June 21st, 2023

WALK_A_THON
 
Walkathons are a popular way to lose weight, have fun and raise money for a good cause, a favorite charity.
If we are passionate about some cause, we will walk across Australia or we will walk from one city to another to raise awareness about that issue.
It is a brave and noble thing to do. Sometimes it might be foolhardy but that is lost in the nobility of the action.
The persistence needed to undertake the walkathon, going out of the comfort zone, and the sacrifice to creature comforts is a challenge and takes us beyond ourselves. We are often the better people for daring to challenge ourselves.
Facing mental challenges, physical dares, and overcoming weaknesses to do something for someone else or a cause makes us bigger people.
FOUR MARATHON WALKERS
The Bible talks about walking.  Walking with God means a manner of lifestyles, and how we conduct ourselves.  The great New Testament writer Paul, wrote, “I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation wherewith you are called.” Ephesians 4: 1. This scripture is really saying, let our way of life match up with what we say. Does our behavior match our confession?
The Bible relates the stories of four men who walked with God:
Enoch – walked with God.  His name means dedicated.  Enoch lived up to his name, he was dedicated to God and walked with Him.
 After Enoch’s son Methuselah was born Enoch lived 365 years. Enoch walked with God and then God took him. Enoch was translated so he would not see death.  His remains were never found.  Enoch’s testimony is that he was pleasing to God.  He had a strong, dedicated faith in his Creator and through 300 years he never wavered in his walk with God.  God was delighted by such commitment and translated Enoch, by-passing death.  God rewards faith. If we seek God with all our heart, he will reward us with His presence. We will walk or live habitually in the presence of God.
Noah was another man who walked with God.  His name means rest and comfort.
 The Bible says Noah was a just man and he found favor in the eyes of the Lord.  Noah walked with God and God gave him the task of building the ark and ultimately saved the human race.
Noah was a just man in a corrupt world. Noah’s life stood the test, his actions proved his faith by building the ark exactly as God directed him.  Noah did not conform to the popular trends of the time. He loved God more than popular opinion.  Popular opinion thought Noah mad to build a boat where there was no water.  What was the point of a boat?  T would never be used.  God honored Noah’s faith. God honors our faith, too. Ephesians 4: 17; Ephesians 5: 21; Rom 13: 13; 1 John 2: 15 – 17.
Abraham walked with God.
  The meaning of his name is:  exalted, father of a multitude.
When Abraham was 90 years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “Walk before me and be perfect.” God’s expectation of Abraham was huge.  Abraham must leave his home, family and country and walk with God to a place unknown but which God would show him. 
The Bible says, “By faith Abraham, when he was called obeyed; he went out not knowing the place or how to get there.  He journeyed forth depending on God to show him.”
To walk with God, we are expected to put our faith in God and move trustingly by his leading.  Can we trust a person we can’t see?  How can we know what a person, we can’t see, says to us?  This is where faith steps in. Faith says take that step into the unknown and God will open up the way, faith says, trust that inner voice and take the step-in faith as Abraham did.  God loves faith, he rewards faith abundantly.  Walking with God into our future we are assured of peace, joy and security. If joy and peace are lacking within us, it could be we are not walking with God. We are trying to work out our life by our own understanding of life, which is a narrow view at best, because we can’t see the big picture.  God can see the big picture and he has the plan for our life.
Zacharias means: remembered of God.
Zacharias and his wife Elizabeth walked in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord, blameless.
Zacharias practiced what he preached.  He kept faith in God no matter what the circumstances around him. Zacharias did not look to popularity contests, or tic-toc, or Instagram or Face Book to guide him. Having decided to commit to God with all of his heart, he never deserted the life in God he chose.
A RELATIONSHIP             
If we have made a similar decision to walk with God with all of our heart it will be a walk by faith not conforming to popular opinion but by every word from God.  This faith walk calls for two things, a daily reading of the Bible.  The Bible is God’s word and we need to know it and live by it, listen to it.   Talking with God is the second thing. Our walk with God will develop into an intimacy with God, we will experience God, and we will have a relationship with God.  Our way of life will be directed by God if we talk and walk with him.
But Hey! There is nothing to lose and everything to gain.   God loves us and we are the apple of his eyes.  We can enjoy his favour and never lack anything.  So why not commit to walking with God as these four guys did.

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