"MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR WALK WITH GOD"

September 14     Making the Most of Your Walk With God   Psalms 1:1-6

 Good morning from Pastor Glen Brock, Baptist Tabernacle Church, Wendell, North Carolina… “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.  He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away.  Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.  For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.”   (Psalms 1:1-6 NIV)

 Time is precious. We really are not here on this earth for very long. We are like, when you go to turn the light switch on, and the bulb is shot. One day it will eventually happen. So, how can we make the most of the time we have? We can make the most of the time we have left on earth by making the most of our walk with God. Many people live carelessly, not giving much thought about their relationship with God. One day we will all have to stand before the Creator of this universe.  The question that demands an answer is this: Will this God be your Heavenly Father who will receive you as a forgiven child? Or will this God be your Judge who will expel you to an eternal punishment?  To make the most of your walk with God, it is essential that you know Christ, as your Lord and Savior. Apart from Christ there is no walk with God. Apart from Christ there is no saving relationship with God. Apart from Christ there is “No Walk!” To the person who is outside of God’s saving grace, the only answer to the trials and issues of the day, is found in Jesus. He is ready to receive you. I pray you will find Jesus to be your Savior this very day. To the child of God I urge you to make the most of your walk with the Lord! Don’t be a careless Christian who lives day by day with no thought of a deeper walk with Christ. Please don’t allow the issues of the day to dictate your attitude, your actions; and your witness for God! Don’t settle for an “I know-nothing; I feel-nothing; I want-nothing; I desire-nothing.”  I would seriously question whether I was a believer if I did not want to know more of Christ. I would seriously question my salvation if I did not feel and sense God’s presence. In Psalm 1, we have a plea for a deeper, more solid, more productive walk with God. The person who has a close walk with God is called Blessed! So, how can we make the most of our walk with God? To make the most of our walk with God, we will need to look carefully at how we are living. It is absolutely critical that we control the influences into our lives!  How are you being influenced? There are only two possible ways we can be influenced. Either we are influenced with godly influence, or with ungodly influence. We need to look around and ask ourselves the question: How are we being influenced? We are surrounded by all kinds of influence. What are we allowing to influence us? Are we focusing on the “Worldly” influences at the expense of our Spiritual walk?  Are we allowing the Social, Political and “Popular” Cultural issues of the day to control our thoughts and actions? Putting it another way, are we “Walking in the counsel of the ungodly?” Are we hanging out with individuals that are “Toxic” to our focus on God?  Are we communing with those who are absolutely opposed to our faith, our beliefs and our actions?  We need to look around us and ask this question, How are we being influenced? A Blessed Individual is one who will surround themselves with godly influence. Delight in the Word of God. Meditate on God’s Word. Be Fruitful, which requires faithfulness. We need to take a LOOK INSIDE OF OURSELVES….WHAT ARE YOU BECOMING? WHO ARE WE SERVING? TIME IS SHORT!  YOU MUST CHOOSE WHO YOU WILL SERVE AND HOW YOU WILL SERVE!  To make the most of your walk with God….it begins by godly influences. Godly influence will result in what you become on the inside…godly character. Godly character is what God is looking for…He’s looking for His own. Ungodly ways will not stand on judgment day. Sow a thought, and you reap an act; Sow an act, and you reap a habit; Sow a habit, and you reap a character; Sow a character, and you reap a destiny. Our Destiny is determined, not by chances, but by choices. What and how will you choose?  What will influence you today?  Let go of the JUNK of this World and FOLLOW GOD!  What God does with you is fully and totally up to you!  It always has been, and it always will be!  Stay Strong, Stay Focused…THE BEST IS YET TO BE!