The Heaton File

There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”  (John 3:1-3)

What Nicodemus Learned

Nicodemus was a Jewish rabbi mentioned only three times in scripture. Along with Joseph of Arimathea, he took the body of Jesus and buried the Lord in the tomb of Joseph. He served as part of the ruling party of Pharisees seeking to arrest Jesus, but Nicodemus believed Jesus to be the promised Messiah. John first introduces scripture to Nicodemus when the Jewish leader came to Jesus by night to talk of the ministry of the man from Nazareth. He believed God sent Jesus because of His teachings and the power of His miracles. Nicodemus knew no man could teach and do what Jesus did without the authority of God.

When Nicodemus came to Jesus, the Lord began by telling the ruler that one must be born again to see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus was unaccustomed to the metaphorical teaching of Jesus, inquiring how it was possible to be born twice from a woman’s womb. Jesus immediately directs the attention of Nicodemus to the spiritual application of the new birth, showing him a man must be born of the water and the spirit to enter the kingdom of God. Still, Nicodemus did not understand what the new birth was all about. One of the problems of Jewish doctrine in the days of Jesus was the inability of the teachers of the law to make spiritual applications to the principles of godliness and truth. Nicodemus should have understood the teaching of Jesus, but he could not.

Jesus appeals to the story of Moses and the fiery serpents sent by God to punish His people. When Israel cried out for deliverance, Moses made a bronze serpent so those bitten by the serpents could look upon the bronze serpent and be saved. Jesus would also be raised up so that sinful men could come to the cross and find eternal life. When a serpent bit a man, he had to believe that coming to the bronze serpent would save his life. If he disbelieved, he would die. God’s grace saved the Jews when the wrath of God sent the serpents. Sin can only be removed through the grace of God, and that is why God’s love sent His only begotten Son to die for the world.

Many of Israel died when God sent the serpents among them. Jesus tells Nicodemus the Son of God came to save all men, but the world would reject the grace of God. Salvation could only come through Jesus Christ and Him alone. If a man believes in Jesus, he is not condemned. But those who refuse to believe Jesus is the Christ are condemned because they will not accept that Jesus is the Son of God. The problem with sinful man is he loves the darkness of his sin. Jesus tells Nicodemus God has made every provision man needs to be saved, but most will not believe. The reason is that most men want to stay in their sin and die in darkness. Men love darkness rather than light. They believe what they do in the darkness is unseen, and they know if they come to the light, their sinful deeds will be exposed. Everyone who practices evil hates the light and will not come to Jesus for the cleansing blood, lest their deeds of wickedness are exposed.

Jesus tells Nicodemus salvation is found in believing God sent His Son into the world to save men from the darkness. Most people will remain in the darkness. Only a few will come to the light. God so loved the world, and man so hated God. To be born again is to be washed in the waters of baptism, where the gift of the Holy Spirit is given. Most people, including most religious people, remain in the darkness of rebellion, refusing to accept that baptism has anything to do with salvation. Many who think they are “born again Christians” have never been born of the water and the spirit. They remain in the darkness of sin. When a man obeys the truth, they will come to the Father, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.

Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many. (Matthew 27:51-53)

When The Veil Was Torn In Two

God died, and the universe reacted. Since the fall of man in the garden, God and man have been separated by sin. Nothing could atone for the failure of man, including the untold thousands of animals sacrificed in accordance with the will of God. There had to be an offering that was of divine origin and sinless. Through the children of Abraham, the promise of salvation was preserved in the Jewish nation of Israel. God gave this small nation the Law of Moses until the Seed promise would be fulfilled. The Gentiles were saved as a law to themselves, and the Jews followed the Law of Moses. Contained in the Law of Moses was worship in the Tabernacle and then the Temple of Solomon. In each place of worship, there was a Holy Place and a Most Holy of Holies. These two areas were separated by a veil, symbolizing the separation of God and man. Only the High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies once a year to commune with God and offer sacrifice to atone for the sins of the people.

When Jesus died, the veil in the Temple (the second Temple after captivity) was ripped apart from top to bottom. Jesus died around 3:00 pm when the priest was burning incense before the Holy of Holies. The startled priest would have witnessed the rending of the veil both by sight and sound. It has been suggested the veil during the time of Jesus was nearly twenty feet wide, sixty feet long, and four inches thick. The veil was so heavy that it took a few hundred priests to manipulate it. It would have been deafening when the priest heard the roar of the veil rending. The priest would also testify the veil was rent from top to bottom, showing that only God could have accomplished the feat. Jesus died, the world reacted, and God made an announcement. No longer would there be Jews and Gentiles separated by different laws. All men would be saved in the Law of Christ. The rending of the veil signified the end of Temple worship and the nation of Israel as the chosen people of God. When Jesus died, God allowed men to come into His presence (the Holy of Holies) and worship Him through the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ.

The rending of the veil happened two thousand years ago, but the sound of its tearing can be heard today. God has made a way for sinful man to come before Him and receive the forgiveness of sins. The rending of the veil was no accident. It was not done by the hand of man or the wisdom of human reasoning. God separated mankind from Him because of sin and then, by His immense grace and mercy, tore the veil apart to allow the faithful to come into a place that was forbidden. Salvation in Jesus Christ cannot be understood without standing at the broken veil and seeing the power of God. All those who come to Jesus will be allowed to receive the forgiveness of sins by the offering of the blood of God’s Son. Animals will no longer be accepted for sacrifice. The blood of bulls and goats could never atone for sin. Jesus died and tore the veil apart to welcome the obedient into the presence of His Father.

There is a veil that remains that has not been torn down—the veil of rebellion and refusal to come to the grace of God. Many refuse to acknowledge the miracle of the torn veil. They see the grace of God in His mercy and do not believe. Many read the word of God and change His will to fit their own desires. The veil remains, keeping them from the word of salvation. When a man comes to the knowledge of what God’s will demands, he will then see and hear the veil’s tearing and the Savior’s welcome voice. No one can be saved who will not come to the blood of Jesus, which is the veil of flesh that allows mankind to enter the Holy of Holies. Jesus is the only way, the only truth, the only life, and the only veil whereby man can be saved. Come to Jesus. He will save you. He died to tear down the veil. God is waiting for you to come to Him.

Now whatever city or town you enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and stay there till you go out. And when you go into a household, greet it. If the household is worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet. Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city! (Matthew 10:11-15)

The Unworthy

Preaching the gospel is a life of great reward and blessing. Jesus instructs His disciples to know the nature of preaching is found in receptive hearts and knowing the heartache of those who refuse to listen. The twelve apostles had an important role in the ministry of Jesus and the spread of the gospel throughout the world. Jesus gave the twelve power over unclean spirits and healing of all kinds of sicknesses and diseases, but this was not their purpose or mission. Miracles could not save a soul. The message of the gospel is where salvation is found. When Jesus sent the twelve out, He gave them instructions on how to enter a city. They would enquire if the inhabitants wanted to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ and to receive the apostles into their homes.

The ministry of Jesus and His apostles was not always met with rejoicing. Throughout the ministry of Jesus, the scribes, Pharisees, and Jewish leaders tried to interfere with what Jesus taught and what He did. Jesus knew the work of the twelve would be met with opposition and careless hearts. The Son of God walked among men, but most people refused to believe. As the twelve went into the cities, many of the people had no time for them, did not want to hear their message, and refused to open their doors to them. The gospel does not appeal to most people. Preaching the gospel can be filled with disappointment.

Jesus tells the twelve if a city receives them, rejoice and work as long as they are allowed. When a home is opened to them, greet it with the blessings of God and share the gospel. But when the twelve find a city that is uninterested, callous, refusing to listen to the word of God, they are to turn away from the unworthy and shake the dust from their feet. Shaking the dust from the feet came from the view the Jews had about the Gentiles whom they considered impure; even the dust of their feet. It was a significant act to shake off the dust from the feet in the presence of the people, showing they regarded the city or the home unworthy of the gospel. They walked away, refusing to teach them because their hearts were hardened against God.

It is difficult to see hearts unwilling to hear the gospel. While the practice of shaking off the dust from the feet is a cultural thing, there is a figure when people are unwilling to listen to the story of Jesus Christ. Like the days of Jesus, most people have no interest in the gospel. When a child of God wants to share the good news of salvation with a lost and dying world, a lost and dying world has no interest and cares nothing for what will happen to them after death. That is the sad reality. Jesus said few will be saved because few are worthy to hear the gospel. It must be remembered to consider someone unworthy is not because they are not worth saving. God is not willing that anyone should perish, and His single desire is for all men to be saved. Understanding God’s desire does not change the reality that when men are invited to come to the blood of Jesus Christ, most are unworthy because they refuse the grace of God.

Looking around a community and the efforts to preach the gospel will unveil many unworthy souls. Jesus makes a stunning confession that it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah than for those unworthy persons. God destroyed the cities because of their wickedness. How much greater is the tragedy when men refuse to hear the story of Jesus Christ? The gospel of two is clear about people: there are those who are worthy and those who are unworthy. Where you find yourself determines if you are saved or not. Make your life worthy of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and obey His word.

O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge— by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith. Grace be with you. Amen. (1 Timothy 6:20-21)

False Knowledge

President Abraham Lincoln loved to employ this brain teaser to make a point to constituents. He would ask, “How many legs would a sheep have if you called his tail a leg?” Naturally, they would meekly respond, “Five.” Lincoln would then say, “Wrong. You are mistaken. The sheep would still have just four legs. Calling something a leg doesn’t make it so.”

Truth is older than error, and the minions of falsehood try to redefine what God says is right and wrong. Every generation tries to reinvent the wheel of truth. They suggest that modern man thinks differently and that human knowledge has advanced to a higher plane of understanding. From this quagmire of ignorance, the intellectual elite are unable to define what a woman is and believe that men can produce babies. The sexual revolution has evolved into the acceptance of identity confusion of men who think they are women and women who believe they are men. This acceptance has led to absurd allowances, especially in sports where men compete against women identifying as women. One area seldom heard from is where women who identify as men compete in men’s sports. It would be a tragedy if a woman identified as a man and tried to play for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Redefining truth does not change the truth. For many years, people believed the world was flat. Just because they believed the world was flat – did not make the world flat. The truth of the earth’s curvature cannot be dismissed simply because someone believes it to be a flat surface. A man who identifies as a woman is still a man. As Lincoln pointed out, “Calling something a leg doesn’t make it so.” A person can believe they are a dog or a goat, but creation has established that all creatures remain within their own kind. A cow will always be a cow. A person can call a cow a horse, but the cow still moos, eats grass, and, in some cases, produces volumes of milk and will never be a horse.

The will of God establishes truth. The Lord does not change the truth to please the whims of human reasoning. Sexual immorality (adultery, fornication, homosexuality, etc.) can be accepted by the norms of society, but that will not change the mind of God. Calling an affair a relationship does not change the fact that it is adultery and a sin before God. Isaiah pointed out that the children of God called evil good and good evil, but in the eyes of God, good remained what He said was good, and evil was unrighteousness. Truth is not relative. God establishes truth. There is only one way, one truth, and one life.

Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. (Acts 2:43)

What Is Needed Today Is A Little Fear

The first days of the Lord’s church were remarkable. Three thousand souls were baptized for the remission of sins on Pentecost because they had been convicted in their hearts Jesus was Lord and Christ. As the first citizens of the kingdom of Christ, led by the Holy Spirit, the disciples began to worship under a new covenant with a new purpose. The apostles guided the multitudes in the word of the Lord in the fellowship of Christ, learning about the Lord’s Supper and its significance and spending much time in prayer. When the three thousand realized Jesus of Nazareth was the Christ, they were stunned, astonished, and fearful. Responding to the power of the gospel, they were cut to the heart, begging to know what to do to save themselves. Peter, along with the eleven, answered what they must do.

One of the powerful messages of Pentecost was that three thousand souls obeyed the gospel of Christ and that when they began to worship Jesus as Lord and Savior, they were moved with fear. The wonders and signs done through the apostles added to the awesomeness of the moment to see such wonderful things, but deeply rooted in their hearts was a respectful fear for God. There was no division, complaining, or murmuring. The early church was filled with saints who understood the nature and character of God and responded with a fearful respect in worship to the Lord God. They knew they had killed the Son of God. Fueled by this fear, the people worshiped in sincerity to the will of the Father.

Fear can be destructive, but fear can also be the motivation needed to focus the mind and heart on the grace of God. When men stop fearing God, they lose respect for His word. They do not feel the awareness to follow His will. The word of God becomes an optional thing that is useful for some things but is never embraced as a serious part of life. One of the greatest problems in the church today is a lack of fear for the Almighty Lord God of Heaven. The first-century disciples had a fear of God, and it moved them to serve the Lord with a diligent heart. Luke will write later in the Acts about how the early church walked in the fear of the Lord. This is where growth comes from – the fear of the Lord.

The fear of the Lord defines sin for what it is. Sin is not a mistake or a misguided decision. It is a transgression of the law of God and comes with serious consequences that determine eternity. Adultery is a sin. If someone does not fear God, they do not believe adultery is a sin. Fornication is a sin and should be viewed with a dreadful fear of God’s wrath. Forsaking the Lord’s Supper is a sin, and those who trifle with God’s command face the wrath of God – and it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of a living God. Lying is a sin. Pornography is sinful. An unforgiving heart will damn a soul. The answer to sin is to understand the fear of the Lord.

Walking in the fear of the Lord is a healthy exercise of the goodness and severity of God. God is love, but God is also a God of wrath. Fear must be at the center of a person’s life with God. If someone loves God and does not fear Him, they do not love Him. When someone fears God and does not love Him, they do not understand divine fear. Love and fear go hand in hand. The saints of the early church learned about the will of God. Through this knowledge, they learned to walk in the fear of the Lord. The Bible is written to comfort the afflicted, but it also is written to afflict the comfortable. Read the Bible, and you will learn to fear God. Do you fear God? If not, today is a good day to start learning how. Your eternal destiny depends on it.

That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death. (Philippians 3:10)

That I May Know Him

There are friendships that become nothing more than casual acquaintances, and there are relationships that go beyond casual to intimate, where a deep bond is established. When Paul spoke of his relationship with Jesus Christ, he did not want to share an unintended knowledge of the Son of God but to have a deep and abiding knowledge of everything that made Jesus the Savior of the world. His association with the carpenter’s son from Nazareth demanded a complete devotion to everything about Jesus. Paul had no desire to keep Jesus at a distance. His only need was to immerse himself in the character of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

The desire of Paul was to know why Jesus came to earth to die for those who would kill Him. Paul wanted to understand the power of raising a dead man from the grave and the significance of the resurrection of Jesus. In the past few years, Paul had suffered for the name of Jesus Christ, leading to his arrest and imprisonment. He was in Rome because of his love for Jesus. His desire was to know the fellowship of Christ’s sufferings, even if it meant death. Paul was uncertain if he would live or, like Jesus, suffer a cruel death. It was not Paul’s purpose to bring suffering into his life, but he accepted whatever came from preaching Christ crucified and the power of the resurrection.

Paul wanted to know Christ. He wanted to plunge himself into the character and personality of Jesus Christ with every part of his being. This desire came from a debt Paul knew he could never repay. He would later tell Timothy that he considered his life as one of the worst sinners for what he did against the church when he was known as Saul of Tarsus. There was a heavy burden of grace Paul bore to understand how much God forgave him for what he had done. As a result of this grace, the apostle of Jesus Christ wanted to know his Lord and Savior with all of his fiber. He knew he had been saved by the grace of God. How could he repay such a debt?

The greatest need in the kingdom of God is for the people of God to fall in love with the knowledge of grace and forgiveness. There is nothing that can be done to repay the debt. Sin has destroyed the harmony of God and man. Jesus Christ came to save all men, shedding His blood for the sins of the world; and the world turned its back on the Son of God. For the few who come to the grace of God, an incredible weight of guilt flows through the spirit of those who seek to understand how much Jesus loves them and is willing to save them. Paul just wanted to know Jesus Christ, His resurrection, and His sufferings. His only desire was to be as much like Jesus as possible.

There are many Christians who have a casual relationship with Jesus. They know little about Him, have little desire to know Him, and spend their lives consumed with the trivial matters of a wasted life. The blessed are those who change their lives to know all they can about Jesus of Nazareth. Who is He? What made Him come to earth to save sinful man? Why would Jesus suffer death on the cross to save a world that hated Him? These questions drive the spirit to seek out the answers of who Jesus is and what makes Him to be the Savior of the world. It is not possible to have a casual relationship with Jesus and to know Him fully. To know Jesus, one must immerse oneself in everything that made the Son of God who He is. The result of such a desire will enhance the soul to greater heights of spirituality and faith. Paul desired to know Jesus. Do you know Jesus – truly?

But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)

Sinners Who Are Walking In The Light

Walking with God is the most joyous feeling of love and grace. Adam and Eve walked with God in the cool of the day, but sin destroyed that. God’s love offered grace to save them, and through Jesus Christ, redemption was given to all who would come to the blood of the Son of God. What once separated man from God has now been brought back to reconciliation with the Creator and Savior of the world. Jesus is the light of the world. His disciples are to walk in the light of the word. The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses the soul to stand in the presence of the Almighty. There is no fear. By God’s free gift, all those who come to Jesus find salvation in the promise of eternal life.

The resurrection of Jesus did not take away sin. Men continue to struggle with disobeying the law of God as Jesus is the only one to live a sinless life. The waters of baptism wash away the sins of the past but will not prevent sins in the future. God has promised to forgive sins to those who have been baptized into Christ, washed in the blood of Jesus Christ, and walk in the light of His grace. Satan continues to attack the Christian with all his wiles and tricks. Those who walk in the light will continue to struggle with the temptations of the flesh, the temptation of the eyes, and the pride of life. Age will not diminish the temptations, but by the grace of God, a person can learn to sin less than before.

Every Christian should strive to do everything he can to walk in the light of Christ. This comes from turning the heart over to the word of God. There is no passive obedience to the word of God. Faithfulness requires action on the part of the saved. A spirit of diligence to add to a strong faith the characteristics of the graces of God. Faith comes from hearing the word of God. The fellowship of the saints builds up the soul to remain faithful. In the midst of great faith is the realization that those who walk in the light sin. Walking in the light does not perfect one to sinlessness but offers the love, grace, and forgiveness of God. When one walks in the light and sins, it does not suggest the Lord removes him from the light. Walking in the light is a manner of living guided by the Holy Spirit.

Most people in the world walk in darkness because they refuse to come to the light. When someone obeys the gospel of Christ, they begin walking in the light. Walking in the light is not a guarantee of salvation, where one is saved only because he is in the light. Those who walk in the light must walk in accordance with the word of God. When a man walks (active) in the light, he is not perfect, but he is saved. There are those who taste the heavenly gift and partake of the Holy Spirit who return to the darkness. This comes from a heart that no longer desires to walk in the light, and they choose to return to the filth of the world. John shows the joy of salvation that those who walk in the light struggle with sin but find forgiveness in the blood of Jesus.

The first thing God created was light because light is the basis of all life. Without light, there is no life. Jesus is the divine Light that is the basis of all life and the hope of eternal life. Without Jesus, there is no life. The joy of being a Christian is feeling the radiance of the divine light, overwhelming the soul with the knowledge that while temptation remains a challenge, there is no victory because salvation is in the light. A man’s heart that seeks God’s divine will will stumble from time to time, but God is gracious to forgive. Walk in the light. Come to the Light. Know that truth can only be found in the Light of God – Jesus Christ. Remember that God’s grace is abundant to forgive.

Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war, and charged the messenger, saying, “When you have finished telling the matters of the war to the king, if it happens that the king’s wrath rises, and he says to you: ‘Why did you approach so near to the city when you fought? Did you not know that they would shoot from the wall? Who struck Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Was it not a woman who cast a piece of a millstone on him from the wall, so that he died in Thebez? Why did you go near the wall?’—then you shall say, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.’ ” (2 Samuel 11:18-21)

The Consequences Of Sin

Sin is the transgression of God’s law. The danger of sin is not only in the act itself but in the consequences that come from the sin. Adam and Eve suffered expulsion from the garden because of their rebellion. Sin comes with so many entanglements that while forgiveness is granted, the lingering consequences can remain for a lifetime. During the days of the wars when David was king of Israel, the army of Israel destroyed the people of Ammon and besieged the city of Rabbah. David remained in Jerusalem and saw Bathsheba bathing while the king walked on the roof of his house. He had Bathsheba brought to his home, where he committed adultery with her, resulting in a pregnancy. When David learned of Bathsheba’s pregnancy, he had her husband, Uriah, brought home from the war to cover up his sin. Realizing Uriah would not go home, David sent a messenger to the commander of his army, Joab, to put Uriah in the heat of battle and to withdraw, leaving his mighty men to die at the hands of the enemy.

Joab obeyed the word of his king. While Joab besieged Rabbah, he assigned Uriah to a place where there were valiant men and attacked the enemy. The men of the city came out to fight, and Uriah was killed. Joab sent word back to David on the success of the war and told the messenger that if David got angry because of the men who were killed in the assault against the city, to remind the king that Uriah was also dead. The messenger did as commanded and told David about the war and the death of Uriah. David, in turn, told Joab not to be concerned about the death of Uriah and the other soldiers as war brings about terrible suffering. Joab was told to keep the fight against the enemy and overthrow the city.

God was aware of David’s sin. The king had not only committed adultery, but he also sinned in his deceit against one of his mighty men, caused a servant of the Lord to be drunk, and murdered him under the guise of war. His lies and deception were punished by the Lord as the child died, and the sword never left his house as prophesied by Nathan, the prophet. An overlooked consequence is Joab’s knowledge of the deceit against Uriah. Joab was the prince of the king’s army, and he knew David had murdered Uriah. He may not have understood why at the time, but the reasons would become abundantly clear. By association, David implicated Joab in the death of Uriah. The consequences of sin grew.

Satan does not tell how sin impacts a life. The devil convinces the heart to enjoy sin for a season without realizing there is a harvest to come. Sin will bring its own consequences, but more often, it lingers in the lives of others and has a greater impact. David implicated himself, Bathsheba, and the son of his sister. Others may have known about the deceit to kill Uriah. Because of one act of adultery, multiple lives were affected and impacted. Moses warned the people of Israel, “Your sin will find you out.” Nothing is hidden from the eyes of the Lord.

If the heart considered the consequences of sin long before the temptation, there would be less suffering in the world. The domino of David’s sin impacted generations. When Matthew wrote the genealogy of Jesus, he included the story of the “wife of Uriah.” Bathsheba was not named in the genealogy, as were Tamar, Rahab, and Ruth. Sin has long-reaching consequences and often has a greater impact. David’s sin embroiled others. Bathsheba could have refused, but she did not. Uriah could have refused, but he did not. The destruction of sin destroyed many lives. Divorce is never an act of two people. Pornography has ripple effects like a tsunami. Prejudice poisons hearts. An unwillingness to forgive can destroy generations. Pride divides churches. Sin must be stopped by courageous hearts willing to say no. Consider the consequences of sin – all of them.

Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:12-14)

Pressing Toward The Goal

Today is the only day we have. Looking at yesterday can only be done through the lens of times past without hope of changing. The future can look bright and hopeful, but it is wasted if the fortitude to press forward is lacking. Having goals in life can never bring about success unless the effort is put forth to attain those goals. Desiring to play the piano can be a great dream, but the dream remains distant until the fingers are laid on the ivory. The problem is that many have the right aims in life. They just never get around to pulling the trigger.

The Christian is someone who is always growing and maturing to greater ends with a deep understanding and appreciation of God’s grace. Paul explained that faith comes from hearing and hearing by the word of God. The measure of one’s faith is proportionate to the time spent in the word of God. Someone can have the noble aim of life to be the best Christian they can be yet never put forth the effort to exercise oneself to righteousness. The lack of faith is not because the message is not provided; rather, the lack of desire to change the heart.

So many people want to have greater faith like the godly men and women in scripture. They fail to realize that these people did not awaken one morning with greater faith. They had a history with God. When David faced Goliath, he did so without fear because he had learned to trust in God when facing the lion and the bear. His aim in life was to be a man after God’s own heart, and that is exactly how he became. He changed his life to learn how to trust in the power of God.

Having an aim in life is the beginning, but without the measure of faith to put into practice, what is learned voids the warranty. People of God are people of action. They believe, thereby, they act. Knowledge and faith are not gained through osmosis. Peter said it takes diligence to add to faith the virtues of righteousness. James explained true faith is found in being a doer of the word, not just a hearer. Faith demands action. Aims are only helpful if they are acted on. What are your aims in life? If you want to be wealthy, you can attain that goal, but for what purpose? You leave it all behind when you die. Goals matter so that we can have the proper aim.

God has given us a book that can be read and understood. He has provided all things necessary for faith and obedience. Heaven is a place for prepared people. Your aim can be salvation, but if you do not act on the commandments of God, you cannot be saved. Eternal life is granted to those who make it their life’s aim, and they grow to that end. Press on with action, resolve, and determination, and do not allow Satan to hinder your growth or your eternal home. Forget those things which are behind you and reach forward. This is the actionable part of the Christian life. A purposeful life will be used each day as part of the upward journey to the Father. Press toward the goal. Above all things, press on.

“But against none of the children of Israel shall a dog move its tongue, against man or beast, that you may know that the Lord does make a difference between the Egyptians and Israel.” (Exodus 11:7)

Not Even A Dog Barked

Animals have a sixth sense when danger is coming. Some animals can detect impending dangers before humans can. Animals seek higher ground when a tsunami approaches or seismic changes in the earth’s crust. God created animals this way, including the unique qualities that dogs have to know of danger before humans. Among the five senses a dog has, they have an extraordinary sense of smell, which is their strongest sense and is used for communication and navigation. They possess acute hearing abilities, allowing them to detect sounds at much higher frequencies than humans. In an amazing foresight of power and wisdom, God declares on the night He will bring death to the land of Egypt; not even the dogs will bark or make a sound. The Lord declares the silence of the canines will demonstrate His power to make a difference between the Egyptians and Israel.

God’s demonstration of power is far beyond the realm of human wisdom. It is not uncommon for dogs to howl when death overtakes a home. Some dogs have been known to stand guard over the burial of their masters. The Lord struck thousands (if not millions) of people in one night as the destroyer killed the firstborn of every home from Pharaoh to the lowest slave. God said there would be a loud wail that would rise throughout the land of Egypt, a wail like no one has heard before or will ever hear again – and not one dog would howl, bark, or whimper. Why did God make such a random yet specific prophecy about the night He brought His wrath on Egypt? According to Adam Clarke, one of the principal deities of the Egyptians was Osiris, whose son, worshipped under the form of a dog, or a man with a dog’s head, called Anubis latrator, the barking Anubis.

The ten plagues against Egypt destroyed the economy, government, and religion of the Pharaoh. Egypt would never be the same and became the symbol of God’s power and antithesis of human wisdom. On the night the destroyer killed all the firstborn, sparing the children of Israel and keeping the dogs quiet was a further demonstration of the will of the Creator acting in the affairs of men, showing His divine power that is unmatched. God can quiet the dogs. Man cannot foresee such a thing. A dog shall not move his tongue against man or beast when God’s wrath rains down on the Egyptian nation. It must have been an eerie quiet that came over the children of Israel when they realized how powerful the Lord God was to silence the dogs.

There is much evidence of God’s power in history, which is revealed in the Bible, declaring how specific and precise the word of the Lord is. The prophecies against Israel, Egypt, Babylon, Nineveh, and Tyre are so detailed no man could make such a prophecy. When Jesus came to earth, at least sixteen prophecies were fulfilled in less than 24 hours, centering on the death of God’s Son. The Holy Spirit foretold the great apostasy in detail. Like the story of the Passover night, God demonstrates His power over human wisdom to remind man he is made in the image of the divine and will be held accountable. Men should take notice when the dogs stop barking. God may be saying something needful to hear.