160 --> 00:04:50.079 And to the end of her life, into her 90s, she worked for women's suffrage, she worked for equal rights. 00:04:50.160 --> 00:04:51.519 She was just an amazing woman. 00:04:51.680 --> 00:04:59.920 But when she first took her freedom and came to Philadelphia, people were amazed that she made it a hundred miles on her own. 00:05:00.720 --> 00:05:03.279 And uh they said, How did you do it? 00:05:03.360 --> 00:05:03.920 It's a miracle. 00:05:04.000 --> 00:05:06.800 And she just looked and said, I walked with the Lord. 00:05:08.240 --> 00:05:09.839 I walked with the Lord. 00:05:10.079 --> 00:05:15.680 And the first response of these abolitionist leaders was to think she had a brain injury. 00:05:16.639 --> 00:05:20.720 Folks, you don't you don't have a brain injury when you walk with the Lord. 00:05:20.959 --> 00:05:24.720 He is present and he is real, and he wants to walk with us. 00:05:25.120 --> 00:05:28.079 And uh she spent her life walking with the Lord. 00:05:28.319 --> 00:05:33.759 And I hope we can agree that God is always speaking to all of humanity. 00:05:34.160 --> 00:05:38.160 He speaks through creation and conscience. 00:05:38.399 --> 00:05:48.079 In Romans chapter 1, Paul says this since what may be known about God is plain to them, plain to all of us. 00:05:48.399 --> 00:05:49.680 God has made it plain. 00:05:49.920 --> 00:05:57.040 Since the creation of the world, God's invisible qualities, his eternal power, his divine nature have been clearly seen. 00:05:57.279 --> 00:05:58.959 And then he goes on in chapter 2. 00:05:59.120 --> 00:06:02.720 He not only speaks through creation, but he speaks through conscience. 00:06:03.120 --> 00:06:12.959 And the people who Paul was calling then in the first century Gentiles, non-Jews, they didn't have the Ten Commandments, but they had the law written on their heart. 00:06:13.680 --> 00:06:17.199 And so God is always speaking to all people. 00:06:17.839 --> 00:06:21.600 But then we've been discovering, are you happy about what we've been discovering? 00:06:21.839 --> 00:06:23.839 That God is speaking. 00:06:24.160 --> 00:06:26.399 He's speaking to us through prayer. 00:06:26.639 --> 00:06:31.759 He's speaking to us through Scripture, He's speaking to us through the Holy Spirit. 00:06:32.079 --> 00:06:34.240 I love the fact that we can talk to Him. 00:06:34.319 --> 00:06:36.720 And how many of you have been discovering He talks back? 00:06:37.439 --> 00:06:38.879 Come on, smile with me. 00:06:39.120 --> 00:06:44.560 Sometimes He talks back with great comfort, and sometimes he talks back with a little bit of surgery, doesn't he? 00:06:44.800 --> 00:06:46.000 A little bit of conviction. 00:06:46.160 --> 00:06:50.959 In fact, even this morning, singing with you, I am deeply comforted. 00:06:51.199 --> 00:06:55.680 And then the Holy Spirit whispers and says, Hey, let's work on some things together. 00:06:56.000 --> 00:07:00.000 God speaks to us as we pray, speaks to us as we listen. 00:07:00.160 --> 00:07:03.439 Are you glad that He speaks to us through the Bible? 00:07:04.399 --> 00:07:08.160 And that's why we need to learn how to read it well and interpret it well. 00:07:08.319 --> 00:07:13.920 And by the way, we need to learn and read and pray and listen in community. 00:07:14.399 --> 00:07:16.720 I love the panel conversation. 00:07:16.959 --> 00:07:24.639 By the way, go back and go but go back through all the messages in the series and just thank God that he's speaking to us. 00:07:25.600 --> 00:07:30.319 And I'm so grateful that we have a family to help us learn. 00:07:30.639 --> 00:07:39.040 By the way, the reason he's doing all this work is because, according to Ephesians 2.10, we are his masterpiece. 00:07:39.279 --> 00:07:42.720 Now, please don't turn to your neighbor and say you're a piece of work. 00:07:44.079 --> 00:07:48.079 But you can turn to your neighbor and take a moment and say, you're a masterpiece. 00:07:48.240 --> 00:07:48.800 Go ahead. 00:07:49.040 --> 00:07:50.720 You're a masterpiece. 00:07:52.480 --> 00:07:54.240 You're a masterpiece. 00:07:57.439 --> 00:08:01.439 The Bible says in Ephesians 2.10, we are his work of art. 00:08:01.839 --> 00:08:16.879 And then in Ephesians 3.10, the Bible says all these works of art are being built together to display the glory of God to the entire universe, to the world. 00:08:17.360 --> 00:08:24.399 And so today we're going to take one facet of knowing God and take this little phrase, walking with God. 00:08:25.279 --> 00:08:35.360 And when you say to somebody, let's take a walk, I don't know if you've ever said that phrase or enjoyed that phrase, but there's so many ways people walk. 00:08:35.679 --> 00:08:39.840 I love watching parents with little kids walk. 00:08:40.480 --> 00:08:44.879 It's a full sprint, and then they're carrying the bicycles and the kids. 00:08:48.720 --> 00:08:50.559 Now you need to walk. 00:08:50.879 --> 00:08:52.960 Oh, no problem, Daddy, I'll walk. 00:08:53.200 --> 00:08:53.840 No problem. 00:08:54.480 --> 00:08:58.799 And of course, two blocks later, Daddy, Daddy, I need a piggyback. 00:08:59.120 --> 00:09:05.519 And my wife used to take our little ones down a steep hill to school and then carry all the things back up the hill. 00:09:05.600 --> 00:09:08.720 But it's fun to watch that wonderful family walk. 00:09:08.879 --> 00:09:11.600 It's fun to watch friends take a walk. 00:09:11.919 --> 00:09:14.240 I love to watch adventurers hiking. 00:09:14.320 --> 00:09:17.200 One thing in Colorado, you hike a lot. 00:09:17.440 --> 00:09:19.840 Yes, I have a plaid shirt in the Subaru. 00:09:20.000 --> 00:09:21.360 I am Colorado now. 00:09:22.480 --> 00:09:29.200 But one of the things that Kathy did with two of our adult children last year is they did a 14er. 00:09:29.440 --> 00:09:41.919 There's 50 hikes in the Rockies that take you from about 8 or 9,000 feet early in the morning up to a summit by noon of 14,000 feet, and then you need to get down before the storms come in. 00:09:42.080 --> 00:09:43.919 And Kathy and two of my kids did that. 00:09:44.000 --> 00:09:49.279 Now I still think I worked harder watching the grandkids, but uh I haven't convinced them yet. 00:09:49.519 --> 00:09:54.320 Um, oh, by the way, isn't it fun to watch people who are dating take a walk? 00:09:54.720 --> 00:09:59.679 Because you never know if it might end up with a bended knee at the end of a walk. 00:10:00.159 --> 00:10:01.519 And so there's different walks. 00:10:01.679 --> 00:10:06.960 How many of you know if your boss says, let's take a walk, that can either mean a promotion or something else? 00:10:07.679 --> 00:10:14.480 And then our last home here was near the Campbell Community Center and the Campbell track on Campbell Avenue. 00:10:14.639 --> 00:10:15.759 I love watching. 00:10:15.840 --> 00:10:17.120 We walked by there yesterday. 00:10:17.279 --> 00:10:18.559 I love that track. 00:10:18.799 --> 00:10:21.519 Every type of person is taking a walk. 00:10:21.759 --> 00:10:28.639 You've got folks, you've got folks who are like me taking not quite a stroll, but you know, just taking a walk for some exercise. 00:10:28.799 --> 00:10:34.559 Then you've got the really power walkers with$500 worth of equipment to take a walk. 00:10:35.440 --> 00:10:38.000 And and lots of athletes, different groups of people. 00:10:38.080 --> 00:10:39.360 It's so much fun. 00:10:39.919 --> 00:10:41.679 And of course, I'm not quite there yet. 00:10:41.840 --> 00:10:44.240 In spite of our 46 years, I'm still 39. 00:10:44.320 --> 00:10:45.840 There's special math here. 00:10:46.480 --> 00:10:49.679 Those of you who know math, it's called imaginary numbers. 00:10:51.039 --> 00:10:59.120 But I'm I really do have a warm place in my heart to see an older married couple put on their silver sneakers and walk in the mall. 00:10:59.279 --> 00:11:04.720 And they're getting exercise as they do some window shopping, sometimes take grandkids with them. 00:11:05.039 --> 00:11:08.639 Taking a walk means companionship. 00:11:09.039 --> 00:11:10.960 It means being together. 00:11:11.120 --> 00:11:15.519 And the Bible is full of what it means to walk with God. 00:11:16.240 --> 00:11:26.240 We, the big idea this morning is that walking with God encompasses all aspects of what we've been talking about in this series. 00:11:26.559 --> 00:11:37.759 Carrying on a real conversation with Him, thinking about and talking about the Word of God, learning how to keep in step with the Holy Spirit. 00:11:37.919 --> 00:11:42.639 All that we've been talking about kind of comes together in this phrase, walking with God. 00:11:42.799 --> 00:11:50.320 And just a reminder: we serve a king who humbly walks with his servants. 00:11:50.879 --> 00:11:58.080 We serve a bridegroom who has asked us to be betrothed to him. 00:11:58.559 --> 00:12:02.399 We serve a master who says, Hey, you need to walk in my steps. 00:12:02.480 --> 00:12:04.559 I really know the best way for you. 00:12:04.799 --> 00:12:05.919 We have a rabbi. 00:12:06.159 --> 00:12:07.919 Jesus is a teacher. 00:12:08.080 --> 00:12:09.279 I love teaching. 00:12:09.360 --> 00:12:10.000 I have the joy. 00:12:10.080 --> 00:12:13.840 I'm continuing to carry a full load of teaching seminary students. 00:12:14.000 --> 00:12:18.159 And I think I'm the chief learner as they share all of their experiences. 00:12:18.639 --> 00:12:19.600 I love teaching. 00:12:19.679 --> 00:12:21.200 I love being taught. 00:12:21.519 --> 00:12:32.000 And we have a rabbi who wants who walks with us, not just in a classroom giving information or analysis, but illustrating life as we walk. 00:12:32.240 --> 00:12:35.279 We have a friend who wants our companionship. 00:12:35.840 --> 00:12:41.679 And then we also have the joy of walking and doing work together. 00:12:42.000 --> 00:12:49.039 So there's three things about walking with God I want you to take note of with me this morning that I hope will be a source of encouragement. 00:12:49.759 --> 00:12:58.639 The first facet is this: that God wants us to be faithful to the covenant. 00:12:58.960 --> 00:13:01.360 He wants faithfulness to the covenant. 00:13:01.600 --> 00:13:05.440 God wants our heartfelt devotion and worship. 00:13:05.759 --> 00:13:20.080 For those of you who might be newer to Christianity, you're looking, you're testing it out, you're trying to understand it, we want you to know there really are rules, there really are ethics, there really are standards that God has for us. 00:13:20.399 --> 00:13:30.080 But underneath that is a God who's given his whole self for us and wants us to give our whole self back as a thank you. 00:13:30.399 --> 00:13:35.440 He wants our hearts, because if he has our hearts, he'll get our heads and our hands. 00:13:35.679 --> 00:13:37.039 He wants our devotion. 00:13:37.200 --> 00:13:43.039 From the beginning, in Genesis 3.8, God is walking with Adam and Eve in the garden. 00:13:43.279 --> 00:13:49.039 In Genesis 6.9, the story of Noah, he walked faithfully with the Lord. 00:13:49.360 --> 00:13:54.559 And God through Noah redeemed and restored the history of humankind. 00:13:54.879 --> 00:13:59.200 Abraham was chosen by God, but he he walked in fidelity. 00:13:59.440 --> 00:14:04.879 And so in ancient Israel, the leaders and the people were called to be faithful. 00:14:05.039 --> 00:14:06.799 1 Kings 9, 4. 00:14:07.279 --> 00:14:21.679 As for you, if you walk before me faithfully with integrity of heart and uprightness, as David your father did, and do all I command to observe my decrees and laws, the Lord promises, I'm going to be with you and near you. 00:14:21.919 --> 00:14:23.600 I want you to be faithful. 00:14:23.840 --> 00:14:31.679 Psalm 89, 15, blessed are those who've learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence. 00:14:32.320 --> 00:14:45.600 So walking with God kind of begins with that invitation to a relationship that's heart to heart, face to face, spirit to spirit. 00:14:45.919 --> 00:14:48.639 Believers in Christ are invited to this walk with Christ. 00:14:48.720 --> 00:14:53.679 In John 8, 12, Jesus spoke again to the people and he said, I am the light of the world. 00:14:53.840 --> 00:14:59.759 Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. 00:15:00.080 --> 00:15:13.519 In 1 Corinthians 16, Paul is concerned that these young believers, these passionate believers, are getting distracted by all of the idols around them and distracted by all of the other moralities around them. 00:15:13.679 --> 00:15:18.480 By the way, are there any distractions in the valley or are we all churning butter on the farm? 00:15:20.320 --> 00:15:23.919 There's just a lot to distract us and to distort us. 00:15:24.080 --> 00:15:29.919 And so Paul says this, hey, what agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? 00:15:30.159 --> 00:15:36.240 We are the temple of the living God, and God has said, I will live with them and walk among them. 00:15:36.480 --> 00:15:40.480 I will be their God, and they will be my people. 00:15:41.759 --> 00:15:47.039 So I'd just like you come back with me to Sunday school for just a minute. 00:15:47.200 --> 00:15:51.519 Just put your hand on your heart and say, Lord, I want my walk to you to be from the heart. 00:15:51.679 --> 00:15:52.720 Is that okay? 00:15:53.039 --> 00:15:56.559 Lord, I just want my walk with you to be from my heart. 00:15:58.159 --> 00:16:05.759 Another great woman of history I'd like to highlight who understood this heartfelt walk was Sister Clara Brown. 00:16:05.919 --> 00:16:10.159 She was called the Queen of the Rockies in the late 19th century. 00:16:10.399 --> 00:16:23.519 She got her freedom as a slave in her 50s and left the Kansas, Missouri area and came out to, came out to the Colorado Gold Rush. 00:16:23.679 --> 00:16:27.759 I heard there was some small gold rush in California, 1848. 00:16:28.399 --> 00:16:33.759 Well, there was another one a decade later, far more important than, no, no, I'm joking, but in the Rockies. 00:16:33.840 --> 00:16:40.000 And she came out there, and like so many, she started a business cooking, cleaning, doing laundry. 00:16:40.480 --> 00:16:58.240 And Sister Clara might have just been an appreciated, hardworking person, not known to history, except in her walk with the Lord, she felt a prompting to really shake out the dust out of the miners' overalls and pants and to really shake it out thoroughly. 00:16:58.480 --> 00:17:02.879 And here's what she discovered, because she was so good at what she did, she had a lot of business. 00:17:03.120 --> 00:17:05.759 In that dust was gold dust. 00:17:07.119 --> 00:17:14.880 And from shaking out the miners' jeans, she got enough gold dust to buy her first piece of property. 00:17:15.440 --> 00:17:20.960 And over the next 30 years, she acquired 30 more pieces of property and four mines. 00:17:21.920 --> 00:17:31.279 She helped plant the first Protestant church in the Rockies and helped start the first old age home and hospital in the Rockies that was integrated. 00:17:31.599 --> 00:17:40.240 The governor celebrated her, and in her 80s, she rediscovered the family that had been ripped apart from her a half a century earlier. 00:17:40.559 --> 00:17:46.640 Queen of the Rockies started with walking with the Lord and shaking the dust. 00:17:46.880 --> 00:17:48.319 What an amazing thing. 00:17:48.480 --> 00:17:52.480 Folks, I can't promise you you're going to get rich instantly. 00:17:52.640 --> 00:17:54.480 But you know what I can promise us? 00:17:54.720 --> 00:18:04.160 That on Monday and every day of the week, He is with us to speak to us, walk with us, help us with our work as well as our prayer. 00:18:04.400 --> 00:18:08.079 He cares about our family as well as our private time. 00:18:08.559 --> 00:18:10.160 He loves us. 00:18:10.480 --> 00:18:12.079 Can we just give him praise for that? 00:18:12.240 --> 00:18:13.279 He's so worthy. 00:18:13.519 --> 00:18:15.119 He's so worthy. 00:18:16.880 --> 00:18:24.960 The second facet of walking with God, already implied in what I've shared, and that's faithfulness to the ways of God. 00:18:25.279 --> 00:18:29.599 Our loyalty of heart is proven by willing obedience. 00:18:29.920 --> 00:18:40.000 For ancient Israel and for new covenant Christians, obedience to the ways of God is a thank you for the grace of God. 00:18:40.480 --> 00:18:48.160 Christian ethics share a lot of the same values as other philosophies and religions, people of conscience. 00:18:48.400 --> 00:18:58.640 What makes our ethics, our moral precepts different is that they're rooted in our relationship with God, and they're rooted as a thank you. 00:18:58.960 --> 00:19:02.880 See, the Bible is the opposite of every other religion. 00:19:03.119 --> 00:19:08.160 Every other religion, you do these 85 things and you hope you might get a good result. 00:19:08.319 --> 00:19:12.799 How many of you know through the grace of God, we've already passed from death to life? 00:19:13.440 --> 00:19:19.039 We're already destined for an eternity with him, and now we want to say thank you. 00:19:19.839 --> 00:19:25.680 In fact, what I love is that we've been given freedom for obedience. 00:19:25.839 --> 00:19:42.880 In Leviticus 26, 13, in the middle of the most detailed book on sacrifices and priestly things, the writer says this, Moses says this, we are delivered by God to walk with our heads held high. 00:19:43.680 --> 00:19:53.119 Psalm 56, 13, for you have delivered me from death and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of life. 00:19:53.440 --> 00:19:55.599 The Lord bestows favor and honor. 00:19:55.680 --> 00:20:01.200 No good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless. 00:20:01.519 --> 00:20:04.319 We need to love the ways of God. 00:20:05.039 --> 00:20:06.880 God's ways are best. 00:20:07.359 --> 00:20:08.960 Psalm 119, 45. 00:20:09.119 --> 00:20:11.279 By the way, I hope you're not bored with scripture. 00:20:11.519 --> 00:20:13.759 It's the best part of any message. 00:20:15.519 --> 00:20:16.640 But it's right here. 00:20:16.799 --> 00:20:20.640 I will walk in freedom, for I've sought out your precepts. 00:20:21.039 --> 00:20:23.200 Our faithfulness leads to maturity. 00:20:23.279 --> 00:20:24.799 Look at Proverbs 9:6. 00:20:25.279 --> 00:20:27.839 Leave your simple ways and you will live. 00:20:28.079 --> 00:20:29.920 Walk in the way of insight. 00:20:30.160 --> 00:20:35.279 Folks, we may not all be intellectuals, but we can all be biblically intelligent. 00:20:35.440 --> 00:20:37.200 Would you agree with me on that today? 00:20:38.000 --> 00:20:41.759 No, don't try to compete intellectually. 00:20:42.079 --> 00:20:46.559 Be the best version of who we are, walking in the ways of God. 00:20:46.799 --> 00:20:54.000 Proverbs 13, 20, walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm. 00:20:54.480 --> 00:20:56.160 I love this one too. 00:20:56.799 --> 00:21:00.480 Proverbs 28, 6, so wonderful. 00:21:00.799 --> 00:21:05.599 Better the poor whose walk is blameless than the rich whose ways are perverse. 00:21:06.079 --> 00:21:20.960 So, folks, the ways of God, whether you when you hear in the Bible ordinance, command, precept, statute, ways, it's all of God's moral commands for us to guide our life well. 00:21:21.759 --> 00:21:38.400 A scripture I didn't get on the screen for you, but I just want you to remember in Deuteronomy chapter 10, the Lord says, Look, for all that I've done for you, here's what I ask: that you love me, that you reverence me, and that you walk in my ways that I give you for your good. 00:21:39.279 --> 00:21:44.079 By the way, I'm still trying to think what I gave up to follow Jesus that wouldn't have hurt me. 00:21:45.279 --> 00:21:47.839 Come on, chuckle with me, smile with me. 00:21:48.160 --> 00:21:52.640 No, well, you you what are we fundamentally giving up to follow Jesus? 00:21:52.880 --> 00:21:55.680 We're giving up our own selfishness. 00:21:56.480 --> 00:21:59.519 We're exchanging our sovereignty for His. 00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:02.240 Our kingship for his. 00:22:02.880 --> 00:22:07.839 We're exchanging our indulgence for his beautiful discipline. 00:22:08.480 --> 00:22:17.839 And all of the best things I ever wanted to be before as a Christian, he has more than given those back to me as we follow his ways. 00:22:18.640 --> 00:22:27.039 By the way, sometimes as we have this devoted heart to God and we're following his ways, sometimes we don't always feel his presence. 00:22:27.279 --> 00:22:38.400 And I want to take just a few seconds here and just say there are moments in life, not the majority, but there are times we go through some really deep waters and we're not feeling it. 00:22:38.720 --> 00:22:40.799 Isaiah 50, 10 addresses this. 00:22:41.039 --> 00:22:44.240 Who among you fears the Lord and obeys the word of his servant? 00:22:44.400 --> 00:22:51.200 Let he who walks in the dark who has no light trust in the name of the Lord and rely on God. 00:22:51.759 --> 00:22:55.759 So part of walking with God is he's with us, he's working in us. 00:22:56.000 --> 00:23:00.319 We feel his presence, we hear him speak to us as we pray and read the Bible. 00:23:00.400 --> 00:23:01.279 It's wonderful. 00:23:01.440 --> 00:23:06.880 But there are times he's going to ask us to walk faithfully when we don't always feel it. 00:23:07.119 --> 00:23:14.240 And so there may be some here today, you're in one of those moments, and the Lord wants you to know today that he's with you. 00:23:15.279 --> 00:23:17.279 He's with you, he's with us. 00:23:17.920 --> 00:23:19.839 Even when we don't feel it sometimes. 00:23:20.000 --> 00:23:27.359 For Christians, obedience comes from our new identity in Christ and dependence on the Holy Spirit. 00:23:27.519 --> 00:23:41.279 In Romans 12 and Ephesians 4, we see the great, therefore, since God's done all this for us, let's present our whole life to him and live worthy of the call that he's given us. 00:23:41.519 --> 00:23:48.480 I love in Galatians, he says, walk by the Spirit, and you won't give in to all those selfish desires. 00:23:48.640 --> 00:23:53.599 And then later on in the same chapter in Galatians, he says, let's keep in step with the Spirit. 00:23:53.920 --> 00:24:00.799 So let's exercise that godly character, but let's also know that he's walking with us step by step. 00:24:01.039 --> 00:24:04.079 Ephesians 5, 2, a beautiful encouragement. 00:24:04.240 --> 00:24:13.359 Walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant sacrifice and offering to God. 00:24:14.160 --> 00:24:17.200 So walking with God means a heart of devotion. 00:24:18.000 --> 00:24:26.640 And by the way, don't, when I talk about a heart of devotion, it's a fundamental decision to be faithful and loyal. 00:24:27.599 --> 00:24:32.400 And by the way, God made that decision toward us before we ever thought of Him. 00:24:33.119 --> 00:24:36.000 While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 00:24:36.480 --> 00:24:40.960 While we were still far away, He brought us near through the cross. 00:24:41.200 --> 00:24:46.960 How many of you are glad for Good Friday, where all of our sins were placed on Jesus? 00:24:47.519 --> 00:24:52.319 How many of you are even gladder with me for Easter Sunday that he triumphed over sin and death? 00:24:52.799 --> 00:24:54.799 And folks, that's the good news. 00:24:55.039 --> 00:24:58.480 And today is a day for some of us to say, Lord, thank you. 00:24:58.799 --> 00:25:00.400 You did everything for me. 00:25:00.640 --> 00:25:05.599 Now I want to give everything back to you as a thank you. 00:25:06.240 --> 00:25:07.599 As a thank you. 00:25:09.359 --> 00:25:10.960 There's a third facet. 00:25:12.000 --> 00:25:15.200 There's a third facet of our walk with God that I want to share with you. 00:25:15.440 --> 00:25:18.240 First is that individual heart of devotion. 00:25:18.960 --> 00:25:21.279 Then there's walking in the ways of God. 00:25:21.359 --> 00:25:23.759 And that's a lot of what we do together is learning. 00:25:23.920 --> 00:25:25.440 What does God think about this? 00:25:25.519 --> 00:25:30.160 Or what's the best principle we can apply to this area of work or family? 00:25:30.559 --> 00:25:40.880 But then there's a third facet of our walk with God, and that is that He calls us to faithfulness, to community and mission together. 00:25:41.119 --> 00:25:47.119 He calls us to love one another and walk with God by walking with each other. 00:25:47.839 --> 00:25:51.119 Now we live in a confused and fragmented world. 00:25:51.440 --> 00:25:58.400 Our spirituality is so often disconnected from our morality out there outside of the church. 00:25:58.720 --> 00:26:09.759 There's a lot of folks who've experienced some hurts from Christians or hurts from churches, and so there can be isolation and not really trusting whether they want to be in community. 00:26:11.519 --> 00:26:14.079 One of the most interesting phenomena I observe. 00:26:14.240 --> 00:26:16.000 Have you seen the t-shirts everywhere? 00:26:16.079 --> 00:26:17.920 And there's stores in the mall now. 00:26:18.160 --> 00:26:19.440 Be a good person. 00:26:20.480 --> 00:26:24.880 By the way, don't rebuke that, just say, just celebrate it, then ask them what good means. 00:26:26.640 --> 00:26:28.480 Okay, don't get mad at me. 00:26:29.440 --> 00:26:37.119 By the way, being a good person is a good thing, but you know what that means outside of Christ and outside of Scripture, it means whatever people want it to mean now. 00:26:37.519 --> 00:26:41.200 And most of the time, goodness is sort of reduced to niceness. 00:26:43.119 --> 00:26:47.519 Toleration used to be living with our differences, now it means I'm supposed to approve. 00:26:48.240 --> 00:26:50.240 Folks, there's so much more here. 00:26:50.480 --> 00:26:58.960 If you, and Kathy and I can tell you, and others of you who've walked with the Lord for a while, we know a little bit. 00:26:59.759 --> 00:27:04.960 Our lives have been punctuated and punctured by disappointments in and outside of the church. 00:27:05.200 --> 00:27:14.400 But folks, he wants us to walk together, and the Holy Spirit is saying to all of us today, walk with me with each other. 00:27:14.880 --> 00:27:18.799 Because we can't see all of who God is alone. 00:27:19.440 --> 00:27:25.680 We see it in the eyes of others, we see it in the service of others, we see it in the gifts of others. 00:27:26.000 --> 00:27:31.119 Wholehearted devotion, walking in the ways of God, and then walking together. 00:27:31.359 --> 00:27:37.680 And here at Awakening, there are beautiful pathways for prayer, for counsel, for healing. 00:27:37.839 --> 00:27:44.240 And if there's some real struggles from your history, there's healing in the name of Jesus. 00:27:44.559 --> 00:27:48.799 And that healing sometimes comes in a moment, and I love that when it comes in a moment. 00:27:49.039 --> 00:27:53.759 But how many of you know sometimes it comes day by day, walking with one another? 00:27:54.000 --> 00:27:57.279 There's healing, there's deliverance, there's freedom. 00:27:57.599 --> 00:28:05.680 And our love for one another is one of the key signs that we are both walking with God and we can witness to the world around us. 00:28:06.319 --> 00:28:08.480 But here's a couple beautiful pictures from Scripture. 00:28:08.559 --> 00:28:22.400 In Isaiah chapter 2, as the prophet looks ahead to the kingdom of God in greater fullness, he says, Many peoples, notice the plural, will come and say, Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the temple of our God. 00:28:22.799 --> 00:28:26.880 He will teach us his way so that we may walk in his paths. 00:28:27.119 --> 00:28:30.400 The law will go out from Zion, the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. 00:28:30.559 --> 00:28:34.960 Come, descendants of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the Lord. 00:28:35.359 --> 00:28:44.160 And then one of the most famous summary texts of the Old Testament, Micah 6.8, He has shown you, O mortal, O man. 00:28:44.799 --> 00:28:52.160 He's shown you, and Micah speaking this from the Lord's heart to all of humanity, what is good. 00:28:52.240 --> 00:28:53.759 And what does the Lord require? 00:28:54.000 --> 00:28:59.039 To act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with our God. 00:29:00.160 --> 00:29:05.680 For believers, love is the root and fruit of all of other virtues. 00:29:06.079 --> 00:29:16.799 And as we look in the book of Colossians, chapter 3, we see the life of the community as we learn together, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved. 00:29:16.960 --> 00:29:18.079 Look at the verbs here. 00:29:18.319 --> 00:29:20.640 Clothe yourself with compassion. 00:29:21.039 --> 00:29:23.920 Bear with each other, forgive one another. 00:29:24.160 --> 00:29:28.319 Forgive as the Lord forgave you, and over all of these put on love. 00:29:29.599 --> 00:29:35.599 And then I used to avoid the book of 1 John because he's kind of honest and clear. 00:29:37.279 --> 00:29:43.359 And he said, Look, if you say you love God, you've got to make the choice to love your brothers and sisters too. 00:29:43.519 --> 00:29:45.759 Look at 1 John 1.7 and 2.11. 00:29:45.920 --> 00:29:50.000 If we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another. 00:29:50.160 --> 00:29:53.599 And the blood of Jesus' son purifies us from all sin. 00:29:53.759 --> 00:29:59.279 But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in darkness and walks around in darkness. 00:30:00.079 --> 00:30:05.519 Today the Holy Spirit may be working on some of our hearts to forgive. 00:30:05.920 --> 00:30:20.319 Not to excuse something that was very serious, not to violate a boundary that may be needed for our safety and security, but to forgive and to realize that God has a new history for us. 00:30:20.799 --> 00:30:22.559 I love studying history. 00:30:23.759 --> 00:30:26.319 I'd love to have a conversation with anyone after church today. 00:30:26.480 --> 00:30:29.839 We'll name a decade or century and have fun there, but you know what? 00:30:30.160 --> 00:30:33.279 I am not, I am not my history. 00:30:33.440 --> 00:30:35.119 I am the hope of Jesus Christ. 00:30:36.400 --> 00:30:39.680 I love what my natural parents invested in me. 00:30:39.839 --> 00:30:43.759 They did their best, and I have taken the best of what they've done, but you know what? 00:30:43.920 --> 00:30:45.359 They weren't perfect. 00:30:46.000 --> 00:30:49.599 And I am not bound by my family history. 00:30:50.000 --> 00:30:52.960 I am set free to be part of God's family. 00:30:53.279 --> 00:31:05.359 And I can give you the good news that God has helped Kathy and I create a family that has a chance to be and is walking in the ways of the Lord and learning the ways of the Lord together. 00:31:05.519 --> 00:31:09.359 We are not our history, we are our hope. 00:31:10.960 --> 00:31:13.359 We get to be fully devoted to the Lord. 00:31:13.599 --> 00:31:16.319 Walking with God means he wants our whole heart. 00:31:16.559 --> 00:31:19.279 Walking with God means we learn his ways. 00:31:19.519 --> 00:31:28.480 His ways for business, his ways for family, his ways for how we treat each other, his ways for how we share with others, how we navigate. 00:31:29.440 --> 00:31:32.160 But it also means we walk together. 00:31:32.640 --> 00:31:38.640 We offer our whole hearts, we obey his commands, and we walk with others. 00:31:40.000 --> 00:31:42.400 I think we should take a walk today, don't you? 00:31:43.039 --> 00:31:44.880 And let the Lord speak to us. 00:31:45.200 --> 00:31:46.720 Let the Lord guide us. 00:31:48.480 --> 00:31:57.359 There was a missionary, a Presbyterian missionary of the last century, and he did evangelization and literacy training throughout Asia. 00:31:58.160 --> 00:32:02.799 And he said, Lord, I want to know your presence every day. 00:32:03.680 --> 00:32:06.480 Would you agree that's a really good aspiration for all of us? 00:32:07.359 --> 00:32:10.799 We want to know, I want to know your presence every day. 00:32:11.039 --> 00:32:12.880 And so in his prayer times he felt it. 00:32:12.960 --> 00:32:16.079 And then he said, You know, Lord, I can't do my work without you. 00:32:16.400 --> 00:32:18.720 Can I know your presence every hour? 00:32:20.480 --> 00:32:22.880 Boy, that would be fantastic. 00:32:23.039 --> 00:32:28.559 And by the way, he wasn't some odd mystic in a monastery. 00:32:29.039 --> 00:32:29.920 He was working. 00:32:30.160 --> 00:32:34.960 So he says, as I go about my work, I want to walk with you and I want to know your presence. 00:32:35.519 --> 00:32:40.880 And toward the end of his life, he said, Lord, I haven't quite achieved this, but could I know it every minute? 00:32:43.519 --> 00:32:45.519 His name was Frank Laubach. 00:32:46.319 --> 00:32:56.559 And Richard Foster, in his great book, Celebration of Discipline, uses this to give us an illustration of a passion for prayer and for walking with God. 00:32:57.680 --> 00:33:04.079 And folks, each of our temperaments, experiences, are going to be unique and different. 00:33:04.400 --> 00:33:07.920 My friend Lynn Johnson says, God speaks in our accent. 00:33:08.960 --> 00:33:13.119 And so how we each experience it might be a little different. 00:33:13.599 --> 00:33:15.680 But it starts with our whole hearts. 00:33:15.920 --> 00:33:19.200 It continues with obedience as a thank you. 00:33:19.759 --> 00:33:27.440 And then it culminates in walking together and learning together and knowing that he's with us at all times. 00:33:27.920 --> 00:33:32.000 The worship team's going to come and we're going to respond to the grace of God. 00:33:32.400 --> 00:33:47.519 Pastor Ryan's going to send us out with a great commission, but I'd like us to take a moment together to just pray in these points and allow the Holy Spirit to allow his word to find a deep place in our heart. 00:33:48.160 --> 00:34:03.039 And as we prepare for the Great Passion Week, as we prepare and pray and walk and share the gospel with others moving toward Easter, we get to know the God who wants to walk with us. 00:34:03.200 --> 00:34:05.119 Would you join me in prayer for just a moment? 00:34:06.640 --> 00:34:07.680 Hallelujah. 00:34:08.000 --> 00:34:10.800 Gracious and loving God, we thank you. 00:34:11.679 --> 00:34:16.480 We thank you that knowing you is so much more than knowing about you. 00:34:17.920 --> 00:34:21.440 That you are real and you are tangible. 00:34:22.320 --> 00:34:39.840 You're the infinite God, the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, the one who dwells in the highest of heavens, and you are also the God who's near, with the humble in heart, with the broken in spirit. 00:34:40.000 --> 00:34:43.280 You're the one who rejoices over us with joy. 00:34:43.599 --> 00:34:47.280 You are the God who's infinite and personal. 00:34:47.599 --> 00:34:55.599 Jesus, you're the King, you're the eternal word, and you are forever one of us. 00:34:56.559 --> 00:34:59.519 And you would rather die than live without us. 00:34:59.760 --> 00:35:01.599 You willingly came. 00:35:03.679 --> 00:35:06.400 And you became one of us forever. 00:35:06.559 --> 00:35:09.840 And you took all of our sins and sorrows. 00:35:10.079 --> 00:35:15.679 You took all of our unanswered questions and our sicknesses and our pains. 00:35:16.800 --> 00:35:20.159 And you rose again that we might have new hope. 00:35:20.480 --> 00:35:23.360 Holy Spirit, we thank you that you are God. 00:35:24.000 --> 00:35:26.800 Your breath put all the stars in place. 00:35:27.199 --> 00:35:31.519 You raised Jesus from the dead and you live in us. 00:35:32.639 --> 00:35:39.119 Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we want to walk with you in full devotion today. 00:35:40.000 --> 00:35:48.800 If you're in the sound of my voice and you've never fully surrendered to Jesus, this is a good moment to do so. 00:35:50.079 --> 00:35:59.119 You're feeling that tug inside your heart, that you need to exchange being in charge of your life to letting Him be in charge. 00:36:00.400 --> 00:36:08.320 That you need to be forgiven of those things that you regret so that you might know the peace that God offers you. 00:36:09.440 --> 00:36:14.239 And if you're making that decision right now, it's profound and it's simple. 00:36:15.119 --> 00:36:17.920 It's a full exchange of who's in charge. 00:36:18.480 --> 00:36:22.159 That you believe that Christ died for your sins, that he rose again. 00:36:22.400 --> 00:36:25.280 And if you're making that decision today, please be in touch with us. 00:36:25.440 --> 00:36:26.960 We want to walk with you. 00:36:27.920 --> 00:36:33.119 Prepare you for a life then of walking in God's ways. 00:36:33.599 --> 00:36:41.840 For those of us who've been believers for any length of time, this is a day of rededication to obedience to the ways of God. 00:36:42.719 --> 00:36:51.280 So, Lord, we come to you with humility and say, forgive us where we've tried to adjust your word or we've tried to make our own way at times. 00:36:51.599 --> 00:36:57.360 Lord, help us fall in love with you and fall in love with your ways all over again. 00:36:59.199 --> 00:37:07.039 And then, Lord, we ask for your healing and hope as we walk with you by walking together with each other. 00:37:07.519 --> 00:37:21.039 Help us walk with heads held high in the freedom of the children of God and help us make a new friend and help another sister or brother walk with you as well. 00:37:22.079 --> 00:37:27.039 We thank you and we praise you in Jesus' name. 00:37:27.360 --> 00:37:28.719 Would you say amen? 00:37:29.360 --> 00:37:32.559 Would you do one more motion with me before I turn it over? 00:37:32.719 --> 00:37:36.880 Would you just put your hand right here on your forehead for once just five seconds? 00:37:37.920 --> 00:37:45.039 I want to commission you to be on the lookout for someone new to help connect to our church. 00:37:45.280 --> 00:37:46.719 And I want to give you good news. 00:37:46.800 --> 00:37:48.880 There's someone looking out for you as well. 00:37:49.119 --> 00:37:50.800 Can we praise the Lord for his goodness? 00:37:50.880 --> 00:37:51.840 Would you stand with me? 00:37:52.000 --> 00:37:53.519 Let's praise the Lord. 00:37:54.960 --> 00:37:57.199 We hope you're blessed by this message. 00:37:57.440 --> 00:38:01.840 Please subscribe to our podcast for access to every episode as they're uploaded. 00:38:02.000 --> 00:38:04.079 And hey, we'd love to connect with you. 00:38:04.239 --> 00:38:09.760 Take a next step by filling out our virtual connection card at awakeningchurch.comslash card.