The Heaton File

Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, “Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!” Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents. (Luke 15:8-10)

Shine, Sweep, Seek, And Sing

Jesus tells a story about a woman who had ten silver coins. These coins were valuable to her as she cherished them for her livelihood and security. Imagine the horror when she realizes that one of her coins is missing. Frantically, she begins seeking her lost coin. It is not a matter of greed she seeks the coin. Losing the coin is misplacing a thing of great worth and value to her. It brings with it enumerable blessings that would not be possible if the coin is lost. A wealthy man may look at the loss as part of doing business. Losing ten percent is not desired, but those who can endure such loss will not seek one lost coin. The woman is desperately seeking the coin because of its value. How she seeks the coin shows the importance of great value and the limits she will go to find one lost coin.

The first thing she needs is light. Finding her lamp, the woman lights the oil lamp to look under the table, in the dark corners, and all the places in her home the coin may be. The worth of the coin demands shining light throughout the house. Without the light, she would probably miss the coin and lose it forever. Oil is expensive for this woman, but she uses her valuable oil to find something of greater value. It becomes a sacrifice to being the search, but she is undaunted.

One of the common problems in any home is the clutter and dust accumulated over time. Finding a lamp to give light to the room, the woman begins sweeping the floor seeking the lost coin. She sweeps the house. All of the house. There is not a corner left that is not swept. It takes work to sweep the whole house, but she is diligent in taking whatever measures are necessary to find the lost coin. Sweeping is work, and the woman puts her hand to the task.

With the lamp shining brightly and the room well swept, the woman seeks for the lost coin. Her efforts are focused on one single purpose: find the one coin. She has treasured the nine coins, but she must find the one lost coin. After exhaustive searching, the coin is found. It matters not where the coin is found. Rather, the story reflects the worth of the coin and the extent of effort the woman puts forth to find just one lost coin. She cannot afford to lose one coin. The ten coins mean more to her than anything. She lights a lamp to SHINE a way to find the coin and SWEEPS the whole house so that she can SEEK for her one lost coin. Her efforts pay off, and the coin is found.

The joy of finding one coin can be lost on those who have many coins. What the woman does is remarkable as she shares the tale of the lost coin with others. She brings her friends and neighbors into her home to celebrate a single coin that was lost and joyfully found. Did her friends understand how important the coin was? Could they have laughed behind her back for making such a huge production over one lost coin? One thing was sure in the woman’s mind, and that was the worth of the one lost coin and the extensive efforts she was willing to go in finding that lost coin. She shone, she swept, she sought, and then she sang. Her joy was finding the one coin. Its value was beyond measure. Her efforts were rewarded with joy.

Jesus tells the parable of the lost coin to show the intense desire of the Father to save a lost soul. Everyone matters to God, and not one lost soul is pleasing to the Father. The other parables of the lost sheep and the prodigal son illustrate the grace and mercy of God for His people. But there is also a beautiful story of a woman who realized the worth and value of one coin. She had nine other coins, but she was not satisfied until she had the one lost coin. There was a lot of work to be done to find the one coin, and she was willing to expend whatever energies necessary to find the one coin. She lit a lamp to shine light throughout the house. Her hand took to the broom to sweep the house, removing those things that hindered her search. After cleaning the house, she looked for the coin. She knew the coin would not just suddenly appear on its own. The woman had to seek the lost coin. When the coin was found, she sang with rejoicing.

God does not want anyone to be lost. The value of a lost soul is the great lesson in the parable for those willing to light a lamp (shine), sweep, seek and sing when a friend, coworker, spouse, or stranger obeys the gospel. A Christian should let his light shine and keep his heart and mind swept clean of the world so they will have a heart of seeking the lost. When the light of Christ shines in the heart of a child of God who lives a holy life, they will desire to find lost souls and bring them to the Lord. Then the rejoicing will take place. Shine – sweep – seek – and sing. Glory to God for the salvation of ONE soul.

Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to put down. (Daniel 4:37)

What The King Learned

The world has always had great nations exerting supreme power over the affairs of men. From its early days, the nation of Egypt was one of the most powerful nations on earth. The Chinese dynasties ruled for nearly three thousand years with their zenith during the Qin Dynasty. One of the largest empires to rule over much of the world was the British Empire. Other nations rose to great prominence like the Roman, Spanish, German, Inca, Soviet Union (USSR), and a host of other empires that ruled. In the history of the nation of Israel, the Assyrians and Babylonians conquered God’s people through His divine will. Following the Babylonian, Persian, Greek, and Roman Empires, the Kingdom of God was established on the day of Pentecost.

One common factor is found in all of the empires and nations that have ruled the world. Almost all have disappeared on the pages of a long-forgotten history. All that remains are the remnants of a once proud and powerful people. There are nations today seeking their place on the stage of world affairs and, for a time, will exert great influence. History is the great teacher of what happens tomorrow if the student of today will take notice. Pride lifts a nation to great glory, but that pride will also be their destruction. Since the building of the tower of Babel, the history of mankind is measured by the habitation of the Lord restricting the spread of global domination by any people. What God has established as the borders of any nation will not change.

During the captivity of Israel, Babylon exercised world dominance under the leadership of Nebuchadnezzar. Among the captives brought from Judah, a young man named Daniel served in the King’s palace. After a troubling dream that no one could explain, Nebuchadnezzar sought the counsel of Daniel to tell its meaning. With great courage to speak plainly to the most powerful man on earth, Daniel told King Nebuchadnezzar that his pride would be his downfall. One year later, as the King was walking among the splendor of Babylon, a proud heart proclaimed the great achievements of Nebuchadnezzar. The Lord drove the King from man, and Nebuchadnezzar ate grass like oxen, and he lived in the wild. His hair grew like eagles feathers, and his nails like birds claws.

At the end of the time, the Lord brought the humbled King back to his throne. The experience changed the heart of Nebuchadnezzar, and he proclaimed the glory of the Most High and praised and honored the Lord who lives forever. His final statement was praise and extolling and honoring the King of heaven. The King had come to know who rules in the affairs of men. He realized as great as his kingdom and as powerful a man he was among men; God was greater. The King also recognized the work of God was the truth, and all of the ways of the Lord are right. It was a hard lesson for Nebuchadnezzar to learn, but he realized all men who walk in pride, God is able to put down. The angels are amused at the pride of men. There is nothing that man has done that warrants glory. Pride is a destructive spirit that only destroys. There are men and women who exercise great power in world affairs either in politics, business, social and global influence, but all are made in the similitude of Nebuchadnezzar. Their time of greatness will be short-lived. Those who exalt themselves in pride will be brought low. Angels laugh at the arrogant hearts that seek to elevate themselves above their habitation. Man is made a little lower than the angels, and this will never change. When men begin to think of themselves as gods, the heavens shout with laughter. Those who walk in pride will be put down—all of them

After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He remained with them and baptized. (John 3:22)

Jesus Taught Baptism

The religious world denies salvation by baptism. Very few people who believe in Jesus Christ will affirm that baptism has anything to do with salvation, teaching a faith-only doctrine of redemption. They will cite the “Sinner’s prayer” as the means of washing away sins. Accepting Jesus as a personal Savior is how many believe a person becomes a child of God. Protestant churches deny baptism as essential. They teach a person can receive eternal life without baptism. For example, it is stated in the Hiscox Standard Manual for Baptist Churches that “Baptism is not essential to salvation, for our churches utterly repudiate the dogma of ‘baptismal regeneration; but it is essential to obedience since Christ has commanded it.” The Lutheran, Presbyterian, and Methodist churches teach justification by faith alone. For the most part, the religious world denies baptism can save.

Followers of Jesus Christ are people who abide by the teaching of Jesus Christ. It is remarkable (and sad) that so many religious folks dedicate their lives to serving the Lord and denying what He does and what He teaches. Jesus was baptized in the River Jordan by John the Baptist. His baptism was not to wash away sin but to fulfill all righteousness. God the Father accepted what Jesus did as part of the divine plan when He spoke from Heaven that He was pleased with the baptism of Jesus. If baptism was not an essential part of the coming kingdom, why did Jesus go into the land of Judea and baptize? It seems incredulous that followers of Christ would deny something Jesus preached regularly during His ministry.

Many believed Jesus to be the Son of God but refused to give their allegiance to Him lest they fall out of favor with men. Many of the Pharisees and lawyers who heard the teaching of Jesus rejected the will of God for themselves, not having been baptized by John the Baptist. They denied it had anything to do with salvation. Holding fast to the Law, they rejected the teaching of Jesus and the prophetic word of John the Baptist. It does not seem remarkable the attitudes of the Pharisees and lawyers remain today for those who firmly deny the essential nature of baptism for salvation. And yet, Jesus went into Judea, and many were baptized.

The moment of salvation is a crucial part of a person’s life. It is the single moment in time when the soul darkened by the stain of sin is washed clean by the blood of Jesus Christ. Through the grace, mercy, and love of a kind Father, redemption is granted that places a person into a covenant with God for eternal life. That moment is not when a person accepts Christ as their personal Savior. It is not the moment a good feeling comes over a person. The eternal moment in a person’s life that grants him acceptance into the body of Christ is when they are baptized in water for the remission of their sins. Not a moment sooner. There is no hope of salvation without Biblical baptism (immersion; not pouring or sprinkling or infant baptism). The final words of Jesus to the eleven were unambiguous and demonstrative: if a person believes and is baptized, they will be saved. If they do not believe and refuse to accept baptism as essential for salvation, they will be lost to perdition. Jesus taught baptism throughout His ministry and left the Father’s word for all those who seek eternal life to obey His command. Baptism is essential. Jesus said so.

Jesus answered them and said, “My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me. If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority. He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him. (John 7:16-18)

My Message Is Not Mine

The gospel of Jesus Christ has been taught for two millennia, yet most people have refused to follow His teaching. God has revealed the message of salvation in clear language that all men from all ages and all walks of life can read and understand. There is unity in the teaching of Christ. The Bible is the most prolific book in history and the least read and accepted. Many books have been written contradicting the Bible establishing man-made churches and teaching doctrines never found within the pages of God’s word. The problem does not come from the Bible but the pride of men who seek their own glory desiring to establish doctrines that fit their wisdom.

Jesus faced criticism when He taught the multitudes because He was not trained in the schools of the Jewish world. He was a carpenter’s son of no significant importance from a backwater town in Galilee. Yet His teaching was convicting, powerful, and no man could trap Him in His speech. What made the message of Jesus convincing was that it came from the mouth of God. His doctrine was not the doctrine of Jesus but the word of God. His Father had sent Him on a mission to preach the message of hope. Everything Jesus did and all the words He taught the people came from His Father. Like the people of Berea during the early days of the church, men could search the scriptures and find everything Jesus taught was from the word of God. There was no contradiction. Jesus taught the word of the Father.

If a man wants to do the will of the Father, He will realize what Jesus is saying is the word of God. He will know if what is being taught is from God or not by testing the message with the written word. Authority comes from speaking what is established. It is necessary to verify authority and Jesus taught the multitudes in accordance with the law of God. When a man investigated the scriptures and compared the teaching of Jesus, they would find harmony. The simple effort of comparing the words of Jesus with the words of the Father established truth. Jesus never forced His teaching on any man. He only asked that men take the Father’s word and compare it with the teachings of Jesus. If they were the same, what Jesus taught was the word of God.

When a man takes the liberty to speak on his own accord, he does so for personal gain and glory. If a man speaks from himself, he places glory on himself, not God. The wisdom of men creates a prideful heart. False doctrine has also been predicated on the need for men to elevate their wisdom above God’s will. He becomes a false teacher as one who is untrue. When a man seeks the glory of the Father, his word will be true, and there will be no unrighteousness in him. The contrast is as clear as night and day. Teaching the wisdom of man exalts human glory, and following the word of God glorifies the Father. One is false, and one is true. Righteousness comes from the word of God and is always true.

Jesus came to earth to show the Father’s image through His life, teaching, and ultimately in His sacrifice. Everything Jesus did point to His Father. His doctrine was not for His glory but the manifestation of the majesty of the only true God. Satan tempted Jesus to take the mantle of authority upon Himself, but the Son of God refused. He came to serve the will of the Father, and when He prayed in the garden for the cup of agony to pass from Him, He submitted to the will of what had been established before time. The followers of Jesus imitate Him in their submission to the complete will of the Father. Everything in the life of the Christian imitates the character of God so the world can glorify the Father. The teaching of the Christian is not his own but the word of God. If the world does not accept the word, they reject God, not man. Let the word of God be true and every man a liar. Truth comes from the word of God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)

Spirit Fruit: Peace

There is a lot of worry in the world. Concerns over how to pay the bills, prepare for the future, face health worries, and a host of nagging problems that sap the strength out of the soul. The world offers many answers to worry, but they never satisfy. Those who seek peace in the bottle open their lives to greater troubles. People who drown themselves in wealth seeking happiness never find the golden pot at the end of the rainbow. Trying to prolong life and regain youth is a futile attempt as aging keeps marching on. What is greatly lacking in the lives of many is the feeling of peace.

Arthur Somers Roche said worry is “A thin stream of fear trickling through the mind. If encouraged, it cuts a channel into which all other thoughts are drained.” Sadly, the lifestyles of most people seldom experience the joy of a peaceful mind and contented heart. A materialistic world propagates the fears and worries of the heart, keeping peace far away. One of the joys of being a child of God is to find peace that passes all understanding and can guard the heart against the worries of life. The peace found in the fruit of the Spirit is the revitalizing experience of hope, love, and happiness. Jesus taught in the mountain sermon not to be anxious for life. A heart absent of peace will be filled with hatred and strife. Adam Clarke writes about peace, “The calm, quiet, and order, which take place in the justified soul, instead of the doubts, fears, alarms, and dreadful forebodings, which every true penitent less or more feels, and must feel till the assurance of pardon brings peace and satisfaction to the mind. Peace is the first sensible fruit of the pardon of sin.”

The peace found in the fruit of the Spirit gives direction to life. Instead of being consumed with the worries of life and the affairs of the world, a peaceful heart trusts in the will of the Father. Jesus said the birds do not sow seed nor reap nor gather into barns because the Father cares for them. Birds do not have worry lines on their brow. They are at peace as they depend on their Creator to care for them. Babies are happy and at peace, because they are fully trusting and filled with love as their parents care for them. The child of God must have the heart of a child to trust in the Lord, depend on His care, and trust in His judgment. That is when peace will rule the heart.

A heart that is not at peace is a heart that is not with God. The Lord does not promise to take the pain and suffering away but provides comfort to enjoy the peace of God. Jesus was asleep in the boat during a storm because He had peace with His Father. Peter had to be awakened by an angel when he was thrown into prison with a death sentence hanging over him because the apostle had peace with God. Many Christians faced death before the fires of Nero through the peace they had with their salvation. The fruit of the Spirit fortifies the human spirit with the blessings of love, joy, and peace that will give courage in the face of trials and hope in the time of sorrow. There is no peace as great as the tender hand of the Heavenly Father embracing His child, protecting them, and guiding them. True peace can only come from the fruit of the Spirit.

Which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. And He put all things under His feet and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. (Ephesians 1:20-23)

The Right Hand Of God

There is no authority greater than what is possessed by God the Father, Creator of all things. He rules over the universe, and all things are subjugated to His word. Jesus acknowledged His words came from the Father, and everything He spoke was the will of the Father. The Holy Spirit came upon the apostles through the will of the Father. John describes the brilliance of the throne in the eternal as filled by One who sat upon the throne with the creatures surrounding the throne giving glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne. They call Him “Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come.” Everything known to man in the universe comes from the throne of the Almighty, who rules above all humanity.

As the One who sits upon the throne as sole occupant, the Lord God exercises His authority according to His will. When Jesus offered Himself as an offering for the sin of all men, God raised Him from the dead and seated the Lord Jesus Christ on His right hand. To be raised to the right hand was significant of favor, trust, and power. Jesus lived a perfect life and died to bring men back to the Father. His love, humility, and devotion to His Father were rewarded with all authority both in heaven and earth. This authority comes from sitting at the right hand of God. Jesus was received up into heaven forty days after the resurrection and sat down at the right hand of God. He was exalted to a place of complete authority. Stephen, the martyred saint of God, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.

There is no authority on earth greater than Jesus. He died, arose, and sits at the right hand of God, making intercession for mankind. The Christian lives his life with the rule of Christ as He who sits at the right hand of God. All authority was given to Christ when He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever. Jesus has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him. Ruling at the right hand of God shows His preeminence, dominion, and power. There is no greater authority in the church than the head, Jesus Christ. His rule is one of a groom adorned for His bride cherishing her with the loving grace given to Him by His Father. As the church submits to Christ, they recognize He sits at the right hand of God. All authority in the church comes from Jesus Christ.

Sitting at the right hand of God shows the relationship of Christ with the church. He dominates by the authority granted Him by the Father. Everything flows from that headship as one who sits at the right hand of God. Members of the body are subject to all things under the headship of Christ. There is never a question of what a man must do to be saved. The word of Christ establishes the will of the Father. Jesus told His disciples when a man believes and is baptized, he will be saved. If a man refuses to believe, he will be lost. The authority of salvation comes from the mouth of Jesus, as one who sits at the right hand of God. To dismiss baptism as nonessential is to deny that Jesus is at the right hand of the Lord God. Denying the teaching of Jesus is rejecting the authority given to Him by the Father. All the Lord’s commands rest upon the authority of the One who sits at the right hand of God.

Jesus will relinquish the authority given to Him when all things are completed, and He Himself will be subject to the Father. Until that time, Jesus Christ rules at the right hand of God with all the authority granted Him by His Father. When men deny the teaching of Jesus, they deny His authority. Rejecting the authority of Jesus is to deny God. Accepting the rule of Christ is to follow the will of the Father and to be found pleasing in His sight. Sitting at the right hand of God impresses upon all men to listen to Jesus Christ as One who has all authority. Thank God for He who sits at His right hand.

And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said to him: “Because you have relied on the king of Syria, and have not relied on the Lord your God, therefore the army of the king of Syria has escaped from your hand. Were the Ethiopians and the Lubim not a huge army with very many chariots and horsemen? Yet, because you relied on the LORD, He delivered them into your hand. For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. In this you have done foolishly; therefore from now on you shall have wars.” (2 Chronicles 16:7-9)

The Eyes Of The Lord Are Seeking

Twenty years after the death of King Solomon, his great-grandson Asa became king of Israel, ruling 41 years. The previous two decades were marred with the wicked king’s Rehoboam and Abijam. When Asa ruled the southern tribes, he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, as did David. The years were filled with prosperity and a period of restoration to the law of God. There was no war for thirty-five years. During the thirty-sixth year of the reign of Asa, Baasha, king of Israel, came up against Judah to wage war. Instead of seeking the counsel of the Lord, Asa chose to appeal to Ben-Hadad, king of Syria, with silver and gold from the house of the Lord and the king’s house. He sought a treaty with the Syrians to fight against Israel. Ben-Hadad attacked Israel, causing Baasha to withdraw from his conquest of Judah.

The Lord was displeased with Asa for making a treaty with Ben-Hadad. Hanani the seer came to King Asa, scolding him for not trusting in the Lord’s power to defeat Baasha. The prophet reminded Asa how God had delivered him from the Egyptians and the army of Lubim. At the critical moment of decision, Asa should have sought the Lord’s counsel to fight against Baasha. Hanani reminded the king the eyes of the Lord search the whole earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. Asa had acted foolishly, and the peace he enjoyed for thirty-five years would end.

God has always desired hearts that are fully committed to Him. He has demanded first place since the beginning of time. When the Jews received the law at Sinai, it began with the declaration that God was why they had escaped Egypt and nothing but His power and might saved them. They were not to put any god or any man before their allegiance to the Lord God Almighty. Anything less than complete devotion was not acceptable. Jesus taught in the mountain message that unless a man seeks first the kingdom of God, there are no blessings. The example of a fully committed heart is the life of Jesus Christ, who willingly sacrificed Himself for the sins of the world. The One who had never sinned died to save those who had sinned.

Being fully devoted to the Lord is not a fanatical persuasion without reason. It is a life that is measured with each step examined under the microscope of God’s will. Asa had a big decision to make, and he chooses to ignore the power of God. Life is filled with big decisions that must be gauged by what God would desire for the individual or the selfish desires of self. The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, seeking hearts that are loyal to Him. God wants to see His people dedicated to Him in every part of their life. They should not allow the pressures of the world to decide how they live. The Christian walk is a cross-bearing journey guided by the word of the Lord, the Good Shepherd.

There are many decisions to make in life that must be measured by the will of the Lord. When a young man and woman decide to marry, their first thoughts may be because of their love for one another. What must come first is whether this individual will help me or hinder my journey to eternal life. Marrying someone simply because of their beauty is like buying a house because of the paint. What is important is what is on the inside. That is who God is seeking. When a career is being considered, few put at the top of the list whether their jobs will glorify God or dishonor His name by the nature of the work schedule, influences, and conflicts with the word of God. Asking what God thinks of the job decision is seldom considered and should be the first thing to think about. If a young man is very talented in a sport that takes him to the highest peaks of his athleticism, will he deny the Lord to play sports on the day when he should be worshipping God? So many make decisions without consulting God first.

The church needs souls whose hearts are found by the eyes of the Lord as fully committed to Him. Families that center their marriages and parenting with God-first principles will be pleasing in the eyes of the Lord. Young people who choose careers that give glory to God will find the pleasure of the eyes of God. When life is molded in a spiritual world of the word of God, the example to others will let the light of Christ shine in a dark world. Neighbors will come to Christ by the example of men and women entirely devoted to the Lord. Friends will understand the seriousness of how much the Christian loves the Lord and is dedicated to the kingdom of God. It takes fully committed hearts. The eyes of the Lord go to and fro throughout the earth. What does He see in your life?

Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin. (Romans 6:3-7)

The Moment Of Salvation

When a child is born, the day and time are recorded on his birth record. This shows the moment of birth. Before the day and the minute, the child remained in the womb. When he is cut from his mother’s umbilical cord, he begins his life independently. His journey has started. Most people remember the day they were born and are reminded each year when the birthday cake blazes with candles. Few remember (or know) the moment they were born. What is significant about that moment is the realization of life’s beginning. It is important because it marks a dividing time from one stage to another. The life experience is marked from that single moment of the day. 7:34 am (for example) is an exact moment when life outside the womb begins. It is an amazing time stamp.

 Jesus told Nicodemus that a man enters the kingdom of God by being born again. The imagery of birth is found throughout scripture, describing the moment a person leaves the dark womb of the world to the light of God’s love and grace. John writes in his first epistle the beauty of being born of God as the joy of being redeemed. Paul uses the analogy of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus as the new birth. In the figure of coming out of the tomb, salvation is found when a man rises from the watery grave of baptism to the renewal of the resurrection in Christ. A man is buried with Christ through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead, salvation is granted to those who have been united together in the likeness of His death. What is significant to consider is that moment in time, a man is no longer a lost, condemned, and hopeless sinner – but a child of God. The moment of salvation.

Every man struggles with sin and becomes a slave to sin. He is without hope, walking according to the desires of the flesh like the rest of the world. Life is filled with the passions of the world with no way to save himself. He is a servant of the devil, following the passionate desires and inclinations of a sinful nature. God’s wrath is against him. Being a good man will not put him in favor of God. Acting religious does not take away the anger of the Lord. Seeking the wisdom of human acceptance fails. And then a day comes when the gospel of Jesus Christ enters the dark heart of disbelief, and a change begins to take place.

The grace of God is shining through the clouds of doubt, and hope rises. There is an understanding of God’s love, the sacrifice and the price paid by the Son of God to redeem man, and an urgent need to obey. The voice cries out, “What must I do to be saved.” From the throne of a loving Father comes the reply to “repent and be baptized for the remission of sins.” Hearts overcome with fear are now consumed with hope as the water washes away all sin. It is a moment of cleansing. A new birth has been marked by a single moment where the lost soul becomes a new creation. Joy fills the heart. A journey of faith begins. God’s love has overcome another soul.

In the life of all of God’s children, a moment comes when they are no longer servants of the devil but slaves of God. It is that moment that is the glorious realization of God’s grace. One hour before, a man was lost. Thirty minutes prior offered no hope. Obedience to the will of the Lord marks a single moment in the life of the saved when they were born again. He was lost, but now he is saved. Without that moment of God’s mercy to take away all sin, there would be no hope. The day of one’s birth is important to remember the power of creation and God’s love. Knowing and considering the day of one’s spiritual birth has eternal consequences. That is when life really begins. Thank God for that moment of birth.

Then Jesus cried out and said, “He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me. And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me. I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness. And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day. For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak.” (John 12:44-50)

All Men Will Be Judged By The Word

There is a great day of judgment coming. All nations will be gathered before the Creator. The dead, small and great, will stand before the Lord. From every age from Adam until the final day of earth’s existence, every person stands before a Holy God to be judged. There will never be an assembly like the gathering of all souls before the throne of the Lord God. Social status will not be a factor of judgment. Kings will stand next to peasants, and the rich will mingle with the poor. There will be no famous people exalting their accomplishments or despots forcing their will on the oppressed. No one will think of themselves better than another. All souls will be standing in the same place doing the same thing waiting for the judgment of the one who sits upon the throne. And then a voice will speak, and divine separation begins. Most will go to the left into a dark abyss of damnation while the few enter the portals of heavenly splendor. Judgment is completed. Hell is closed. Heaven abounds with the singing of the faithful. Eternity fills the void as time without end.

Believing in the day of judgment is not imperative to its reality. Most do not think there will be a day of reckoning. To them, life is lived here, and then everything is over. There is nothing beyond the grave. Sadly, in the reality of death, they awaken to the certainty of how vast eternity will be. Every soul will know the judgment of God is righteous. No one in the pit of Hell will believe they deserve eternity in heaven. They will know the verdict passed down was correct. Their doom in the eternal flames will come from a truth they learned too late. It is not so much the presence of God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit that convicts them. Every person standing before the judgment bar of a Holy God will know the word of God judged them.

Jesus came into the world to bring the light of God. He taught the multitudes the gospel of the Father, and while multitudes accepted His teaching, most did not. In less than three years, the world turned against Jesus and His preaching, and they killed Him. In the past two thousand years, the word of God has been challenged. Many have denied its truth. Other books were written casting doubt on the word of God. Churches with different dogmas arose leading men astray from the word of the Lord. Sadly, many souls follow a corrupted teaching of the word of God. Mormons follow the Book of Mormon. Moslems believe in the Koran. Denominations hold to their creed books. The Roman Catholic Church blindly follows the Pope and his word. Everybody has their own belief.

Judgment is coming, and the Book of Mormon will not be there. The Koran will not be there, and all the creed books of man-made churches will be burned up in the fire when the world comes to an end. The Pope will be before the Lord, but he will not be a Pope. He will be a man, and that is all. His words will mean nothing. Joseph Smith’s words and Muhammad’s words will mean nothing. The religious leaders and their human wisdom will mean nothing. Whatever Kent Heaton says and writes will mean nothing. What will be on the lips of every soul gathered is how they lived up to the word of God.

Jesus declares to the Pharisees to reject Him is to reject God. When a man rejects Jesus and will not receive His words, he has that which judges him – the word spoke by Jesus will judge him in the last day. Everything Jesus said came from the Father. The Bible contains the words of God in totality, and every word is pure. Refusing to obey the words of the Bible will bring the wrath of God. Judgment will come from one book, and that book is what is contained between Genesis and the Revelation. There is no other book with that power. No message can promise salvation as can the gospel of Jesus Christ. Eternal life is found in the words of God. You and I will stand before the judgment bar of God, and the book we have in our hands will be our judgment. If we do not listen to His word now, we will listen on the day of judgment. Do not let that day come without knowing the word of God. Your soul depends on it.

Nevertheless, even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees, they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue, for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. (John 12:42-43)

Seeking The Wrong Praise

The admiration of others is an important part of relationships and how many people identify themselves. Goals are set early in life to become an accomplished athlete, musician, business entrepreneur, or remembered as a historical figure. Men strive for the gold ring of excellence to hear the applause of others praising who they are. They become stars and famous people with accolades of self-importance. Trophies are given, awards bestowed, names flashed across the screen, and for some, they see buildings and structures named after them. The praise of men. It can be very heady, alluring, and intoxicating.

What happens after the awards show is over, and the cleanup crews are putting everything back together? Where do the golden trophies reside? How long will a famous name be remembered? Who can identify the name inscribed on a building in generations to come? The Oscar for best actor in 1956 is long forgotten. Few will know who won the World Series in 1959. Thomas Starzl was a world-renowned doctor who, in 1963, did something very few people know about. There are myriads of buildings named after people that are long forgotten. This is the praise of men that is so powerful in life and yet easily forgotten in the next generation.

The futility of the praise of men is that it is so fleeting. The span of a man’s life is so brief, and when he dies, his memories fade into distant images of days gone by with little or no significance to the next generation. People get older and more feeble in time no matter how rich or famous they become. When older men and women try to retain their youth by looking thirty years younger, they only succeed in making themselves look ten years more foolish. The praise of men is temporary – very temporary. Nothing is lasting about fame. It flourishes for a time and then vanishes away as quickly.

It is difficult to imagine how those living when Jesus walked among them could not embrace His teachings and His message. The miracles proved beyond doubt that He was God. When He preached before the multitudes, hearts were stirred with either the passion of goodness or the zeal for hatred. There was no middle ground. Jesus was the Son of God, or He was a fraud. Among the Jewish rulers, many believed in Jesus. They accepted His teaching as divine. There was no doubt about His divine powers. His message was always a moving and challenging experience. These men believed in Jesus Christ, but they could not acknowledge any allegiance lest they fall from favor from their peers. They were unwilling to admit they believed in Jesus for fear that the Pharisees would expel them from the synagogue.

Jesus knew why the rulers would not acknowledge Him as the Son of God. They loved human praise more than the praise of God. If they confessed Christ, they would lose their influence among their fellow Jews. People would shun them and treat them as the offscouring of the world. If they wanted fame and power, they could never admit to believing Jesus was the Son of God. So, they held on to the praise of men, and when they died, the praise of men died with them. Their attempt to have praise failed. It was of no value.

Today, there are those in the world who can never devote their lives to serve the Lord as it would harm their social status, job security, or position among their friends. They deny any allegiance to being a Christian because they love the praise of men more. No one knows they are a Christian, and they want to keep it that way. Their lives become empty shells of hypocrisy, showing the world a face of social acceptance, believing that God will accept their pretense to save them. Death comes to all men, and the praise of men ends. What happens next is the tragedy of the story. The praise of men cannot save a soul from condemnation. Only the praise of God can do that. When it is too late, every heart will want to hear the Lord say, “Well done, good and faithful servant; who loved My praise more than the praise of men.” Sadly, few will hear these words. Why? The praise of men is strong, powerful, alluring, and deceitful. The only question left to be asked is whose praise are you seeking? Men or God? Choose.