WALK BY FAITH
While traveling, 1975 – October 1983
This is the first song I ever wrote as a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, or even as an unbeliever… nothing fancy by any stretch but it amazes me how that we knew so much about the principles of the Kingdom while yet babes in Christ. It was all there. This was only months after my wife Marilyn and I received the Spirit in the late eve of January 1, 1975, at our basement suite rented from Mr. and Mrs. Henry Toews in Saskatoon.
Twenty-one years later, I find we’ve been learning what we’ve known from the beginning, that faith and obedience are the keys and substance of the walk with God and that we must renounce all carnal thought and participation in men’s religious works in order to be in fellowship with God. It’s one or the other; a mixture will not do.
Was the whole package there when we began? The entire oak tree is in the acorn; when ripe, it falls from the tree, hopefully, gets buried, germinates, and springs up as a tree, matures, and multiplies itself manifold.
Forty-five years later, we can declare that the Lord has done these things with us, for which we can be everlastingly thankful. After all, this has been His Plan.
VERSE 1 (lyrics later used as chorus with different notes):
You’ve gotta learn how to walk by faith,
You’ve gotta learn how to walk by faith,
You’ve gotta learn how to walk by faith,
If you’re ever gonna walk with the Lord.
VERSE 2
You can’t go by your understanding,
Do as He says and stop demanding.
You won’t understand so stop your figuring,
If you’re ever gonna walk with the Lord.
VERSE 3
You can’t walk by your eyes and ears.
You’ll have to shake all your doubts and fears.
Get ready to accept heavy trials and tears
If you’re ever gonna walk with the Lord.
CHORUS
You’ve gotta learn how to walk by faith,
You’ve gotta learn how to walk by faith,
You’ve gotta learn how to walk by faith,
If you’re ever gonna walk with the Lord.
VERSE 4
You’ll have to say good-bye to all institutions,
Carnal men’s creeds and all their traditions.
You’ll have to say good-bye to all their doctrines and systems
If you’re ever gonna walk with the Lord.
VERSE 5
You’ll have to say good-bye to mother and father.
If they don’t come with you, then you just don’t bother.
Only those in Jesus will you call brother
If you’re ever gonna walk with the Lord.
CHORUS
You’ve gotta learn how to walk by faith,
You’ve gotta learn how to walk by faith,
You’ve gotta learn how to walk by faith,
If you’re ever gonna walk with the Lord.
VERSE 6
The most important part of this wonderful story….
The part you must know if you’re to enter into glory,
Is if you start and finish, you’ll never be sorry …
When you put your trust in the Lord.
CHORUS
Oh, you’ve gotta learn how to walk by faith,
You’ve gotta learn how to walk by faith,
You’ve gotta learn how to walk by faith,
If you’re ever gonna walk with the Lord.
