The Heaton File

Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.” He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” (Matthew 26:38-39)

Learning To Pray The Garden Prayer

Prayer can be a difficult step of faith to accept. There is a need to see tangible results mixed with an acceptance of the will of God to carry out what He desires. It is easy to be selfish in prayer to almost demand things from the Lord without actually using those words. Many give up on prayer because they seldom get what they want or see positive results of their prayers. Having a prayerful heart requires courageous faith and unlimited trust. It is not for the faint of heart. There are many reasons why prayers fail and the reasons all rest upon the misunderstanding of the heart who forgets what the nature of speaking to God must be. The Lord is not a vending machine where we can put in our quarter and expect to get what we want as if the Lord must answer us. The first lesson about prayer is there is one God and man is not God. It should come as a complete shock that the Lord God Creator would take the time to consider hearing the petitions of man. What is man that He would be mindful of him? Knowing the Father is willing to listen to the petitions of His children is an amazing and humbling experience by itself. He allows His creation to come into His presence and seek His blessings. Astonishing. Incredible. Amazing. Prayer is not requirement of God to permit man to speak to Him. Only by His grace can man approach Him and His grace allows prayer.

The question that challenges prayer is whether God answers prayer. Nothing is more basic to understanding prayer because it suggests there is a desire for an answer from the Lord as supplications are offered. Jesus is the perfect example about the nature of prayer when He found Himself in the Garden of Gethsemane. He leaves His disciples and taking Peter, James and John goes a short distance to pray. Going about a stone’s throw from the three disciples, Jesus prostrates Himself and prays earnestly to His Father. He prays two things: first, He prays that if possible, the cup He is about to bear will be taken away. Second, He prays that the Father’s will be done. God answer His prayer but He answered it with two conclusions. Jesus prayed the cup be removed and the Father said no. The Son of God petitioned the Father’s will to be done and the Father said yes. God answered the prayer of Jesus but His answer contained a yes and a no. Jesus prayed the same prayer three times and the answers were always the same. The Father would not take away the cup but His will would be done.

Prayer is pleading the promises of God. How the Lord answers prayer is in His mind alone. The great leap of faith required in prayer is knowing that because God knows so much more than man, His answers are always right. There is never a time when the Lord does not answer a prayer with the best answer. Could God have allowed the Son to find another way instead of the cup or cross He was about to bear? Yes but that was not His will. The reason the Father could not take away the cup (telling Jesus no) is found in the realization the will of the Father required the Son to die on a cross (telling Jesus yes). Prayer must be approached with the courage to know that there will be times when God will say no to our petitions and supplications so that His will can be accomplished. He always answers our prayers. The answer may be no or it could be yes and it can be yes and no depending on His will. When has God ever failed to answer a prayer? He has always answered the prayers of His saints. The questions about prayer are not about prayer but how or why God answers prayer. Faith is the evidence of things we cannot see in the will of the Father.

Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem. And he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a loyal heart. (2 Chronicles 25:1-2)

The Folly Of Amaziah

It had been a little over 140 years since Solomon died and the nation of Israel was divided with ten tribes to the north and the remaining two in the south. The northern tribes of Israel would be served by wicked kings who turned their hearts away from the Lord. Judah would enjoy a few good kings who followed in the path of their father David but many kings would be like their northern counterparts. Amaziah was the ninth king of Judah following four decades of rule by a good king, Joash. The reign of Amaziah would be twenty-five years and he would do right in the sight of the Lord. While his rule is characterized as a time of the good kings, he was not fully devoted to the Lord. He was a good king but his heart was not loyal to the word of God. When he became king, his first order of business was to execute all those who conspired and killed his father Joash. However he refrained from killing the children of the conspirators as the Law of Moses forbade such action. He was a noble king to restrain from doing what so many other kings would have done. His army was quite large. Three hundred thousand choice men, able to go to war were at his disposal. These men were proficient in the use of the spear and shield making a formidable army. Amaziah also hired one hundred thousand mighty men of valor from Israel to fight for him.

When Amaziah amassed his great army, a man of God came to him and warned him against hiring soldiers from the northern nation of Israel. He was told to rely upon the strength of the Lord and to send the mercenaries home. The men from Ephraim were discharged with their payments and told to return to their homes which they did reluctantly. Going to battle against the people of Seir, Amaziah’s army killed ten thousand in the Valley of Salt. Taking captive another ten thousand, they took them to the top of a rock and cast them down to their deaths. The army of the Lord achieved a great victory that day. By the power of God triumph was given to Amaziah and the people of Judah over the Edomites. And then the king of Judah did a remarkable thing. Returning from the battle with the Edomites Amaziah brought the gods of the people of Seir, set them up to be his gods and bowed down before them and burned incense to them. He had just shown the world what an army can do with the power of Jehovah God and then shows the same world what happens to a man of God who is not loyal in his heart to the Lord.

The folly of Amaziah is seen in destroying twenty thousand people by the power of the Lord and instead of returning home to worship the glory of God, Amaziah brings home the gods of the people of Seir. He did what was right in the sight of the Lord but his heart was not loyal. Doing righteousness is an important part of serving the Lord. Worship has always required doing the right things in the right way according to the right pattern. Sadly what is lost on the minds of many of God’s children is that doing what is right also requires having a heart that is faithful. Loyalty of heart is having the fidelity of spirit to devote the mind, soul and body fully to the purpose of the Lord. Paul would remind the saints at Corinth that taking the supper of the Lord required more than eating some bread and drinking some juice. If the heart is not loyal to examine deeply the meaning of the supper, sin lies at the door. Singing praises to God can sound as harmonious and grand as the ear can enjoy but if the heart is lost the praise is empty. Saying the right words and expressing in literary platitudes a prayer to the Father will fall short of its glory when the heart is cast with hypocrisy. Walking through the doors of a building to have a name checked off a list to show attendance is serving a god of denial. Amaziah did what was right but his heart was not loyal.

Bringing the gods of the people of Seir back, Amaziah exemplified the problem that challenges the hearts of the people of God. It is easy to do right but to have a loyal heart requires purpose and devotion. What a person lives outside the confines of the building defines the heart of the individual. Being loyal in heart is a daily exercise in communing with the word of God, imbibing the Spirit of God and setting forth an example of light in a community of darkness. The Lord knows the loyal hearts. He does not look on the outside to see what men see as right. Only from His eternal eye can the Lord see the heart of man whether he truly believes, accepts and challenges the soul to trust him. Amaziah trusted God to win the victory but turned his heart away from his Deliverer. That was the folly of Amaziah.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Acknowledge The Lord

Words have powerful meaning and the Holy Spirit did not mince His use of words when He inscribed the Holy book. Throughout the writings of the sixty-six books called ‘The Bible,’ the nature and character of God is lifted from page after page for man to see who the Lord God and Creator of the world is and to honor that name. Repeatedly the Holy Spirit pleads with the readers to trust in the Lord refusing to rely upon human wisdom for guidance. The calamities of men have all come from seeking the failed philosophies of the carnal man. There has always been a standard of right and wrong established by the will of the Lord. Following the law of God will always bring blessing, peace, contentment and enjoyment in this life and the life to come. Godliness is the character of seeking to mold the heart after the precepts of righteousness and truth. Trusting in the voice of the Father will always keep the heart of the child safe. Putting these truths to the test is the ability of man to acknowledge God in every part of life.

God has always required first place. From the days of the Garden of Eden to the giving of the Law of Moses and the coming of Jesus Christ, the only place the Lord wanted His people to be was in an abiding relationship of trust with Him. Belief was not a casual experience. It was a constant acknowledgment of God’s place in every part of life. The wisdom passage exhorts the spirit to recognize God alone has the power and might to bless man. Acknowledging the Lord in all the ways of life is the only place He wants to be. God created the heavens and earth and man is dependent upon every factor of creation. The sun rises according to the will of the Creator; not man. Life comes when God puts the breath in the body and forms it according to His divine pattern. Seasons come and go as it has done from the beginning of time because God created the cycle of life. Death is real because the hand of the Lord expelled man from the garden refusing him entrance again. Until man acknowledges the realities of his place in creation he is doomed.

Death is the consequence of rebellion against God. Adam and Eve disobeyed the law of God and suffered the penalties of sin. There was no hope apart from the grace of God and His plan to save all men. Sin destroyed the world in the days of Noah and continues to cast the world with a blanket of darkness from its evil allurements. Salvation cannot come from the hand of man because he is incapable of saving himself. God loved the world so much He sent His only Begotten Son to die for all men. The Light of the world shone in the hearts of men and hope reigned eternal through the sacrifice of Jesus. Man did not bring this grace about. Only by the mercy and love of God is man now able to come boldly before the throne of God and find redemption from sin. Until man acknowledges the truth of the sacrifice of Jesus he remains doomed in the mire of sin.

When man acknowledges God in all His ways, he releases the selfish desires to worship himself as a god. Nothing in this world came by the hand of man. Eternal salvation did not come from the goodness of men. The stark reality is that man has done nothing to give himself life whether physical or spiritual. God created man and God recreated man through the death of His Son. Acknowledging the power of the Father in every way admits the dependency upon the grace of God as the only means of salvation. God saved man; men did not save God. Trusting in the word of God and allowing His word to guide the heart will show man that in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth and by His power the world stands. Coming to know the power of sin can only be dismissed by the loving kindness of the Father who sent His Son to die on a cross and through His blood redeem all men who come to Him. Man must acknowledge the truth found in the word of God. Without conceding the heart to the will of the Father, there can be no hope. He requires all of the heart, soul, mind and body. Anything less will not be accepted to the Lord.

And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. (1 Corinthians 15:14)

Running On Empty

There is one fundamental belief necessary for the child of God to live a life of fullness in the glory of God. It does not simply believe there is a God because the demons believe this and they tremble at the thought. Accepting the Bible as the divine word of God is important but this alone is not the hope that resides within the heart. Going to church services and worshiping the Lord in the authorized manner with the approved examples is vital to obedience and yet again this is not sufficient to bring the greater joy to life. Being a good person validates the character of the individual, remaining pure illustrates the devotion to righteous principles and working diligently to ward off the wiles of the devil will prove fruitful. If the child of God does not live every day with the unmovable faith that death is nothing and that eternal life exists beyond the vale; life is empty. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the crown jewel of everything a person must believe to have a full life of hope, joy, and peace.

The early disciples struggled with the concept of life after death and some denied that Jesus rose from the dead. It is extraordinary for those living within the lifespan of Jesus they could deny His existence or the many witnesses that saw Him after His death. They were not removed nearly two thousand years and told to believe in the impossible. These disciples lived in the period of the revelation of God as man with innumerable examples of the proof of His life, death and the glory of His resurrection. And yet many denied Jesus rose from the dead. Paul’s admonishing of the saints in Corinth dealt with the realities of denying the resurrection. He declared there was ample proof Jesus was seen alive after His death. More importantly there was a far-reaching consequence to denying the resurrection of the Son of God. If Christ did not rise from the dead, what was the purpose of living a life of service to a cause based upon a lie? Thousands gave their lives for a man who did not rise from the dead invalidating all the preaching that had been done and lives sacrificed for the cause of Christ. There was no value to faith. Why devote a life to a cause that had no realization of truth if Jesus did not rise from the dead? Faith would be empty and life would be worthless. Everything hinged upon whether the Christ rose from the dead or not.

More than two millennia have passed since Jesus rose from the dead and no one remains who saw Him alive. Faith is the assurance of things not seen and believing Jesus rose from the dead requires that kind of faith that accepts the impossible. It is not without question to believe a man lived a long time ago and was a good man. Accepting the fact He was unjustly put to death is also easy to admit because the story tells how that came about. What is the most denied fact in the life of Jesus is to believe He rose from the dead and lives today. There are many who deny this outright with no reservations. This requires believing in the most incredible miracle known to man. It also means that a person must accept that Jesus was God. Denying His resurrection gives man the ability to make himself a god and live in his own fashion. Satan has done his work well in convincing most men that Jesus is not the Son of God and He never rose from the dead. Why would Satan do this? Because he knows that everything hinges upon that single fact. Believe that Jesus is real but do not believe He came out of the grave is what the accuser wants us to believe.

The devil has convinced many of God’s children to live in such a way they really do not believe in the resurrection. This may be his more sinister accomplishment in impacting the hearts of the saints of God. There is a peripheral view of the resurrection of Jesus as a Christian will acknowledge they believe Jesus is risen but their life will deny the facts. Everything about living is about the here and now. The child of God spends himself fully on keeping treasures here on the earth and living for the moment. Death is feared with incredible anxiety. Uncertainty rests within the heart of the Christian as they build their faith upon the useless trinkets of life. Many wonder why their lives are so empty when they attend services, read their Bibles and pray but never really accept the fact there is life after death. Facing death is a horrible reality instead of a joyous transition. Believing in the resurrection of Jesus is not just a Biblical fact we must believe but the reality of what will happen to the soul of the child of God. If Christ is risen then there is a resurrection of the righteous. Death is not a horror but an acceptance that what is real is what is coming. What is important is not about this life but the life that is to come.

Jesus Christ arose from the dead and we will rise from the dead. Breathing our last on the dust of this earth will give us the breath of eternal life on the shores of Heaven. Faith will be vibrant and full of joy when we acknowledge that because He lives – we live. When our lives are running on empty it is because we have lost sight of the resurrection. Nothing can compare to what awaits the child of God in the eternal glory of God’s grace. Our citizenship is not upon the fading memories of a world growing dark but the image of the Son of God shining deep in our hearts. Believing in the resurrection and living with that hope will assure the heart that God loves us and we are saved. Jesus rose from dead. Thank God for His love.

Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels? (Matthew 26:53)

Salvation’s Wondrous Plan Was Done

Ray Overholt penned a beautiful song when he wrote “Ten Thousand Angels.” Taken from the statement of Jesus rebuking Peter for drawing a sword against those arresting Him, the song describes the power of the Lord to protect Himself if it was the will of God. A legion was a division of the Roman army amounting to more than 6,000 men. Jesus was telling Peter and all those who came to arrest Him that He had at His disposal upwards of 72,000 angels to defend Him if needed. Considering the story from 2 Kings of 185,000 Assyrians slain in one night by one angel it could easily be calculated Jesus could immediately wipe out thirteen billion, three hundred twenty million men people; or the whole population of the world. Admittedly the song has a more poetic prose to sing ‘ten thousand’ than ‘seventy-two thousand’ but the lesson is still the same. God would provide His Son with an army of angels that would destroy the world – but He did not – and Jesus did not invoke that power. There was something larger that had to be accomplished.

Jesus allowed the band of soldiers and Jewish leaders to arrest Him. He permitted the mocking, beating and crucifixion because it was the will of His Father. The Lord gave His life on the cross so that all men could find salvation in His blood. His sacrifice was necessary for the redemption of man from the pains of sin. There was no greater love shown to man than He who was God coming in the flesh to die a horrible death. This was the plan of salvation. It was first promised moments after man turned his back on God. Immediately when man fell God provided hope in a resurrection. A Seed would come that would bring man back to communion with the Lord. Planned before time began, the plan of salvation unfolded over the centuries to find its fulfillment in the death, burial and resurrection of God’s Son. He could have called legions of angels but He did not. The Lord prayed to His Father of another way to save man but there was no way but the cross. Jesus fully accepted the plan of His Father and courageously faced the horrible but momentary suffering of the cross. When He cried out “It is finished” and He died – salvation’s wondrous plan was done. Three days later God raised His Son from the dead and the dawn of redemption spread across the world.

The work of saving man is the most wondrous thought man can ever believe. It is amazing that God would love man so much to give His Son to die for him. Incredible describes the amount of love given to a rebellious creature but the Father allowed His only begotten Son to be sacrificed for the sins of all men. Jesus could have done a lot of things but He chose to save you and to save me. Seventy-two thousand angels were ready to answer the call of the Lord but it never came. There was something bigger to be done. Jesus had to die. His death would save man. He humbled Himself and died on a cruel piece of wood in a place called Golgotha. His restraint unleashed the grace of God to all the world. Salvation’s wondrous work was done. Thank you Father. Thank you Jesus.

Now in the church that was at Antioch there were certain prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. (Acts 13:1)

Manaen

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Jesus of Nazareth began His ministry of spreading the gospel of salvation to all men. John the Baptist preceded the work of Jesus in preparing the way for the Savior. When John opposed the marriage of Herod to his half-brother’s wife he was imprisoned and beheaded. Herod Antipas was the son of Herod the Great who had killed all of the infants in Bethlehem following the birth of Jesus. The household of Herod would rule throughout the life of Jesus and the early church. Herod the Great was a powerful ruler who bathed the land in blood. His son Antipas was a superstitious immoral despot. Jesus referred to him as a fox. Luke records the acts of Herod Agrippa I (grandson of Herod the Great) in beheading James the brother of John and subsequent arrest of Peter. The Lord delivered Peter and afterwards Herod Agrippa was struck by an angel of the Lord for receiving God-like praise from the people. The political bastion of the Herod’s left an indelible mark upon the landscape of the people of Judea, Samaria and the Roman Empire.

In the church of Antioch (Syria) there were certain prophets and teachers and Luke names a few of them of note. Barnabas and Saul are familiar names. Nothing is known of Simeon who was called Niger (Black). Lucius of Cyrene is mentioned in Paul’s closing of his letter to Rome but nothing is known about him. One final character in this list of church leaders is the man called Manaen. What makes his name stand out is where he was raised as a young boy. Luke writes that he had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch or Herod Antipas. The Greek language suggests “one who is educated or nourished at the same time with another.” Adam Clarke says, “Manaen was the son of the woman who nursed Herod Antipas; and the son, also, whose milk the young Herod shared.” It is clear by Luke’s reference that Manaen had the advantages of Herod in schooling and was probably a companion of young Herod. There was a familiarity between Herod Antipas and this man who is a devout Christian serving the church at Antioch.

The gospel of Christ is an amazing message. It is readily received by the common people as often seen throughout the ministry of Jesus. The early church also changed the hearts of the simple man and those who were outcast. What is exciting about the New Testament disciples is to realize the gospel of Jesus Christ also reached the ears of the higher classes of people and those of nobility – even close friends of Herod. There is a curious anticipation to know how Manaen came to know the gospel. How did he obey the gospel and who was the one who saw a glimpse of hope in talking to a man of such distinction? What impact did this have on the relationship with Herod? These are exciting questions that will never be answered but the lessons are many. The gospel of Christ is for all men. Paul would later share in his letter to Philippi there were Christians in the household of Caesar. It is amazing to think those reared in the household of Herod and Caesar would be children of God one day. But the gospel can change hearts regardless of the world they grow up in. Honest hearts obey the truth of God’s love whether rich or poor.

Manaen is a beacon of hope to know of the opportunities that lay before us to tell others about the love of God. It is easy to make prejudgments about people thinking they would not be interested in truth. Who would have thought a man brought up with Herod Antipas would be a vital part of the early church? Thank God someone took the time to show Manaen the grace of God and nurture him to be such a great leader in the church at Antioch. There is no distinction in the body of Christ. All men share the same grace in Christ whether rich or poor, educated or illiterate and powerful or common. God’s message of hope stirs honest hearts. It does not rely on what kinds of clothes are worn or pedigree of station. The gospel of Christ saves men – all men. Never lose an opportunity to talk to the one who needs the saving blood of Jesus Christ. Look for the heart and ignore all else. Manaen – brought up with Herod the tetrarch – is the pattern to follow.

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. (Romans 8:18)

It Is All About Perspective

The people of God have always had a different view of life and the daily struggles that encumber the body, soul and mind. There is something inspiring to see in the hearts of those who have devoted their lives to serving the Lord yet facing multiples trials of conflict whether from disease, sorrow, persecution or death. The world swirls around the saints of God with all of its confusion and chaos but they are unmoved. Paul was constantly bombarded with the trials of those who sought to kill him, perils on his journeys and concern for the spiritual welfare of the church. In all of the mounting pressures from the world about him the apostle calmly walked the path of righteousness with the resolve of hope guiding his life. He did not do something herculean in its nature as if no one else could have the same kind of faith. What moved the heart of the apostle Paul was his perspective of life and all the trials that he faced. Without a clear view of life and the proper placement of what happens in this world and what is to come; no one can truly reach the maturity of abiding trust in the promises of God.

Paul suffered a lot in his life. When he obeyed the gospel of Jesus Christ his life took on the suffering servant work of spreading the word of God to the world. It was not an easy task. He was beaten, imprisoned, scorned and sought after by assassins. The heavy weight of the church pressed hard upon his soul as he wrote letters upon letters to exhort and rebuke and chasten the brethren to follow the path of divine authority. His life was an incredible story of servitude. While sitting in a Roman prison the apostle penned the epistle of joy to the saints at Philippi. This could only be done because of how he viewed life. It was hard on Paul and he did not welcome the pain inflicted whether bodily or spiritual. All he could think about was how short life was but how wonderful the glory of eternal life would be. Perspective. He put the sufferings of life in a box and understood that whatever he endured in this life was nothing compared to the inexpressible joy of what was to come. Life was a vapor and Paul knew that. No matter how many years he lived his life was a wisp of air that was only an atomic particle of time. He did not look at life from the lists of his birthdays but that final day of rebirth when he would never die again. It all has to do with perspective.

The aged apostle has been dead for nearly two thousand years. His legacy lives on through the writings of the Holy Spirit. Many of God’s saints have been laid to rest in the glory of the resurrection that is to come. A person’s view of life will determine how life is viewed. Paul knew the sufferings of life were temporary. His focus was not on the trials of the flesh but the joys of eternity. There is no comparison of what is to come with what is now. It is easy to consume life with the trinkets of this world and never raise the eyes to the glory that is to come. Many will miss Heaven because they were too concerned for the pleasures of life that are temporary. Sadly they believe that everything that is to be gained is in this world. Death is the same for all men. What lies beyond death is what separates men. Knowing that eternity is without end brings joy to the saints who trust in the promises of the Lord. This life can be hard and there will be challenges but looking to the author and finisher of faith in the hope of eternal glory will make the journey joyful.

Jesus came to earth so that we could look into the portals of Heaven and see our Father who has so much to bless us with in eternity. The Son of God gave His life and through His life we can live with hearts and minds focused on what lies beyond the grave. The suffering of this world cannot be compared to eternal life. What happens here is temporary. Eternity is without end. Life at its best is a vapor that appears for a little while and then is gone. Suffering is but for a moment. Having faith in God to trust His promises will ease the pain of mortality so that we can put on immortality. Joy awaits. Death is welcomed because it is no longer feared. What can compare to the blessings of eternal life? All of the joys of redemption await those who keep their eyes on the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began but now made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith— to God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen. (Romans 16:25-27)

He Alone Is Wise

Everything has its source and there is nothing that does not have its beginning. Man was created by God as the world was formed by His hand. Nations rise and fall in accordance with the power of the one who rules all things. Nature continues its daily cycle established in the six days of creation directed by the mind of the Lord. Nothing is without cause and purpose as the wisdom of God overshadows all things. Knowledge is pursued and gained through the centuries as man unveils what has already been known. Solomon declared long ago there is nothing new under the sun. Of all the grand accomplishments of the history of man he remains the minor player on the stage of God’s creation because wisdom comes only from God and from Him alone.

There is nothing known that is new. Man discovers what was already established by God. Columbus did not discover America; he merely found a land mass that had been inhabited since the beginning of time. When inquisitive man realized the world was not flat but round, he found a truth that had always been true. One plus one equaled two before Adam was formed. The best man has ever done in his quest for knowledge is to crack open the shell that already contained the walnut. Before God created man He placed in order the world with all its knowledge and power. Man was created last so that he could discover all the things that preceded him. Someone said the Lord created the mosquito before he formed man to remind him of his place in creation. The wisdom of God is before the wisdom of man and He alone is wise.

Sin came into the world because Eve thought she was smarter than God. Satan’s tempting of Eve was to challenge the word of God believing that her wisdom could overrule the command of God. She looked at the fruit and decided that God was wrong. It was not until after she and Adam ate of the forbidden fruit did they realize how true God’s word was. The wisdom of God was rejected that day but the fact He alone was wise did not. Satan’s greatest ploy to destroy the hearts of men is to make them believe they alone are wise. Paul declared the gospel as the complete and perfect wisdom of God to save all men through Jesus Christ. The scriptures proclaim to all nations the commandments of the everlasting God as He alone is wise. If any truth is to be known it must come from the mind of the one who created man. The scriptures declare that God made the world and its existence is held together by the word of God. Disbelieving this does not discount the truth. Only the wisdom of God could bring about the salvation of fallen man when sin separated him from his Creator. Where is the wisdom of man in the story of Jesus Christ? Man was so blind to the power of God in the flesh they killed Jesus on a cross. The death of Jesus is the final proof of how weak the wisdom of man is but the cross is the glory of the God who alone is wise.

Of all the achievements of man nothing compares to the vast universe of knowledge contained in the mind of God. In 1969 man did something no one in history would have imagined: man walked on the moon. The irony is that the Lord God walks upon every planet and every star and fills the sun itself with His presence. What is man when he stands next to the Almighty Lord God who alone is wise? And yet this great and wonderful God loved all men to send His Son to die for their sins and make a way that His noble creation could spend eternity with Him. To God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen.

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)

The Challenge Of Faith

It is not easy to believe in something that is unseen. Faith is a contradiction of the senses. There is a need to see, touch, taste or hear a thing to allow clarity of belief and often without that assurance there is no faith. This is more prevalent in matters of believing in the one God than anything else. No one would doubt that wind exists but the only reality is the unseen power of what it does. Wind is invisible and unseen. The evidence of wind is what it does with dust, water or the movement of trees. Faith is found in ordinary matters of life. Flying in an airplane takes a great deal of faith all the forces of nature will allow a huge piece of metal to soar through the air and land safely. Ships that sail upon the oceans of the world depend on the laws of buoyancy to safely go from port to port. Sending men to the moon required an immense about of faith in science to accomplish the incredible accomplishments of space. The heart begins beating in the creation of life and continues for many years with no thought given as to how or why. Considering the immense amount of information retained by the brain and all of the intricate manifestations of the mind throughout life is without explanation. Everything in this world is based in part or whole to the idea of faith and few would dismiss the truth of believing what is unseen. Believing in one God is easily rejected by the same minds that accept faith in everything else in life.

There is no argument the world was created; only the manner of its creation. Moses did not witness the creation of the world when he wrote the book of Genesis. Faith guided his hand to describe the Lord speaking and forming the world. All of the stories of Genesis came solely by the hand of faith inspired by an unseen God who declared the message of the early world to Moses. He described the circumstances surrounding his birth coming from the pages of faith. Faith is the evidence or proof of things that cannot be seen – the invisible. Men believe in the invisible every day but when it comes to accepting the Bible as the word of God unbelief clouds the eye. Faith is evidence as clear as the sun, moon and stars. How does man believe in life when life cannot be seen? Life begins in the womb – explain that. A man lives 70 years – explain this. Death takes life away – how is that understood? Faith is the evidence the force of life comes from the hand of God and in death returns to the One who gave it. Science cannot color it, create it or reproduce it but who does not believe in life? The sad irony of those who reject faith as a basis for belief in God cannot explain why they have life and where it comes from. They attempt to answer with science but they can never go to the question of who created what and how.

Faith is the fundamental challenge all men face. It is accepting what they cannot see and what they may not be able to fully understand. Rejecting God because they do not see Him or cannot recreate Him in a test tube is as foolish as the watch rejecting its maker as a lie. A watch is formed by a creator with design and purpose. Man is created in the image of God with design and purpose. Disbelieving in a Creator is man becoming his own creator so that he may worship himself. Faith is the evidence of things unseen and that troubles men. The worlds were formed by the power of God with no one to witness its creation. Adam and Eve saw the result of creation and all we can do is see the same world. The visible is accepted by faith through eyes which do not see. Without having a faith in God and Him alone there is nothing to hope for – man is nothing more than a miserable morsel of flesh. Here is the story of faith: the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible. Believe.

To the Chief Musician. To Jeduthun. A Psalm of David. I said, “I will guard my ways, lest I sin with my tongue; I will restrain my mouth with a muzzle, while the wicked are before me.” I was mute with silence, I held my peace even from good; and my sorrow was stirred up. My heart was hot within me; while I was musing, the fire burned.

 Then I spoke with my tongue: “Lord, make me to know my end, and what is the measure of my days, that I may know how frail I am. Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths, and my age is as nothing before You; certainly every man at his best state is but vapor. Surely every man walks about like a shadow; surely they busy themselves in vain; he heaps up riches, and does not know who will gather them.”

 And now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in You. Deliver me from all my transgressions; do not make me the reproach of the foolish. I was mute, I did not open my mouth, because it was You who did it. Remove Your plague from me; I am consumed by the blow of Your hand. When with rebukes You correct man for iniquity, You make his beauty melt away like a moth; surely every man is vapor.

 Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear to my cry; do not be silent at my tears; for I am a stranger with You, a sojourner, as all my fathers were. Remove Your gaze from me, that I may regain strength, before I go away and am no more. (Psalm 39)

Yearning For Forgiveness

Sin has a troubling effect upon the soul of the righteous. For those who have no desire to serve the Lord or to walk in the paths of holiness, sin is a comfortable companion. Sharing a love for God makes the spirit aware of the sadness that comes when deeds mar the joy of fellowship with the Lord. It hurts deeply as disappointment cloaks the soul with the conduct of disobedience. Life is viewed in a proper setting of brevity and a desire to make things right with God is immediate. The tongue is an unruly evil and can often spew forth unkindness without thought bringing sorrow and pain to self and others. Anger destroys relationships bringing sin into the heart. Forgiveness is the cleansing of the impurity of sin. Yearning for the blessing of God upon a heart caught up in the tangles of sin will only come from a knowledge of His grace and love to forgive. How great is that measure.

David was a man after God’s heart because he knew the power of forgiveness. His greatest act of sin was with Bathsheba but he was a sinful man in other ways. He had to deal with sin as any man and sometimes did not do a very good job at keeping it at bay. Whatever the circumstance surrounding the writing of his psalm, it is clear he is disturbed by his actions and the hurt he may have brought to others. What is more paramount to his heart is what he has done to God. David understood the vertical and horizontal relationship of holiness that required one to love the Lord and also to love his brother. Sin cannot be forgiven if there is hatred toward others. He had harmed a child of God and he wanted forgiveness from his heavenly Father. Looking at the brevity of life David pleaded for the mercy of God to remove his sin far from him. He understood the importance of perspective. Wisdom was needed to guide his speech in dealing with others and he also pleaded for the kindness of God to remove his sin. The two are inseparable.

Love demands chastening. God has always loved His children and through the act of chastening has formed the heart of the faithful to know His love. David felt the sting of the Father’s displeasure but he looked at it as an act of love. He did not rebel against it but embraced it. His relationship with God was one of devotion knowing that everything the Father did was righteous judgment against the frailties of human suffering. Sin will strike the heart with guilt. David left his life in the hands of a righteous God who would purify his soul from the draught of wickedness. He acknowledged his sin. Begging the forgiveness of God he left in the hands of a holy judge. Humility was the strength of his plea of the Lord and David longed for the Lord to look upon him with kindness.

The righteous struggle with sin like David. There are times we take the wrong path, say hurtful words and act in ways of unrighteousness. The joy of forgiveness comes from the right perspective and desire to serve the Lord. Having a heart like David will bring the joy of forgiveness back to the soul of those who are righteous. Jeremy Taylor said, “God hath given to man a short time here upon earth, and yet upon this short time eternity depends.” David understood this. Nothing mattered but receiving forgiveness and David trusted in the Lord to exercise His grace when the heart of David was humbled. The joy of forgiveness will come to all who accept the chastening of the Lord as a means to bring about a heart of humble trust in the mercy of God. Yearning for forgiveness must be paramount in the heart of the righteous.