READ: JEREMIAH 10:21-24
“And when Abram was ninety years old and nine,
the LORD appeared to Abram, and said to him, I am the Almighty God; walk before
Me, and be you perfect” (Genesis 17:1)
The Lord was asking Abraham to do three things here. First, he was asked to walk. To walk is to keep moving. He was not asked to run. There is a difference between the two. While to run means to go fast for a while, get tired and stop; to walk means to take a step at a time but never stop. To win the whole world for Christ appears a gigantic vision, which may create fear in us. But God did not say we should do this in one day. We are to take it one step at a time; one soul at a time; one house fellowship centre at a time; one parish at a time. Do not do more than you can handle at anytime. If you walk beyond your pace, you can get into trouble.
The second thing God was asking Abraham to do was to walk before Him. This means you must never forget He is watching you. If you are walking before Him, He will see where you are going. Knowing this, will keep you from sinning. As a student at Ilesa Grammar School, years ago, some students tried to move us to revolt against the poor condition of food being served, but when some other students reminded us that God was watching us, we never carried out the riot. Wherever you go, remember God is watching you every second of the year. Don’t do anything He will not be proud of.
A great preacher once said we should reverence God, but not fear Him. I disagree with this. We have to fear God. As I grew up as a young believer, the only thing that kept me holy was the fear of the Lord. I was afraid that if I offended Him, He would knock me on the head. If God truly loves you, He will give you a knock on the head if you offend Him. The child that has no one to fear will become spoilt, so goes an adage. Most children who grew up with their fathers feared the rod of correction that awaited them whenever they deviated from the right path. You need the Father’s rod of love to keep you in line. Walk before Him today.
The Lord was asking Abraham to do three things here. First, he was asked to walk. To walk is to keep moving. He was not asked to run. There is a difference between the two. While to run means to go fast for a while, get tired and stop; to walk means to take a step at a time but never stop. To win the whole world for Christ appears a gigantic vision, which may create fear in us. But God did not say we should do this in one day. We are to take it one step at a time; one soul at a time; one house fellowship centre at a time; one parish at a time. Do not do more than you can handle at anytime. If you walk beyond your pace, you can get into trouble.
The second thing God was asking Abraham to do was to walk before Him. This means you must never forget He is watching you. If you are walking before Him, He will see where you are going. Knowing this, will keep you from sinning. As a student at Ilesa Grammar School, years ago, some students tried to move us to revolt against the poor condition of food being served, but when some other students reminded us that God was watching us, we never carried out the riot. Wherever you go, remember God is watching you every second of the year. Don’t do anything He will not be proud of.
A great preacher once said we should reverence God, but not fear Him. I disagree with this. We have to fear God. As I grew up as a young believer, the only thing that kept me holy was the fear of the Lord. I was afraid that if I offended Him, He would knock me on the head. If God truly loves you, He will give you a knock on the head if you offend Him. The child that has no one to fear will become spoilt, so goes an adage. Most children who grew up with their fathers feared the rod of correction that awaited them whenever they deviated from the right path. You need the Father’s rod of love to keep you in line. Walk before Him today.
MEMORIZE:
GENESIS 17:1 –And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared
to Abram, and said to him, I am the Almighty God; walk before Me, and be you
perfect.
