The Heaton File

We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification. For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.” (Romans 15:1-3)

Who Do We Please?

Pride and self-centered thinking are the bane of the soul. Selfishness is the trait of thinking only about oneself and what can be done for self-gratification. The world is a selfish place. It is all about “me, me, me” and little about others. Men pride themselves on their own accomplishments and glory regardless of others. Entitled people believe the world owes them everything because they are the center of the universe, demanding respect and recognition. The Christian lives above the selfishness of the world because they follow the example of Jesus Christ. God loved the world enough to send His only begotten Son, and Jesus loved the Father enough to empty Himself to walk in the flesh among men. Jesus did not come to earth to please Himself. He did not die to please Himself. His death on the cross was not about Him because He had no sin. In the greatest selfless act of Jesus dying on the cross, God shows the love of selfless sacrifice for others.

What makes the sacrifice of Jesus more astonishing is that Jesus died in the face of those who hated Him, yet He forgave them. He knew His sacrifice would bring the blood of redemption to humanity, accomplishing the eternal plan of His Father. Jesus had no sin, but He had to suffer and die to save the lost. His life was forfeited to serve others. He did not please Himself. Everything Jesus did was to save others. In a selfless act of love, the Son of God died so the world could find eternal life.

The example of Jesus is the pathway His followers must walk to be His disciples. Jesus did not please Himself, and His followers learn how to remove selfishness from their lives to help others. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Some struggle with greater burdens than others. Paul’s admonition to the Roman saints was for the spiritually strong among them to help those who struggled with weak faith. Not everyone is on the same plane of faith as others. Some, through years of struggle and devotion to God, have a deep and abiding knowledge of the love of God and the power of forgiveness. Those new to the faith face many struggles and often make many mistakes. Like a newborn baby, the Christian must grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ to maturity – but that takes time. The weaker Christian needs the help of the older Christians to be patient with them and help them.

A hallmark of the Christian life is the willingness of God’s people to seek out opportunities to please others ahead of self, leading to edification. The purpose is to build others up. An edifice is a building, and to edify is to build a strong support structure to help others endure the storms of life. Selfishness cannot accomplish the love of God. The Christian is not trying to please himself but to help others. It takes a sacrificial heart to do things that will edify another. When the strong in faith help the weak in faith, they do so not to please themselves, but to help others on their journey of faith. Walking in the footsteps of Jesus demands that those steps be measured by self-sacrifice. Christ did not please Himself. Follow His example.

His name shall endure forever; His name shall continue as long as the sun. And men shall be blessed in Him; all nations shall call Him blessed. Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who only does wondrous things! (Psalm 72:17-18)

His Name Is Not Forgotten

A genealogist researches the ancestral heritage of people or families. Creating a genealogy is an account of the descent of a person or family for many generations. Names fill the register of the account of ancestors who thrived in life, going about their daily activities, enjoying whatever measure of happiness derived from their time on earth, and stories recalled through generations. The names of genealogy fill books to the curiosity of the family heritage, but the knowledge of the individual fades with each generation. A name on a register is only a name. Forgotten is the fullness of their story and who they were.

Countless names fill the registry of a genealogy forgotten over the centuries to remain as names on marble headstones or book inscriptions. These names represent people who lived full lives, contributing to the world whatever measure of honor was mustered in the brief moment of life. John Chrysostom said, “If you knew how quickly people would forget you after your death, you would not seek in your life to please anyone but God.” How many generations can a person remember? Someone can remember what their grandfather said and did, and sometimes what their great-grandparents may have done, but beyond that spectrum of time, lives are lost and stories forgotten.

The harsh reality of life for those who seek to build a legacy is that they are soon forgotten and remembered no more. Who can remember the most important accomplishment achieved by a person in 1923? At the time, the world honored a renowned person, and thousands spoke the individual’s name. But what about today? Is that name mentioned or recognized? Forgotten in the ages of the historical dustbins of time, names are gone, and no memory is given to their life. History will remember an infinitesimal number of names with historical accuracy, but 99.99% of people are forgotten, their names banished to the oblivion of insignificance.

Fame is fleeting, and legacies are the errands of fools. The Bible has preserved names that have been known for thousands of years. Abraham and Sarah are remembered. A woman named Jael, wife of Heber the Kenite, is remembered in Holy scrip. Dorcas, an early disciple of Christ in Joppa, is remembered by the Holy Spirit. The name of the Lord God has been remembered since the beginning of time and will continue as long as the sun rises and sets. Men shall be blessed in Him; all nations shall call Him blessed. Jesus Christ is a name that all men know. Most in the world deny Him being the Son of God, but they acknowledge His story after two thousand years.

The difference in the legacy of man and the story of the Divine is that men forget the names of men, but they cannot forget the name of their Creator. What makes the plight of man sad is the feverish efforts made for the world to remember their names – and in death are soon forgotten. What a wasted life. If the souls of men would spend more time seeking God to remember their names, what a change would come in their lives. God writes the names of the saved in the Book of Life and will forever be inscribed on God’s heart when they are found faithful. The goal of man should never be to leave his name in the ages of human history, but to hear the Lord God proclaim his name to the heavenly hosts, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter in.” Men will forget you. God will never forget you. Live for the One who knows your name and will shout your name in the counsel of the faithful.

When all that generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation arose after them who did not know the Lord nor the work which He had done for Israel. (Judges 2:10)

The Next Generation Lost

Twenty-five years earlier, the nation of Israel crossed the Jordan River and conquered the land of Canaan. Joshua, in his eighties, led the victorious Israelites on a seven-year campaign to complete what had failed to materialize forty years earlier. God delivered the Canaanite nations to Israel as He had promised Abraham. At the age of one hundred and ten, Joshua encourages the people to choose to serve the Lord God with sincerity and truth and to put away the gods of their ancestors. The son of Nun exhorts the people to decide who they will serve, but his house will serve the Lord. There is no hesitation in his voice. His firm conviction is established in the promises of God without reservation.

The people of God respond with firm conviction that they would never forsake the Lord to serve other gods because they know what God has done for them. They recount how God delivered them from Egypt with great signs and preserved the nation throughout the wilderness wanderings. The hearts of the people affirm their oath to serve the Lord who drove out the people of Canaan, including the Amorites. They will serve the Lord God and Him alone. Joshua warns them not to make a hasty decision unless they are fully convinced in their hearts. Again, the people respond that they will only serve the Lord. The people say to Joshua, “The Lord our God we will serve, and His voice we will obey.” 

Joshua died and was buried within the border of his inheritance at Timnath Serah, which is in the mountains of Ephraim, on the north side of Mount Gaash. Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua. When all that generation had died, another generation arose after them who did not know the Lord nor the great wonders He did among the people in Egypt and the forty-year wanderings. Then the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord and served the Baals and Ashtoreths. There was no king in Israel, and everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

It did not take long for the hearts of the people of God to be turned aside to idolatry and the whoredom of the land. One generation fiercely protects its faith, promising to follow the Lord God and Him alone. It takes very little time for a generation to come that does not know the Lord and turns away from righteousness. The next generation would not listen to the judges who taught them the truth. Their hearts longed for the pleasures of the idolatrous world, so they played the harlot with other gods. They turned quickly from the way in which their parents walked in, keeping the commandments of the Lord. Faith was lost in the next generation.

The scriptures do not reveal the exact reasons why the following generation became so wicked, considering their parents and grandparents before them. By virtue of human nature and other stories in the Bible, it seems that the generation of Joshua knew the word of the Lord and lived according to the Lord’s commandments, but they failed to impress upon their children and grandchildren the love of the Lord. They affirmed without reservation that they would never forsake the Lord to serve other gods. What God had done for them was firmly planted in their hearts. They promised to serve the Lord and to obey His voice – and they did exactly that. What they failed to do was to show their children the way of truth.

Israel forgot God because the parents failed to teach their children to love the Lord their God with all their hearts, souls, and minds. Generational faith is not accomplished by osmosis. Men and women of faith must teach and demonstrate to their children the love of God by keeping His commandments. Taking them to a church building has its benefits, but if the children do not see God in the daily lives of their parents, they will turn to the world for their pleasures. Parents can be good commandment keepers who send their children to Hell for lack of showing them the love of God. A generation arose who did not know God – do not let that generation be your generation.

For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. (2 Corinthians 5:1-4)

Desiring Immortality

Jeremy Taylor wrote, “God hath given to man a short time here upon earth, and yet upon this short time eternity depends.” The Holy Spirit describes life as a vapor that appears for a short time and then vanishes away. Methusaleh lived to be 969 years of age, but he died like all men. Life is a brief moment in the eternal pattern established by God for man’s habitation to dwell. In youth, time seems endless, but in old age, time is fleeting. The body begins with vibrance and vitality, maturing into adulthood and the prime of life. The years of youth are transient as they quickly turn into middle age, knocking on the door of old age. There is very little for life to hold on to. The body is wracked with disease and aging. Challenges abound. The joy of youth diminishes. Life ends.

Everything in life must be viewed from the reality of what life is. Death is a certainty that everyone wants to pretend is not a certainty. It is a futile exercise to maintain youth. The power of aging is greater than the youth hormone, and everyone ages to the appointment of death. No one escapes the finality of death. People look forward to retirement and then discover how close retirement is to the final act of life. Throughout the scriptures, God demonstrates to the world the futility of ignoring the inevitable consequences of sin. Jesus did not take away death. He took away the sting of death and the victory of Hades. Death is not conquered fully until the final judgment when God casts death and Hades into the lake of fire and brimstone.

Understanding the brevity of life and the certainty of eternity changes and challenges the mind to consider how to live. Instead of desiring to live more in this life, the soul turns to a desire to embrace immortality. Paul describes the body as a tent, something temporary. A tent is not a building with its firm foundation and strong walls. The tent serves a purpose but is not permanent. For the child of God, death is nothing more than an open door inviting one to bask in the eternal glory of God. Living in the tent of flesh is a burdensome and toilsome journey. For the Christian, the desire to be clothed with the garments from heaven is the heart’s greatest desire.

Life can be hard. It can be filled with trouble. For the child of God, there is a strong desire to experience death to experience life. There is nothing to fear about death. The dying process may challenge the mind, but the ultimate reality of passing into the realm of eternity is a deep longing for the faithful heart yearning to be with God. We groan in this tent, being burdened, but we want to be clothed with eternity. That takes a greater faith. Looking forward to eternity with a greater anticipation of living is a remarkable leap of faith. It is possible when the heart fully trusts in the promises of God.

The core question that all men must answer is what their greatest desire in life is. Some seek fame and fortune, leaving a legacy for history to record. This is an empty life because everyone is forgotten over time. Eternity is different. No one is forgotten. Through faith in God and His great and precious promises, the child of God earnestly desires to experience death to experience eternal life – to be clothed with immortality. The desire is for mortality to be swallowed up by life. God promised eternal life when He raised Jesus from the dead. Walk by faith, not by sight. Live each day with the hope that eternity will come. It may be a while before that day comes, but one day it will. What a day that will be.

Come, behold the works of the Lord, who has made desolations in the earth. He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariot in the fire. Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah (Psalm 46:8-11)

Be Still

Before refrigerators were invented, icehouses were used to store and preserve food. These icehouses had thick walls, no windows, and a tightly fitted door. Large blocks of ice were obtained during the winter and covered with sawdust to prevent melting. This would allow the ice to last well into summer. One day, a man lost his valuable watch while working in the icehouse. He and his fellow workers diligently searched for the valued timepiece without success. A small boy heard of the problem and slipped into the icehouse. He soon emerged from the cold with the man’s watch. The men were amazed and asked the boy how he found it. He said, “I closed the door, lay down in the sawdust, and kept very still. Soon I heard the watch ticking.” For the cool darkness of this dated icehouse comes the timeless reminder of Psalm 46:10: “Be still and know that I am God.”

Life has been characterized as “a rat race and the rats are the only ones winning.” Every generation struggles with trying to fit everything needed to survive into one day. Technology does not simplify day-to-day activities; instead, it often increases the workload. Life is busy. It can be so busy that it makes the head spin. Marriages suffer because the husband and wife have no time for one another. Children become latchkey recipients when their parents are too busy to spend time with them. Older people are left neglected by families that cannot find the time to visit. A mad rush is made toward a common end – death – and then everything stops. Everyone takes time to die.

One of the great Andy Griffith story plots involved a wealthy businessman rushing through town when his car breaks down. Throughout the story, Andy and Aunt Bee spend a slow-paced day as Gomer takes his time fixing the car. Nothing happens quickly. The moral of “Man in a Hurry” is the need to slow down in life. In a fast-paced, busy world, what is forgotten is who God is. God created the world and set the clock to operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Adam and Eve had the same amount of time that the modern, busy, hectic, and rushing-about person has today. What is done with the hours of the day is what makes a difference. Everyone chooses how to spend their day.

It takes time to listen to God. Faith comes from hearing and hearing by the word of God – and that takes time. The song is sung, “Take Time To Be Holy,” by people who struggle to find time for God. It is impossible to have a relationship with God without taking the time to know God. He wants you to know Him. “Be still and know that I am God” is good advice for today, tomorrow – and the rest of the busy week. Slow down. Take time for family. Spend time with God. It will nourish your soul.

Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us. (1 John 4:17-19)

Overcoming Fear

One of the first emotions Adam and Eve experienced after disobeying God was fear. When their eyes were opened, they were ashamed. Hearing the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden, they hid among the trees in fear. Adam told God they hid because they heard His voice and were afraid. Fear is one of the consequences of sin. The fear of death comes from man being expelled from the garden where the tree of life was found. Death is the great unknown that brings dread and fear to the heart. The uncertainty of life, brought on by disease, war, famine, natural disasters, and conflict between humans, darkens the world with a grip of fear. God created man in His image, and man, as an eternal being, has a consciousness that feeds upon fear when left to its own devices. Satan takes advantage of that fear, leading men to rebel against the Lord.

When Adam and Eve sinned, they experienced fear, but God promised to take away that fear. It was a mystery that would not be fully revealed until Jesus Christ came into the world to offer the hope of life in the face of the fear of death. There is the fear of the death of the body and the fear of separation from fear. God has never left His creation without providing a witness to show them how to overcome fear. Noah overcame fear when He moved with godly fear, preparing the ark for the saving of his household. Abraham faced the fear of killing his only begotten son through an obedient faith, believing in the impossible that God would raise Isaac from the dead. Moses overcame fear when he led the rebellious children of Israel to the borders of Canaan. David faced the fear of Goliath through his faith in God’s power. Daniel and his friends withstood the powers of the Babylonian king because they trusted in God’s deliverance.

Jesus came to take fear away from the hearts of God’s people. Sin brings fear. Jesus takes fear away. The gospel is given to show man the path of love that God had in sending His Son to die for all men. God has given His Spirit to offer the blessing of divine love through the sacrifice of His Son. Through the blood of Jesus Christ, the fear of death is removed. Jesus did not take away war, disease, and death. He came to give man an answer for fearing those things. Love takes away fear because the heart understands the brevity of life and that while life is filled with trials, heartaches, and sorrow; it is but for a moment – like a vapor. The promise of eternal life removes fear, enabling us to claim the crown of life with bold confidence. Love puts death where it belongs and refuses to allow fear to rule the heart.

Overcoming fear is akin to building an ark, leaving altars of worship and glorying in God, obeying the Word of God without any doubts, defying the Goliaths of the world, and facing death with a determined soul that will not back away from serving the one true God. A bold and courageous spirit will love the Lord with all the heart, soul, and mind. There is no torment in love because the love of God is so immense that there is no room for fear. Overcoming fear is believing that God is true, His promises are absolute, and His love is enduring. Faith comes from hearing, and hearing from the word of God, and love comes from faith. Overcoming fear can only come from the word of God dwelling in the heart of the child of God. Prayer becomes the natural response of faith, and through that faith, fear is dismissed.

On the front of the mantel in the ancient Hind’s Head Hotel at Bray, England, the following was inscribed: “Fear knocked on the door. Faith answered. No one was there.” Perfect love casts out fear because the love of the child trusting in the love of the heavenly Father will have no fear. The greater the faith, the less there is to fear. There is no hand as great as the one that holds the universe. If God can place the universe within the span of His hand, what is there to fear? Jesus Christ came to take away the fear of death because there is victory in the resurrection. Fear is but for a moment. Love is forever. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

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)

Peer Pressure

There was no denying that Jesus Christ was a remarkable man who, by His presence and works of miracles, demanded attention. The Pharisees were the harshest critics of Jesus, but they never denied His miracles, and they never succeeded in trapping the carpenter from Nazareth in matters of God’s law. Jesus was thirty years old when He began His ministry, and when His life ended a few years later, He died a sinless man. The multitudes were astonished at His teaching. When Jesus healed everyone who came to Him, the people were in awe and fear. Soldiers were sent to arrest Jesus, but they returned, saying no one ever spoke as the man from Galilee. The testimony of Jesus Christ was crystal clear, such that no one could deny that He was the Son of God. Even Satan could not deny or tempt the Lord. And yet many denied Him.

Many among the Jewish ruling class witnessed the miracles of Jesus, heard His teachings, and believed He was the Son of God. They believed Him to be the promised Messiah. What Jesus taught was the pure word of God with no deviation or misrepresentation. The rulers were educated men knowledgeable of the Law of Moses. They listened intently to Jesus’ words and felt the power of His message in their hearts. The strings of their souls were pricked with the beauty of God’s word, and they believed Jesus to be the Christ. For the rulers to confess Jesus as the Christ would have been an incredible testimony to the grace of the Father of hearts changed by His word.

Many rulers believed in Jesus, but they faced a daunting task. How could they confess Jesus to be the Christ and remain in the place of honor and authority among their fellow Jews? They knew Him to be the Son of God. There was no doubting the power of His words or the evidence of His miracles. They knew if they hinted at any allegiance to Jesus, they would lose their place among the rulers. There were consequences to their lives if they confessed Jesus to be the Christ. As rulers, they help power – that would be lost. Through the power of their position, they were wealthy men of some note – they would lose that wealth. As rulers of the elite, they would enjoy a place of prominence among the people and other rulers, with respect and honor accorded to them and their family – they would lose all of that prestige.

Many rulers believed Jesus was the Christ, but because of the peer pressure of their fellow countrymen, they denied Jesus. They knew acknowledging Jesus would put them out of the synagogue. As rulers, they enjoyed the praise of men. Confessing Jesus as the Son of God would bring the reviling of their friends and neighbors. They had a choice to confess Christ and suffer the consequences or take the broad way with the throng of the crowd and enjoy the praise of men. What these rulers did was seek the praise of men, not realizing that praise would only last for a season. If they continued to refuse to confess Christ, they would stand before Christ with the praise of men on their lips and the wrath of God on their souls. There would be no praise of men in the eternal flames.

The praise of men is a strong song of the sirens appealing to the hearts and minds of many who believe in the gospel of Jesus Christ, and because of their love for the praise of men, they deny Jesus. Satan knows that if he can keep the heart believing the praise of men is more important than the praise of God, he will succeed in damning the soul to hell. He is very successful. The praise of men is but a vapor, but the praise of God is eternal. Whatever glories are received in this life are fleeting. Standing before God and hearing Him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant,” is of greater meaning and importance than any praise men will give. Choose this day whom you will serve – the praise of men or the praise of God. Your eternal soul depends on it.

Certainly not! Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar. As it is written: “That You may be justified in Your words, and may overcome when You are judged.” (Romans 3:4)

Let Man Be A Liar

There are two kinds of wisdom. The first kind of wisdom is human reasoning, developed through investigation and philosophical conclusions that frame the understanding of the mind. Through human wisdom, man has been able to accomplish great things, but at the height of his intellectual prowess, he lacks the knowledge to go beyond the bounds of reasoning instilled in him by his Creator. The second kind of wisdom is what comes from the mind of God, and there can be no comparison between God’s wisdom and the knowledge man possesses. Human wisdom can send men into the vast reaches of space, but can man create a canvas larger than the universe he dwells in? Certainly not. Mankind was given dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth, but he cannot control the weather, the waters, the winds, and the rotation of the earth around the sun.

In Paul’s thesis to the Roman church about the relationship between Jews and Gentiles, he reminds the saints that the wisdom of God is far above any knowledge that man can possess. God chose the Hebrews to be His special people, not because they were more in number than any other people, but because He loved them. Why would God rescue a people of Hebrew bricklayers to be His mighty nation? God promised through Abraham to bless all nations, hinting at the salvation of the Gentiles. The Jews struggled with allowing Gentiles into a covenant with God, but that was because they measured God’s wisdom by their own standards. Jesus was killed by the wisdom of human reasoning to highlight the ignorance of man. The Jews screamed for Jesus to be crucified, and Pilate, knowing Jesus was innocent, condemned Him to die. Human wisdom failed at Golgotha, and divine wisdom reigned supreme.

The first thing a man must do when he comes to God is to remove his feelings of supremacy, recognizing that, at best, he is unable to measure up to the wisdom of his Creator. It is futile for a man to compare himself to God. Human reasoning is compared to divine wisdom as futile. When Paul wrote that God be true and every man a liar, he established that there is only one truth and that truth proceeds from the throne of God. Human wisdom cannot establish truth apart from God. Human reasoning is extremely limited compared to the omniscience of the Almighty God. Man, at best, must be a liar in the presence of the One who formed, created, and designed the universe. The wisdom of man is bound by the habitation established by God. He can never go beyond those boundaries.

Jesus Christ is the greatest example of God’s wisdom. No man could have created the man called Jesus. Human reasoning has never come within a billion light-years of imagining the story of God’s Son in the gospel. When human reasoning seeks to determine what is right and wrong, it fails miserably. God gave the world the Bible to express the eternal and divine truth of righteousness. There is nothing in the annals of human reasoning that compares. Men must stop listening to human wisdom for truth. God is the only source of truth. When men follow human wisdom to understand who they are, they boast in arrogant pride that will destroy them. Truth comes from God. Untruth comes from man. Every opinion of man is false if it is not based on the word of God. Human philosophy must be abandoned for the only way, the only truth, and the only life – Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. (James 1:6-8)

Foxhole Religion

A pilot and his navigator had been shot down and were adrift at sea in their tiny lifeboat. After several days without food, water, and any hope of rescue, the pilot began to pray. He said, “God, you know I haven’t lived a very good life. I’ve been a miserable husband and a terrible father. I’ve cheated, lied, and stolen, and haven’t had any use for the church. But God, if you’ll save us from dying out here, I promise I’ll never …” The navigator interrupted, “Don’t say another word. I think I see land.” Foxhole religion.

There is a Japanese proverb that says, “Once on shore, pray no more.” It is not uncharacteristic for a frightened man to change his promises after the danger has passed. There may not be any atheists in foxholes, but pull a man out of the fires of battle, and he may not be as ‘religious’ as he once was. This is because God becomes a secondary object of worship, like a life vest in case of emergency. A life vest is not very stylish, mostly uncomfortable, and more of an annoyance to wear. The only way a life vest is purposeful is when someone is thrown into the water. Then, and only then, does the vest come into use.

People use God like a life vest. He is not stylish, His will is uncomfortable, and expecting one to follow the commandments of the Lord is a nuisance to living a life full of energy and excitement. Few people walk around with God as their life saver. He only comes into use when there is danger. Take away the threat, and the moment of fear – God is no longer needed. Imagine how God feels to be used in such a manner. Actually, God is not amused because it is impossible to use God like that. The one who is fooled into believing foxhole religion is acceptable to God is a foolish man. Satan has done well to allow a man to believe in God, but only as a last-minute need, just in case.

It is foolish to think God is like a light switch that can be turned on and off at the whims of human desires. Religion is used as a crutch to satisfy the guilt of the human heart that knows the hypocrisy of foxhole religion. There is no commitment. Obedience to God is laughed at. When a man faces danger and he calls out to God for help, he forgets that God will not listen to those who never listen to Him. Foxhole prayers go unheeded, unheard, and unanswered. God is not amused. He will only listen to the prayers of His children who seek Him daily and ask His blessings. Prayer is a daily communication that is shared between a faithful heart and a God of grace.

Again the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the children of Israel: Tell them to make tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to put a blue thread in the tassels of the corners. And you shall have the tassel, that you may look upon it and remember all the commandments of the Lord and do them, and that you may not follow the harlotry to which your own heart and your own eyes are inclined, and that you may remember and do all My commandments, and be holy for your God. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the Lord your God.” (Numbers 15:37-41)

Making Tassels

Throughout the history of the world, God has left memorials for men to remember Him and learn from those memorials the grace and mercy of the Lord. Sometimes stones are erected as memorials. The smoke from the altars of Abraham marked his journey of faith with God. Moses erected the Tabernacle as a Testimony to the word of God. Sacrifices served not only the purpose of worshiping the Lord but also to remind man of the sacredness of life and the price of sin in the death of an animal. The greatest memorial came when Jesus died on the cross and rose on the third day. Before He was crucified, Jesus instituted a memorial feast called the Lord’s Supper to remember all the commandments of the Lord and the price of redeeming sinful man. This memorial remains an integral part of worship today.

When Moses gave the law to the Hebrews at Sinai, it included many memorials to serve as reminders for the people of God. Lest they forget the Lord on a daily basis, God intertwined a memorial in the garments of the Jews to keep the Lord’s commandments always before them. The law prescribed that the people make tassels on the corners of their garments as a reminder throughout the generations, reminding them of their covenant with God. They were also to include a blue thread in the tassels of the corners. The purpose of the tassels was to invoke the heart of the people to remember the commandments of the Lord and to do them. Tassels would serve as warnings not to follow after the harlotry of the nations around them. God brought them out of Egypt by His mighty hand, and they needed to remember where their salvation came from. The tassels would serve as that reminder.

One of the purposes of the tassels was to serve as a daily reminder to the individual and to others. The garments of the Israelites were required to have tassels. This was not a fashion statement that could be ignored. God commanded that the tassels be included on their garments along with the blue thread. As the person went about their daily activities, the tassels would remind them who they were and what they were in the eyes of the Lord. The tassels would also serve as a reminder to everyone else who saw their family and friends wearing tassels in their garments. Israel became a nation of people who wore tassels on their garments as a sign of the covenant between them and God.

The world would see how Israel dressed and notice the abundance of tassels in the garments. An observant person would see that all of Israel wore tassels with blue threads. This served as a distinction between the people of God and the world, separating them from the wickedness of a corrupt world. If a Jew were tempted to follow after the immorality of the world, the tassels would remind them who they were as people of God. It was the will of the Father that the tassels would stop the heart from seeking after the harlotry of the world. Sadly, in time, the tassels did not stop the Israelites from polluting the land with idolatry because they ignored the tassels and refused to honor the law of God, which required the tassels to be a sign of the covenant they made with God.

The requirement of tassels was abolished when the Law of Moses was no longer in effect. There are other memorials and reminders God has placed in His law to remind the people who they are. The memorial of the word of God serves as the testimony of God’s word. On every first day of the week, the people of God assemble to partake of the Lord’s Supper, a memorial feast instituted by Jesus for His disciples to observe until He returns. This tassel has the blood of Jesus flowing through it. Prayer and song serve as tassels to remind the followers of Christ who they are. These things should be part of the spiritual garment of the Christian that is worn each day as a reminder of the covenant shared with God. The world should see in the life of the Christian the spiritual tassels of God’s word at work in everything the Christian is and will be, amidst an evil world.

God told the Jews to put tassels on all their garments with a blue thread to remind them of who they were and what they were. The tassels never failed, only the people. God has placed spiritual tassels in the church today, and whether they succeed or not depends on the heart of the Christian. Wear the armor of God and don’t forget the purpose of the tassels.