The Heaton File

Thus says the Lord, who gives the sun for a light by day, the ordinances of the moon and the stars for a light by night, who disturbs the sea, and its waves roar (the Lord of hosts is His name): “If those ordinances depart from before Me, says the Lord, then the seed of Israel shall also cease from being a nation before Me forever.” (Jeremiah 31:35-36)

The One Who Rules The Time

Jeremiah never lived under Daylight Savings Time. The United States adopted DST in 1918 with the practice of setting clocks ahead one hour in the spring and returning them to normal time in fall. Pundits of the program have argued the value and the waste of the idea accordingly for centuries. Changing the clocks is a rational that man fools himself in to believing that he can manage time to his advantage and purpose. Thankfully he is unable to control the sun, moon and stars or the world would have been destroyed long ago. On the fourth day of creation God spoke and the heavenly hosts were created. The sun would rule the day and the moon and stars would rule the night. They were created to give light on the earth dividing the light from the darkness. All of the heavenly hosts were established to be for signs and seasons, and for days and years. Following the flood God told Noah that as long as the earth stood there would be seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer and day and night (destroying the argument of global warming and the end of the earth). Time was established by the word of God and the world continues because the word of God preserves the universe by His authority and power. Adam and Eve looked upon the same sun, moon and stars that men gaze upon today. It has not changed since the beginning of time. Regardless of what man says about time or how he labels the days of the week, the Creator established seven days in a week and twenty-four hours in a day with certain periods of time called years. This has remained unchanged from time beginning. Man has called the days by different names through millennia and devised many ways to calculate the time of day but all things continue as they have when God said, “Let there be light.”

Man is a funny creature. He attempts to control his world by changing the time on the clock face giving him a sense of power to determine his destiny. This morning the sun rose at its normal time and Lord willing will fall below the horizon as it always done in its prescribed pattern. Living in the northern hemisphere the sun is rising and setting lower but man does not control that. God ordained the heavenly bodies to dwell in the vastness of space continuing in their revolutions as fashioned by the wisdom of God. This is a great blessing because if the universe was as man believes was created (from chaos) then the earth would be filled with holes as the heavenly bodies would collide continually upon the third rock from the sun. Thank God for precise orbits that allows the sun and moon to be an exact distance from the earth remaining unchanged from creation. Time is established by God and nothing man can do will change that. He can change the machine he created to tell a different time but as Abraham Lincoln said, “How many legs does a dog have if you call his tail a leg? Four. Saying that a tail is a leg doesn’t make it a leg.” It may be an hour later or earlier but the sun still rises when it is ordained and sets when God said it would.

The Lord God rules time. He dwells in eternity and through His grace allows the world to continue in days, weeks and years. The world is held together by the same word that created it and one day when the long-suffering of His grace ends the Creator will speak and the world will come to an end. Time will be no more. God created time to measure the life of man but the end of all things will take away time. Man begins in conception which is a kernel of time that measures his days. There will be a time when the body will die and the mortal will end. The great lesson man must take to heart is to know that he is not a mortal being possessing an eternal spirit; rather he is first and foremost an eternal being that briefly inhabits a tabernacle of flesh and when the flesh is removed he will continue to exist apart from time. Death is not the end of all things but the beginning of a place where there is no time. The essence of man’s creation is he is made in the similitude of the divine. It would help man to learn to change his eternal time rather than his mortal time. All clocks will cease. The eternal nature of man will not. Change the clock with no profit; change the soul and gain heaven.

Treasures of wickedness profit nothing, but righteousness delivers from death. The Lord will not allow the righteous soul to famish, but He casts away the desire of the wicked. (Proverbs 10:2-3)

Sin Never Delivers On Its Promises

The great irony that plagues the soul of man is the inability to recognize the fruits of sin are empty and all the promises desired through wickedness never last – never. Temptation is the desire to have something at the moment. A fleeting carnal desire filled with lust to be satisfied with a reckless action of incredible folly is the nature of sin. It has never changed nor can it change its DNA because it comes from the father of lies and the great Adversary. The Bible clearly defines the nature of sin as something that profits nothing. Repeatedly through scripture men have followed the path of insolence seeking the riches of unrighteousness finding at the end of every road nothing but heartache, misery, pain, suffering and despair. Without fail the soul finds the same empty path when they seek to walk away from God. Adam and Eve thought for a moment they would be like God and found themselves hiding from the Lord God. David enjoyed his folly for a moment and lived the rest of his life hiding his shame. Nothing good comes from those things that do not come from God. Spending a lifetime hoarding up riches is an incredible act of madness because death cannot be denied and then the treasures of wickedness will be lost including the soul. Man was created as the highest creature on the earth with dominion over his world but he cannot tame his own spirit.

Righteousness has always been a blessing to those who seek its counsel. As there has never been a reward for those who seek after wickedness; those who have sought the will of the Lord have lived a full, complete, happy and contented life. The comparison has been made between desiring happiness and finding nothing and seeking holiness and knowing peace. This does not suggest that the journey of life for the righteous has been easy. Long ago the story of Job filled the pages of God’s word to show man that faith in God is of greater value than all the riches in the world. Job suffered immensely in the flesh but when he died his life was filled with righteous devotion to a God that loved him and blessed him. The Lord will not allow the soul of His people to famish or go without. What challenges man is what he expects God to give him and complains because he is not given enough. Contentment is one of the greatest virtues of the righteous for they see in everything the hand of God working, providing, caring and supplanting the needs of life by trusting in the providence of the Lord. Trust is the heart of the godly. Satisfaction is long-lasting and full. Knowing the heavenly Father will take care of His children allows the soul to dwell in a calm repose of peace enjoying the grace of a benevolent Giver. He will not allow the righteous to go without.

Life is a comparison between seeking the treasures of wickedness or finding the deliverance of God’s hand through obedience to divine law. Choosing which path to take is the challenge for man. He must decide if he wants to enjoy a moment’s reckless folly in the empty promise of sin or will he accept the loving grace of God and be content to follow righteousness. The decision is not a matter of living in this life but the reality of what will come after death. Sin convinces man to live for the now regardless of tomorrow. Holiness assures man that what lies beyond the grave is true happiness and life is preparing to sail the wide ocean of eternity by the grace of God. Sin ends in death, righteousness gives life. Wickedness profits nothing but righteousness delivers from death. Satan guides the soul of the wicked to damnation. Jehovah God nourishes the heart of the redeemed to glory.

In You, O Lord, I put my trust; let me never be put to shame. Deliver me in Your righteousness, and cause me to escape; incline Your ear to me, and save me. Be my strong refuge, to which I may resort continually; You have given the commandment to save me, for You are my rock and my fortress. Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.

For You are my hope, O Lord God; You are my trust from my youth. By You I have been upheld from birth; You are He who took me out of my mother’s womb. My praise shall be continually of You. I have become as a wonder to many, but You are my strong refuge. Let my mouth be filled with Your praise and with Your glory all the day.

Do not cast me off in the time of old age; do not forsake me when my strength fails. For my enemies speak against me; and those who lie in wait for my life take counsel together, saying, “God has forsaken him; pursue and take him, for there is none to deliver him.”

O God, do not be far from me; O my God, make haste to help me! Let them be confounded and consumed who are adversaries of my life; let them be covered with reproach and dishonor who seek my hurt.

 But I will hope continually, and will praise You yet more and more. My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness and Your salvation all the day, for I do not know their limits. I will go in the strength of the Lord God; I will make mention of Your righteousness, of Yours only. O God, You have taught me from my youth; and to this day I declare Your wondrous works.

 Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, do not forsake me, until I declare Your strength to this generation, Your power to everyone who is to come. Also Your righteousness, O God, is very high, You who have done great things; O God, who is like You? You, who have shown me great and severe troubles, shall revive me again, and bring me up again from the depths of the earth. You shall increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side.

 Also with the lute I will praise You — and Your faithfulness, O my God! To You I will sing with the harp, O Holy One of Israel. My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing to You, and my soul, which You have redeemed. My tongue also shall talk of Your righteousness all the day long; for they are confounded, for they are brought to shame who seek my hurt.

 (Psalm 71)

The Praise Of The Aged

The beginning of everything must start with where trust is placed. All of the tragedies of man have come from his own wisdom trusting his will rather than the will of God. Nothing will be worthwhile that does not begin with the Lord. Righteousness comes from the Lord and establishes the only truth that will save man. The commandments of God are given to given to offer refuge in the fortress of divine power. There are many who are wicked, unrighteous and cruel who seek to destroy but deliverance comes from the hand of the Lord for those who trust in Him completely. Young people must learn early that life is predicated upon the word of God which will give them guidance throughout all their lives. Parents who teach their children to love the Lord God with all their hearts, souls and minds will instill in the lives of their children a love for praising Him. Showing the grace of God in their lives, young people will astonish the wicked world by their actions of wisdom and maturity as they trust in the Lord for their answers. So much of the world follows after the wiles of unrighteous conduct. Families are filled with the worldly pleasures and desires of carnal flesh. Those who learn to trust in the Lord will find happiness in the power of God and find their lives fulfilling in godliness, holiness and righteousness.

Knowing the power of God will bless young people to praise Him and will guard their hearts unto old age. Establishing a firm belief in the Lord early will help establish a constant faith in the time of old age. There are many challenges living at an older age and the constant need of faith and trust remains. The word of God is not only powerful to guide the young but it is also powerful to secure the old. God will never forsake the old when their strength fails and they are being accused by others. Deliverance will always come from the grace of the Lord who loves those who spend their golden years praising Him. He will hasten to their side to bring deliverance. While their strength fails in the physical realm the joys of their spiritual vigor will renew with the presence of the Lord. Praise will be constant and true. There will be an unlimited expression of joy on the lips of the aged who know the power of God throughout their lives.

One of the most important things the aged will do is to impart their wisdom to those younger. A lifetime of godly wisdom must be shared by those who have experienced the victory of righteousness to those who have begun their journey. The prayer of the aged must be to seek God’s blessing to live a long and full life to declare the name of God to each generation. All of the experiences of life: good memories, tragedies of life, decisions of faith, trials of persecution, and times of victories and moments of defeat – all must be shared with the generation that has begun their journey of life. The greatest sermon a person can share is the life story of trusting in the Lord from the depths of the earth to the ivory palaces of divine glory. God is faithful and who better to tell the story than those who have trusted in His power and glory. The voice of the aged may have grown weak in tenor but the spirit of those who love the Lord will shout forth in loud anthems of praise and greatly rejoice when they sing of God and His love. Praise God young people. Praise God old people. Let all men praise God.

And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.” (Mark 12:41-44)

Jesus Notices The Small Things

The Temple was a place of continual activity with thousands of worshipers mingling through the various places of the House of God to exact sacrifices, pay tributes or to debate issues of the Law. Jesus was weary from the pressures of those who sought to trap Him in His words and He had reclined above the Court of the Women gaining a full view of the worshipers who remained as the time of sacrifice had passed. Many remained were deep in personal devotion or offering private sacrifices. Along the colonnades of the court were thirteen trumpet shaped boxes bearing inscriptions declaring their purpose as objects of the temple contributions. Jesus was in a place He could observe the actions of the worshipers who came to offer their gifts. Among the vast crowd of people that came that day to offer their gifts, a solitary figure stood out in the eyes of the Lord as He watched a tired and impoverished woman make her way to the collection boxes. She was not a person of any importance as her clothing would bear testimony. Clinched within her hand was her whole substance of living that amounted to the least of what was required but it was all she had. Edersheim remarks, “We can see her coming alone, as if ashamed to mingle with the crowd of rich givers; ashamed to have her offering seen; ashamed, perhaps, to bring it; a ‘widow’ in the garb of a desolate mourner; her condition, appearance and bearing that of a ‘pauper.’”(The Life and Times of Jesus The Messiah) She had so little to give. Others would come and with great fare offer from their abundance large amounts that took the notice of all. Sweeping into the court the rich and powerful let all men see the bounty of their prideful giving. Alone in a place by herself a widow quietly came to one of the boxes and let the two coins fall softly into the box with no noise and no notice from those who hurried around her. She silently turns away and returns to her home thanking God for all her blessings and praising the Lord with a heart gilded with the gold of heaven.

No one took notice of the widow who gave her whole livelihood except the Man who peered into the souls of men that day and saw a beautiful life that loved serving His Father. Jesus picked this widow from the crowd to create an eternal story that is still spoken of two thousand years later. Nothing is said of the others who gathered that day and who for the most part gave more than the lonely widow. Jesus saw the heart of a servant in the woman. He had grown weary of the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees who prided themselves with religious zeal. The widow was a common person who loved God with all her heart and trusted in the providence of the Lord to care for her needs. She gave all because she knew how much her Lord had given her. Her worship that day was in complete trust in His care. Love was at the center of her giving as God had given her His love so many times before. Life was hard for the widow and giving up the small amount was a large sacrifice for her but she gave. Worship was pure and holy for her. It was not a matter of pride for there was nothing to brag about. Learning the love of God had taught her how much she needed the grace of the Lord to be upon her. What were a few coins compared to what God had given her? Her joy came in the journey she made that day to deposit two coins in the coffers of God to show her love for Him.

Jesus notices the small things. It would not have required divine intervention to know of this woman. Watching a crowd He could easily tell the slow walk of a woman who had little to offer. Her pace was not hurried or her presence noticed by others. She carefully glided through the worshipers with a graceful step seeking to place her small offering into one of the treasuries. The Son of God took notice of her. He saw what she did. His eyes filled with the other participants who boldly cast the abundance of their gifts into the boxes but she caught the eye of God. Men look for ostentation acts of giving but God seeks the humble hearts of poverty. The lesson from Jesus is not the amount of the offering but the offering of the richness of her heart. Jesus looks for the small things in life that define our character. He notices the small deeds of kindness, words of encouragement, thoughts of prayers and those things that come from a heart that trusts in the love of God. Riches come from the throne of God to those who seek His favor and glory. As we approach the temple of God in our daily worship let our hearts be like the widow immortalized by the observation of Jesus who said of her heart, she “has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury” because she gave of her all.

Now Israel remained in Acacia Grove, and the people began to commit harlotry with the women of Moab. They invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. So Israel was joined to Baal of Peor, and the anger of the Lord was aroused against Israel. Then the Lord said to Moses, “Take all the leaders of the people and hang the offenders before the Lord, out in the sun that the fierce anger of the Lord may turn away from Israel.” So Moses said to the judges of Israel, “Every one of you kill his men who were joined to Baal of Peor.” And indeed, one of the children of Israel came and presented to his brethren a Midianite woman in the sight of Moses and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, who were weeping at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. Now when Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose from among the congregation and took a javelin in his hand; and he went after the man of Israel into the tent and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her body. So the plague was stopped among the children of Israel. And those who died in the plague were twenty-four thousand. Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: “Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned back My wrath from the children of Israel, because he was zealous with My zeal among them, so that I did not consume the children of Israel in My zeal. Therefore say, ‘Behold, I give to him My covenant of peace; and it shall be to him and his descendants after him a covenant of an everlasting priesthood, because he was zealous for his God, and made atonement for the children of Israel.'” (Numbers 25:1-13)

The Zeal Of Phinehas

Sin is never tolerated by the Lord and often He would react against the nature of man to punish them. On one occasion it was the grandson of Aaron the priest who acted in accordance with righteousness and truth to stop a vile act from happening before the tabernacle of meeting. The people of Israel had come to the land of the Moabites and remained in Acacia Grove. Balak the king of Moab had tried unsuccessfully to bring a curse upon the Israelites through the prophet Balaam but it was through the persuasion of the prophet the children of God were lead into committing harlotry with the women of Moab. Angered by this, the Lord began to plague the people in a terrible manner that would lead to the deaths of twenty-four thousand Israelite’s. Moses was instructed by God to execute those who were joined to Baal of Peor. While this is being done an Israelite named Zimri brought a Midianite woman named Cozbi to the tabernacle of meeting and presented her before the people. It has been suggested the language of the text suggests the two were engaged in sexual immorality at the time and as a blatant refusal to submit to the will of the Lord. Phinehas could not allow such an outrage to continue and the scriptures speak of his zeal being aroused to punish the couple. Taking a javelin in hand he goes into the tent where Zimri and Cozbi are and thrust them through stopping the plague among the people. The wrath of God was stayed because of the zeal of Phinehas. His family will be blessed for generations to come as he showed great character in doing what needed to be done and exercising a decisive act of God’s holiness against sin.

Phinehas is a man of courage who took upon himself the task of establishing holiness and setting a pattern for the faithful to follow. Sin has been the problem of man since the garden of Eden but what has been lacking are the faithful who are willing to stand for holiness in a world of ungodliness. The world of Noah was destroyed by a flood but eight people made a conscious decision to stand against the norms of society and remain faithful to the Lord. Noah condemned the world by his willingness to stand for truth pleading for others to see the coming day of the Lord. As the waters engulfed the world everyone knew the eight safely protected in the ark were right but it was too late. Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah were four young men taken from their homes to a land of strange gods, food, language and culture. Everything about them was vile and corrupt as the nation of Babylon served the pagan culture of a wicked society. In all of their dealings with the Babylonians these four men took a stand against those things that were unholy and immoral. Their zeal for the Lord was unmatched as they stood before the king defiant to serve his will whether in eating certain foods, falling down to an image of gold or obeying the law of the land to not pray to Jehovah God. Like Phinehas they had a zeal for truth and acted upon it. When the early church first began and persecution arose against the disciples, brave men and women stood before the Jewish oppression and Roman persecution and boldly proclaimed their allegiance to the King they served and with zealous hearts of faith preached the word of God in a world filled with hatred, animosity and immorality. Many gave their lives for what they stood for. Their zeal was not fanatical but fantastic. They believed in the power of God and lived every day with that zeal burning in the hearts.

There is a need for men like Phinehas in the Lord’s church today who will take the javelin of truth and stand for those things that are righteous, true and holy. The work of the Lord is built upon hearts that are courageous enough to be set apart from the world and let the norms of society see the holiness of God. Too many Christians compromise with the world and like the people of God adulterate themselves with the schemes of the world to be like the world. When the Israelite’s were in Achaia Grove they committed harlotry with the women of Moab. While the people of God today may not engage in the sexual promiscuity of the world yet their hearts are filled with the worldly desires to dress like the world, act like the world and live like the world. Churches are being filled with women who parade themselves with immodest dress. Social drinking is an accepted character of those who are ignorant and weak in their faith to serve the one true God. Apathy rules in the hearts of many who find worship to the Lord dull and without purpose. Children are being taught to love the world instead of loving God. They are not shown the way of holiness but popularity. Success is measured by the standards of the world instead of the word of God. In this world there is a need for those in the church to have the zeal of Phinehas and take the standard of truth and boldly assert the claim of righteousness among the people of God. Fathers need to a stand for truth leading the family of God. Mothers must show the children the way of modesty and propriety. Young people can be wonderful examples of Phinehas as they stand against the wiles of youthful pleasure. The church needs a host of men like Phinehas who are filled with a zeal for the Lord. Men and women of action who believe in the cause of the Lord will act with courage. Churches that are strengthened with the zeal of serving the King according to the will of God will shed a light of righteousness in a world blackened by sin. There is never been a greater time for zeal to fill the hearts of God’s people and to regain the cause of Christ in a perverse and wicked generation than now. Rise up. Be zealous. Serve the cause.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. (Ephesians 1:3)

All Those Spiritual Blessings

There is no greater joy a man can express than knowing God so loved the world to give His only begotten Son and through that gift receive so many spiritual blessings. Never before in the history of man has there a time when men could enjoy from the treasure house of God the eternal blessings as those found in Jesus Christ. Job, Noah, Abraham, Moses and David knew the salvation of God but could never imagine the fulfillment of living under the law of Christ and the redeeming blood of God. Paul begins his letter to Ephesus proclaiming the immeasurable blessings each Christian enjoys from the incredible grace of God. The blood of bulls and goats is not the saving measure of salvation in Christ but the precious blood of the Son of God. With all the thousands of sacrifices made through the centuries seeking to redeem man none could take away sin but the blood of Jesus. Every Christian remembers the sacrifice of Jesus when they take of the Lord’s Supper and what a time of thanksgiving this should be. There was nothing man could do to save himself but Jesus died to save man. Each day should be an expression of love for the incredible gift of God giving His Son who willingly allowed man to kill Him on the cross. As He was dying Jesus prayed the Father to forgive those who were killing Him. Rising from the dead on the third day, God gave all men the opportunity to know the spiritual blessings of redemption in Christ if they would come to Him and obey Him. Living life without the guilt of sin is a blessing. Knowing we are redeemed by the blood of Christ is a blessing. Seeing the wrath of God removed is an eternal blessing of knowing eternal life promised is eternal life given.

All spiritual blessings are in Christ. Forgiveness first came in obedience to the will of the Lord when a man is baptized into Christ. Putting on Christ in baptism is the moment the blood of Jesus washes away all sins and purifies the spirit of man to stand whole and clean before the Father. What a joy to know that all sins are taken away as far as the east is from the west and the wrath of God is taken away. In Christ a man enjoys the joy of forgiveness. Through prayer and supplication with sorrowful hearts, children of God seek the forgiveness of sins and the Father takes the sin away. This cannot be done outside of Christ until a person in obedient faith is subject to the plan of salvation. Peter told the first disciples on Pentecost to repent and be baptized for the remission of sins. When they obeyed the word of the Lord their sins were remitted. The spiritual blessing of forgiveness is only found through Christ and in Christ. Prayer is an avenue enjoyed by the children of God alone. A man outside of Christ can seek God and find Him but the joy of continued communication with the Father and asking for all the spiritual blessings is something only found in Christ. Only the children of God can call the Father, “Abba.” To be an heir with Christ one must be in Christ. Inheritance only comes to those who are part of the family of God and this can only be found in the spiritual blessings in Christ. How blessed it is to be in Christ and receive the blessings of a loving and caring Father. He gladly bestows His bounty upon His children to care for them, watch over them and bless them with His presence, His word and His love.

All spiritual blessings are in Christ and should never be taken for granted. Worship is a time to sing praises to the Father who saved His children through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The church is made up of saints who are blessed with His love. Thanksgiving must always be on the heart of those who know the Father’s love. Being together with fellow brothers and sisters in Christ is one of the greatest joys in the spiritual trove of blessings in Christ. Praying for one another is a blessing in Christ. Lifting one another up is a blessing in Christ. Exhorting, encouraging, admonishing and challenging one another is what makes the blessings in Christ so important and vital to the life of a Christian. All of God’s family is blessed with the knowledge they share the same Father and He blesses all of His children with their needs in full proportion. Give praise to God for all the spiritual blessings enjoyed in being a child of God.

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless.” (Genesis 17:1)

The Almighty

Names mean a great deal when speaking of the Lord God who created the world and established His rule among men. The Father does not have a singular name and is described in many different ways as He revealed Himself to man through the long history of the world. Each name served its purpose to define the character of the Lord God. There is no name as powerful as the manner Abram is introduced to the Lord God he served. Twenty-four years earlier the Lord called the son of Terah to leave his family and everything he knew. He was told he would be given a vast tract of land and through a seed yet born the nations of the earth would be blessed. Abram believed God and he followed the will of the Lord going wherever the word of God directed. At the age of ninety-nine, the Lord he served had incredible news. Abram and Sarai would have a son in its proper time. It was inconceivable to think a man who would be one hundred years of age and a wife of nine decades would be blessed with a child. The man of faith did not consider the promise as impossible although his body was dead for procreation and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. In its proper time a son was born to the praise and glory of the one called Almighty God. Conceiving a child and bringing a healthy child into the world for people of age like Abraham and Sarah can only be explained through the mighty power of the Creator. The name of God fit the occasion to show how incredibly powerful the Lord God manifests His glory among men. God is the Almighty because there is nothing He cannot do.

The Almighty spoke the world into existence and formed man from the dust of the ground. He took a rib of Adam and made the Woman. The world was established by the hand of the Almighty who can hold the vast reaches of space within the palm of His hand. Almighty God has a name for every star and knows what every sparrow is doing on the face of the earth. Through His power and might He destroyed the world of Noah killing everything with the breath of life save eight souls. His grace afforded an avenue of escape for the righteous few. With His great power as the Almighty the Lord God brought Egypt low and exalted the Hebrews to be a great nation among nations. No army could stand before the army of the Almighty as He crushed all those who stood against Him. In time His great power was used against His own people as they turned their backs on the Almighty. He blessed them with immeasurable bounty but they refused to hearken to the warnings. By the hand of the Almighty the Assyrian and Babylonian nations wreaked havoc on His people. From the remnant of the righteous the nation was restored to await the coming of the Kingdom of God. Again the Almighty comes to a young family and through a virgin named Mary God sends the world His only begotten Son. Throughout the life of Jesus God gives testimony of His power and might. The son of God raises the dead, heals all diseases, exercises power over nature and the demon world and opens His arms wide to allow man to kill Him. It was on the first day of the week the Almighty asserts His power to raise Jesus from the dead to live evermore. The Almighty establishes the church of Christ to be the kingdom of salvation and truth as it continues to stand for righteousness and truth for two thousand years. One day the Father will send the Son with His mighty angels gathering the faithful to His eternal bosom and destroying in torment those who deny Him. He is the Almighty and He has all power and might.

Knowing the Almighty and how powerful He has shown Himself to be through the ages, what is there in my life that He cannot fix, resolve, change and make better for my good? There is nothing God cannot do in my life if I will allow Him to work in my life. If God can raise Jesus from the dead – the Almighty God can do anything and everything. There can be no greater power than shown by the Almighty destroying all the earth with a great flood and that same power can work for good in my life today if I will be seek His word and His will in my life. Anything I need will be found in the grace of God. He can change my attitude, my will, my desires and my life if I trust the power of the Almighty. It is imperative that I come to know the name ALMIGHTY GOD as the One who can change my life. The problem always comes from a heart that does not believe. God told Abram the Almighty God was going to bring a child into their lives and He did. What can this same Almighty God do in your life? There are no limitations if you let Him dwell in your heart. The Almighty God can resurrect a dead marriage, repair broken relationships, forgive past slights, bring peace and hope to a desperate life. He is the ALMIGHTY. There is none greater.

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled. (2 Corinthians 10:3-6)

We Are At War

Conflict has always been the blight of man. Wars have destroyed families, wrecked economies and brought down nations. Death is the prevalent consequence of war and there is never joy or happiness that comes with the mass confliction of men against men. Every generation endures the tragedy of war. Peace is a dream that will never be realized in the human experience because there will always be a despot who wants more power and hatred of others fuels the emotions of revenge and thirst for blood. Jesus did not come to take away war. He offered a solution to the problem but also gave the challenge that when peace is found there is another war to fight. The Son of God highlighted the reason for murder, wrath and hatred when He showed men the consequence of sin. Wars fought by men against one another come from revenge but when a person becomes a child of God another war takes places that comes from grace. Satan is the great adversary and he will seek every opportunity and advantage to kill the soul of man. His plan is simple – he attacks the heart of the Christian to fill it will evil, hatred, lust and corruption. Wars fought in the flesh have little consequence on the eternal scheme but battle for the eternal spirit of man has everlasting significance. Paul clearly shows that while a man walks in the flesh a greater battle awaits the life of those who follow the King of Kings.

The weapons of the spiritual war are not shaped with iron and steel but the courage and faith of the godly men and women who seek a crown of life. Satan is limited in what he can bring to bear upon the individual. With as much power the serpent of old possesses he cannot force anyone to do anything beyond their will. He suggests, consoles and tempts man with his flattering words but he cannot (and never has) forced anyone to do evil. The wiles of the devil suggest arguments that seek to elevate the wisdom of man above God through the activity of the mind. When Satan came to Eve in the garden he merely suggested the word of God should be challenged and that God was unfair in His limitations. Eve took of the fruit by her will as did Adam. Her disobedience was caused by the deception of the serpent and when Adam took of the fruit man fell from the grace of his Creator suffering the penalty of spiritual separation. Expelling man from the garden was another consequence of losing the battle to Satan. Jesus Christ came to restore the paradise of Eden to the soul of man offering the avenue of escape through the grace and love of the Father. But the war still rages.

As soldiers of Christ, the weapons used against the forces of evil are mighty in God. These instruments of righteousness can pull down the strongholds of lustful passions that fill the eyes and pleasure the flesh. Pride is broken when the sword of the Spirit attacks the arguments of unrighteousness. When the mind exalts itself against the glory of the one true God the battlements of truth engage in a fierce battle to destroy disobedience. Obedient followers of Christ will not allow the influences of the flesh to inhibit their spirit of fighting against the wiles of the devil. As valiant soldiers of the cross they will strongly suppress the evils of a corrupt mind. Every thought will be brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. This is a great war but one that must be fought. It will take all the courage a man and woman can muster. The greatest joy of fighting this war is knowing how the battles end. Reading the Revelation of John the soldiers of Christ sees Jesus riding on a white horse with the name KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS inscribed upon His thigh and a great army following the KING on white horses. Victory is assured and the saints of God gain the victory. This final battle has not been waged but the foretaste of victory is sweet to the senses. We are at war but we fought a war that was won two thousand years ago when God raised His Son from the dead. Praise God for His infinite wisdom and power and love to give all men His Son to overcome the evil one. Keep fighting. Victory will be realized through the grace of God.

Let my cry come before You, O Lord; give me understanding according to Your word.

Let my supplication come before You; deliver me according to Your word. My lips shall utter praise, for You teach me Your statutes. My tongue shall speak of Your word, for all Your commandments are righteousness.

Let Your hand become my help, for I have chosen Your precepts. I long for Your salvation, O Lord, and Your law is my delight.

Let my soul live, and it shall praise You; and let Your judgments help me. I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek Your servant, for I do not forget Your commandments.

(Psalm 119:169-176)

A Closing Prayer Of Lets

The 119^th psalm is a wonderful declaration of the power of God’s word. There are few rivals for the beauty and grandeur of its message, its prose and its style of bursting on the pages of holy writ the incredible majesty of how the commandments, precepts, laws and words of God change the hearts of penitent men. The psalmist has fully developed the theme of obedience to the will of the Lord and declared the blessings of following the law of God with a willing heart. Using the Hebrew alphabet as the foundation of his discourse, the psalmist closes his thematic revelation with a humble and ardent prayer. “He seems to break into the inner circle of divine fellowship, and to come even to the feet of the great God whose help he is imploring. This nearness creates the most lowly view of himself, and leads him to close the psalm upon his face in deepest self-humiliation, begging to be sought out like a lost sheep” (C. H. Spurgeon). The style of the writer is vivid and the framework for his final message comes from his plea to be heard by his God and to seek the blessings of his Lord.

He begs the Lord to let his cry be heard. There is a humble desire to seek the favor of the One who can hear, understand and guide the soul of troubled man. Through the knowledge of the word man can know that God hears and understands. There is a need for man to know the word of the Lord and as the psalmist has shown throughout his psalm the word of the Father is the word of salvation. Truth comes from the law of God. Understanding is sheltered under the wings of God’s grace revealed in the holy commandments. Guiding the footsteps by the precepts of the One who established authority is the only desire of the humble man seeking God’s favor. The Lord hears the cry of the broken hearted. As the word fills the soul the spirit of pride is dispelled. Let my cry come before you, O Lord.

Prayer is the powerful testimony of a heart bent toward the will of the Lord in obedience. The only path of deliverance comes from the hand of God. Supplications from a heart filled with the word of God will bring forth praise. Salvation is in the commandments of the Lord. Learning the statutes of righteousness is knowledge that is everlasting and complete. The psalmist speaks of the word of God because he knows the word of the Lord is truth. Everyone will hear the precepts of righteousness from the lips of those who know the word of God. Let my supplication come before you, O Lord.

Choosing the precepts of God will give man the help he needs in every walk of life. The word of the Lord is complete in directing the soul regarding his relationship with others and with his Creator. Longing for the salvation found in the precepts of His truth will help man find the answers of why he was created, what his purpose in life is and how he can face death. The hand of the Lord is the grace of His love to help in a time of need. God’s word is not just a book of words but a source of delight. Living by the commandments of the Father will not burdensome but make the soul whole and complete lacking nothing. The psalmist prays for the Father to guide his soul and help him pattern his life after the righteous words of salvation given in the word. Let You hand become my help.

In the final words of this great psalm, the writer closes with a song of thanksgiving seeking the favor of God to fill the heart with praise. His prayer is to let the judgments of the word help him like a sheep that is lost and gone astray. He desires for the Lord to come and seek for him and to find him dwelling on the word of God. Asking the Father to come and seek the child is a bold and humble adoration for the trust placed in the word as the promise is made not to forget His commandments. There is no fear of contradiction or spirit of timidity. Asking the Master to seek the servant is a humble request to look deep into the heart of a soul that loves the word of God and bless him with the eternal glory of a God that is worthy of praise, honor and love. Let my soul live and it shall praise You.

He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.” Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus! (Revelation 22:20)

He Is Coming Quickly

Two thousand years have passed since John the apostle penned the Revelation as he languished in exile on an island called Patmos. His testimony of the revelation given to him by the Lord is a stirring message of hope, victory and overcoming. The early saints were suffering incredible hardships under the iron hand of persecution. Throughout the Revelation Jesus seeks to assure the faithful that they are not forgotten and the Lord is coming to take vengeance on all those who oppose Him. John declares from the beginning of the book the events described would take place shortly. There is urgency in the message sprinkled with the eternal hope that Heaven is worth all the suffering this side of eternity. Hope rests in the knowledge that God has not forgotten His people and the Lord will show His power and glory to all men and especially to the institutions that try to destroy His holy church. As the letter to the seven churches comes to a close, Jesus tells John that He is coming quickly and repeats this four times in the final sentences. The things written by John would shortly take place and Jesus declares that He is coming quickly. Those who keep the words of the message will be blessed. When John falls down before the angel Jesus again reiterates that He is coming quickly and His reward is with Him to give to every one according to his work. Jesus declares Himself to be the Alpha and the Omega symbolizing the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet “indicating God’s fullness and completeness, His all-inclusiveness” (Hailey). He is the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last. Those who will be blessed are those who do His commandments. The final words of the Revelation declare the glory of Christ as He says, “Surely I am coming quickly.” And He has and He will.

Reading the final words of the Revelation it would seem that Jesus has not come quickly since two thousand years have passed. The message of His coming has a two-fold purpose. Repeatedly in the Revelation God tells His saints the events will take place shortly and they did. The early saints needed to know they were not forgotten as they cried out from under the altar, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” His judgment against those who persecuted the church was vindication for the injustice committed against righteous people. The declaration of His coming still rings true as the Lord will return one day and take vengeance on those who do not know God and that do not obey the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. His coming is quickly as man does not know when this day will come but His return is certain and eminent. The day of the Lord does not come with warning. Like a thief in the night His coming will be in a moment and the twinkling of an eye. The warning is clear: be ready and be prepared or face the consequences. Throughout the Revelation God demonstrates His power over nations, despots, worldly corruption and religions that do not worship the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Saints may suffer in this life but His coming will usher them into the paradise of God where there is no pain, no sorrow and no suffering. Life is but a vapor and yet upon this mist of time all eternity hangs upon the balance of those who are faithful unto death and those who are not. If Jesus comes today or waits another two thousand years to be revealed with His holy angels His word is truth. His coming is quick and His wrath is full.

John seems to add urgency to the message. He begs for the Lord to come. In John’s life the Lord came when he passed through the shadow of death and was carried by angels to the bosom of Abraham. Sitting on the island of Patmos it is easy to see in the aged eyes of the apostle of Christ a tired and weary spirit. This man has seen so much in his life from the early days of fishing to when this man from Nazareth called him to follow him. He learned to love Jesus with each passing day and became one of the closest friends of God’s Son. Entrusted with the care of Mary, John became part of the family and he lived up to the words of His Savior as He died on the cross. Throughout the early days of the church John remained faithful. He was warned by the Jewish rulers to stop preaching about Jesus. They imprisoned him, beat him and persecuted him for the greater part of his life but he never lost hope. Finally given a Revelation John saw the incredible things of Heaven spilled forth on the pages of suffering, trials and triumph. Laying aside his pen from writing the words given to him by the angel of the Lord his heart must have nearly burst. With all he had seen and heard all he could say at the end was, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” He died the way he lived; looking for the return of his Lord. On a day some distance from the closing of this book, the aged apostle closed his eyes and saw Jesus face to face. His Lord had come.