Walking to sion, with beautifull feet

It is only a week ago that I returned from a wonderful vacation in Norway. The nature and surroundings really got me and my wife reconnected with God’s beautiful created nature. It’s there, when in the presence of lakes, mountains and valley’s that you realy start to think for yourselves. If God has created this, how awesome heaven is gonna be? During an adventist campmeeting in Norway, me and my wife spent a Friday afternoon, climbing one of those mountains. The truths which God showed me and others, during that climb are that important that I needed to share it with you this Sabbath morning.

Did you ever asked yourself the following question,” Do I have beautiful feet?” or “Is my daily walk with Jesus a just one?” We need to answer this question “Do we feel content in sharing and proclaiming Gods everlasting gospel, the three angels messages to this desperate and dying world. Today by Gods grace I want to encourage you Brothers and sisters; “REMEMBER, we are on are road to Sion. Today lets learn how we can walk with joyous, happy feet, people on the way to sion, even in a sin filled world

Gods word in several different places talks about mountains. Remember mount Sinai, were Gods people received the eternal law, the ten commandments. Or think about mount Carmel, where the prophet Elisa showed against Ahab, Jezebel and apostate Israel and Judea. that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob was the only true God and that He was worthy to be praised. Or remember psalm 121 which says I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. 2 My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. 3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. Where the writer of the psalm says, that a lot of people look to the hills to receive there help, their healing, their problem solver... but we, when walking on this planet.. We should look towards the Lord. And sometimes that seems easier that that the texts states. Sadly enough we still live in a world where Satan goes around as a furious lion, seeing who he can devour. How can we be happy, living in a world where every day in the news we hear of wars, rumour of wars, anger, dead en misery?

Don’t forget God wants us to walk like Enoch, the one who walked so closely with the Lord, that he didn’t day but was taken up into heaven. His walk ways a joyous one. Even though he lived in a world tainted by sin. He wanted to be close to God. Through the power of the holy spirit, and due to the fact that Christ died on the old rugged cross and rose on the third day, we can live close to God, as possible in this moment in time. And Paul reminds us in his letter to the Ephesians that Christians should put on the armour of faith. And not only part but full.

Let’s go Paul's letter to the ephanisas the sixth chapter. Lets read starting with verse 10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places

We tend to forget that Paul states, to put the whole armour of God. Often we as Christians think about the parts of the armour that gives us the best protection. When we think of the armour of God, we think about the lions of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, of the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation and of course the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

The same as it was for me going up the mountain in Norway, during my vacation. I thought about everything. Food for going up the hill, I had water and even some dextro-tablets to give me extra power to get me along the road. I rested myself before the trip and ate well. I did everything to prepare myself for a mountain walk, but I forgot one vital and essential part of equipment, namely good and well prepared mountain shoes. I thought by m self I can conquer this moment with my sporting shoes.

We as we look to our own lives. We tend to look at the armour of God and think of all the important this of our armour. We take time for our morning and evening devotions, we take time out to study scriptures for ourselves. We think and find ourselves well prepared against Satan’s most devious tempatons. But dear brothers and sisters. We often forget a small but yet vital part to our armour of faith... please read with me from verse 15; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; One bible version (CEV) even reads “Your desire to tell the good news about peace should be like shoes on your feet.”.

Did you look at you feet the pas week, spiritually speaking. Did you put on the right shoes? When I started to climb that mountain in Norway, I was thinking by my self it’s only a seven kilometres walk, I can easily brave this mountain on my shoes. I was putting into my mind that I had what was needed to overcome the struggles ahead.

We as Christians do everything to prepare ourselves for the though fight ahead, and that is good. Very good. We think, if I follow enough bible study and prayer and just leave it at that.. we are ready to climb that mountain. But Paul is very straightforward in Ephesians 6. We should put on the whole armour of God. We should not only prepare ourselves... we should share the gospel of grace and peace, and also the crucial three angels messages for these last days.

When Paul writes to the inhabitants in Rome, that true joy is possible, true happiness is obtainable, if we are willing to share the message that we have learned by reading Gods Word and the Spirit of Prophecy. Lets open chapter 10 of Romans, and read from verse 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

When I was starting to go up that mountain, I was shouting, gladly to others, let’s go up on that mountain, and she from the mountaintop the beauty of Gods creation. Because of my enthusiasm at first, I and others were ready to go up the mountain. How would others would be motivated to go with my on that trip on that hill, if I hadn’t declared, that I am willing to take the trip, I thought I was prepared, and I wanted others to have the same experience.

Does your fellow family members, your colleagues at work, your friends at school now about the shoes you have put on. Do they know that you have chosen a small road.. to they know the you have accept Christ with all you heart, soul and mind.

If we today boldly have accepted that message. Then what is holding us back to proclaim that message. Are we afraid that the armour of Faith withholds us to move forward. Have we grown weary of our clear Adventist message to this world. Are we afraid what will happen if people accepted this message? Brothers and sisters... today is the day to move on in faith and see what Gods will do with us, through His Holy spirit, if we move on in faith. That’s why Paul writes in Romans 10 starting from verse 14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

God has given us a clear mission, You and I know, the gospel commission from Matthew 28, Go, baptize, preach and teach all nations. We know that we have a living message and not a dead one.
As we sing stand up, stand up for Jesus. How many of us are really stand up when our saviour calls us. How many of us are like Isaiah and say... Lord, here I am, send me, send me, send me.

Look at your feet today.... are they prepared, are they equipped enough. To bring the gospel of peace and bring glad tidings of good things to come.

When I was on vacation in Norway, I was willing, to go on that mountain. But I had to admit during the walk, the road got very narrow, filled with huge rocks, became very steep and dangerous, and to make matters a lot worse, it started to rain. The rocks became slippery and had to drag myself forward. That joyous walk at first, was wearing me out. And to be honest dear brothers and sisters, I was ready to quiet and to walk back to the starting point, without ever seeming the top of the mountain and all the splendour that was waiting there on me. Luckily my wife reminded me, all the way to the top, how beautiful, the mountain top was and wonderful the view was gonna be... all the way to the top she reminded me, that the gains of the reward, are far more, that the difficulties along the way, even though my shoes were almost got broken trying to stand on slippery, sharp, rocks. I was willing to press ahead.

We as Christians need to learn to were the whole armour of faith, we go out in this world and share is loveable will, with the young and old, de frail and strong. Isaiah 51 and 52 gives us the ground rules we need in our daily lives to march to Sion. Many of our fellow brethren and sisters started on the journey, their walk with the Lord and forget, what the bible said to them about the walk with Christ. They were motivated and full of fire to spread the message needed for this time of earthly history, but soon after these Christians start, they tend to loose the seal and joy. Because of several reasons, either because non-believers, especially in seculars countries like Holland are very reluctant to let the Holy spirit speak to their hearts, on other moments because we see other churches grow and grow, while we only she a small number of believers joining our ranks through baptism of confession of faith.

Let’s go to Isaiah 51 verse 1 Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the LORD: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged. (...)3 For the LORD shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.

This is the first thing we as Christians are to remember of better said what we first seek God. Namely that we follow after righteousness. That we know were we come from. We as Advent-Christians, know that God created heaven and earth and the He promised to restore Eden as it ones was. God reminds us to look forward to a restored Zion, namely the palace where joy and gladness shall be bound, thankingsginvng and de the voice of melody. Are your feet beautiful enough to go to that palace?

Let’s precede from verse 6, “Hearken unto me, my people; and give ear unto me, O my nation: for a law shall proceed from me, and I will make my judgment to rest for a light of the people”

Gods law, the ten commandments, the law of love is light . We will learn the Gods Judgement is right an pure, that is also the basis of the three angels message. Gods judgement is just and will always be favourable for Gods true follower’s. So don’t feel weary when you go out and share the message of hope, don’t step out of line when marching, no matter what will happen to the unjust, no mater what will the evil one will do. Righteousness shall never be abolished. The salvation of the righteousness is assured.

So people who are willing to have beautiful feet, people who are willing to walk up unto sion, listing what is stated in verse 51:7 Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings. (...) 9 Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD; awake, as in the ancient days, in the generations of old. Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the dragon? 10 Art thou not it which hath dried the sea, the waters of the great deep; that hath made the depths of the sea a way for the ransomed to pass over? 11 Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away

So be happy and not afraid of the troubles that we have to endure in this world, in the time of trouble or difficulties we have to face in everyday live. Just remember how the Lord parted the red sea to delivered his chosen people, look in the scriptures because it was Christ Himself who preached his soon return. We can march happy, it is not just a walk to a dead end, of a falsehood. Those who are willing to put on the right shoes, those who are willing not only to hear the gospel message, but through the power of the holy spirit are willing to act upon, the will go up to sion. There and only there will our mourning and sadness will flee away. The only question this morning is, do you and I have beautiful feet?

Let’s go own starting to read from verse 16. And I have put my words in thy mouth, and I have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion, Thou art my people. Don’t worry about what we should say if we are sharing the good news. God will put His words in our mouths – if we at least studied in the scriptures beforehand – He will do that and more, for His children who have accepted Christ as there personal saviour and redeemer. Then he will say, “Thou art mine people’

We have no time to loose, we should encourage one another. To come to use to go the weekly prayer meetings. We should prayerfully study the scripture for ourselves. Why? Because the time we are able to do this work easily and freely can come to a sudden end at any given time, as we know from sure word of prophecy. Therefore... Now is the time to put on the shoes of the preparedness of giving the good news. Today is the day and brothers and sister there can’t be NO delay, NOT in any way.

That’s why the Lord is willing to encourage us today trough the words of Isaiah, starting with verse 1 “ Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean. “

It’s time to go to the place apostle John wrote about in Revelation 21. It’s time to go to the place where we don’t have to afraid of Sin, because the sin problem has finally and forever been resolved, no unclean defiled by sin will enter there. What a day of rejoicing that will be.

Every time - when I was in Norway - and I felt discouraged because of the rain, every time I was about to turn face and go down the mountain, it was my wife and others in the party of friends to move up the mountain, and they said to me.. go on, don’t give up know, although the road looks difficult now, we can make it together, if we encourage each other. We will be more content, more happy, if we encourage each other to keep on spreading the messages from revelation 14, we need keep on moving to the place, where to Lord wants all it creation to be.. namely sion. Let’s read on Shake thyself from the dust; arise, and sit down, O Jerusalem: loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion

Do don’t choose sin and dead, it’s time to forget the pain and cares that will happen now and during the time of trouble, we must simply march! Let choose to today to let losen those chains that bind us to this sinful world to be broken by God s Power alone

For thus saith the LORD, Ye have sold yourselves for nought; and ye shall be redeemed without money Because it was Christ who made this possible for you and me to share, to love, to care, to proclaim, to teach, to be joyful.. We need to walk happy, and if you want to walk happy and remember that Christ redeemed us without money. 6 Therefore my people shall know my name: therefore they shall know in that day that I am he that doth speak: behold, it is I

Because Christ our High Priest knows what has happened n our lives, He knows our hardships, our pain and grieves. There we can come freely to His throne because we as Gods people knows his names and we worship and praise is. So brothers and sisters, let’s bring good tidings shatter the news that OUR LORD REIGNS. He is the one who can give us happy feet, on our journey to Sion

7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth! 8 Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the LORD shall bring again Zion. 9 Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem: for the LORD hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem. 10 The LORD hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God. 11 Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the LORD. 12 For ye shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight: for the LORD will go before you; and the God of Israel will be your rereward.

Do you have happy feet? Are you willing to have happy feet? Today is the day to put on the whole armour of God, including the right shoes. We have a message to proclaim. We are a remnant people, set apart, to stand holy and march. To prayerfully walk like Enoch Walk, We are called to live according Gods Commandments of Love and have the character of Jesus.

So move out, evangelise,,, go up the mountain of Sion and live, day tot day, remaining steadfast in faith through the power of the Holy Spirit. Dear brothers and sisters, remember, the one who is calling to go up the mountain of Sion, His word is sure, and remember, everything He says, will come to pass

Amen