Walking in Newness of Life Pt. 3 Walking in Truth, Light, Liberty and God's Presence.

When God teaches us, we walk in His truth

Psalm 86:11  Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.

This is a prayer for all who wish to walk in newness of life, pleasing the Lord. We can ask Jehovah to teach us His ways because He gives liberally when we ask Him for His wisdom, understanding and discernment (See James 1:5). God wants what is best for us and He is telling us in His word how we should seek and find that which is good for our soul. 

The Spirit of God indwells each believer and He is our guide and teacher in the truth of God. He also seeks to lead us and fights with us against our old man, our fleshly lusts and the devil (See John 14-16).

What happens when we pray for wisdom and God teaches us His way? We see how to walk in His truth. The Word of God is the only absolute, unchanging source of truth and God has given it to us. 

James 1:8  A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

James 4:8  Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

The idea of "unite my heart" to fear His name is really about removing fleshly and worldly distractions from our mind, so that we can have a dedicated, single-minded focus upon the Lord of glory. It means being united with God and His word when we make moral choices each day. 

All too often we pray as double minded people who try to pray while carrying the burdens, cares and concerns of this life. Thus, our heart in prayer is divided and we need to be united in our purposes of serving God. The phrase "double minded" means wavering with uncertainty and doubt. If we draw nigh to God He will draw nigh to us. He alone can unite our hearts and remove the doublemindedness. 

Walking in the light of Jehovah's countenance

Psalm 89:15  Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance.

Those who choose to walk in the ways of God are a happy, joyous people and a crescendo of worship springs from their hearts. The joyful sound of happy hearted believers worshiping the God they love and serve fills the air in blessing. 

Such people have a different attitude than the world does. They walk in the light of His countenance. This is the idea of a believer basking in the grace and mercy that God bestows upon us when we place our trust in His saving work. Eyes that used to be dim and world weary are now filled with light and joy from His blessed countenance. 

Walking conscious of God's presence. 

Psalm 116:9  I will walk before the LORD in the land of the living.

Walking in newness of life leads to walking through each task, duty and obligation that we are responsible for, in such a manner that Jehovah is in the forefront of all our thoughts, words and deeds. Thus, as we walk this earthly pilgrimage, we do so conscious that the Lord is walking with us and knowing that He will lead us safely home. 

Walking according to God's law yields a pure life. 

Psalm 119:1  ALEPH. Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD.

Notice what happens when we choose to walk in the law of the LORD, humbly obeying Him and seeking to bring Him glory with how we live. It leads to living a life that is undefiled, unstained by sin, undeterred by our enemies, unrelenting in pursuing holiness. 

Psalm 119:3  They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways.

Walking in the ways of Jehovah brings delight to our inner man and causes us to flee from sin and to run to our great God. It helps us avoid iniquity and transgression against the God we love. 

Walking in liberty by knowing His Word. 

Psalm 119:45  And I will walk at liberty: for I seek thy precepts.

Walking in the ways of God leads to enjoyment of liberty. Liberty because God spelled out what we can do and what we must not do. This liberates us because for most moral decisions, we will not have to determine what course of action we should take. Rather, God has graciously shown us the right path to walk on, the path that leads to joy and avoids the sorrows and consequences of sin. 

Asking God to show us how we should walk each morning. 

Psalm 143:8  Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.

This prayer connects back to Psalm 86. It is a plea and a prayer for the believer to hear the lovingkindness of God early in the morning. Our trust is in the Lord and we experience His grace, mercy, love, longsuffering and patience for us each day that we wake up. It is a prayer and a plea for the Lord to help us know the right way that He wants us to walk in. 

Proverbs 2:20  That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous. 

Walking in newness of life is walking on paths of righteousness and being blessed with goodness from God. 

Walk in the old paths marked out by God's word.

Jeremiah 6:16  Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.

It is not a surprise that Jeremiah called to his people, Israel, pleading with them to return to their God. Jehovah pleaded with them, "Stand in the ways" which is the idea of stopping and looking at various directions that the path may take, and considering the destination at the end of each path. There are many "ways" in the world but only one way leads to God, and that is by faith in Jesus Christ. 

Then, the LORD said they should "ask for the old paths" which refers to the ways of God that were taught to His people from the very beginning. They had fallen into worldliness and idolatry, causing God to bring His judgment upon them for their sins.  Where does the old path lead? It leads to the good way, the good path and the God pleasing road. 

God commands "walk therein" on the old path and the good way because you will find rest for your soul. 

Thoughts to Ponder...

Surely, Jeremiah's words remind us what our Lord Jesus Christ taught. There are two gates and two paths or ways, and two opposite  destinations. Most people enter through a wide gate that leads to a very broad highway, but the final destination of the broad way is death, destruction and eternity in hell. 

Some people choose to enter the strait gate which is the idea of hearing and heeding God's word and responding by faith. It is not a wide gate because not everyone who hears God's word will respond rightly. This strait gate leads to a narrow way or path. Choosing to walk in this narrow path is walking in newness of life. It is living in the light of God's truth, being shaped by His Spirit and being conformed into the image of Jesus Christ.  

There are only two kinds of people: lost souls who do not know God and who are destined for eternal hell and born again believers who know the Lord and are destined for eternity in heaven. 

Which kind of person are you? If you are not saved, I pray that you will listen to the gospel and hear the words from the All Wise God, and confess your sins and turn to Jesus Christ for salvation.

If you are born again, I rejoice with you and encourage you to get up each morning with the whole armor of God and going out to fight the good fight of faith, walking in the good paths of God's truth. 

Bob