My Walk With God, This Year 2015, in Review (sort of)

REVIEWING 2015 While Ushering into the New One

This year God has taken me on a path where I was forced to sit still and walk straight so that I can finally learn what the Bible means by: “ENOCH WALKED WITH GOD”. It has been a very deep learning curve. So deep that sometimes I was afraid of sharing what I learned. I was so sure people would say that I am crazy. But, the perceived depth was simply because my spiritual understanding was not ready for what God was teaching me.

In fact, I recall at one point I did not want to learn more about this walk and I sort of moved away from God hoping He would change channels and let me be. After all, what use is it to know how to walk with God like Enoch did?  But, instead of punishing me for my rebellious actions, a few weeks later, He went on showing me how nothing can separate me from His love. I was a “bitter sweet” time for me. I could not believe how lovingly He hanged on to me when I was more than willing to walk away from something that He felt, was important to put me through.

Fast forward to few weeks ago, He made me face how far I have come. At that moment, I realized all these truths I used to feel were too big for me to wrap my head around, have become so simple and straightforward. They are now part of my life, my understanding of spiritual things and most of all they are part of me, the “me” that is merging slowly but surely with the indwelling Christ in me. On a side note: even this phase is also the continuity of living the Advent and making use of the Good News which is the Gospel.

Now, those words ‘Enoch walked with God’ hold not mystery. Not only it has become simpler in my understanding, but also it is something that God aspires for all of us and it is not unattainable for those growing in His fullness. After all that I have learned about Enoch walked with God, if you were to ask me to share what it means in the soul of a Christian, I would say it is the fulfillment of a life being lived in the fullness of God… It is getting hold of His boundless riches…It is walking with Him in the fullness of friendship. It is living with the feeling and the strength that you have been established in Him…knowing His love that surpasses knowledge…reaching the pic of your spiritual maturity, It is living with adversities as your daily bread. It is a life where you are constantly growing and developping in Christ and almost always going in the same directions as He is. In short, your belief and behavior have come together in one accord to live the life of a true heir. Yet, even when you are there, you know that this Christian walk is a walk made of a million steps, yet you have perhaps barely reached a hundred thousand steps with Him. So, you still have a long way to go. The only thing that matters is that you know you are going with Him and you are following His agenda. Following His agenda here means that His plan of Salvation is unfolding as He alone envisioned it.

Now that 2016 is at my doorsteps, I have a very good idea what it holds for me. A few weeks ago, God started churning my heart with my understanding of God’s favors in our lives. Until further notice, I will be honest about my understanding, not because I want to defy Him or lacking reverence toward Him, but simply that is what my mind, which is limited to this physical realm, will allow me to understand and I refuse to repeat like a parrot that God does not have favorite people. I find that when we cannot tell God that we do not understand something and we are content to repeat what others are repeating, in reality we do ourselves a disservice. But, the good news is, if you are walking in Spirit, He will find you out and teach you to face Him with your understanding or lack of it.

So, lately, even my meditation time is hijacked by the spirit and I find myself back again to the same subject whether I like it or not. During the time that I wrote on Facebook about what I know about the subject and today, the last day of 2015, I already learned there will be a long learning curve to get there. It seems to me that I will be spending a good chunk of 2016 learning this one subject. I have to say that I used to hate the fact that everything God teaches me seems to be hard and convoluted. But, over time, I learned that it appears that way because it ceases being ‘emotional understanding’ and our own limited understanding at work. It is God sharing Himself and His world with us. So, like all teachers He is teaching so that we can grow, our understanding would be satisfied and we can also mature spiritually in Him.

I received a nasty email when I wrote on Facebook that God is not safe but He is good. The reality is that when you know God for real, you know He is not safe because we cannot understand what He means if He does not consume us with it and do it to us. If we understand anything about this process of becoming like Jesus, we know, it is by doing things to us that we are changing into His image. He is fusing Himself, He is replacing our spiritual DNA and image on the inside while we become truly Christian. Sometimes it is not easy to continue the walk and you wish that God could do His work without you having to follow Him.

Last night, in fact, I felt so miserable I stopped everything that I was doing in order to avoid offending God and go deep into a pity party. I hated the fact that nothing is working and God does not seem to be concerned about my life. I started feeling as if ‘HIM’ working so hard to make me this person He wants me to be and preparing me for heaven did not matter that much if He could not give me a break. There is so much pain daily, so many restrictions which feels like God put you on a tight leash , the uncertainties, the constant afflictions and adversites and so much of all that could go wrong cause me to be sometimes, overwhelmed. While you know God is sovereign, sufficient and He is in control, yet, time sometimes takes its toll on you.  In that sense my dear brothers and sisters, God is not safe, but, I know He is good so I hang tight and allow Him to do what He has to. I also know it is the time to exercise patience, perseverance and hang onto Him for the ride however long He deems. In fact, it is sad to know that the only God a Christian know is a safe God because it is only by learning to know the unsafe God that we are compelled to see and live the invisible.

So, this year, I do not care much about an empty happy New Year wish. A Happy New Year is one that see us taking this advent to a whole new level and make it a yearly love affair with the God of our Salvation. I pray that would be the New Year resolution and deep desire for a lot of us. I will end this by saying, HAVE A GREAT ONE!

Enoch Walked With God! The means by Which Such a Walk Can Be Kept - Part 4

by Puritan Edward Griffin

III. I state the prominent means by which such a walk can be kept up.

Humility and faith, as we have already seen, are not means merely, but are

involved in the very idea of a walk with God. Without these we cannot approach God, much less walk with him. The same may be said of obedience generally. These in the inquiry are not considered so much in the light of means, as a part of the walk which means are to keep up. And yet particular acts of disobedience may be mentioned as things to be avoided and particular acts of faith may be named as means to be employed. The means involve two things, the guarding against what is injurious and the attending to what is useful

I. The guarding against what is injurious.

(1.) It is absolutely impossible to preserve the soul in the habit of conversing with God, without avoiding improper conversation with men; not only every thing false or impure or profane or malicious or revengeful or passionate, but every thing deceitful or slanderous or uncharitable or uncandid or vain. It is even said "that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgement. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned."

(2.) Vain thoughts are another hindrance to an intimate walk with God. This led the pious Psalmist to say, "I hate vain thoughts." There cannot exist a great degree of spirituality, unless the mind is habitually employed in spiritual contemplations. People who consume most of their leisure hours in thoughts of vanity, do not walk with God. It betrays a heart full of idolatry: and as well might the worshippers of Baal claim to walk with Israel's God. These cold thoughts diffuse chills of death through all the soul, and can no more coexist with its spiritual activity, than paralysis can coexist with the activity of the body.

(3.) No known sin must be indulged. One such Achan fostered in our camp, will prove that we have not only no intimacy with God, but no acquaintance with him. One indulged sin is as decisive against us as a hundred. "Whosoever shall keep the whole law and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all."

(4.) Undue worldly affections and cares must be excluded. Those affections for the world are undue which are not constantly subjected to the love of God; that is, are not ready, at all times, cheerfully to submit to the rules which he has made to regulate our use and management of the world, and to any sacrifices which his providence may extort from us or require at our hands. And those cares are undue which, from their number or pressure, seduce the heart from God. Every worldly care necessarily draws the attention from God for a season, as we cannot fixedly attend to two things at once. But if the heart is not enticed away, the thoughts and affections will spontaneously return to him at every interval of care and with ever fresh delight. Those affections and cares which, according to these definitions, are undue, obstruct our communion with God and abate our intimacy with him. Of course they must be guarded against if we would walk with him.

These are the things to be studiously avoided. And now,

2. Let us see to what we must attend.

(1.) We must punctually and earnestly attend on all the means and ordinances of God's appointment. Any neglect or irregularity or carelessness in this attendance, will cut the sinews of our spirituality, and diminish our strength to achieve victories and resist temptations in the future. Separate yourselves from means, and you may as well separate your fields from culture, and even from the rain and dews of heaven. All our light and grace come through the medium of means. This in general; but to be more particular, (2.)

We must pray the prayer of faith and "pray without ceasing." Prayer is the Christian's life. Though every other ordinance be attended to, yet if this one be neglected, all is in vain. It is as impossible for the soul to be spiritually alive and active without a punctual course of fervent and be- lieving prayer, as for the body to be alive and active without breath. Prayer has more influence on the sanctification of the soul than all other ordinances. It is going directly to God to receive the life-giving Spirit according to an absolute and often repeated promise. "Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 

For every one that asketh receiveth, and he that seeketh findeth, and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to them that ask him." This is decisive if any language can be. 

The promise is absolute, and there must be an unwavering belief in the promise in order to give the application success. "If any of you lack wisdom let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering; for he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord." But the faith instilled is not a belief that I shall receive, but that I shall receive if I ask aright. It is not a belief in my goodness, but in God's truth. It is a firm, unwavering, confident belief that God will "give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him" aright. This strong confidence in God's truth may be exercised whatever doubts we have of our own goodness or election. If we are troubled on these points it ought not to keep us back. We may leave them to be decided afterwards, and go right to God with unlimited confidence in his truth and consequent willingness to hear the cries of all who sincerely seek him. Whoever is elected, this is true of all. Say not, God will hear me if I am elected, and not without. 

Election or no election, he certainly will hear the cries of all, (be it Judas or be it Peter,) who seek him with the whole heart. This ought to be the strong confidence of every man, whatever opinion he may have of his own character or destiny. This, as the apostle testifies was the faith of Enoch. "Before his translation he had this testimony that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe [what? that he himself is good? that he himself is elected? no such thing: must believe] that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." There is a full chance then for doubting Christians to exercise this sweet and successful confidence in God. Tell it to the nations.

Let the joyful tidings circulate, through all the region of despondency and gloom. There is no confidence required of you respecting your goodness or election. The only faith demanded is to "believe" in God, "that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him," whoever they are, whether it is I or another man, elect or non-elect.

(3.) We must watch. In that most trying moment when the powers of hell were let loose upon the suffering Saviour, he gave his disciples no other direction than this, "Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation." So much emphasis did he lay on these two duties. In regard to watchfulness, I would suggest the following rules.

First, be vigilant to observe the first motions of the enemy. If he has made considerable advances before you move, your exertions will probably be too late. It is dangerous to parley with temptation. Check it early or it will probably prevail. Keep your eyes open to watch the different avenues by which the enemy makes his approach. He will often vary his mode of attack. Through all his variations keep your eye steadfastly upon him. Acquaint yourselves with his numerous devices.

Secondly, watch another enemy greater than this; watch your own heart. Keep an attentive eye upon the movements of corruption within you: otherwise some evils will gather too much strength for you to resist; others will work unseen, and go in to form your character unknown to yourselves.

"Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life."

Thirdly, watch opportunities for doing and getting good. Much is lost in reference to both by overlooking the favorable moment.

Fourthly, watch the motions and expressions of divine providence. It will throw much interesting light on the character and government of God and illustrate and confirm many things taught in the Scriptures.

Fifthly, watch the motions of the Spirit upon your minds. Sometimes the Spirit whispers an invitation to prayer or divine contemplation. If the suggestion is followed we may find the duties easy and pleasant, and the effect lasting. But perhaps we refuse to attend to the impulse. The consequence is, our hearts grow cold and lifeless; and then though we attempt to pray or meditate, we find no relish for it. This remark goes no part of the way towards denying God's efficiency, but only assumes that he leaves us sometimes by way of punishment. It may be illustrated by a passage from the Song of Solomon, understood to relate to the intercourse between Christ and the Church. The Spouse, half aroused from lethargy, says, "I sleep, but my heart waketh: it is the voice of my Beloved that knocketh, saying, Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled; for my head is filled with dew and my locks with the drops of the night. [Now mark how her indolence pleads.] I have put off my coat, how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet, how shall I defile them?

[Now the heavenly Bridegroom makes a more effectual effort.] My Beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, and my bowels were moved for him. I rose up to open to my Beloved, end my hands dropped with myrrh, and my fingers with sweet smelling myrrh, upon the handles of the lock. I opened to my Beloved, but, [see the effect of not opening to Christ at first] my Beloved had withdrawn himself and was gone: my soul failed when he spoke: I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him but he gave me no answer." This is enough to confirm my idea of watching and obeying the first suggestion of the Spirit of Christ.

I have thus shown what it is to walk with God, the blessed consequences, and the means. May I not now, my Christian brethren, urge upon you this delightful duty? It is what you owe to the blessed God, your Father and Saviour, who has astonished heaven by his kindness to you, and whose mercies, if you are not deceived, will hold you entranced to eternity. It is what you owe to him, and it will secure you a happy life, more than all the wealth and honors of the world. It is heaven begun below. Do you not wish to be happy? Bend all your cares then to walk with God. Be not satisfied with a general desire to do this, but fix systematically on the means prescribed. Pursue those means hourly, daily, yearly. Reduce your life to a system under the regulation of these rules. Good old Enoch could walk with God three hundred years. And he has never seen cause to repent it. 

Could you have access to him in his glory, would he express regret for the pleasant mode of spending the last three hundred years of his life? We are apt to think that we are not expected to aim at the superior piety of the ancient saints. But why paralyse every power by such a stupid mistake? Are we not under as great obligations? Is not God as worthy of obedience now as in the days of old? Have the increased displays of his mercy in the Gospel impaired his claims? Has the affecting scene of Calvary rendered him less lovely in the eyes of sinners? Are the means used with mankind less than in the patriarchal age? Or are the happy consequences of a walk with God worn out by time? 

Why should we then content ourselves with being scarcely alive, when so many saints have been through life rapt in communion with God? Do we thirst for honors? What honor is so great as to be the companion and son and favorite of the everlasting God? Do we wish for riches? Who is so rich as the heir of him who owns all the treasures of the universe? Do we prize the best society? What better society can be found than Enoch had? Does any valuable consideration move us, or any ingenuous motive, O let us never cease to walk with God. Amen.

Enoch Walked with God! - The Call

I am writing this without any self-importance whatsoever. Besides, God never let me forget my humble beginning and how I was nothing when He found me, therefore I cannot afford to pretend, be pretentious or feel more deserving. I was in the wilderness for about 4 years and 10 months when God showed me my new heart. He taught me how to hear Him and communicate with Him from the new heart. Since then, while He still communicates with me through visions, but He ceased to talk with me through dreams and also His voice is no longer as loud as it used to be. Strangely, the same day He showed me what my spiritual new heart looks like, He asked me to walk with Him like Enoch did. First of all, I have no idea what it entails to walk like Enoch, but for some reason I was taken aback when He asked me and I felt that I could not give Him an honest answer. One of the reasons I was so reluctant was the fact that I found out how dangerous it could be to live a life of surrender to Him, therefore I knew this was not something I could take lightly, and in my heart, I felt, there must be so much more to it.

I remember talking to my son about that. It was almost as if I was looking for some feedback, but he did not say anything to me. So, I put it all in the back of my mind and I was honestly hoping that God would forget about it. It has been three years since He asked me this question. Throughout this week God kept waking me up very early, which usually means after two or three hours of sleep. I know it is God waking me up, because when you are used to Him, He has some sort of imprint that no one else could imitate. Secondly, when it is Him, it does not matter how little sleep I have, for some reasons I feel energized, alert and fresh. By the time I reached Wednesday, I knew He wanted to talk to me, but could not understand why He was not talking. So, I used the time to pray and draw closer to Him. Last night, once again I was up by 2:30 Am which is early when you consider that I usually go to bed around midnight. I spent the first hour praying, then  for some reason I could not stay in bed at all, as if the outside was calling my name.

It was an amazing time with God. I still cannot explain what happened in between, the sudden change in my heart and the overwhelmed need to walk closer to Him. The whole time of prayer was about “supplication” to be able to walk with Him like Enoch did. It is strange to see how I felt ready and also felt there is no other path and no alternative for me except learning to walk with Him until I fade away. Anyway, after five o’clock, I went back into the house and still continue praying, this time I was more subdue. But, between these hours, it feels as if my life has changed. Through His grace, He put this desire in my heart; I know that is His next goal and the next step for me.

I still do not know what it means to walk with God like Enoch did. I am not sure of anything except that His grace and Salvation is at work in me. As usual, the internet is filled with information about Enoch walk. But, most of what I found so far, are people playing guessing games and put forth their own hypothesis. I will keep praying and listening to God to speak and lead me. By now I know Him well enough to know that it will take time and He will also teach me. So, if anyone of you wants to keep me in their prayers, I would be grateful. It does not matter your level of spirituality with God, it matters if you are truly walking the walk with Him, then I know your prayers will be heard. I am also asking for your prayers because if indeed you have a heart for Him, then you know without a doubt that praying for me to please Him, is really not about me or you, but about pleasing His heart, Glorifying and delighting Him.

In the meantime, with wisdom and discernment, I will try to find more on the subject. The reason I want to find more on the subject, it is not because I want to go ahead of Him, but I know through writing my blog and sharing with you guys, He is also teaching me. So, I will keep you posted.   Have a blessed day!

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