Butter Your Steps by Brother Duke Hansen

        In our walk spiritually there are valleys and mountains. Now, not all valleys are the same. There are some valleys can be very treacherous. The same can be said of mountains. All the decisions we make in life can be either made to grow closer to God or to move further away from God. There are parts of our walk which is affected by culture and emotion. These two things can affect your prayers to God where your prayers are amiss. 

        This morning, we are going to be in several places in the bible. We will begin in the book of Job and then we will be in Ecclesiastes. In the book of Job, Job is being judged by God, and he's still uncertain as to why this is happening. We are going to start reading from chapter 29 and at verse 1.

        Moreover Job continued his parable, and said,

        2 Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me;

        3 When his candle shined upon my head, and when by his light I walked through darkness.

        4 As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God was upon my tabernacle.

        We are born into darkness and we are vessels which are conditioned to hold darkness. If our gospel is hid, it is hid to those who are lost. There seems to be a secret these days on how to be saved, how to be baptized, and obtaining the holy ghost. The last is not only secret in some places, but there's a perpetual rejection and argument against it today, by keeping it in the early church of the apostles. Let's start reading verse 5.

        5 When the Almighty was yet with me, when my children were about me.

        When you say the same of the Lord. When you say "When he was with me," you are like Job in acknowledging that God was with him and now he is no longer. Several of us are just like Job. We know when he was with us and is now no longer.

        6 When I washed my steps with butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil;

        God doesn't wash your or my steps. He won't do the work for you. You yourself can't wash the feet of those who won't do the work for themselves. We will now go over to the book of Ecclesiastes chapter 9, and will start reading at verse 7.

        7 Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works.

        8 Let thy garments be always white, and thy head lack no ointment.

        9 Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun.

       10 Whosoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.

        11 I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.

        Let's focus a minute on verse 11. This is an accurate description of the world's system. All that is considered vanity is everything that doesn't have God. Has God now accepted your works? There are those who think small. Think like where they went to the altar once or raised their hand in worship as a work. There are others who are secure in a lie and their feet aren't buttered. We are going to go to chapter 3 of Ecclesiastes and start with verse 1.

        To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

        2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

        3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

        4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

        5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

        6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

        7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

        8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

        9 What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?

       10 I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.

        I've seen through life as stated in this scripture where man labors with no profit and profit with no labor. Someone with an excess of money isn't necessarily smart. Reading forward to verse 11.

        11 He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.

        God keeps us busy with the seasons so we don't see the secrets of God and what he's doing in front of us. Let's look at verse 13.

        13 And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.

        There is joy, or should be joy in every season of your life. God doesn't get involved in our emotions or our culture.

        You have to make time for God. When you do that, you are buttering your steps. Now, let's turn to the book of Psalms. We will be looking at Psalm 37 with the 23rd and 24th verse.

        23 The steps of a good man, are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.

        24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand.

        Now we are talking about God's divine order in Psalms. Don't go to God to ask him to do something and instead of waiting to listen, you go your own way to complete the task. You will not be only be met by failure, you have God to deal with you as well. 

        Let's turn to the book of Proverbs. We will be reading chapter 16 and verse 9.

        9 A man's heart deviseth his way; but the Lord directeth his steps.

        Our understanding is devised by our heart. Man's heart is evil and wicked without God. This path is very difficult to get off of in life. We are going to the book of John. John 13 and we will begin reading with verse 1.

        Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.

        2 And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him.

        3 Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God;

        Jesus had to be given the authority to either stop things or allow it. Note what was Judas' betrayal placed in with verse 2? It is his heart. Let's go to verse 4.

        4 He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.

        5 After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.

        All people and nations practiced washing their own feet in homes. It was considered a courtesy. If there was a wealthy owner, they deployed servants to do the task. Jesus takes the humble position. Let's return to verse 6.

        6 Then cometh he to Simon Peter; and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?

        7 Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.

        8 Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.

        You can say that the foot washing being conducted by Jesus is water baptism. Let's pick up with verse 9.

        9 Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.

       10 Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.

        11 For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean.

        12 So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know, ye what I have done to you?

        Now, let's go to verse 16.

        16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.

        17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.

        You can't choose the season you are in, but you can choose how you live and enjoy them. Fear and anxiety steal your capacity of joy in each season. Now, let's go to the book of Ephesians 6, and start reading with verse 12.

        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.

        13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

        14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplace of righteousness;

        15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.

        The word shod means to put on. Now, with horses, that term is to be nailed on shoes for protection. It's with the preparation. Wherever I fo in the direction God gave me. I'm prepared to make peace. If you aren't prepared for peace, you aren't wearing the armor. You have to butter your steps. You have to do the work and make the time. We aren't created equal. Each one of us have deficiencies and flaws in our character.

        Sometimes we don't understand God because we're tunnel visioned with culture and emotion. It's amazing how the draw of God can over power your emotions and culture. If you want to butter your feet, you need to have that gospel on your feet. You have to be willing to be torn down to be built back up. Often, Christians want the benefits of eternal life without having to sign up.

        Whose job is it to butter your steps? It's yours. You are washing your feet if you are following God's direction and learning his principles and commands. If you can't enjoy the season you're in, you need to draw closer to God.

        People are struggling in life. Life is hard and difficult to think clearly. You're all tangled up in the flesh instead of drawing close to God. God wants to poke, prod, and provoke you to draw closer to him. There's no struggle outside ourself. It is in within you and your steps aren't buttered. God needs you to be strong and help others.