Well, I can truthfully say for myself that
I really enjoyed the singing.
You just touched my heart with your singing.
You've done beautifully in congregational singing.
I was especially thrilled with the specials that
we have, especially the young ladies as they
sang for us this morning.
It's been a good time, and I think
we ought to thank our brother Glenn for
the good job he's been doing with the
song leading.
And we do appreciate it, Glenn.
And I think, Glenn, since they have been
doing such a good job singing, let's not
go out and knock on doors in the
morning.
No, really, when you say things like that,
I'm surprised you've still got that much hair
on your head.
See, I made that mistake several years ago.
That's why I don't have so much hair.
It's been good to meet so many of
you here this weekend.
I'm encouraged in the conversations that we've had.
Some of you have kind of, I don't
know whether you're putting me on notice or
what, but it was interesting this morning.
I walked out, and one brother said to
me, and I know what he meant, but
it was just the way he said it.
He said, thanks for the sandpaper.
And it took me a second to grasp
what he was saying.
And I hope I haven't been abrasive to
you.
But I hope it's been the word of
God that has spoken to your hearts.
Now, I know this dear brother was telling
me that it was, I don't know how
many of you have ever worked with wood.
But you know, sometimes when you, especially if
you've ever worked with cedar, that sometimes it
loses its fragrance.
But you just take a little light green
sandpaper, and you go in there and you
buff it up a little bit.
And that smell and the aroma comes right
back again, to be released over and over
and over again.
And sometimes we do need a little sandpaper
in our lives.
You know, the Lord is working on us,
you know, as they take precious gems.
They take them from the soil, and they
work with them.
We were talking earlier this morning about how
the Lord takes a gem, and he polishes
it, and he polishes it until it's just
perfect.
And then he takes it and he puts
it in just the right setting, so that
it will give forth in all of its
brilliance, that all those around may see it
and enjoy it.
And we're like that.
Malachi, the third chapter, tells us about the
Lord.
He's making up his jewels.
And what it is to come into the
hand of our living God, and to be
polished up by his hand.
Had a good day.
I think some of you got a little
sun like I did.
If the glare is too great for my
forehead, you'll just have to put on your
sunglasses.
But I didn't realize until somebody coming in
said, well, you really got a sunburn.
I hadn't noticed it.
We're going to continue on in our studies
this evening.
We're going to study a very interesting man.
Before we get into the study of the
man, I'd like to see, I'd like to
read with you some of the precepts that
this man understood very clearly.
From our Lord's Sermon on the Mount, will
you turn to Matthew, the sixth chapter, please.
Matthew, chapter six.
Going to read some lengthy portions with you
this evening.
You might be encouraged in the word of
God.
Matthew, chapter six.
And we'll begin reading at verse 19.
Do not lay up for yourself treasures upon
earth where moth and rust destroy and where
thieves break in and steal.
But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven.
Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven where
neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves
do not break in or steal.
For where your treasure is, there will your
heart be also.
The lamp of the body is the eye.
If therefore your eye is clear, your whole
body will be full of light.
But if your eye is bad, your whole
body will be full of darkness.
If therefore the light that is in you
is darkness, how great is the darkness.
No one can serve two masters.
For either you will hate the one and
love the other or you will hold to
the one and despise the other.
You cannot serve God and mammon.
For this reason I say to you, do
not be anxious for your life as to
what you shall eat or what you shall
drink nor for your body as to what
you shall put on.
Is not life more than food and the
body than clothing?
Look at the birds of the air that
they do not sow, neither do they reap
nor gather into barns and yet your Heavenly
Father feeds them.
Are you not worth much more than they?
And which of you being anxious can add
a single cubit to his life span?
And why are you anxious about clothing?
Observe how the lilies of the field grow.
They do not toil nor do they spin.
Yet I say to you that even Solomon
in all his glory did not clothe himself
like one of these.
But if God so raised the grass of
the field which is alive today and tomorrow
is thrown into the furnace, will he not
much more do so for you, O men
of little faith?
Do not be anxious then saying, what shall
we eat or what shall we drink or
with what shall we clothe ourselves?
For all these things the Gentiles eagerly seek.
For your Heavenly Father knows that you need
all these things.
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness
and all these things shall be added to
you.
Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow, for
tomorrow will care for itself.
Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Let's just take another moment to speak with
the Lord in prayer.
Father, we again would come into your presence
this evening.
We thank you for each and every heart
that is here.
We would pray again, our Father, for thy
spirit to work among us to speak to
our hearts concerning those things that we need
to hear that truly our lives might be
one that glorify and honor his precious name.
We commit ourselves to you for this evening
and as we look into your word, our
Father, we pray that truly we might be
spoken to by thyself.
For this we would pray in Jesus' name.
Amen.
Tonight I'd like to share with you about
a man who walked with God.
Super interesting man.
It's in the Old Testament, Genesis chapter 5.
Will you read there, please?
Genesis, the fifth chapter.
Genesis chapter 5, verse 21.
And Enoch lived 65 years and became the
father of Methuselah.
Then Enoch walked with God 300 years after
he became the father of Methuselah and he
had other sons and daughters.
So all the days of Enoch were 365
years.
And Enoch walked with God and he was
not, for God took him.
Now if you will notice in this portion
of Scripture that it starts out with Adam.
You'll notice in verse 5 Adam lived 930
years and he died.
You notice in verse 8, Seth lived 912
years and he died.
You read in verse 11, and so the
days of Enoch were 905 years and he
died.
Verse 14, and all the days of Kenan
were 910 years and he died.
We notice that all through this portion of
Scripture at the end of each man it
says he lived and he died.
But in the midst of this portion we
read of a man who lived 365 years
but he did not die.
For this man walked with God and he
pleased God and God took him.
What a commentary on a man's life.
We read four verses in the Old Testament
concerning this man called Enoch.
We read in the New Testament four verses
concerning Enoch.
Eight verses in all in the Holy Writ
of God but eight dynamic verses concerning a
man's life that lived 365 years here upon
this earth.
And in those eight verses I think we
have some wonderful lessons for us to learn.
For in the portion that we read in
Matthew as our Lord stood on the mount
and taught his disciples and the multitudes that
followed he said some very interesting things.
One of the most interesting things that he
said was lay not up for yourselves treasures
here upon this earth but lay up for
yourselves treasures in heaven where nothing can touch
them.
Absolutely nothing will have any impact upon them.
The question that we ask ourselves today where
am I laying up treasures?
But see the Lord went on because he
knew us and he says listen what about
your heart?
For where your heart is there is where
your treasure is going to be.
Where are we thinking of today?
One of the things that you can tell
about Turkey Hill Ranch Bible Camp is that
there are a group of men that are
committed to laying up treasures in heaven.
They are committed to see that souls have
the opportunity to be fed the word of
God for eternity's sake.
That the saved may come here and enjoy
the word of God and be build up.
For the unsaved to come in the camps
and to be spoken of of the eternal
security that we have in our Lord Jesus
Christ.
That there is salvation in no other but
Jesus Christ.
They are committed to this.
We see it by the work of their
hands.
We see it by the work of the
ladies who labor day in and day out
to see that this camp is fed and
cared for.
We see the men as they labor in
the various aspects to keep this camp going.
What a monument of service to the Lord,
the living God.
And yet these men are not looking for
worldly acclaim for they have seen the vision
that God has laid down in his word
to his son as he spoke at the
Sermon on the Mount.
Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven.
One of the things that I think Enoch
grasped hold of hundreds and hundreds of years
before the man of Calvary ever set foot
upon this earth.
He knew what God expected of him because
he walked with God.
What an interesting commentary.
He walked with God.
Our question is how do I walk with
God?
Does it mean that God came down and
took Enoch by the hand and said let's
go for a walk.
Now there are times in my life my
wife will say to me in the evening
just say honey, let's go for a walk.
And we get up put on our walking
shoes and we take off and walk a
couple miles.
And we enjoy the time together.
We have time to talk the time of
fellowship together to discuss things that are upon
our hearts and just to be with one
another.
Enoch walked with God.
Why?
Why do I walk with my wife?
Do I need the exercise?
Oh yes, I need the exercise.
You definitely can see that.
But what is the point of going for
a walk?
It's because we want to.
We want to be with one another.
We want to share our lives together.
Enoch walked with God because he saw in
that relation something so special that he didn't
want it any other way.
For he saw in that time of fellowship
together there was something there that nothing in
this world could offer.
Not a walk with his wife not a
walk with his son Methuselah not a walk
with his father Jared nor a walk with
his grandfather I always have a problem with
this Mahalalal nor with his great grandfather Kenan
nor with his great great grandfather Enoch.
For these men were all alive during the
life of Enoch and he saw them and
he talked with them and he fellowshiped with
them.
I wonder what it would have been like
to go back if we could and talk
with these men.
These men that were the grandfathers the great
grandfathers the great great grandfathers of this man
Enoch.
Or to talk to Methuselah his son or
to talk to Mrs. Enoch say what kind
of man is this man Enoch?
I wonder what they would have said.
I wonder what their commentary would have been
on his life.
Can you just see his son Methuselah?
Well what kind of father have you got
there in your dad Enoch?
He's special.
Very special.
There's something about him that's completely different than
all the other guys' dad.
He's got something in his life that speaks.
It has something to do with the God
that we know.
What about his father Jared?
I wonder if we'd ask him what of
your son Enoch?
Jared what do you think?
Would he have said oh he's a rare
gem.
A very rare gem.
Or would he have said well I don't
know he doesn't quite meet my expectations.
He's preoccupied all the time.
It just seems like he isn't really here.
Or did he understand his son Enoch?
Well that's all something that would be plain
supposition.
We don't know.
But the important thing is that we read
in the word of God that Enoch did
walk with God.
And he was a very rare person.
What does it mean to walk with God?
First of all when we say we're going
to walk with somebody there has to be
an agreement as to the direction.
Now it says Enoch walked with God.
It doesn't say God walked with Enoch.
It says Enoch walked with God.
Now let me ask you this.
If you just think about that statement who
do you suppose decided the direction of the
walk?
Absolutely.
It wasn't a question of well I wonder
which direction we should go.
It wasn't a physical direction.
It was a direction in life.
We were to ask you today write me
a few sentences.
Tell me about the direction that God has
taken you in your life.
I wonder how many of you could pick
up a piece of paper and in a
matter of a few seconds begin to write
down the direction that God is leading you.
Or would we have to sit and say
well the direction that God is taking me.
We may have to ponder it a while.
We may have to think about it.
Maybe we can come to no kind of
decision.
We might say why is that?
Is it possible that we have not allowed
ourselves the opportunity to let God lead us
or to take us in a direction that
we're busy trying to find out for ourselves
what we want to do where we want
to go.
Some years ago I had the joy of
working for our company in a civic project
and it was doing vocational guidance for the
Omaha public school system.
And it was always a joy to go
into the various schools, high schools and junior
high schools and start talking to the young
people about what do you plan on doing
with your life.
And I was sometimes amazed at how many
would say what are you thinking about doing
with your life?
Got any direction?
Sometimes it was juniors and seniors in high
school and I was always amazed at especially
in the senior highs how few of them
knew of a direction for their lives.
But yet I go to the junior high
schools and talk to them and how many
of them knew exactly what they wanted to
do.
And I thought what happens between junior high
and senior high to change their minds?
Is it that there are so many things
beginning to crowd in on what is the
best thing to do?
I've made this little discovery in my own
life that if I allow God the opportunity
to show me the direction it's much greater
and much more rewarding and much more fruitful
than if I decide for myself.
Yes, when we walk with God we have
to form an agreement with God that we'll
go His direction.
We also notice that walking means that there
is not a static position.
We can't stand still if we're walking.
For in order to walk there has to
be movement.
It's not static.
It's moving.
And when you're with God there is no
standing still.
God will not allow one of His children
to stand still.
You must walk.
Now you may walk dragging your feet.
You may go forth.
And you may hate every moment that God
shows you the direction that you're going.
But God is merciful.
And many times He takes us down paths
that we wouldn't choose.
We don't want to go that way.
I wonder how many of the disciples when
the Lord said as we discussed the other
morning when He told them follow me and
I will make you fishers of men I
wonder if our Lord Jesus Christ would have
given to them now man I think you
ought to know this that at the end
of your lives all of you all of
you but one will meet a violent death.
I wonder how many of them would have
been eager to climb out of the boats.
How many of them would have been eager
to leave the tax collector's booth.
I wonder if they would have understood and
desired still to follow Him.
It's moving.
But yet those men in the three years
that they walked here upon the earth with
Him they were men that changed the course
of the world because they walked with the
Lord.
We see how Peter when he stood up
and spoke thousands were changed.
We think of John who sat down and
penned the gospel and how many through the
ages have read the gospel of John and
with tear filled eyes and hearts that have
been humbled they bow down before the cross
of our Lord Jesus Christ and know that
Jesus is Savior and how many of us
have rejoiced as we read the revelation of
Jesus Christ knowing that these things are to
come to pass but we shall be with
Him for all eternity.
Yes, walking with God is not static.
It's moving.
It's directional.
And it has a purpose.
You know when my wife and I go
for a walk we have a purpose in
our walk.
We want to be with one another.
We want to share some things.
I've often wondered in this walk that Enoch
had with God.
Enoch, why do you want to walk with
God?
What's the purpose of walking with God?
I'm sure that Enoch would come with these
words.
Larry, I can't find words to explain this
to you but know this that in walking
with God He has revealed to me Himself.
He has revealed to me things about Himself
that I cannot explain to another soul.
You will just have to know that it
is something so special that it always bid
me to continue.
I never want it to end.
I want to go on and on and
on.
And right there is the answer.
The walk with God that Enoch had was
so pleasing to God that God one day
as Enoch was walking the communion was so
great that he was gone.
He was not for he was translated.
He was with God and the communion continues
on lo these thousands of years.
Isn't that wonderful to think of?
Enoch was so blessed even while he was
here on earth he walked with God and
it was such a great form of fellowship
such a great communion he was so close
to God and God loved him so much
and was so pleased with him that he
just took him to himself.
He would not pass through the portals of
death.
He would not see the decay of the
grave.
He was one day there and he was
gone.
I wonder if we would go back and
talk to his family of what happened to
Enoch.
Well, we don't really know.
All we know is that one day he
was with us and one day he was
gone.
I don't know whether Enoch had laid down
ahead of time some kind of explanation to
them of a premonition that he would one
day be gone or whatever.
I don't know what kind of preparation he
made with his wife or his son Methuselah
or talked to his father and his grandfather
and his great grandfather and all the rest
or his neighbors around him.
I don't know what explanation was given but
I have it on the basis of the
inspired writer of God, Moses, that Enoch walked
with God and he was not for God
took him.
Now maybe you have some answers and you
can share them with me later.
But the thing that we see here is
that Enoch enjoyed his walk with God because
it had a purpose.
He enjoyed that purpose so much allowing God
to reveal himself to him.
He understood that this walk with God developed
a relationship that was so special for it
was a commitment to God.
One of the things that speaks to our
lives as Christians is this, that when we
walk with God it makes us want to
commit more and more of our life to
him.
That is, we walk down the pathway of
life with our Lord and as he reveals
himself to us we want to give more
and more of ourselves to him.
That the communion and the relationship may grow
and prosper more and more.
Not for ourselves but for his namesake.
Now the word of God speaks to us
in many ways about our walk.
As we go through the word of God
we read these words.
Walk before me in righteousness.
We see that we are also exhorted to
walk in his ways, in his statutes, in
his laws, in his paths, in his ordinances,
in his instruction.
We are also commanded walk after the Lord.
We're commanded to walk in the light of
the Lord.
But we see that Enoch and another man
called Noah were blessed by God for they
walked with God.
Enoch understood the harmony that we see in
Matthew chapter 6.
He saw the harmony.
He saw what our Lord meant when he
spoke to us even before our Lord was
here on earth.
So many things are brought out in the
Sermon on the Mount.
We read quite a portion I wonder in
Enoch's walk with God do you think he
was concerned about laying up treasures here on
this earth?
I think not.
He was concerned about laying up treasures in
heaven for he knew there was eternity.
He knew there was eternity.
He understood when the Lord spoke of watch
the eyes.
Understand your eyes.
You know it's interesting I always told my
wife I said the most beautiful thing on
earth to watch the most interesting thing to
watch is people.
I'm a people watcher.
I love to watch people.
I love to look at people.
People are wonderful.
I say if you want an education look
at people.
Look at eyes.
Eyes tell you a lot of things.
It's one of the things they especially teach
in counseling.
They say you have to look at the
counselor's eyes.
Because if the counselor's eyes are downcast it
signals you something.
If they're looking at the ceiling it signals
something.
If they're darting back and forth this way
it signals you something.
These things are all things that we pick
up on.
And they help us to be better counselors.
To understand what's going on inside.
But you know you look at eyes.
Some eyes you know this a little while
ago Glenn was trying to say I don't
see something on your face.
I don't see the smile on your lips.
Or the gleam in your eyes that say
I belong to Jesus.
Now I belong to Him.
Not for time alone but for all eternity.
You know Enoch understood that.
He understood what it was to belong to
God.
And he wouldn't have it any other way.
For he walked with God.
You know it would have been interesting if
Enoch would have only walked with God for
65 years.
You know we could have said I don't
understand that.
But you know it says that Enoch was
65 years old.
He had Methuselah.
And he walked with God 300 years.
Now that's a fur piece to walk.
That's older than you and I are Glenn.
Almost that's right.
300 years.
I'd like to ask how many of you
here think you'll reach the age of 300?
Glenn?
Lance is working on it.
But we know that in this flesh we
can almost rest assured we're not going to
reach 300.
But we know that if our Lord Jesus
Christ was to come in the clouds tonight
and say come up higher.
Come up.
Your work of service is done.
Age would mean absolutely nothing, would it?
Because time would stop for us.
Because eternity would begin.
And eternity has no time.
That's what I'm waiting for.
I'll be so glad to be done with
schedules.
You know we're scheduled to death.
I don't know about where you work.
But you know you go to school.
You got bells that ring to tell you
to go to this room and bells that
tell you to go to that room.
I remember all through school I said man
I hate bells.
So when I got out I said I'm
going into the workforce.
I'm not going to have to worry about
bells anymore.
That was great.
Except I went to work and the first
place I went to work they didn't have
bells.
They had buzzers.
And then it was a buzzer to tell
you to go to work.
A buzzer to tell you to stop and
take a break.
A buzzer to tell you to go back
from break and go back to work.
A buzzer to tell you to go to
lunch.
A buzzer to tell you to come back
from lunch.
A buzzer to tell you to go to
break again and come back.
And buzzer finally go home.
Boy I was glad.
No more buzzers.
Always schedules.
Day in and day out.
This schedule has to be met by this
such and such a time.
This schedule has to be here and here
and here.
I told my wife I said I've never
looked forward to retirement before.
But I said you know it's getting on
the horizon.
And I'm not that I'm still not that
old.
I started young and I said I'm going
to quit early.
But you know I said that's one of
the things is it schedules.
Boy I said that's one thing about when
we get to heaven.
No more buzzers.
No more production schedules.
Praise the Lord.
Nothing else.
That'll make heaven worthwhile wouldn't it?
That's just a little humor there if you
want to call it that.
Sick humor I think Bill would call it.
But you know as we look at the
life of Enoch we see so many things
that are important to us or should be
important to us.
And he understood this relationship was a commitment
of his to God.
But you know more importantly I think Enoch
understood this that God was committed to him.
Do you believe tonight do you believe tonight
in your heart that God is committed to
you?
You might say certainly I believe that.
He sent his son to die for me.
How could you even think to question me
upon that area?
Well I believed that for years.
And it hasn't been that many years ago
that I finally understood what it meant that
God was committed to me as an individual.
God loves me.
You know we sang in Sunday school all
of you have I'm sure at some time
or other Jesus loves me this I know
for the Bible tells me so.
You sang that didn't you?
Did it make any impression?
Jesus loves me this I know for the
Bible tells me yes I can accept that.
I remember reading John yes Jesus does love
me.
We have a head knowledge that God loves
us.
But love demands commitment.
Love demands commitment.
You know it's always interesting to me when
I draw young people into my room to
counsel with them especially about their upcoming marriages.
My first question to them is always what
does marriage mean to you?
What does marriage mean to you?
A lot of them will look for a
few moments and those words sometimes very very
heavy upon their lips because we don't like
those words.
It means being committed.
Not committed like to a jail or to
a hospital but you know committed to each
other.
Good.
Why should you get married?
Oh that's easy.
I love her or I love him.
Great.
That's wonderful.
Glad to hear that.
I don't read that as a basis for
marriage in the word of God.
You don't?
No I don't.
What's the basis of marriage?
Uh Hmm Well God wants us to.
God tell you?
Yeah uh well It's interesting.
Boy I tell you that's what I love
about counseling.
It's great.
Because boy when you're in the driver's seat
you can drive all over.
But I'll tell you they know what I'm
getting at.
It's to bring them around.
You know sometimes we have all these little
pets saying why do you want to get
married?
Oh because we love each other.
Is that a reason for marriage?
Not according to God's word.
Does God want you to be married to
one another?
So many of you young people are thinking
of life partner.
How many of you have really committed to
before the Lord?
Lord is this the one you want me
to marry?
Sometimes I almost have to smile when I
talk with young people.
I had one young man that's a friend
of mine.
He's told me four different times I know
this is the one the Lord wants me
to marry.
Last time I told him I said are
you sure?
Now why would I ask him a question
like that?
Because you see how easy the heart is
deceived.
How easy it is for us to manipulate
the word of God and not to really
have it and possess it as our own.
Enoch possessed the relationship that he walked with
God and he loved God and he was
committed to God and he knew that God
had that same commitment to him that he
loved him and wanted to commune with him
and be with him.
And oh the divine communion that went on
as those two went through life together.
It was precious in the eyes of Enoch
and it was more precious in the eyes
of God because God said come up Enoch.
Come up.
Let's perfect the relationship.
Wouldn't that be great?
If God was to write over our relationship
a standard or a title would it be
that Larry please God?
I often wonder what's going to be the
title over our relationship?
What about your relationship?
Can God say that of you?
Can he say that of you?
That your walk with him is pleasing to
him?
I often wonder does God today ever take
people as they're walking through life and their
relationship with God is so great that one
day God just says I want them to
be with me.
I don't want them to have any more
with the world.
I just want to bring them home.
And he takes them.
I've often wondered.
Now I know that there has been many
of his children that he has loved and
he's loved their relationship and I firmly believe
that he took them home.
He allowed them to pass through the portals
of death but nonetheless they came home.
I just finished not too long ago reading
an excerpt in the life of Dawson Trotman
one of the founders of the Navigators movement
here in the United States.
A man who touched the lives of hundreds
and hundreds yea, maybe even thousands of young
people throughout the world.
And how that man loved his Lord and
how the Lord spoke to him in just
a few days before his death he said
to his beloved wife I feel the Lord
calling me.
I may not be with you much longer.
And I think it was but three days
later Shrew Lake, New York large lake a
boating accident and Dawson Trotman went home to
be with his Lord.
I think of others we've all read the
stories or if you've ever read Fox's Book
of Martyrs how you can read that book
and not have tears come to your eyes
as we think of the yea the hundreds
and hundreds and thousands that have given their
lives.
They went through great sacrifice and God took
them home.
What are they going to have to give
to their beloved Savior?
And he says to you to you my
special ones the martyr's crown.
To the eleven the martyr's crown.
To the thousands since then they will receive
the martyr's crown.
For this they will have to give back
to him.
Enoch walked with God because he loved God.
It was a sweet commitment between the two.
But you know we have recorded in the
word of God some very interesting words.
Turn back to a little book before the
revelation of Jesus Christ called the book of
Jude.
Remember that Jude is writing to us concerning
the apostate.
He also has some interesting things to say
and he quotes and about these also Enoch
and the seventh generation from Adam prophesied saying
behold the Lord came with many thousands of
his holy ones to execute judgment upon all
and to convict all the ungodly all of
the ungodly of all of their ungodly deeds
which they have done in an ungodly way
and of all the harsh things which the
ungodly sinners have spoken against him against the
Lord of life.
The seventh generation from Adam.
Stop and think about that commentary on Enoch.
Adam was the first.
Enoch and the seventh generation from Adam.
Now if we go across the other way
the seventh we see another man an ungodly
one by the lineage of Cain.
There was the ungodly for we see that
in the world there was the ungodly even
in the time of the seventh generation from
Adam.
Mankind had just had a good start and
we notice that sin was already becoming rampant
in the world.
Do we think that Enoch had an easier
time of walking here upon this earth than
we do today?
You know I always used to think when
I was I'd think over and hear all
these things about all these people who walked
with God and who did these things even
in life as we knew them I thought
yeah but they don't face the temptations and
the trials and the things like I do.
No they've got it easier you know.
Somehow God has spared them from all these
things.
But I wonder do you think that Enoch
had it any easier in his day than
we do today?
Do we think that Satan was any more
subtle in his tactics than he carried any
less during the days of Enoch than he
does for us today?
The intensity of his purpose was great.
It's always been to destroy man's relationship with
God.
It was that in the Garden of Eden
and it has not changed.
Do we believe that Satan was any easier
on Enoch than he is on us?
I don't really think so.
For there was sin in the world.
For we know that after Adam sin was
upon all mankind.
And sin was as great in the days
of Enoch as it was as it is
in our day today.
It became so violent in the eyes of
God that in the days of Noah God
cast judgment upon the world.
That's just a prelude to understanding that God
judges sin.
And do we believe that God is going
to come back and judge the world today?
As I read the book of Revelation I
understand these words.
That God is going to bring judgment upon
this world.
Not of a flood but a fire.
A consuming fire.
Some time ago I was listening to the
story of a man.
His testimony.
He was a very well-known engineer.
He was world-renowned.
He had made several or designed and saw
built several large bridges here in the United
States and Canada and elsewhere.
He was a master designer and he wanted
these things to stand as monuments to his
name for as long as he was alive.
He said, I want these things to stand
in memory of me.
The buildings that he saw built.
The bridges.
All of the construction.
It was important to him.
But one day one day he was sitting
in a meeting.
Listening to a man tell about a relationship
with Jesus Christ.
And this man said, the judgment is coming
upon this world and everything will burn.
Everything will be destroyed.
And the man sat there and thought, my
bridges, my buildings are going to be gone.
Destroyed.
Then what's the sense of doing these things?
And he listened to more intently and he
heard of one who came to die for
him in his sin.
He had never heard preaching like that before.
He had never heard a testimony like that
before.
And that man read to him those verses
that we read out of Matthew chapter 6.
Lay up for yourself all treasures in heaven
where nothing can touch them.
Know the moth nor the rust nor the
thief.
Nothing shall touch these things.
He said, I've wasted so much time.
I've wasted so much time.
He left his work and went into service
for the one who loved him and gave
himself for him.
He said, this is a much more important
work than anything I have ever done.
He saw the importance of a walk with
God.
He understood that there was going to be
a judgment of the ungodly for their ungodly
deeds that they've done in an ungodly way
and how they spoke in such an ungodly
manner about him who came for them and
died.
They have spoken against him.
It should fill our hearts with sadness as
we think of the world around us.
How many today are speaking boldly against the
Lord Jesus Christ.
And how many of us today when we
hear these things our lips fall silent.
One has said, the Lord can handle them
much greater much better than I for he
is greater than I.
Yet I think the Lord wants us to
stand up and be counted.
I wonder if God would have made himself
known in a physical way with Enoch.
If Enoch would have had any hesitancy at
all when somebody would have come along would
Enoch have been hesitant at all about introducing
God to this other person.
Would he have held back?
But oh, the sad tragedy of our lives
each and every one of us.
How often we've missed the opportunity to let
them slide by one right after another.
How many days my lips have remained silent
when they could have spoken a word for
him.
How often, how often, how often.
We used to sing that song speak just
a word for Jesus.
Sad commentary on a walk with the Lord,
isn't it?
But yet, many of you in your daily
walk you're fulfilling the things that Enoch had
in his life.
You're speaking a word and you're an encouragement
to the others.
But oh, Satan how he wants to do
a work upon us.
How he wants to hinder us in our
work.
You know, it's great to understand Satan and
how he works, isn't it?
Because then we can be prepared.
You know, we kind of forget about what
the Lord says through the Apostle Paul.
He says, remember.
He said, our battle is not against flesh
and blood but it's against powers and the
principalities and kingdoms of darkness.
I wonder if we understand who it is
that wants to destroy our sweet fellowship with
God.
It's Satan.
If he can in some way if he
can just take us and in some way
cripple us just a little bit to hinder
our fellowship with God to render us for
a moment ineffective for him.
That's all he wants.
He knows he's lost the battle with us
for eternity's sake.
But if he can just in some way
some way hinder us in our witness and
our testimony how happy he is.
You know, we don't we don't want to
be challenged by the word of God.
We want to go ahead and do things
our own way.
You know, when somebody slaps us on the
one cheek we don't want to turn the
other cheek.
We want to strike back.
And yet we know when we strike back
God says, that's not the way I want
you to do it.
We're not walking with him.
We're disobedient to him.
We're no longer walking with him.
We're going the other way.
But you don't understand, God.
That really hurts.
How many times in my life I've experienced
it.
When somebody strikes out at us we want
to lash back.
You know, don't they understand who we are?
It's that pride that rises up within us.
How can anybody possibly not like us in
the way we are?
You know, how can anybody possibly not like
my decisions?
I felt for poor Bill as he was
trying to pacify everybody, you know.
Let's start early.
Let's start late.
You know, I don't know whether you understood
everything that he said earlier.
I did, and that bothers me.
I understand that's exactly what he meant.
But you know, there's so many times that
in our decisions we're making decisions and somebody
challenges us.
We want to say, what do you mean?
You know, and you can feel the blood
begin to rise.
Say, hey, wait a minute.
When our children would challenge our decisions as
parents, and to understand, I'm boss, toe the
mark.
You know, we think back.
We think, boy, if I ever tell my
children that, I hope God steals my tongue.
And yet I find myself in that same
position.
I remember how I hated it as a
child.
And yet, that same thing rises within each
and every one of us.
We have that pride.
We want people to understand who we are,
and how can we possibly, how can they
possibly in any way question us in our
motives or our behavior.
It's terrible to be misunderstood, isn't it?
Especially when we're right.
Terrible.
It's too bad that most people don't understand.
Think Enoch ever had that problem?
The world around him understanding?
When he says, I can't do those things,
because my God does not want me to
do those things.
It would hinder our relationship.
But you don't understand, Enoch.
You don't understand.
Come on.
Those things that would hinder that relationship, Enoch
put away.
For he was building up treasures in heaven
where nothing, absolutely nothing can corrupt.
He had an understanding that there was a
judgment.
There will come a day of answer.
And the judgment, the judgment will be perfect.
There will be no question.
No questions.
It says on that day, every knee shall
bow.
Every knee.
Not just some.
Every knee shall bow.
They shall know.
He is Lord of Lords and King of
Kings.
He is.
As Enoch understood even before Moses, he is
the great I Am.
The one who is the beginning, the one
who is the end.
I am the Alpha and the Omega.
He had the concept of God as no
other one here on Earth probably did at
that time.
The understanding of the great attributes of the
living and the true God.
The truthfulness of God.
One day Enoch walked in perfect harmony with
God.
And the harmony with God was beautiful.
And God was pleased with Enoch.
And God took him.
Because Enoch walked in faith.
In Hebrews, we read the epitaph of Enoch.
By faith, Hebrews 11 verse 5, by faith
Enoch was taken up so that he should
not see death.
And he was not found because God took
him up for he obtained the witness that
before his being taken up he was pleasing.
He was pleasing to God.
And without faith, without faith it is impossible
to please him.
For he who comes to God must believe
that he is and that he is a
rewarder of those who seek him.
Enoch sought out God in his life and
once he found him he never ever let
him go.
For he walked with God day by day,
step by step.
See, the walk of faith begins with the
first step.
It just takes one step to start.
You know, you start a walk with one
step and then another and then another.
But so often we want to see the
end.
We want to see down the road.
But what's at the end of it for
me?
What's in it for me if I take
this walk of faith?
We read that faith is believing in things
not seen.
We just have to trust God.
He says, at the end of our walk
is an eternity with me.
I've often wondered, God, what are you going
to do for eternity?
That's a mighty long span of time.
What are you going to do, God?
He says, Oh, Larry, I'm going to tell
you some things you never knew before.
I said, well, that won't be too hard.
Oh, he said, but these are going to
be special things.
I said, OK, God, what are they?
I'm going to reveal myself to you.
Reveal yourself to me.
Yes, I'm going to reveal myself to you.
Great.
But Lord, is that going to take all
eternity?
Yes, it is.
Because you see, there is no end for
I am the end.
It's kind of like some statements we've heard,
isn't it?
We don't understand it, but we know it's
there.
And by faith, we believe it.
And we walk with God.
We walk with God.
Enoch understood that.
Because the divine revelation of God to Enoch
as he walked through life was so great,
he said, I just want to go on.
And one day, he was there in the
presence of God.
Boy, I can't wait to get to heaven.
I'm going to say, Enoch, OK, I want
to hear it.
How was it?
There?
Here?
Did you know what happened?
No.
And tell you what, I don't really care.
I'm just here.
I'm just here with him who loves me.
God took Enoch because he was pleasing to
God.
Are you committed to God?
He's committed to you.
He loved you.
He gave his son for you.
Do you believe it?
Is your trust and your faith and your
confidence in God that a walk with him
is profitable?
That it is pleasing to both of you
to walk with him?
That it's the only way to go?
I think most that would say here that
have walked with God any time at all
would say, there's nothing like it.
I marvel every time God reveals a little
bit of himself to me, day by day.
And he says, he is the rewarder of
those who diligently seek him.
Are you seeking him out?
Are you seeking that relationship?
Are you seeking to be pleasing to him?
The challenge of Enoch's life.
Let's pray.
Heavenly Father again, our hearts are drawn to
thee.
We thank you for a lovely day.
Oh Father, we thank you for the lovely
time of fellowship that we've had.
We thank you for each heart that is
here.
And dear Lord, we pray that our times
together might always be good in thy sight.
We pray that our conversations would be good
to hear to thy ears.
And oh God, we pray as we fellowship
with one another that we might lift him
up.
And Father, we do thank you for the
lesson of Enoch.
And Lord, we pray speak to our hearts
through his life.
For we know that you've given this man's
life to us as an example.
That there are, that we can walk with
thee.
We can walk with thee in the perfectness
that we can know in this flesh.
But there's coming a day when we shall
be the more perfect.
We shall be like him forevermore.
But until that day, our Father, we pray
lead us in a life that is honoring
to thee.
And that we might please thee in all
that we do.
We ask these things and we give thanks
again for this time of fellowship together as
we pray in Jesus' name.
Amen.