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Save the World Community Pentecostal Church

Are you a follower or friend of Jesus?

“And Jared lived an hundred sixty and two years, and he begat Enoch: And Jared lived after he begat Enoch eight hundred years, and he begat sons and daughters: And all the days of Jared were nine hundred sixty and two years: and he died. And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and he begat Methuselah: And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters: And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years: And Enoch walked with God: and he was not: for God took him”-Genesis 5:18-24

Christians could rightly be described as followers of Jesus Christ, but few could be said to be his friend.  Many Christians relate to God as the Heavenly father, but few relate to him as a friend. There is a difference between being a friend of a personality and being his follower.  There is a difference between being a friend of Jesus or God and being merely their follower.

Not all followers of Jesus could be described as His friend. As a matter of fact, very few are. In the Bible, God was very careful in choosing and calling people his friend. Few people that were honoured with this appellation and they include Abraham and Moses. “And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the friend of God.” –James 2:23. Concerning  God’s relationship with Moses, it was written in Exodus 33:11 that “ And the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend”. If they not had not spoken to you face to face, it is because you are not yet his friend! 

Jesus was more liberal, since he came with great grace. Jesus regarded everyone, including sinners and even Judas Iscariot, as his friend. This testifies to his messiah ship ministry, and the import of this is that he is willing to save anyone and everyone that calls on his name. “Henceforth I call you not servant; for the servant knoweth not what his master doeth: but I have celled you friends; for all things I have heard from my father I have made known to you” –John 15:15

In the passage above, though it was not stated that Enoch was a friend of God when he lived on earth, it is obvious that he was. ‘Enoch walked with God’, this statement is very pregnant in meaning. God does not walk with his enemies. As human beings, we only take a walk with our friends. Enoch was so closed to God that he walked with God both literally and spiritually.

Can a servant walked with his master? The answer is No. At best he will walk behind his master- not by the side. It is very clear that only two friends can walk together, and this is why I regard Enoch as one of the very few friends of God. If Enoch were simply a worshipper, it would have been written about him that he followed God. Enoch walked with God- this is what the Bible says. Friends walked together side by side, friends do not follow one another, but walk together. Many of us are following God but very few of us are walking with him. The relationship between two friends is more intimate than between a master and a servant. The blessings of friendships are also different from the blessings of folowership.

Lets take a closer look at the very short but stimulating biography of Enoch as contained in the passages quoted above. What lessons can we learn from this passage?

Enoch is one of the two people that ever lived on earth and never died bodily. The other person is Prophet Elijah. Enoch did not die physically because, God bodily ‘took him away” Is this because he was a friend of God’s your guess is as good as mine. God so loved him that he took him away not wanting his flesh to be corrupted.

Another lesson is that what matters is not our beginning, but our end.  Our beginning may be rooted in idolatry, but if our end is founded on godliness, we have not lost anything. During the early part of his life, Enoch was an Idolator, but caught the revelation of God at the age of 65; and started worshiping him thereafter for the remaining 300 years of his life. Satan wrote the introductory chapter of the lifetime of Enoch, but the main chapters and the concluding chapters are written in Godliness. Who is writing the chapters of your life? God or Satan?

Another lesson is that it is not how long you lived, but how much time you spent out of your stay on earth doing the will of God. Though long life is one of the promises of God for his children, this becomes meaningless if the time is not channeled towards the will of god. Jared, the father of Enoch lived for 962 years, but he was merely  mentioned in passing in the Bible because he never walked with God during his lifetime

Enoch spent majority of his lifetime serving God. He spent a total of 365 years on earth. He became ‘born again’ at the age of 65, and served God the remaining 300 years. This represents about 82% of his lifetime. How much of your lifetime have you devoted to God? How much time do you have for God in a day, week, month, or year? When the history of your life is being written, will you be able to surpass the excellent record of Enoch?

It was recorded that Enoch also had several other sisters and brothers, but they are occupied a footnote in biblical history because none of them walked with God. It is therefore clear that salvation is a personal decision. The fact that no member of your immediate family is a Christian should not stop you from believing in whom you believe. You may be presently facing mockery and ridicule because you are the only member of you family that knows Christ, do not be bothered, remain focused, a reward awaits you.

Another important lesson is that if you desire to have a godly offspring, then you must start a godly relationship. Enoch was the great grand father of Noah, the first man recorded in Genesis 6:9 ‘a just man and perfect in his generations and Noah also walked with God’. The Bible says teach your child the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it. It is to the credit of Enoch that when God decided to destroy the earth through a flood, Noah one of the direct descendants of Enoch was used to save a remnant of the earth.

It is also clear from this short biography of Enoch that a record is being kept of every activity on earth. If Enoch trafficked with demons and mediums like King Saul, it would have been so recorded. What sort of record has been recorded about you? How have you spent your life time, what sort of activities have you engaged in and what sort of judgment do you expect on the last days If it has been ungodly, there is still time for you to make amends.

If you have never been a Christian, now is the time to become a follower of Christ. If you have been just a follower, now is the time to move to the next level and become a friend. Jesus is looking for friends to walk with. The Holy Spirit is looking for friends to confide in and reveal mysteries to, God is about to take a stroll and wants a friend to walk along with him. Do you want to walk with Jesus? The first step in this glorious walk is repenting of your sins and start living a holy life. God does not walk with sinners.

Do you wish to repent of your little sins today? Do you want to be reconciled with God, through Jesus the Lord and Saviour? Then say this simple prayer:

Father, in the name of Jesus Christ. I acknowledge that I am a sinner and have fallen short of your glory. I genuinely repent from all my sins and pledge to go and sin no more.  I accept your plan to reconcile mankind to you through Jesus Christ, who you sent in your name. I believe Jesus Christ is the Messiah, and died on the Cross to pay the penalty for my sins and redeem me. I accept Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I pray that His blood washes my sins away. I invite the Holy Spirit to rule my Life. I am born again in Jesus name.

If you want more information on how you can build a new life with God, visit Save the World at  www.christonline.info or send an email to: info@christonline.info

Prayers.

1.      O God, take me through the walk of life in Jesus name.

2.      Holy Spirit lead me through the walk of life in Jesus name.

3.      I receive the spirit of Enoch in Jesus name.

4.      I refuse to walk with Satan in Jesus name.

5.      Satan shall not write the last chapters of my life in Jesus name.

6.      My father and my God, teach me how to become your friend.

7.      Every evil journey of my life, be terminated now in Jesus name.

8.      Jesus Christ walk me into my heavenly places.

9.      I walk into prosperity, peace, joy and good health in the name of Jesus.

10.  O God, give me the heart to be your friend in Jesus name.

Babatope Babalobi

November  15, 2006