The Heaton File

But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth. (John 4:23-24)

God Is Seeking

The free will of man has been the mark of creation since Adam was formed from the dust of the earth. It would be easy to view the fate of man with a critical eye of disbelief to suggest God created a being that is not accountable for his actions. After the fall of man Adam blamed the woman given to him by God for his failure. He was unwilling to take responsibility for his actions. His failure was not his own and he sought to place the blame on God for creating the woman who gave him the fruit. The Lord ignored the futile plea of Adam and charged him with rebellion. Placing the trees in the midst of the garden was the wisdom of God to show man he always has a choice. The tree of life would give life and the tree of knowledge would bring death. Eating of the tree of life was a blessing from the hand of the Creator to give man something he could not have otherwise. God made man as a mortal creature but eating of the tree of life would extend his life forever. The tree of the knowledge of good and evil was placed in the garden to show the nature of man’s free will. He was told eating of this tree would bring death. There was life in one tree but death in the other. It did not matter whether Adam and Eve understood the full ramifications of eating of the tree of knowledge but if they were willing to trust in God and choose life they would stay away from the tree of knowledge. Because of their rebellion, sin made its first appearance in man.

Made in the image of God, man is unlike the animals. He can make a moral choice. Through the nature of free will, the Lord seeks His creation to worship Him. The defining moment in man’s history has always been whether he is willing to give honor to God in spirit and truth. When Noah preached to the dark world of his day, men had turned away from worshiping the Lord seeking their own pleasures and wisdom. The nation of Israel struggled throughout its history to understand the Lord God wanted their hearts more than their sacrifices. Jesus tells the woman at the well of Jacob that worship to God is not drawn from ceremonial recreations of man’s truth and feelings but the will of God. Worship to God requires truth and it needs the proper heart. The Samaritans had created a form of worship but it was not according to the pattern of God’s will. True worshipers define the choice of man’s free will to trust in the grace of the Lord alone. Worship demands truth and spirit and God will not accept anything less.

Man possesses a free will to choose what he will do. God will not reach down and force man to worship Him or to obey Him. It is dependent upon the heart of man whether he will follow the will of the Lord and serve the Creator in truth and spirit. When Jesus told the woman that His Father was seeking men He illustrated the free will of man to choose and the desire of God to receive those who will seek Him. The Lord God is seeking men to love Him, embrace His mercy, fill their hearts with His presence and willingly serve the commandments of an all-wise Father. The woman at the well learned the lesson found in the Garden of Eden. As Adam and Eve walked among the tapestry of paradise God was seeking for those who would worship Him in spirit and truth. Deceived by the serpent, Eve took of the fruit and gave to her husband. Since that time, God has been seeking, looking, desiring and longing for His creation to come to Him and worship Him. The true worshiper will serve God in truth and spirit. God is seeking. Will He find you?

Truly God is good to Israel, to such as are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled; my steps had nearly slipped.

For I was envious of the boastful, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. For there are no pangs in their death, but their strength is firm. They are not in trouble as other men, nor are they plagued like other men. Therefore pride serves as their necklace; violence covers them like a garment. Their eyes bulge with abundance; they have more than heart could wish. They scoff and speak wickedly concerning oppression; they speak loftily. They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walks through the earth.

Therefore his people return here, and waters of a full cup are drained by them. And they say, “How does God know? And is there knowledge in the Most High?” Behold, these are the ungodly, who are always at ease; they increase in riches. Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocence. For all day long I have been plagued, and chastened every morning. If I had said, “I will speak thus,” behold, I would have been untrue to the generation of Your children.

When I thought how to understand this, it was too painful for me — until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I understood their end. Surely You set them in slippery places; You cast them down to destruction. Oh, how they are brought to desolation, as in a moment! They are utterly consumed with terrors. As a dream when one awakes, so, Lord, when You awake, You shall despise their image. Thus my heart was grieved, and I was vexed in my mind. I was so foolish and ignorant; I was like a beast before You.

Nevertheless I am continually with You; You hold me by my right hand. You will guide me with Your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart fail; but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. For indeed, those who are far from You shall perish; You have destroyed all those who desert You for harlotry. But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all Your works. (Psalm 73; A Psalm of Asaph)

Wishing To Be Like Them

Riches have an appeal that tries the souls of men. Fleshly pleasures lure the senses of the carnal appetites to drink deeply in the anticipated enjoyment. Pride exalts the heart to boast of excelling in self-worth and value above others. There seems to abide a glow of unending success in the lives of the wicked as they prosper every day with little consequence to the trials of life. Their prosperity is the jet-set life of living free unbounded by the shackles of restraint with a care-free inexpressible romance of wealth, pleasure and fulfillment. It is easy to look upon this kind of life with an envious heart wishing for a taste of the high-life. The glitter of the stars life is only a façade of the deeper reality shielded by the lights of fame and fortune. What is perceived as a life filled with great strength and virtue is in reality an empty shell of carnal pursuits ending in destruction. The age-old problem of envying the wicked is realized by the great Biblical poet Asaph who bears his soul of his struggles with envying the abundance of the wicked. And he is not alone.

Sin is fun. There is no doubt to this as evidence by its popularity. The wicked live without restraints and free from the awareness of consequences, life is a fast-paced perusal of how far and how fast and how soon can the fun begin. Sin is appealing. By its very nature it tingles the mind and races the heart to engage in the moment of pleasure like a drug high allowing a moments escape from the realities of life. Sin captivates the ears of those who hear the deceptive beauty of the sirens song to drink deeply of its pleasures filling the eyes with a desire needing to be fulfilled. Asaph heard the song and saw the abundance of the wicked and wanted to drink deeply from its well. It is the common lot of all to feel the heart strings being plucked by the passions of the mind and flesh. It takes all the strength of godly character to stop and see the true nature of the lust of wickedness.

Asaph describes his battle after the fact. He knows the only true happiness a man can have is to experience purity of heart. There are many things that try the soul but the end of a thing is where the true value is found. His heart was tempted by the allurements of the unrighteous but he examined it all more clearly when he made one vital decision in his life: he went into the sanctuary of the Lord. It was then he understood the whole picture of sin. What is so alluring about wickedness is there is no need to see what is at the end of the road. It is like jumping out of an airplane and experiencing the thrill of flying through the air. The exhilaration of freedom is intoxicating and without bounds. All is well until the sudden stop at the end. Sin does not come with a parachute. Satan makes man believe that he is a god and he can fly like the birds. For a time man thinks he can do the impossible but all he is doing is falling to his death. In a moment and in the twinkling of the eye, life is filled with pleasures and then life crashes into the earth. Asaph learned from the sanctuary of the Lord to trust in a life that had meaning, purpose and an eternal home.

Being envious of the wicked is not something new under the sun. In a world filled with incredible prosperity where lotteries give millions to so-called lucky recipients and stars and athletes bask in the glow of wealth and popularity, feeble hearts envy for a taste of the life that will only bring heartache, despair and desolation. Asaph knew he was foolish and ignorant. Searching the word of God he gained a deeper appreciation for the character of contentment, joy and trusting in the riches of God’s love and His care. He knew there was no one that could bless him like the Lord who was his strength and his portion forever. This was something that was eternal. Truly God is good.

For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. (Romans 5:6)

Cause Of Death

Death certificates list the cause of death so that a record of what brought about the person death can be established. This is helpful for loved ones who want to understand why the person died or even for legal reasons. A certificate is issued as a final statement of the person’s life including names, genders and pertinent information as a final closure of life. No one filled out a death certificate when Jesus died. He was one of three criminals crucified that day and except for a few disciples who clung to the image of their Lord’s death, the world had no concern for the death of the man in the middle. Joseph and Nicodemus delivered the body to the tomb and sealed it. On the first day of the week the tomb was empty. Jesus was brought forth from the grave by the power of His Father and salvation came to all men. The death of Jesus was no longer a matter of a man dying on a cross; it was the eternal plan of God to save His creation from the condemnation of sin.

Men did not write a death certificate for Jesus but the Holy Spirit did. He declared throughout the writings of the New Testament the cause of death for Jesus of Nazareth. No man had died for this reason. Death came in many forms and for many reasons but no one had died for the cause Jesus was pronounced dead for and there would never be another case of death for the same cause. What was the cause of death for the Son of God? The Holy Spirit says it was ungodly men. Jesus’ physical death has been described by the medical world as multifactorial relating primarily to hypovolemic shock, exhaustion asphyxia and perhaps acute heart failure. His reason for dying according to His Father was simple, plain and singular in meaning. Jesus died for the ungodly – He died for you and He died for me.

There is nothing to brag about when we begin to understand the impact of Jesus death. He was not at the wrong place at the wrong time or taken by an out-of-control angry mob who lynched Him by the Romans to satisfy their envious thirst for blood. Pilate was not controlling the destiny of Jesus and the Jews were doing what was eternal planned by the Father. The Son of God had to die and the reason He had to die was because all men were ungodly, unrighteous, and unprofitable who did not understand or cared in the slightest the man in the middle was a sinless human being. And less we think how cruel those people were when they killed Jesus as we look upon them with anger or even hatred; take a good long look in the mirror and see who is responsible for nailing Jesus to the cross. It is so easy to think how good we are because we are good people. We pay our taxes and live a quiet life with little conflict judging all the reprobates and despicable people with harsh judgment. Murderers, homosexuals, pedophiles, immoral and hell-bent party swinging evil people all deserve the wrath of God because they are so sinful. And we spend long hours looking in the mirror of hypocrisy believing Jesus barely broke a nail because of me. How sadly delusional we have become.

Jesus died for the ungodly and my name is at the top of the list. I was an enemy of God, with no strength to save myself, a sinner condemned to the wrath of a vengeful Lord who did not deserve the slightest notice of the All Mighty God. And yet Jesus suffered and died on a cross so that I – ME – MYSELF – could be saved. I am the ungodly one. It was my sins that put Jesus on the cross. He died two thousand years ago but I was the cause of that death. You and I share the guilt of what we have done to the Son of God and we were there when they cried out, “Crucify Him.” We are the ones that nailed His hands and feet to the cross. Our voices raised up to revile Him as He suffered so intensely on that piece of wood. We stood before His cross and watched Him die. Our sinful life kept Him on the cross as His outstretched arms begged the Father to forgive us for what we were doing. It was our ungodliness that walked away from the dead man in the middle unaware on the first day of the week our sins would be redeemed by His blood. Fifty days later the door of grace was opened when three thousand souls knew they had killed the Son of God. They obeyed the call of redemption and found peace in the blood of the Christ. There were many thousand more who did not believe that day and walked away still in their ungodliness. Jesus died for them but they did not care.

Jesus died for the ungodly. That is me and that is you. We do not have to remain in our ungodly condition. Through the blood of the cross Jesus opened a door of grace to save men who will turn from their ungodliness and obey His word. Peter told the multitudes gathered at Pentecost to repent and be baptized for the remission of sins. Why? Without the cleansing blood of Jesus found in the waters of baptism there is no salvation. All men are ungodly. Only obedience in the blood of Christ will the heart of ungodliness be cleansed of sin and eternal life promised. Jesus died for you. Do you care?

Tychicus, a beloved brother, faithful minister, and fellow servant in the Lord, will tell you all the news about me. I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that he may know your circumstances and comfort your hearts, with Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will make known to you all things which are happening here. (Colossians 4:7-9)

Tychicus – A Trusted Companion

Traveling with the apostle Paul would have been an arduous life with the incredible schedule he kept traveling from place to place preaching the gospel of Christ. There were a number of people traveling with Paul including the historian Luke who on occasion would interject himself into the story of their travels. Barnabas, Silas and Timothy are well known companions but there were so many more than are named with little or no information about them. One fellow-worker with Paul was a man named Tychicus who was from Asia. He is mentioned in Luke’s account of the Acts and Paul refers to Tychicus in his letter to the church at Ephesus and to another fellow worker, Timothy.  As little as we know about the man from Asia there are many things we do know.

Tychicus was a beloved brother of Paul. The apostle cared for all of his brethren but there were those who were dear to him because of their sacrifice in service to him and to the glory of God. Paul had brethren that were close to him and to whom he could rely on for their diligence to help in the work of preaching the gospel. These were important men and women to whom Paul would refresh his spirit in those dark hours on the journey or imprisonments. He knew there were those brethren that cared for his state and to whom he could depend on to encourage him. Tychicus and Paul shared many stories as they traveled around the Roman Empire establishing churches, preaching to lost souls, debating the issues of the day and helping one another keep their spirits alive in the kingdom of Christ. People like Tychicus are important because they are the examples of the Christian faith. They sacrifice themselves for the glory of God and for preachers like Paul, beloved brethren.

Being a fellow minister tells us Tychicus was a man who sharpened the mind of Paul with his love of truth and willingness to teach others about the Christ. Preachers enjoy the company of fellow ministers to share in the dividing of truth and examining texts together for deeper meaning and understanding. It is easy to see Paul going down the road with a host of fellow travelers discussing text from the Prophets or singing Psalms together and discussing the meaning of a certain passage. Commending Tychicus was a statement of endearment to the heart of a fellow minister who reveled in the spirit of those who challenged his faith and brought the challenge of knowledge to the apostle’s mind. Everyone needs someone to sharpen their minds. One of the greatest tools in the arsenal of the church is the time spent with others discussing the text of holy writ and learning from one another deeper truths of God’s grace. Talking with one another about the Bible should be a joy shared by all those who seek to understand the will of God. The joy of helping others learn the truth is a vital part of individual growth.

Finally, Tychicus was a fellow servant in the Lord. The word ‘servant’ should not be lost in the translation of the text. Slavery was common in the days of the early church. Paul exhorted slaves to be obedient to their masters as Christ would have them serve Him above all men. Masters were commanded not to be harsh to their slaves but to treat them with the character of righteousness. As a free man and Roman citizen, Paul often called himself a slave or bond servant. This was a humbling reference to the work of serving the Lord with all diligence. Tychicus was a fellow servant showing that as Paul served in the work of the church so did Tychicus. Being a slave was a hard task. It required following the commands of only one master. The Christian is a slave to the will of God and must follow the admonitions of the only King and Lord Jesus Christ. As a fellow servant of Paul, Tychicus had given his life totally to the work of the Lord. Along with the apostle, the man from Asia gave his life to serve the work of spreading the gospel throughout the world. Paul was encouraged to have men like Tychicus working alongside him and seeing himself as a slave for the cause of Christ. They served the same Master and worked towards the same cause. The life of a Christian must be viewed in terms of slavery. Every child of God is a bond-servant to the will of God. Paul told the saints at Corinth they were bought at a price and their bodies belonged to the Lord. Spiritual slavery is the most comforting relationship known to man. Paul was a slave and he was glad to have Tychicus as a fellow servant working hard in the kingdom of the Lord. We need men like Tychicus in our lives and we need to be like Tychicus in our relationship with others – beloved brother, faithful minister and fellow servant of Jesus Christ.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible. (Hebrews 11:1-3)

True Faith Is An Old Grace

Matthew Henry’s Commentary mentions in notes for Hebrews 11 that “true faith is an old grace, and has the best plea to antiquity: it is not a new invention, a modern fancy; it is a grace that has been planted in the soul of man ever since the covenant of grace was published in the world; and it has been practiced from the beginning of the revelation; the eldest and best men that ever were in the world were believers.” There is sage wisdom in seeing faith as the ancient foundation in the lives of those who trusted in God following His will because of their faith in His word. Truth is older than error and all men who have embraced the covenant of faith find their lives richer, truer and at peace. There are untold numbers of saints who through the ages have served the Lord faithfully. They believed in the substance of those things promised by God because of His promises. Through faith they saw what could not be seen holding true to the word of God. Men have always challenged the evidence of God believing the world formed itself without divine intervention. Faith was not enough for the skeptics. Reason and science dissuaded their philosophies to accept human wisdom without seeing the true God and accepting His power of creation. In the midst of generations of unbelievers were the elders of old who lived in faith to serve God faithfully because of their simple trusting faith in the word of God.

Faith for the people of God is the evidence or proof of what they believe. No one has seen God at any time and yet they believe there is a God. The confirmation of His existence is from the believing faith that sees the wonders of creation abounding with the thumbprint of a divine creator. In this evidence comes a heart that seeks to know the character of the divine being. God reveals Himself to seeking men who believe in their hearts that God loves them and cares for them. They embrace the knowledge of the unseen God because they see Him clearly through the eye of faith. Knowledge comes from the overpowering abundance of evidence through the invisible attributes left by the Lord to show all men His power and dominion. Faith is real. It fills the heart with the foundation of truth reassuring the spirit of man that he was made in the image of the heavenly Father. Trust comes from believing in one true God.

The elders of days past believed in God because they built their faith on His promises. They lived with hope because they had something to live for beyond this world. Their eyes saw what other men could not see because it was hidden from their darkened hearts. By faith they understood the worlds were framed by the hand of God and glorified God for His wondrous creation. Faith must have a growing power in the hearts of those who will seek the Lord God. It does not come by itself. Through the evidence of the world and the knowledge through His word, God reveals to man everything he needs to know to be saved. Without faith it is impossible to be pleasing to God. Unless faith is built to trust in the Lord there is danger in being drawn back to perdition. The elders bore witness of their faith in God by seeking to please Him.

Generations will come and go. It is important for each generation to leave a legacy of faith in God so their children will have the faith that is the substance of things hoped for and evidence of what is not seen. The testimonies of the elders of yesterday bear witness to the purpose of faith. It establishes the hearts of men to trust in God as the only Creator, Maker and Savior of the world. With courageous faith worship will be a deeper experience, obedience a natural response and with eternal hope the promises realized in the journeys of life. Faith will reassure the heart of man that there is a better, a heavenly country and God will not be ashamed to be called their God.  Building faith is a daily walk trusting in all the promises of God. True faith is an old grace that is still relevant to all men who seek God now.

Can you bind the cluster of the Pleiades, or loose the belt of Orion? Can you bring out Mazzaroth in its season? Or can you guide the Great Bear with its cubs? Do you know the ordinances of the heavens? Can you set their dominion over the earth? (Job 38:31-33)

The Majesty Of God In The Heavens

There is nothing more incredible than to stand in the darkness of a moonless night and gaze into the heavens filled with innumerable beacons of light as the tapestry of heaven shows forth the glory of God in the stars. From the moment Adam and Eve first gazed upon the sun, moon and stars, a fascination of the heavenly bodies has captured the imagination of man. It has only been in recent history that man has filled the earth with so much light few people realize there are heavenly bodies swirling around the earth. The time when people gazed into the darkness of space with wonder is less seldom. Yet the majesty of God in the heavens shows forth His handiwork, power and abundant revelation of His nature. Astronomy has always been in the mind of man as he discerns the pattern and flow of the heavenly bodies. Finding patterns and designs among the clusters of stars, names were given to describe the groupings that are still used today. The book of Job predates the days of Moses and probably finds its place among the patriarchs like Noah and Abraham. Regardless of the dating of the book, Job reminds us of how ancient people could see God among the stars and believe there was a God that ruled the universe. Job acknowledged the constellations of the Great Bear, Orion and the Pleiades. These star clusters are some of the more clearly defined patterns in the night sky visible in our day as clearly as the days of Job.

Job had suffered a great deal from the hand of Satan that was tempered by the will of God. He struggled to retain his faith as the bands of persecution increased his desire to know why such tragedies had befallen him. His friends were often the source of his continued despair as he argued with them over his righteousness. At the end of the book it is God who returns to Job with a scathing rebuke of the justice of the Lord to allow such things to happen. Job had declared early on that God had fashioned the stars by His own hand naming the Bear, Orion and the Pleiades and the chambers of the south as proof of God’s majesty. Now the Lord reminds the righteous Job that no one can determine the path of the stars but the Lord God Himself. Binding the seven stars of the Pleiades is impossible for man but the Lord can do it with ease. How can Job loose the belt of Orion suggesting how men saw a man among the constellations of the heavens? The Lord is the one who established the Great Bear with its cubs that refers to the pattern called today Ursa Major and Ursa Minor. God poses the question to Job of the majesty of God in the heavens. How can anyone challenge the one who put these stars in the heavens? The heavens declare the glory and majesty of God.

Man has barely placed a drop in the incredible bucket of God’s universe to understand how grand and majestic the work of His hand is among the stars. He can see the beauty of the darkened heavens glistening with the sprinkles of lights representing billions and trillions of stars so vast they are uncountable. The prophet Isaiah tells us God has a name for every star. What is man that God is mindful of him? It would do well for all men to spend time gazing into the heavens and contemplating the majesty of the Lord God who created all things. It helps to reminds us how small we are. With all the technology man has thrown into space there is nothing that can compare to the canvas God paints each night. One of the great inventions of our time is the International Space Station which at times is visible with the naked eye. If you are able to pick it out of the night sky it will thrill the imagination. Stop for a moment and look at what surrounds the reflective light of ISS and you will see GOD in all His glory. There is no comparison. He is so majestic.

Then a dispute arose among them as to which of them would be greatest. And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a little child and set him by Him, and said to them, “Whoever receives this little child in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me. For he who is least among you all will be great.” (Luke 9:46-48)

The Footprints Of A Child

Pride is an insidious demon that causes more problems in the heart because of the elevated sense of self-worth above others. It is a common cause of sin that causes division, destruction and disharmony. The disciples of Jesus argued among themselves who was going to be greatest in the coming kingdom. They failed to appreciate the nature of the kingdom Jesus was telling them about because their hearts could only see the pride of exalting self above their fellow disciples. Someone wanted to be in charge and rule over the others. The disciples objected considering themselves to have greater honor above the one who imposed his will on the group. Who would take the reins of power and which one of the disciples would Jesus choose to sit on the right hand and left? Voices were raised as the argument continued to jockey for places of prominence in a kingdom that would never come. It is clear the disciples were not listening to what Jesus was saying because He never suggested His kingdom was of a worldly nature and the Lord never hinted one disciple would have a position of power over another. They were so filled with pride they could not hear what Jesus was saying.

The master teacher took a little boy and sat him next to Him. He was going to make an eternal lesson not easily forgotten by His disciples. Sitting next to Jesus was a simple little Jewish boy that had no concern for what the disciples were arguing about. His little mind was fully trusting in the care of his parents and the smile that crossed his face showed the innocence of a heart untouched by pride. It must have been exciting to be sitting next to Jesus and to be the center of attention. The disciples looked on with puzzlement. Then the words rang true and clear. Greatness is found in the heart of a child. Men who seek to be honored must first learn to possess the mind of a little boy that Jesus sat next to Him and pointed out to his disciples as proof.

Humility is the character of a child. They do not possess the poisons of a haughty character and prideful spirit. Children are easily forgiving of one another. In their minds they are not seeking the thirst for power or glory. Their hearts are innocent and loving. To be a disciple of Jesus Christ, the heart must learn first to trust in God, honor their fellow brothers and seek only the glory of God. No one is the greatest in the kingdom of God because there is only one who died on a cross. Jesus is the Son of God. He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords and He is the only one who receives the exaltation of preeminence in the Kingdom. To be great in God’s kingdom the spirit must be the least. Everyone and everything is before the heart of one who submits to the will of the Father. All men are indebted to the sacrifice of the Christ.

The church struggles with those who have not learned the lesson about the little boy sitting next to Jesus. It might do well for a child to be taken into meetings of elders as a reminder of who is greatest. Business meetings, church affairs, disagreements among brethren, family strife and every man should remember the object lesson of Jesus and the little boy. There are no grown-ups in the kingdom of God. All of the hearts of those who are in the family of God should possess the heart of a child. Greatness begins with servitude. To be great in the kingdom of God one must be the least. Jesus left the ultimate example of a child’s heart when He bowed to the will of the Father accepting the sacrifice on the cross. No greater love can be found among men than the gift of life through Jesus Christ. Without the heart of a little child there can be no glory. God has given so much and His Son left an example so that men can walk in His footsteps. If one looks very closely at the footprints of Jesus, they will find He wears the shoes of a child.

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

When the wicked came against me to eat up my flesh, my enemies and foes, they stumbled and fell. Though an army may encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war may rise against me, in this I will be confident.

One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple. For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; in the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock. And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me; therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.

Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice! Have mercy also upon me, and answer me. When You said, “Seek My face,” my heart said to You, “Your face, Lord, I will seek.” Do not hide Your face from me; do not turn Your servant away in anger; You have been my help; do not leave me nor forsake me, O God of my salvation. When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take care of me.

Teach me Your way, O Lord, and lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies. Do not deliver me to the will of my adversaries; for false witnesses have risen against me, and such as breathe out violence. I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord! (Psalm 27; a psalm of David)

The Joy Of God’s Grace

There are many things that can bring dread or fear in life. For the righteous, it can be the persecution from those who deny God who seek the lives of those who oppose them. For David this was a very present trouble and he knew the only hope he had was to trust in the Lord for deliverance. The wicked sought to destroy him but he did not fear. His enemies camped around him to no avail for David entrusted his faith in the One who could deliver him. He learned early in life facing the lion and the bear that having a faithful heart in the Lord would bring him victory. Waiting on the Lord to carry out His work was a lesson David clung to as his adversaries swirled around him breathing out violence and false witness. The man after God’s heart left a message of hope, courage and faith when he exhorted the faithful to wait on the Lord, be of good courage and feel the strength of God’s love in their hearts as they trust in Him.

The only light that will guide man through the dark vales of life is found in the Lord. God is the true light and He is the salvation of all those who wait on Him. Fear is cast out with a perfect love for the power of God to overcome evil. Regardless of the trials that are faced in life, confidence reigns through the knowledge the Father will protect His children. Righteousness will always be victorious and unrighteousness will be defeated. There is nothing that can cast down the spirit of the child of God when they trust in the Lord. Worship is the means that brings strength to the soul of the righteous. Dwelling in the house of the Lord to behold the beauty of God is where strength comes from. In times of distress the Father will overshadow His children. He will hide them in His pavilion, upon a high rock and protect them from being destroyed. Victory comes through the lips that sing praises to the glory of the Lord.

Prayer is the powerful tool that connects the righteous with the spirit of God. Faith is built upon the foundation of knowing God’s word. The Father wants His children to seek His face. He will never forsake His children. God will not abandon those who seek Him and desire His face. David boldly said that his father and mother could forsake him but he knew the Lord never would. God will always take care of His children. What is there to fear knowing that God’s love is so great and reassuring and present in time of need? Learning about the will of the Father will fill the heart with the courage to stand against the trials of life. Believing firmly in His promises will bolster the heart with trust to overcome. Man can be so impatient. Waiting on the Lord and letting Him have His perfect work will bring courage and strengthen the heart. Learning to use the power of God in the affairs of life is the strength of life. What is there to fear when one trusts in the Lord? Wait on the Lord and be of good courage. Wait, I say, on the Lord.

Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation.” (Luke 19:41-44)

Jesus Weeps Over Jerusalem

The Son of God cried. Robertson’s Word Pictures suggests the weeping was an audible cry and that Jesus bursts into tears. When Jesus heard of the death of His friend Lazarus He wept. God’s Son experienced the feelings and emotions of sorrow and visibly testified of His humanity. Standing before the great city Jerusalem, the Lord shed tears of grief for the calamity that would come in less than four decades. The city of God was an ancient city. Abram was blessed by Melchizedek who was king of Salem that would later being taken by David from the Jebusites. Solomon took Jerusalem to its zenith with the Temple of God and the glory of Israel encapsulated by the city. Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon laid waste the city in accordance with the will of God in 586 B.C. The city would be rebuilt with the help of Ezra and Nehemiah and during the days of Jesus return to a city of significance. What Jesus saw that day on the ridge of Olivet was the sad future of a city that could not see the destruction that awaited them. He saw the real Jerusalem filled with hypocrisy, apostasy, rebellion as God’s people struggled to understand His will. Jesus knew what they were going to do to Him in a very short time. He wept because He saw the future of Jerusalem where total destruction would come by the hand of the Romans and the once beautiful city of God would be plowed under with blood. Jesus wept.

Jesus wept over the city because they could not see that He was the Son of God. The people of God dismissed the man from Nazareth as a carpenter’s son. They refused to acknowledge the power of His miracles, the breadth of His teaching and the evidence of His Messiahship. These were His people. He was one of them and His own people rejected Him. They could not find peace because they could not see Jesus as God’s Son. It saddened Jesus deeply to see the sad plight of men ignorant of what was clearly shown to them running headlong into their own destruction. He speaks of the days when their enemies will build embankments around them surrounding them and closing in to destroy them. Jerusalem would be leveled. Jesus said the city would be flattened with no stone left upon another. The sad part was the Son of God knew what was coming and Jerusalem did not. They could have if they would have listened to Him but they refused. Jesus wept because of the pain and sorrow that was coming.

Through a series of events leading up to 70 A.D. the city of Jerusalem was in deep peril. After the insurrections by the Jews killing many of the Roman army, Vespasian sent his son Titus to end the rebellion. Arriving in February it only took the Romans seven months to end the siege and the destruction of Jerusalem began. The city was destroyed and Titus caused a plow to destroy the place where the Temple stood. Untold thousands were slaughtered as the massacre of the city was full. Jesus had stood on the hill outside of Jerusalem years before weeping at what was now coming to pass. He knew the destruction would be full. The city would never again be the place of God. Rejecting Jesus was the sorrow the Lord beheld that day when this great city had the Son of God in their presence but they could not see Him.

Jesus wept over Jerusalem because of what sin had brought to the world. He saw deeper than the façade of buildings, streets and walls. Looking at the hearts of men the Lord could see the fragile condition of men enslaved by sin and the coming destruction. The heart of the Lord was filled with compassion at the lives that would be lost because of sin. A lesson for the children of God is to see the cost of sin in the lives of those who do not know God and refuse to obey the gospel of Jesus Christ. A day of reckoning is coming and so many are unaware of the destruction. Like Jerusalem, they go about their lives with no conscious of the consequences of their rejection of Jesus as the Son of God. Every day people die outside of Christ. How terribly sad and tragic. The people of God should weep at the cost of sin and turn their hearts into action to save those who are lost. Many will reject the plea of salvation but all effort must be made to save the few. Stand with Jesus on Olivet and weep for the souls of men. Put forth the hand of courage to save the hearts of the few who will hear and obey the grace of a loving Father. Weep but act.

Then Daniel went to his house, and made the decision known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, that they might seek mercies from the God of heaven concerning this secret, so that Daniel and his companions might not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. Then the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. So Daniel blessed the God of heaven. (Daniel 2:17-19)

Praying In Babylon

The world of Babylon was a far cry from the life four young men expected to find themselves. Instead of growing up in the familiar surroundings of their beloved land of promise, they were thrust into a land of pagan worship, strange customs and servitude. It was not what they imagined their lives would turn out to be and yet here they were captives to a foreign ruler who desecrated the city and temple of the Most Holy God. They were more fortunate than many as they were chosen to serve in the king’s palace. Their names were changed and they had to learn the culture and language of their captive nation. The food given to the royal court was very different than the strict regulations of the Law of Moses. In a bold act of trust in the Lord God, the young men refused the king’s delicacies and were rewarded by God’s providence to excel in matters before the king. Their life in Babylon would be a constant test of faith as they confronted the trials of captivity. One such test came early in their life when the king began to kill all of the wise men.

Nebuchadnezzar had a dream that troubled him and calling his wise men he wanted to know the meaning of his vision. When asked what the dream was, the king commanded the wise men to tell him the dream and the interpretation which they could not do. They knew no man could tell another man’s dream without first the man revealing it to them. Angered by his wise men the king gave a command to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. The killing began and when Daniel heard of the decree he implored the king to give him time to tell the king the interpretation. Daniel went to his house and told his three friends the story of the king’s decree and consequence if the dream could not be revealed with its interpretation. Faith comes in many forms but the faith that Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah displayed that day was a complete trust in the power of God to work in their lives. The Chaldean’s had told the king no man on earth could tell the king’s matter and no other can tell it but the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh. They were partly correctly because they knew it was beyond the power of man to reveal a man’s dream. What they did not understand that Daniel and his three friends knew was the Lord God could reveal the dream and interpretation.

In a house somewhere in Babylon four men knelt to pray and seek petition of their heavenly Father. They were asking for a powerful revelation. Seeking the mercies of God, Daniel along with Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah all prayed fervently the vision would be revealed. Across the Babylonian landscape people were mourning the death of their loved ones killed by the king’s decree. Many others were hiding in fear of their lives as the decree for their deaths was clear. The king was angry, his wise men fearful. Four men in a quiet house prayed and found their prayers answered. The secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision and Daniel broke forth in praise to God for His kind deliverance and grace. There was nothing to fear and Daniel revealed the dream and its meaning to the king.

Prayer is a powerful means of sharing in the grace of a loving God. Faced with the uncertainty of their future, four men gathered together to combine their wills in seeking the petitions of the Lord. Their faith carried their pleas to the ear of God and He answered their prayers with deliverance. A lesson of prayer is the power of united prayer as four men sought the mercies of God together. Individual prayer is a daily need but spending time with others to lift up supplications shows the power of collective prayer. What is the power of collective prayer with there is a national crisis, great need of the church or special blessings upon a certain individual or family in Christ? This is not the prayer often worded during the worship service. The kind of prayer in Babylon was gathered in a house with hearts knit together in seeking the mercies of God for a particular purpose. Daniel and his friends came with great hope and trust in the power of God and He granted their desires. Four men – one prayer.