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Walking in Him

Walking in Him

Words of Faith 12-18-18

Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2018

Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com

Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL

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Luke 19:28 

       After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.

 

       We tend to live in a world of compressed storylines.  The detectives on television have DNA results back after one set of commercials instead of weeks or months.  Political developments that take years are expressed in a few minutes.  It is not surprise that even the Gospel writers had to compress the three years of Jesus' ministry so as to fit it within a readable space.  This one little verse proves to be quite a journey.  It is interesting to follow the steps of Jesus up to Jerusalem from the view of the Psalms that Jewish pilgrims recited on that journey. At the crest of each hill, the faithful would utter the next Psalm marking a degree in the journey closer to the house God had pledged to inhabit. 

       Psalm 120 was Calling upon the Lord.  121 was about Lifting our eyes to Him.  122 was Rejoicing with those who go up to worship.  123 was discovering Humility before the Lord in asking for mercy. 124 was Remembrance of the faithfulness of God over generations.  125 was Trust and Peace.  The seventh vista was the Joy of Restoration in 126. The eighth vista in 127 was one of Wisdom that avoids the emptiness of life.  Today is about walking.

 

Psalm 128  A song of ascents.

    Blessed are all who fear the Lord,

        who walk in his ways.

    [2] You will eat the fruit of your labor;

        blessings and prosperity will be yours.

    [3] Your wife will be like a fruitful vine

        within your house;

    your sons will be like olive shoots

        around your table.

    [4] Thus is the man blessed

        who fears the Lord.

    [5] May the Lord bless you from Zion

        all the days of your life;

    may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem,

        [6] and may you live to see your children's children.

    Peace be upon Israel.

 

        The fear of the Lord is a common theme in the wisdom writings of scripture.  The word for fear, here, means a moral reverence.  The word for blessings is literally to be happy.  There is a happiness that is found only in a relationship that reverences God.  

       The Bible teaches that, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding" (Proverbs 9:10).  These Scriptures are not talking about a terror before the Lord but of a deep reverence and awe that comes from knowing Him.  "The fear of the Lord teaches a man wisdom, and humility comes before honor" (Proverbs 15:33). 

       This vista is about walking out a relationship with God in faithfulness and finding blessing in doing so.  There are rewards that come in this walk.  There is blessing.  There is enjoyment of the fruit of our labor.  There is enjoyment of the blessings of family.  There is a blessing of long life in Him.  There is the blessing of peace.

        But don't miss the important part of this.  Blessed are those who fear the Lord AND WALK in His ways.  There is prosperity but it is upon a life walked out with Him.  There is blessing upon family and children and children's children.

        Does this mean that we will have no pain?  Well, think about Jesus.  Jesus recited or heard this Psalm as He was walking toward Jerusalem.  He knew that the journey was God's will.  He knew that He would be rejected and betrayed into the hands of sinners, mocked, spat upon and crucified.  But Jesus also knew that the promises of God were true. 

       Jesus knew that He would enjoy the fruit of this labor.  Jesus knew that His household would be blessed and that He would see His children's children.  Sometimes the pain along the road is not what we would like, yet the promises of God are still true in the end. 

        As we crest this hill, there are some important questions.  Do you fear the Lord?  Do you have moral reverence for the Lord God? Do you know the Holy One and have the growing wisdom that comes from understanding Him?  Have you trusted your family to Him and found the peace that can only be experienced in Him?  Are you trusting the Lord for the prosperity He desires to give?  It starts with a walk of faithful reverence born out of a relationship of trust.

 

        Lord God I do fear You.  I reverence You above all.  Teach me wisdom in a relationship of love.  Develop humility in me that I may also discover honor.  Show me day to day how to walk in You.  In Jesus' name.