As we seek the truth and to walk in it.

We want to know who can be with God. We say all can and that is true, but the story doesn't end by us accepting the grace of God. It'd be nice if it did. I'd love to accept the grace of God and POOF, heaven is my home now and forever. Life doesn't stop upon acceptance of eternal life, upon repenting. Life goes on. All the same problems, all the same joys, all the same disappointments, all the same temptations, it doesn't end.

People who are *born again* often experience an elation of life. Things seem different, the air sweeter, life's problems less heavy upon the shoulders. A new window of life has opened up and everything has changed. It's wonderful! It's like walking a few feet off the ground. Things don't seem to bother us like they used to, we have entirely new ways of looking at things. The insurmountable problems don't disappear but our ability to handle them changes. We have a faith in God who will help us through anything and that bolsters our lives.

All that wonder is amazing and it can grow and linger and keep us for a long time, or a short time. I'd like to say it can last forever but sadly the feelings we get wrapped up in can fade. Maybe for some it lasts forever, maybe for some it's unending.

I know several people, not many in the grand scheme of our world, but several who have accepted Christ and experienced this very thing- the fading.

If only it were possible to make that heartfelt acceptance of Christ's grace and truly repent and then die in Christ right then without anything coming between me and that moment of pure togetherness with Christ. It doesn't work that way. There is no magic transport out of life and it's woes. We have to walk in Christ once we accept Him into our lives.

The walk is a daily struggle, even if at first it seems like a walk in clouds and not a struggle at all. The frosting slips off the cake and the cake dries out, and sometimes there are only crumbs left to pick at to keep us alive. Not a pretty picture, one that we don't want to dwell on. Happiness and light is so much better. A pretty frosted cake is a lot nicer than a few dried out crumbs.

Who can walk with Christ?

Who can live with Him?

We all should, but it's a walk that is on going ever forward and it's not through candy land, but through the real world with all its ups and downs, its heartaches, its pains, it's joys, the good and the bad they don't disappear because we choose to walk with Christ. It's a huge mistake to believe that our lives will be easy and carefree. The worst of the worst will come our ways it has to. We are on Christ's side and that's exactly where the devil doesn't want us to be. What better way than to lure with light and good, sweet and easy, just enough bumps in the road to keep the realism and then wham! Blindsided by life, by the master of sin.

Who can abide with Christ?

Psalms
{15:1} LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?
{15:2} He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.
{15:3} [He that] backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.
{15:4} In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the LORD. [He that] sweareth to [his own] hurt, and changeth not.
{15:5} [He that] putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these [things] shall never be moved.


He that walketh upright.
He that worketh righteousness.
He that speaketh the truth in his heart.
He that backbiteth not.
He that honours them that fear the Lord.
He that would rather hurt than change.
He that isn't out for monetary gain.

You think accepting Christ's grace ends the story? It's only the beginning.

We need to walk in Christ.

Truth.

Truth in our hearts.

The choices we make each day in our lives reflect our walk with Christ.

It's by Christ we are able to walk upright.

We have to acknowledge that there is more than just accepting Christ, there is a walk with Christ.

2 John {1:4} 'I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father.'

Walking in truth.

1 John {1:5} 'This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. {1:6} If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: {1:7} But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. {1:8} If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. {1:9} If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. {1:10} If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.'

Walk in the light.

Truth.

Ephesians {5:1} 'Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; {5:2} And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.'

Walk in love.

Truth.

Ephesians {2:8} 'For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God: {2:9} Not of works, lest any man should boast. {2:10} For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.'

Contradictory? No.

We are only saved by grace, but the story doesn't end there.

We can't boast of ourselves or anything we do.

We have to give all our glory to God where it belongs and boast nothing of ourselves at all whatsoever.

'created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.'

Walk in truth.

It is a walk and it's the walk that we all have to take once we accept the grace of Jesus into our lives. We can't forget the walking part. The knowing that life won't fall quiet and peaceful, but any peace we find has to be in Jesus and found constantly, daily, hourly, minutely, secondly... you get the picture.

May God bless us all and keep us by the grace of Christ our savior and Lord now and always as we seek the truth and to walk in it.
Amen.