Intro

Welcome to another podcast. Today we finish a two part series on how to see if we are allowing the Holy Spirit to work within our lives. This is Dreamwalker1960. As a reminder you can read the transcripts of all my podcasts at dreamwalker1960.com. Also, you do not need to download podbean if you wish to listen. You can use Listen Notes, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music or Audible, Google Podcasts or Apple Podcasts. As well as Pandora, Spotify and PlayerFM. All you need do is do a search for Dreamwalker1960.

Discussion

The Christian walk

The first steps (part three)
How do you put following the road laws into practice?
As was pointed out at the end of the previous part. A lot of reasons as to why people go about not following the road laws, was given. If you noticed they focused upon one thing. The self.
This is when we need to look what Jesus called the greatest commandment.

Matthew 22:36-40 – “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the Law of Moses?” 37 Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

If you love God with all your heart, soul and mind. How can you think of your own wants and desires?
The road laws state that you are to go a certain speed limit. This increases the time it takes to travel when you do not speed. So, staying up to watch a sports event, or that special show. Staying out with your friends in a bar or at a party. Just because it is what you want. This does not place God as the most important person in your life. You are your most important person. You are your own god.

Exodus 20:3 “You must not have any other god but me.”

Yet this is shown daily upon the road. When you speed you are your own god. When you cut someone off because you are in the lane that is ending, and they have the right of way you are loving yourself over your neighbor. Something that is popular in Pennsylvania, turning across traffic in front of oncoming traffic as the light turns green. Again, this is someone placing themselves above all others, and especially God.
So as you can see just driving a car is a way of reflecting your Christian faith. Common courtesy along with not placing yourself first in any situation is by definition living a Christian life. A Christian walk.
But how is that accomplished?
You stop placing yourself first.
This is not easy. Therefore, following the laws of the road is so important. It actually teaches you to become aware of your Christian walk through life. It shows you when you are being selfish and self-serving. It points out to you when you are placing yourself above others.
It also shows just how difficult the true Christian walk can be and is.

James 4:4-10 – You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God. 5 Do you think the Scriptures have no meaning? They say that God is passionate that the spirit he has placed within us should be faithful to him. 6 And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 7 So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. 9 Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.

The next step
Seeking after the world as was pointed out at the end of the previous part of this series makes of us that calls ourselves “Christian,” adulterers. Yet the majority that calls themselves “Christian,” go about their lives, living in Christian adultery and don’t even give it a second thought. Many in fact come to embrace this as part of their outward sign that they are in fact “Christian.” As was shown in James 4:4-10, that is the furthest thing from the truth.
Yet what is it that makes people Christian adulterers?
It is how they live their lives.

Revelation 3:14-22 – “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Laodicea. This is the message from the one who is the Amen—the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s new creation: 15 “I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! 16 But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth! 17 You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. 18 So I advise you to buy gold from me—gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. Also buy white garments from me so you will not be shamed by your nakedness, and ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see. 19 I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference. 20 “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends. 21 Those who are victorious will sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat with my Father on his throne. 22 “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches.”

“I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!”
The moment we seek after things. The moment we desire to have the biggest, the most expensive. The name brand items. Those special golf clubs, that million-dollar house, that fifty-thousand-dollar car. You no longer serve God but yourself. That house, that car.

Mathew 6:19-21 – “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. 21 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.”

This money you are scrimping and saving just to spend or place yourself in debt for. Could in fact be spent as we are told how to spend by the Bible itself.

1 John 3: 17 – If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person?

The answer is it is not?

Matthew 19:16-24 – Someone came to Jesus with this question: “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” 17 “Why ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. But to answer your question—if you want to receive eternal life, keep the commandments.” 18 “Which ones?” the man asked. And Jesus replied: “‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. 19 Honor your father and mother. Love your neighbor as yourself.’” 20 “I’ve obeyed all these commandments,” the young man replied. “What else must I do?” 21 Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he had many possessions. 23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. 24 I’ll say it again—it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!”

When living a Christian walk. We should not seek the best, the brightest, the most expensive. We are to seek after a live that does not deprive us of some comforts. However, when those comforts become the focus of your wealth then we are not serving God, but the world. Our treasures are not in heaven, but in the temporal. The here, the now. And they are especially not on those in need.
We are to live a modest life and if we are given more than a modest income. Then what is beyond modesty is ALL GODS and no one else’s, not even yourself. That is a Christian walk.

2 Corinthians 9:6-11 – Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. 7 You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” 8 And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. 9 As the Scriptures say, “They share freely and give generously to the poor. Their good deeds will be remembered forever.” 10 For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you. 11 Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God.

So, as you can see from these verses. When God rewards us with earthly goods. They are not for us to horde, but to give the excess unto others so that God can be glorified. Yet millions that are emphatic that they are “Christian,” are not following this teaching. Many if not most are not even aware it exists within the Bible.

That is why it is important when accepting the Christian walk that we learn the Bible and come to understand it. For by doing so we can actually learn to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ and in turn give glory unto God.

So, in summary I have shown through the Bible that there are two areas that can truly show our ardent desire to show our belief and faith. That there is a God and we wish to follow the examples left unto us by Jesus Christ and His disciples.

The first of these to is obey the laws of the land of whatever nation we live within that do not violate the teachings of the Bible. Down to the point of how we drive our vehicles upon the road.

The second is to not live in luxuries while ignoring those in need and giving freely of the excess granted unto us by our Creator. We must be willing to not be like the young rich man, but to truly desire to be a living example unto to the Son of God our Savior Jesus Christ. By not seeking and hording wealth, if it is given unto us. Know that we must surrender that which is beyond our comforts to those in need. Not for our glory, but for God’s glory.

I will end with these verses for you the reader and listener to think and ponder upon:

Luke 14:25-33 – A large crowd was following Jesus. He turned around and said to them, 26 “If you want to be my disciple, you must, by comparison, hate everyone else—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. 27 And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple. 28 “But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it? 29 Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of money, and then everyone would laugh at you. 30 They would say, ‘There’s the person who started that building and couldn’t afford to finish it!’ 31 “Or what king would go to war against another king without first sitting down with his counselors to discuss whether his army of 10,000 could defeat the 20,000 soldiers marching against him? 32 And if he can’t, he will send a delegation to discuss terms of peace while the enemy is still far away. 33 So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own.

God Bless