RCCG House of Joy For All Nations

“He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” Micah 6:8.

God’s desire is that we might “walk with Him”. Many times people think that to be a Christian means that “God walks with me” – in other words, wherever I go, God goes. But we are called to align our lives to the life of God, not the other way around. We walk with God (Amos 3:3).

Three Examples

The Bible provides many examples of those who walked with God (read 1 Cor.10:11; Heb.11). We study their lives, not just as history lessons, but to understand the secret of their walk with God (Hebrew 6:12). Three men in the Bible are actually identified as specifically having “walked with God”: Enoch, Noah and Abraham.

Enoch’s Walk

“When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. And after he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked with God 300 years.Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away” Gen. 5:21-24.

Something happened to Enoch when Methuselah was born. Up until that time, Enoch had probably believed in God, but had not walked with God. What happened to change all this?

Methuselah became the oldest man to ever live (969 years) and the year he died God sent the Flood in judgment against a wicked world. It seems that God had revealed to Enoch that his son was the “time-clock” for God’s judgment. In fact, Enoch saw beyond even the Flood to the Second Coming of Christ.

“Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men: “See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones to judge everyone, and to convict all the ungodly of all the ungodly acts they have done in the ungodly way, and of all the harsh words ungodly sinners have spoken against him” Jude 14-15.

This revelation of judgment launched Enoch into a close walk with God. Enoch’s fellowship with God was so close that God caught him straight up to heaven to be with Him, without Enoch having to taste of death first (Genesis 5:24). This is a picture of what it will be like for Christians alive when Jesus returns (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).

“By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God” Hebrews 11:5.

Noah’s Walk

Noah was one of a handful of men that impressed the heart of God (Ezekiel 14:12-20). Like Enoch, he is described as a man who “walked with God”.

“Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God” Genesis 6:9 (see also 7:1).

In the midst of this corrupt generation, Noah was special, because of his attitude (read Genesis 6:5-12, 22; 7:1). He was blameless in his generation.

Noah saw things unseen

“By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family.” Hebrews 11:7.

The Bible talks about two “worlds” – the seen world and the unseen world (2 Cor.4:18; Heb.11:1). Noah’s eyes were fixed on the unseen world and this affected his walk on the earth.

Noah condemned his generation

“…By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith” Hebrews 11:7.

Noah was a “preacher of righteousness” (2 Peter 2:5), but it wasn’t his words that condemned the world, but his life. Through his life, Noah proved that it was possible not to walk a way of violence and depravity, thus leaving his generation with no excuse for their condition (Romans 1:18-20).

Saved from a corrupt generation

In Matt.24:37-39, Jesus said that the generation alive at the time of His return would be just like that of Noah’s generation. Noah’s generation was judged because of its violence and corruption, not because they were “eating and drinking.”. Their daily lives numbed them to the reality of their evil condition. Our generation is no different.

“With many other words he warned them; and pleaded with them, ‘Save yourselves from this corrupt generation’” Acts 2:40.

Our salvation does not just mean we are rescued from an eternity in hell (the future). Our salvation extends into the here and now.

Abraham’s Walk

“…the Lord appeared to [Abram] and said, ‘I am God Almighty, walk before me and be blameless’” Genesis 17:1.

Like Enoch and Noah, Abraham walked with God (Genesis 24:40). But the New Testament describes the walk of Abraham in a way different from Enoch and Noah.

“…’Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,’ and he was called God’s friend ” James 2:23.

Abraham’s fellowship with the Lord was so great that he was called the “friend” of God (2 Chronicles 20:7). This did not just mean that God was Abraham’s friend. Even more than that, Abraham was God’s friend. God felt He could share the depths of His heart with Abraham, just as two friends might do. God is looking for the same kind of deep friendship with you (John 15:13-15; Proverbs 17:17).

Like Enoch, Noah and Abraham, each of us has a choice between two walks – between walking with the world or walking with God (James 4:4; 1 John 2:15-16), between the seen world and the unseen world of God’s promises (2 Corinthians 5:7). The choice we make will determine how we live – our outlook, our values, our lifestyle (Hebrews 11:32-12:2).

“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are.” 1 John 3:1.

The work of the Cross  resulted not just in the forgiveness of our sins, but in the restoration of our relationship with God. God could have simply saved us and given us eternal life – and that would have been more than we deserved! But He did so much more. He brought us into the very inner circle of His family.

Our relationship with God is like that between a father and his son (Hebrews 12:5-11). This “sonship” belongs to every Christian, whether male or female. We are all called “sons” because of the special status sons had in Hebrew culture.

Made Sons

“For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father’. The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children” Romans 8:15-16.

The Spirit of Sonship

When we believed on Jesus, our hearts were sealed with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13-14). God’s Spirit is also called “the Spirit of sonship.” It is through God’s Spirit that we were adopted into the family of God (Ephesians 1:5).

The Spirit of God’s Son

Galatians 4:6 is almost identical to Romans 8:15, but the differences are very revealing: “Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, ‘Abba, Father.’”

The Holy Spirit is not only called “the Spirit of sonship”, but also “the Spirit of His Son”. We are sons because the Spirit of the Son is indwelling us.

Abba, Father

“Abba” was the family word for “Father” used by the Jews of Jesus’ day. It is the same as the word “daddy” in English. It was the word that Paul himself used for his own natural father, and it was the word that Jesus used for His Heavenly Father.

“Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. ‘Abba, Father,’ he said, ‘everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will’” Mark 14:35-36.

The depth of the relationship that Jesus had with His Father has now been opened up to us through the Holy Spirit – the Spirit of God’s Son (read Hebrews 2:10-15).

“For through him [Jesus] we both have access to the Father by one Spirit” Ephesians 2:18 (see also Matthew 10:20; John 20:17).

Through the Holy Spirit, our lives have been linked with the life of God’s Son. The two verses – Romans 8:15 and Galatians 4:6 – show this link:

Romans 8:15 — By the Spirit we cry, ‘Abba, Father’

Galatians 4:6 — Through us, the Spirit of the Son (Jesus) cries, ‘Abba, Father’

We have been included in the very relationship that Jesus has with His Father! Not only have we been linked with Christ’s death and burial (Romans 6:3-6), we continue to be linked with Him now! (Ephesians 2:6; Colossians 3:1-4).

Made Heirs

“Now if we are children, then we are heirs – heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ” Romans 8:17.

Not only are we sons, but we are also heirs of God (Gal.4:7). But more than that, we are heirs alongside Jesus – linked with God’s Son even in His inheritance! (Colossians 3:1-4).

Christ’s Inheritance

The inheritance of Jesus, because of who He is, includes:

• A name superior to every other (Heb.1:4; Phil.2:8-10).
• Everything in heaven and on earth (Colossians 1:15-20).
• The kingdom (Matthew 25:34; Luke 22:29; James 2:5).
• Us (1 Kings 8:51,53; 1 Peter 2:9-10; Titus 2:14; Eph.1:18).

Our Inheritance

Because we are co-heirs with Jesus, our inheritance involves:

• The name of Jesus (John 14:13-14; 16:24; Rev.3:12.)
• Everything in heaven and on earth (Ephesians 1:22).
• The kingdom (Matt.25:34; Luke 22:29; Col.1:12).
• The Lord Himself (Psalm 16:5; 73:26).

Two Misconceptions

Read Luke 15:11-32. This is not really the “parable of the prodigal son”, but the “parable of two sons”. The father divided his inheritance between both sons, with a double-portion for the elder (Deut.21:15-17). The way that both sons used their inheritance revealed each one’s misconception of sonship. While the younger son took the inheritance for himself, the older son ignored his inheritance. Both left the presence of their father (even though the older brother never left home), for while the younger brother joined himself to foreigners (the world), the older brother joined himself to the slaves. Both saw their inheritance as separate from relationship.

Both sons were equally wrong. Both were self-centered and missed out on a true father-son relationship. But whereas the younger son repented, the older son failed to see his fault. In the parable, the father’s response to his older brother shows the true meaning of sonship:

• “You are always with me” – Relationship
• “Everything I have is yours” – Heirship

As Christians, we have been “born again into a living hope” (1 Peter 1:3). God has a goal for His children, that we will grow up to become mature sons – like Jesus, the Son (Rom.8:29,21).

“Dear friends, now we are the children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when [Jesus] appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is” 1 John 3:2 (read also verse 3).

“…whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant… just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” Matthew 20:26-28.

God’s grace is the key to the whole Christian life. Without an understanding of the grace of God, people will serve God from a wrong motivation:

• Out of a sense of duty
• Out of a desire to gain acceptance
• Out of a need to prove something to others

Before we can serve God out of a right motivation, we must see what God has already done for us.

Taken to the Throne

The grace of God has brought us into the position of sonship. There is nothing we can do to earn that position – no service, no sacrifice, nothing! This revelation of God’s grace releases us from any hint of self-effort and self-attainment. We do not need to earn anything from God. In Christ, we have all things!

“And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus” Eph.2:6-7 (read verses 4-9).

When we received the Lord Jesus, we received everything (2 Peter 1:3). We became complete in Him (Colossians 2:10). There is nothing to work for, nothing to earn from God. Everything has been given freely as a gift (Ephesians 1:3).

Only now – when we understand that we don’t have to do anything in order to get anything from God – can we begin to serve God, not out of “selfish ambition or vain conceit” (Philippians 2:3), but out of love for God and for others.

The Attitude of Christ

“Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant.” Philippians 2:5-7.

Jesus did not become a servant to get anything for Himself. He was not “grasping” after any position or favor. His sole motivation was love for His Father and love for a lost world. God now wants you to have the same attitude. Like Jesus, you have nothing to grasp after. You have eternal life, you are a son, you are seated with Christ. But now, because of the same attitude of love, you can voluntarily step down from your position of comfort and “take the very nature of a servant”. Like Jesus, we are not servants striving to become sons, but we are sons who have chosen to become servants (1 Peter 2:16).

“Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses…poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything” 2 Corinthians 6:4,10.

A Choice of Masters

“No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money” Matthew 6:24.

The Bible tells us that a person is a “slave to whatever has mastered him” (2 Peter 2:19; John 8:34). As Christians, we are given the choice of either serving the world or serving the Lord. There is no other choice.

“…choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord” Joshua 24:15.

Mary and Martha

“[Martha] had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, ‘Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!’ ‘Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, ‘you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her’” Luke.10:39-42.

Jesus used this occasion to teach an important lesson about serving. Even though Martha loved to serve (see John 12:2), she had allowed herself to become “distracted” by her serving. If we become “worried and upset” in serving the Lord, this is a signal that our focus has moved from the Lord to our service. True servanthood is “serving the Lord”, not just “doing things for the Lord”. We should be like Martha – wholeheartedly serving the Lord – but have the heart of Mary – who counted relationship with Jesus as the most important thing.

Servanthood in Grace

“…we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code” Rom.7:6.

Servanthood out of a sense of obligation or duty brings no joy to the heart of God (1 Cor.9:17). Servanthood must come from a heart of joy (Psalm 100:2) and enthusiasm (Romans 12:11). In order for our service to be pleasing to God, it must be:

• Because of all God has done for us (Romans 12:1).
• Because in serving we find fulfilment (Psalm 40:8).
• Because of love (John 14:15; 1 John 5:3).

Our service is firstly to the Lord. God takes everything that we do for others as if it were done for Him (Matthew 25:35-40; 1 Peter 4:10-11; Ephesians 6:6-8).

Waiting on the Master

“As the eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid look to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God.” Psalm 123:2 (see also Luke 12:35-36).

The Bible describes true servanthood as “waiting on the Lord.” Service to God is not just doing things for Him, but is being with Him, watching His hand, listening for His voice, ready to obey the moment He commands.

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving” Colossians 3:23-24.