Warning against Pastor Paul Washer and John Piper

Late last night I read two warnings against Pastor Paul Washer and one against Pastor John Piper. I truly was not looking for that. Instead, I was looking for a rare puritan book and because both pastors’ names are associated with the puritan I stumbled on those reviews about them.

My heart was breaking as I read these reviewers words. One of them is so eloquent that if you do not know God personally and intimately, you would be inclined to believe everything he says because he phrased things so beautifully and so eloquently. I have to confess, for a moment I envied this man’s vocabulary and his writing style. Oh the beauty! The other reviewer is a man who has a popular site dedicated to reviewing everyone else except himself. He hides himself well and no one on earth can get in touch with him. (I wonder why?) If your ministry is truly from and for God, about God, with God, through God and in God, and if you are not led solely by Satan, why on earth wouldn’t you avail yourself, just in case there was someone out there, reading your blog and that God could use you to actually lead this person to Him?

His website is dedicated to tearing down every pastor who writes a book or preach a sermon that teach people to grow in the Lord, to make every effort or to examine oneself. It is so strange to see that most pastors that are truly called by the Lord, those pastors who are truly men after God’s heart are so hated by him and he is warning everyone who wants to read him, to stay away from these pastors. My heart was breaking, not for the pastors because I know they are truly “work in progress” and in good hands with the savior. My heart was breaking for those reviewer’s ignorance, arrogance, and spiritual blindness. In fact, I know Pastor Paul Washer's boldness has not only been gifted by God with the gift of boldness, the Holy Spirit witnessed it to my soul when He gave me the gift of boldness. All of you who are used to reading me know that this gift comes only after a long painful training process with Him.

If you take the time to read about Pastor John Piper, you will notice how he does not hide his flaws. This man still has a lot of work to be done. I love reading about how he humbles himself and shares with his congregation, very openly what God is doing in his life. He confessed his 3 years of counselling to improve his marriage. He confessed the fact that he was once a white supremacist all the while being a Christian at the same time. (Click here) Not long ago I read how God is dealing with him because he needs more humility in his ministry. The bottom line is, this pastor truly what we Christians call “works in progress” and God is at work in his life.

What I like the most about him is that I can see he is truly walking in the light. When you walk in the light with God, He does something to you. Even though you can see how disgusting you are on the inside, yet, there is an authenticity and integrity that the light calls for, it causes you not to hide behind even the worst thing about you. It is all in the open for anyone to see. Another reason that you feel this way is that you do not dread the Day of Judgment and there is nothing that God can put out there that would embarrass you, because He has already dealt with you in His mercy.

This morning as I was reading 2 Chronicles, I was reminded of those reviewers. I KNOW without a shadow of a doubt that they do not see through the eyes of God. I know they are spiritually ignorant, they do not understand God’s word and I know they have stubborn hearts toward God. In fact, they reminded me of the Pharisees who killed the same savior whose mistake was to care for their souls.

When I read about God’s covenant with Solomon in 2 Chronicles 7:12-22, and when you consider how wise Solomon was, you are inclined to ask yourself why didn’t he listen to God in order to reap the blessings of honoring the covenant God made with him? What would make him ignore the dreadful consequences of disobedience? No one in the right mind would choose voluntarily to go toward a life of disaster. But, this is exactly the choice Solomon made.  The problem is that sin is so deceptively attractive, so Solomon turned away from God.

But God never changed. His covenant with David, Solomon and Israel was “honor God and live” choose the destructive path which is sin, and die. God’s standard is perfect righteousness, and when we reject it, we chose unrighteousness, once we choose unrighteousness, we not only deserve death, and we are also enslaved by another master. In the case of Solomon, he lived long enough to repent and found his way back to God. Nevertheless the consequence of his turning away from God was drastic, caused a lot of suffering and changed millions of people’s lives.

These reviewers who seem to be allergic to anyone who elevate Christ to His right place are blinded by their spiritual ignorance and stubbornness. They are naturally hostile to Him and they are also holding to some form of religion, but never truly experienced a life changing reality of true Salvation. The sign that true Salvation has entered the heart is that the Holy Spirit is at work in us and instead of sitting still, with one verse of the Bible, we go forward like the apostle Paul in the book of Philippians, to claim the prize. The need to pursue Him and persevere through the journey is one of our proof that Salvation has reached us and we have accepted the good news exactly like Christ meant it for us. Grace does not mean God has taken away the need for us to make every effort. On the contrary, if indeed you have been saved by His grace and His gift of salvation has entered your heart, then this same grace brings with it the power of the Holy Spirit to enable you to strive, to pursue, to make every effort as He continue to work out His Salvation in you and me.

When you claim to have been saved by grace through faith and you have received the gift of God, yet you are like a dog with a bone holding onto one or two verses of the Bible and you have no inclination to go forward with Him spiritually, then ask yourself why is it the transformational work of the Holy Spirit seems to be absent in your spiritual life. The lesson here, be very careful when someone is trying to shove down your throat what they know about God, when in reality they have not even been chosen by Him….., yet. When you stand before God, you cannot tell Him that you read one of those ignorant people and you were duped. Adam and Eve tried that approach and it did not work in their favour and they died spiritually. No one in the right mind should make a decision to go forward with Christ or stay behind because you read something that you feel was right with you. The only person who should have this much power over your life is God and He is waiting with open arms for you to ask Him. You know why it is important to go directly to Him? Eternity is way too long for you to live without and away from Him. Choose carefully. Let him have the last word.

The Holy Spirit is more than willing to show you who is right and wrong. Which pastor is after His own heart and which is not. Which pastors have been ordained by Him or not and which pastor is failing miserably or not. Because it is about how and where you spend eternal life, do not use your feelings to decide whether you are right or not. Neither use one or two verses of the Bible to fight or bad mouth everyone who tells you to go forward with God.

Ephesians 1:18

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people,

I am leaving you with two important verses of the Bible. Several people on the internet have put a different spin on those verses without truly knowing God intimately and without understanding what walking and living in the Spirit even means in their own lives.  They are like Satan tempting Jesus in the wilderness, by telling Him what God meant to say in Psalm 91:11-12. It is interesting to see that Satan tried to keep something from Christ when He told Him in Matthew 4:5-6 

 “Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: 

“‘He will command his angels concerning you,

    and they will lift you up in their hands,
    so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’

Satan can be tricky that way. He could have continued and told Christ about verse 13 which is: 

“You will tread on the lion and the cobra;

You will trample the great lion and the serpent.” 

If he had said verse 13 to Christ, it would have been like shooting himself in the foot because this verse refers to him.

Here are those two verses in question: 

Hebrews 6:4-6

 It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit,  who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age,  if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.

 Matthew 23:15 

"What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you cross land and sea to make one convert, and then you turn that person into twice the child of hell you yourselves are!

If you in fact received the gift of Salvation, do not let anyone dupe you into putting God to test or putting words in His mouth. The word of God tells us 

“Do not put the Lord your God to the test”

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Do not judge a minister

Do not judge a minister . . .

(Thomas Brooks, "The Unsearchable Riches of Christ")

"Consider carefully what you hear." Mark 4:24

It is sad to see how many preachers in our days, make 
it their business to enrich men's heads with high, empty, 
airy notions; instead of enriching their souls with saving 
truths. 

Fix yourself under that man's ministry, who makes it his 
business, his work to enrich the soul, to win the soul, and 
to build up the soul; not to tickle the ear, or please the 
fancy. This age is full of such light, delirious souls—who 
dislike everything—but what is empty and airy.

Do not judge a minister . . .
  by his voice, nor
  by the multitude who follow him, nor
  by his affected tone, nor
  by his rhetoric and flashes of wit;
but by the holiness, heavenliness, and spiritualness 
of his teaching. Many ministers are like empty orators, 
who have a flood of words—but a drop of matter.

Some preachers affect rhetorical strains; they seek abstrusities, 
and love to hover and soar aloft in dark and cloudy expressions, 
and so shoot their arrows over their hearers' heads—instead of 
bettering their hearers' hearts. Mirthful things in a sermon 
are only for men to gaze upon and admire. He is the best
preacher, not who tickles the ear—but who breaks the heart.

"My message and my preaching were not with wise and
 persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's
 power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom,
 but on God's power." 1 Corinthians 2:4-5

A Mother's Tasks By J.R. Miller - HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

I know well that a mother's tasks in the home, caring for her children, are not light. It is no easy thing to go on in the same routine, day after day, week after week, month after month — always keeping sweet, always having a shining face and a cheerful word, always strong to meet every question and perplexity and difficulty which comes to you.

But I want to say a word of encouragement to you. The mother 's place is the highest place to which any woman can be called. When God puts into your hand a little child to care for, to guide, to teach, to watch over, to inspire and train for life — He puts upon you serious responsibility. But He also promises the strength you need, and the help for every experience. 

One of Augustine's great prayers was, "Command what You will — and then give what You command." That is the way God always does, if we trust Him and go forward in simple confidence. Whatever He commands us to do — He will help us to do. Nothing is impossible when we have Christ with us and in us. 

I want to help you to enter upon your days, whatever their care may be, with the confidence that your Master is with you and is going to help you to get through everything beautifully, victoriously and sweetly.

It is a great thing to be able to live victoriously, amid all the cares and frets and frictions and trials of everyday life.

An almost Christian by James Smith - The Way of Salvation Set Forth

(James Smith, "The Way of Salvation Set Forth")

"Then Agrippa said to Paul: You almost persuade me to become a Christian!" Acts 26:28 

There are many who conclude that they are Christians, because they have been enlightened to see something of their state, danger, and deserved doom. But many are only lighted to Hell, for light in the mind — is not life in the soul. Hebrews 6:4, 10:20. 

A person may be awakened to feel, to tremble, to desire salvation — as did Felix and Balaam, Acts 24:25, Numbers 23:10. 

He may be reformed, and turn from open profanity to strict morality — as did some in Peter's day, 2 Peter 2:20. 

He may be assisted to do many things which are in themselves good, such as reading the Scripture, attending divine ordinances, engaging in prayer, and working miracles, Matthew 7:21-23, Mark 6:20, 1 Corinthians 13:3. 

He may experience God's power put forth restraining him, and keeping him back from sin, as did Abimelech, Genesis 20:6.

He may humble himself before God, as did Ahab, 1 Kings 21:27-30. 

He may possess joy and be exceeding glad under the Word, Matthew 13:20. 

He may believe the Word, receive the testimony, and admire the preacher, Luke 4:22-29, 8:13, Ezekiel 33:31-32. 

He may be filled with zeal for Christ and his cause, like the multitude, John 6:15, 16; Matthew 21:8-11; Luke 23:18-23. 

He may be baptized upon a profession of faith, join a Christian church, and imitate the saints in his conduct — as did Simon Magus, Acts 8:13. 

He may fill an office in the church, preach the gospel, and act consistent for a time — as did Judas; and yet Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place, Acts 1:25.

He may be highly esteemed by others, be sound in doctrine, and suffer for the cause of Christ, and yet be destitute of the vital principle of saving faith — like Demas, Alexander, Hymeneus, and Philetus, 2 Timothy 2:16-18, 4:10-14, 1 John 2:15. 

He may have many excellent qualities, so that he may be admired and loved by others, like the rich young ruler in Matthew 19.

He may have all that has been named above — but ONE THING may be lacking, and he be found at last, merely an almost Christian.

God’s Covenant With David

1 Chronicles 17 is about God’s covenant with David and David’s prayer in response to the humility this covenant brought to his heart. As I read 1 Chronicles chapter 28, I was reminded of the God I know intimately and how important it is to always read God’s word with and through the Holy Spirit’s eyes. Because it is too easy to take one verse of the Bible by itself and run with it while we build our spiritual lives, falsely on them. It was certainly one of the downfalls of the Israelites, they truly enjoyed God’s promises and could careless about God’s divine purposes that accompany those promises. The truth is, no matter which promise of God we claim, the end result has to be about His purpose and not ours.

When you read the first part of the 1 Chronicles 17’s chapter, it seems as if God is saying that He will bless David’s line forever, no matter what happened and how odious David’s descendant would be to God.  As we grow spiritually with God, we find that there is always another verse in the Bible that serves as the other side of the same coin. ‘ALWAYS!’  Not only that, as we grow, we find that God’s word expands, so much more, sometimes it is easy to see it, but, most of the time only the Holy Spirit can expand our mind and enlarge our heart to take in more of the revelation of His word within us.

Today, I could not help smiling when I read 1 Chronicles 28:7-9, because once again, He shows Himself as the God I know personally and intimately. Through these verses, David explained the conditions of God’s promise would depend on Solomon’s walk with God.  One thing that was not so obvious to me before, is the fact that I can see these days when I read my Bible, how much of God’s grace permeates the Old Testament. God is amazing and He is so constant yesterday, today and forever.

If we want to go further, this promise had more hidden meaning and was also a reference to the prophecy to be fulfilled through Christ as our High Priest. Isaiah 9: 6-7  “For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.  There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this.”

Luke 1:32 “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,”

When we read 1 Chronicles 28:9 we see the need to be very careful, what we think we know might be the very stumbling block that causes us not to accept what the Holy Spirit wants us to take in. I mean by that, if your hidden motives are not toward God and His divine purpose, make no mistake you cannot fool Him and no matter how we slice it, we reject Him. If you insist on having your way in living a shallow kind of Christianity, you only allow your heart to be stubborn and hard because you want your own desires to prevail.  “And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.”

I am so grateful that He searches, knows and understands every desire and thoughts that I process. This is so important to our walk with Him. Even when I do not see the path ahead of me and even when I do not understand how He is leading or whether I am on the right path, I know I can count on Him because He is just, merciful, good, holy, majestic and awesome. But I also know the thoughts and desires of my heart will always be before Him and I will be lead by Him to reach the proper destination according to His purpose and His will. Not because my heart is that good, on the contrary, sometimes I am scared when He shows me how bad each of us is capable of being, but my peace and rest comes from the fact that in spite of my flaws, He knows that, at the end of the day, I am wholly devoted to Him.

Hebrews 3:6 “But Christ is faithful as the Son over God's house. And we are his house, if indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory.”

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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 Consequences of Walking with God - Part 3

by Edward Griffin

II. I am to show the consequences of walking with God.

1. By thus walking with God the soul contracts a holy intimacy with him. The

consequence is, 

2. That it makes advances in the best of all knowledge, the knowledge of God. An intimate walk with God affords an opportunity to study his character, to see it developed in the free communications he makes, and to listen to his instructions. He is the great instructor of mankind; but his teachings are not extended to those who live estranged from him.

3. This closer inspection and clearer discernment of God, are the most powerful means to sanctify the soul. Views of God are transforming. While "with open face" we behold "as in a glass the glory of the Lord," we "are changed into the same image from glory to glory." Therefore,

4. A sure consequence of such an intimacy between God and the soul, is an increased mutual affection. The more the soul knows of God the more it will love him, and of course the more it will be beloved. What a most tender friendship did Enoch and Enoch's God contract for each other during their intimate communion for three hundred years. If we would enjoy the same blessedness, we must, like Enoch, walk with God.

5. Such an intimacy between God and the soul cannot fail to establish mutual confidence. The more God is seen the more securely can the soul commit the management of all its interests to him, and venture its everlasting all upon the truth of his word. On the other hand the more this confidence is found, the more God can confide in such a soul. He will not trust those to whom he can say, "I know you not;" but of those who are intimate with him and confide in him, he will say, "Surely they are my people, children that will not lie." It is the greatest happiness to feel this confidence in God and to know that he has this confidence in us. If we covet this, let us walk with him.

6. Such an intimacy with God will preserve us from bad company. A man who is walking with an honorable friend, is not likely to be annoyed by disagreeable intruders or to break away after low society. When the soul is in the immediate presence of God, neither sin nor Satan dares to invade; neither the world nor any of its perplexing cares will venture to intrude. Every Christian knows what distressing and dangerous companions these are. If we would avoid them and more fully enjoy the profitable and delightful society of Enoch's God, we must do as Enoch did.

7. Another consequence of such a close walk with God is, that we shall find support under the unavoidable trials of life. When we are in distress, very soothing is the company of a prudent and sympathising friend, who, from the stores of his knowledge, can suggest subjects of consolation. But how much more blissful the society of God, whose heart is all tenderness, and who can open to the soul the most comforting of all truths. There is no consolation like this. Indeed it is well worth while to be a while in the furnace, for the sake of walking there with one in "the form of the Son of God."

8. Another consequence of walking with God is the enjoyment of his protection. Myriads of enemies and dangers swarm in all the way to heaven; but while God is near he will not suffer them to annoy us. When one of Enoch's spirit hears the thunders at a distance, his refuge is nearer than the danger, and he steps in and is safe. He hides himself where no evil or enemy, though searching for him throughout the world, can find him.

9. Another consequence of walking with God is, that we shall always have a faithful monitor at hand, to throw in timely cautions to keep us back from indiscretions and sin or to reclaim us when we have wandered. The conscience of one who walks with God is preserved tender, and God is faithful not to suffer a son who cleaves to him to err by his side without rebuke. To possess such a monitor is one of the greatest blessings of life. Let those who would enjoy this exalted privilege, take care never to depart from the side of their Saviour and their God.

10. Another consequence of walking with God is an enlightened view of his providence and government, a clear discernment of the glories of the heavenly world, and a peaceful assurance of his eternal love. Tell me what is happiness if this is not. What, of all the enjoyments of the world, can be exalted happiness compared with this?

11. Another effect of walking with God is a higher enjoyment of ordinary blessings. By the placid love which by this means is kept alive, the mind is put in a frame to enjoy every other comfort. And the gratitude which is thus mingled with the enjoyment of God's gifts, renders them all the sweeter.

12. Another effect of walking with God is a greater preparation for usefulness. In proportion as the mind becomes wiser by converse with God, and holier by near and transforming views of him, it is fitted for stronger and more persevering and better directed efforts for the happiness of others.

In proportion as its faith and benevolent desires are enlarged, its prayers will be mighty for the salvation of men. Its very breath will penetrate their conscience and their heart as no other means can do. And it will throw out upon the world the all commanding majesty and winning sweetness of a holy example. One such man will have more influence upon the order of society and the salvation of men, than millions who never walked with God.

13. Another consequence of walking with God is a peaceful death. In Enoch's case it was not death, but a triumphant translation. And in every other case, in proportion as a man has walked with God, his end, though he leaves his body behind, is still triumphant, or at least serene. How unspeakable a comfort, when one is struggling with the king of terrors and about to enter on eternal and unchangeable scenes, to have "the full assurance of God's love, peace of conscience, and joy in the Holy Ghost." How much better than to sink under awful fears of eternal wrath, or even under doubts which leave the soul to measure over the dark valley alone. Would you enjoy this triumph, or even this serenity in death, you must prepare for it by walking with God.

Finally, another consequence of walking thus closely with God, is an enlarged share of immortal glory. In heaven the blessed inhabitants all walk with God, every day and hour. And they find it no burden but a happiness which they would not exchange for the whole creation. Why was it not then a happiness on earth? And yet for an exemplary march in that happy course, millions have found their blessedness eternally increased. The enhanced joy of a single soul for a few hours, will outweigh all the pleasures of all the wicked on earth. The time will come when that additional blessedness of a single soul, will have out-measured all the happiness enjoyed on earth from Adam to the conflagration. A little further, and it will have exceeded all the happiness enjoyed by saints and angels in heaven before the day of judgement. And further still, but imagination faints and turns back from the pursuit, and can only exclaim, How infinite the good resulting from one degree of additional faithfulness.

From the weight of all these reasons for a close walk with God, I hope you are now prepared to give your whole attention while ....