The Heaton File

Then they told him, and said: “We went to the land where you sent us. It truly flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. Nevertheless the people who dwell in the land are strong; the cities are fortified and very large; moreover we saw the descendants of Anak there. The Amalekites dwell in the land of the South; the Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the mountains; and the Canaanites dwell by the sea and along the banks of the Jordan.” Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.” But the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we.” And they gave the children of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, “The land through which we have gone as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great stature. There we saw the giants (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.” (Numbers 13:27-33)

Anak Versus God

Enjoyed a good Bible lesson from Paul Blake recently where he pointed out the story of the twelve spies returning from Canaan and how ten of those men discouraged the heart of the people to rebel against the Lord. Israel had been brought forth from the bondage of Egypt through the power of God and stood on the threshold of a land promised for many generations through Abraham. Everything was in place for the story to continue and the joy of entering a land flowing with milk and honey would be realized. The evidence of God’s power would be fresh on the minds of the Hebrews as they saw firsthand the plagues leveled against the nation of Egypt and the incredible miracle of the parting of the Red Sea. For the past few months they had stood at the mountain of God seeing and hearing the presence of the Lord as the Law was delivered by the hand of Moses. The enemies who stood against the nation were defeated. Food and water were given to the people in abundance. Israel was standing in a place called Kadesh-Barnea and the only thing that remained was the courage to enter the promised land and enjoy the endless blessings of their Savior. When ten of the leaders of the people gave their report, their lack of faith and trust in the Lord was clearly evident.

The report of the ten spies was discouraging. What they saw were a strong people dwelling in very large fortified cities. It must be remembered that just a few months earlier this great nation was enslaved by the Egyptians as brick makers. Immediately following their deliverance they fought against the Amalekites and by God’s power defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. The Lord had shown His might throughout their journey to Canaan instilling in their minds that no matter what they faced God would take care of them. Seeing the large cities and the strength of the people melted the hearts of the ten spies. What made the situation worse were the giants in the land descending from Anak. These people were giants described as great and tall. Imposing in their presence, the ten spies did not believe they could be defeated. It was thought that no one could stand against the descendants of Anak. Sadly, all the lessons God had taught the people of His greatness fell into the shadows of the fear of the sons of Anak. Only two of the spies believed they could defeat the people of Canaan: Joshua and Caleb. They knew God’s power would give them victory regardless of how tall the people of Anak were because they knew that God “was taller than anyone.” Caleb told the people they were “well able to overcome” if only they would believe. The nation of Israel would wander forty years because they feared Anak more than God. What could not be done at Kadesh-Barnea would be accomplished forty years later against a great and fortified city of Jericho.

There are many children of Anak in our lives today. The fears that fill the mind with doubt, despair and uncertainty cripple the hearts of God’s people to carry out the work of the church, live with courage in their daily walk and believe that eternal life is real. It is easy to love God but then we do not trust Him. The Lord has shown through His word the incredible stories of His power and yet we fear Anak. Throughout the lives of His children the Father imprints His love upon their hearts and yet they still cringe in fear of disease, war, economics and immorality. Anak is alive and well today but like the days of Kadesh-Barnea we must have the faith of Caleb to say we can overcome and we can change the world. Churches are dying because they fear Anak. The faith of God’s people is waning because the children of Anak oppress their hearts. There is no fear when we see that God is mightier than the giants of Anak. Nothing will stand in the way of the purpose of the Lord and when His people realize what power is waiting for them to exercise, the gospel will be spread to very corner of every community and the church of Jesus Christ will grow and increase. Do not let the fear of Anak subdue what can be done through Christ. Take up the banner of faith and fight – the victory has already been assured. Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.

So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings. And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?” So he said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.” (Genesis 3:6-10)

The Fear That Comes From Sin

Adam and Eve lived in paradise with everything they needed for complete happiness but were not satisfied. There was nothing lacking in God’s care for them as they communed first hand with the Lord. Satan knew he could destroy the relationship between man and God if he could convince them the joys they would have in taking the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. The ploy of the devil was to make Eve question the word of God and see how fulfilling it would be to take of what she knew was forbidden. Deep inside Eve knew she should not take of the fruit but for a moment’s reckless folly she took the fruit and ate. Giving some to Adam he knew what he was doing was wrong but like Eve thought the moment pleasurable and he ate. For a brief moment there was great joy and satisfaction. Almost everything they thought would come to pass happened as they drank deeply from the succulent taste of the fruit. What was forbidden was now enjoyed; that which had such a great appeal was now theirs; in that flicker of time when everything highlighted the pleasure of sin Adam and Eve felt the rush of happiness. And then everything came crashing down.

The eyes of Adam and Eve were opened to a world they had never experienced before. Remorse flooded their soul and shame filled their hearts. It was a crushing blow to the holiness and righteous feeling of being close to God and walking with Him in the cool of the day. They looked at one another and felt the immense shame of their nakedness. Instinctively they felt exposed and humiliated seeking to cover themselves with loin coverings of fig leaves. Now hearing the sound of God walking through the garden they experienced something that was more dreadful than anything they could have ever imagined – fear. Hiding among the trees of the garden the hearts of Adam and Eve beat wildly with sorrow, regret and unbearable pain. God called to them and with trembling voice they answered. They were afraid, terribly afraid of the judgment of their Creator as they hid from His face. Through the grace and mercy of God they would be spared but taken away from their paradise home and the joy of walking hand in hand with the Lord. Life would now be hard and toilsome as they were expelled from Eden to walk on the earth as sinful people needing the grace of God. There would be many other times in 930 years that Adam struggled with sin. He would feel the same remorse, sorrow and guilt as he did the first time. By the love of God he would know salvation.

Sin has not changed. It still has the same result but the reaction of man is what can change. There is pain and sorrow when sin invades the heart. Satan tempts the heart of man to take a morsel of pleasure for the passing fancy of rebelling against the holiness of God but all man finds is the deep hurt caused by turning away from God. There has never been any lasting joy to sin. Darkness is the veil of its covering and despair is always its nature. The heart of the servant of God will feel the crushing blow of sins painful sting seeking reconciliation to the holiness of the Lord. David felt this pain with Bathsheba. Moses in his misdirected anger immersed himself in the contriteness of his heart when he sinned against God. Peter was crushed beyond measure when sin overtook his heart to deny Jesus Christ. Sin is not a mistake, a misjudgment of character or something to trifle with. The nature of sin is a horrible, sinking, disparity of soul experience that should bring every man to his knees begging the forgiveness of God. Joy in sin will never be found but joy in Christ is always promised. Through the eternal love of the Father and the unselfish sacrifice of His Son, hope brightens the soul to feel the grace of God that removes the sting of sin. There are no words in any language that can describe the incredible kindness of God to allow man to seek His glory to remove the stain of sin from the heart. Thank you Father for Your longsuffering and forgiveness. How great a God we serve.

Remember the word to Your servant, upon which You have caused me to hope. This is my comfort in my affliction, for Your word has given me life. The proud have me in great derision, yet I do not turn aside from Your law. I remembered Your judgments of old, O Lord, and have comforted myself. Indignation has taken hold of me because of the wicked, who forsake Your law. Your statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage. I remember Your name in the night, O Lord, and I keep Your law. This has become mine, because I kept Your precepts. (Psalm 119:49-56)

Hope And Life Is In The Word

There is only source of hope when facing affliction and that must come from the word of God. Since the beginning of time the Creator has revealed to the creation all the answers to life by revealing through the word His divine will. Whether orally delivered or written down, God’s word has been the only source of comfort man can find when he faces the many challenges of life. The wisdom of man is weak compared to the knowledge of the Lord who made man in His image. Knowledge of the mind of God is where the cause of hope and life will be found because the word of the Lord is established upon His promises that never fail. Men will try to keep their word to other men and fail more times than succeed. When the Lord speaks a word of promise it is sure, steadfast and unmovable. God has never failed in any promise (good and bad) He has made and the testimony of His word proves it. As the psalmist crafts his psalm about the law of God he remembers when he faced affliction he reflected upon the hope he had given to the word of God and it delivered him from the pains of his suffering. Life is found in meditating on the words of the Savior. Proud men afflict the author but he turns to the word of God for his trust. Looking back into the stories of old the heart is established upon the firm promises of God because they are true and righteous. From the Garden of Eden to the flood of Noah and the incredible promises to Abram, the Lord God has kept His promises and kept His word. What better foundation to build a life of trust upon than secure the anchor of faith to the word of God.

The tragedy of the wicked is the belief they can save themselves apart from the word of God. When men begin to take the presence of God out of their lives they remove the only hope and life man has. It is like trying to survive without air or to remove all the blood that flows in the veins. Man cannot live without the word of God and yet the life-giving power of His law is rejected for the failed philosophies of carnal man. The psalmist could see the mistakes the wicked made in forsaking the law of God. They were not happy. There was no joy in their lives. All the puny efforts made by the wicked to save themselves apart from the law of God failed and failed miserably. Generations upon generations try to come up with a better plan than the word of God and find their knowledge is as limited as the knowledge of the ancients. The word given to Abraham in the early days of the earth is as true in the modern day of technology and science. His statues are true and everlasting and the wisdom of man is always failing. History bears this truth as clearly as the revealed word of God.

God’s word brings fulfillment and joy. The statutes of God are words that should fill the heart as a song of praise. From early childhood His word should be embedded into the soul of man so that he will know and understand the hope found in trusting the Creator and Maker of all things. Meditating on the word is the joy of the heart as the name of God is remembered day and night. Keeping the law of God is the will of man bending to the mind of his Creator so that he can find hope and life. Treasuring the word in the heart will give man the answers to life and death and what lies beyond the valley of death. There is nothing in the wisdom of man that has seen the other side of death than the word of God. Only through the knowledge of God’s word can man see where he came from and why he is here. No other book will answer those questions and bring hope and life to the soul of man than the word of God. Following the precepts of the Lord will bring the only happiness a man will find in life. Every effort to deny the message and live apart from the commandments of the Lord will end in misery and hopelessness. Let the word of God give you life and you will find hope that is without measure.

If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed. O Lord, come! (1 Corinthians 16:22)

Would You Hire Paul?

It would be hard to imagine how difficult the task of writing a church like Corinth and dealing with all the problems they faced and many they brought on themselves. Paul was a master craftsman selecting the right words and exhortations to admonish the saints, rebuke their sin and challenge the spirit to be united in Christ. His letters to Corinth are classical examples of tact, diplomacy and gentleness all wrapped into one. The ending of the letter does not go unheeded as he simply, boldly and clearly sums up the message – if you do not love Christ there is no hope. It becomes an emphatic statement of truth that brings all of his arguments to bear on the hearts of the disciples. There are no vague exhortations in this letter. Paul demands by the authority of Christ for the brethren to shape their lives in accordance to the will of the Father or else. This is hard preaching but must be heard. If the love of the Lord Jesus Christ is not first in the hearts of the saints then they should expect the wrath of God. Truth does not change because of a misguided view of what is right and wrong. Believing the world is flat does not make the world flat; it just deceives the mind of those who believe in falsehood. What Paul dealt with at Corinth was a multiplicity of problems plaguing the early church and the only solution was to make the heart right with God so the sin would be removed. Hard preaching. A tough message. Bold truth. There are two choices: either serve God and live or to rebel against the gospel and perish.

Preaching in the New Testament was not a watered down message of accommodating truths based on any man’s endowments of wealth, standing or popularity. The message of the gospel was a two-edged sword piercing to the marrow of the soul and discerning the spirits of truth and righteousness. Paul’s final admonition was a demonstrative message about Jesus Christ. There is only one Lord and service to Christ must be total and absolute. Minimal Christians were unacceptable who sought to do as little as they could and be impressed with a cavalier view of obedience. If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ he was to be accursed or anathema. There are a lot of churches of the Lord today that would not allow Paul to preach for them. His message would be too stern and revealing. It must be said the apostle began his letter with love and compassion for the brethren. He spoke of his continual thanksgiving for their faith remembering them in his prayers. What remained were the many problems the church had and quickly the apostle directed his letter to their division and carnality. With a pen of love he stripped away the façade of their hypocrisy allowing a man with his father’s wife to be accepted among the saints. Their mockery of the supper of Christ, rebellion of women, legal wrangling, insensitivity to others, abuse of the spiritual gifts and denial of the resurrection of Jesus all became the foundation of his message to the saints. Repent was the message of the day. There could be no quarter given to the appeal he gave the Corinthians to correct their lives to be in harmony with the word of God. He was not suggesting things they should be doing but commanding them to repent. Paul said what Jesus said Himself: if you love God you will obey His commandments. There is nothing else a man can do to find happiness before the Lord but to love Him and obey Him. If you do not love the Lord Jesus Christ you are in serious trouble.

Many churches today do not hear the message of God’s love and His wrath. Often they hear only one to the detriment of the other. Preaching only the love of God will not bring about a heart of repentance and fear. Suggesting the wrath of God is all a person must hear will create a heart of unrighteous fear and loathing for the Lord. Paul had a huge problem to deal with at Corinth and he began his letter showing the love of God. Throughout the message he used the style of steel and velvet to impress upon the hearts of the saints the love of God and the will of the Lord. When he finished his letter he announced to every child of God a choice must be made and that choice will determine the eternal destiny of the soul. If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ with all their heart, soul and mind they would be accursed. Loving the Lord is not just in name alone. Showing up for services does not prove love. Expressing love is through the action of the heart, hand and mind giving them totally to the word of God. Do you have a man who will preach like the apostle Paul? The whole counsel of God includes the goodness and severity of God. Sin must be rooted out and challenged. Love is at the root of the message for the salvation of the soul. Preach the whole counsel of God. Anything less is not the gospel. Preach the word.

Then one in the council stood up, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in respect by all the people, and commanded them to put the apostles outside for a little while. And he said to them: “Men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what you intend to do regarding these men. For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody. A number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was slain, and all who obeyed him were scattered and came to nothing. After this man, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census, and drew away many people after him. He also perished, and all who obeyed him were dispersed. And now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing; but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it—lest you even be found to fight against God.” (Acts 5:34-39)

Theudas Claimed To Be Somebody But Was Not

The church of the Lord suffered persecution from its infancy as the Jews responded to the teaching that Jesus of Nazareth was the promised Christ of Old Testament scrip. When Peter and John healed the lame man at the Temple it caused a great stir among the religious leaders who demanded explanations from the apostles for what they had done and why they were teaching a risen Jesus. These events were not far removed from the life of Jesus Christ and His miracles and teaching. For a second time the apostles were arrested and thrown into the common prison but an angel of the Lord set them free. The next day when the High priest and elders found the apostles preaching in the Temple they brought them before the council warning them to stop teaching in the name of Jesus. Peter declared they would obey the command of God over the pressures of the Jewish leaders continuing to teach that Jesus was raised from the dead exalted to the right hand of God as Prince and Savior. Infuriated by their insolence, the council sought to kill the apostles. It was Gamaliel, a teacher of the law that intervened and counseled the Sanhedrin to be very cautious of the apostles and their work. There was something clearly different about these men who followed Christ and Gamaliel knew the dangers of fighting against the plan of God.

Jesus was not the first person to claim to be the Messiah or Christ. Many false prophets had risen trying to lead the people away. Gamaliel mentions two men who tried to lead a rebellion claiming to be someone important but met with failure instead. Theudas rose up claiming to be somebody and a large number of men gathered around him. Four hundred followers joined Theudas in his quest for power. It all came to nothing when he was slain and his followers scattered. Judas of Galilee was another man who claimed to be someone but he was killed and his movement came to nothing. Gamaliel’s point was very clear in comparisons. Theudas and Judas lead a revolt but were killed and the movement died. Jesus of Nazareth had done remarkable things in His life and was killed like others who tried to be someone. The difference was that now His followers claimed to have seen this Jesus alive after a public crucifixion and death and their numbers were not dwindling but increasing. Thuedas claimed to be someone and came to nothing; Jesus claimed to be someone and everything proved Him to be right. The apostles stood before the Jewish council having been warned previously to stop teaching in the name of Jesus and nothing was going to dissuade them from teaching a risen Savior. These men were remarkable in their devotion to Christ and Gamaliel could sense the purpose of God in their lives. He knew if this religious movement was true nothing man could do would stop it.

Two thousand years later the words of Gamaliel continue to ring true. Men like Theudas have come and gone a thousand times. They claim to be someone but are found to be frauds, charlatans and liars. Jesus claimed to be the Son of God. This claim was a bold proclamation that on the surface the Jews had every right to challenge. It was blasphemy for anyone to declare themselves to be God when no man could take on the mantle of deity without the authority from the Lord God. What the Jews could not see and refused to admit was that Jesus claimed to be the Son of God and proved He was deity by His teaching and His miracles. Four hundred men followed Theudas and when their leader was killed the movement came to nothing. Thousands of people followed Jesus and when He was killed His disciples would later be found throughout the world proclaiming the message of a risen Savior. This message continues today because the message is true. With each passing year the words of Gamaliel ring clearer and louder as the work of the man from Nazareth continues to change hearts and turn men to God. It will never be overthrown or come to naught because the message of Jesus Christ is eternal in its nature and saving in its power. Followers of Jesus continue to multiply and nothing in this world will destroy it. The church has suffered greatly from apostasy as men have sought to change the character of the church. With all the challenges from the apostate Roman Catholic Church to the minions of its followers in the Protestant creations of men, the New Testament church of Jesus Christ remains the same. Men like Theudas will try to challenge the plan of God but they will always come to nothing. There is one Lord, one faith, one body, one church and one way. The kingdom of God will continue as long as the earth remains because that is His plan.

Now I myself am confident concerning you, my brethren, that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another. (Romans 15:14)

Three Points Of Confidence

Paul’s letter to the saints in Rome is a powerful declaration of the grace of God saving all men through the death of Jesus Christ. The Jews could not boast of their spiritual heritage as an advantage over the Gentiles and salvation would not be granted by living as a law to self. In his closing remarks to a heavily filled message of the doctrine of the gospel, the apostle tells them his purpose in writing and his confidence in their faith. It is a wonderful three part exhortation that would be invaluable for any Christian to emulate and pattern their life after. Paul knows these brethren were full of good works, filled with the knowledge of Christ and they genuinely cared for each other. Being full of good works expresses the kindness and benevolent heart shared by the saints in Rome. Their relationship with one another was not filled with hatred against one another as Jew and Gentile but accepting and willing to grow together in the gospel. There had been doctrinal issues that caused problems within the church but Paul was confident the overriding spirit of goodness prevailed in their hearts to work out their salvation with fear and trembling. The tools to congregational harmony come from saints who have the virtues of kindness in their attitudes respecting the unique character of everyone. It was difficult to convince the Jews and Gentiles to sit together, worship together and to be as one with each other but in Christ it could be done. Having a spirit of goodness paths the way for unity. They not only possessed it; they were full of it.

Brethren who share the word of God together grow together in the love of God. Their love for one another comes from a common bond of knowing the will of God. The word of God always unites people under one flag of allegiance and loyalty. Learning about the word brought their lives into one foundation of truth. The knowledge of Christ does not divide. With each kernel of truth the heart draws closer to the Father and with that knowledge is drawn in greater harmony with the children of God. The Roman church was filled with the knowledge of Christ which produced in Paul a confidence they would take his letter on its merit of God’s word and bring unity between Jew and Gentile. No congregation can survive if the study of the word is not emphasized and implemented as the foundational work of the church. The Bible must be at the forefront to know God, understand the person of Jesus Christ and be filled with Spirit of the Lord.

Finally Paul exhorted the saints in Rome to admonish, instruct and teach one another. A congregation filled with the goodness of benevolence and the knowledge of Christ will build the spirits of others up in their love for one another and the vigilant stand for truth. All men need encouragement and in the body of Christ one of the most important elements of unity is found in the character of building others up in the most holy faith. Filled with the word of God creates an atmosphere of power where all the souls are united for the common cause. No one is left behind. The weak are built up, the needy taken care of, the downtrodden exhorted and the examples of faith are followed. Commending and praising one another in the faith of Christ increases the strength of the work of God. There is a spirit of excitement and joy when saints come together because they know everyone is seeking their exhortation. Forsaking the assembly destroys that fabric but gathering as people of God to study, sing, pray, praise and worship the Lord is a mantle of strength that will carry the heart throughout the week. Like the early saints, daily exhortation is needed also. Never losing the desire to be with one another is a mark of a growing church. Home Bible studies, recreation with holy people of God and sharing in meals together is a means of admonishing one another. The church that spends time together grows together. Built upon the goodness of one another, being filled with the knowledge of Christ and seeking opportunities to instruct the hearts of all saints will bring great joy to the Lord and unity among brethren.

And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:4)

Why Is There Pain?

The greatest joy a man can have is to know a day will come when the shackles of life that oppress, subdue and afflict the body will be taken away and an eternal relief is granted by the grace of God by removing death, sorrow, crying and pain. Four pillars of life are defined by the Lord why there is suffering in this world and a longing for eternal life. There are few who live in the world that does not experience the death of a loved one, the sorrows of life filled with endless tears and the pain that accompanies the body and the soul. All men will suffer; some more than others. There are many uncertainties of life but these are all real and certain. It is not a matter of if they will happen but when they will occur. God created the eyes to fill with tears because grief is a natural part of life. He made man in the image of the creature that feels emotions on an eternal plane that is torn with grief. Death is real and it comes to all men with no exceptions. Sorrow fills the voids of life in an endless parade of events that often go unanswered. Babies cry, young children cry, men and women of all ages and nationalities grieve with tears flowing down the cheeks because God fashioned the body of man to shed tears. He created the emotion of sorrow to help deal with the emptiness grief brings.

Pain is a part of the world for one reason and one reason only: the rebellion of man to the law of God. Sin is where pain originated. When Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden there was no pain. Their bodies were equipped for grief, sorrow and tears but pain had not entered the world of man because sin had not darkened the soul of man. As a result of sin, man experienced the feeling of emptiness separated from God. The consequence of sin was the loss of the tree of Life and man began to die. Adam lived 930 years but he died. Methuselah may have lived the longest of any known man on earth but he still died. Jesus suffered the pains of life before the cross. He knew what it was like to sorrow at the death of others when he wept for Lazarus and for the city of Jerusalem. His heart was rent in two at the hypocrisy of the religious leaders. Pain was a part of His life like it is a part of all men. Why is pain so important and why did God create pain? It shows that we are alive and it gives us hope for a better world.

When a hand is placed on a hot surface there is an immediate reaction of searing pain. This proves there is life and without this mechanism of pain the body would be destroyed. God put pain in life to remind man that he is alive. Pain teaches man to depend on the Lord and to know sorrow helps man understand who he is and why he was made in the image of God. Life here is not supposed to be a time of the greatest joy. If there was no pain, sorrow, tears or death here why would there be any appeal for heaven? These four realities help us see more clearly a need to be with God in eternity rather than living in this world. Men work hard to make this world their home when in fact this world is set to be destroyed and all its works. All that man works for remains when he dies. Happiness is not to be found here but in a world where pain, sorrow, tears and death is taken away: Heaven. God knows we have pain – He created it. When we see His purpose in our pain and sorrow then we can learn how to understand sorrow and to live fuller lives with His promises. “Great grief is a divine and terrible radiance which transfigures the wretched” (Victor Hugo; Les Miserables, 1862).

Walk prudently when you go to the house of God; and draw near to hear rather than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they do evil. Do not be rash with your mouth, and let not your heart utter anything hastily before God. For God is in heaven, and you on earth; therefore let your words be few. For a dream comes through much activity, and a fool’s voice is known by his many words. When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it; for He has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you have vowed— better not to vow than to vow and not pay. Do not let your mouth cause your flesh to sin, nor say before the messenger of God that it was an error. Why should God be angry at your excuse and destroy the work of your hands? For in the multitude of dreams and many words there is also vanity. But fear God. (Ecclesiastes 5:1-7)

Speaking To God

The house of God was a place of reverence, fear and glory. Solomon constructed the magnificent place of the Lord following the instructions of his father, David. His temple would stand as a place of the holiness of God dwelling with His people for many years. Like the Tabernacle of old, the Temple in Jerusalem would be a place the people of God would sacrifice offerings seeking the pleasure of the Lord. Going to the house of the Lord has never been something to be taken for granted. There was a need to guard the steps of one’s heart approaching worship. This would especially be true of the words of dedication given at the temple. Solomon warned the heart should be careful not to utter frivolity or insincere words of devotion to the Lord because the righteousness of God would see through hypocrisy. His exhortation is to draw close to worship intending to listen more closely than offering up words of foolishness. Worship is directed toward the character of God; not the talents of men. Those who come before the Lord may impress others with their words of ostentatious braggadocios but He knows the intent of the heart. Man can easily forget that he is the clay and the Lord is the potter hastily speaking with disrespect and dishonor. A fool’s voice is known by his many words. Overcompensating for the inadequacies of an evil heart, the fool will try to impress God with his wisdom and great oratory. Nothing is more silly or useless than the creation trying to impress the Creator. Prudence is needed when coming before the Lord.

Worship is a direct relationship between man and God. The shorter the line the clearer the message. God has made His message as succinct as possible expecting man to recognize the relationship as one of truth and clarity. When a man makes a vow before God there should be no thought of reneging on the promise. It becomes a matter of a man’s word to be faithful to what he has committed himself to do. This is imperative for man to see the promise made to God is absolute devotion. It would be better to remain silent and make no promise than to try and fool the Lord God. When a promise fails the man may try to excuse himself for his failures when in fact the reason was because he never intended to fulfill the promise he made to God. This man is a fool. The admonition of Solomon is summed up in two words: fear God. There is nothing the Lord does not know and He knows the heart of man. Man can fool other men and never be discovered. Trying to fool the all-knowing, all-present and all-powerful Lord God is an exercise in eternal foolishness.

The temple of Solomon has long been laid to waste and men no longer worship in a singular place or nation. What the son of David said about going to the house of God has never changed. There is still a need to walk prudently or carefully when approaching the Lord to worship Him. This would be true when the assembly is called and during the busy days of the week. Worship is collective and individual and being rash with the mouth or uttering anything without respect for the holiness of God is a fool’s journey. The Lord knows the heart of all men. Everyone will be judged by their words which should serve as a warning and admonition to be more careful about crafting the words that come from the mouth. Good things come from good hearts and evil words come from evil hearts. Gossip is from an evil heart and is foolish. Cursing decries the nature of God, anger expresses a carnal heart, and lying is the ultimate foolishness of a wicked mind trying to fool the Lord. Promises made to God must be kept or not made at all. Marriage vows are sacred because they are made as an oath before the One who ordained the union. Promises made to one another should always be tempered by the promises made to God. When going to the house of the Lord words should be few and devotion multiplied. He allows man to come into His presence and what an incredible blessing to be able to speak to the Creator of the world, Savior of all men and Lord God the Almighty. Watch what is said.

Let Your mercies come also to me, O Lord; Your salvation according to Your word. So shall I have an answer for him who reproaches me, for I trust in Your word.

And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth, for I have hoped in Your ordinances. So shall I keep Your law continually, forever and ever.

And I will walk at liberty, for I seek Your precepts. I will speak of Your testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed.

And I will delight myself in Your commandments, which I love. My hands also I will lift up to Your commandments, which I love, and I will meditate on Your statutes.

(Psalm 119:41-48)

The Salvation That Comes From The Word

There is no greater message given to man than the words of the Creator to His creation. Revealed in the Bible is the way of truth according to the One who designed, ordained and created the nature of man to seek holiness, righteousness and godliness. The free moral agency of man allows him to choose how to live his life and often he will choose to live apart from the word of God. From the beginning of time the way of goodness has always been revealed through the testimony of divine word. Whether spoken orally or written down, the word of God has always been fully revealed to man that he may seek after the promises of the Lord God. Contained in these promises is the full life intended by the Creator to bring the greatest happiness for man. Salvation only comes from the word of God and the divine truth is the only measure of what a man must do to be saved. How does one answer the questions of life? Where can man go to find out where he came from, why he is here and what future is ahead for him? The making of many books there is no end but there has always been one avenue of knowledge that directs man in the way of truth: the word of God. Answers to all of life’s puzzling inquiries can be found in the word of God. Through its pages the Lord is revealed as faithful, true and never fails on a promise He has made. Reading the word of God will teach a man to trust in the love of God because it never fails. Meditating on the stories of holy writ will fill the heart with the hope of everlasting life as the word of truth reveals the character of God to a needy heart. Many men live hopeless lives because they seek answers from their own wisdom. The law of the Lord abides forever and ever. Trusting in the word of God will bring hope to a hopeless heart, faith to a faithless spirit and love to an empty life.

Throughout this great psalm is the recognition of what the word of God means to man. It is the word of truth, ordinances, law, precepts, testimonies, commandments and statutes of God. Looking for answers apart from the word of God is futile. There can be no hope if a man does not walk in the liberty given by the Lord in His word. Seeking the precepts or teachings of righteousness will turn the heart of man to trust in the promises of God. Faith comes by hearing because in the word of God a man learns the commandments of the Lord and willingly walks according to those statutes. Through the knowledge of the word of God a man is willing to speak before kings the testimonies of the Lord without any trepidation. Boldness comes from knowing the word of God. There is clarity and understanding trusting in the divine word of truth established by the mouth of God. The wisdom of man is futile because it is always changing. Trusting in the word of God is finding the rock of salvation that will not move or change at the whims of man. No book contains such knowledge as found in the word of God, the Bible. It is the message of hope because it can be trusted. Seeking the precepts of the Lord brings freedom to man in his knowledge of the divine way.

Reading the word of God brings happiness as one delights in the truth of God. Commandment keeping is not a drudgery whereby man is bound to walk in an unhappy and miserable state of mind. Loving the commands of God is for the joy of man to find true fulfillment in the plan created by his God. The word of the Lord has always been to bring happiness to man through the divine will. To delight in the commandments of God is to create a deep love for the Father. Measured in the words of the Father to His children are His protection, care, trust, nourishment, providence and promises of a greater day on the eternal shore. Expressions of joy fill the heart as the commandments of God are established before the eyes of man. Meditating on the statutes of God bring joy and peace. The word of the Lord is salvation. Nothing will bring greater joy than the time spent in trusting, hoping, and keeping, walking, seeking, speaking, delighting and loving the word of God. Salvation is found in the sixty-six books of the heavenly library.

So when they saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously.” And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” But they did not understand the statement which He spoke to them. Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them, but His mother kept all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. (Luke 2:48-52)

Jesus On Mother’s Day

The celebration of Mother’s Day is a special day to honor the woman who bore a child into a world through the procreative power of God. Child birth is the closest thing to a man producing a miracle as the Lord gives life to the seed of man and woman growing into a newborn nine months later. With the exception of Adam and Eve, every human has come into the world through the agency of motherhood including the Son of God. All men have had human fathers that procreated the seed in the woman with the exception of Adam, Eve and Jesus Christ. Adam was formed of the dust of the ground, Eve from the rib of man and Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit. Mary was very favored to be chosen to be the mother of Jesus. This would not make her an object of worship as the Roman Catholic Church has done for centuries but rather a symbol of God’s love for man to bring His Son into the world in the fashion – almost – as all men. Jesus was conceived in the womb by the Spirit of God and grew in Mary’s womb until the time of her deliverance. He had an umbilical cord, ten toes and ten fingers and cried as all newborn babies do at birth. Jesus learned how to eat, stumbled a lot before learning how to walk and mastered the language of His birthright. He was taught that one plus one equals two and the bright ball in the sky was called the Sun with the Moon glowed in the dark. It must have been many precious moments in the early childhood of Jesus that He recalled the soothing voice of His mother singing to him and teaching Him about God’s word and the importance of the Temple and worship. He knew the protective care of Mary as they traveled to a far off land called Egypt after those strange men from the East visited them. Life in the town of Nazareth was filled with the sights and sounds of a carpenter’s town. Jesus would enjoy the company of his brothers and sisters watching them grow to maturity, marry and have children. Life was ideal for the supposed son of Joseph.

Jesus began His ministry at the age of thirty and Mary was nearly always there as He moved about the land of Israel. Joseph apparently had died sometime before then and often Mary would appear on the pages of scripture to encourage and help her son. At times she would bring her other children to see Jesus. The most poignant scene of Jesus and Mary was when He was nailed to the cross. As the Son of God writhed in pain on the cross, His mother and aunt along with a few other disciples stood watching Jesus die. The heart of Mary must be been bursting at the seams to see what they had done to that little boy she first laid eyes on in Bethlehem. Her son was being killed on a Roman cross and He had done nothing wrong. She knew without a doubt her son as the Son of God because no man could be born as Jesus. Her faith was so incredible that she stood at the cross and said nothing. Jesus did not need to hear her say anything because He could see it in her face. With tears streaming down her wearied and beleaguered face, Mary wept for sorrow and for joy. Sorry because of her love for her son. Joy because she knew who her son was and knew this was God’s plan. Jesus was not unaware of His mother’s grief. He had energy enough to ask the apostle John to care for His mother and to tell His mother that He loved her. She had kept so many things in her heart over the years. Her faith in God sustained her in that dark day of Jesus death. The last reference given of Mary the mother of Jesus is when the church began on the Day of Pentecost. She was numbered with the early disciples. What a joy to see a mother’s faith responding to the mission and work of her son. It is intriguing to think of Mary’s contribution to the story of the risen Christ in the first century church.

There is no doubt that Jesus is the Son of God. He declared His power and glory through His life and glorified the Father in His death. But even the Son of God honored His mother. Joseph and Mary taught Jesus everything He needed to know as a young Jewish boy growing up in Galilee. Jesus was subject to His mother and honored His mother because of who she was. Not just a chosen vessel to bring the Christ into the world but a woman of godly character who believed in the promises of God. Mary was His mother and Jesus followed the pattern of revering His mother in every way prescribed by the law of God. The Son of God gave honor to His mother increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. She was His teacher, mentor, guide and confidant in the glory of God’s grace. Jesus celebrated mother’s day every day He was with His mother and told her how much He loved her every day. Thank you Jesus for leaving us a pattern of love and respect for our mothers.