Genesis: Early World, Judgment, and the Nations

Walking With God - 2

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: Old Testament Studies

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2016-02-14

Synopsis: In this second message of the series, John Weaver teaches that walking with God requires walking by faith. Using Enoch and Abraham as examples, he explains that faith pleases God and must be directed toward God's person, His promises, and His providence. Without faith, it is impossible to please God, and believers must trust Him even in dark and difficult times.

[John Weaver] Let's open our Bible's day to Genesis chapter 5. The title of this brief series is Walking with the Lord. And we began last week with an introduction from Genesis chapter 5. I will review and then we will pick up today and continue. Notice Genesis chapter 5, beginning there with verses 22 through 24. The series is Walking with the Lord. This is the second message. Notice Genesis chapter 5, verse 22.

[John Weaver] And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters. And all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. And Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him."

[John Weaver] Now, I do want you to go ahead and turn in your Bibles to Hebrews chapter 11. And let's look, if you would please, there at verse 5. We will come back to this verse. But Hebrews 11 in verse 5, still in reference to Enoch. The Bible says by faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death and was not found because God had translated him. For before his translation, he had this testimony that he pleased God. Now, last week we began this series and we pointed out the fact that Enoch walked with the Lord.

[John Weaver] And of course, so did Abraham and a host of others. The question I asked was simple. Do you walk with the Lord? I pointed out last week how it is impossible to walk with the Lord while one is living in sin and rebellion. One cannot walk contrary to the Lord and walk with Him at the same time. That's why Amos 3 and verse 3 ask the question, can two walk together except they be agreed? I also pointed out last week, it is impossible to walk with the Lord until we learn to walk before the Lord. In Genesis 17, verse 1, the Bible tells us that the Lord appeared unto Abram and said, I am the Almighty God. Walk thou before me and be thou perfect. And I went through the Bible and showed you a number of passages where God demanded that we walk before Him. And actually what it meant to walk before the Lord is to walk before His face or in His presence.

[John Weaver] Let me give you a good, clear illustration of this. I want you to hold Genesis, but turn in your Bibles to 1 Samuel, chapter 15. 1 Samuel, chapter 15. Here's a very interesting passage. You remember in this passage, God has commanded King Saul to slay all of the Amalekites. Watch carefully in 1 Samuel, chapter 15, verse 1. And Samuel also said unto Saul, The Lord sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel.

[John Weaver] Now therefore, hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid weight for him in the way when he came up from Egypt. Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not. but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox, sheep, camel, and ass. So God has given Saul a direct order to slay all of the Amalekites.

[John Weaver] Now skip down to verse 7 if you would please. The Bible said, And Saul smoked the Amalekites from Havilah until thou comest to Shur, that is over against Egypt. And he took Agag, the king of the Amalekites, alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and the fatlings and of the lambs and all that was good and would not utterly destroy them, but everything that was vile and refuse that they destroyed utterly. So Saul now has violated God's word. He's violated God's commandment. He spared Agag the king and the best of all the other. And of course, you know how that he blames this on the people when Samuel confronts him. And Samuel, of course, tells him that obedience is far better than sacrifice. But notice, if you would, what happens to Agag if you will skip down to verse 32. First, Samuel 15, verse 32, then said Samuel, bringing hither to me Agag, the king of the Amalekites.

[John Weaver] And Agag came on him delicately and Agag said, surely the bitterness of death is past. And Samuel said, as thy sword had made women childless, so shall thy mother be childless among women. And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the Lord in Gilgal. Now, I want you to note before the Lord in Gilgal. What the word before means is he literally hewed Agag in pieces in the presence of the Lord or in the face of God.

[John Weaver] Let me spell it out for you. In other words, Samuel did to Agag exactly that which God wanted done to Agag. And he did it as an act of worship. and as an act of obedience. So, he did it before the Lord. That is, as unto the Lord in His face, in His presence. So, walking before the Lord means that we must learn to walk in His presence. I pointed out last week that walking before the Lord implies five things. First of all, the word implies fellowship and communion. Secondly, It implies purpose. When you walk, you walk with a purpose. Thirdly, it implies progress, because when you walk, you move from one place to the other. Fourthly, it implies agreement. Usually two do not walk together except they be agreed. And fifthly, it implies resolution. So if we're going to be walking with the Lord, we must walk before him as well. That means we are to conform our lives, we're to bring our Conduct, our actions, everything in agreement and conformity to His word so that we live holily and righteously before Him.

[John Weaver] So the question has to be asked then, how do we walk with the Lord? Another question comes up is how do we know whether or not we're walking with the Lord? Here's another question. How can I tell whether Tom is walking with the Lord? Or if Robert is walking with the Lord. How do I know if I'm walking with the Lord or any of the brethren are walking with the Lord?

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to go back to Hebrews 11 and look at verse 5 and what the Bible says concerning Enoch, because we already preached from Genesis chapter 5 last week. And I want to tie this passage in with Genesis 5. But notice if you would, Hebrews 11 in verse five, we were talking about Enoch walking with the Lord. The Bible says, by faith, Enoch was translated that he should not see death and was not found because God had translated him. For before his translation, he had this testimony that he pleased God. Isn't that interesting? Did you know that we have been commanded by God to walk pleasing unto Him. Let me just quote the verse. We'll look at this verse more in detail next week. But in Colossians 1 and verse 10, the Bible says that you might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God. So according to the Apostle Paul then, we're pleasing to the Lord when we are fruitful in every good work and that we're increasing in knowledge of the Lord.

[John Weaver] And by the way, let me point out the fact that a good work is defined by God and not by man. It is God that determines what a good work is and not man. And when he talks about the knowledge of God, we have to understand this. The knowledge of God is in reality the most precious thing on earth. I don't know if you've ever thought about this or not. But the only thing we'll take with us when we die is the knowledge that we have acquired of God here in Princeton. That's the only thing we're going to take with us. So the Apostle Paul says if we're going to walk pleasing unto him, we must walk in every good work and we must walk in knowledge as well. We must kind of be like David. You remember David was a man after God's own heart. And the Bible tells us in Acts 13 in verse 22, and when he removed him, that is Saul, He raised up David to be their king, who also gave this testimony.

[John Weaver] And I said, I found David, the son of Jesse, a man after my own heart. Who shall fulfill all my will. Isn't that interesting? So a man after God's own heart, a man who's walking with God is a man who's fulfilling the will of God. So the question then is this. How do I know what the will of God is? Well, the answer to that is found In 1 John 3 and verse 22, listen carefully.

[John Weaver] And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him. Because we keep his commandments. And do those things which are pleasing in his eyes. Now, what is pleasing in God's eyes, keeping his commandments? keeping his word, keeping his law. So where then do we find the will of God? And the answer is the will of God is revealed to us in Scripture. So if we're going to learn to walk with the Lord, the question has to be asked, where then do we begin? And I'm going to suggest to you that we begin with the simplest.

[John Weaver] And move into the more complex. And so today I'm going to deal with the simplest, because I want to show you from the scripture that it pleases God when we walk by faith. So I want you to look in Hebrews 11 and let's read verse 5 and verse 6, because originally this is the context here of Enoch. Notice verse five, by faith, Enoch was translated that he should not see death and was not found because God had translated him for before his translation. He had this testimony that he pleased God. And then we read this, but without faith. 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. Now, one thing that we're absolutely certain and dogmatically sure concerning is that faith pleases God. Because he said it very clearly here in verse six, you also have to make sure that you understand this verse in its context.

[John Weaver] When I say that, I thought of an illustration I have a pastor friend in Indiana whose name is Andrew Green, and Andrew had a couple of daughters and three or four sons. And one of his daughters is named Faith, Faith Green. Well, at Bible College, she met her husband and as they were courting, she told her husband, James, that it was absolutely imperative that he marry her if he was ever going to be faithful to God in the ministry and please God in the ministry. And James said, how is that? And she said, well, the Bible says without faith, it's impossible to please him. So you have to marry me. They were telling Alice and I this as we were eating supper with them, and I looked at James and I said, well now James, I've got one more verse for you since you're now married. The Bible says in Romans 14, verse 23, what's there was not a faith is seen. So you stay with faith and you'll be all right, you know. So obviously, faith kind of took that verse out of context.

[John Weaver] But the Bible does say by faith. Enoch walked with God and without faith, it's impossible to please him. So, you see in Hebrews chapter 11 the absolute necessity for faith.

[John Weaver] Now, I want to just give you three things this morning under this first point. The first one is this. Walking by faith has reference to the person of God. Walking by faith has reference to the person of God. Look in verse 6. But without faith, it is impossible to please Him. For he that cometh to God must first believe that He is." Do you see that? It has reference to the person of God. Obviously, if one does not have faith, he will not believe in God, and he will not seek Him or believe that He rewards those that diligently seek Him. This should be the answer why it's impossible without faith to please God. Because obviously, someone with no faith does not believe in God, does not believe His promises. And it should also be made exceedingly clear from Hebrews chapter 11 and verse 6, that this faith is not just in any God. This faith is in the one true and the living God who has revealed Himself in Jesus Christ. Without faith, one is an unbeliever.

[John Weaver] And without faith, one cannot please God. I quoted Romans 14, verse 23 earlier. Listen to this. Without faith, it's not only impossible to please Him, but the Bible says, whatsoever is not of faith is sin. So when someone comes to God without faith, it's sin. It's rebellion. It's wickedness. God is not going to hear, nor is God going to look upon someone who comes to Him without faith. Did you know the Bible says in the book of Habakkuk chapter 1 in verse 13, talking about God, thou art of pure eyes that behold evil, and canst not look upon iniquity. In other words, God cannot look at and approve and condone sin and iniquity. So when someone comes to Him without faith, which is sin, God can't condone or approve that individual. It is by faith that we believe that he is. It is by faith we believe that he is the great I am.

[John Weaver] He is the Alpha and the Omega. He is the beginning and the end. Faith believes in his person. Faith believes that God is who he says he is. Faith believes that God is as he has revealed himself in his scripture. Faith believes that God is as He has revealed Himself in every one of His attributes. God is omniscient. God is omnipresent. God is omnipotent. God is eternal. God is immutable. God is infinite. God is glorious. In other words, faith then embraces everything that God has revealed concerning Himself. Now, one must believe that he is. One must believe that he is what?

[John Weaver] Well, he is the creator. He is the lawgiver. He is the judge. He is the Redeemer. He is the Savior. You see, the Bible says in Psalm 14, verse 1, and in Psalm 53, verse 1, the fool had said in his heart, there is no God.

[John Weaver] Now whether you take these two verses as a statement of a denial of the existence of God, or if you interpret them where the fool says, no God for me, as an act of rebellion, it really doesn't matter which way you interpret them. God says a man's a fool who says that. So without faith, a man is a fool. Because without faith, he's either going to deny the existence of God or he is going to rebel against God and say, no God for me. Now, you see, one may be a theoretical atheist and just say there is no God. Or one may be a practical atheist and say he believes that there is a God. Yet he lives as if there is not a God.

[John Weaver] He does not regulate his life according to God's word. Hence, he is certainly not living by faith. And that practical atheist is even worse. Than a theoretical atheist. Because the practical atheist is being a hypocrite as well. God condemns all. Who do not honor him and recognize him as God. The Bible says in Psalm 10 and verse 4, the wicked through the pride of his countenance will not seek after God. God is not in all of his thoughts. So the wicked through the pride of his countenance will not seek after God. God is not in all of his thoughts. You know, the interesting thing is, as a child of God, our mind should be filled with the Word of God, with the truth of God, so that whatever we think We're trying to think biblically. We're trying to think scripturally. You see, faith believes in God. But faith believes in the God of the scripture. Faith believes that God is as he has revealed himself. I've heard so many people in over 50 years of preaching say, well, I think God is this or I think God.

[John Weaver] Well, you can think all you want to. Your thoughts are not divinely inspired. Your thoughts are not divine revelation. Your thoughts are not scripture. So many people serve a God of their imagination and not the God of the Bible. God is as He has revealed Himself. So faith does not believe in false gods. Faith does not believe in Foreign gods, nor does faith believe in foolish gods, gods of our own imaginations and God of our own making. Faith doesn't believe in those. Faith believes in the One True and the Living God. And let me tell you something about God.

[John Weaver] He does not need explaining. He does not need excusing. Nor does He need anyone to add to or to take from His Word. He has revealed himself as he's fully and freely revealed himself in Scripture. That's it, that's who God is. I want you to turn in your Bibles very quickly to Isaiah 44. I want you to follow me with a few Scriptures. Look in Isaiah chapter 44 and let's begin there with verse 6. Isaiah 44 and verse 6, look what God says. Isaiah 44, verse six.

[John Weaver] Thus saith the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of Hosts, I am the first. And I am the last, and beside me there is how many gods? None. There is no God. The only God that is is the God that has revealed himself and Jesus Christ. Look in Isaiah 44 and verse eight. Fear you not, neither be afraid. Have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it?

[John Weaver] You are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? Yea, there is no God. I know not any." Notice, if you would, Isaiah 45 and verse 5. God says, I am the Lord and there is none else. There is no God beside me. I girded thee, though thou hast not known me." Note what he says, I am the Lord and there is none else. There is no God besides me. If you do not believe in the God of the Bible, then you do not believe in God, for the only God that exists is the God that has revealed Himself in Scripture. So faith then has to regard the person of God. Faith believes that God has revealed Himself in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And if I had time this morning, I could show you without faith in the triune God, who is one God, but has revealed Himself in Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Without that, there is no salvation.

[John Weaver] You just stop and think. Salvation originated with the Father. Salvation was purchased by the Son. And salvation is applied by the Holy Spirit. All three persons are absolutely essential and necessary in salvation. Faith believes that God has revealed himself in Jesus Christ. Moreover, faith believes that the only way to come to God the Father is through His Son Jesus Christ. The Bible says in Ephesians 2 in verse 18, for through Him, that is through Jesus Christ, we both have access by one Spirit to the Father. You remember, our Lord said it very plainly in John 14 in verse 6 when He said, I am the way, the truth, and the life, and no man cometh in the Father but by Me. And so when you hear preachers try to say that there is more than one way of salvation, or that the Jews can be saved this way, but everybody else has to come through Christ, that's hogwash. That's heresy. There's only one way of salvation, and that is through Jesus Christ. And the person who will not come through Jesus Christ will not be saved.

[John Weaver] It's just that simple. The Bible says in Hebrews chapter 10, beginning with verse 19, listen now, Having therefore boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He had consecrated for us through the veil that is His flesh, and having a high priest over the house of God. Having boldness to come to Him through the blood of Jesus Christ.

[John Weaver] So if we're going to walk pleasing unto the Lord, we must walk by faith. The Bible says that Enoch pleased God. How did he please Him? By walking with Him by faith. Faith respects, first and foremost, the person of God. Who is God? I remember years ago, I was in a pastor's office in Americas, Georgia. And that pastor and I were talking about the doctrine of election. His door was open and we had been fellowshipping and talking about this for 30, 40 minutes. His secretary was sitting outside at her desk and all of a sudden she jumps up and runs in and she says to her pastor, she was visibly upset. She said to him, I don't care what the Bible says. I know God is not like that. And her pastor said, did you hear what you just said? You know, that's exactly the way so many people are. They don't care what the Bible says. They have a figment and their imagination of who God is and what God is like. They're wrong.

[John Weaver] The only God that exists is the God of the Bible, and he is exactly as He has revealed Himself in His Word. And if you're going to walk with Him, if you're going to walk before Him, you must walk in faith, and faith has reference and recognition to His Person.

[John Weaver] Secondly, I want you to look in Hebrews 11 and verse 6 again. Watch carefully. 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. So faith, then, not only has reference to the person of God, faith has reference to the promises of God. That's what the Bible says, verse 6, and that he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Why in the world would you diligently seek Him if you do not believe in His person or if you do not believe in His promises? Let me tell you what the word diligently means. The word diligently means to seek out, to search out, to investigate carefully, to be diligent, to crave, to beseech and desire. So God says faith then has reference not only to His person, but to His promises. And those who believe those promises diligently crave them and desire them and seek them out and search them out. They want them.

[John Weaver] And we recognize there are so many promises in the Word of God. And since we have faith in the person of God, we know that God is faithful in fulfilling those promises. In fact, God has given us example after example of that in the Bible. The Hebrews chapter 11 is full of people who walked and lived by faith. And who had faith in his promises.

[John Weaver] Now, what I want to do under this point is to give you an illustration, in fact, two illustrations from the life of Abram. Abraham is known as the friend of God, just like Enoch. He walked with God. But I want you to know particularly. His faith in God. In his person relates to the faith in his promises, so I want you to go back in your Bibles, hold Hebrews 11. We're coming back there, but let's go back in our Bibles to Genesis chapter 17. Genesis chapter 17. And let's begin reading there with verse one. I know, let's skip down to verse 15. We'll skip some of this. Notice if you would, Genesis chapter 17, and let's begin reading with verse 15, because here is God promising Abram a seed. Genesis 17, verse 15, And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarah thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarah, but Sarah shall her name be, and I will bless her. And give thee a son also of her, yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations, kings of people shall be of her.

[John Weaver] Then Abraham fell upon his face and laughed and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is a hundred years old? And shall Sarah that is ninety years old bear? And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee. And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed. And thou shalt call his name Isaac, and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him. And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee.

[John Weaver] Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly. Twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make of him a great nation. But my covenant will I establish with Isaac and with Sarah, which shall bear to thee at this set time in the next year." So now God has promised to Abram A son. In a set time.

[John Weaver] Now, I've got news for you. Who in our lifetime has ever heard of a 100-year-old man and a 90-year-old woman having a baby? I mean, Sarah was past childbearing years. Undoubtedly, when Abram heard this, he had to be shocked. I mean, I have a friend or used to be a friend. I haven't heard from him in years and years. John Lee Maddox lived in Thomasville, Georgia.

[John Weaver] He was born when his father was 75 and his mother was in her 60s. That's the oldest I've ever heard of anyone having a baby, but Here it is. And when he hears that Sarah's going to have a baby, he's told that Ishmael might live, but God said, I'm going to take care of Ishmael. But my covenant is going to be with Isaac.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to turn to the book of Romans chapter four and see how the scripture tells us that Abraham responded to this promise. Remember now, he's a hundred year old man and Sarah is 90. So notice, if you would, Romans chapter 4 and let's begin reading there, verse 17. Romans chapter 4, verse 17. As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations before him whom he believed, even God, now watch this, who quickeneth the dead and calleth those things which be not as though they were. Now we're reading about Abraham, who against hope, believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, so shall thy seed be. And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about a hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb. He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God and being fully persuaded that what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

[John Weaver] And therefore, it was imputed to him for righteousness. Now, I want you to note Abram's attitude as well as his faith. It's fully expressed in this statement, who against hope, believed in hope that he might become the father of many nations, not this race, according to that which was spoken. So shall thy seed be. God had given a promise. God had given his word. His faith was in that which was spoken. So shall thy seed be. So simply stated, Abraham believed in the promise of God.

[John Weaver] He did not even consider his own body now dead. He didn't consider the deadness of Sarah's womb. He did not look at the circumstances. He did not look at the situation. He did not look at his weakness. He did not look at his inability. He did not look at his helplessness. He looked only at the promise of God. And his attitude was this. If God said a 100 year old man and a 90 year old woman can have a baby, we can have a baby. How was his attitude? The problem with so many Christians is we always dwell on the circumstances. We look at the situations. We look at the surroundings and we ask, how can it be? Abraham didn't do that. He looked at the promise and said, God said this. This is it. It doesn't matter about the situation. It doesn't matter about the circumstance. It doesn't matter about the surroundings. God said this, and this is what it's going to be. You know what God asked in Jeremiah 32, verse 27? He said this, Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh.

[John Weaver] Is there anything too hard for me? And the answer is absolutely no. God is able to bring all of His promises to pass. Did God give Abraham a son? Yes. When Abraham was 100, Sarah was 90. Isaac was born. Now, listen to me. If Abraham did not believe in God's person, he would have never believed in God's promise. These two things go together. Let's go further. I want you to go back to Genesis 22 and hold Hebrews 11. We're coming back. In fact, let's let's read let's go to Genesis 21 first, let's see the fulfillment and the fruition of this promise. Look back in Genesis chapter 21, then we'll go further. Genesis chapter 21, beginning there with verse one, look at what it said, Genesis 21, verse one. And the Lord visited Sarah as he had said. And the Lord did unto Sarah as he had spoken. And Sarah conceived and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken him. And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bared him, Isaac.

[John Weaver] And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac, being eight days old, as God had commanded him. And Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born unto him. Isn't that interesting? God said, this is what's going to happen. It happened. Now. Remember, this is Abraham's heir. This is Abraham's only child by Sarah. Ishmael had been born by Hagar, but. Ishmael is not the covenant seed. So God has fulfilled his promise.

[John Weaver] Now look in Genesis chapter 22 and let's read the first 12 verses. Watch carefully, because now God is going to further test Abraham's faith. Genesis 22, verse one, and it came to pass after these things that God did tempt Abraham and said unto him, and by the way, the word tempt there means to test or to try. So God did test or try Abraham and said unto him, Abraham, and he said, behold, here I am.

[John Weaver] And he said, take now thy son, thine only son, Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah. And offer him therefore a burnt offering upon one of the mountains, which I will tell thee of." Note, if you would, that phrase, offer him therefore a burnt offering. Watch verse 3, And Abraham rose up early in the morning. He didn't sleep in. And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and claimed the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place which God had told him of. Then, on the third day, Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place afar off. And Abraham said unto his young men, Abagge here with the ass, and I, the lad, will go yonder and worship and come again to you. And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it upon Isaac, his son. And he, Abraham, took the fire in his hand and a knife.

[John Weaver] And they went, both of them, together. And Isaac said unto Abraham, his father. And he said, my father. And he said, here I am, my son. They said, behold, the fire and the wood. But where's the lamb for the burnt offering? And Abraham said, my son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering. So they went both of them together and they came to the place which God had told him of. And Abraham built an altar there, laid the wood in order and bound Isaac, his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. And Abraham stretched forth his hand and took the knife to slay his son. And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven and said, Abraham, Abraham.

[John Weaver] And he said, Here am I. And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou anything unto him. For now I know that thou fearest God, seeing that thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, from me. And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him a ram caught in the thicket by thorns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to note something. Abraham is given a son in his old age. He's given an heir. And now God tells him to take this son. And offer him up for sacrifice. And I want you to note, if you would, the perfect image here, because Isaac, the son, carried the wood. Abraham, the father, carried the fire and the knife. So the father had the wrath And the son had to sacrifice. So it's the wrath of God falling upon. The true sacrifice, the Lord Jesus Christ, and another interesting thing is this. Isaac. Went willingly. Just like Christ. I want you to note something, two things, really. I want you to look in verse seven and Isaac spake unto Abraham, his father, and said, My father, and he said, here am I, my son. And he said, behold, the fire and the wood, but where's the lamb for the burnt offering? Watch verse eight carefully. And Abram said, my son, God will provide. Himself. A lamp for a burnt offering. The Bible does not say that God will provide for himself.

[John Weaver] God will provide himself. God will give God to be the burnt offering.

[John Weaver] Now, let me show you something. When Abraham laid Isaac upon that altar, he was not just going to kill him. What did God say? Take your son and offer him for a burnt offering. So that meant after Isaac was slain, his body would have been burned to ashes. That's what a burnt offering is. But I want you to look at the faith of Abraham. Go back to verse five, Genesis 22, verse five. And Abraham said unto his young men, abide ye here with the ass, and I and the lad will go yonder and worship and come again to you. Did you hear that? God had already told him, take your son and offer him for a burnt offering. Let his body be consumed. And yet he tells his servants, you wait here, the lad and I are going to go young and worship and we're both coming back. How could he say that when God had said you offer him for a burnt offering because Abraham believed the promises of God? He believed that if he slew that son, if he burned that son up in a burnt offering, that God would raise him up from the dead.

[John Weaver] That's not my speculation. That's what the Bible says. Look in your Bibles, Hebrews chapter 11, beginning there in verse 17. Hebrews 11, verse 17, the Bible says, By faith Abraham, when he was tried, when he was tested, offered up Isaac. And he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten Son, of whom it was said that an Isaac shall thy seed be called, accounting that God was able to raise him up even from the dead. Watch. from whence also he received him in a figure." So Isaac then was a figure. He was a type.

[John Weaver] He was a picture of Jesus Christ. Likewise, Abraham here would have been a picture and a type of God the Father. And so here Isaac willingly is laying upon that altar just like Jesus Christ willingly gave His life. And Abraham believed, according to God's promise, God would raise him from the dead. God, the son who gave his life, believed that God would raise him from the dead. Did you know it's interesting as you read through the Bible, sometimes the resurrection of Christ is attributed to God, the father. Sometimes it's attributed to himself. And also, it's attributed to the spirit. Not interesting, because there is one God who's revealed himself in three persons.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to see something. The Bible says. By faith, when he was tried, he offered up Isaac. He that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, everything was in Isaac. Everything. The covenant. His heir. Everything. So the figure then pictures God the Father giving His Son Jesus Christ.

[John Weaver] Now, with that in mind, I want you to turn to the book of Romans chapter 8. I can quote this verse, but I want you to see it. I want you to see it in light of the illustration that I just gave you. Romans 8. Remember, the Bible says that Abraham received Isaac in a figure. In other words, it was a type of the offering and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Now look what the Bible says. Romans 8 verse 32.

[John Weaver] He that spared not his own son. But delivered him up for us all. How shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

[John Weaver] Now you talk about the impact of this fact upon the promises of God. When we comprehend this truth, it should increase our faith and encourage us in seeking the Lord. He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Listen, if God has given us His best, if God has given us His greatest and His dearest gift, His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, what makes you think He will not fulfill the rest of His promises? Let me ask you. If God has given us the greatest, shall He not also give us the least? Let me go further. If you are tempted to think that God somehow might skimp on His promises, and if you think that somehow God is tempted to back up and back off from His promises, let me offer this for your consideration. If God the Father was going to skimp, if God the Father was going to back up or back off, surely it would have been when His only begotten Son cried, My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?

[John Weaver] But He didn't skimp. And He didn't back up. And He didn't back off. That's why the Apostle Paul And 2 Corinthians 9, verse 15 says, Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift. If God was ever going to back off or back out of a promise, it would have been when His Son was crying. No. Faith has regard to the person of God, has regard to the promises of God.

[John Weaver] Forever, O Lord, is Thy Word settled in the heavens. And the Bible says that God has magnified His Word above His name, Psalm 138. So if the promises of God ever fail, God is not God. And very quickly, walking by faith has reference to the providence of God. Not only the person of God and the promises of God, but the providence of God. For the providence of God is nothing less than the rule of God in time and in history. It is God working out His eternal decree in time and history. We've been taught to pray, Thy will be done on earth as in heaven. This petition relates directly to the providence of God. The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 5 and verse 7, For we walk by faith and not by sight.

[John Weaver] In Romans 8, 28, And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose. We know that there are so many bad things that transpire in life. At least we label them bad simply because we do not understand that they're for our good. God has not promised that everything that happens to us will be good, but He has promised that everything that happens to us, He will work out for our good. It's kind of like Jacob, and I love that passage in Genesis 42 and verse 36.

[John Weaver] When he thought Joseph was dead and Simeon is now being held down in Egypt. And they tell us, tell little dad, if you don't let Benjamin go back with us, that guy's not going to sell us any more food. Jacob said, Joseph is not. And Simeon is not. And you will take Benjamin away also. All these things are against me. How many of those things were against Jacob? Not one. Joseph being down in Egypt was sent there to save the entire family. Simeon being in hell was just a ruse to get Benjamin there, which ultimately was to get Jacob and the entire family down there. Surely it was bad to think for 22 years that your son was dead when in reality he was not. It was bad to think that Simeon was a prisoner and that he might not get loose. It was bad to think if you sent Benjamin down there that, you know, he might not come back either. But none of that was bad. All it was good and all it was being worked out for Jacob.

[John Weaver] You see, here's our problem. Most of us never look past today. We do not see the future. We do not wish to see the future. We're so interested in the dirty now and now. We're not interested at all in the sweet bye bye. We are not generationally oriented the way our forefathers were and the way the men of scriptures were. We have to rest on one simple truth, and that is this. If we're going to walk pleasing unto the Lord, we must walk in faith. Walking in faith refers to God's person, God's promise and God's providence. We must believe that whatever happens to us. is going to ultimately redound for our good and God's glory. Why?

[John Weaver] Because God is in control. He is sovereign. He works everything out. It's our responsibility to trust in Him, to submit to Him, to lean upon Him, to have confidence in Him. It's His part to work everything out. We just need to rest in Him. Let me make an application. The first one is this. The simple truth is, and I hope you've seen it, that faith pleases God and we cannot please Him unless we believe in His person, in His promises, and in His providence. Hebrews 11.1 describes faith as the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. Our hope is in Him. Our evidence is in His Word and in His providence. Because besides God, there is none other.

[John Weaver] That does not mean that we will not have dark days. That does not mean that there will not be difficult and dangerous times. It does not mean that sometimes we won't be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel. But during those dark and dangerous times, we still must trust in God in His promises and in His providence. One of my favorite verses is Isaiah 12 and verse 2.

[John Weaver] Behold, the Lord is my salvation. I will trust and not be afraid for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song. He also has become my salvation. In that sample, behold, God is my salvation. I will trust and not be afraid. I taught that verse to our oldest daughter when she was three years old or before she was three because she is afraid of the dark.

[John Weaver] And you could hear her. She'd get up at night sometimes and she'd be walking to the light switch and she'd be saying, I will trust and not be afraid. I will trust and not be afraid until she found the light switch. Then she didn't have trust anymore. She had light, you know. But when it was dark, she'd say, I have trust and not be afraid. Let me give you one more verse, Isaiah 50, verse 10. Listen carefully. Who is among you that fears the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness and hath no light? If you're walking in darkness and have no light, here's the answer. Let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God. What that means is this, Lord, I don't understand. I don't see how you can work this out. I don't see how this is going to redound to your glory for my good, but Lord, I trust you. And in my darkness. And in my ignorance. I'm going to lean upon you.

[John Weaver] And trust you to work it out. If we're going to walk with the Lord. We must walk in faith. For without faith, it's impossible to please Him. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow before Thee. We thank You for Your truth, for Your Word. We do ask, Father, that You would help us to walk before Thee and to walk in faith. May we regard Thy person as Thou has revealed Thyself in the Scripture. May we regard Thy promises, for they are true. Unfaithful. And maybe father regard by divine providence, knowing that you work everything out after the counsel of your own will. We do again today pray for its father and surgery this weekend for all Brianna and her surgery this week for her. Lord, I pray that your hand would be upon them. Give the doctors wisdom. And I pray father for divine healing and blessing. Give us grace that we may serve Thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear. In Thy name we pray, Amen.

Walking With God - 2

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	4281615321810
Subject	Old Testament Studies
Course	Genesis: Early World, Judgment, and the Nations
Genre	Sermon
Date	2016-02-14
Dictation Name
Book	Book 146: Walking With God — Chapter 2
Source Timed Segments	66

Formatted Transcript

Introduction and Review

Review of the series introduction: walking with the Lord requires agreement and walking before Him in His presence.

Let's open our Bibles today to Genesis chapter 5. The title of this brief series is Walking with the Lord. And we began last week with an introduction from Genesis chapter 5. I will review and then we will pick up today and continue. Notice Genesis chapter 5, beginning there with verses 22 through 24. The series is Walking with the Lord. This is the second message. Notice Genesis chapter 5, verse 22.

"And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters. And all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. And Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him." Now, I do want you to go ahead and turn in your Bibles to Hebrews chapter 11. And let's look, if you would please, there at verse 5. We will come back to this verse. But Hebrews 11 in verse 5, still in reference to Enoch. The Bible says,

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 11:5

"By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death and was not found because God had translated him. For before his translation, he had this testimony that he pleased God."

Now, last week we began this series and we pointed out the fact that Enoch walked with the Lord.

And of course, so did Abraham and a host of others. The question I asked was simple. Do you walk with the Lord? I pointed out last week how it is impossible to walk with the Lord while one is living in sin and rebellion. One cannot walk contrary to the Lord and walk with Him at the same time. That's why Amos 3 and verse 3 ask the question,

Scripture Reading — Amos 3:3

"Can two walk together except they be agreed?"

I also pointed out last week, it is impossible to walk with the Lord until we learn to walk before the Lord. In Genesis 17, verse 1, the Bible tells us that the Lord appeared unto Abram and said, "I am the Almighty God. Walk thou before me and be thou perfect." And I went through the Bible and showed you a number of passages where God demanded that we walk before Him. And actually what it meant to walk before the Lord is to walk before His face or in His presence.

Let me give you a good, clear illustration of this. I want you to hold Genesis, but turn in your Bibles to 1 Samuel, chapter 15. 1 Samuel, chapter 15. Here's a very interesting passage. You remember in this passage, God has commanded King Saul to slay all of the Amalekites. Watch carefully in 1 Samuel, chapter 15, verse 1.

Scripture Reading — 1 Samuel 15:1-3, 7-9, 32-33

"And Samuel also said unto Saul, The Lord sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel."

The Necessity of Faith

Hebrews 11:5-6 shows that Enoch pleased God by faith, and without faith it is impossible to please Him.

And by the way, let me point out the fact that a good work is defined by God and not by man. It is God that determines what a good work is and not man. And when he talks about the knowledge of God, we have to understand this. The knowledge of God is in reality the most precious thing on earth. I don't know if you've ever thought about this or not. But the only thing we'll take with us when we die is the knowledge that we have acquired of God here in this life. That's the only thing we're going to take with us. So the Apostle Paul says if we're going to walk pleasing unto him, we must walk in every good work and we must walk in knowledge as well. We must kind of be like David. You remember David was a man after God's own heart. And the Bible tells us in Acts 13 in verse 22, "And when he had removed him, that is Saul, He raised up David to be their king, to whom also he gave testimony."

"And said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will." Isn't that interesting? So a man after God's own heart, a man who's walking with God is a man who's fulfilling the will of God. So the question then is this. How do I know what the will of God is? Well, the answer to that is found in 1 John 3 and verse 22, listen carefully.

Scripture Reading — 1 John 3:22

"And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight."

Now, what is pleasing in God's eyes? Keeping his commandments. Keeping his word, keeping his law. So where then do we find the will of God? And the answer is the will of God is revealed to us in Scripture. So if we're going to learn to walk with the Lord, the question has to be asked, where then do we begin? And I'm going to suggest to you that we begin with the simplest.

And move into the more complex. And so today I'm going to deal with the simplest, because I want to show you from the scripture that it pleases God when we walk by faith. So I want you to look in Hebrews 11 and let's read verse 5 and verse 6, because originally this is the context here of Enoch. Notice verse five, "By faith, Enoch was translated that he should not see death and was not found because God had translated him for before his translation. He had this testimony that he pleased God." And then we read this, "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." Now, one thing that we're absolutely certain and dogmatically sure concerning is that faith pleases God. Because he said it very clearly here in verse six, you also have to make sure that you understand this verse in its context.

When I say that, I thought of an illustration. I have a pastor friend in Indiana whose name is Andrew Green, and Andrew had a couple of daughters and three or four sons. And one of his daughters is named Faith, Faith Green. Well, at Bible College, she met her husband and as they were courting, she told her husband, James, that it was absolutely imperative that he marry her if he was ever going to be faithful to God in the ministry and please God in the ministry. And James said, "How is that?" And she said, "Well, the Bible says without faith, it's impossible to please him. So you have to marry me." They were telling Alice and I this as we were eating supper with them, and I looked at James and I said, "Well now James, I've got one more verse for you since you're now married. The Bible says in Romans 14, verse 23, 'whatsoever is not of faith is sin.' So you stay with faith and you'll be all right, you know." So obviously, Faith kind of took that verse out of context.

Faith in the Person of God

Faith must believe that God is who He has revealed Himself to be in Scripture, not a god of imagination.

Now, I want to just give you three things this morning under this first point. The first one is this. Walking by faith has reference to the person of God. Walking by faith has reference to the person of God. Look in verse 6. "But without faith it is impossible to please Him. For he that cometh to God must first believe that He is." Do you see that? It has reference to the person of God. Obviously, if one does not have faith, he will not believe in God, and he will not seek Him or believe that He rewards those that diligently seek Him. This should be the answer why it's impossible without faith to please God. Because obviously, someone with no faith does not believe in God, does not believe His promises. And it should also be made exceedingly clear from Hebrews chapter 11 and verse 6, that this faith is not just in any God. This faith is in the one true and the living God who has revealed Himself in Jesus Christ. Without faith, one is an unbeliever.

And without faith, one cannot please God. I quoted Romans 14, verse 23 earlier. Listen to this. Without faith, it's not only impossible to please Him, but the Bible says, "whatsoever is not of faith is sin." So when someone comes to God without faith, it's sin. It's rebellion. It's wickedness. God is not going to hear, nor is God going to look upon someone who comes to Him without faith. Did you know the Bible says in the book of Habakkuk chapter 1 in verse 13, talking about God,

Scripture Reading — Habakkuk 1:13

"Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity."

In other words, God cannot look at and approve and condone sin and iniquity. So when someone comes to Him without faith, which is sin, God can't condone or approve that individual. It is by faith that we believe that he is. It is by faith we believe that he is the great I AM.

He is the Alpha and the Omega. He is the beginning and the end. Faith believes in his person. Faith believes that God is who he says he is. Faith believes that God is as he has revealed himself in his scripture. Faith believes that God is as He has revealed Himself in every one of His attributes. God is omniscient. God is omnipresent. God is omnipotent. God is eternal. God is immutable. God is infinite. God is glorious. In other words, faith then embraces everything that God has revealed concerning Himself. Now, one must believe that he is. One must believe that he is what?

Well, he is the creator. He is the lawgiver. He is the judge. He is the Redeemer. He is the Savior. You see, the Bible says in Psalm 14, verse 1, and in Psalm 53, verse 1, "The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God."

Now whether you take these two verses as a statement of a denial of the existence of God, or if you interpret them where the fool says, "No God for me," as an act of rebellion, it really doesn't matter which way you interpret them. God says a man's a fool who says that. So without faith, a man is a fool. Because without faith, he's either going to deny the existence of God or he is going to rebel against God and say, "No God for me." Now, you see, one may be a theoretical atheist and just say there is no God. Or one may be a practical atheist and say he believes that there is a God. Yet he lives as if there is not a God. He does not regulate his life according to God's word. Hence, he is certainly not living by faith. And that practical atheist is even worse than a theoretical atheist. Because the practical atheist is being a hypocrite as well. God condemns all who do not honor him and recognize him as God. The Bible says in Psalm 10 and verse 4, "The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.

Scripture Reading — Psalm 10:4

" So the wicked through the pride of his countenance will not seek after God. God is not in all of his thoughts. You know, the interesting thing is, as a child of God, our mind should be filled with the Word of God, with the truth of God, so that whatever we think we're trying to think biblically. We're trying to think scripturally. You see, faith believes in God. But faith believes in the God of the scripture. Faith believes that God is as he has revealed himself. I've heard so many people in over 50 years of preaching say, "

Well, I think God is this or I think God..."

Well, you can think all you want to. Your thoughts are not divinely inspired. Your thoughts are not divine revelation. Your thoughts are not scripture. So many people serve a God of their imagination and not the God of the Bible. God is as He has revealed Himself. So faith does not believe in false gods. Faith does not believe in foreign gods, nor does faith believe in foolish gods, gods of our own imaginations and God of our own making. Faith doesn't believe in those. Faith believes in the One True and the Living God. And let me tell you something about God.

He does not need explaining. He does not need excusing. Nor does He need anyone to add to or to take from His Word. He has revealed himself as he's fully and freely revealed himself in Scripture. That's it, that's who God is. I want you to turn in your Bibles very quickly to Isaiah 44. I want you to follow me with a few Scriptures. Look in Isaiah chapter 44 and let's begin there with verse 6. Isaiah 44 and verse 6, look what God says. Isaiah 44, verse six.

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 44:6, 8; 45:5

"Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel, and his redeemer the Lord of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God."

There is no God. The only God that is is the God that has revealed himself in Jesus Christ. Look in Isaiah 44 and verse eight. "Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it?"

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 44:6, 8; 45:5

"Ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any."

Notice, if you would, Isaiah 45 and verse 5. God says,

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 44:6, 8; 45:5

"I am the Lord, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me."

Note what he says,

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 44:6, 8; 45:5

"I am the Lord and there is none else. There is no God besides me."

If you do not believe in the God of the Bible, then you do not believe in God, for the only God that exists is the God that has revealed Himself in Scripture. So faith then has to regard the person of God. Faith believes that God has revealed Himself in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And if I had time this morning, I could show you without faith in the triune God, who is one God, but has revealed Himself in Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Without that, there is no salvation.

You just stop and think. Salvation originated with the Father. Salvation was purchased by the Son. And salvation is applied by the Holy Spirit. All three persons are absolutely essential and necessary in salvation. Faith believes that God has revealed himself in Jesus Christ. Moreover, faith believes that the only way to come to God the Father is through His Son Jesus Christ. The Bible says in Ephesians 2 in verse 18,

Scripture Reading — Ephesians 2:18

"For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father."

You remember, our Lord said it very plainly in John 14 in verse 6 when He said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." And so when you hear preachers try to say that there is more than one way of salvation, or that the Jews can be saved this way, but everybody else has to come through Christ, that's hogwash. That's heresy. There's only one way of salvation, and that is through Jesus Christ. And the person who will not come through Jesus Christ will not be saved.

It's just that simple. The Bible says in Hebrews chapter 10, beginning with verse 19, listen now, "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; and having an high priest over the house of God; let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith." Having boldness to come to Him through the blood of Jesus Christ. So if we're going to walk pleasing unto the Lord, we must walk by faith. The Bible says that Enoch pleased God. How did he please Him? By walking with Him by faith. Faith respects, first and foremost, the person of God. Who is God? I remember years ago, I was in a pastor's office in Americus, Georgia. And that pastor and I were talking about the doctrine of election. His door was open and we had been fellowshipping and talking about this for 30, 40 minutes. His secretary was sitting outside at her desk and all of a sudden she jumps up and runs in and she says to her pastor, she was visibly upset. She said to him, "I don't care what the Bible says. I know God is not like that." And her pastor said, "Did you hear what you just said?" You know, that's exactly the way so many people are. They don't care what the Bible says. They have a figment in their imagination of who God is and what God is like. They're wrong.

The only God that exists is the God of the Bible, and he is exactly as He has revealed Himself in His Word. And if you're going to walk with Him, if you're going to walk before Him, you must walk in faith, and faith has reference and recognition to His Person.

Faith in the Promises of God

Faith trusts God's promises, as illustrated by Abraham's belief that God would give him a son and raise Isaac from the dead.

Secondly, I want you to look in Hebrews 11 and verse 6 again. Watch carefully. "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." So faith, then, not only has reference to the person of God, faith has reference to the promises of God. That's what the Bible says, verse 6, "and that he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him." Why in the world would you diligently seek Him if you do not believe in His person or if you do not believe in His promises? Let me tell you what the word "diligently" means. The word "diligently" means to seek out, to search out, to investigate carefully, to be diligent, to crave, to beseech and desire. So God says faith then has reference not only to His person, but to His promises. And those who believe those promises diligently crave them and desire them and seek them out and search them out. They want them.

And we recognize there are so many promises in the Word of God. And since we have faith in the person of God, we know that God is faithful in fulfilling those promises. In fact, God has given us example after example of that in the Bible. The Hebrews chapter 11 is full of people who walked and lived by faith. And who had faith in his promises.

Now, what I want to do under this point is to give you an illustration, in fact, two illustrations from the life of Abram. Abraham is known as the friend of God, just like Enoch. He walked with God. But I want you to know particularly his faith in God. In his person relates to the faith in his promises, so I want you to go back in your Bibles, hold Hebrews 11. We're coming back there, but let's go back in our Bibles to Genesis chapter 17. Genesis chapter 17. And let's begin reading there with verse one. I know, let's skip down to verse 15. We'll skip some of this. Notice if you would, Genesis chapter 17, and let's begin reading with verse 15, because here is God promising Abram a seed. Genesis 17, verse 15, "And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be. And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her."

"Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear? And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee! And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him. And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee." "Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation. But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year." So now God has promised to Abram a son. In a set time.

Now, I've got news for you. Who in our lifetime has ever heard of a 100-year-old man and a 90-year-old woman having a baby? I mean, Sarah was past childbearing years. Undoubtedly, when Abram heard this, he had to be shocked. I mean, I have a friend or used to be a friend. I haven't heard from him in years and years. John Lee Maddox lived in Thomasville, Georgia.

He was born when his father was 75 and his mother was in her 60s. That's the oldest I've ever heard of anyone having a baby, but here it is. And when he hears that Sarah's going to have a baby, he's told that Ishmael might live, but God said, "I'm going to take care of Ishmael. But my covenant is going to be with Isaac."

Now, I want you to turn to the book of Romans chapter four and see how the scripture tells us that Abraham responded to this promise. Remember now, he's a hundred year old man and Sarah is 90. So notice, if you would, Romans chapter 4 and let's begin reading there, verse 17. Romans chapter 4, verse 17. "(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb: He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform."

"And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness." Now, I want you to note Abram's attitude as well as his faith. It's fully expressed in this statement, "who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be." God had given a promise. God had given his word. His faith was in that which was spoken. "So shall thy seed be." So simply stated, Abraham believed in the promise of God. He did not even consider his own body now dead. He didn't consider the deadness of Sarah's womb. He did not look at the circumstances. He did not look at the situation. He did not look at his weakness. He did not look at his inability. He did not look at his helplessness. He looked only at the promise of God. And his attitude was this. If God said a 100 year old man and a 90 year old woman can have a baby, we can have a baby. How was his attitude? The problem with so many Christians is we always dwell on the circumstances. We look at the situations. We look at the surroundings and we ask, "How can it be?" Abraham didn't do that. He looked at the promise and said, "God said this. This is it. It doesn't matter about the situation. It doesn't matter about the circumstance. It doesn't matter about the surroundings. God said this, and this is what it's going to be." You know what God asked in Jeremiah 32, verse 27? He said this, "Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?"

And the answer is absolutely no. God is able to bring all of His promises to pass. Did God give Abraham a son? Yes. When Abraham was 100, Sarah was 90. Isaac was born. Now, listen to me. If Abraham did not believe in God's person, he would have never believed in God's promise. These two things go together. Let's go further. I want you to go back to Genesis 22 and hold Hebrews 11. We're coming back. In fact, let's let's read let's go to Genesis 21 first, let's see the fulfillment and the fruition of this promise. Look back in Genesis chapter 21, then we'll go further. Genesis chapter 21, beginning there with verse one, look at what it said, Genesis 21, verse one. "And the Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did unto Sarah as he had spoken. For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac."

"And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him. And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him." Isn't that interesting? God said, "This is what's going to happen." It happened. Now, remember, this is Abraham's heir. This is Abraham's only child by Sarah. Ishmael had been born by Hagar, but Ishmael is not the covenant seed. So God has fulfilled his promise.

Now look in Genesis chapter 22 and let's read the first 12 verses. Watch carefully, because now God is going to further test Abraham's faith. Genesis 22, verse one, "And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am." And by the way, the word "tempt" there means to test or to try. So God did test or try Abraham and said unto him, "Abraham," and he said, "Behold, here I am." "And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of." Note, if you would, that phrase, "offer him there for a burnt offering." Watch verse 3, "And Abraham rose up early in the morning." He didn't sleep in. "And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him. Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off. And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you. And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife."

"And they went both of them together. And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together. And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham."

"And he said, Here am I. And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son." Now, I want you to note something. Abraham is given a son in his old age. He's given an heir. And now God tells him to take this son and offer him up for sacrifice. And I want you to note, if you would, the perfect image here, because Isaac, the son, carried the wood. Abraham, the father, carried the fire and the knife. So the father had the wrath and the son had the sacrifice. So it's the wrath of God falling upon the true sacrifice, the Lord Jesus Christ, and another interesting thing is this. Isaac went willingly. Just like Christ. I want you to note something, two things, really. I want you to look in verse seven, "And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?" Watch verse eight carefully. "And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering." The Bible does not say that God will provide for himself.

"God will provide himself." God will give God to be the burnt offering. Now, let me show you something. When Abraham laid Isaac upon that altar, he was not just going to kill him. What did God say? "Take your son and offer him for a burnt offering." So that meant after Isaac was slain, his body would have been burned to ashes. That's what a burnt offering is. But I want you to look at the faith of Abraham. Go back to verse five, Genesis 22, verse five. "And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you." Did you hear that? God had already told him, "Take your son and offer him for a burnt offering." Let his body be consumed. And yet he tells his servants, "You wait here, the lad and I are going to go yonder and worship and we're both coming back." How could he say that when God had said you offer him for a burnt offering? Because Abraham believed the promises of God. He believed that if he slew that son, if he burned that son up in a burnt offering, that God would raise him up from the dead.

That's not my speculation. That's what the Bible says. Look in your Bibles, Hebrews chapter 11, beginning there in verse 17. Hebrews 11, verse 17, the Bible says, "By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure." So Isaac then was a figure. He was a type. He was a picture of Jesus Christ. Likewise, Abraham here would have been a picture and a type of God the Father. And so here Isaac willingly is laying upon that altar just like Jesus Christ willingly gave His life. And Abraham believed, according to God's promise, God would raise him from the dead. God, the son who gave his life, believed that God would raise him from the dead. Did you know it's interesting as you read through the Bible, sometimes the resurrection of Christ is attributed to God, the father. Sometimes it's attributed to himself. And also, it's attributed to the spirit. Not interesting, because there is one God who's revealed himself in three persons.

Faith in the Providence of God

Faith rests in God's sovereign control, believing He works all things for good, even when circumstances are dark.

"For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven." And the Bible says that God has magnified His Word above His name, Psalm 138. So if the promises of God ever fail, God is not God. And very quickly, walking by faith has reference to the providence of God. Not only the person of God and the promises of God, but the providence of God. For the providence of God is nothing less than the rule of God in time and in history. It is God working out His eternal decree in time and history. We've been taught to pray, "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." This petition relates directly to the providence of God. The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 5 and verse 7, "For we walk by faith, not by sight."

In Romans 8, 28, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." We know that there are so many bad things that transpire in life. At least we label them bad simply because we do not understand that they're for our good. God has not promised that everything that happens to us will be good, but He has promised that everything that happens to us, He will work out for our good. It's kind of like Jacob, and I love that passage in Genesis 42 and verse 36.

When he thought Joseph was dead and Simeon is now being held down in Egypt. And they tell us, tell little dad, "If you don't let Benjamin go back with us, that guy's not going to sell us any more food." Jacob said, "Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away: all these things are against me." How many of those things were against Jacob? Not one. Joseph being down in Egypt was sent there to save the entire family. Simeon being held was just a ruse to get Benjamin there, which ultimately was to get Jacob and the entire family down there. Surely it was bad to think for 22 years that your son was dead when in reality he was not. It was bad to think that Simeon was a prisoner and that he might not get loose. It was bad to think if you sent Benjamin down there that, you know, he might not come back either. But none of that was bad. All it was good and all it was being worked out for Jacob.

You see, here's our problem. Most of us never look past today. We do not see the future. We do not wish to see the future. We're so interested in the here and now. We're not interested at all in the sweet by and by. We are not generationally oriented the way our forefathers were and the way the men of scriptures were. We have to rest on one simple truth, and that is this. If we're going to walk pleasing unto the Lord, we must walk in faith. Walking in faith refers to God's person, God's promise and God's providence. We must believe that whatever happens to us is going to ultimately redound for our good and God's glory. Why?

Because God is in control. He is sovereign. He works everything out. It's our responsibility to trust in Him, to submit to Him, to lean upon Him, to have confidence in Him. It's His part to work everything out. We just need to rest in Him. Let me make an application. The first one is this. The simple truth is, and I hope you've seen it, that faith pleases God and we cannot please Him unless we believe in His person, in His promises, and in His providence. Hebrews 11.1 describes faith as "the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Our hope is in Him. Our evidence is in His Word and in His providence. Because besides God, there is none other.

Application and Conclusion

Believers must trust God in darkness, leaning on Him and His promises, as exemplified by Isaiah 50:10.

That does not mean that we will not have dark days. That does not mean that there will not be difficult and dangerous times. It does not mean that sometimes we won't be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel. But during those dark and dangerous times, we still must trust in God in His promises and in His providence. One of my favorite verses is Isaiah 12 and verse 2. "Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation." In that same chapter, "Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid." I taught that verse to our oldest daughter when she was three years old or before she was three because she was afraid of the dark.

And you could hear her. She'd get up at night sometimes and she'd be walking to the light switch and she'd be saying, "I will trust and not be afraid. I will trust and not be afraid" until she found the light switch. Then she didn't have trust anymore. She had light, you know. But when it was dark, she'd say, "I will trust and not be afraid." Let me give you one more verse, Isaiah 50, verse 10. Listen carefully. "Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light?" If you're walking in darkness and have no light, here's the answer. "Let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God." What that means is this, "Lord, I don't understand. I don't see how you can work this out. I don't see how this is going to redound to your glory for my good, but Lord, I trust you. And in my darkness and in my ignorance, I'm going to lean upon you."

"And trust you to work it out." If we're going to walk with the Lord, we must walk in faith. For without faith, it's impossible to please Him. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow before Thee. We thank You for Your truth, for Your Word. We do ask, Father, that You would help us to walk before Thee and to walk in faith. May we regard Thy person as Thou has revealed Thyself in the Scripture. May we regard Thy promises, for they are true and faithful. And may we, Father, regard Thy divine providence, knowing that You work everything out after the counsel of Your own will. We do again today pray for Sis. Father and her surgery this weekend, and for Sis. Brianna and her surgery this week for her. Lord, I pray that Your hand would be upon them. Give the doctors wisdom. And I pray, Father, for divine healing and blessing. Give us grace that we may serve Thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear. In Thy name we pray, Amen.

Study Guide

Major Themes

Walking by Faith

Summary: The central theme is that walking with God is impossible without faith, which pleases God.

Evidence: Hebrews 11:5-6 is cited: 'But without faith it is impossible to please him.'

The Person of God

Summary: Faith must be in the one true God as revealed in Scripture, not in false or imagined gods.

Evidence: Isaiah 44:6,8 and 45:5 are quoted to show there is no other God.

The Promises of God

Summary: Faith trusts God's promises regardless of circumstances, as Abraham did regarding Isaac's birth and sacrifice.

Evidence: Romans 4:17-22 and Hebrews 11:17-19 show Abraham's faith in God's promises.

The Providence of God

Summary: Faith acknowledges God's sovereign rule over all events, working them for the believer's good.

Evidence: Romans 8:28 and the story of Jacob in Genesis 42:36 illustrate God's providence.

Pleasing God

Summary: The goal of walking with God is to please Him, which is only possible through faith.

Evidence: Colossians 1:10 and 1 John 3:22 connect pleasing God with keeping His commandments.

Key Arguments

Faith is essential to please God

Summary: Without faith, it is impossible to please God, as stated in Hebrews 11:6.

Evidence: Hebrews 11:6: 'But without faith it is impossible to please him.'

Faith must be in the biblical God

Summary: True faith believes in the God who has revealed Himself in Scripture, not a god of human imagination.

Evidence: Isaiah 44:6,8 and 45:5 declare there is no other God.

Faith trusts God's promises over circumstances

Summary: Abraham's faith in God's promise of a son and in the resurrection of Isaac demonstrates trusting God's word despite impossible circumstances.

Evidence: Romans 4:19-21 and Hebrews 11:17-19 show Abraham's unwavering faith.

Faith rests in God's providence

Summary: Believers must trust that God works all things for good, even when they cannot see the outcome.

Evidence: Romans 8:28 and the example of Jacob in Genesis 42:36.

Walking with God requires agreement

Summary: One cannot walk with God while living in sin; agreement with God's will is necessary.

Evidence: Amos 3:3: 'Can two walk together except they be agreed?'

Scripture References

Genesis 5:22-24

Context: Enoch walked with God and was taken by God.

Hebrews 11:5

Context: By faith Enoch was translated and pleased God.

Amos 3:3

Context: Two cannot walk together unless they are agreed.

Genesis 17:1

Context: God commands Abram to walk before Him and be perfect.

1 Samuel 15:1-3, 7-9, 32-33

Context: Saul's disobedience and Samuel's obedience before the Lord.

Colossians 1:10

Context: Walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing.

Acts 13:22

Context: David was a man after God's own heart who would fulfill all His will.

1 John 3:22

Context: We receive from God because we keep His commandments and do what pleases Him.

Hebrews 11:6

Context: Without faith it is impossible to please God; He rewards those who diligently seek Him.

Romans 14:23

Context: Whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

Habakkuk 1:13

Context: God is of purer eyes than to behold evil.

Psalm 14:1; 53:1

Context: The fool says in his heart there is no God.

Psalm 10:4

Context: The wicked do not seek God; God is not in their thoughts.

Isaiah 44:6, 8; 45:5

Context: There is no God besides the Lord.

Ephesians 2:18

Context: Through Christ we have access by one Spirit to the Father.

John 14:6

Context: Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but by Him.

Hebrews 10:19-22

Context: We have boldness to enter the holiest by the blood of Jesus.

Genesis 17:15-21

Context: God promises Abraham a son through Sarah.

Romans 4:17-22

Context: Abraham's faith in God's promise despite his old age.

Genesis 21:1-5

Context: Isaac is born to Abraham and Sarah as God promised.

Historical References

Enoch

Context: Enoch walked with God and was translated so that he did not see death.

Abraham (Abram)

Context: Abraham is the friend of God who walked by faith, believing God's promises regarding Isaac.

King Saul

Context: Saul disobeyed God by sparing Agag and the best of the Amalekites.

Samuel

Context: Samuel obeyed God by hewing Agag in pieces before the Lord.

David

Context: David was a man after God's own heart who fulfilled God's will.

Jacob

Context: Jacob thought all things were against him when Joseph was in Egypt, but God was working for good.

Important Quotes

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.

Significance: This is the foundational verse for the entire message, establishing that faith is essential to please God.

He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

Significance: Illustrates Abraham's unwavering faith in God's promise, serving as a model for believers.

He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

Significance: Argues that if God gave His greatest gift, He will certainly fulfill all His other promises.

For we walk by faith, not by sight.

Significance: Summarizes the Christian life as one of faith rather than reliance on visible circumstances.

Discussion Questions

What does it mean to walk before the Lord, and how does that differ from simply walking with Him?

Context: The speaker emphasized walking before God's face in His presence as a prerequisite to walking with Him.

Why is faith absolutely necessary to please God, according to Hebrews 11:6?

Context: The message centers on the impossibility of pleasing God without faith.

How does Abraham's response to God's promise of a son challenge our tendency to focus on circumstances?

Context: Abraham did not consider his own body or Sarah's deadness but trusted God's word.

In what ways does the account of Abraham offering Isaac foreshadow the sacrifice of Christ?

Context: The speaker drew parallels between Isaac carrying the wood and Christ carrying the cross, and Abraham's faith in resurrection.

How can we practically trust God's providence when we are walking in darkness and have no light?

Context: Isaiah 50:10 was cited as the answer: trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon God.

What is the difference between a theoretical atheist and a practical atheist, and why is the latter worse?

Context: The speaker warned that living as if God does not exist is hypocrisy and rebellion.

Applications

Examine your faith

Summary: Evaluate whether your faith is in the God of the Bible or a god of your own imagination.

Evidence: The speaker warned against serving a God of imagination rather than the God revealed in Scripture.

Trust God's promises over circumstances

Summary: Like Abraham, refuse to let circumstances dictate your belief in God's promises.

Evidence: Abraham 'considered not his own body now dead' but trusted God's promise.

Rest in God's providence

Summary: When you cannot see how God is working, lean on Him and trust that He is working all things for good.

Evidence: Isaiah 50:10 instructs those in darkness to trust in the Lord.

Walk by faith daily

Summary: Make a conscious decision to walk by faith, not by sight, in every area of life.

Evidence: 2 Corinthians 5:7: 'For we walk by faith, not by sight.'

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T18:08:20Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T10:18:48Z

Clean Transcript

Walking With God - 2

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

Let's open our Bibles today to Genesis chapter 5. The title of this brief series is Walking with the Lord. And we began last week with an introduction from Genesis chapter 5. I will review and then we will pick up today and continue. Notice Genesis chapter 5, beginning there with verses 22 through 24. The series is Walking with the Lord. This is the second message. Notice Genesis chapter 5, verse 22.
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"And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters. And all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. And Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him."
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Now, I do want you to go ahead and turn in your Bibles to Hebrews chapter 11. And let's look, if you would please, there at verse 5. We will come back to this verse. But Hebrews 11 in verse 5, still in reference to Enoch. The Bible says, "By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death and was not found because God had translated him. For before his translation, he had this testimony that he pleased God." Now, last week we began this series and we pointed out the fact that Enoch walked with the Lord.
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And of course, so did Abraham and a host of others. The question I asked was simple. Do you walk with the Lord? I pointed out last week how it is impossible to walk with the Lord while one is living in sin and rebellion. One cannot walk contrary to the Lord and walk with Him at the same time. That's why Amos 3 and verse 3 ask the question, "Can two walk together except they be agreed?" I also pointed out last week, it is impossible to walk with the Lord until we learn to walk before the Lord. In Genesis 17, verse 1, the Bible tells us that the Lord appeared unto Abram and said, "I am the Almighty God. Walk thou before me and be thou perfect." And I went through the Bible and showed you a number of passages where God demanded that we walk before Him. And actually what it meant to walk before the Lord is to walk before His face or in His presence.
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Let me give you a good, clear illustration of this. I want you to hold Genesis, but turn in your Bibles to 1 Samuel, chapter 15. 1 Samuel, chapter 15. Here's a very interesting passage. You remember in this passage, God has commanded King Saul to slay all of the Amalekites. Watch carefully in 1 Samuel, chapter 15, verse 1. "And Samuel also said unto Saul, The Lord sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel."
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"Now therefore, hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way when he came up from Egypt. Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox, sheep, camel, and ass." So God has given Saul a direct order to slay all of the Amalekites.
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Now skip down to verse 7 if you would please. The Bible said, "And Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah until thou comest to Shur, that is over against Egypt. And he took Agag, the king of the Amalekites, alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and the fatlings and of the lambs and all that was good and would not utterly destroy them, but everything that was vile and refuse that they destroyed utterly." So Saul now has violated God's word. He's violated God's commandment. He spared Agag the king and the best of all the other. And of course, you know how that he blames this on the people when Samuel confronts him. And Samuel, of course, tells him that obedience is far better than sacrifice. But notice, if you would, what happens to Agag if you will skip down to verse 32. 1 Samuel 15, verse 32, "Then said Samuel, Bring ye hither to me Agag the king of the Amalekites."
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"And Agag came unto him delicately. And Agag said, Surely the bitterness of death is past. And Samuel said, As thy sword hath made women childless, so shall thy mother be childless among women. And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the Lord in Gilgal." Now, I want you to note "before the Lord in Gilgal." What the word "before" means is he literally hewed Agag in pieces in the presence of the Lord or in the face of God.
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Let me spell it out for you. In other words, Samuel did to Agag exactly that which God wanted done to Agag. And he did it as an act of worship and as an act of obedience. So, he did it before the Lord. That is, as unto the Lord in His face, in His presence. So, walking before the Lord means that we must learn to walk in His presence. I pointed out last week that walking before the Lord implies five things. First of all, the word implies fellowship and communion. Secondly, it implies purpose. When you walk, you walk with a purpose. Thirdly, it implies progress, because when you walk, you move from one place to the other. Fourthly, it implies agreement. Usually two do not walk together except they be agreed. And fifthly, it implies resolution. So if we're going to be walking with the Lord, we must walk before him as well. That means we are to conform our lives, we're to bring our conduct, our actions, everything in agreement and conformity to His word so that we live holily and righteously before Him.
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So the question has to be asked then, how do we walk with the Lord? Another question comes up is how do we know whether or not we're walking with the Lord? Here's another question. How can I tell whether Tom is walking with the Lord? Or if Robert is walking with the Lord. How do I know if I'm walking with the Lord or any of the brethren are walking with the Lord?
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Now, I want you to go back to Hebrews 11 and look at verse 5 and what the Bible says concerning Enoch, because we already preached from Genesis chapter 5 last week. And I want to tie this passage in with Genesis 5. But notice if you would, Hebrews 11 in verse five, we were talking about Enoch walking with the Lord. The Bible says, "By faith, Enoch was translated that he should not see death and was not found because God had translated him. For before his translation, he had this testimony that he pleased God." Isn't that interesting? Did you know that we have been commanded by God to walk pleasing unto Him. Let me just quote the verse. We'll look at this verse more in detail next week. But in Colossians 1 and verse 10, the Bible says "that you might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God." So according to the Apostle Paul then, we're pleasing to the Lord when we are fruitful in every good work and that we're increasing in knowledge of the Lord.
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And by the way, let me point out the fact that a good work is defined by God and not by man. It is God that determines what a good work is and not man. And when he talks about the knowledge of God, we have to understand this. The knowledge of God is in reality the most precious thing on earth. I don't know if you've ever thought about this or not. But the only thing we'll take with us when we die is the knowledge that we have acquired of God here in this life. That's the only thing we're going to take with us. So the Apostle Paul says if we're going to walk pleasing unto him, we must walk in every good work and we must walk in knowledge as well. We must kind of be like David. You remember David was a man after God's own heart. And the Bible tells us in Acts 13 in verse 22, "And when he had removed him, that is Saul, He raised up David to be their king, to whom also he gave testimony."
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"And said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will." Isn't that interesting? So a man after God's own heart, a man who's walking with God is a man who's fulfilling the will of God. So the question then is this. How do I know what the will of God is? Well, the answer to that is found in 1 John 3 and verse 22, listen carefully.
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"And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight." Now, what is pleasing in God's eyes? Keeping his commandments. Keeping his word, keeping his law. So where then do we find the will of God? And the answer is the will of God is revealed to us in Scripture. So if we're going to learn to walk with the Lord, the question has to be asked, where then do we begin? And I'm going to suggest to you that we begin with the simplest.
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And move into the more complex. And so today I'm going to deal with the simplest, because I want to show you from the scripture that it pleases God when we walk by faith. So I want you to look in Hebrews 11 and let's read verse 5 and verse 6, because originally this is the context here of Enoch. Notice verse five, "By faith, Enoch was translated that he should not see death and was not found because God had translated him for before his translation. He had this testimony that he pleased God." And then we read this, "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." Now, one thing that we're absolutely certain and dogmatically sure concerning is that faith pleases God. Because he said it very clearly here in verse six, you also have to make sure that you understand this verse in its context.
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When I say that, I thought of an illustration. I have a pastor friend in Indiana whose name is Andrew Green, and Andrew had a couple of daughters and three or four sons. And one of his daughters is named Faith, Faith Green. Well, at Bible College, she met her husband and as they were courting, she told her husband, James, that it was absolutely imperative that he marry her if he was ever going to be faithful to God in the ministry and please God in the ministry. And James said, "How is that?" And she said, "Well, the Bible says without faith, it's impossible to please him. So you have to marry me." They were telling Alice and I this as we were eating supper with them, and I looked at James and I said, "Well now James, I've got one more verse for you since you're now married. The Bible says in Romans 14, verse 23, 'whatsoever is not of faith is sin.' So you stay with faith and you'll be all right, you know." So obviously, Faith kind of took that verse out of context.
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But the Bible does say by faith Enoch walked with God and without faith, it's impossible to please him. So, you see in Hebrews chapter 11 the absolute necessity for faith.
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Now, I want to just give you three things this morning under this first point. The first one is this. Walking by faith has reference to the person of God. Walking by faith has reference to the person of God. Look in verse 6. "But without faith it is impossible to please Him. For he that cometh to God must first believe that He is." Do you see that? It has reference to the person of God. Obviously, if one does not have faith, he will not believe in God, and he will not seek Him or believe that He rewards those that diligently seek Him. This should be the answer why it's impossible without faith to please God. Because obviously, someone with no faith does not believe in God, does not believe His promises. And it should also be made exceedingly clear from Hebrews chapter 11 and verse 6, that this faith is not just in any God. This faith is in the one true and the living God who has revealed Himself in Jesus Christ. Without faith, one is an unbeliever.
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And without faith, one cannot please God. I quoted Romans 14, verse 23 earlier. Listen to this. Without faith, it's not only impossible to please Him, but the Bible says, "whatsoever is not of faith is sin." So when someone comes to God without faith, it's sin. It's rebellion. It's wickedness. God is not going to hear, nor is God going to look upon someone who comes to Him without faith. Did you know the Bible says in the book of Habakkuk chapter 1 in verse 13, talking about God, "Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity." In other words, God cannot look at and approve and condone sin and iniquity. So when someone comes to Him without faith, which is sin, God can't condone or approve that individual. It is by faith that we believe that he is. It is by faith we believe that he is the great I AM.
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He is the Alpha and the Omega. He is the beginning and the end. Faith believes in his person. Faith believes that God is who he says he is. Faith believes that God is as he has revealed himself in his scripture. Faith believes that God is as He has revealed Himself in every one of His attributes. God is omniscient. God is omnipresent. God is omnipotent. God is eternal. God is immutable. God is infinite. God is glorious. In other words, faith then embraces everything that God has revealed concerning Himself. Now, one must believe that he is. One must believe that he is what?
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Well, he is the creator. He is the lawgiver. He is the judge. He is the Redeemer. He is the Savior. You see, the Bible says in Psalm 14, verse 1, and in Psalm 53, verse 1, "The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God."
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Now whether you take these two verses as a statement of a denial of the existence of God, or if you interpret them where the fool says, "No God for me," as an act of rebellion, it really doesn't matter which way you interpret them. God says a man's a fool who says that. So without faith, a man is a fool. Because without faith, he's either going to deny the existence of God or he is going to rebel against God and say, "No God for me." Now, you see, one may be a theoretical atheist and just say there is no God. Or one may be a practical atheist and say he believes that there is a God. Yet he lives as if there is not a God.
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He does not regulate his life according to God's word. Hence, he is certainly not living by faith. And that practical atheist is even worse than a theoretical atheist. Because the practical atheist is being a hypocrite as well. God condemns all who do not honor him and recognize him as God. The Bible says in Psalm 10 and verse 4, "The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts." So the wicked through the pride of his countenance will not seek after God. God is not in all of his thoughts. You know, the interesting thing is, as a child of God, our mind should be filled with the Word of God, with the truth of God, so that whatever we think we're trying to think biblically. We're trying to think scripturally. You see, faith believes in God. But faith believes in the God of the scripture. Faith believes that God is as he has revealed himself. I've heard so many people in over 50 years of preaching say, "Well, I think God is this or I think God..."
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Well, you can think all you want to. Your thoughts are not divinely inspired. Your thoughts are not divine revelation. Your thoughts are not scripture. So many people serve a God of their imagination and not the God of the Bible. God is as He has revealed Himself. So faith does not believe in false gods. Faith does not believe in foreign gods, nor does faith believe in foolish gods, gods of our own imaginations and God of our own making. Faith doesn't believe in those. Faith believes in the One True and the Living God. And let me tell you something about God.
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He does not need explaining. He does not need excusing. Nor does He need anyone to add to or to take from His Word. He has revealed himself as he's fully and freely revealed himself in Scripture. That's it, that's who God is. I want you to turn in your Bibles very quickly to Isaiah 44. I want you to follow me with a few Scriptures. Look in Isaiah chapter 44 and let's begin there with verse 6. Isaiah 44 and verse 6, look what God says. Isaiah 44, verse six.
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"Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel, and his redeemer the Lord of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God." There is no God. The only God that is is the God that has revealed himself in Jesus Christ. Look in Isaiah 44 and verse eight. "Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it?"
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"Ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any." Notice, if you would, Isaiah 45 and verse 5. God says, "I am the Lord, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me." Note what he says, "I am the Lord and there is none else. There is no God besides me." If you do not believe in the God of the Bible, then you do not believe in God, for the only God that exists is the God that has revealed Himself in Scripture. So faith then has to regard the person of God. Faith believes that God has revealed Himself in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And if I had time this morning, I could show you without faith in the triune God, who is one God, but has revealed Himself in Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Without that, there is no salvation.
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You just stop and think. Salvation originated with the Father. Salvation was purchased by the Son. And salvation is applied by the Holy Spirit. All three persons are absolutely essential and necessary in salvation. Faith believes that God has revealed himself in Jesus Christ. Moreover, faith believes that the only way to come to God the Father is through His Son Jesus Christ. The Bible says in Ephesians 2 in verse 18, "For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father." You remember, our Lord said it very plainly in John 14 in verse 6 when He said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." And so when you hear preachers try to say that there is more than one way of salvation, or that the Jews can be saved this way, but everybody else has to come through Christ, that's hogwash. That's heresy. There's only one way of salvation, and that is through Jesus Christ. And the person who will not come through Jesus Christ will not be saved.
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It's just that simple. The Bible says in Hebrews chapter 10, beginning with verse 19, listen now, "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; and having an high priest over the house of God; let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith." Having boldness to come to Him through the blood of Jesus Christ.
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So if we're going to walk pleasing unto the Lord, we must walk by faith. The Bible says that Enoch pleased God. How did he please Him? By walking with Him by faith. Faith respects, first and foremost, the person of God. Who is God? I remember years ago, I was in a pastor's office in Americus, Georgia. And that pastor and I were talking about the doctrine of election. His door was open and we had been fellowshipping and talking about this for 30, 40 minutes. His secretary was sitting outside at her desk and all of a sudden she jumps up and runs in and she says to her pastor, she was visibly upset. She said to him, "I don't care what the Bible says. I know God is not like that." And her pastor said, "Did you hear what you just said?" You know, that's exactly the way so many people are. They don't care what the Bible says. They have a figment in their imagination of who God is and what God is like. They're wrong.
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The only God that exists is the God of the Bible, and he is exactly as He has revealed Himself in His Word. And if you're going to walk with Him, if you're going to walk before Him, you must walk in faith, and faith has reference and recognition to His Person.
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Secondly, I want you to look in Hebrews 11 and verse 6 again. Watch carefully. "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." So faith, then, not only has reference to the person of God, faith has reference to the promises of God. That's what the Bible says, verse 6, "and that he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him." Why in the world would you diligently seek Him if you do not believe in His person or if you do not believe in His promises? Let me tell you what the word "diligently" means. The word "diligently" means to seek out, to search out, to investigate carefully, to be diligent, to crave, to beseech and desire. So God says faith then has reference not only to His person, but to His promises. And those who believe those promises diligently crave them and desire them and seek them out and search them out. They want them.
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And we recognize there are so many promises in the Word of God. And since we have faith in the person of God, we know that God is faithful in fulfilling those promises. In fact, God has given us example after example of that in the Bible. The Hebrews chapter 11 is full of people who walked and lived by faith. And who had faith in his promises.
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Now, what I want to do under this point is to give you an illustration, in fact, two illustrations from the life of Abram. Abraham is known as the friend of God, just like Enoch. He walked with God. But I want you to know particularly his faith in God. In his person relates to the faith in his promises, so I want you to go back in your Bibles, hold Hebrews 11. We're coming back there, but let's go back in our Bibles to Genesis chapter 17. Genesis chapter 17. And let's begin reading there with verse one. I know, let's skip down to verse 15. We'll skip some of this. Notice if you would, Genesis chapter 17, and let's begin reading with verse 15, because here is God promising Abram a seed. Genesis 17, verse 15, "And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be. And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her."
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"Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear? And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee! And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him. And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee."
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"Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation. But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year." So now God has promised to Abram a son. In a set time.
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Now, I've got news for you. Who in our lifetime has ever heard of a 100-year-old man and a 90-year-old woman having a baby? I mean, Sarah was past childbearing years. Undoubtedly, when Abram heard this, he had to be shocked. I mean, I have a friend or used to be a friend. I haven't heard from him in years and years. John Lee Maddox lived in Thomasville, Georgia.
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He was born when his father was 75 and his mother was in her 60s. That's the oldest I've ever heard of anyone having a baby, but here it is. And when he hears that Sarah's going to have a baby, he's told that Ishmael might live, but God said, "I'm going to take care of Ishmael. But my covenant is going to be with Isaac."
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Now, I want you to turn to the book of Romans chapter four and see how the scripture tells us that Abraham responded to this promise. Remember now, he's a hundred year old man and Sarah is 90. So notice, if you would, Romans chapter 4 and let's begin reading there, verse 17. Romans chapter 4, verse 17. "(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb: He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform."
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"And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness." Now, I want you to note Abram's attitude as well as his faith. It's fully expressed in this statement, "who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be." God had given a promise. God had given his word. His faith was in that which was spoken. "So shall thy seed be." So simply stated, Abraham believed in the promise of God.
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He did not even consider his own body now dead. He didn't consider the deadness of Sarah's womb. He did not look at the circumstances. He did not look at the situation. He did not look at his weakness. He did not look at his inability. He did not look at his helplessness. He looked only at the promise of God. And his attitude was this. If God said a 100 year old man and a 90 year old woman can have a baby, we can have a baby. How was his attitude? The problem with so many Christians is we always dwell on the circumstances. We look at the situations. We look at the surroundings and we ask, "How can it be?" Abraham didn't do that. He looked at the promise and said, "God said this. This is it. It doesn't matter about the situation. It doesn't matter about the circumstance. It doesn't matter about the surroundings. God said this, and this is what it's going to be." You know what God asked in Jeremiah 32, verse 27? He said this, "Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?"
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And the answer is absolutely no. God is able to bring all of His promises to pass. Did God give Abraham a son? Yes. When Abraham was 100, Sarah was 90. Isaac was born. Now, listen to me. If Abraham did not believe in God's person, he would have never believed in God's promise. These two things go together. Let's go further. I want you to go back to Genesis 22 and hold Hebrews 11. We're coming back. In fact, let's let's read let's go to Genesis 21 first, let's see the fulfillment and the fruition of this promise. Look back in Genesis chapter 21, then we'll go further. Genesis chapter 21, beginning there with verse one, look at what it said, Genesis 21, verse one. "And the Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did unto Sarah as he had spoken. For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac."
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"And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him. And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him." Isn't that interesting? God said, "This is what's going to happen." It happened. Now, remember, this is Abraham's heir. This is Abraham's only child by Sarah. Ishmael had been born by Hagar, but Ishmael is not the covenant seed. So God has fulfilled his promise.
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Now look in Genesis chapter 22 and let's read the first 12 verses. Watch carefully, because now God is going to further test Abraham's faith. Genesis 22, verse one, "And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am." And by the way, the word "tempt" there means to test or to try. So God did test or try Abraham and said unto him, "Abraham," and he said, "Behold, here I am."
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"And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of." Note, if you would, that phrase, "offer him there for a burnt offering." Watch verse 3, "And Abraham rose up early in the morning." He didn't sleep in. "And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him. Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off. And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you. And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife."
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"And they went both of them together. And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together. And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham."
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"And he said, Here am I. And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son."
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Now, I want you to note something. Abraham is given a son in his old age. He's given an heir. And now God tells him to take this son and offer him up for sacrifice. And I want you to note, if you would, the perfect image here, because Isaac, the son, carried the wood. Abraham, the father, carried the fire and the knife. So the father had the wrath and the son had the sacrifice. So it's the wrath of God falling upon the true sacrifice, the Lord Jesus Christ, and another interesting thing is this. Isaac went willingly. Just like Christ. I want you to note something, two things, really. I want you to look in verse seven, "And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?" Watch verse eight carefully. "And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering." The Bible does not say that God will provide for himself.
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"God will provide himself." God will give God to be the burnt offering.
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Now, let me show you something. When Abraham laid Isaac upon that altar, he was not just going to kill him. What did God say? "Take your son and offer him for a burnt offering." So that meant after Isaac was slain, his body would have been burned to ashes. That's what a burnt offering is. But I want you to look at the faith of Abraham. Go back to verse five, Genesis 22, verse five. "And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you." Did you hear that? God had already told him, "Take your son and offer him for a burnt offering." Let his body be consumed. And yet he tells his servants, "You wait here, the lad and I are going to go yonder and worship and we're both coming back." How could he say that when God had said you offer him for a burnt offering? Because Abraham believed the promises of God. He believed that if he slew that son, if he burned that son up in a burnt offering, that God would raise him up from the dead.
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That's not my speculation. That's what the Bible says. Look in your Bibles, Hebrews chapter 11, beginning there in verse 17. Hebrews 11, verse 17, the Bible says, "By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure." So Isaac then was a figure. He was a type.
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He was a picture of Jesus Christ. Likewise, Abraham here would have been a picture and a type of God the Father. And so here Isaac willingly is laying upon that altar just like Jesus Christ willingly gave His life. And Abraham believed, according to God's promise, God would raise him from the dead. God, the son who gave his life, believed that God would raise him from the dead. Did you know it's interesting as you read through the Bible, sometimes the resurrection of Christ is attributed to God, the father. Sometimes it's attributed to himself. And also, it's attributed to the spirit. Not interesting, because there is one God who's revealed himself in three persons.
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Now, I want you to see something. The Bible says by faith, when he was tried, he offered up Isaac. He that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, everything was in Isaac. Everything. The covenant. His heir. Everything. So the figure then pictures God the Father giving His Son Jesus Christ.
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Now, with that in mind, I want you to turn to the book of Romans chapter 8. I can quote this verse, but I want you to see it. I want you to see it in light of the illustration that I just gave you. Romans 8. Remember, the Bible says that Abraham received Isaac in a figure. In other words, it was a type of the offering and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Now look what the Bible says. Romans 8 verse 32.
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"He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?"
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Now you talk about the impact of this fact upon the promises of God. When we comprehend this truth, it should increase our faith and encourage us in seeking the Lord. "He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?" Listen, if God has given us His best, if God has given us His greatest and His dearest gift, His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, what makes you think He will not fulfill the rest of His promises? Let me ask you. If God has given us the greatest, shall He not also give us the least? Let me go further. If you are tempted to think that God somehow might skimp on His promises, and if you think that somehow God is tempted to back up and back off from His promises, let me offer this for your consideration. If God the Father was going to skimp, if God the Father was going to back up or back off, surely it would have been when His only begotten Son cried, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"
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But He didn't skimp. And He didn't back up. And He didn't back off. That's why the Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 9, verse 15 says, "Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift." If God was ever going to back off or back out of a promise, it would have been when His Son was crying. No. Faith has regard to the person of God, has regard to the promises of God.
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"For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven." And the Bible says that God has magnified His Word above His name, Psalm 138. So if the promises of God ever fail, God is not God. And very quickly, walking by faith has reference to the providence of God. Not only the person of God and the promises of God, but the providence of God. For the providence of God is nothing less than the rule of God in time and in history. It is God working out His eternal decree in time and history. We've been taught to pray, "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." This petition relates directly to the providence of God. The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 5 and verse 7, "For we walk by faith, not by sight."
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In Romans 8, 28, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." We know that there are so many bad things that transpire in life. At least we label them bad simply because we do not understand that they're for our good. God has not promised that everything that happens to us will be good, but He has promised that everything that happens to us, He will work out for our good. It's kind of like Jacob, and I love that passage in Genesis 42 and verse 36.
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When he thought Joseph was dead and Simeon is now being held down in Egypt. And they tell us, tell little dad, "If you don't let Benjamin go back with us, that guy's not going to sell us any more food." Jacob said, "Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away: all these things are against me." How many of those things were against Jacob? Not one. Joseph being down in Egypt was sent there to save the entire family. Simeon being held was just a ruse to get Benjamin there, which ultimately was to get Jacob and the entire family down there. Surely it was bad to think for 22 years that your son was dead when in reality he was not. It was bad to think that Simeon was a prisoner and that he might not get loose. It was bad to think if you sent Benjamin down there that, you know, he might not come back either. But none of that was bad. All it was good and all it was being worked out for Jacob.
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You see, here's our problem. Most of us never look past today. We do not see the future. We do not wish to see the future. We're so interested in the here and now. We're not interested at all in the sweet by and by. We are not generationally oriented the way our forefathers were and the way the men of scriptures were. We have to rest on one simple truth, and that is this. If we're going to walk pleasing unto the Lord, we must walk in faith. Walking in faith refers to God's person, God's promise and God's providence. We must believe that whatever happens to us is going to ultimately redound for our good and God's glory. Why?
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Because God is in control. He is sovereign. He works everything out. It's our responsibility to trust in Him, to submit to Him, to lean upon Him, to have confidence in Him. It's His part to work everything out. We just need to rest in Him. Let me make an application. The first one is this. The simple truth is, and I hope you've seen it, that faith pleases God and we cannot please Him unless we believe in His person, in His promises, and in His providence. Hebrews 11.1 describes faith as "the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Our hope is in Him. Our evidence is in His Word and in His providence. Because besides God, there is none other.
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That does not mean that we will not have dark days. That does not mean that there will not be difficult and dangerous times. It does not mean that sometimes we won't be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel. But during those dark and dangerous times, we still must trust in God in His promises and in His providence. One of my favorite verses is Isaiah 12 and verse 2.
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"Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation." In that same chapter, "Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid." I taught that verse to our oldest daughter when she was three years old or before she was three because she was afraid of the dark.
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And you could hear her. She'd get up at night sometimes and she'd be walking to the light switch and she'd be saying, "I will trust and not be afraid. I will trust and not be afraid" until she found the light switch. Then she didn't have trust anymore. She had light, you know. But when it was dark, she'd say, "I will trust and not be afraid." Let me give you one more verse, Isaiah 50, verse 10. Listen carefully. "Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light?" If you're walking in darkness and have no light, here's the answer. "Let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God." What that means is this, "Lord, I don't understand. I don't see how you can work this out. I don't see how this is going to redound to your glory for my good, but Lord, I trust you. And in my darkness and in my ignorance, I'm going to lean upon you."
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"And trust you to work it out." If we're going to walk with the Lord, we must walk in faith. For without faith, it's impossible to please Him. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow before Thee. We thank You for Your truth, for Your Word. We do ask, Father, that You would help us to walk before Thee and to walk in faith. May we regard Thy person as Thou has revealed Thyself in the Scripture. May we regard Thy promises, for they are true and faithful. And may we, Father, regard Thy divine providence, knowing that You work everything out after the counsel of Your own will. We do again today pray for Sis. Father and her surgery this weekend, and for Sis. Brianna and her surgery this week for her. Lord, I pray that Your hand would be upon them. Give the doctors wisdom. And I pray, Father, for divine healing and blessing. Give us grace that we may serve Thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear. In Thy name we pray, Amen.
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T18:08:20Z

Walking With God - 2

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

In this second message of the series, John Weaver teaches that walking with God requires walking by faith. Using Enoch and Abraham as examples, he explains that faith pleases God and must be directed toward God's person, His promises, and His providence. Without faith, it is impossible to please God, and believers must trust Him even in dark and difficult times.

Introduction and Review

Review of the series introduction: walking with the Lord requires agreement and walking before Him in His presence.

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 11:5

"By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death and was not found because God had translated him. For before his translation, he had this testimony that he pleased God."

Now, last week we began this series and we pointed out the fact that Enoch walked with the Lord.

Scripture Reading — Amos 3:3

"Can two walk together except they be agreed?"

Scripture Reading — 1 Samuel 15:1-3, 7-9, 32-33

"And Samuel also said unto Saul, The Lord sent me to anoint thee to be king over his people, over Israel."

The Necessity of Faith

Hebrews 11:5-6 shows that Enoch pleased God by faith, and without faith it is impossible to please Him.

Scripture Reading — 1 John 3:22

"And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight."

Faith in the Person of God

Faith must believe that God is who He has revealed Himself to be in Scripture, not a god of imagination.

Scripture Reading — Habakkuk 1:13

"Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity."

Scripture Reading — Psalm 10:4

" So the wicked through the pride of his countenance will not seek after God. God is not in all of his thoughts. You know, the interesting thing is, as a child of God, our mind should be filled with the Word of God, with the truth of God, so that whatever we think we're trying to think biblically. We're trying to think scripturally. You see, faith believes in God. But faith believes in the God of the scripture. Faith believes that God is as he has revealed himself. I've heard so many people in over 50 years of preaching say, "

Well, I think God is this or I think God..."

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 44:6, 8; 45:5

"Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel, and his redeemer the Lord of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God."

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 44:6, 8; 45:5

"Ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any."

Notice, if you would, Isaiah 45 and verse 5. God says,

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 44:6, 8; 45:5

"I am the Lord, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me."

Note what he says,

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 44:6, 8; 45:5

"I am the Lord and there is none else. There is no God besides me."

Scripture Reading — Ephesians 2:18

"For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father."

Faith in the Promises of God

Faith trusts God's promises, as illustrated by Abraham's belief that God would give him a son and raise Isaac from the dead.

Faith in the Providence of God

Faith rests in God's sovereign control, believing He works all things for good, even when circumstances are dark.

Application and Conclusion

Believers must trust God in darkness, leaning on Him and His promises, as exemplified by Isaiah 50:10.

Walking With God - 2

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	4281615321810
Subject	Old Testament Studies
Course	Genesis: Early World, Judgment, and the Nations
Genre	Sermon
Date	2016-02-14
Dictation Name
Book	Book 146: Walking With God — Chapter 2
Source Timed Segments	66

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction and Review: Review of the series introduction: walking with the Lord requires agreement and walking before Him in His presence.
The Necessity of Faith: Hebrews 11:5-6 shows that Enoch pleased God by faith, and without faith it is impossible to please Him.
Faith in the Person of God: Faith must believe that God is who He has revealed Himself to be in Scripture, not a god of imagination.
Faith in the Promises of God: Faith trusts God's promises, as illustrated by Abraham's belief that God would give him a son and raise Isaac from the dead.
Faith in the Providence of God: Faith rests in God's sovereign control, believing He works all things for good, even when circumstances are dark.
Application and Conclusion: Believers must trust God in darkness, leaning on Him and His promises, as exemplified by Isaiah 50:10.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

Faith is essential to please God

Without faith, it is impossible to please God, as stated in Hebrews 11:6.

Hebrews 11:6: 'But without faith it is impossible to please him.'

Faith must be in the biblical God

True faith believes in the God who has revealed Himself in Scripture, not a god of human imagination.

Isaiah 44:6,8 and 45:5 declare there is no other God.

Faith trusts God's promises over circumstances

Abraham's faith in God's promise of a son and in the resurrection of Isaac demonstrates trusting God's word despite impossible circumstances.

Romans 4:19-21 and Hebrews 11:17-19 show Abraham's unwavering faith.

Faith rests in God's providence

Believers must trust that God works all things for good, even when they cannot see the outcome.

Romans 8:28 and the example of Jacob in Genesis 42:36.

Walking with God requires agreement

One cannot walk with God while living in sin; agreement with God's will is necessary.

Amos 3:3: 'Can two walk together except they be agreed?'

Scripture References

Genesis 5:22-24: Enoch walked with God and was taken by God.
Hebrews 11:5: By faith Enoch was translated and pleased God.
Amos 3:3: Two cannot walk together unless they are agreed.
Genesis 17:1: God commands Abram to walk before Him and be perfect.
1 Samuel 15:1-3, 7-9, 32-33: Saul's disobedience and Samuel's obedience before the Lord.
Colossians 1:10: Walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing.
Acts 13:22: David was a man after God's own heart who would fulfill all His will.
1 John 3:22: We receive from God because we keep His commandments and do what pleases Him.
Hebrews 11:6: Without faith it is impossible to please God; He rewards those who diligently seek Him.
Romans 14:23: Whatsoever is not of faith is sin.
Habakkuk 1:13: God is of purer eyes than to behold evil.
Psalm 14:1; 53:1: The fool says in his heart there is no God.
Psalm 10:4: The wicked do not seek God; God is not in their thoughts.
Isaiah 44:6, 8; 45:5: There is no God besides the Lord.
Ephesians 2:18: Through Christ we have access by one Spirit to the Father.
John 14:6: Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but by Him.
Hebrews 10:19-22: We have boldness to enter the holiest by the blood of Jesus.
Genesis 17:15-21: God promises Abraham a son through Sarah.
Romans 4:17-22: Abraham's faith in God's promise despite his old age.
Genesis 21:1-5: Isaac is born to Abraham and Sarah as God promised.

Historical References

Enoch: Enoch walked with God and was translated so that he did not see death.
Abraham (Abram): Abraham is the friend of God who walked by faith, believing God's promises regarding Isaac.
King Saul: Saul disobeyed God by sparing Agag and the best of the Amalekites.
Samuel: Samuel obeyed God by hewing Agag in pieces before the Lord.
David: David was a man after God's own heart who fulfilled God's will.
Jacob: Jacob thought all things were against him when Joseph was in Egypt, but God was working for good.

Important Quotes

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.

This is the foundational verse for the entire message, establishing that faith is essential to please God.

He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

Illustrates Abraham's unwavering faith in God's promise, serving as a model for believers.

He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

Argues that if God gave His greatest gift, He will certainly fulfill all His other promises.

For we walk by faith, not by sight.

Summarizes the Christian life as one of faith rather than reliance on visible circumstances.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

What does it mean to walk before the Lord, and how does that differ from simply walking with Him?

[Context]

The speaker emphasized walking before God's face in His presence as a prerequisite to walking with Him.

[Question]

Why is faith absolutely necessary to please God, according to Hebrews 11:6?

[Context]

The message centers on the impossibility of pleasing God without faith.

[Question]

How does Abraham's response to God's promise of a son challenge our tendency to focus on circumstances?

[Context]

Abraham did not consider his own body or Sarah's deadness but trusted God's word.

[Question]

In what ways does the account of Abraham offering Isaac foreshadow the sacrifice of Christ?

[Context]

The speaker drew parallels between Isaac carrying the wood and Christ carrying the cross, and Abraham's faith in resurrection.

[Question]

How can we practically trust God's providence when we are walking in darkness and have no light?

[Context]

Isaiah 50:10 was cited as the answer: trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon God.

[Question]

What is the difference between a theoretical atheist and a practical atheist, and why is the latter worse?

[Context]

The speaker warned that living as if God does not exist is hypocrisy and rebellion.

Applications

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