Enoch Walked With God (Part 4) (Gen. 5:18-24; Heb. 11:5-6)

What is required for you to walk with God?

• Agreement. Amos 3:3 (KJV).  Relationship.  You don't walk with strangers (at least you shouldn't, as a rule).  You walk with those you know.  Do you know God or merely know about Him?  Do you have a relationship with Him?
• Trust.  Believe the walk is leading somewhere, that God knows what He's doing and where He's going.
• Submission.  It is your job to walk with God.  Let Him lead.  It isn't His job to go where you want.  Though you walk together, God must lead.
• Discipline.  Oh, the distractions you will encounter!  Ignore them.  Stay on the path God has set for you.  Stay on God's pace.
• Time.  Lots of unhurried time.  Without this, the walk becomes a burden.  God wants you to enjoy Him.  Enjoy the walk.  Don't just take it.  Has your walk with God become drudgery?  It could be that you're trying too hard -- trying to walk a mile when God's only prescribed two steps for now.
• Perspective.  This walk isn't about your happiness, but about holiness.  You're walking with God on the highway of holiness and the paths of righteousness.  You won't always be happy, but you can always have joy in the journey.  Psa. 1:1; 23:3; Phil. 4:4; Isa. 35:8.
• Truth.  Walk in the light (1 Jn. 1:7).

Enoch Walked With God (Part 3) (Gen. 5:18-24; Heb. 11:5-6)

Observations:

• It is never too late to start walking with God.  Enoch didn't start until he was 65.  He did start, however.
• You are never too young to start walking with God.  Enoch started at 65, "old" by our modern standard.  However, Enoch "walked with God" for the next 300 years!  For 83% of his life, Enoch "walked with God."
• You can be the one to start a new spiritual heritage in your family.  There is no indication Jared (Enoch's father) ever walked with God.  Enoch "walked with God" anyway.  Your history or lineage doesn't matter.  What matters is your choice today.  Josh. 24:15.
• Walking with God doesn't mean sacrificing, ignoring or not enjoying your family.  Jared had sons and daughters.  So did Enoch.  Enoch, though, "walked with God" -- put God number one. Walking with God makes you a better, more effective "family man."
• "Enoch walked with God."  This was a step-by-step, life-long, lifestyle walk.  This was no experimental sprint.  God's not impressed by those who "tried" Him (as if He is a brand of peanut butter) but soon abandoned walking with Him.  Who is in it for the long haul?  Add some discipline, intentionality and accountability to your initial zeal.
• We who do walk with God must teach and transfer this to the next generation.  Enoch didn't learn it from Jared, but neither did Methusaleh learn it from Enoch.  Had Methuselah learned that and passed it on -- and so on -- might the moral landscape have been altered?  (Might the flood have been averted?)

Enoch Walked With God (Part 2) (Gen. 5:18-24; Heb. 11:5-6)

"Enoch walked with God."  He walked with God...

• Dependently.  To walk with God was to trust Him for direction, strength, provision and reward.  During Enoch's tough times, God was there for him to lean on.
• Simply.  We're not told what "walked with God" looked like.  Here is what we know:  God took a step and then Enoch did.  It says "Enoch walked with God."  God was the dominant partner.  It does not say God walked with Enoch, as if Enoch led the hike.  Watch a step, take a step.  Walking with God involves imitation and obedience.
• Inspirationally.  What serious Christ-follower can read Enoch's story and not be a bit "jealous"?  I want that kind of walk with God!  What an example!
• Pleasingly.  What pleased God?  Enoch's faith.  Faith was demonstrated in obedience (taking the next step).

Enoch Walked With God (Part 1) (Gen. 5:18-24; Heb. 11:5-6)

"Enoch walked with God."  He walked with God...

• Personally.  Whatever anyone else would or wouldn't do, Enoch determined that he would walk with God.  He couldn't make the choice for anyone else, and no one else could decide for him.  What's your decision?  Will you walk with God?
• Consistently.  Enoch walked with God for 300 years.  That's a long time!  He didn't start and stop a dozen times.  He made his choice and stuck with it.  Walking with God was Enoch's lifestyle, not his weekly duty on Sunday.
• Contrarily.  What courage Enoch had!  To walk with God was to go a direction most others wouldn't.  Friends walk together.  To be God's friend meant being the world's enemy.  To say yes to God was one thing.  And for 300 years!  To say no to all the distracting, competing voices and interests in the world was another.
• Mutually.  To have walked with God is to have had God walk with you.  What sweet communion!  It wasn't merely that Enoch was going God's direction.  God was going God's direction with Enoch.

Enoch and Noah (Gen. 5:21-24; 6:9-10)

• Both men "walked with God."  Each had deep awe, respect and worship before God.  Each pleased God and found favor.  Each had relationship with Him.
• Though both were favored, there were different outcomes.  Enoch's walking with God led to removal, a divinely-caused disappearance or extraction.  Noah's walking with God led to a going through.
• There are two ways God delivers.  (1) He keeps you from.  (2)  He brings you through.  Either way, He remains faithful and true.  God always delivers the righteous!