The Heaton File

Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; sing praises on the harp to our God, who covers the heavens with clouds, who prepares rain for the earth, who makes grass to grow on the mountains. (Psalm 147:7-8)

Thanksgiving In Song

Music has been in the fabric of society since the beginning of time. A few generations removed from Adam and Eve, Moses tells of Jubal, the father of all those who play the harp and the flute. Laban rebukes Jacob for stealing away secretly before he could send him away with joy and songs, timbrel and harp. God created man to be filled with music and singing is the most natural part of that emotional, creative plan. Babies are attracted to music mimicking the tones in their infant dialect. Music is the staple of every culture, defined by its unique measure of melody, harmony, rhythm, and timbre. It is no wonder God infused the use of music in worship.

One of the elements of music common in all men is the need to sing. The most original form of music comes when the voice fills the air with song. When Moses and the people saw the great work which the Lord had done in Egypt, they sang a song of deliverance for what God had done. Miriam the prophetess and sister of Moses, took the timbrel in her hand and answered with her own song. The Law of Moses admonished the people to sing praises to God. Music fills the pages of Holy writ. The book of Psalms is a volume of songs of thanksgiving, praise, and honor to God. Throughout the book, the joy of singing to the Lord is extolled over and over again.

Thanksgiving is a time to be thankful. There are many ways to be grateful and show a heart of thanksgiving. The psalmist exhorts his readers to sing to the Lord with thanksgiving and to sing praises to God. Music is a vital part of daily thanksgiving. The Lord created the world, covered the heavens with clouds, and brought rain on the earth. Earth is filled with the glory of God as He covers it with grass, trees, oceans, rivers, and mountains. All the animals of the world find food provided by the hand of God. The sun rises each morning and the moon rules the night. Each star and heavenly body remains in its place according to the word of the Lord. Everything that makes a day is established by the will of God and man, the highest of creation, should sing thanksgiving to the Lord.

Singing is part of the spirit of Thanksgiving. There can be no greater joy than to gather with the people of God and enjoy the fellowship of song. The calendars of men have established the third Thursday of November as Thanksgiving and what a joyous day that can be. Singing thanksgiving can take place each day but the greatest thanksgiving song is found when the saints of God unite their voices together each first day of the week with glory to Jesus Christ, who brought salvation to a dying world. Thanksgiving becomes a lifetime of joy and thankfulness. Taking the songs of worship into the everyday activities of life changes the heart and lifts the spirit. Real thanksgiving springs from hearts filled with the music of the Divine. Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving. Amen.

Offer to God thanksgiving and pay your vows to the Most High. Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me. (Psalm 50:14-15)

Thanksgiving Is To God

The psalmist Asaph declares the Lord, the Mighty One, is God and has summoned all humanity from where the sun rises to where it sets to hear His words. There is nothing in the world that does not belong to the Lord as the heavens declare the righteousness of God who Himself is Judge. His power created all that is in the world. There is nothing done on earth that God is not aware of and who does not see and hear and know. Nothing is hidden from the presence of the Lord. For the wicked, this knowledge is too awesome for them to consider. The saints of the Lord will find joy in the care of the Lord.

A spirit of thanksgiving comes from those who acknowledge the omnipotence of the Lord God as a blessing. God demands sacrifice but not that He should eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats. He desires the offerings of thanksgiving from hearts that submit to His will. Obedience is the evidence of man’s dependence on the blessings of the Divine. The sun and moon rise and set by the will of the Creator. Rain nourishes the earth according to the divine pattern of creation. Life is a blessing from God. The food that is prepared comes from the hand of a benevolent God. There is nothing man possesses that does not come from the hand of the Lord, the Mighty One.

Thanksgiving is a time of family, food, and fellowship. There are many things to be thankful for in the abundance of what God has provided. While men established the holiday of Thanksgiving, the spirit of thanksgiving has been the desire of the Lord since the beginning of time. God wants to have a relationship with His creation. Sin separated God from man and sadly, most men continue to stay away from the only true thanksgiving in this life. True thanksgiving is when the heart of submission offers to God thanksgiving. The blessings of life are not to be received because of the wisdom of men, the frugal financial prowess of self-centered hearts, or the unthankful spirits of men who deny God. Everything in this world is established through the will of God and every purpose of this expansive universe serves to the glory of God. If there is anything to be thankful for: it is God.

Glory belongs to the one who gives the blessings. Thanksgiving can become a time of remembering all that God has done. There is nothing man can brag about that is original with him. Everything comes from the creative blessing of God. Life is a gift from God. The food consumed in significant quantities at Thanksgiving comes from the bountiful hand of the Great Provider. Homes, possessions, wealth, health, and every essential part of life pour from the throne of the benevolent God who gives to all men the same hours of the day. If there is one thing that must be central to the spirit of the holiday Thanksgiving, it is the need to offer to God thanksgiving and keep the vows made to the Most High. Then, when trouble comes, and the heart calls upon the Lord, He will hear and He will answer. Be thankful. Rejoice. Enjoy. Pray. Fellowship. Offer to God true thanksgiving for all the abundant blessings from above. And above all things, thank God for Jesus Christ.

And when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the Child, His name was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb. Now when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord” ), and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.” (Luke 2:21-24)

Jesus Had Faithful Parents

The Son of God dwelt in glory with the Father and the Holy Spirit before time began. Through Jesus, God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth, both seen and unseen. The universe was created for Him. Jesus would come to earth in the form of a man and possess the power to raise the dead, heal all diseases, control nature to His will, and exercise authority over the world of Satan. When He rose from the dead, He was given all authority both in heaven and on earth. Jesus would be the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, preeminent above all. There is salvation in no other name but Jesus Christ.

There was a time in the life of Jesus that He was not in control of His surroundings. Conceived in the womb by the Holy Spirit, the Son of God would enter the world like every other human since Eve gave birth to Cain. The pregnancy of Mary would be the characteristic nine months with the child growing daily in her womb. Arriving in Bethlehem for the census required by the Roman government, Mary gave birth to Jesus and laid Him in a manger as Joseph looked on with wonderment. Eight days later, in accordance with the Law of Moses, Jesus was circumcised and officially called Jesus as directed by the angel before the Son of God was conceived in the womb. Forty days after Jesus was born, Joseph and Mary made the short trip to Jerusalem to present their son to the Lord as directed by the Law of Moses. The law required every male to be dedicated to the Lord, offering either a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons. Joseph and Mary did exactly what the law required.

Luke records in the genealogy of Jesus that Joseph was the supposed father of Jesus. This is in accordance with the fact that Joseph was not the father of Jesus but he took on the role of the earthly father for the Son of God. Joseph was responsible for caring for Mary and Jesus and he exemplified himself to that task. After the birth of Jesus, Joseph found a house to live in for the next few years. When Joseph was warned by an angel of the Lord of Herod’s murderous plot, he took Mary and the young child Jesus to Egypt. It was on the shoulders of Joseph to care for the family. Jesus crawled on all fours and then learned how to walk. The Son of God began to form sentences and go from baby babble to words. His hair began to grow and His body changed from an infant to a young boy. The family left Egypt and took up residence in Nazareth, where Jesus would be known as the son of a carpenter. At the age of twelve, He astonished the teachers at the Temple with His wisdom. Luke again notes the relationship of Jesus with Joseph and Mary when he writes the Son of God was subject to them as He increased in wisdom, stature, and in favor with God and men.

The parents of Jesus were faithful to the word of the Lord. Gabriel came to Mary to tell her of the blessing bestowed upon her by the grace of God and she believed his word. When the angel of the Lord told Joseph not to put Mary away because she was pregnant, he humbly obeyed. Giving birth to the Son of God did not change the requirements of the Law. On the eighth day, Jesus had to be circumcised and presented at the Temple on the 40^th day. Joseph and Mary obeyed the word of the Lord. They went each year to the Temple to fulfill the law, a journey of seventy miles. Joseph and Mary taught Jesus the word of the Lord and talked of the law in their home when they walked by the way and lay down and arose in the morning. The word of the Lord was placed before Jesus to know and understand the will of the Father. Jesus was taught to love the Lord God with all His heart, soul, and strength.

When Jesus hung on the cross, knowing His life was quickly fading, He turned to His mother and told her He loved her. Joseph had died before Jesus began His ministry and Mary had been a constant companion during His short ministry. Jesus knew He would be raised from the dead but then return to the Heavenly Father. He looked upon the tear-stained face of the beloved woman who bore Him into the world and said, “Behold your son.” It is clear how much Jesus loved His mother. He knew the burdens she carried and the sword that pierced her heart as she cared for Jesus. The amazing picture of Mary at the cross is that she knew without any doubt that Jesus was the Son of God and said nothing. That was the will of God and she obeyed. Mary was faithful even as her beloved little boy suffered greatly on a Roman cross.

The faithfulness of Mary did not end at the death of Jesus. Luke records the final chapter in the story of Mary when he opens the book of the apostles with her being part of the disciples meeting in an upper room. She witnessed Pentecost and the Holy Spirit coming upon the twelve. Mary saw the three thousand baptized and the infant church growing in spirit and number. Nothing is said of her involvement in the early church, but one thing is certain: she was faithful.

Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read in the hearing of the people. And they said, “All that the Lord has said we will do and be obedient.” And Moses took the blood, sprinkled it on the people, and said, “This is the blood of the covenant which the Lord has made with you according to all these words.” (Exodus 24:7-8)

We Will Obey

Shortly after escaping the bondage of Egypt, the Hebrews came to Mount Sinai where God delivered the law making them the nation of Israel. The instructions were given to construct the Tabernacle or Tent of Meeting where the Lord would commune with His people. Various laws were established, including Sabbaths, annual feasts, and interpersonal regulations regarding the relationship of the people to God and one another. The Law of Moses was formed at Sinai to make Israel a holy nation among all nations. Moses told the people all the words of the Lord and all the judgments which the Lord had commanded. The laws were carefully written down for the people to read and understand the will of God.

Moses built an altar at the foot of Sinai and set up twelve pillars, one for each of the twelve tribes of Israel. Peace offerings were given to the Lord as Moses sprinkled the blood against the altar. Taking the Book of the Covenant, Moses read all the words to the people to assure the truth was spoken in the people’s hearing. The people responded with a commitment to obey everything the Lord commanded them. It was a bold statement and, while made in great faith, did not ring true with a heart full of devotion. Soon after the people affirmed the covenant, they turned away and worshiped a golden calf.

The Lord had commanded Moses to come up into His presence on the mountain. While Moses delayed coming down, the people grew restless and implored Aaron to make them gods to go before them. Bowing to their demands, Aaron fashioned a molded calf and built an altar proclaiming the next day would be a day of feasting to the Lord. Three thousand men of the people would be killed as they rebelled against the word of the Lord, refusing to repent. The Lord plagued the people because of what they did with the calf which Aaron made.

It is easy to say one will obey the word of the Lord but faith is found in obedience, not just words. Israel heard the words of the Lord. The word of the Lord was not hidden from them, so they could not understand. Moses read the law to the people to make sure they knew what God expected of them. The people said they would obey all that the Lord had told them to do and they would be obedient. When a time of crisis arose, the heart of the people failed. Moses had been on the mountain for a long and a spirit of hopelessness arose. The Hebrews had seen the incredible power of God in the plagues, dividing of the Red Sea and their victory over the Amalekites. They affirmed they would keep the word of the Lord. Because of their uncertainty of Moses, their hearts turned away.

Obedience is more than promised words. Faith comes from hearing the word of God, but if the heart does not act on the word of God, there is no faith. Israel promised to obey and failed in the enactment of that faith. When a man follows the gospel of Christ, he makes a promise that he believes Jesus Christ is the Son of God. That commitment is a promise to obey the word of the Father. For some, that is the end of the act of faith. There is no commitment, obedience, loyalty, or evidence of fidelity. Many Christians live mediocre lives with a professed faith without works. They have promised to obey all that God has said and seldom scratch the surface.

Jesus is not looking for seasonal soldiers but committed warriors to the cause of the Kingdom. This requires a complete allegiance to the will of the Father in word and deed. James writes that faith without works is dead. Saying one is a Christian and not living like a Christian is a failed life. To affirm a covenant with God and not live up to the standards is rebellion. True faith comes from hearts that are changed by the word of God into new creatures. Affirm the covenant and then live the covenant. Do not let the golden calves of materialism, pleasure, sensuality, and self-indulgence turn the heart away from the one true God. If you promise it – LIVE IT.

In like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works. Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. Nevertheless she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control. (1 Timothy 2:9-15)

The Role Of The Woman

After God created the man, He recognized it was not good for him to be alone and so He created the woman. Adam was made from the dust of the earth but the Woman was formed from a rib of Adam. The union of Adam and Eve showed the fulfillment of the divine plan for a man and woman to dwell together. When Satan came to tempt Adam and Eve, he began with the woman. Having succeeded in convincing Eve to eat of the forbidden fruit, Satan knew it would not be difficult for Adam to succumb to the desires of his wife.

God punished the serpent, prophesied of the punishment of Satan and pronounced consequences upon the man and woman. Adam would labor by the sweat of his brow for his part in disobeying the command of God. Eve suffered the consequence of painful childbirth and her submission to the man. Men still labor by the sweat of their hands to provide for their families and women continue to suffer painful childbirth. What God pronounced at the beginning of time remains intact until the coming of the Lord. The second measure of punishment for the woman also continues today. God told Eve that her desire would be to her husband and he would rule over her. The Lord was not suggesting this was a penalty only Eve would endure but all women of all ages.

The scriptures bear out the fulfillment of that prophecy of God in the role of the woman and her place with man. Her place of subjection to the man did not make her a person of less worth lacking intelligence or wisdom. God did not demean the place of the woman as a mere doormat to be treated with disrespect. In fact, the Law of Moses had many laws protecting women’s rights. The Lord never approved of treating women in any fashion but love, respect, and honor. In Christ, men and women are equal. Jesus died for the woman as much as He died for the man. There are many deeply spiritual women who have a love of truth and insight into the divine word.

Jesus promised to build His church and on the day of Pentecost in the city of Jerusalem, the gospel message of Christ was preached by twelve men called apostles. The early church began with great enthusiasm and zeal. Problems were addressed and dealt with appropriately. Widows were neglected in the church at Jerusalem and the apostles set forth seven men to care for their needs. Men like Peter, Philip, Paul, Silas, and Barnabas preached the gospel of Christ, ordaining elders in every city. Men and women obeyed the gospel and in the city of Berea, prominent women as well as men believed.

Luke’s record of the early church never mentions women preachers. Women had a place in the early church but never in the role of leadership. The letters of Paul explain why the role of women was restricted. In his letter to Timothy, Paul writes through the authority of the Holy Spirit that women are to present themselves modestly and be in submission to the man. They are to learn in silence and are not permitted to exercise a role of leadership over the man. There are two reasons this injunction is placed upon the woman: first, she was second in creation after Adam. The man was created first. Secondly, the woman was deceived into taking the forbidden fruit – not the man. The Holy Spirit (not Paul) hearkens back to what God told the woman in the garden of Eden. Paul is not writing what he believes the woman’s role to be. He is inspired by the Finger of God to declare the woman’s role. Earlier, in his letter to Corinth, Paul (by inspiration of the Holy Spirit) said the women are to be silent and be in submission.

The role of the woman is a divine command and the whims of human wisdom cannot change that. There is an increasing role of women within the body of Christ that denies the clear mandates of God as directed through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Among the religious world, the denial of truth has long been the practice with women taking the role of preachers, elders, and leaders. The denominational world is in apostasy, but the church of Christ is leaning toward the same failures and denial of truth. Among the Lord’s church, “Praise Teams” are becoming popular with women “leading” the groups. Women are allowed to serve in public ways as a compromise to the world’s pressures. It is sad when the nation of God begins to mimic the nations around them. Women have much to offer in the work of the Lord, but they are not permitted to take on any role that is outside the bounds of Biblical authority.

Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard lest we drift away. For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will? (Hebrews 2:1-4)

The Steadfast Word

Apostasy is a serious danger facing every Christian. The faith of God’s saints is daily tested against the wiles of the devil who seeks to devour the soul of the Christian. Hebrews is a book written to encourage the Jewish Christian to hold fast to the confession of hope without wavering. One of the foundational requirements of a stable faith is anchoring the soul in the word of God. Paul reminded the Romans that faith came from hearing the word of God. A strong spirit is fortified with the study, examination, and meditation on the truth revealed through the Holy Spirit. Knowledge requires a diligent desire to listen carefully to the truth and to exercise the application of that truth into the heart. The more the word permeates the mind of man, the more secure he will be in the faith of God.

The word of God has always been proven trustworthy. There has never failed a promise of God. His word is reserved in Heaven and no man can change the divine truth when the Lord speaks it. Everything that God promised that was good came about and all the things that were punishment came true. The word spoken through angels always stood firm with no deviation. Jesus never spoke a word that was not the word of His Father. From time beginning, the Holy Spirit revealed the mind of God to the world in the exacting details purposed by the Father. All the word of God has proven steadfast. God told Noah He would destroy the world, and He told Noah how to save himself. The flood destroyed the disobedient just like the word of God had said. Noah and his family were saved by the word of God when he obeyed the instructions of the Lord.

Faltering faith comes when a man stops listening to the word of God. Neglecting salvation begins with a denial of truth. The writer of Hebrews asks a rhetorical question when he considers how a man can escape the judgment of God. There is no way a man will evade the judgment of God because the word of God is sure, steadfast, and immoveable. God spoke His word, it was confirmed by Jesus through signs, wonders, and miracles and the early disciples were given gifts by the Holy Spirit to confirm the word. That word is unchanged. It remains the same. His word establishes God’s love. His word confirms the severity of God. What makes a man think the word of God will not judge him (good or bad) on the final day?

The danger of drifting away from the truth is real. When a man leaves the Lord, it begins when he stops listening to the word of God. External indicators may be a pattern of failing to assemble with the saints but it started much earlier when the word of God was not a central part of life. A soul turns away from God when the Bible is no longer important. Faith does not disappear overnight. It is a gradual process of drifting away until finally, the soul rejects God completely. There is a need for an earnest effort to constantly be made to fortify the heart with the teaching of the word of God.

What God did for men a thousand years ago He will do for men today. The power of God’s word is that it is unchanging. In 1492, the gospel was a compelling message of hope and that same power is available today for all men who would come to the Lord and accept His word. Time does not diminish the word. The apostasy of men will not dilute the word. Angels cannot change the message of grace. If the Lord allows the world to continue until the year 3021, the word of God will be the same. It is sure, steadfast, and true. No man will escape the word of God. His word will either be a blessing or a curse. You make the decision. What are you doing with the word of God?

These Moses the servant of the Lord and the children of Israel had conquered; and Moses the servant of the Lord had given it as a possession to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh. (Joshua 12:6)

The Servant Of The Lord

There are only three men in the Bible called “servants of the Lord.” Thousands of men and women were servants of the Lord but only Moses, Joshua, and David bore the name, “servant of the Lord.” Four New Testament writers opened their letters, calling themselves bondservants of Christ following along the same theme as the Holy Spirit inscribed of Moses, Joshua, and David.  Servitude is as old as the earth. It has always been the lot of some men to find themselves enslaved to others whether by war, poverty, or injustice. Slavery is a central theme in the Bible. Joseph was sold by his brothers as a slave and rose to second in command of Egypt. The Hebrews were later enslaved by Pharaoh and by the power of God, delivered with great power and signs.

To be a servant is to be enslaved and indebted. The rules of servitude are simple. There is a master and a slave and the slave must be obedient to the master. Not all slavery is evil. Many masters were benevolent to their servants (the parable of the prodigal son). The Law of Moses protected slaves from harsh treatment. Moses was called a servant of the Lord on numerous occasions because his life reflected complete dependence and obedience to the will of the Lord. His heart was willing to follow the word of God as a servant to a master. He was a servant of the Lord in everything he did. Joshua was one of the most diligent servants of the Lord as he trusted in the power of God to defeat the nations of Canaan when Israel rebelled against God. When Israel crossed the Jordan to battle the city of Jericho, Joshua the servant of the Lord followed exactly the commands of the Lord. Joshua would only take seven years to conquer Canaan. His life was a reflection of servitude.

David was a man after God’s own heart and this is where his servitude shone brightest. He trusted in the power of God when he killed Goliath. A servant of the Lord stood in the valley of Elah and slew the giant who defied the army of God. When David became king, he served the will of the Father. Nathan came to David following his infidelity with Bathsheba and the murder of Uriah, charging David with the wrath of God. The servant heart of David did not oppose the condemnation or try to blame others. David the servant of the Lord said, “I have sinned against the Lord.” What set David apart from others was his willingness to accept the rule of God in his life without exception.

To be a servant of the Lord, one must become a slave. The world has depicted slavery in a very dark and evil manner and there have been injustices of the cruelty of men to others. This same attitude is reflected in the relationship of men who refuse to subject themselves to the will of the Lord. Servitude to God is not a request but a command. If a man is unwilling to submit his whole life to the will of the Lord, there will be no eternal joy. Servitude and slavery are at the heart of the gospel of Jesus Christ. God has always required and demanded first place and will not accept anything less. Moses was a servant of the Lord through his love for God. The Christian must turn his life completely and fully over to the will of the Lord as a man becomes a slave of another. God is the Master and there can be no other.

It is not possible to be a ‘part-time’ servant of the Lord. Either a man becomes a servant of the Lord or remains a slave of sin. There are infinite rewards and blessings for those who are the servants of the Lord. This life is one of slavery but eternal life is one of family fellowship where the Father brings His servants into His home to dwell with Him. Those who refuse to submit to the will of the Father will be cast into darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then they will be enslaved to an eternal hell wishing they had been servants of the Lord in life. Which are you? Have you enslaved your life to Jesus Christ?

No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. (Matthew 6:24)

Allegiance

A pledge of allegiance is a promise of loyalty to a particular cause. The commitment of allegiance is vowed that everything will be focused on a single factor without exception. When a person joins the military, they take an oath to honor the commitment to serve that branch of service with complete devotion. If that allegiance is not held up, the individual could face discharge. In the Roman army, complete devotion was required. When the New Testament writers wrote about allegiance, they borrowed from the language of the military. Jesus told His disciples service to God required complete, unequivocal and undeniable devotion.

The problem with man is he believes he can multi-task between God and the desires of the flesh. God has not only demanded first place, He is a jealous God who will not allow anything to come between Him and the service of men. The character of the human heart is a single devotion. If a man loves the things of the world, he will not love God fully. The idea that Satan plants in the mind is to love the Lord a little but not to become so enamored with Him that the heart can see nothing else but God. Many people mistake believing the devil tempts men to deny God. On the contrary, the devil is willing for men to accept a totem of God in their own choosing but not to commit fully to the will of the Father. That way, they can say they love the Lord and continue to live carnal lives.

Jesus describes the conflict of heart when men seek to serve God. It becomes a matter of all or nothing. There is no fence-sitting in the kingdom of heaven. Dual memberships are not allowed in the kingdom of God. Trying to keep one foot firmly planted in the world and a toe in the body of Christ accomplishes nothing. Jesus reminded His disciples that where the treasure of the heart resides is where the values of life are found. There is no exception. If a man seeks the fame and glory of the world, he will never find eternal reward. Seeking after the pleasures of the flesh will drive a heart far away from the love of God. The heart’s allegiance must be entirely in favor of God and Him alone or there is no reward.

It is hard to keep allegiance with God with the world’s temptations so alluring. There is a desire to be like the world but this will be in conflict with the will of the Lord. Trying to serve the mastery of the flesh and subduing the flesh in the body of Christ cannot be done. It is impossible for a man to serve two masters. The reason is simple: the heart can only focus on one love. If a man loves the world, that is his god. When the heart rises above the desires of the flesh and seeks to love God, it demands a complete devotion of love. Serving God requires hating the things of the world in favor of His will. Loyalty will be determined by where the heart resides. A divided loyalty is no loyalty. Divided loves are exercises in infidelity. Jesus boldly proclaims the eternal truth that will judge men: it is impossible to serve God and mammon.

What the church of God needs more than anything are hearts devoted to the cause of Christ. The soul of man must be committed to serving the Father’s will with complete allegiance. There can be nothing that will come before the will of God. He is first or no place at all. Nothing will take away the commitment a person has to serve the Lord with all his heart, soul, mind, and body. What God desires comes first. The other key of allegiance is that it happens daily. Serving God once a week or whenever the desires come will not show allegiance. Living the Christian life demands seven days a week showing the world that God is first in their life. No man can serve two masters and it is impossible to serve God without an allegiance of complete devotion. Who are you devoted to and who do you serve? God knows. Do you know God?

I have blotted out, like a thick cloud, your transgressions, and like a cloud, your sins. Return to Me, for I have redeemed you. (Isaiah 44:22)

The Forgiveness Of God

Forgiveness is the greatest blessing God has given men. It cost the Son of God His life to grant the grace of a forgiving and kind God. All men deserve the wrath of God. There is nothing that man has done to deserve the mercy of the Father. The death of Jesus was not accomplished by civil men who wanted to fulfill the word of God. Jesus was killed by an angry mob of Jews that hated Him so much they could not be satisfied until He was dead. Their hypocrisy was further seen when they begged Pilate to break the legs of Jesus to hasten death because the next day was a high Sabbath day. Jesus was in the tomb while the Jewish leaders went about their worship of the Lord God whose Son they had just killed. Forgiveness came at an eternal cost.

The conditions for forgiveness changed when Jesus died on the cross but the nature of forgiveness has never changed. Isaiah wrote about the love of God for Israel when he shares the word of the Lord for His people. God promised to sweep away the sins of the people like a cloud. God did not forget Israel and although they brought the wrath of God upon them, He remained faithful to them promising redemption. For all the things Israel had done, the Lord promised to wipe away their sins, blotting them out like a thick cloud. What more can anyone ask than the mercy and grace of a loving Father to accept back a rebellious child as God promises to those who seek Him.

Forgiveness will only be given to those who come to the Lord. There is no sin a man commits that God will not forgive when he – with a humble heart – returns to the Lord seeking forgiveness. This is the greatest of blessings. David and Bathsheba committed adultery and were judged guilty by the Law of Moses. Under the Law, David and Bathsheba were to be killed for infidelity. David caused Uriah to become drunk and then murdered him by the hand of Joab. When Nathan came to David to unveil his sins, he told the king that the Lord put away his sin and that he and Bathsheba would not die. David certainly feared the consequences of his actions, yet David found grace in the eyes of the Lord and by God’s mercy, David and Bathsheba were forgiven.

The immeasurable grace of God to take away sin is beyond comprehension. God is willing to blot out, like a thick cloud, the sins of His children. The price of forgiveness is measured by the price paid to make atonement. Nothing but the blood of Jesus can take away sin and what a high price was paid. Forgiveness is an emotion that should fill the heart of those who receive the grace of God with thanksgiving unending. How can one day pass without a grateful heart that God forgives like a dark cloud? The heart must sing daily the praise of “I am redeemed.” Sin is such a heavy burden to bear and often overwhelming with despair and doubt. God comes to His child and, while embracing them, reminds them of His love when He says, “I forgive.” Praise God for His love. Forgive me, Father. Thank you.

At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:1-3)

Unless You Are Converted

The disciples of Jesus frequently argued about who among them would be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Their view of the work of the Lord was clouded by their pride and misunderstanding of the divine plan. Jesus used a child to draw an impact lesson to their minds. Children of God are children in their hearts. Without becoming like a child, service in the kingdom of heaven is impossible. Before a heart can become like a child, a change must take place. Jesus did not tell the disciples to become children. He told them to change their hearts and become as little children. Often lost in the admonition of a child-like heart is the need for conversion.

Arguing about who would be greatest in the kingdom highlighted a problem that men had yet changed their lives to be entirely devoted to the Lord. The disciples of Jesus did not realize their teacher and master would soon die on a Roman cross. It came as a shock and with dismay, the disciples scattered. Jesus told them He had to die but that God would raise Him from the dead. They did not hear him. Following Jesus was an intellectual journey until they saw Him die. Then everything changed and the eleven devoted their lives to the Lord. That change occurred when their hearts finally had been converted to the will of the Father.

To be a Christian for many is an intellectual journey where they go through the motions and do the “right” things in the “right” way but have never changed their lives to serve the Lord Jesus Christ. Little has changed in their lives. They still think as they did before. Their immodesty continues with no change. Habits are seldom changed with an acceptance of the carnal trappings of the world (dancing, drinking, smoking, gambling, etc.). The group of friends they had before becoming a Christian continues to make up a large part of their lives. Work remains the first place in the constant pursuit of the rat race. If the boss wants them to work on Sunday, the Christian sees no harm and is willing to miss multiple times.

Conversion is a notable change with evident expressions of a change of heart, mind, and soul. Jesus said a true disciple is a changed person. If a man or woman has never changed their life for the glory of God, they have never fully become part of the kingdom of heaven. Conversion is not accepting the moral code of the church to follow a set plan in specific steps. The real convert is a heart that has converted the old ways to new ways. There is a new way of thinking. Women begin covering themselves with sobriety and modesty. Habits of the old life are put away so that all can see Christ living in the example of the Christian. Conversion may require a change of friends who are not influencing the heart to heavenly thoughts. A courageous heart will explain to the employer that Sunday is a sacred day that will not be missed on account of work. God comes first without exception.

A converted heart knows the price paid for salvation. Jesus gave up equality with the Father, offered His life for the sins of all men, and agreed to subject Himself to the Father when all things are accomplished. In a fashion, Jesus converted His existence to save men. He asks for those who want to be His disciples to change their lives. There is nothing a man will give up that will measure to the gift of God through Jesus Christ. When a man converts his life to the glory of God, he will find the unfathomable measure of God’s love. Are you converted?