The Heaton File

Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.” And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:38-42)

Choosing The Good Part Of Life

When the Lord God created man and put him into the Garden of Eden, one of the first things he commanded Adam and Eve was to care for the garden. Work has always been a part of life even before sin made it more laborious than it had been. God created man to be an industrious creation learning the value of maintaining a home. Following the fall of man, the ground was cursed and Adam was told by the sweat of his brow he would labor to care for his family. Throughout the history of God’s dealing with man the Lord has required man to be an industrious creature condemning the nature of laziness and slothfulness. The Proverbs speak often of the sin of indolence. Refusing to work and care for the family is a grievous sin before the character of righteousness. The apostle Paul would later write that industry is expected by the Lord to care for the family and to help others. Clearly the admonition to work is expected by the Lord. It must also be understood that while the teachings of diligent industry are given by the Lord He does not suggest this becomes the all of man. When the spiritual growth of the child of God is diminished because of the mistaken idea that life is about work, work and more work; then a problem arises that can be very debilitating.

Mary and Martha were industrious women who were part of the company that helped care for Jesus during His arduous ministry. The Lord did not have a home to call His own or a place to reside. He depended on the care of others while He was about His Father’s work. Arriving at the home of Martha and Mary, Jesus was welcomed in and tended to as an honored guest in their home. Martha was concerned about making preparations for those who had come under her roof and there was much to be done. Cooking food, gathering things together needful for the guest in her home and being a hard-working servant of the Lord, Martha was busy. She noticed her sister was not helping her and this reflected on the hospitality of the home to those who were guest. She chided Mary to come and help but her sister remained at the feet of Jesus listening to Him share some story or teaching. Frustrated, Martha sought the admonition of the Lord to have her sister come and help make preparations. Jesus tempered the situation not so much as a rebuke but a reminder that while the things Martha was doing was important and valuable at the time Mary was learning things that would last an eternity. Martha was troubled about things that were temporary and Mary was finding the eternal truths of Jesus more appealing.

Luke does not tell us what happened after Jesus’ admonition to Martha. One can assume Martha would have heard the gentle answer of Jesus as an opportunity to put aside what she was doing and come listen to Him. The scriptures do not say. A great lesson is found in this story as Jesus used the frustration of Martha to remind the disciples that work is important and necessary and laziness is sinful but there are times when the most important thing a person can do is to sit at the feet of the Son of God. Mary needed to hear what Jesus said and she was attentive. Martha needed to hear what Jesus said but she thought her duties in the home precluded her involvement. At that time she should have been more aware of her need for Jesus rather than baking bread. Life is filled with many things that vie for our energy, time and interest and while these may be good in and of themselves to neglect the spiritual work of growing in Christ should never be lacking.

Housework is an important task that shows the industry of work in the home. Children should learn early to carry out chores on a daily basis and be industrious. Mowing the lawn, trimming the bushes, fixing the sink or repairing the fence are necessary to maintain a home and showing an example of labor as prescribed by the Lord. Working at a job is a vital part of the character for God’s children to provide for the home. More often than not the daily grind of secular work is an exhausting time of life. All of these things are necessary to the whole character of man. Martha being busy with much serving was not a wrong thing to do – it was the wrong time to do it. Jesus was in the home sharing the story of His Father and Mary understood the value of putting aside the burden of the home to spend time with Jesus. Martha forgot the most important lesson. The child of God must never let the command to work interfere with the command to grow. Time must be spent in listening to the voice of God and there must be an effort to carve out that time in the hectic pace of life. Neglecting the teaching of Jesus because of the concerns for serving misplace the loyalty of the heart to the Father. One thing is needed and that is the work of engaging in the eternal lessons to be learned from the word of God. Mary chose to sit at the feet of Jesus so she could learn the lessons from the Son of God she would take throughout her life. That is what mattered at that moment and she took hold of that time to spend with the Lord. Never lose the opportunity to sit at the feet of Jesus and learn from him. Do not neglect the duties of the home or job as commanded by the Lord but seek the kingdom of God first.

Then Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it, put incense on it, and offered profane fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them. So fire went out from the Lord and devoured them, and they died before the Lord. And Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord spoke, saying: ‘By those who come near Me I must be regarded as holy; and before all the people I must be glorified.'” So Aaron held his peace. (Leviticus 10:1-3)

Nadab And Abihu

Since the Garden of Eden the will of the Lord has been clear in its expectation, demands and consequences. Satan challenged Eve with the suggestion that God was unfair in His demand not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. She considered the proposition of the devil and agreed that it would not matter if she took of the fruit and she did. Giving the fruit to Adam they both realized immediately the folly of their choice. God did not strike them dead but they suffered a greater loss was sin separated man from his Creator. Nothing had changed by the time the children of Israel were receiving the law from God and the priestly orders were established under the Law of Moses. A priesthood was ordained through the Law under the High Priesthood of Aaron, brother to Moses. The priestly ministry began with Aaron and his sons and the elders of Israel being instructed in the way of the Lord. Aaron made the first sacrifice for sin by killing a calf for himself and then a goat for the people. The grain offering was offered along with the bull and the ram as sacrifice of peace offerings which were for the people. Afterwards, Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle and came out to bless the people when the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people and fire came out from the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar. This startled the people and the cried out falling on their faces. The declaration of the Lord God was firmly planted on the minds of the people but it did not seem to have the desired effect on two sons of Aaron.

Immediately following this powerful demonstration of God’s presence upon the people, Nadab and Abihu each took their censers and put fire with incense as an offering to the Lord. For whatever reasons known only to the Lord and the sons of Aaron, they decided it really did not matter what kind of fire they put in their censer. What is abundantly clear is the fire they presented as sacrifice to the Lord was without authority and not in keeping with the law of God. It would seem a small thing to consider that one fire is different from another. Not the Lord God. As the two sons of Aaron offered the fire and incense fire went out from the Lord and incinerated the two men. What Nadab and Abihu did before the Lord was disobey Him and treated the worship as unholy. They did not glorify the Lord by keeping the commandment given to them and offered profane fire before the Lord. What God did that day was the right thing to do. There is no question of the righteousness of the Lord being performed that day upon two priests who flaunted the will of God as unimportant. It is not every day that fire comes down from the Lord killing those who disobey Him. The fire that consumed the offerings of Aaron earlier had shown the people the overwhelming glory of the Lord. Nadab and Abihu should have considered their actions more carefully before dismissing the authority of the Lord.

It is not uncommon for many believers in God to follow the same path of Nadab and Abihu in disregarding the will of the Lord. The sons of Aaron thought they could change the law of God to suit their own needs. Why they disregarded the law is not known but what is known is they knew what they were doing. The fire they offered was profane and it did not matter to them which fire they took. It mattered to God. When a person looks at the word of God and says it does not matter what the Lord says they fall under the same condemnation as the sons of Aaron. Christianity is fractured into those who want to worship the Lord in ways that please themselves. Why are there so many churches? Believers in God will accept faith as a requisite for salvation disregarding baptism as essential. Many will confess a belief in Jesus Christ and yet accept sex before marriage as acceptable, adultery as expected and homosexuality as the new normal. Lying on tax forms is just a way of life, cheating the company of hours and energy is part of corporate America and filling life with the trinkets of materialism is blessed by the Lord. Churches are filled with those who care very little for the word of God adapting their lives to their desires. Nadab and Abihu stand as giants of folly who thought it did not matter what they did and God would not care. When the smoke and stench cleared, the people of Israel understood that the Lord will be regarded as holy and He will be glorified.

The word of God is given to man for his salvation. When he begins to pick and choose what he likes and dislikes he offers profane fire before the Lord. The Bible is filled with those who thought it did not matter to God what they did. His message still rings true today. When a person wants to come before the Lord God Almighty it must be with the spirit of holiness that requires man to give glory to God. Anything less will not be accepted. Fire will not come out from the Lord as it did with Nadab and Abihu but there will be a judgment when all men stand before the great I AM. Jesus died on the cross to save man from sin and the will of the Father is the only way salvation will be granted to sinful man. Obedience requires the heart to follow the word of God whether man agrees or not. Denominationalism is the profane fire of disregarding the commandments of the Lord. False worship comes from those who believe it does not matter how to approach the Lord to worship. The commandments of the Lord are not burdensome. Nadab and Abihu remind us of the sanctity of God’s word: it is settled in Heaven.

You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. (1 Corinthians 7:23)

Enslaved To The Whims Of Others

There is a need to feel accepted by others almost from birth. A child is born dependent on the care of parents that build a bond of trust and security which grows to a desire to be liked and recognized by peers. Often the identifying characteristics of a person come from the pressure put on them by others to conform to their way of life and ideals. Peer pressure is exactly what the term means: pressure from peers to conform not to individual wants but the needs of the crowd to be acknowledged as equal. This becomes a vicious cycle of failures as the individual seeks to live up to the wishes of others driven by the mistaken idea that fulfillment will be found in becoming what others want them to be. An identity crisis is created when people live in a fantasy world of being a person they do not like to be but must maintain the façade of happiness because it allows them to be part of the crowd and popular. Sadly, the veneer of truth quickly fades and the heart is left empty and void. Becoming enslaved to the whims of others is a treacherous path with no return and no hope. No one can live up to the wishes of others because human character is fundamentally flawed with sin. The impact of human failure can never create a world of acceptance where character is based on the pressure from others.

The child of God has a different view of life. Instead of seeking satisfaction in the desires of human wisdom, the Lord admonishes the saints to be servants of righteousness seeking to be pleasing to the Father. Becoming a slave of men ends in failure because of sin. Being a slave of Christ brings eternal joy and contentment. The Christian is a slave of God bought at the price of Jesus death. Serving the Lord is a life of slavery seeking to be pleasing to the Father and not men. God’s judgment is always pure and true and brings true happiness because the expectations of righteousness are measured by the purity of God’s love. Seeking to be a slave of man can never bring joy because the will of man is always changing and fickle. Paul warns not to become a slave of men being judged by the expectations of peer pressure. It is easy to fall into the trap of being what others expect or demand. Slavery to the fads of human wisdom will never bring fulfillment because what is expected today will change tomorrow. The lust of the flesh is what drives the impulses of peer pressure leading to heartache and misery. True slavery can only be found in a relationship with the Father.

When a man is enslaved to the whims of others, he will never find peace. Allowing the power of God’s love to bend the heart to servitude in Christ will always bring happiness and joy. The will of the Father is perfect, enduring and full of grace. Men will not forgive; God always forgives. The pride of men will seek his own will; the way of the Lord is perfect. There is no mercy from the heart of man; the Lord is full of kindness and mercy. All that man can offer is a temporary moment of pleasure in a world that will soon end; God gave His only begotten Son so that all men could live in eternal joy. Becoming a slave of God is seeking to please the Lord in everything. It does not matter what others think or say but it really means a lot when one is doing the will of the Father. There is no reward in following the whims of human wisdom. The joys of eternal life are without measure in this world. Being a slave of God for a brief moment of life that is like a vapor will bring happiness that is without end in eternity. Do not become a slave of men. There is no reward in it. Be a slave of the Lord God and you will find the greatest fulfillment and security offered to man. When it is all said and done, that is all that will matter.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. (Romans 1:16)

The Power Of The Gospel

Two thousand years ago on a mountain in Galilee, the Son of God bid farewell to eleven men whom He called to be fishers of men. A few years earlier their lives were forever changed when they followed the man from Nazareth and saw His miracles, heard His teaching and watched the Jews take Him away to kill Him. It was a three days later they witnessed the resurrection of the Son of God. No life has changed the world as the incarnation of Jesus Christ. No story has moved the hearts of men as the story of the baby born in Bethlehem. No movement has changed the world like the early disciples of the first century. No religion can compare to the one way, the one truth and the one life. No faith can find its roots in the resurrection of a man whom was God. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the most remarkable teaching since the fall of man. This message is for all men and for all generations in all nations. What applies to man today is the same truth that changed the lives of men twelve hundred years ago and will move the hearts of men in a thousand years Lord willing. The gospel is a message for all men.

Nicaragua is a land filled with the poor of the earth but there are many who share in the riches of the gospel. Last week I spent a week with the saints of God in this Central American country enjoying the devotion and love for truth found in all of God’s children. They sang in a different language but we shared in the same message. The preaching was translated for them to understand but we all knew the meaning of the words. Jesus brought a message from His Father that was a powerful means of changing the hearts of all men. It is easy to assume a cultural dependency on the Bible and its message as singular for a certain people. Visiting other lands and learning that humble people in a mountain top village worship the Lord God in spirit and truth reminds us the gospel is the power of God for all people. Sin influences the lives of Nicaraguans as well as Americans. Baptism cleanses the sins of the street vendor in Managua just like the CEO of a large corporation in America. Jesus died for all men, all nations and all races.

The power of the gospel is an amazing transformation that changes the hearts of men. It is a force that removes the stain of sin and lifts the spirit to love God and serve Him with great love. What constantly impresses upon my heart when I visit my brethren in Nicaragua is how they joyfully worship the Lord without all the necessary amenities expected in the churches of America. Last Sunday we gathered under a building with a tin roof with no sides upon a vacant foundation sitting in plastic chairs as the wind softly blew a cooling breeze through the crowd. It was quiet except for the boisterous singing and words of the gospel spoken in English and Spanish. The land was somewhat desolate and the homes impoverished but the spirits of the saints was rich in the glory of the Lord. No air conditioning, padded pews, clean bathrooms and expected amenities of this country were present. Just hearts who loved the Lord and loved to sing His praise. The Lord’s Supper was simple fair with real juice from the grape and unleavened bread baked in a stone oven. Praise God for the power of the gospel of Christ.

Thank God for a gentle reminder of the message of Jesus Christ who died for all men. The gospel shows how every man can learn the joys of God’s grace no matter the language, culture or color of skin. Lives were transformed by the same Bible that changes our hearts. Sin is defeated with the same armor of God as worn by the saints in this country. The glory of the gospel of Christ has changed sinners into saints for two thousand years in desolate, forgotten places because the love of God has been given to every nation through the grace of God’s love. I am indebted to my brethren in Nicaragua for the message of their love for the Lord. It will be a wonderful reunion when we all meet in Heaven where only the language of the Heavenly Father will be spoken and we will all understand the message of redemption.

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.