The Heaton File

By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks. (Hebrews 11:4)

The Faith Of Abel

It is difficult to imagine how the world looked in the days of Adam and Eve post-Eden. Created and placed in the beautiful garden by the Lord, Adam and Eve had no peers, no history, and no books written thousands of years previous and little to go on as to the lessons of life. The first days after being expelled from the garden must have been incredible. A shelter had to be provided, food gathered and the common necessities of life realized. What was it like when Adam first created fire? When did he plant his first crop? The sun and moon that dazzles the sky today is the same heavenly bodies Adam and Eve gazed upon those first days of the earth. When Eve became pregnant with Cain no one was there to tell her what was happening and certainly Adam marveled at the process of birth. Then a second son was born, Abel and other children. As the story of early earth unfolds the two brothers Cain and Abel offered sacrifices to the Lord. Worship has always been a part of the relationship between God and man. It would seem likely Adam and Eve offered sacrifices to the Lord and taught their sons faith in the Creator Lord. The first son of creation was a man of impure motives and the Lord did not accept his sacrifice. His brother Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice and God signified the righteousness of his faith.

Faith comes from hearing and this can only come from the word of God. The character of faith has always come from listening to the will of the Lord as directed by the author of the law. Those who obey the will of God today are the recipients of nearly three thousand years of history to read and understand the mind of God. The law given to Moses was written over a thousand years before the birth of Christ. It has been two thousand years from the writings of the early church. The Bible is the complete revelation of God’s will to all men produced in written form so that all men can read and understand what they must do to be saved. What did Abel have? Where was the lineage of spiritual history dating back thousands of years that he could rely upon to serve his God? His parents were the first man and woman of all humanity. They could stand at the edge of Eden and tell about the joys found inside the garden when they walked and talked with God in the cool of the day. The four rivers of Eden reminded Adam and Eve of the beauty found in the garden: Pishon, Gihon, Hiddekel and the Euphrates. Barred from entering the garden, Adam and Eve could only tell Abel of the days spent in the presence of God. Abel learned faith in the Lord God to do all that was asked of him. His faith was rooted in the short time man existed on earth and yet his faith still speaks to all men today.

God has revealed Himself through the written word to bring men to His Son Jesus Christ. Many struggle in giving their faith to the will of the Lord and yet Abel – who had so little to compare as men find today – offered up his sacrifice in complete faith finding favor with the Lord because of his righteousness. The Bible does not reveal what level of faith Abel had and what he understood about the whole scheme of things comparative to the eternal plan of God but what is known about Abel is that he had simple faith to do what was asked of him and he obeyed. His righteousness was not based on three thousand years of knowledge compiled in a book. The will of the Lord was what motivated Abel to offer a sacrifice that pleased his heavenly Father. In so many ways we are blessed to have the body of knowledge preserved through the centuries to guide our faith, build our faith and establish our faith in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. What is sad is how little we know about the word of God and how challenged our faith becomes when we do not know how to offer acceptable worship to the Lord. Abel still speaks today and his voice is loud. If he were living today he would preach a message of repentance. The sweet incense of his sacrifice still permeates the gospel of the heavenly Father to exhort His people to learn from the life of Abel, son of Adam and Eve. He obtained witness that he was righteous. God testified to all men since the beginning of time of the gift of sacrifice offered by Abel. And though Abel is dead, he still speaks.

If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true. There is another who bears witness of Me, and I know that the witness which He witnesses of Me is true. You have sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. Yet I do not receive testimony from man, but I say these things that you may be saved. He was the burning and shining lamp, and you were willing for a time to rejoice in his light.

But I have a greater witness than John’s; for the works which the Father has given Me to finish—the very works that I do—bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me. And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form. But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe.

You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life. I do not receive honor from men. But I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you. I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive. How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God?

Do not think that I shall accuse you to the Father; there is one who accuses you—Moses, in whom you trust. For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words? (John 5:31-47)

Right God, Wrong Lord

Jesus was born in the lineage of Abraham, circumcised the eighth day and taught the history and language of the Jewish nation. He was from the tribe of Judah. Everything about Him was the complete package of the Abrahamic covenant with a few notable exceptions. His birth was miraculous; born of a virgin. The teaching was the same except He understood things more clearly than others as seen at the age of twelve. When He began His ministry His teaching was bold and with authority. This was unlike the teachers of the day. Through the power of the Holy Spirit He healed all diseases, raised the dead, walked on water and cast out demons. No man could do what Jesus did. John the Baptist testified of the man of Nazareth the Christ had come. Throughout the teachings of Jesus He appealed to the scriptures and teachings of Moses to show men He was the Son of God. The problem the Jews had with Jesus was they believed in the same God but could not accept that a carpenter’s son was divine, heralded as the Messiah, Son of God. Rejecting the claims of the supposed son of Joseph, they clung to the hope that believing in God alone would save them. What they served was the right God but wrong Lord.

It is easy for men to accept there is one God and seek to serve Him as they believe He must be honored. Different faiths and beliefs can embrace the idea of the same God painting Him in a portrait that suits their needs and beliefs but if they will not accept that Jesus of Nazareth is the Son of God their religion is vain and useless. The words of Jesus testify that truth comes from believing in the Father and the Son. Salvation cannot come without the belief there is a God Creator of the world and that He sent His Son to die for all men. Believing in God does not save man. Following the will of God and obeying the commands of the Son of God is where salvation is found. Jesus said the greater witness He had than John the Baptist are the works the Father sent Him to do. What angered the Jews of His day was the claim Jesus always made that He came from the Father and the Father had sent Him. The Jews were correct to think this was blasphemy because no man could make such a claim. However, what the Jews refused to see was that Jesus was the Son of God and He could make that claim. Believing in the same God but rejecting Jesus Christ as the Son of God would not save them. The scriptures testified of Jesus being the Christ yet the Jews would not see Him in their holy scrip. As a result of their seeking to worship the right God and rejecting the claim of Jesus to be the Son of God, they were lost.

Obedience to God requires acknowledging Him as God alone. Salvation comes not from believing in the right God but accepting that what makes the Father God alone is the testimony of His only begotten Son. There is no hope if one is rejected from the other. An appeal is made that two religions worship the same God but call Him by different names. There is a feeling of acceptance that one can worship God one way and another can worship God their way and it is okay. The problem is that if one rejects the belief in Jesus Christ as the divine Son of God the religion is in vain. Jesus testified of Himself that He is the way, the truth and the life and no one can approach the Father (same God as believed) but through Him. Rejecting Jesus is rejecting God. There can be no true worship until man believes in God and obeys the gospel of Jesus Christ. Worshiping the same God does not save. Worshiping the same God and worshiping the only Christ is the way of truth.

The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, but the prayer of the upright is His delight.

The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, but He loves him who follows righteousness.

(Proverbs 15:8-9)

The Gospel Of Two

Throughout the Bible God emphasizes that man has a choice. He was given the ability to choose in the garden of Eden when the Lord placed two trees in the midst of the garden and told the man he could eat of one but the other was forbidden. Cain and Abel understood the choice of following the will of the Creator or disobeying it. Abel’s sacrifice was accepted but the worship of Cain was refused. Noah was given a choice to believe, obey and save his family or disbelieve and be lost. He chose to obey and found salvation. When the children of Israel received the law of the Lord they were told they had the choice between life and death. If they obeyed the will of God they would be blessed beyond measure. Choosing to rebel against the word of the Lord the nation would be destroyed. The latter was their end. Jesus came into the world as the light in the midst of darkness. Salvation was offered to those who would believe Jesus was the Christ the Son of the Living God; or not. Those who believed in Jesus found redemption and those who refused perished. Throughout the teachings of the New Testament canon the choice of righteousness and unrighteousness are contrasted with salvation to those who embrace the grace of God and condemnation for those who reject the mercy of the Lord.

The proverbs are filled with simple statements of truth that bear the mark of the wisdom of God in eternal prose. Two choices are given to all men and the results are markedly different. The wicked and the upright are opposed to one another. Those who follow in the ways of unrighteousness make sacrifices that are abominations to the Lord. The sacrifice is detestable, disgusting and abhorrent to the nostrils of God. What makes the sacrifice of the wicked so horrific is there is no desire to forsake evil. The life of the wicked is based on the carnal desires with no regard to the holiness of righteousness and truth. Hearts are filled with wickedness seeking the pleasures of self. God’s word is rejected, repudiated and renounced. There is another way men can walk to find the blessings of God: the prayer of the upright from the one who loves to follow righteousness. Man has always had a choice. The Lord loves those who believe and trust in Him. The upright heart is one who is seeking to please the Lord in everything they do. Self is not the center of life. Seeking the blessings of God is the sacrifice of the righteous who petition the Father for grace, truth and mercy. His way is their way, His truth is their truth and the life of the Savior is the life of the righteous. The wicked offer sacrifices of self while the righteous offer up prayers of servitude. God delights in the prayers of the righteous and loves to see His children walking in righteousness. Man has a choice.

The gospel of Jesus Christ offers all men the choice to live upright and follow the way of righteousness. Refusing to believe in the Son of God is a choice men will make when they refuse to worship in truth and live in their wickedness. Satan clouds the eyes of men to see there are only two choices. He does not want man to know God limits the choice to life and death. The sacrifice of the wicked is gratifying to the spirit of carnal man as they walk in the ways of unrighteousness fulfilling the fleshly desires that are for a moment. There are many choices offered by the great deceiver – all couched in the world of deceit and darkness. God’s word is true from the beginning. Two trees are still in the midst of man’s heart. The choice he makes will have eternal consequence. One way is an abomination to God; one way is His delight. God loves those who follow in the paths of righteousness. What choice will you make?

Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name!

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits:

• Who forgives all your iniquities,
• Who heals all your diseases,
• Who redeems your life from destruction,
• Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
• Who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. (Psalm 103:1-5; A psalm of David)

The God Of Who

David knew the power of God’s presence. He had history with the Lord God. As a young man he learned to trust in his heavenly Father to protect, guide and bless him. Standing before Goliath was not the first giant he destroyed. The son of Jesse was a man of courage knowing the infinite blessings of the relationship he shared with the Lord from an early age. His whole being was fully devoted to the grace of God in revering the holy name of the Lord. In many of his prayers, David did not want to forget the benefits or blessings of what God had done for him. There are five things David praised his God for knowing that without the blessings from the Father he would be nothing.

WHO forgives all your iniquities. God forgives sin. David begins at the basic need of all men. The mercy of God to forgive the iniquities of the heart was difficult for David understand as it is for any man. He was a man after the heart of God but he battled with sin as the wretched man that he was. His deliverance came from the knowledge of the grace of God allowing a sinful creature to come into the presence of an Almighty God seeking forgiveness from sin. David not only begged for God’s kindness to be shown to remove his sin; he acknowledged the power of the Lord’s grace with a prayer of thanksgiving. Seeking to remove sin is essential and we should always be thankful that God hears our prayers. We praise the Lord because He is willing and just to forgive our transgressions and we glorify His name because of that benefit or blessing. Thank you God for Your forgiveness.

WHO heals all your diseases. The Lord God heals the body. David knew in the long ago the power of prayer. It was never a guarantee the children of God would live healthy lives without the pains of physical suffering. But David was not unaware the Lord promised to answer prayers for healing of diseases. He was thankful for the times of illness that prayer manifested itself in bringing about the healing power of the Creator. Prayer is pleading the promises of God and the Lord has promised to care for His children as He sees fit. Part of those promises is to believe He will grant the request of mortal man to receive a portion of health in the healing of the body. David was thankful for the answered prayers of the Lord as disease wracked the body bringing sorrow and pain. Prayer must be a petition for healing and it must also include a prayer of thanksgiving to bless the Lord for His kindness to heal the body. Thank you God for Your healing hand.

WHO redeems your life from destruction. Only from the hand of God will deliverance come. There is no God like Jehovah God. Standing before Goliath, David knew if victory was to come it would be by the hand of the Lord and not by his hand. He understood his feeble part was for the glory of God. The Lord used David as an instrument against those who oppose the glory of God. It would never enter the mind of David to brag about how by his own power he was able to destroy the giant. He told Goliath he was coming in the name of the Lord and that all Israel would know there was a true God to worship. The child of God must be thankful the Father is willing to fight the battles against Satan and defeat the works of wickedness through His own power. The Lord redeems His children from the wiles of the devil. He will not allow the temptations of the flesh to conquer His saints and by His grace offers a way of escape. Sin comes about when the path of escape is ignored. God is willing to redeem the soul from destruction because He has all power and authority to rule over sin. Only by His grace are we saved. Thank you God for saving us.

WHO crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies. God’s grace is so abundant and full. The Lord not only bestows His blessings on His children, He crowns them with His love. No father has shown parental love to his children like the Lord God Almighty. The joy of being a child of God is to be crowned with all of the love of God to forgive sins, bless the soul, rejoice the heart and instill in the mind of His children the eternal promise of life with Him. Love is the central theme of God sending His Son to die for man and that same love expresses itself in the lives of His children through forgiveness and grace. David was so thankful the relationship he shared with God was filled with the kindness of God and willingness to remove the stain of sin from his life. There is no father like the heavenly Father who loves His children so incredibly and the glory of showing that love through His Son. Thank you God for your lovingkindness and mercy.

WHO satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. There is great satisfaction from the Lord of good things that strengthen the aging spirit with youthful energy. If the skies above were parchment and the ocean a well of ink unending, it would be impossible to write the story of God’s blessings for men in a thousand lifetimes. David exalted in the praise of what his Lord had done for him in his life. He knew how the Lord was working in his life and he understood his heavenly Father would never leave him or fail him. There were no words to describe how he felt. It invigorated the spirit of David to ponder the blessings of God. The Lord forgave his sins, healed his body from disease, redeemed his life from destruction, crowned him with His lovingkindness and tender mercies; and all David could do was to praise, praise and praise the Lord more and more and more. Nothing could compare to the love David had for God. His God was a God of WHO – who did so many things for him. Bless the Lord, all His works, in all places of His dominion. Bless the Lord, O my soul.

Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him, “Do you believe in the Son of God?” He answered and said, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?” And Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you.” Then he said, “Lord, I believe!” And he worshiped Him. And Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.” (John 9:35-39)

Blind To Jesus

The healing of the blind man was a monumental lesson of God’s power both physically and spiritually. First, the man had been blind from birth with no hope of ever seeing. Jesus healed his blindness sending the man to the pool of Siloam to wash away the clay Jesus placed on his eyes. This was an important part of the story as now the man who could not see who healed him will not be able to identify his healer. He goes to the pool and after washing receives his sight. All he knows is a man called Jesus made clay and anointed his eyes telling him to wash in the pool of Siloam. When asked where this healer was the former blind man did not know. His neighbors and parents were astonished at the man receiving his sight. Brought before the hypocritical Pharisees the man was grilled intensely about whether he had ever been blind before. Bringing his parents in the Pharisees sought to know if the man was blind from birth. They suggested the leaders ask their son for he was of age to answer them (they feared the Jews and being cast out of the synagogue). Again the man was brought before the Pharisees and finally cast out because he rebuked their arrogance against Jesus.

Jesus heard what had happened to the man and finding him asked if he believed in the Son of God. The problem the former blind man had was he had been born blind from birth delegated to a life of begging until a few hours ago and knowing the Christ he did not know. To the amazement of the man and to his joy, his healer was standing in front of him. Jesus tells the man He was the one who healed him and there was not a moment’s hesitation to accept the grace of the man who stood before him. He exclaimed, “Lord, I believe.” What an incredible moment when two men stood face to face: one a blind man from birth healed by the Son of God. The joy the man felt was tempered by the sadness Jesus felt when He contrasted the faith of the man with the Pharisees and others who could not Jesus to be the Christ. Jesus knew when He walked among men as the light of the world that many in darkness would not see His light. Many blind were healed and followed Jesus but many who could see clearly never accepted what they saw with their own eyes. They saw the miracles and denied Jesus. A man born blind was born again through the grace of God and boldly exclaimed, “Lord, I believe.”

There are many blind people in the world today that cannot see and will probably never have the blessing of this unknown man to have their darkness taken away. More devastating is the news that in a world filled with darkness the Son of God stands as the beacon of mercy and God’s love and the majority of souls cannot see it. Imagine standing in an incredibly dark field and right in front of you is a brilliant light glowing from the throne of God – and you cannot see it. That is exactly how the world has been for two thousand years. The real tragedy of man is that God sent His Son to light the way, illuminate the truth and offer the radiance of eternal life to all men and most men will die never knowing what is like to see. Blind men die by the millions every year – blind to the truth of Jesus Christ. The impossible was done when the Lord healed the man blind from birth. Without the power of God the man would have never seen. God’s grace brought His Son to stand before him and take away his blindness. There can be no hope, happiness, joy or peace in life as long as men remain blind. They will stumble around begging for the morsels dropped on the floor of destitution and die blind with darkness. The life for them after death is eternal darkness. Life is filled with the pursuit of darkness and the soul is rewarded with eternal darkness – and the light of God was always there but they refused to see it. Blessed are the blind that now can see. There will be no darkness after death. Jesus is the light of the world and how brilliant is that light.

Now there was a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year; and David inquired of the Lord. And the Lord answered, “It is because of Saul and his bloodthirsty house, because he killed the Gibeonites.” So the king called the Gibeonites and spoke to them. Now the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites; the children of Israel had sworn protection to them, but Saul had sought to kill them in his zeal for the children of Israel and Judah. Therefore David said to the Gibeonites, “What shall I do for you? And with what shall I make atonement that you may bless the inheritance of the Lord?” And the Gibeonites said to him, “We will have no silver or gold from Saul or from his house, nor shall you kill any man in Israel for us.” So he said, “Whatever you say, I will do for you.” Then they answered the king, “As for the man who consumed us and plotted against us, that we should be destroyed from remaining in any of the territories of Israel, let seven men of his descendants be delivered to us, and we will hang them before the Lord in Gibeah of Saul, whom the Lord chose.” And the king said, “I will give them.” But the king spared Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, because of the Lord’s oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul. So the king took Armoni and Mephibosheth, the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bore to Saul, and the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she brought up for Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite; and he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them on the hill before the Lord. So they fell, all seven together, and were put to death in the days of harvest, in the first days, in the beginning of barley harvest. Now Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it for herself on the rock, from the beginning of harvest until the late rains poured on them from heaven. And she did not allow the birds of the air to rest on them by day nor the beasts of the field by night. (2 Samuel 21:1-10)

Rizpah

There is no doubt that a mother’s love is beyond the thought of human understanding. The maternal instincts infused by God into the woman are an incredible testimony to courage, love and devotion. Carrying a life within her body bonds forever the nature of the child’s spirit to that of the mother. Great stories are told of a mother’s love and the Bible is filled with noble women of character who stand as giants of faith in the role as matriarchs to the family. Many names are familiar like Sarah, Hannah, Naomi, Mary, Lois and Eunice. One name not as familiarly remembered is a woman named Rizpah who was concubine of King Saul.

When Joshua began the conquest of Canaan, the people of Gibeon deceived the great leader in not attaching their city. They had heard what happened to Jericho and Ai and the people of Gibeon feared the Israelites would destroy them also. In a deceptive play on Joshua and the people, the Gibeonites were able to establish a covenant of not being destroyed by Israel. Sometime in the reign of Saul, the king attacked and killed the Gibeonites against the covenant established with Joshua. The scriptures do not describe the event and some think it may be connected with Saul’s massacre of the priest in Nob but there is no certainty. After David becomes king, a great famine takes over the land for three years. Inquiring of the Lord for the reason of the famine, God tells David He is punishing the nation because of Saul and his bloodthirsty house killing the Gibeonites. David calls the Gibeonites and asked what they would take as a peace offering for the unauthorized act of King Saul. Money would not satisfy the desires of the people but they did ask for seven descendants of King Saul to be given over to them so they may be killed as atonement for Saul’s act. David agreed and took two sons of Rizpah (concubine of Saul) and five sons of Michal (Merab), daughter of Saul and gave them over to the Gibeonites.

The seven descendants of Saul were hanged or impaled on the hill before the Lord. This was done in the days of harvest, in the first days, in the beginning of the barley feast. Obeying the king’s command to deliver her two sons, Rizpah goes to the hill where they were killed and sets up a vigil before them. She kept the animals away from the bodies keeping up her watch for three to six months (commentators disagree the length of time). Her devotion to her sons is an incredible story of love. Her act so moved David that he retrieved the bones of Saul and Jonathan and buried all the bones (including the seven descendants) in the tomb of Kish father of Saul. Rizpah remains as a stronghold of mother’s love grieving over the sacrificial death of her sons. Her devotion and love for them has made her story one of the great lessons of scripture. She endured hardships for her sons. Obeying the king would not have been an easy thing to do but she submitted to his rule. Sadly her sons paid the price for what Saul had done and Rizpah suffered also. The scriptures are silent to what became of Rizpah. Her legacy of an incredible mother’s love remains as a silent witness to the power of devotion.

Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes, and I shall keep it to the end.

Give me understanding, and I shall keep Your law; indeed, I shall observe it with my whole heart.

Make me walk in the path of Your commandments, for I delight in it.

Incline my heart to Your testimonies, and not to covetousness.

Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things, and revive me in Your way.

Establish Your word to Your servant, who is devoted to fearing You.

Turn away my reproach which I dread, for Your judgments are good.

Behold, I long for Your precepts; revive me in Your righteousness.

(Psalm 119:33-40)

Eight Points Of Light To Know God’s Word

The writer of Psalm 119 is unknown but his message is clear. Using the Hebrew alphabet as a backdrop, the author declares the joys of growing in the knowledge of God each day and the devoted heart spent on serving the Lord in full assurance. The message can be lost with the division of verses but viewing them from the original thought opens up the love the writer had for the word of God and blessings from knowing the will of the Father. Worship has always been about the joy of having a relationship with God. Growing in faith is dependent on how the heart responds to the word of God and willingness to fall in love with the story of grace and mercy offered by the Lord. The Heavenly Father has made all things possible for man to know Him. Man must learn the way to approach his Creator and respect the word given to him by the Holy Spirit. When men learn to approach God in the holiness He deserves, bountiful blessings will flow from the heart and eternal life secured.

The will of the Lord is called His statutes, law, commandments, testimonies, word, judgments and precepts. Often men will accept the grace of God without the willingness to recognize the will of the Lord. Righteousness comes from the knowledge of the statutes of God and His law. Walking before the Lord in truth demands keeping His commandments. The word must be established in the heart so that faith can blossom. There is only one way and one path to come to the Father. Everything man needs to know the mind of God comes from the word given to every man to read, understand and obey. There is a responsibility on the part of the individual to act towards the will of the Lord. Knowledge comes from learning and this comes from a yearning to be taught the way of righteousness. Understanding must be the desire of the heart. Whole-hearted devotion is found in asking the Lord to order the steps of man’s feet in the path of His commandments inclining the heart to the testimonies of His word. Faith comes when the power of sin is recognized for its influence on the mind. Growing in the knowledge of the Lord begins from the character of refusing to look at worthless things. The eyes are only focused on the mercy of the Lord so that revival can come. His word must be established so that fear may fuel the senses to know His wrath when the soul fails to be faithful. Everything God does and says is right and there is no variation in His word. Faith is built upon the complete surrender of the soul, mind, and body to long for the precepts of God and revival of spirit in the ocean of His righteousness.

It is not known when the psalm was written but what is clear is that long before the first century disciples began unfolding the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ, walking in the path of the one way, the one truth and the one life was evident to God’s people. The author desired to grow in his faith to be taught by the Lord, seeking understanding, desiring to walk by the commands of God and inclining his heart to the testimonies of truth instead of the worldly trappings of covetousness. His focus was on the Father. He did not want the world to take his joy away. Turning away from those things that would not value his journey to heaven was a hallmark of his faith. His desire was to be established in the grace of the Father and to know the joy of forgiveness. Who would not want to seek after the word of God with all these blessings waiting for them? Long for the presence of God through His precepts and seek revival in the righteousness of the Lord. Eight beacons of light shine from this simple passage written by a saint of God who knew the joy of knowing the statutes of God.

Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9-11)

Confessing Jesus Christ Is Lord Glorifies God

When God created the man and woman in the garden He gave them names. Each name describes their creation: Adam was from the earth and Woman was from taken from man. Later Adam would call his wife Eve because she was the mother of all living. God changed the names of some of His saints through Bible history and some men were named by God (such as John and Jesus). The most significant name in all of time is the name ascribed by God the Father to His only begotten Son who left the glories of Heaven to take on human flesh. Joseph and Mary were told to name their firstborn son Jesus for He will save His people from their sins. He was called the Christ because He was the anointed and chosen one of God. When the Lord God raised His Son from the dead Jesus Christ became Lord with all authority, dominion and power. The name given by the Father is above every name because of the love the Son had for the Father. Only in this name can man find salvation and the redemption of his soul. The name of Jesus Christ as Lord is the only way to the Father, the only truth given by the Father and the only life given to all men by the love of the Father.

The name of Jesus Christ is not an ordinary name. He is given Lordship of all men with all authority. This leaves nothing out as there is no authority but the power of the will of the Lord Jesus Christ that must rule in the hearts of men. All men must bow before the name of the Lord Jesus Christ in humble obedience recognizing there is no other will to be followed but His will. Salvation can only come through the acknowledgement of the authority of the name of Jesus Christ as Lord. He must reign and rule in the heart with room for no other. In the seat of the will of man there resides one throne and if Jesus Christ is not residing on that throne man is serving himself. Confessing the name of Jesus Christ as Lord is not merely an utterance of words but a commitment of the heart to devote completely the mind, soul, spirit and body to the commandments of the only true Lord. All men must confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. There is no hope in any other name. The sacrifice of Jesus on the cross separates Him from all men because He died without sin. His authority as Lord was affirmed when the Father raised Him from the dead and placed His Son at His right hand with all glory and power. Jesus Christ is Lord by the power of God the Father.

When men confess that Jesus is Lord they glorify the Father. Throughout the ministry of Jesus, He reminded men His work was the work of His Father. Everything He taught came from the Father. His miracles were by the power of the Holy Spirit. Dying on the cross was the will of His Father and He learned obedience in the death of the cross. Everything about the life of Jesus was giving glory to the Holy Father. Humbling Himself to come to earth and die on a wooden cross outside Jerusalem was the ultimate image of an obedient Son who loved His Father and sought to glorify Him in all He did. When the children of God confess the name of Jesus Christ as Lord they glorify the redemptive plan of the Heavenly Father to save all men. This confession is not a single event but a life event. It is a daily acknowledgment that Jesus rules in the heart and by doing so gives glory to God. Jesus Christ is Lord! No greater name is given and no greater name exalts the Father. Confess His name and glorify the Father.

But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner. For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. (Hebrews 6:9-12)

It Is Easy To Be Discouraged

The danger of giving up the eternal reward is a very real and challenging reality for the people of God. There were saints in the first century who had shipwrecked their faith turning aside to fables and doctrines of men. Jewish Christians were vulnerable to returning to the Law as their spiritual comfort and some Gentiles struggled with the appeal of idolatry. Satan was always busy with persuading the soldiers of Christ to abandon their allegiance and fall prey to his devious wiles returning to a life of disobedience. The writer of Hebrews spends much of his time laying the groundwork of convincing early Hebrew Christians to hold fast to the doctrine of Christ not drawing back to perdition. There were those who had cast away their confidence and faith in God destroying their home in the promises of the Lord. They could not find a better law established on better principles than the law of Christ. There was a better priesthood created by the perfect sacrifice of the Son of God giving the only hope of eternal life in Jesus Christ. Why would these saints give up and return to the weakness of Moses’ law?

It is easy to become discouraged when faced with the trials of reproaches and tribulations. The Hebrew saints had endured great suffering when they obeyed the gospel. They had lost everything for the cause of Christ. Instilling a spirit of courage in their hearts, the Hebrew writer imposes on them the badge of courage to help them know God is not unaware of their struggles and He will reward them when the race of life is finished. The wavering Christians had a good heart and there was an assurance of better things for them. God had seen their work and labor of love toward His people and they needed to know their faith was important to the Lord. He was pleased with their diligence to keep the faith in the face of trial and run the race with patience like Jesus when He bore His cross. The need of the hour was to show the same diligence that had brought them thus far and retain that full assurance of hope until the end. Running the race is of no value if the race is not finished. Pleading with them to not become sluggish or lazy in their faith, they must imitate the example of saints like Abel, Noah, Enoch, Abraham, Moses, Samson, David and a host of others who were like a cloud of witness before them. God will never forsake them. He will never leave them. The Lord is the same yesterday, today and forever. Do not give up.

The same appeal is made for the children of God today who face the challenge of giving up or become weak in their faith. It is easy to be discouraged and dismayed turning to the elements of the world to find satisfaction. Hebrews is a book of encouragement to show the danger of falling away and to infuse in the heart the joy of victory found in courageous faith. There is nothing in the world that can compare to the covenant of God in Christ. No religion, morality, faith, temptation or allurement of Satan can offer the peace and security as the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The great chapter of faith declares the trials that will be faced but the victory found in being found faithful in death to receive the eternal home promised by God. Children of God must constantly be aware of the danger of becoming lazy saints who spend little time growing in Christ. God has greater confidence in the lives of His people and expects the same. It will require diligence to attain the full assurance of hope until the end but it can be done. Do not give up. Never give up. God does not lie and the promises He made are sure and true and eternal. Do not miss Heaven or you will miss everything.

I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go into the house of the Lord.” (Psalm 122:1)

The Joy Of Worship

David never saw the temple of God in all its glory as this house of God would be constructed by his son, Solomon. The place of worship for David was the same since the days at Mount Sinai when Moses gave command to build the tabernacle according to pattern given by God. After many years of use, the tabernacle would not have been as bright and beautiful as it had been previously. Israel worshipped the Lord in the wilderness before the tabernacle and the priest carried the elements of the house of God across the Jordan River into the promised land. The house of God saw many changes as the land was conquered and finally settled in the days of Joshua. Through the years of the Judges men did what was right in their own sight. Samuel was the prophet who ordained Saul and David as king. There was a longing in the heart of David to build a great temple for the Lord but was prohibited from its building as he was a man of war. Yet the yearning of David was such when he went to worship the Lord at that ancient, worn and simple place called the tabernacle it was a most joyous occasion for the son of Jesse.

Written as a psalm of ascents, the words of David ascribed the joy of going to the place of the Lord to engage in a time of holy worship. The heart of the king was very keen on the meaning of gathering with the people of God to bring worship before Him. It was not a drudgery of keeping commandments inscribed by the Lord in the days of Moses. Going to Zion to worship in song and instruments was not a purpose of boredom for David. He loved to bring his heart to the throne of God and praise his God with all his might. He would not take for granted the joy of being in the house of the Lord. The sights and smells of the tabernacle worship thrilled the heart of David as the people followed the instructions of the priest in offering sacrifices and sweet incense before the Lord that saved them. He was glad when it was time to go and worship on the holy mount of Zion. David knew the value of worship and it thrilled his heart to be a part of such a grand scale of giving praise to his loving God.

The tabernacle is long gone and the temple of Solomon gathered in the dust of lost generations. Jesus came to earth and brought salvation to all men in the church which is now the house of the Lord. God’s people gather together as the body of Christ each first day of the week to worship and praise the same Lord David served at the tabernacle. The question that must be asked is whether the heart still rings true to say what a joy it is to go to the house of the Lord. Being with the people of God is the most joyous occasion a person will find this side of eternity. There is no higher fulfillment given to men than what they will find when they gather with fellow saints in worship at the house of God. Jerusalem is no longer the place of worship as Christ built the church representing all the places in the world where Christians assemble as one to lift up voices of praise to the everlasting Father, commune in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, petition the Father in prayer and examine the powerful words of the gospel in teaching and preaching.

There is nothing that a person can find of greater joy than to go to the house of the Lord and share with God’s people the eternal blessings of collective worship. The church struggles with those who find little joy in gathering with the saints. We live in a world filled with opportunities and ease to come for worship and yet there are many who find little joy being with God’s people. Time is set aside to study the Bible in organized classes to help stir the soul to greater knowledge but many are not glad to be a part of that. Sunday morning worship seems to be the only fulfillment many give as they are not glad to gather on Sunday evening to sing songs of praise and worship the Lord. It seems their gladness can only take one hour on Sunday morning. The middle of the week is an opportunity offered to be together and commune in the word of God but fewer still find joy in attending. Other works of the church are scarcely a part of their lives as they have greater joy in worldly matters than coming to the house of God. It all comes down to whether a person has the joy of the Lord to be a part of the worship with the people of God. The world crowds the heart and joy is lost. David wrote in his journal, “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go into the house of the Lord.’” Are you glad?