The Heaton File

I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35)

It Is More Blessed To Give

The Ephesian elders were special men to the apostle Paul. On his way to Jerusalem, he had asked for the shepherds to meet him in Miletus so he could share a final word with them to exhort and encourage them. It was a deeply emotional meeting as they knew they would never see Paul again. In his exhortation to the bishops, Paul asked them to remember something Jesus said to remind them to care for the weak serving as examples in their role as elders. Paul quoted the words of Jesus when he told the elders, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” There are a number of remarkable things about this quotation. First and foremost it is never recorded in the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Second, Paul quoting the words of Jesus was pure inspiration because Paul was never with Jesus during His ministry allowing him to remember something Jesus would have said. The other apostles could have quoted Jesus from memory but not Paul. Finally, the quote is a remarkable piece of virtue that will change the heart of any person that accepts its teaching.

Writing about the life of Jesus would have been a daunting task for anyone. The Son of God spent around thirty-three years in the fleshly tabernacle and most of what we know about Him is only three years of His life. With the exception of His birth, first two years and an incident at the age of twelve, nothing is known of Jesus as he lived in Bethlehem, Egypt and Nazareth where He spent the majority of his life. Matthew and Luke will fill in the sparse information about the birth of Jesus and early life (Luke more than Matthew) but Mark and John will focus only on the ministry of Jesus. The quotation by Paul is never found in any of the gospel books. This does not come as a surprise to the reader that almost 84,000 words are given to the life of Jesus but if the whole story were told the world itself could not contain the books that would be written (which is the argument of John in the closing of his gospel). Paul’s quotation confirms there were many things said by Jesus that were not preserved over the ages but what we have teaches all men that Jesus is the Son of God.

Critics of the Bible claim it is a book written by men. What they fail to acknowledge is the Bible is a book of books written over 1500 years from different parts of the world by men from very different walks of life. The inspiration of the word of God is established in the beginning when Moses wrote from the mind of God the story of creation. The book of Genesis came from the Holy Spirit guiding the hand of Moses to tell the stories Noah, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Moses even writes about his birth in the beginning of Exodus and the events surrounding it. Like all the writers of holy writ, Moses and Paul wrote from the power of the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Paul was not a part of the ministry of Jesus and would not have been privy to any conversations or context of the teaching of Jesus. Paul was known as Saul of Tarsus at the time Jesus was preaching, healing and fulfilling His ministry. There can be little doubt Paul would have heard of the man from Nazareth as he was early on the scene of the infant church when they stoned Stephen to death. His mission became to destroy the followers of Jesus and Paul wreaked havoc on the church until the Lord instructed him in the way of righteousness. Talking to the Ephesian elders the apostle reminds them of things they had learned earlier from the words of Jesus.

The context of the quotation is a remarkable body of teaching that exemplified the life of Jesus. There can be little doubt of the profound effect this teaching had on the early church as they knew of the life of Jesus and His servant’s heart to die on the cross. All through the life of the Christ He gave His all for others. It was never about Himself but the work of His Father. Jesus served others regardless of how tired He was, how weary He became or frustrated at the hypocrisy of the Jewish elite. The carpenter’s son expended His life in the service of others daily. Jesus gave up His place with the Father to take on a fleshly form and gave up His life so that all men could take on an eternal body. The impact of why it is more blessed to give than to receive is an eternal message. When men learn to give instead of take, their hearts are transformed to the image of God and His love. A man will always be richer when he gives of himself for others. Jesus said it and Jesus did it. Thank you Jesus.

Now Peter sat outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came to him, saying, “You also were with Jesus of Galilee.” But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you are saying.” And when he had gone out to the gateway, another girl saw him and said to those who were there, “This fellow also was with Jesus of Nazareth.” But again he denied with an oath, “I do not know the Man!” And a little later those who stood by came up and said to Peter, “Surely you also are one of them, for your speech betrays you.” Then he began to curse and swear, saying, “I do not know the Man!” Immediately a rooster crowed. And Peter remembered the word of Jesus who had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” So he went out and wept bitterly. (Matthew 26:69-75)

Peter’s Failure

There is no doubt that the apostle Peter was an impetuous and abrupt disciple of Jesus. He had moments of clarity in seeing things as the Lord wanted His disciples to see but there were often times Peter could not seem to keep his mouth shut. On one occasion he took the Lord aside and rebuked Him resulting in Jesus exhorting Peter, “Get behind me Satan.” The transformation of Peter would take a lot of years but the disciple in the gospel accounts was converted to a deeply devoted servant of God in the two epistles ascribed to his name. Like many men, there is one thing that stands out in the story of Peter that is remembered more often than anything else he did in life. Jesus was preparing Himself to face the cross He knew had been coming all His life. During the Passover feast Peter had boldly claimed he would never allow anyone to harm his Lord and would be willing to be put in prison or die for Christ. Later in the Garden of Gethsemane, Peter did challenge the authorities with a sword cutting off the ear of Malchus, servant of the High Priest. Peter’s bold assertion of allegiance was met by the gentle rebuke of Jesus telling him that before the rooster crowed Peter would deny the Lord three times. Simon denied the possibility as did the other apostles.

Jesus and the eleven went to the garden where the Lord spent time in prayer. Knowing His time had come, He arose and met those who came to arrest Him. The disciples forsook their Lord but Peter remained close by at a distance. Jesus was taken to Caiaphas the high priest where the scribes and elders were assembled. They grilled Jesus spitting in His face, beating Him and slapping the Son of God with the palms of their hands. In the courtyard Peter slipped among the people warming himself by the fire. A servant girl looked intently at Peter and challenged him as being a follower of Jesus. Peter denied her charge saying he did not know Jesus. Moving towards the gateway, the disciple was challenged by another girl who told everyone Peter had been with Jesus of Nazareth. He again denied he knew Jesus trying to distance himself as far from the accused as he could. Finally a third time those who stood by approached Peter saying he was a disciple of Jesus and Peter began to curse and swear that he did not know Jesus and he had nothing to do with Jesus. It was then the rooster changed the life of Peter. The crowing of the rooster is an innocuous sound common all over the world but on this morning it was a sign of betrayal – and Peter knew it. Luke tells us that Jesus turned and looked at Peter when the rooster crowed and Peter knew what he had just done. All of his pride had failed him at the critical time of courage and when the eyes of Peter and Jesus met; it was the disciple who knew he had failed the Son of God. How hurtful this must have been to Jesus to know how abandoned He was by all men – even His beloved Peter.

Knowing his failure, Peter went out and went bitterly. It would be a long few days for the fisherman who left everything to follow Jesus. The Lord would be killed on a cross and Peter would live with the shame of what he had done. How bitter he must have wept at the news of Jesus death. When the Lord needed him most, Peter denied him. Salvation would come on the first day of the week when Jesus would appear to the ten disciples upbraiding them for their unbelief. Later Jesus would seek to restore the spirit of Peter to encourage him to fulfill his ministry. Simon Peter would go on to preach a bold sermon on Pentecost and open the door of salvation for Jew and Gentile through the work of ministry that he willingly gave to his Lord. His growing faith is a model for every disciple to follow as he struggled with his faith but found grace in the eyes of the Lord.

Denying Christ at a pivotal time was a great failure on the part of Peter. His story is highlighted in scripture as the final hours of Jesus life was brought to a close. What should not be lost in the account of Peter’s failure is how easy it can be for the disciples of Christ to live in such a manner to deny they have any relationship with Jesus Christ. The world can be a hard place to live with peer pressure, influence, reputations and position competing for the spirit of man. Denying Christ can be a simple process of living in such a manner that no one knows they are holy people. Staying under the radar of examination few (if any) realize the person is a devoted servant of God. It makes life easier when there is no defense for moral judgment. Acceptance is the norm and blending in with the world is an accepted way of life. Like Peter, the Christian will deny they know Christ or have any affiliation with the church of the Lord and be so much like the world no one knows they have a religious bone in their body. And then the rooster crows reminding the heart that Jesus was lifted up on a cross so we would stand before Him with courage. Denying the Lord should make every disciple weep bitterly for the lack of courage in the face of trial when the Lord needs His people most. If a person will not stand for Jesus they will not stand for anything and their life will end in bitterness and eternal weeping. Peter’s failure was turned into victory. Never deny the Lord. Stand for truth, righteousness and the word of God. Jesus needs to see our faith.

And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, a man stood opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand. And Joshua went to Him and said to him, “Are you for us or for our adversaries?” So he said, “No, but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and said to him, “What does my Lord say to his servant?” Then the commander of the Lord’s army said to Joshua, “Take your sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand is holy.” And Joshua did so. (Joshua 5:13-15)

The Commander Of The Lord’s Army

At the age of eighty-five years old, Joshua was still a formidable man prepared to fight for the Lord.  The children of Israel had reached the Jordan River with the land of promise beyond its borders. Moses had died and Joshua was given charge of leading the people of God to take the land promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. It would not be an easy task and many battles would be fought to subdue the people of Canaan. The Lord reminded the people often He was giving the land to them and they should not fear. Jericho would be the first city to fall and become the firstfruits of the offerings made for the Lord during the conquest. The city was securely shut up as the fear of the Hebrews had reached the land of Canaan. Stories had already reached the ears of the people of Jericho of the crossing of the Red Sea and what happened to the great Egyptian army. Taking Jericho would be the first challenge for the young nation of Israel.

Crossing the Jordan River, the Israelite’s began preparing for taking the city of Jericho. Joshua would have pondered the military options for doing something he and the people had never done before. The Lord had promised the son of Nun that there was nothing to fear and he must remain courageous and strong. Prior to the assault on Jericho a man appeared to Joshua with a sword drawn in his hand. Joshua did not shrink from the man but challenged him asking him to identify himself. He asked the stranger if he was for the people of Israel or an adversary. What happened next is one of the most remarkable encounters any man would experience. The man told Joshua he was the commander of the army of the Lord and he had come to instruct the leader of Israel how to take Jericho. Joshua learns the city will be taken in a most unusual manner by marching around it once a day for six days and then on the seventh day march around the city seven times, and blow the trumpets. It would then happen the walls of the city would fall down flat allowing the Israelite’s to enter the city and effect its destruction. The people would follow the word of the Lord and Jericho would be destroyed save Rahab and her family. Everything happened just like the commander of the Lord’s army said.

This story took place thousands of years ago but the message of the commander of the Lord’s army still resonates for the people of God. There are many Jericho’s in the lives of saints who struggle to know how to overcome the impossible challenges that test the faith. On the surface, victory seems impossible. The wisdom of men seeks to find a means to defeat the forces of Satan but with little success. Faith is challenged and sometimes defeated. It is then the story of Joshua and the commander of the Lord’s army must come to bear upon the soul of man. There is an awesome and powerful army that belongs to the Lord God and His commander still rules the army to fight the battles for the people of God. The victory over Jericho came from the faith of the people exercising the plan given to them by the Lord trusting the impossible would bring about the possible. Marching around the city was not a military answer in the wisdom of men. It may have seemed rather silly to go out for six days, march around the city and then return to camp. There could have been those who would have scoffed at the idea of going out on the seventh day, marching around the city seven times and blowing the trumpets. What city or nation was ever defeated in this manner? Joshua and the people believed the word of the commander of the Lord and Jericho fell in the exact manner prescribed by the commander of the Lord’s army. The faith of the Christian must rest in the answer of the Lord whether it fits the wisdom of man or not.

Answered prayer is allowing God to work His will in the battles fought by His people. He has a commander of His army that brings the victory and that commander still marches before the army of God to win the battles for saints of the Lord. Like Joshua, the child of God must bow before the commander and submit to the will of the Father. When courage and trust are instilled in the heart of God’s people, no city or fortress will stand. The victory of the Christian is brought about through faith and obedience to the word of the Lord. Stand with the commander of the Lord’s army and fight the good fight knowing the Father has promised victory. He will fight for us defeating everything that exalts itself against righteousness. God will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we are able to endure. He releases His commander to fight for us. Thank God for His power to gain the victory. Build your faith upon the promise of the Lord and the presence of the commander of the Lord’s army.

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)

Understanding The Nature Of God

Trying to understand the character of the Lord has challenged the mind of man to disregard important parts of who God is, what He is and why He does what He does. Satan has tried to craft the image of God into something opposite from the reality of the true nature of God. When the devil tempted Eve the first thing he did was to question the word of God. He tried to make God an unfair Creator and lessen the glory of the Lord in the eyes of man. Eve was deceived by the smooth words of Satan and took of the forbidden fruit. That deception continues today when God is viewed only as a loving and compassionate God who would never harm a soul. The other trickery put forth by the devil is to make the Lord God a cruel and hateful God that is the cause for all the evil in the world. In either case, man is deceived into believing a God that is not according to truth. Peter defines the character of the Lord in three simple yet powerful points of argument: (1) God never lies; (2) God is full of love; (3) God punishes those who disregard Him.

If there is one single trait of the Lord God that man has always seen it has to be that God never lies. The Lord is not slack concerning His promises in two ways. First, all the blessings promised by God are given to those who obey Him. The Lord is also true to His word to punish those who disobey Him. In the Garden of Eden God provided every need for Adam and Eve and kept His promise to bless them without measure. Satan knew to attack the creation of God he had to dissuade the mind of Eve to accept that God was unfair and would not keep His word. The devil convinced Eve that God had lied about what He would do or provide. She believed the lie of Satan and disobeyed God. Because of their rebellion, the Lord kept His promise and expelled the man and woman from the garden with severe punishment. Adam and Eve were the first ones to learn that God means what He says. In the days of Noah the Lord was not slack concerning His promises. Man disregarded His law and became futile in their minds and God destroyed every living being that had breath save eight souls. His word was found to be true in saving Noah and his family. His promise was not slack. Throughout the history of Israel the Lord showed His mercy and His wrath. Everything God promised came true; whether blessings or punishment. The Lord is not slack concerning His promises.

Second, God is full of love. He is not just love but He is full of compassion for the plight of man. His longsuffering spirit is one of timeless wonder to consider all that man has done – including killing His only begotten Son – the Lord God allows the earth to stand. Two thousand years have passed since Jesus was murdered and the world stands in stark contrast to the love of God – yet the longsuffering of the Lord continues to allow the world to exist. There is a lot of evil in the world. The spirit of God continues to watch as men grow evil and reject the love of God. He does not want anyone to perish and did not prepare Hell for anyone but Satan and his minions. The Lord is so full of love He gave His Son to die for miserable man. No greater joy fills the heart of God than to see sinful man redeemed by the blood of His Son. God’s love is full of mercy and grace to purchase the soul of man from the stench of sin. He has no desire to punish man but He will because of His righteousness.

The third and final character of God is to know that He will punish those who disobey Him. God never lies and He is full of love but the day of His longsuffering will come to an end; and while He has no desire for anyone to perish – if a man does not repent he will be punished by the wrath of God. The Lord wants all men to come to repentance suggesting that if a man does not change his way there will only be the wrath of God. If God is an all loving God that would not punish man why does He require repentance? The nature of repentance demands that one believe God never lies and God is full of love. This love is measured by the righteousness of the Lord who demands obedience and without this obedience there will be no blessings. The nature of God has always offered life or death. Repentance requires man to change his will of disobedience to the will of God. There will be eternal consequence if man refuses.

God is revealed as a Lord of great promise who cannot lie. He is full of love unbounded by the limitations of man’s wisdom. The Lord is full of righteousness to reveal His wrath on those who disregard Him. To know God in truth is to see Him for all He is. The Bible reveals everything man needs to see the true character of the Creator and Savior of all men. Do not listen to the siren call of Satan who seeks to destroy all men. He never speaks the truth and is full of hatred. His will is to destroy man. Hell is where he belongs and by God’s grace will be cast there in judgment. Do not follow his evil word. See the Lord God for who He is: full of mercy, love and longsuffering.

Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, which, having no captain, overseer or ruler, provides her supplies in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest. How long will you slumber, O sluggard? When will you rise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep — so shall your poverty come on you like a prowler, and your need like an armed man. (Proverbs 6:6-11)

Learning From A Formicidae

God created the animals as a body of perfection to show His infinite wisdom and design. The ant (scientific name: Formicidae) was created on the sixth day and before the forming of man. It seems the Lord wants to remind man of his place in the world that the ant was created before man. The ant serves a wonderful purpose in the world of nature existing on every continent save Antarctica, Greenland, Iceland and the islands of Polynesia and Hawaii (lacking native ants). They are incredible workers that lift many times their own body weight and in some countries build giant mounds. Nature is given to man to show him the moral lessons of the Creator. Wisdom comes from spending time in the natural world to see how God formed, established and ordained the lives of the animals for His glory. The ant is no exception. Everyone has had dealings with ants and either feared them for their tenacious bites or admired them for their unending energy to work at incredible levels of skill and persistence. Millions of dollars are spent every year to eradicate the mounds of dirt thrown up by thousands of ant only to find in a short time more places ants build their nest. There are millions of these insects spread all over the world and if man will take time to notice the character of the ant will learn valuable lessons from the Lord.

The lazy man is the subject of the proverb. A sluggard is a person who is slothful, lazy and refusing to work. Taken from the idea of the slug which is a shell-less terrestrial gastropod mollusk, the wisdom of the proverb suggests a man who refuses to work should examine the life of an ant to see what God demands of him. The work of the ant is an incredible thing to behold. They are so very tiny and yet they can accomplish so much. The lazy man should take time to see how the ant builds her nest, provides her food year round and does all of this without someone telling them what and how to do it. Ants have no captains, overseers or rulers to tell them what must be done because they know what must be done. They do not stand around waiting for someone to tell them what needs to be done – they do it themselves. The action of the ants is constant. If you have ever tried to stop or slow down their progress, they will find a way to go under, around or over the obstacle and keep working. All of this activity is directed to providing for the health of the nest and survival of the colony. Everyone is important. All the workers are needed. The life of the ants is dependent upon what every ant provides.

Unlike the ant, man tends to be lazy. As the highest of creation, man does not always exhibit the greatest wisdom. The Lord wants the creation formed in His image to stop and consider the insect that is not created in the image of God so that man can learn what is expected of man from creation. God did not create man to sit around all day watching the world go by in a stupor of ignorant slumber. Sleep is a good thing but to spend one’s life sleeping all day when there is much to be done is not the will of God. One of the first things given to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden was the responsibility of work. Tending the garden was not a toilsome task as sin would later bring upon man but Adam and Eve were given responsibilities to tend the garden. Man was created to be an active creature. Before the days of high tech grocery stores food came from the ground by the hand of the family that needed the crops to sustain them. If you did not plant a crop and provide provisions during the summer the family would starve in the lean months of winter. Survival came from hard work. The conveniences of huge stores stocked high with food have driven more and more to be lazy and unproductive. Children of God should never be slothful or lazy people because the Lord forbids it.

Many people do not have their needs met because they are too lazy to make provisions for themselves. The Christian is to be the model of industry and work. If a man or woman works at a job they should consider the ant and his endurance to be diligent in putting forth the maximum effort. God’s people should never be accused of sleeping around in a pattern of laziness and slothful activity. Letting the light of God shine in our lives is letting others see our industry. Provisions for the family are made by the industry of hard work. If a man does not provide for his family he is worse than an infidel according to the Lord. The ant is a constant reminder of God’s will for man: work. Let no grass grow under the feet of the saints of God. Thank the Lord each day for the opportunity to labor with the hands to provide for self, family and others. Go to the ant and learn some lessons. We can learn a lot from a formicidae.

In Judah God is known; His name is great in Israel. In Salem also is His tabernacle, and His dwelling place in Zion. There He broke the arrows of the bow, the shield and sword of battle.

 You are more glorious and excellent than the mountains of prey. The stouthearted were plundered; they have sunk into their sleep; and none of the mighty men have found the use of their hands. At Your rebuke, O God of Jacob, both the chariot and horse were cast into a dead sleep. You, Yourself, are to be feared; and who may stand in Your presence when once You are angry? You caused judgment to be heard from heaven; the earth feared and was still, when God arose to judgment, to deliver all the oppressed of the earth.

Surely the wrath of man shall praise You; with the remainder of wrath You shall gird Yourself. Make vows to the Lord your God, and pay them; let all who are around Him bring presents to Him who ought to be feared. He shall cut off the spirit of princes; He is awesome to the kings of the earth.

 (Psalm 76; To the Chief Musician. On Stringed Instruments. A Psalm of Asaph. A Song.)

Our God Is An Awesome God

The image of God has always been a problem for man to appreciate in light of His whole character and nature. It is difficult to look at the Lord God as one who is a wrathful being or one that would punish and inflict harm on man because He is such a loving and kind God. If man accepts the wrathful nature of God it seems to make God a terrible Creator who only wants to bring about destruction upon men. What is lost in the recreation of the Lord into the image of man is the reason so many stories of God’s wrath on man are true – man is a rebellious creature. An unruly child may complain to his father of the constant discipline meted against him while at the same time forgetting if the child would do the father’s will there would be less to punish. God is a wrathful God. He has never denied that and constantly reminds man through history that life is found in obedience. The psalmist Asaph declared the majesty of God in judgment against the rebellion of men as righteousness and truth. All the Lord does shows what an awesome God He is and all men must learn to fear and adore the greatness of the Lord God.

There are none who can stand against the Lord. The glory and excellence of God exceeds anything man can create. Nature declares the majesty of the Creator and His power throughout all ages. The mighty men of earth are puny standing before the work of the Lord. There are no horses or chariots devised by men that can overwhelm the power of God. When the full might of the Egyptian army came against the Hebrews at the Red Sea, the Lord God brought the waters upon them and destroyed every man, horse and chariot. Pharaoh’s most formidable and fearful army was nothing compared to the might of God’s power. God is to be feared! Who can stand in the presence of an angry God like the Lord God Almighty? He destroyed the whole world in the days of Noah killing everything that had the breath of life save eight souls. Who would dare not fear this judgment of the Lord upon the world? When God arises to judge there is silence as His power is opened upon the unrighteous and glory when He delivers the oppressed. He is an awesome God.

The greatest power of man will be subservient to the power of the Lord God. Nothing man can do can challenge the wrath of God. Salvation is found in vowing allegiance to the Lord and obeying His will alone. History has shown what happens when men do not fear the Lord. There is no hope for the foolishness of those who seek to become their own gods. God is an awesome God because His majesty is far above the power of man. Worship is directed to God because He is so great, mighty and powerful and man is to serve Him. Fearing God is a healthy relationship to know how awesome the Creator and Maker of the world should be understood. He has the power to cut off the pride of men in a moment. Nations rise and fall according to His will. No king is as great as the power of God. God is an awesome God in His glory, majesty, might, power and love to show all men who He is. Fear Him for who He is. Love Him because of what He is. His name is great. Praise God.

Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate. (1 Timothy 6:12-13)

The Confession Of Christ Jesus

Pontius Pilate was procurator or governor of Judea during the days of Jesus. He wielded the might of the Roman army against the people of Jerusalem and surrounding community. Little is known of Pilate in history but his place is forever marked in the annals of divine writ as the one who delivered Jesus to be crucified. The Jews brought Jesus before the court of Pilate seeking the Roman execution to crucify the man from Nazareth. Pilate found no fault in Jesus and was determined to release Him but the crowd dissuaded his efforts. During His interrogation of the Christ, Pilate told Jesus it was within his power by Roman law to kill or release Jesus. The Lord was unafraid of the threats of Pilate and boldly declared His Kingship with His Father. Jesus told Pilate the power that delivered Him to the Roman court was greater than Pilate himself and the Father was ruling in all of the affairs of men. This was a bold statement from a lowly Jewish son of a carpenter to a Roman ruler. Jesus was not afraid of Pilate and the whole of the Roman Empire even though the Lord knew the outcome would be death on a cross. The scene of Jesus shackled before the elite of Roman power in Jerusalem is a remarkable contrast of the futility of man and the power of God. Standing before the creation was the Creator declaring His trust in the work of His Father. There was nothing that Pilate could do that would change the will of God in allowing men to crucify His only begotten Son. Everything that happened that day was in the divine will of God’s scheme to redeem men – including Pilate – from the darkness of sin.

Jesus showed great courage the day he faced Pilate and the power of Roman law. It may be easy to think of the Lord as doing what He had to do because He had to do it. Paul reminds us of the great faith Jesus had witnessing the good confession before Pilate. The Lord knew what would happen if He kept the will of His Father. At the beginning of His ministry Satan had come to Jesus and offered Him an easy way to glory. The temptation to take the path of least resistance was a powerful tool used by the devil to attack Jesus. Before Pilate the temptation to deny His Father was increased with the dread of scourging and crucifixion. Jesus made His confession before the Roman despot and courageously died as His Father willed. The apostle Peter had earlier denied the Lord when he was challenged. What a contrast in the weakness of men and the courage of the Son of God to withstand the threats of Pilate.

Timothy had to learn how to fight against the temptations to weaken in the presence of persecution. Paul exhorted him to fight the good fight of faith because there was going to be a fight. The world is opposed to righteousness and truth. Those who desire to live godly in an ungodly world will be persecuted. Without the courage to stand for righteousness, the soul will fall prey to the weakness of denial. Jesus made the good confession before Pilate because He was unafraid of what Pilate could do to Him. The Lord understood the plan of His Father and was willing to suffer for a moment to receive the reward that was eternal. He laid hold on eternal life – not the momentary affliction of the cross. Faith strengthens the heart to know that what happens here is nothing compared to what is coming there. Confessing Christ is proclaiming allegiance to the will of the Father in the face of ridicule, chastisement, threats and mockery because faith is built upon the love of God regardless of the threats of men.

Confessing the good faith before others is letting Jesus live in our lives every day. No one who is a child of God should ever be ashamed of others knowing they are a Christian. Courage fills the hearts of those who stand where Jesus stood and make the good confession. God is the one who gives life to all and He is the Creator, Maker and Sustainer of the world. It is by His power the world exists and He holds the breath of man in His hand. Trusting in His love and power affirms in the spirit of man that nothing that happens in this world will be as great as the glory to be received by those who hold fast their faith to the end. Jesus is the example of great courage and faith as He faced the cruel hand of the cross. He is our pattern to follow that even if we must face a cruel hand of persecution – our faith will stand with Jesus. Let our voices blend with His in declaring our trust and devotion to serve the will of the Father. Let no man be ashamed to suffer as a Christian. The world must hear our voice.

Now Joshua the son of Nun sent out two men from Acacia Grove to spy secretly, saying, “Go, view the land, especially Jericho.” So they went, and came to the house of a harlot named Rahab, and lodged there. (Joshua 2:1)

Rahab The Prostitute

The Bible is filled with some very unusual stories. None as when the children of Israel approach Canaan sending spies into the land and the men finding refuge from a harlot. The presence of the Israelite’s has not gone unnoticed and the king of Jericho has raised the alarm. He has also been told spies have entered his city and discovers that a prostitute is harboring the Hebrews. Sending word to Rahab he demands the men brought to him. She tells the king the men had escaped during the night and scouts should be sent out immediately to find the spies. The city is sealed as the king’s men pursue the spies that in fact are hiding on the rooftop of the harlot. Rahab comes to the two men and tells a marvelous story of God’s grace upon a woman who sold sexual favors to men. The woman of Jericho is a Gentile who has heard of the incredible stories of the people who escaped from Egypt. She is familiar with the story of how the Red Sea had dried up (forty years before) when the Hebrews left out of Egypt. The military victories of Israel against the two kings of the Amorites are well known. Because of these stories the people of the land were fainthearted at the coming of the nation of Israel. Rahab tells the men the terror of Israel had fallen upon all the people. In a remarkable statement of grace, she tells the men she knows the Lord God has given the land to them. Rahab begs for the life of her family when the war comes. The men assure her that she and her family will be spared. When the Israelite’s come against Jericho, the entire city is destroyed and the inhabitants killed save Rahab and her father’s household. The promise was kept.

Rahab’s story could end there but it does not. She would marry into the Israelite nation to a man named Salmon and have children who had many children. The lineage of the Jericho prostitute becomes one of the most remarkable stories in the Bible. Rahab and Salmon have a son named Boaz who will marry a Gentile woman from Moab named Ruth who will have a grandson called David. From this lineage, Rahab will be included in a genealogy that comes to the birth of a little baby boy born in Bethlehem named Jesus. The ancestry of the Son of God includes a woman who was a prostitute. Three women stand out in the genealogy of Jesus: Tamar (who was guilty of incest), Rahab the harlot and Ruth the Moabites. All of these women are in direct line of the genealogy of Jesus Christ. How fitting that God’s Son would show that He is the Savior of all men and that all men can find grace in the eyes of the Lord with the evidence of His own family lineage. Some men would want to hide the knowledge of a prostitute being in the family crest. God shows His love by leaving an example of what His grace can do in the lives of people – even a heathen prostitute.

Rahab became a devoted believer to the one true God. The Hebrew writer will extol her faith when she received the spies and will be included in the chapter of faith with Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jacob and her grandson, David. James will write about how the faith of Rahab was justified by her works in protecting the spies. The prostitute, harlot, sexually indiscriminate woman of Jericho is remembered for her faith in God and taking her place in the direct lineage of Jesus Christ. Praise God for His powerful love, mercy and grace upon Rahab. She stands as a symbol of God’s undying love for all people regardless of what they have become. Sadly she is remembered as a harlot although she gave up her ungodliness. The consequence of sin may never remove the stigma but God removes the sin. It took great faith and courage to trust in the spies but she was rewarded because of her faith. She saved her father, her mother, her brothers and all she had because she trusted in the Lord. Rahab was a harlot. God’s grace turned the heart of a harlot to be in a special place among the annals of holy scrip remembered for three thousand years to all men.

A final lesson must be told in the story of Rahab. Prostitution is a demeaning and horrible life. The reason she was in this life is unknown. What mattered most is her faith in God and trust in His word. God was faithful and she was saved. Few people have experienced the base and worthless life of a prostitute but the grace of God can save anyone. Rahab was created in the image of God just like any man or woman. She changed that glory to the pleasure of the flesh. Faith brought her out of that life and God raised her up to be a glorious woman. If God can save Rahab in her harlotry, what can He do in my life? She changed her life because she believed in the power of God to bring about that change. There is nothing that I have done that God will not forgive if only I come to the power of the blood of Jesus and let His cleansing blood heal my sinful heart. Her faith and obedience justified her and my faith and obedience will justify me. Including Rahab in the genealogy of Jesus was not a coincidence or mistake. It was a message of grace for all men to see the Son of God came to save all men (and women).

Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. (1 Corinthians 9:24-25)

Collecting Dust On A Shelf

The Olympics represent the pinnacle of an athletes dream to compete and win gold, silver or bronze in their chosen field of expertise. This requires many, many years of sacrifice, devotion and constant practice to hone skills to perfection on a level beyond their competitors. Few make the Olympic team and fewer still achieve the platforms of victory. For those who win their medals it is the zenith of their lives to bask in the glow of a momentary glory as heroes of their countrymen. Returning to their homeland a great excitement of recognition will surround them as lifelong dreams are realized. The gold medals will be displayed with pride along with the silver and bronze medals to the excitement of all who see them. And then something happens that has been repeated in every generation since the beginning of time. The curtain falls and the memories of Olympic victories fade to black on the screen of time and few take notice of the achievements as life returns to normal. Names are forgotten, achievements inscribed in books seldom read and medals collect dust or lost through carelessness. The moment of personal victory is nothing more than a perishable memory lost on the sands of time.

Life is filled with moments of personal achievements that set records, change lives and leave lasting marks of accomplishments but to no avail in the larger picture of what is really important. Men will spend a lifetime to obtain a gold medal that will hang on a wall until taken down by another generation and forgotten. The challenge of life has always been to realize the victories of this life fade into dust. Trophies collect dust on shelves that once were held in great honor. Medals, banners, awards and achievements are all forgotten. Monuments are raised to honor the heroes of the days until they crumble into dust. The great equalizer of all men is the hand of death that shows the nature of obtaining the greatest victories in this world are worthless. No man escapes the grave and time is the master of fate. When a man spends his whole life to obtain a gold medal he gains nothing more than a piece of metal that perishes. What he fails to realize is he possesses something that is imperishable and of greater value.

God created man in His own image. Man is an eternal creature designed to glorify the Father and to live without end. Everything the Lord created in the beginning will perish in time – including time. Death strips man of his earthly glory leaving everything behind. What remains is the true nature of God’s creation and that is an eternal existence. Paul reminds the disciples that athletes compete in games to receive a crown that fades in time. The champions of the Corinthian games received a wreath made from olive trees or pine that would soon fade away. This was to show the victor what they won today would soon lose its beauty and fade. It was of little value in time. Seeking the imperishable crown of eternal glory would never fade. Eternal life is the joy of those who seek something that will never perish. Death will take away the glories of life but awaken the joys of eternity. Life comes to an end. Eternity never ends. The roar of the crowds for the Olympic champions will fade into distant memories. Hearing the praises of God throughout the eternal ages will never end. All of the victories of earth will be destroyed; the joy of Heaven eternal.

Men will exhaust themselves seeking after the joys of a world that is fading away. The crown of worldly riches is the life goal of many. Having the best things of life, enjoying the pleasures of the flesh, drinking deep from the well of knowledge and spending every moment of life to gain more and more consumes the hearts of those who fail to see how worthless earthly gain will be. Like the faded garlands of yesterday that crumble in time, nothing remains. Life is short and all men will stand before the Lord God. There will be no Olympic medals, first place trophies or great riches when man stands bare before his Creator. All he will have is what he had in the beginning – his eternal life. He came into the world with nothing and he leaves with nothing. God breathed into man an eternal soul and that is all he will have in death. What has a man profited if he gained the whole world and lost his soul? He gained an empty crown. Real happiness will be found in the eternal life promised in Jesus Christ and Him alone. The crown of life will never perish, fade away or be removed. Strive for this crown and you will receive the greatest reward of all.

“Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways,” says the Lord God. “Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin. Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,” says the Lord God. “Therefore turn and live!” (Ezekiel 18:30-32)

God Has No Pleasure In What Sin Does

There is no joy in the sorrow of wickedness. Sin is rebellion against the holiness of a righteous God and a repudiation of His character. Man was created for the glory of God and he took his glory turning it from the righteousness of a faithful Creator to use for selfish pleasures. There has always been a choice for man to choose good or evil from the trees in the midst of Eden or a place called Golgotha where sin killed the Son of God. The world was formed by the hand of a divine architect with a purpose to show the eternal wisdom of the Almighty Father among His people. It did not take long for Satan to destroy Eden, drive Cain to commit murder and destroy every living being save eight in the days of Noah. The nation of Israel was the apple of God’s eye but the devil wormed his evil pleasures into their hearts and destroyed the nation of the Lord. Ezekiel was burdened with preaching to the captives in the land of Babylon with the same message their fathers had heard. Sin has consequences. Israel as a nation was destroyed by sin with the ten northern tribes long before vanishing across the fields of Assyrian domination and now Babylon was finishing the work of God against Judah. The people needed to understand they were responsible for their own plight but the Lord had not forgotten them. There was still the mercy and love of God to take back those who would turn to Him and restore righteousness to the land.

Judgment came from the will of God as the Babylonians oppressed Judah. This was all done by the hand of the Lord because He was bringing judgment upon a rebellious nation. It was not a coincidence these things were happening. God wanted Judah to know their misery was punishment for their rebellion. The age old message of redemption was given to Judah once again – repent and turn. There was no reason they should continue in this useless exercise of wickedness. No matter how far down the road they had gone, the Lord offers a way of escape if only they would change their hearts and turn back to Him. Who can understand the infinite mercy of a loving God committed to removing all sin if only the heart would change and turn to Him? What man has never quite grasped about the character of sin is that God hates it. He hates what it has done to His glorious creation. It was not the plan of God to destroy man but to save him. Sin brings death. God gives life. The Lord hates what sin has done to man and He has no desire to punish man pleading with him to cast away rebellion. If only the love of God could be clearly seen by sinful man. God’s grace would usher the contrite heart back into the love of a compassionate and forgiving Father.

Man must make a decision. Ezekiel exhorts the people to cast away their sins and get a new heart and a new spirit. The road to recovery begins with removing the shackles of sin seeking a heart renewed in the Lord with a new spirit to serve the Father. This is how sin is dealt with. Man cannot overcome sin until he removes it from his presence. Satan is a powerful foe and without resisting, putting away, eradicating sin man is helpless. A major downfall to defeating sin is refusing to rid self of the transgressor. It must be taken away. The alcoholic will never recover with a glass in his hand. Overcoming the lust of pornography can never be accomplished without the removal of temptation. Speaking the truth can be the only language of the one seeking renewal. Getting rid of the offense is the first step. Then a new heart and new spirit must be developed. The incredible mercy of God tells all men that nothing is hopeless if the heart is changed and renewed. There is no reason to die because God is willing to forgive if only the heart returns. Remember the prodigal son came home to a loving father. The Lord has no pleasure in the death of those who destroy themselves with sin. It was not His plan; He does not desire it and He will forgive if one repents. What does God want? Turn and live. Anyone can do it if they are willing. The forgiveness of God is so great that He will forgive. Turn and live – you can do this!