The Heaton File

Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day.

You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies; for they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers, for Your testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the ancients, because I keep Your precepts.

I have restrained my feet from every evil way, that I may keep Your word. I have not departed from Your judgments, for You Yourself have taught me.

How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

Through Your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way.

(Psalm 119:97-104)

Love And Hate

There are only two ways to approach the Bible: either one will love what he reads or he will hate it. The word of God is likened to a sharp two-edged sword that cuts to the discerning soul of its recipient. Few men can digest the word of God because it is a powerful testimony of the flawed character of the sinful nature. Like a mirror reflecting the absolute truth of a man’s soul, the Bible is a reflection of the failed philosophy of human wisdom and the decadent passions of the flesh. Truth is absolute in the word of God. There is only one way of righteousness, one body of truth and life can only come from one source. Everything in the word of God is measured by whether man chooses to obey his Creator or to reject Him. The righteous few hold to the word of God’s commandments while the majority of men follow the path of unrighteousness. Love and hate are the engines that drive the way man views the Bible. For the psalmist, his love for the truth of God’s word is a deeply emotional experience. He ponders the depths of its wisdom every day soaking in all of the riches of the message. His love for the word of God is to recognize the foundation of the laws given by the Lord. Faithfulness is law keeping. Obedience comes from a willingness to follow the commandments written down in the Bible. Without submission to the law man becomes an outlaw or a person outside the law.

Meditating on the commandments of God brings wisdom that excels the knowledge of those who oppose the Lord. The world is filled with disobedient hearts that will not submit to the will of God. Truth guides the heart in paths of righteousness gleaned from the wisdom of the Divine. Bible knowledge creates a mind that is wiser than those who oppose the word of God. There is great wisdom in the world but a knowledge of scripture is the greatest knowledge a man can gain. The psalmist proclaims how the word of God makes him wiser than his teachers because eternal truths are explained through the knowledge of the word of God. Great men of ages past have great wisdom but pale in comparison to Him who is eternal and abides forever. The ancients lived a short time and died. The Lord God is the one who formed the world and the soul of man. He lives throughout all the ages and sits above the circle of the earth ruling through His divine word. Keeping the precepts or teachings of God will give greater wisdom than any man or body of men can accumulate in ten thousand years.

The word of truth moves man from the ways of folly and mistakes of human wisdom. Reading the Bible will keep the mistakes of life to a minimum. There must be a spirit of restraint to protect the heart from pursuing evil by keeping the word of the Lord close to the soul. Danger comes from straying from the path of God’s instructions. There must be a determined will to not depart from the judgments of God and to bind the heart close-knit to the teachings of the Lord. Standing on the rock of salvation requires standing on the rock of salvation and not moving. The word of God is the only safe harbor to sail ships of life from and binding the mind, soul, body and heart to the reading of His laws, commandments, precepts and instructions will keep the soul from the harmful influences of Satan’s wiles. Two imperatives are given by the psalmist: he restrained his feet from every evil way and refused to depart from the judgments of God. That is devotion to the will of the Lord. What he was taught from the word of God would abide in his heart.

There are untold blessings for those who abide in the word of God. The heart that is filled with the word of God is a soul drenched in the riches of sweet truth plucked from the divine orchard of God’s grace. For the psalmist it is sweeter than honey. The word of God is a sweet delicacy of incredible taste as he ponders the wisdom of the word through the ages. Remarkably the Bible today contains so much more than what the psalmist had when he wrote this psalm and how much sweeter are the words of mercy found in the story of Jesus Christ. Regardless, his view of scripture must be mirrored today to find the joy of knowing the precepts of God to gain understanding. The final lesson is the more time spent in the book of the Lord the greater a desire to hate every false way. Truth reveals error. The knowledge of the Bible will make the heart stand firmly against the paths of unrighteousness. Love and hate: love the law of the Lord and hate every false way.

And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?” So he answered and said, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘Your neighbor as yourself.'” And He said to him, “You have answered rightly; do this and you will live.” But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” (Luke 10:25-29)

Jesus And The Samaritan

When God created man in the garden it was not good that he should be alone. The Lord created the woman to fill that need but through procreation the fellowship of family and community would usher in a world filled with people. Fundamental to the happiness of mankind was the relationship of one man with another or the community of neighbors. In the beginning all men spoke the same language and formed a similar culture. Following the destruction of the world and all humanity save eight souls, God determined to divide men into national societies that would blend their own language, cultures and personalities with one another. While this dividing would spread man throughout the four corners of the globe, God always wanted the relationship between all men to be that of a neighbor. This would break down the barriers of national distinction bringing the community of the world together as one. Jesus came to earth and gave His life for every man regardless of color, nationality, gender or economic status. The sacrifice of Jesus was for the Jews and the Gentiles, slaves and free, Romans and Egyptians; all men of every nation. During His ministry Jesus had a difficult time teaching His fellow Jewish brethren to love their Samaritan counterparts as one. What made the Jew hate the Samaritan so much was he was a half-breed. During the conquest of the Assyrian Empire on the northern ten tribes of Israel the Gentile Assyrians intermarried with the people of God that created a race of people from Samaria that were part Jew and part Assyrian. This mixing of bloods was an abomination to the puritan senses of the orthodox Jews who demanded a pure line of righteousness. The Law of Moses had forbidden the marrying of Jews to non-Jews but repeatedly the people went after the nations around them. By the time of Jesus the Samaritans were firmly entrenched in the area north of Judah as the mongrel nation despised by the Jews.

A man comes to Jesus seeking to trap the Lord in His teaching. He has carefully studied the law and believes he has a legal entanglement that will entrap Him in his teaching. The lawyer knows if he can make Jesus admit a false representation of the law’s definition of a neighbor he will gain the upper hand on the Lord and find a cause of rebuke. His question is subtle but direct. The question is a leading question and he wants to know what the Lord thinks the law says about eternal life. Jesus is quick to direct the lawyer to the word of God. The Lord does not answer for Himself even though He is the Son of God and has authority from the Father to teach the will of God. He appeals to scripture not His own opinion. “What is written in the law,” is the question Jesus inquires of the lawyer. It would seem the man knows this is the question Jesus will ask and prepares to set his trap. The lawyer explains the law as given by Moses and Jesus does not expound on the answer but commends the man. Now the trap is sprung and the lawyer asked the meaning of the word neighbor. It is then Jesus gives the man a lesson he will never forget about God’s eternal purpose in the relationship of men towards their neighbor.

The story of the good Samaritan is filled with the images of the hypocrisy of the Jews and their disdain for the people of another nation. Robbers take the possessions of an innocent man leaving him for dead. A priest and a Levite pass by with little concern for the injured man. Arriving on the scene is a man of another nation; a man treated like a dog by his Jewish brethren and becomes the hero of the story. A man lies wounded on the road. He is made in the image of God and has been dealt a cruel blow by vicious scoundrels who prey upon the helpless and innocent. Two men who represent the righteousness of God and who should feel indebted to help any man turn a blind eye refusing to help a man in need. They are filled with selfishness and pride that will damn their souls for their disregard for a neighbor. It takes the example of a Samaritan to show the love of one man for another and to teach the lesson of who is the real neighbor. Jesus drives home the point to the lawyer when He asks, “So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?” It was then the heart of the lawyer sank in shame when he knew the only answer that could be given was the Samaritan. The admonition of the Lord was for him to do the same. Jesus reminds all men who the real neighbor is and there should be no doubt of the responsibility given to all men to have regard for one another. The best thing we can do for our neighbor is to teach them to gospel of Jesus Christ. Be a neighbor.

And it came to pass, as though it had been a trivial thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took as wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Sidonians; and he went and served Baal and worshiped him. (1 Kings 16:31)

Her Name Means Chaste

There are few women who have risen in history to the degree of debauchery, licentiousness and cruelty than the woman Jezebel who was wife to Ahab, son of Omri. She used her husband as a puppet to fill her dreams of conquest and murder to rule over the people of God for decades leading them deeper into the pits of idolatry and rebellion against the one true God. Her name is a synonym for everything that is evil but some render the origination of her name as something completely foreign to her life: chaste. Her name belied her nature and the kind of person she is remembered to be. A fanatical despot who ruled Israel through the cowardice of her husband Jezebel murdered the prophets of the Lord, took the people of God to the altars of Baal and caused Israel to sin in ways never seen before. Her husband Ahab reigned twenty-two years over Israel in Samaria and Jezebel outlived him by fourteen years. She influenced her son Ahaziah and Joram of Israel including her son-in-law Jehoram to walk in the ways of Baal and to do evil in the sight of the Lord. The legacy of Jezebel was carved on the historical stones of depravity as she led the northern tribes of a once proud nation to the debauchery of whoredom, witchcraft and wickedness.

There was a time when Jezebel was a sweet, kind and innocent little girl. All children come into the world pure and without sin. As a newborn, Jezebel had the purest of hearts. She had no malice in her spirit and her smile would melt the hardest of hearts. Little baby girls have a presence about them that bring out the good in people regardless of the evil that lies in the heart. Her father was a murderous ruler that served the god Astarte as priest. Jezebel came into the world with a name that meant “Chaste” but soon learned to live a life that was anything but virtuous. Her name meant she was free from carnal desires and she learned early her name would not define her character as she plunged headlong into the sensuous and base practices of idol worship. Ahab would secure her place in history as he married her against all the practices of previous kings and threw Israel into a spiral of moral repugnance to God. Together they would offer their firstborn son Abiram as a human sacrifice and later their youngest son Segub. Ahab would die in battle at the hand of an anonymous archer and Jezebel would be cast out of a window, trampled to death by horses and her body torn to shreds by dogs.

Names say a lot about a person and who they are. All men are defined by their names whether in honor or dishonor. A name like Dwight D. Eisenhower is held with respect while a name such as Adolf Hitler is despised. These two men met on the battlefields of history but the stories of their life are remembered in completely different ways. Jezebel was born with a name that could have defined her life but she chooses to live for the carnal pleasures of the flesh. When we stand before the Lord in judgment the only thing we will have is our name. It is written in the memory of God as being one of honor or dishonor. Men will inscribe names on monuments of marble but that never last. Women like Jezebel will leave their mark on the sands of time but that will pass away to oblivion. The name we have on the day standing before the great I AM is going to determine whether we see eternity in light or the damnation of hell in darkness. Jezebel was born with the name Chaste but she died with the name Lost. Her pleasures were gone, the carnal desires abolished and her cruel reign of terror over. Like all men and women who have walked on the face of the earth she will stand before the Judge on the last day and receive the penalty of her reward. Sadly as she is cast into the pits of hell she will reflect upon her name and realize how important her name could have been. What does your name mean? The better question is not what your name means but what meaning are you giving your name? In the end that will matter more than anything you have in this world.

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)

He Cleanses Us From All Sin

Doubt would have us believe that because we are sinful creatures that God will not forgive us of all our sins. There are many sins we can easily see how the Lord would forgive but there are some sins that we cannot trust that forgiveness would be granted. These are major failures in our life. We knew better and yet we followed the path of rebellion. Looking at the manner of our life we reflect upon our training from godly parents who sought to instill in our hearts a love for God and see a path of destruction rebelling against the teaching of His word. How can He forgive such a rebellious heart and give us grace from a life that was wasted on the crumbs of unrighteousness? Hearts often grapple with the guilt of a life wasted and the enduring mercy of a long-suffering Lord. For some they never gain peace from the guilt of sin that burdens the heart and pardon feels like a distant reward never to be enjoyed. Life is dull and lifeless. Exhausted from the worry of the mistakes of yesterday the Christian life becomes empty. Ironically the burden of guilt is something that expresses the incredible love of God that is willing and able to forgive all sins and He will forgive every sin when a man comes to Him with a full heart of repentance. There are no limitations with the mercy of God. He has a name for every star in the heavens and He knows every part of our lives including all the terrible things we have done. Yet in the face of this knowledge the Lord God of love and mercy grants a cleansing from all sin through the blood of His only begotten Son.

The Bible is filled with imperfect people who needed the grace of God. All of the characters of scripture failed God. Some are recorded with great failures in life like David and Peter. The chapter of faith in Hebrews 11 is a testimony to the incredible measures of faith of the men and women who trusted in the mercy of God. Contained in this list is a former prostitute who became part of the lineage of Jesus Christ and the seemingly uncontrollable Samson. It is easy to see why Enoch, Moses and David are in the list but Rahab and Samson? Forgiveness. The Lord God of mercy and grace granted forgiveness to all those who served Him and loved Him. One of the reasons the Holy Spirit tells the story of so many people in scripture is to show the longsuffering and majesty of God’s forgiving love. There were many people who rebelled against the Lord and felt His wrath in their disobedience. The nation of Israel was granted many times the extended love of God and many did not change their lives – but many did and found salvation. Jesus did not die because we deserved anything. His death was measured by the enormity of our sin and He paid the price to redeem us from all of our sin. Every sin. Each sin. The big ones and the little ones. He gave His life to take away all of my sin and make me clean. There is nothing His blood cannot remove in my life. David committed adultery, deceit, caused a man to get drunk and murdered Uriah and then lied about the whole affair – and because of his penitent heart God forgave him.

Eternal life is granted through the forgiveness of all sin by the grace of a loving God who is gracious, merciful, slow to anger, of great kindness relenting from doing harm to those who seek Him. No sin is left when God forgives. Our Father takes away all the sin that has plagued our life and buries them in the bottom of the sea and removing them as far as the east is from the west. The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from ALL sin. If God is willing to take away our sin we should have the faith to let Him. Satan wants to remind us of our failures but God wants us to see our victories in His grace. Sin does not have to have dominion over us any longer because God has shed His love in our hearts and granted the joy of cleansing through the sacrifice of His Son on the cross. When God forgives it is total. Praise the Lord for His abundant mercy.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. (Proverbs 9:10)

Fear And Knowledge

When a man does not have a fear of authority he feels impelled to do whatever he wishes. Having no fear of law enforcement drives the criminal mind to live a life outside the law because he believes he will never be caught. Even when he is caught he will find ways to evade capture or argue innocence. Rebelling against authority is the common factor of man’s nature and this is why the majority of men will be lost in eternal damnation. Jesus taught in the mountain sermon that most men will take the broad way that leads to destruction. Two reasons are given by God why this will happen: men do not fear the Lord and they do not understand the will of the Lord. The wise man declared long ago two essential elements to man’s nature must be to fear the Lord and to know the will of God to gain understanding. Why did Eve choose to eat the forbidden fruit? Satan convinced her to not fear God and to use her own wisdom to interpret the word of God. Every time man sins he fails to fear the consequences of the word of God and the punishment for disobedience. Like the criminal, sinful man believes he is above the law of God and does not believe he will be caught. There are many who do evil in this world that may never suffer the consequences of man’s law but there will be no one who stands before the judge of all men and not suffer judgment. The consequences of rebellion will be meted out in eternity.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom because it tells man who he is and what he is. Failing to appreciate his place, man believes he is the god of his world and nothing he does will have an impact on others or himself. Living without the fear of God is living life according to the fleshly desires of carnal man. What is right is determined by what man believes to be right. The world of Noah found themselves facing the wrath of God in the flood because they did not fear God. Man may not have a fear of the Creator in this life but when death takes the spirit before the presence of the Almighty he will understand a fear never felt before. Wisdom begins by having a fear of the Lord because His word is true. There are many blessings in following the will of God but there are severe penalties for those who choose to ignore the commandments of God. Satan whispers in the ear the Lord will not punish and this is the great lie. What happened to all the happiness he promised Eve in the garden? The only thing she got out of that experience was a momentary experience of pleasure and then guilt and shame filled her world. Wisdom begins with a healthy dose of the fear of God.

Learning about the Holy One will bring understanding. The Bible is written so that man can know the mind of God: His will, commandments, precepts, laws, regulations and purpose. Reading the word of God will also show the heart of man the depth of God’s love, grace, mercy, compassion and longsuffering. The Lord has always revealed Himself to man so that he can know how to live before God in righteousness, truth, obedience and love. Increasing knowledge of the holy character of the Father will create a greater love in the heart of the child. Everything man needs to know is found in the Bible so that he can be fully equipped to understand his own nature, how to deal with others and what to look forward to when life is over. The Bible is a book about the man who was made in the image of God who sent His only begotten Son to die for the sins of the man. Redemption is the central theme of the book. Man learns that he is special and that God loved him so much to give Jesus Christ as a sacrifice for sin. The fear of the Lord and the knowledge of the Holy One will change the life of anyone who recognizes the power of the word and molds their life in harmony with the will of the Lord. Fear and knowledge! Vital parts of life.

And immediately all the crowd, when they saw him, were greatly amazed and ran up to him and greeted him. And he asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?” And someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.” And he answered them, “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.” And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, “He is dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer and fasting.” (Mark 9:15-29)

Help My Unbelief

The miracles of Jesus proved that He was the Son of God as no man had ever done what He did with such authority. There was nothing that the Lord could not do as He healed all manner of diseases, raised the dead, showed His power over nature and time and had authority over all the demons. His power was dominate over all things and His words spoke with the clarity of God the Father that no man could challenge. He gave this power to a few select disciples to heal diseases, raise the dead and cast out demons. His disciples were sent out to show the power of God through the miracles testifying of the gospel of salvation to be found in the man from Nazareth. On one occasion the disciples caused a stir because they were not able to heal a man’s son from demon possession. The boy had a mute spirit that afflicted him with convulsions, gnashing of teeth and foaming at the mouth. When the father pleaded with them to heal his son they were unable to rid the boy of the spirit. It must have been disconcerting to the disciples to be shown their power was limited and they were unable to heal this boy. A great discussion ensued that caught the attention of Jesus as the people pleaded with the Lord to heal the boy. It was also a hard time for Jesus to see His disciples failing to understand the gravity of their faith in believing in the power of God. The Lord asked the father how long the spirit had possessed the boy and he answered since childhood. Pleading with Jesus, the father begged the Lord to have compassion and help them. Jesus told the father if he believed anything was possible. Immediately through tears the father cried out that he believed and implored Jesus to help his unbelief. The Lord rebuked the spirit and healed the boy. Later when the disciples asked Jesus why they could not heal the boy the Lord showed them the power of diligent faith through fasting and prayer.

The father was not a contradiction when he told Jesus that he believed yet begged Jesus to help his unbelief. His plea was a pure definition of humble faith trusting in something that was impossible yet relying on the realities of anything being possible with God. Faith is never measured in a full cup. What the father was asking of the disciples and then of Jesus was impossible because no man had the power to overcome the demons. When the disciples tried to heal the boy they lacked faith. Jesus proved that He was the Son of God when He healed the boy of the spirit. The Son of God had the power to do what was impossible and the faith of the father was assured in the power of Jesus but he also knew the limitations of what he could ask of God. He pleaded with Jesus to help his unbelief which shows the power of his faith that with the Lord nothing was impossible. Faith should never be a haughty feeling of superiority that there is no need for greater faith. The disciples could not heal the boy and it seems they had forgotten the humility of faith to trust in God. Working miracles could have insulated the disciples from the heart humbled by the power of God. They had the power to heal the boy but not the faith. The father did not have the power but he had the faith. He wanted Jesus to have compassion on him and he humbled himself to the will of the Father.

Faith is measured by our trusting in the will of God and allowing the power of God to work in our lives. There will never be a time in our lives that our faith does not need to grow and become stronger. The measure of faith will increase in our life but like the body it will always be growing and getting stronger over time. Men of faith for many years struggle with sin just as those who have begun their journey of faith. All men are under the penalty of sin and need faith to increase each day to fight against the wiles of the devil. It is easy to become complacent and think that we have grown to a level that we do not need the word of God as much or to pray as often or serve the Lord with diligence. We can look at our Christian walk as we do our jobs that after a certain amount of years we can retire and relax. As soldiers of the cross when can we lay our armor down and stop fighting? The battle rages on and the battles are many. If a man is 90 years old serving in the kingdom of Christ for 70 years he still needs to ask the Lord to help his unbelief. Why? The battle continues to rage. There will always be another hill to conquer and a foe to vanquish. Rest comes when we enter the bosom of Abraham and the glow of heaven is in our hearts. It is then we lay our armor down when our faith is complete. Until then we cry, “Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief.”

Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven. Your faithfulness endures to all generations; You established the earth, and it abides. They continue this day according to Your ordinances, for all are Your servants. Unless Your law had been my delight, I would then have perished in my affliction. I will never forget Your precepts, for by them You have given me life. I am Yours, save me; for I have sought Your precepts. The wicked wait for me to destroy me, but I will consider Your testimonies. I have seen the consummation of all perfection, but Your commandment is exceedingly broad. (Psalm 119:89-96)

The Word Of God And The Works Of God

There is nothing more evident in the natural world than the invisible attributes of God’s design and purpose. The world is filled with testimony of the Creator’s hand declaring its Maker as powerful, everlasting and awesome in the beauty from horizon to horizon. Every part of the universe cries forth the wisdom of the One who formed and molded each particle to reflect His glory. Man is without excuse as he gazes into the celestial heavens above or the mountains and valleys filling the earth and the immense blue oceans circling the globe that there is a God and Lord of all things. He can know there is a higher being that brought forth all these wonders but He cannot know the power of God’s spirit until he opens up the law of the Lord. The works of God cannot testify without the word of God. Each comes from the breath of God as the Lord formed the world by the power of His word and then revealed His mind unto man through the written word as the breath of the Holy Spirit. Truth is found in the nature of God’s creation and explained fully in the manifestation of the commandments of the Lord. One cannot exist without the other. Creation is explained by the word and the word declares the creation. The psalmist interweaves the glory of creation and the testimonies of God as codependent upon one another and showing the power of God individually.

The word of God is declared as final as it is settled in heaven. Man did not write the word of God or determine the testimonies of the Lord. It came from the breath of God and man cannot change the unchangeable word of God. Throughout all generations the message of the Lord has remained the same. Adam and Eve gazed upon the same sun, moon and stars that all men see today and the word of God is the same word given in the Garden of Eden as revealed to man today. Faith, love, obedience, trust and belief were the tenets of God’s will for Adam and Eve and these remain today as the foundational principles of the law of God. The word of God endures to all generations. What is amazing about the Bible is how it applies to those who lived in 1492 and those who live in our modern, technological and scientific world of today. It satisfied the needs of the folks who lived in the deep forest of Germany in 1123 as it does for the CEO of a large corporation on Main Street USA. The Bible is relevant to the people of Masaya, Nicaragua and the tribal leader in Afghanistan or the government worker in St. Petersburg, Russia. Like nature itself the Bible is something that is purposeful to all people in all times for all their needs. The sun shines on everyone regardless of nationality, gender or age and the Bible can light the life of all those in every nation regardless of gender, age or culture. God’s word abides today just like the earth continues to spin in its revolution around the sun.

Abiding in the truth of the law of God will bring the fulfillment of life created by the Lord. If the word of God is not in the heart of man there will be affliction. Delighting in His message of grace will save man. Life comes from the word of God because it is the breath of the Creator to His creation. Forgetting the heavenly precepts will be the worst tragedy man will bring upon himself. The psalmist found refuge in the word of God to save him from his enemies. Seeking the precepts of the Lord brings joy and safety. The wicked may seek to bring harm but resting upon the commandments of God brings hope. There is nothing that can change the word of the Lord for it is settled in heaven and affirmed by the power of God throughout every generation. Perfection can only be found in the word of God. Creation testifies to this perfection. The word declares it.

Then Judas, having received a detachment of troops, and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons. Jesus therefore, knowing all things that would come upon Him, went forward and said to them, “Whom are you seeking?” They answered Him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am He.” And Judas, who betrayed Him, also stood with them. Now when He said to them, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground. Then He asked them again, “Whom are you seeking?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus answered, “I have told you that I am He. Therefore, if you seek Me, let these go their way,” that the saying might be fulfilled which He spoke, “Of those whom You gave Me I have lost none.” (John 18:3-9)

They Came Against Jesus With Weapons

The Garden of Gethsemane was normally a place of quiet repose and reflection often used by the Lord to meet with His disciples. On this night, under a bright full moon, hundreds of men moved against twelve men who huddled in the olive groves of the mount outside Jerusalem. Jesus had drawn Himself away from His disciple to pray to His Father for the coming hour. Peter, James and John struggled to remain awake as their Lord spent time in prayer. Suddenly a large band of men consisting of Roman Soldiers, guards from the Temple, Jewish leaders and curious mobs of men appeared before Jesus. They held torches and lanterns on a bright night to emphasize their determined work of finding the man from Nazareth. Their hearts will filled with hatred to find the man called Jesus and arrest Him for blasphemy. Nothing was more intent in their evil minds than to find a way to kill this false teacher and accuser of Israel. The Roman Soldiers had their weapons of war lashed to their sides with the authority of the Roman Empire. Jewish leaders brought their cohorts of soldiers to make certain their plan to kill Jesus was carried out. Curious onlookers with a mob mentality joined the fray with clubs and torches. The multitude surged forward with angry words and malicious thoughts to find this man who claimed to be God. At the head of the mob was a familiar face to Jesus. He was one of His trusted apostles whom He loved. Judas the son of Simon Iscariot had given over the location of his Lord to the Jewish leaders for the price of a slave leading them to where he often would commune with the Lord. As the crowd approached Jesus He inquired whom they were seeking. “Jesus of Nazareth,” they answered Him. When the Lord told the rabble horde that He was the one they were looking for a remarkable thing happened. Instead of rushing Him they fell backwards. Fear clenched their hearts. The fierce mob of people brought weapons to fight if necessary but the Lord in calm tones of authority awaited their determined course. Then the soldiers bound Jesus in chains and led Him away.

What is amazing about the arrest of Jesus in the garden is the mob coming at Him with weapons and clubs. Here was the man who healed every known disease of man and they think weapons will be of impact against Him. They bring the Roman soldiers with the might of the Roman Empire against a man who raised a number of people from the dead. As the mob grew in number people began picking up clubs and sticks to fight against a man who never harmed another soul. The Jewish leaders rallied the crowd to rage to arrest this Jesus for the blasphemy they accused Him of saying He was the Son of God. Like any mob that gathers against someone or something most probably had little idea what was going on. Through the agitation of the Jewish leaders seeking to have Jesus killed large groups of people converged on the garden of Gethsemane to join in the work of arresting one man. There was no need for the mob, the clubs, the lanterns and torches. The Roman authorities could have seen a small detachment of troops to arrest one man but his was not an ordinary man. In an irony of parallels the arrest of Jesus was the commentary on the rejection of man to the saving grace of God.

Jesus will later tell Pilate if it were the Father’s will twelve legions of angels would rescue the Son of God from the clutches of human authority. All the weapons and clubs in the world could not and would not deter the will of God. Peter tried to show his courage by lunging at the servant of the high priest and did manage to cut off his ear. It seems incredulous no one noticed the miracle Jesus performed when He restored the man’s ear whole again. How could any weapon fight against such power? In the past three years what power could match the authority of Jesus of Nazareth to heal all manner of diseases, cast out demons, walk on water and calm the storm and raise the dead? If Jesus had that kind of power what value would a club or sword serve to arrest Him? When the Roman soldiers approached Jesus and bound Him in chains, how was that possible? This same man had cast out the demons from a man that could tear chains apart and yet He allowed these men to bind Him and lead Him away. Jesus did not fight against the crowd that came to him with weapons and clubs because He was giving His life for all men – including those standing before Him. He would die to show all government that He was King. His death would turn the hearts of many Jews to the Christ. Refusing to fight against the weapons of men illustrated the grace offered by God through His Son that salvation is found in servitude. Jesus died for all men giving His life to redeem man from the fear of death and sting of sin. The moment of decision in the garden of Gethsemane was the beginning of the end of Satan’s rule over man. No weapon could stand against God. The gospel is the message of God unto salvation. That is the power of Jesus Christ against the weapons of man.

And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian. (Luke 4:27)

Godly Parents In An Ungodly World

The story of Naaman the leper is one of the great Biblical examples of the power of God to heal every disease, the grace of God to have mercy on a Gentile and the influence of parents on a little maiden girl who changed the life of the Syrian commander. 2 Kings 5 is where the story is found in the Old Testament but one reference is found in the New Testament when Jesus defends Himself against the prejudices of His own people of Nazareth. He had come into the city and as was His custom read scripture on the Sabbath day before the people. His reception was anything but cordial because the people rejected Him for suggesting He was the Messiah. Using the story of Naaman as a backdrop for His rebuke of the people’s rejection of Him, Jesus reminded them of the many lepers that were in Israel during the days of Naaman but the Syrian was the only one that was cleansed of his leprosy. This was especially a vital point considering Elisha the prophet lived in Israel at the time to which Naaman had received the instructions to be cleansed of his leprosy. Those familiar with the story know that if it were not for one certain maiden girl taken captive in a raid by the army of Naaman, no one would have been healed of leprosy. Through the love of a little girl the story of Naaman and his cleansing of a dreaded disease is inscribed in holy writ.

Jeff Himmel recently presented a lesson on the little maiden and made a startling observation. The historical marker of 2 Kings 5 is during the time of the divided kingdom where all of the kings of the northern tribes were evil. Judah had a few good kings but Israel was plagued by kings like Ahab that did more evil to seduce Israel to sin than any other king. When the story of Naaman unfolds Ahab had not been dead very long. Jehoram the son of Ahab was king of Israel and he did evil in the sight of the Lord persisting in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel sin. The legacy of kings for many years was nothing but wicked idolatry and harlotry. In the midst of this troubled world a father and mother welcomed the birth of a little girl. What became of the parents is unknown and how the maiden girl was taken captive is also unknown. A band of Syrian raiders entered Israel and took the girl from her home. The scriptures do not reveal what happened to the girl’s family and whether she would ever see them again. It must have been a horrific and terrible ordeal to survive the raid and then be taken to a foreign land of uncircumcised people to become a slave. The little girl would have had more reasons to hate the Syrians as she became a slave in the house of the commander of the Syrian army. Instead she had pity and love for the leper and implored her mistress to tell Naaman of the prophet in Israel that could heal his leprosy.

Jesus said there were many lepers in Israel during the time of Naaman and yet he was the only one that was healed. One family can change the world and the family of the little maiden was a family living in the midst of an evil world yet maintaining their deeply devoted faith in God and His power. They taught their daughter to trust in the power of God and to believe in the impossible. Leprosy could not be healed without the intervention of God. The little maiden believed in the impossible and loved her enemy because her parents had taught her to love God with all her heart, soul and mind. Growing up in a world reeling from the leadership of Ahab and Jezebel and wickedness pervading the country to its very core must have been an incredible challenge of parenting. Through it all a young girl saved the life and possibly the soul of a heathen Gentile who suffered from an impossible disease. What excuses can parents offer today to not teach their children to have a deep love for God and belief in His power? Godly parents can teach their children to live a godly life in an ungodly world. The parents of the little maiden proved that and she proved her faith by her works. Parenting is tough but when things get difficult godly parents get tougher. No excuses. Thank you Jeff for pointing out the power of godly parents in an ungodly world.

Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

Why Is Modesty So Hard To Understand?

We live in a world that worships the body. It is not a new attraction as body worship has always driven man to focus on the outward appearance to allure, attract, highlight and express deep physical satisfaction with the carnal nature of fleshly desire. The world of Noah was destroyed in part because of the insatiable thirst for licentiousness and the reckless pursuit of sowing seeds of unbridled lusts with the body. What God created as a beautiful relationship in marriage has been turned by Satan into a corrupt and vile addiction to sexual immorality, immodesty and evil thoughts. The first tragedy is the destruction it brings to the world as the moral compass of society is no longer pointing to true north but to the desires and needs of the flesh. Sexual immorality is so common there is hardly a blushing face that turns away. Pornography is accepted as part of the cultural norm, homosexuality is regulated by the whims of the minority, multiple partners in marriage is no longer shocking and the dress code has become so short, so tight and so revealing the imagination is no longer used to undress a woman because she is nearly undressed herself. The second tragedy is that while the world is rotting in the cesspool of its own moral depravity the people of God are found becoming like the nations around them.

The Bible is a simple book to read and understand. It would seem incredulous that anyone would think the God who created the world in all its splendor and intricate details of divine purpose could not write a book that everyone could read and understand. Viewing the word of God is often like trying to understand the atomic levels of quantum physics from a two-year old. Nothing is further from the truth. The Holy Spirit crafted a message that anyone can read and understand the will of God. What lies at the core of the problem is the refusal of the heart to listen to the word of God and obey its precepts, judgments and commandments. Great effort will be taken to defend what a person must do to be saved but when it comes to defining modesty (or social drinking for that matter) there seems to be a clouded understanding of what the Lord demands of His people. Christians will argue long and hard or refuse to discuss the matter of modesty. They want to be like the world around them. God is clear in His message. The body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and it matters what we do with it and how we dress it. A temple is a sanctified place that honors the one intended to receive worship. When a woman becomes a Christian she has dedicated her body to glorify God and Him alone. She no longer has a right to dress her body in any fashion she chooses. The body becomes sanctified to God. It is no longer under the purview of the individual to do with the body whatever they choose to do. The body BELONGS TO GOD! Paul writes about the impact of sexual immorality in the Corinthian church illustrating the sanctity of the body as a holy temple of the Holy Spirit belonging to God. This same application is made to how a woman dresses her body. Through the blood Jesus Christ the body is bought with a price to glorify God. It belongs to God and how we dress it matters to God.

Modesty is not a cultural view or opinion of a preacher. It is something that comes from the word of God. The Lord wants the body to be used for His glory so that when the world sees the body of the Christian they see holiness, purity, sanctity and a virtue that is guarded with the blood of Jesus Christ. When a woman wears a dress that is so short the thigh is exposed she is bringing attention to her body for others to look at. Sun dresses are popular with little small straps that reveal the top of the body falling short of revealing too much but again drawing attention from others to look at the body. It seems the fashion of the world wants to expose as much as the body as possible without somehow entering into a world of illegal dress. There are many undergarments that have more cloth to them than what is considered fashionable. Clothing is worn that bears the shoulders exposing everything just north of the breasts and this is worn to worship the Lord God. Young ladies are taught to wear short dresses, short-shorts that have little material left before they become undergarments. The problem is not that women of the world are wearing this type of clothing but women who profess godliness in the form of what the world wears. Fashion is more important than holiness. Drawing the attention of others to the body is more desired than showing the example of Christ in their apparel. Is the Bible that difficult to understand that women have trouble deciding what is modest and what is not? The mirror that is used to determine modesty is the shiny reflection on the back of the door instead of the word of God. Godly women will dress to please God and Him alone. That is not hard to understand.