Today’s Reading:
Hebrew 11:32-40
According to the passage for the day, Genesis 5:22, 24: “And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters: And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him” corroborate the possibility of walking with God as humans, even before the above relationship began. God wanted to establish a similar relationship between Adam and Himself, but something truncated it.
And so (Matt.19:13-15, Mark 10:17-22, and Luke 18:18-27) recorded the story of the young rich ruler but Mark wrote, “he came running and after catching up with Jesus, he knelt down before Him and asked what shall I do to be saved, what shall I do to have peace, what shall I do to inherit the kingdom of God, to reign with you in heaven, what shall I do to walk with you as the patriarch did?” What do I need for the journey of faith with you?
The young rich ruler asked a big question, which should also be asked today. Because Amos 3:3 said: “Can two walk together, except they are agreed?” If you cannot walk with Him, you cannot reign with Him. Then, what are the fundamental keys, the characters, or the virtues one needs to possess in order to conveniently walk with God?
1. Faith and Obedience: But without faith, it is impossible to please him: for He that cometh to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6 KJV). After the disobedience in (Genesis 3:8) which brought an automatic separation, while seeking knowledge from the wrong path. Though it was good the rich young ruler went to Jesus, but he went away sad for his inability to obey.
2. Self-Denial: The Rich young ruler was living with an expanse of empty space in his heart with all the affluence ( if all you have is wealth without Jesus, it is all nothing), he felt there was something missing.
3. Righteousness and Repentance: 2Samuel 12:13-14: “And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said unto David, The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die. Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.” David was opened to rebuke even as a king, he cried for mercy and forgiveness from God.
4. Love for God: John 21:17 “He saith unto him the third time Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me? Peter was grieved because He said unto him the third time, Lovest thou Me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, ‘Feed my sheep.’” If a man says, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?” (1John 4:20 KJV). The love for God outside leading sinners back into the fold, preaching the word and praying without ceasing cannot be from God.
The words of the hymn – When we walk with the Lord (Trust and Obey) sum it all (verses 1and 5).
1. When we walk with the Lord
In the light of His word
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His goodwill,
He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.
5. Then in fellowship sweet
We will sit at His feet,
Or we'll walk by His side in the way:
What He says we will do,
Where He sends, we will go
Never fear, only trust, and obey.
OLUWOLE OTEMADE
Prayer:
Father Lord, I thank you for another wonderful day, for health, for my immediate family, extended and friends, in Jesus name.
I thank you for your guidance and protection, mercy, and love, in Jesus name.
I thank you because you chose me and gave me the grace to walk with you, help me not to look back or fail from being a useful tool in your hand, in Jesus name.
Father Lord, more than ever, empower me, encourage me, help me to comply, and to obey. Whatever you say I will do, and wherever you send me, I will go, in Jesus name.
Help me and remove fear from my heart, keep me humble to the end, and help me to make sacrifices as it please you, in Jesus name.
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