Walk the Walk

[0:00] Walking the walk.

[0:11] It's a common expression, isn't it?! While you're travelling, it's important that we're on the right track.

[0:34] And Jeremiah 6.16 tells us of such a track, of such a path. Jeremiah 6.16 Thus saith the Lord, standing in the ways, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way?

[0:48] And walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But, they said, we will not walk therein.

[1:01] The Lord shows us the way to walk, the way to live. The eternal way to live. Some say, we will not walk therein.

[1:13] They just harden their hearts, they turn their backs, they turn aside their ear from the way of God. And through the word, the way is the Christian life, is the Christian fellowship.

[1:27] The way is what we are. Called in Acts, God's people are the way. Sadly, some are aimless.

[1:38] They're turning from the way, they refuse the way. We will not walk therein. They refuse it. I trust that you today are one of the travelers on this spiritual path.

[1:49] On the good way. The old paths. Stand ye in the ways. And ye shall find rest. Rest for your souls.

[2:00] Paul writes in Galatians 5.25 If we live in the spirit, let us also walk in the spirit. How do we walk that walk?

[2:12] How do we walk the talk? There's a lot of people talking about it and not walking that way.

[2:22] We all need to learn spiritually. How can I walk? How can I walk out my faith? How can I walk the walk of faith? It's a different walk. It's a different journey. It's a different destination.

[2:33] Psalm 23.3 The psalmist said, He restoreth my soul. He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. He leadeth me. He leadeth me. As the song goes, O blessed thought.

[2:46] He leadeth me. Is he leading you? I know the psalm, take it very seriously. What if the Lord's leading? Even saying very practical things.

[2:57] I know I was speaking to someone on the bus today. Very practical things. What is God leading me to do? What is he leading me to be? How is he guiding me today? And we should have that heart attitude.

[3:08] It's revolutionary, don't it? To break the mould, isn't it? The world will just go willy-nilly, helter-skelter, without thought, without reason, without prayer.

[3:20] But we need to walk the walk. And that takes a spiritual path. A new dynamic, a new direction. The psalmist in Psalm 26, 11, he says, But as for me, I will walk in mine integrity, redeem me and be merciful unto me.

[3:38] He wanted to walk in integrity. Think about it just as we think on this theme of walking the walk. What am I on about today? To walk the walk. To walk the walk. How can I walk the Christian walk?

[3:50] The Christian life. What is it all about? Firstly, you need to be on the right path. Make sure that you're on the right path.

[4:01] Proverbs 4, 18, it says, But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. The path of the just, it's like the shining light.

[4:12] It shineth more and more unto the perfect day. That's the kind of pathway I pray that you're on today. If you're a believer, you're on that pathway. Now, some of you are a bit brighter than others.

[4:23] Some of you are a bit duller than others. But it tells you there, if you're on that path, the path of the just shineth more and more unto the perfect day. Keep on that pathway and you'll get brighter and brighter.

[4:37] There'll be a bright spark for Jesus. You'll be a burning and shining light. Stay on that pathway. A pathway that brings an ever-increasing closeness unto Him. An ever more glorious fellowship with the Holy Spirit.

[4:49] An ever more walking in the light as He is in the light. An ever more developing of Christ-likeness. 1 Peter 2, 21, it says, For even here unto where ye called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving for us an example, that ye should follow His steps.

[5:06] Follow His steps. Lots of people you can follow. There's lots of advice you can follow. But most important of all, do you follow the Lord Jesus?

[5:20] You know, I was kind of saddened just yesterday. I encouraged someone to come to church and he said that his mentor didn't like this church.

[5:33] So he wasn't going to come anymore. I don't know what he meant by that, but I just tried to graciously reply to him, follow Jesus. Follow Jesus. That's all that I can really say, isn't it?

[5:45] I wasn't attacking any church or saying that he was wrong or anything. But the vital thing is that we follow the Lord Jesus. If we follow the Lord Jesus, we want to be in fellowship with people who love the Lord, with people who love the book, who love the truth.

[6:00] Now friends, to have that ever-increasing fellowship, that shineeth more and more unto the perfect day. How do we get that? Follow His steps. Follow His steps. Follow His footsteps is the meaning of it.

[6:12] Follow in those footsteps. Walk in agreement with God. It says in Amos 3.3, Can two walk together except they be agreed? Can two walk together except they be agreed?

[6:24] Agree with God. Agree with Him. Agree with His Word. Agree with His Word unto you. Tune your heart unto Him. A.W. Tozer said this, Has it ever occurred to you that 100 pianos, all tuned to the same fork, are automatically tuned to each other.

[6:43] They are of one accord by being tuned, not to each other, but to another standard, which each one must individually bow. So 100 worshipers meeting together, each one looking to Christ, are in heart closer to each other than they could ever be if they were to become unity conscious and turn their eyes away from God to strive for closer fellowship.

[7:08] That's a telling statement, isn't it? You know, the unity that we have is not a man-made unity of trying to conform to some regulation or some authority of sorts, but it's as we draw closer to Him, as we tune in to heaven, as we tune in to Christ and His Word and follow His steps, that we'll be closer to one another because we'll be more like Him, we'll be more loving, we'll be more spiritual, we'll be more godly, we'll be more spirit-filled as we draw closer to Him.

[7:43] Are we on the right track, the right path? Friends, sometimes that right path takes us through troublesome times. As it says in Isaiah 43, 19, it tells you, He will make a way where there is no other way.

[7:59] Isaiah 43, 19, it says, in part, I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. Perhaps the new life, the journey of life, is beset by some trials.

[8:12] There are some temptations. I know people speak to me all the time of such matters and I feel for people and yet it's not to me that you need to come. It's unto Him.

[8:23] It's unto the mercy seat. It's come boldly into His presence. Come boldly to that throne of grace. In those times of testing, follow Jesus, follow Him. He will show you the way.

[8:34] He will guide your steps. As we read that familiar one in Proverbs 3, that we know that, in all your ways acknowledge Him. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding.

[8:49] In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy paths. He will guide your steps. He will direct your path. The Bible says to you today, friends, if you're a Christian this morning, walk with God.

[9:03] Walk with God. Many scriptures talk about walking. For example, walk in the fear of the Lord. That's one way that we are called to walk.

[9:15] We're commanded to walk in the fear of God. We're commanded to walk in wisdom, to those that are outside. We're commanded to walk in the light, as He is in the light.

[9:26] To walk in newness of light. To walk in truth. To walk in love. To walk in the Spirit. To walk humbly with thy God. Which path will you choose?

[9:37] Will you be as those who say, we will not walk therein? They want to sing the song, I did it my way. I know. Or will you choose God's way.

[9:48] God's way. It's far better. It's far, far better than anything else you could ever think of. The way of life. The broad way that leadeth to destruction.

[10:00] Or the narrow way that leadeth to life. Truly, it's a road less travelled, isn't it? The road that leadeth to life. The narrow way. The narrow path. Make sure, friends today, I urge you, I'm not assuming that everyone here today is a believer.

[10:18] You might not be on that right path yet. And it's not to say there's many paths to God as some would think. There's only one way. There's a song I know my sister used to sing.

[10:30] One way, Jesus Christ. One way through Calvary. He is the truth and the life. He is the one for you and me. Friends, He is the way, the truth, the life. There is no other path.

[10:42] And I've heard it expressed before that perhaps you could even picture it how there's the broad way that leadeth to destruction. You know, the massive super highway that leadeth to destruction.

[10:55] Many are going that way. But the narrow path is just a very narrow, very limited scope. And there's few that find it, it says.

[11:07] And you could almost picture it that they're going almost in parallel. But the narrow way is going the complete opposite way to the broad way. You know, if you could almost picture it that way. That we're just going to the Lord.

[11:19] We're going on His way. We know the Saviour, the way, who is the only way to heaven. The way, the truth and the life. And everyone else is going in the wrong direction. And, you know, it's almost like we're going against the flow.

[11:32] But if we choose Christ, we choose life. He is the right path. And secondly, to walk the walk, we need to think and consider that we have the right companions with us.

[11:43] The right companions. You know, when you walk somewhere, I know there's a friend of mine, I often see him walking with his friend down the road. You know, they go exercising, walking together.

[11:54] Sometimes I like to walk with my dear wife. And we walk together hand in hand. And it's a blessed time as we walk in sweet fellowship with one another. And, you know, that's a blessing, isn't it?

[12:06] If you've got the right companion, it makes the walk so much sweeter. And it's like that with the Christian life too, isn't it? Choose the right companions. When you want to go somewhere, it's important who you take with you.

[12:18] And even if you're in the midst of trying times, one that especially is with you is the Lord himself. The Lord himself, as we read in Daniel 3, verse 25, the account of the three Hebrew children in the midst of the fire.

[12:33] They looked into that burning, fiery furnace, heated seven times hotter than normal. And they said, look, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt.

[12:45] And the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. Who was there walking with them? Jesus. Jesus was with them. The Lord Jesus was there in the midst of that fire, in the midst of that test, in the midst of that horrible place of death, of destruction, of suffering.

[13:02] Christ was there. And he shielded them, he saved them. And it says, they have no hurt. Christ is there. Christ is there. The fourth man in the furnace.

[13:14] Are you walking with the Saviour? If you're thinking of the companions to take with you, first and foremost, make sure that you're holding his hand. Holding his hand firmly. Are you walking with the Saviour?

[13:25] And friends, the Bible has much to say about companionships. It says that evil associations corrupt good manners. I'm not sure of the exact quote on that one. But evil companionships, evil associations corrupt good manners.

[13:39] It's damaging and hurtful to you to mix with people who are of evil and not of good, not of God. But it says the right kind of companionships we can choose.

[13:52] We read that there in Psalm 119 verse 63. A brother referred to this one Sunday night in passing to me. And it's a telling one. Take a load of this one.

[14:03] Psalm 119 verse 63. It says, who are you to keep company with? Who are you to have companionships with? The psalmist says in Psalm 119 verse 63, Does that apply to you?

[14:24] Are you a companion of those who keep the Word of God? Are you a companion of those who fear the Lord? Do you make it a habit to be with the people of God?

[14:35] Make it a habit to spend time with them. Make it a habit to be in their company, to be in fellowship. That's important for you as you walk the walk, that you choose the right companions.

[14:46] It says in Proverbs 2.20 in part, Walk in the way of good men and keep the paths of the righteous. Think of the good men. There's people I look up to in this church. There's godly men.

[14:57] There's godly women who I regard, who I esteem, who I honour. I look up to them and I want to be with them. I want to spend time with them. I want them to spend time with me.

[15:09] And so should all of us. We should want to mix and associate fellowship wherever we have opportunity to. Get together with people who will bless you and who you can be a blessing to.

[15:20] In Proverbs 13.20, I know I've referred to this of late too. But, He that walketh with wise men shall be wise, but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.

[15:31] Who is it that we hang around with? Do we hang around people who are messing about with false doctrine, who may be not even saved, who are mucking around down the pub, trying to live half the life, sitting on the fence, not really sold out to Christ.

[15:45] Maybe we should seek to reach them and influence them. But we don't want them to influence us. We want to be an influence on people for Christ to lift their faith.

[15:56] Be where you can help a brother. Be where you can help a sister to grow. Unless there's good reason not to be, be in fellowship. It's essential. It's important.

[16:08] I wonder about many that I know. They're not in fellowship. They're not in fellowship. It hurts me because I hurt for them. I see what they're missing out on.

[16:19] And I'm missing out on them. Friends, be in fellowship unless there's a good reason not to be. You know, if you're on the edge of the grave, that would be about the only reason, I think.

[16:30] Walk the walk. Walk the walk. Choose the right path. Find the right companions. But thirdly, wear the right shoes. Wear the right shoes. You know, shoes are important.

[16:41] We're talking on the bus today about podiatrists. We need to have those right kind of shoes. And Marjorie gets some special treatment for her feet. I just heard it lately. Amongst all the interesting things Marjorie tells me while I'm on the bus.

[16:54] The Christian soldier needs the right kind of shoes. Amen. And the Bible says in Ephesians that we should have our feet shod with the gospel. Amen.

[17:04] Our feet should be wearing the gospel. Those gospel shoes. Wherever your foot treads. Wherever you go, the gospel should go. I know, I also heard another interesting thing on the bus.

[17:16] You hear all kinds of interesting things on the bus. But someone told me he was a bit contagious today. He's a carrier. And I thought, yeah, that's what we should be. We should be a carrier.

[17:27] A carrier. Not for some dread disease. Not for some contagious contagion. But a carrier of the message.

[17:38] I'm not talking about the message Bible. But a carrier of the message. Amen. A carrier of the gospel message. That's what we need to be. Wherever your foot treads, the gospel goes with you.

[17:51] Take the gospel there. Wherever you go. As it says in Isaiah 52, 7. How beautiful are the feet of him that bringeth good news. How beautiful are the feet.

[18:03] There's feet that bring good news. That bring good tidings. Friends, you're on a journey. How are you going? How are you travelling? How are you doing? On this gospel journey.

[18:14] On this spiritual walk. This walk in the Spirit. On this journey. Think of the shoes. Think of where you're treading. Think of who you're going with. On this journey.

[18:25] Take time for others. I really started this message in preparation with the thought of the Golden Rule. golden rule, the message changed completely as I thought it through.

[18:39] But on this journey, take time for others. Take time for others. This journey of faith is not about me, myself and I. Now the way some people pray, it's almost like that's the circle of everything that they care about. It's about me, myself and I.

[18:59] The Christian life is about others. It's about others. It's about taking time for others. To walk in their shoes, to take time to care, to go the extra mile for others. To go the second mile.

[19:13] Anyone can go one mile. What you're forced to do is the intention was back in the Roman days and they forced someone that by law they had to obey and help carry something. But the Christian would go the second mile.

[19:28] The second mile. Go the extra mile for others. Don't be selfish. You know it says in Proverbs 14, 14 the backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways and a good man shall be satisfied from himself.

[19:42] I know I need to learn to be a lot less selfish. To be a lot less selfish. To be a lot more caring. Especially for my wife. To care for others. We should care for others.

[19:54] And we can very easily get very selfish. Very pride filled. Very highfalutin. Very inconsiderate.

[20:05] And for some the journey of life is steep and troubled. There's people on this journey. There's brothers and sisters here this morning. The journey of life is steep and troubled for them today.

[20:18] Take time. Take time this morning. Don't. Please don't rush off. Unless you've got some pressing commitment. Please take time. Take time. Show Christ to others.

[20:29] It's sometimes the only time we get together. So let's make the most of it. Matthew 7.12 it says Therefore all things whatsoever ye were that men should do unto you do ye even so to them.

[20:41] For this is the law and the prophets. They call it the golden rule don't they? Do unto others as you have them do unto you. The ultimate standard by which we should regulate all conduct. And you know there's caring things in all kinds of religions today.

[20:54] I was reading how there's all kinds of religions. They generally word things such that don't do something bad to someone that you wouldn't do to yourself.

[21:06] But they don't put it in a positive way. Do good. Do good. Do to them what you would like them to do to you. With Christ it's all completely different.

[21:17] It's about us taking the initiative. It's about us not just refraining from hurting others. Anyone can do that. Determining not to treat others badly you know pretty much everyone would kind of think somewhat along that line I'm sure most of the time.

[21:34] But it's about doing something positive. It's about going that second mile. How are you travelling? How are you walking? Are you walking worthy of the calling?

[21:44] There's people watching you walk. They're watching you walk. Sometimes we all stumble and fail. Follow me even as I follow Christ but if I'm not following Christ please don't follow me.

[21:57] You know Colossians 1 said that you might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. Friends we only travel this journey once.

[22:08] We only travel through this life once. Make it count. I know it was said of late in the messages of late that if I've only got one life make it make it count. Will there be something worthwhile left behind?

[22:22] Something worthwhile left behind. Something worthy of Him. Worthy of Him. Not our own vain works. Not for our own vain glory. Or for people to pat us on the back. Or think highly of us.

[22:34] But that He would get the glory. That He would get the glory. That we're walking the walk. Friends just to wrap up Luke 6 I'm going to read a text from Luke 6 27 I know I've been all over the place this morning but I trust it's all part of that pathway.

[22:50] It's being on that pathway of the Christian walk. And the Lord Jesus says to us in Luke 6 27 I say unto you love your enemies do good to them which hate you that's walking the walk isn't it?

[23:06] Bless them that curse you and pray for them that despitefully use you that's walking the walk. And unto him that smites thee I want you give him the other. That's walking the walk isn't it?

[23:20] And him that taketh away thy cloak let him take away thy coat also. That's walking the walk isn't it? Give to every man that ask a thing and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again.

[23:33] That's walking the walk. And as he would that man should do to you do he also to them likewise. That's walking the walk. For if you love them which love you what thank have you for sinners also love those that love them and if you do good to them they do good to you what thank have you for sinners also do even the same and if you lend to them a thing you hope to receive what thank have you for sinners also lend to sinners to receive as much again but love you your enemies that's walking the walk the people you most would like to hate love them he says that's walking the walk and do good and land hoping for nothing again and your reward shall be great and you shall be the children of the highest for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil be ye therefore merciful as your father also is merciful friends it's walking the walk it's where the rubber hits the road it's in the real life it's in the day by day it's in those people that get under your skin walk the walk with them walk the walk with him be ye therefore merciful as your father also is merciful judge not and ye shall not be judged condemn not and ye shall not be condemned forgive and ye shall be forgiven that's walking the walk forgive and ye shall be forgiven do ye do ye give and it shall be given unto you good measure pressed down and shaken together and running over shall men give into your bosom for with the same measure that ye meet with all it shall be measured to you again there's an older

[25:08] Native American saying do not judge another until you've walked twenty miles in their moccasins and we can all consider others and I know for myself when I consider the world sometimes I put myself on the top of the tree we all can do that can't we we all can think I'm above others or I'm more important or I'm more spiritual I'm more worthy somehow but friends no none of us are worthy every one of us is so deeply deeply in need of his mercy and grace and of his forgiveness and friends can we stop to put ourselves in another's shoes that's walking the walk walking the walk check your direction today friends just to recap are you on the right track on the right path how are you travelling are you with the right companions get together with God's people every chance you can don't miss it and be wearing the right shoes the gospel shoes live out your faith so it's a testimony your life is a witness your life is lived out your faith is lived out and may your prayer be as Psalm 86 11 teach me thy way oh Lord

[26:19] I will walk in thy truth unite my heart to fear thy name teach me thy way oh Lord I love to tell the story of haunting things above of Jesus and his glory