The Heaton File

Then the Lord said to me, “Even if Moses and Samuel stood before Me, My mind would not be favorable toward this people. Cast them out of My sight, and let them go forth. (Jeremiah 15:1)

When The Patience Of God Runs Out

There comes a time when God has had enough. His mercy ends. The divine longsuffering is over. All the warnings will end. A day of judgment is at hand, and it will be severe. The most common mistake men make is to believe that God is so loving, compassionate, and understanding that He will keep forgiving the rebellious hearts of those who refuse to obey Him. There is a false view of the character of God that He is solely a loving God. A man can do whatever he wants, and God will understand. All men will be saved. The grace of God is so overwhelming that everyone goes to Heaven. Most believe it does not matter how a person lives; all men rest in peace (RIP).

There is nothing further from the truth to be deceived into believing that God is eternally patient and kind. One reason the Lord gave the world a recorded history is to learn from the pages of God’s word how He deals with rebellion. The nation of Israel is the historical footprint of the goodness and severity of the Lord God Almighty. Israel came about through the grace of God. He saved them from the bondage of Egypt and made them into the greatest nation on earth. All the blessings of the heavenly storehouse were promised to Israel if they would obey the word of the Lord. Israel refused and followed after idols. God continually warned them through the prophets. They killed the prophets and bowed down to Baal and Ashtoreth. God warned them again. They refused.

By the time Jeremiah came to warn the people of Judah, the ten northern tribes of Israel had been gone for more than one hundred years. Through the prophets Elijah, Elisha, Micaiah, Amos, Hosea, Isaiah, and Micah, the word of the Lord repeatedly warned the kings and the people of the northern tribes to repent. They refused, and God destroyed them. His patience was gone. Prophets like Habakkuk, Zephaniah, and Jeremiah tried to show the remaining kingdom of Judah that if they did not repent, God would destroy them. What did Judah do? They worshiped the tree and the stone as their father and the one who gave birth to them. Their idolatry had become so wicked that God declared that if Moses and Samuel stood before Him to plead for the people, He would refuse. Both Moses and Samuel had interceded for Israel, and God listened. His wrath is full, and He will no longer listen.

The nature of God is unchanging. God has always demanded obedience. His grace is immense, and His mercy enduring, but His longsuffering will come to an end. All men will stand before the great I AM and be judged according to the righteous judgment of a righteous God. Unless a man repents, he has nothing to expect but the wrath of God. Even if Moses and Samuel plead for the soul of the unrepentant, God will not hear. On the day of judgment, Moses and Samuel will plead for no man. In fact, judgment is so individual that a man will stand before God completely alone. His stature in life or wealth will not matter. Everyone will stand bare before the judgment throne of the Almighty and be judged. Only two things will be heard on that day. “Well done, good and faithful servant.” To the unrepentant, God will say, “Cast them out of My sight.”

For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:15-16)

Finding Purpose In The Trials Of Life – Letting Jesus Help Me.

The abundant life does not come without its troubles. Since God expelled Adam and Eve from the garden, the world has been a place of trials, temptations, and heartaches. Adam and Eve felt the grief of losing a son by the hand of their firstborn son. Who was there to comfort them and try to explain death? Eve had given birth to both sons and as God promised, it was a painful experience. Death would come to the generations following Adam and Eve, bringing misery, sorrow, weeping, and tears without end. Life has always been filled with suffering.

Jesus came to give purpose to life through His sacrifice. His death on the cross did not do away with pain and sorrow but offered to the world a higher purpose in life to live within the season of grief and suffering. The trials of life are multiplied daily. Sometimes the burden seems impossible to bear. Answers never come. Explanations fall short. Tears seldom dry. Grief grips the heart. What is the purpose of life in times of trial? That is what Jesus came to offer. The Son of God willingly left His home with the Father and took on the form of flesh. Jesus did not come to the world as God to exalt Himself above all men. If Jesus did not experience the nature of flesh, what value is there in finding peace with one who does not understand the trials of life? Jesus knows, understands, and stands ready to help because He personally experienced life’s pains.

There are many things to rejoice in the sacrifice of Jesus, but one singular joy is found in the truth that Jesus felt every pain of suffering that all men suffer. Sometime before His ministry began, the man who took on the role of a Father died. Joseph was a righteous man who, like Mary, was chosen to care for the Son of God. There is little doubt Joseph doted over his firstborn son. He and Mary had other children, but Joseph knew Jesus was the Son of God. Jesus felt the pain of Joseph’s death. He felt the pain of Lazarus’ death. Jesus was grieved at the hearts of the Pharisees. The Son of God experienced the pains of the flesh.

When Jesus became flesh, the devil sought to destroy Him through temptation. When Satan came to Jesus after His baptism, this was not the first time Jesus was tempted. When Jesus reached an age of accountability, the devil came after Him with all his deceitful wiles. All the years before His ministry, Jesus faced the onslaught of temptation. He never gave in, and He never sinned. Jesus was tempted, but He never sinned.

The abundant life Jesus offers is knowing that He understands and knows the trials everyone faces in life. He wants His disciples to know He can help. Prayer is the avenue of grace, allowing the troubled heart to plead for God’s mercy, strength, and comfort in times of trial. Finding purpose in Christ is finding the courage to face life with a resolve of divine assistance. Those without Christ have no purpose. All spiritual blessings are in Christ. Jesus is a High Priest who can sympathize with all the weaknesses of the flesh. He knows. Jesus understands. The joy of purpose in Christ is to know that He faced the same trials that all men face. His victorious life makes abundant life possible. Jesus bore the suffering on the cross so that His disciples would have the joy of victory over sin and death.

Because of the abundant life in Jesus, there is no victory in death. The abundant life in Christ takes away the sting of death and the victory of Hades. Jesus lived a sinless life, and while mankind cannot replicate that, the abundant life in Jesus helps the soul gain victory over sin so it will not have dominion. Joy in Christ is finding the peace that passes all understanding and gaining the victory over sin. In time of need, Jesus is there. The mercy of God is everlasting and available to those who experience the abundant life in Jesus Christ.

And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. (1 Corinthians 12:21-22)

Weak Members Are Essential

The human body is a marvelous creation of unity, design, productivity, and purpose. Everything about the body serves a purpose. Some parts receive more glory than others. Without hands and feet, the human body would struggle to exist. The eyes and ears are vital for seeing and hearing. Losing eyesight compromises the body’s effectiveness. Removing a hand or foot will diminish what the body can do. Against the backdrop of the human body, God describes the unity of the body of Christ and the importance of every part. He designed the human body to perfection as He designed His church in perfection.

Everyone in the local congregation is an important part of the work. Faith comes in different measures with each individual. There are some Christians who are babes in Christ. Some have a middle-aged faith, and others have grown in faith over the ages. No matter how long a person has served the Lord or how deep their faith is, each person plays a responsible and essential role. The blending of faiths complements the body of Christ, as each part of the human body complements the others. Every level of faith is necessary for the local church’s growth. The stronger in faith cannot look upon the weaker in faith and judge them nonessential. A weak Christian must be received with the same love and compassion as the stronger in faith.

Those weak in faith struggle more than those with mature faith, but they both face trials of faith. The mature deal with their faith much differently than those with less faith. A baby struggles to understand life because they are not equipped to know what an adult knows. The same is true in the kingdom of God: someone who has just obeyed the gospel may not be equipped to understand the deeper meaning of growing faith. What is hoped is that, over time and with proper care, the weak in faith will grow in faith and become stronger in their understanding.

A new Christian may not understand the need to gather with saints to consider one another to stir up good works. They are judged more harshly for their lack of faith, but they should never be cast aside as unimportant. The Holy Spirit describes the church as a body, with each member caring for and concerned about every member, with special emphasis on the weaker members. In the eyes of the Lord, weaker members are essential. They are to be encouraged, exhorted, and shown the way to greater faith so they can become stronger in their faith. Weak Christians need the gospel as much as strong Christians. The work of the church is to bring together all of the members for the growth of the body. This can happen only with care for each part of the body, whether strong or weak.

“I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first.” (Revelation 2:19)

The Character Of A New Testament Church

John’s revelation begins with the letters to the seven churches of Asia. The Lord points out the strengths and weaknesses of these similarly located churches to illustrate the challenges the church faced in the first century and to admonish the local church throughout the ages to learn from their examples, good and bad. Of the churches mentioned, only Smyrna and Philadelphia have nothing to condemn in their work. Four churches have a mixture of commendable and condemnable conclusions, while Laodicea has nothing good to say about the church. The Lord gave Thyatira an excellent recommendation, but it was marred by a problem with a Jezebel who taught and seduced the brethren into immoral lives. Yet, the commendation offers an example of the character of the New Testament church.

Jesus walks among the lampstands and knows all things. Nothing is hidden from His view. The first characteristic of the church at Thyatira was their works. They were an active group of saints who did not merely present themselves as a body of Christ, but as a body that is active in the work of the kingdom. Jesus recognized the valiant examples of laborers in the vineyard of the Lord in Thyatira. Every church needs a work, to know what it is and to carry out the Lord’s work. Too often, churches go through the motions each Sunday and Wednesday night, with little effort in anything else. The church at Thyatira had a work.

Love permeated the church at Thyatira. The church at Ephesus left its first love, but Thyatira is commended because its work showed love for one another and for lost souls. This diligence in the Lord’s work, rooted in love for others, strengthened their faith in God and their understanding of the church’s purpose. Jesus died to establish His church to preach the gospel, show benevolence to the saints, and hold fast to the word of truth. This work cannot be done without love for one another, which shows the saints’ faith in God’s grace and His purpose for the church. Love motivates action in Christ’s ministry. The church in Thyatira was a body of saints who let the world know they served the Lord Jesus Christ. This example was manifested in a difficult time when persecution was more common, and the Christians were challenged in their faith. Jesus knew their works, love, faith, and ministry for His glory.

The work of the church requires great patience. It requires steadfast endurance under the fires of testing, temptation, and trials. It was a challenging time for the church in the Roman Empire. John’s revelation clearly demonstrates the trials early Christians faced as the world turned against them. They found patience in their work for the Lord, love for one another, faith in the church’s mission, and the ministry of sharing the gospel with the world. Thyatira represented the complete package of a faithful church facing a harsh world with divine determination to overcome.

Everything Jesus said about Thyatira models the Lord’s church today. Every congregation needs to know it works. Without goals, plans, and the will to increase in love, faith, and diligence, the church will die. Jesus knows the work of every congregation, whether it is growing or dying. Growing churches have established their work. They have fortified that work with love for one another (which is seen and felt) and established their faith upon the word of God and His abundant grace. Faith is the centerpiece of the New Testament church. Through this diligent work, increasing love, and growing faith, the church knows its ministry. They have the patience to carry out the work, and that all they do is for the glory of God.

Jesus mentions that the church faces the trials of ungodly influence, as in the case of the woman Jezebel. The Lord did not expect the church to ignore the problem but to deal with it with righteous judgment. There will be times in the work of the church when stern measures must be taken to maintain the purity of the body of Christ. Courage leads the leaders to stand for truth and expel false teaching. When this is done with love and faith, the church will grow in its work and ministry to the glory of God. The letters to the seven churches offer many good things that will help the church grow. Dying congregations will ignore the warnings. Which church are you?

Charm is deceitful, and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised. (Proverbs 31:30)

Charming And Beautiful

When Israel demanded a king for them to follow, the son of a wealthy, influential man was chosen to be their leader. He was the most handsome man in Israel, head and shoulders taller than everyone. The people chose Saul of Kish as king. At first, Saul was humble, but his arrogance and pride led him to think too highly of himself and disobey God’s word. One of David’s sons was a perfect specimen of charm and beauty. In all Israel, none was praised so much for his beauty as Absalom. He was incredibly handsome from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head. Absalom had no blemishes on the outside, but inside he was proud, boastful, and rebellious. He led a rebellion against his father David and died hanging from a tree. His body was thrown in a pit and covered with stones—an inglorious end for a man who thought so much of his charm and beauty. When Jehu came to Jezreel to kill Jezebel, she painted her eyes and adorned her hair, trying to charm Jehu with her beauty. Her beauty and charm did not save her from a horrible death.

Grace is a deceitful charm that often brings nothing but misery and heartache. Jeremiah warned the people against charm and beauty: not to let the wise man glory in his wisdom, the mighty man glory in his might, or the rich man glory in his riches. Beauty is vain, and the world spends nearly $698 billion on the greatest of vanities. People judge by charm and beauty as if these were the only qualifications for wisdom. Charm is a deceitful tool to enlist the sin of pride in the heart for no good purpose. Beauty does not last. Time is the great equalizer of the proud and beautiful who trust in their outward appearance. Parents dress their daughters to look like grown adults, and older adults try to look young. Both are catastrophes because charm is nothing more than a deception of the heart, and beauty fades. Aging reminds the soul that beauty cannot last.

The only truth in life is found in the beautiful heart of one who fears the Lord. If more people spent time adorning the inner body with God’s beauty and grace, the world would be much better. A woman who fears the Lord is the woman to be praised. The inner person never fades away. In the natural world, beauty excels and then fades. At the end, the physical body becomes distorted and weak. In the spiritual world, inner beauty begins small but grows more and more, until, in old age, the heart of the faithful possesses the youthfulness of God’s grace. It is seen in the eyes that have grown tired of this world but long for an eternal home. The face may be wrinkled, but not the spirit. God praises the inward beauty of a heart devoted to Him.

There is an equalizer common to all men and women. Beauty fades in time. No amount of beauty cream or makeup will stop aging, and it certainly will not stop one from dying. Wealthy people die. Charming people die. The most beautiful people in the world die just as the least attractive do. True beauty is measured by the soul. God is not impressed by this world’s charm. He created humanity to be beautiful in His sight by what is found in the heart. Beauty is vanity and useless without the beauty of God. Seek the beauty that will never fade away or grow old.

Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day. You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies; for they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers, for Your testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the ancients, because I keep Your precepts. (Psalm 119:97-100)

Finding Purpose In God’s Revelation – What The Bible Means To Me

Man is an eternal creature. The fall of man changed everything. The fellowship of God with man was severed as sin separated the character of God from the sinful nature of man. God chose to save man, promising to redeem him through a promised Seed. After the fall, the Lord expelled man from the garden and the tree of life. Life on the outside of Eden was very different from the inside. God provided everything man needed in the garden. Now, outside the garden, what was man to do?

It is clear from the beginning of time that God revealed to man how to care for himself, provide for his family, and most importantly: to worship God. While no reference is given to Adam and Eve, the first stories of the early world begin with Adam’s two sons offering sacrifices to the Lord. “Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord. Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat” (Genesis 4:3-4). Both sacrifices were offered because God had instructed early man how to worship and the elements of worship. The Lord did not respect Cain’s offering because of his heart.

God shows He has never left man without revelation. Cain and Abel offered their sacrifices because they understood God required sacrifices. How God revealed this to them is not known. God spoke to Noah and told him what he must do to save himself and his family. Abraham obeyed God’s voice when he was told to leave his family and go to a place yet unknown. After rescuing his nephew Lot, Abraham met a priest of the Most High God named Melchizedek. Abraham gave him a tithe of all he had. Melchizedek shows that God had revealed to early man what he must do to be saved. Later, God gave the people of Israel the Law of Moses so they would know what to do to be saved. The Gentiles became a law to themselves.

Finding purpose in God’s revelation is realizing the power of God’s Word. We stand two thousand years removed from the completed revelation of the final message of God to man. The Bible is a collection of books spanning 1500 years before Christ, written by forty different men in different walks of life through many generations. Many more books were written that are not contained in the collection known as the “Bible,” but what is given will tell anyone what to do to be saved. The Bible is “that which is perfect” (1 Corinthians 13:10). God has never left His creation without a revelation.

God’s revelation is the amazing story of His Son. Jesus came to bring the abundant life. This life is found in the bounty of God’s Word—stories, laws, commandments, illustrations, parables, and revelations—all of which point to Jesus. Life has greater purpose and meaning when the heart is filled with God’s Word. God answers the question of where man came from, why he is here, and what lies beyond the vale of death.

No book in the history of man brings greater hope than the Bible. The Bible should be the most treasured possession I have to know the mind of God. Read it to be wise. Follow its precepts to find hope. Live the words of the Bible to find the abundant love of God given through His Son, Jesus Christ. Spend time in the Word of God.

The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, “God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.” (Luke 18:11-12)

When Praying Becomes Bragging

Jesus’s parables often directly attacked the hypocrisy of Jewish leaders who prided themselves on their righteousness. A spirit of elitism prevailed among God’s people, who had exalted themselves in their righteousness to the point that they despised all who were not as faithful to the Law of Moses as they were. The parable was directed to those who believed their lives were above the reproach of the world. Because of their understanding of divine truth, the Pharisees were compelled to look down on others who did not share their level of expertise when it came to living righteous lives.

Prayer has always been part of the character of godly people, but it can become a way to brag to the world and remind God how righteous they are. In the parable, Jesus describes in detail the Pharisees’ attitudes, who were thankful not to be weak men who stumbled over the law. It was as if the Pharisees had perfected their lives in such a manner that their righteousness exceeded the righteousness of other men. Not only did the Pharisees thank God for not being like other men, but they also reminded the Lord how special they were. They would never be accused of extorting from other men. Everything the Pharisee did in life was just because they could never do anything unjust.

The moral character of the Pharisees was that they would never be accused of adultery. Ungodly men would fall to the temptation of adultery, but not them. This Pharisee reminded God how pure his life was, in case the Lord forgot. Then the Pharisee goes on a bragging tour, telling God he fasts twice a week and is a benevolent man who gives tithes of all his possessions. Braggadocious praying reminds God how great His servant is and how well he keeps the Law of Moses.

The Pharisee boasted that he was not like other men, and that was true. He prided himself on his own righteousness, and most faithful servants of the Lord learn how to humble themselves in the sight of God. One of the foundations of the Christian principle is never to consider oneself greater than he is. Paul reminded the saints in Philippi to always look out for others’ interests before their own. Esteeming others better than self illustrates the spirit of Christ. When the Pharisee bragged about not being like other men, he showed his defiance in the face of the Son of God, who did not consider it robbery to be equal with God but emptied Himself. Jesus condemned the Pharisee spirit.

When the Pharisee bragged about his righteousness, he condemned Abraham, Moses, and David (to name a few). All men struggle with sin. He should have learned from the tax collector who humbled himself before the mercy of God. Everyone needs mercy. To judge a person unworthy of the gospel is to condemn oneself. Bragging in the heart about being pure, righteous, and religious brings God’s wrath on a prideful heart. The drunk needs Christ. Homosexuals need the gospel. Just because someone has tattoos all over their body does not disqualify them from grace. Short people need Jesus Christ just like the tall. Every nation needs the good news of Jesus Christ – even nations that are the enemies of the United States.

Some men pray, and some men brag. Those who brag to God are not impressing the Creator of the world who holds their breath in His hand. What can a man brag about? God holds the universe in the span of His hand. What is there to brag about? God will destroy the universe one day by the command of His mouth. Who can brag about anything they did? Prayer reminds us to humble our hearts before the mighty hand of God. Bragging impresses men, but it angers God.

The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?” Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. (Matthew 19:20-22)

Heaven Is Not For Good People

Nothing is known about the young man who came to Jesus seeking eternal life. Luke writes that he is a ruler. His question addresses man’s greatest need: how to have eternal life. He comes to the right source for an answer. His life is a remarkable example of Jewish faithfulness. Jesus tells the young man that he must keep the commandments of the Law. When he asks which commandments, Jesus gives a cursory overview of the Law, citing a summary of the Ten Commandments regarding fellowship with others. The young man confidently assures Jesus he has kept all those commandments, suggesting he kept them diligently, almost to the point of braggadocio.

When Jesus responds, the young man’s heart is crushed with disappointment. He wanted to know what good thing he should do to have eternal life. Jesus’s answer shocked the young man because it reminded him that he does not gain eternal life by being good. There is little doubt the man was a devout follower of the Law. It seems certain to believe he had never committed murder, adultery, or theft, and had never borne witness against another unjustly. He affirmed his allegiance to his parents, promising to requite them according to the Law, and that he loved his neighbor as himself. The young man probably did not fully grasp the importance of loving his neighbor because, when Jesus told him to sell what he had and give it all to the poor, he refused.

What the rich young ruler wanted to do was to go to Heaven based upon his goodness. He was a good man, but he was not saved. His problem was understanding that salvation comes from God’s mind, not from good works. Good people fill the earth. There are good people in every nation, culture, tongue, and religion. They help their neighbors, feed the poor, show charity to others, and live a quiet life. Everyone sees them as good people doing good things. Being good is not what saves a man. The rich young ruler was an exceptionally good man, but he was not saved. He may have remained a good man all his life, but unless he followed the will of Jesus, he was not saved.

Today, the world is filled with good people. Churches dot the landscape of Main Street America, and good people abound. Many good people are religious people. The rich young ruler was religious and seemed to do a good job of being religious. Good people do not go to Heaven. Saved people inherit eternal life. Saying, “Lord, Lord,” will not save a soul. Doing religious things will not save anyone. Being faithful to the word and will of God is what saves a man. If a man refuses to follow the inspired plan of redemption to do what God demands, there is no eternal life. What men say, or how others view a good person, does not matter. The rich young ruler refused to do the will of the Father. He left with no hope.

Good people do good things. Saved people live saved lives. The two are very different. Unless a man obeys the gospel of Jesus Christ, there is no eternal life. Saying the “Sinner’s Prayer” is a good thing, but there is no salvation attached to it. Going to church every Sunday is good, but it does not mean eternal life. Reading the Bible every day is a good thing, but hearing without doing is without hope. Believing Jesus is the Christ is a good thing, but the demons do that. Saved people live good lives doing good things, but their salvation is based on obedience. Why do so many people call Jesus “Lord” and refuse to do what He says? It’s not a good thing.

Nevertheless you would not go up, but rebelled against the command of the Lord your God; and you complained in your tents, and said, “Because the Lord hates us, He has brought us out of the land of Egypt to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us. Where can we go up? Our brethren have discouraged our hearts, saying, ‘The people are greater and taller than we; the cities are great and fortified up to heaven; moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakim there.'” (Deuteronomy 1:26-28)

They Are Taller Than Us

Fear comes in many forms. It often comes from the misguided belief that something is false because they believe no greater power exists. Take the nation of Israel. As the Hebrew descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, they held a special place in God’s heart. He saw their oppression and heard their cries. The Hebrews were helpless to defend themselves. They could do nothing to find relief from their Egyptian taskmasters. They never formed an army to rebel against Pharaoh. The leaders of the Hebrews never lobbied the king of Egypt to be set free. They knew their slavery was permanent and nothing could change that.

God set Israel free from bondage. There was nothing the Hebrews could have done to effect change to bring them out of bondage. They left Egypt only because God’s army delivered them. God showed His power in the ten plagues. When the Hebrews stood on the banks of the Red Sea, filled with fear, God delivered them. The splitting of the Red Sea was an awesome, powerful demonstration of God’s power. When the Amalekites attacked the Hebrews, God delivered them. The Hebrews were brick makers, not soldiers. God healed the waters at Marah. He gave the people bread from heaven and water from a rock. Then God gave them a law.

As the newly formed nation of Israel reached the promised land, plans were made to spy out the land to formulate the scheme of attack to conquer the people. After the ten plagues, the Red Sea crossing, the provision of food and water, and God’s victory over the Amalekites, the children of Israel should have easily trusted in God’s amazing power. They did not. When the spies returned to report to the people, ten leaders gave a negative report. They told the people that the land was full of fortified cities, and giants lived there. The hearts of the people melted when they heard the stories of the people who lived in the land and the cities that would be impossible to overcome.

In a cruel irony, the people blamed God for their misery. They suggested the Lord brought them out of Egypt to die by the hand of the Amorites. Israel believed God hated them. How could the Lord do such a thing to His people? There was no way Israel could conquer a land whose people were taller than they were. The strength of the people was too great to fight against, and the sons of the Anakim lived in the land. Anakim were a race of giants who lived in southern Canaan. It would seem Goliath was from this race of warriors, and he stood over nine feet tall. One of the reasons the people of Israel feared going into the promised land was the warriors who were taller than they were. Fear caused Israel to forget who was taller than the giants.

God repeatedly showed His power to the Israelites, but they could only see the giants taller than them. Later, Joshua and Caleb would defeat the giants, and they would disappear from history. Faith knows that God is taller than anyone and everything. As Creator, the Lord God has no equal. Israel was shown the immense power of God that no man or nation could stand against. They stood in fear of men taller than themselves. The powerful message of David and Goliath is how big the Philistine champion was and who killed him. Goliath called David a dog, but that puppy destroyed the hope of the Philistines.

God has no equal. Whatever happens in life, God is bigger. All the challenges men face can be answered with the greatness of a loving Father. There will be many hills and valleys to cross in the course of life, and in that journey will come many giants – challenges taller than the man. Never fear those taller, but fear Him who has no equal in stature. God is above all. No power is greater, and nothing is to fear. See the army of the Lord that surrounds His children. God is taller than anyone and anything.

But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. (2 Timothy 2:23)

Speculations Of A Half-Educated Mind

The curiosity of the human mind has always engendered questions that lead to great discoveries. Wanting to know what is beyond the horizon took man around the globe to discover new lands. Science always pokes the curious mind to look deeper into the complex world and its endless discoveries. The human art of investigation has fueled the souls of men to look deeper, longer, and with greater effort to know what is unknown. For all of its value, human curiosity has benefited civilization. For all its worth, human wisdom also falls victim to speculations that lead to ignorance. It seems contrary that seeking knowledge can produce ignorance, but this happens often in the human cycle of curiosity. This can happen all too often in the study of God’s word.

One of the great challenges to the Christian faith in the first two centuries was Gnosticism. Gnostics relied more on human wisdom to discover truth rather than on the word of God. Gnostic teachings emphasized personal spiritual growth and rejected the institutions of authority, traditions, and teachings of the first-century disciples. Paul warned that the growth of human wisdom was a form of foolish, ignorant dispute. The Contemporary English Version suggests these foolish and ignorant disputes are “stupid and senseless arguments.” These discussions have no value. They are useless because they rest on speculation, disinformation, and conclusions not grounded in truth, since God has not revealed those things to the world.

It is important to understand that the Bible is not a book that answers every question a man may have about all things. The Bible does not discuss myriads of topics because God did not include them in the holy text. They are left out because they have nothing to do with the purpose of Scripture: to show man how he can save himself. The human mind wants to know what happened before the world began and whether certain things took place in eternity. The most common question is where Cain got his wife. One old preacher remarked that, when asked about Cain’s wife, the individual should not be so interested in another man’s wife. Moses declared that the secret things belong to God alone. Why? Because God chose to reveal what man needs to know to be saved, and that is all.

When a man is drowning, he does not ask who made the flotation device, how it works, what the chemical makeup of the agent that makes the device buoyant is, or why the color yellow was chosen. All he wants to know is how the device will save his life. Paul correctly pointed out that foolish, ignorant disputes lead to strife, trouble, and quarrels over useless things. God did not tell the world where Satan came from because it has nothing to do with salvation. Speculating about such a subject is stupid because God has not revealed it. If God has not revealed something, who is man to answer? The word of God is unlimited in its message of grace, but it limits itself to the grace of God. Curiosity is a healthy way to look into the word of God, but it must be used with caution. When the mind begins to wander into the areas outside the revealed word, what is known in scripture, it becomes an exercise in spiritual futility. The greater tragedy is allowing Satan to use foolish and ignorant disputes to destroy congregations, families, and souls. He revels in the stupid questions because he knows it will keep the mind away from truth. Remember not to strive about questions without value, which can lead to the destruction of a soul. Profane and idle babblings bring ungodly hearts. The gospel is given for godly edification, which is in faith