The Heaton File

Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted. (Hebrews 2:17-18)

Jesus Knows Our Troubles

Temptation is the common lot of all men and it is a struggle. There is nothing more insidious than the wiles of the devil trying to destroy the hope of a Christian. Satan throws everything he can at the child of God. Pulling the world towards an impending doom is the purpose of the adversary and his greatest victory is when he can take the heart of God’s people away to hell. There is nothing good about the evil one. He is the father of all lies, the red dragon of perdition and the vilest of creatures. His tools are three-fold: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. With these chains of despair he draws in the soul to fill the belly with pleasures of the flesh. The world is open more and more to the joys of sexual freedoms, hedonism, and lusts that fill the desires of men and women. Exploited through the mediums of television, computers, and social media the boundaries are unlimited. Materialism swallows up the lives of saints of God who are choked with the cares of the world and its riches. Pride rules the minds of many. Temptation is in full swing and the people of God are under attack.

Through the smoke of the battle for righteousness, truth and holiness comes one sitting on a white horse with a name on His robe and on his thigh: King of Kings and Lord of Lords. This is Jesus Christ, the Son of God who died for all men opening the doors of heaven to those who would seek the saving blood of His sacrifice. There is a terrible battle being fought against the forces of wickedness and the cost is high. Faithful soldiers of Christ stand valiantly on the battlefield wielding the sword of truth gaining victory over the enemy. Bearing the armor of God the legions of victorious saints subdue the wiles of the devil and his minions. The temptations of the flesh and the desires of the eye weigh heavy upon those who battle for the Lord God. The pride of life is a temptation that works hard against the will of man. Throughout the world a battle cry goes out that stirs the hearts of men and women to fight more diligently and never give up. Every battle that is fought against temptation was fought by the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. The King of the God’s people knows what temptation feels like. He lived it. It attacked him for more than three decades and He never sinned. The power of His resurrection is the battle cry that heralds to all the valiant soldiers of Christ to rally around the banner of truth and win the battle.

Jesus is the Son of God. He is God. Dwelling among men as flesh the Son of God experienced the realities of temptation. As a man he felt the urges of the lusts of the flesh. He knew the enticing siren song of the temptations of the eyes and the prideful desires of life. Jesus understands what it is like to be a teenager. Growing into manhood He lived in a world filled with lusts, sexual freedoms, hatred, jealousy, oppression and idolatrous wickedness. Jesus of Nazareth did not live in a protected cocoon insulated from the wiles of the devil. Satan knew who the child born of Mary was and he came at the Son of God with everything he had. Jesus was made like me but He lived without sin.

The promised hope that is found in Jesus is that He suffered temptation like all men and when we face our trials with sin, the Son of God is there to aid us, help us, assists us to overcome. He knows our troubles because He lived it. There is no greater source of hope than Jesus Christ. When our lives are overwhelmed with the challenges of sin we can go to Jesus and seek help and intervention to overcome. He understands our feelings. Living as a man He knows the trials of temptation. Thank God He sent His Son to live in the flesh so that we can have victory over temptation. There is nothing I cannot overcome when I go to Jesus. What a wonderful Savior and Redeemer.

The Lord God of hosts, He who touches the earth and it melts, and all who dwell there mourn; all of it shall swell like the River, and subside like the River of Egypt. He who builds His layers in the sky, and has founded His strata in the earth; who calls for the waters of the sea, and pours them out on the face of the earth – the Lord is His name. (Amos 9:5-6)

The Creator Of All Things

There is no doubt the world is a perfect creation formed by a magnificent architect. Denying the reality of an orderly universe decries the logic of the senses. Everything has its place working in harmony with each part to establish the patterns of life. The sun rising each morning is not by chance or the beauty of the stars that fill the night sky. Oceans ebb and tide in perfect synchronization throughout the world designed to maintain an orderly design. All of this is orchestrated by the will of the one who created, established and maintains the fabric of the universe. The Lord is His name. From ancient times men have known the author of creation. Modern science can explain in more detail the nuances of the molecular world but in reality it only explains what all men have known from the beginning of time. There is order in the world. The hand of a greater designer has left his fingerprint in every corner of the globe. Whether it is climbing the highest mountain, exploring the vast stretches of ice continents or plumbing deep recesses of the seas, creation demands a maker.

Amos lived hundreds of years before Christ but he knew the maker of the universe was the Lord God of Hosts. Thunderstorms that swept across the Sea of Galilee came by the hand of God. The snow that topped Mount Herman was carpeted by the touch of the Lord. Life was abundant from the breath of the only Creator and the Lord was His name. The Nile River was the breadbasket for the nation of Egypt and for many years supplied a treasure of wealth for the nation. Because of the Nile, land was extremely fertile due to periodic flooding and annual inundation. This was brought about by the hand of the One God and Maker of all things. Science has also shown the strata of the atmosphere that is a working engine for the process of evaporation, dissipation and cleansing of the earth. Rain is a refreshing reminder the Lord God has made all things and controls all things. This all comes about because the Lord is His name.

Believing in the Lord God of Hosts accepts the world as a mirror of His power and testimony of His mind. He created the universe, governs it and has the power to destroy it. There is incredible beauty in all that is seen but beyond that beauty is the statement by the hand of the Lord that He rules and desires man to worship Him as the only God. A twofold sword of truth is declared in nature. The one who made it has the power to judge it. Man is without excuse. There will be no one standing before the Lord God of Hosts and say he could not have known His power. The universe cries forth His name as Maker, Sustainer and Author. Denying it does not change it. His name is Lord and all must see His love in the power of the creation so they can know the grace in His salvation. With the testimony of the word of God He reveals the greatest of creation: God in the flesh. Jesus Christ came to bring all men to His Father to show them through the testimony of creation a new creation awaits. The Lord God of Hosts is His name.

Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:2-11)

Blessed Assurance

Eternal life is not guess work or a slight chance that it may happen. One of the great tools in the arsenal of the devil is to make God’s children doubt their salvation. The great tempter convinces people they are not worthy of eternal life and that God would never have a desire to save them. Satan makes life miserable with fears of hell fire, condemnation of sin, lack of faith and disparity of hope. There is no joy in being a Christian. Death is the dreaded game of chance that maybe eternal life will be found in Heaven but there is no assurance. Jesus said that Satan was the father of lies and one of his biggest lies is to cause uncertainty in the hearts of the Beloved of God. In the study of the Christian graces, Peter shows the grace and mercy of the Lord in giving man everything he needs pertaining to life and godliness. Through the knowledge of the Son of God the life of a bondservant of Christ is measured by glory and virtue. He has given us exceedingly great and precious promises that allow us to partake of His divine nature. The corruption of the world does not overtake our hearts. With a diligent heart the Christian adds to his faith virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and love. Like a protecting shield of armor these graces fortify the life of God’s child protected from the wiles of the devil. The conclusion is clear and demonstrative: keeping these graces in life will offer the promise of blessed assurance and secure the soul of the child of God to eternal life.

The promise of Heaven is assured. It is not a dream for the righteous elite alone. Applying the measures given by Peter will make the calling of eternal life sure. Filling the heart with these graces will make the election of the called of God certain. With great diligence adding every one of the characteristics of grace to the spirit of man makes eternal life a promised reality. It is possible to live each day with the knowledge that eternal life is awaiting. Exercising the graces of God will guarantee an entrance into the everlasting kingdom of Jesus Christ. Peter says it will be abundantly supplied. The cup of God’s love overflows with His desire to have His children come home to Him.

There is a need in the body of Christ for God’s people to believe in His grace and promise of eternal life. We have too long lived under the premise that Heaven is a possible chance but no assurance. Nothing is further from the truth. Jesus died on the cross to give man a hope that is not only assured but real. His blood cleanses us from our sins as we walk in the light. Struggling with sin will always be the lot of the child of God but through patient well-doing in following the graces of faith and adding as the elements of the divine nature the child of God can and must live with hope. This is real. Heaven is place reserved for the children of God. The Father wants to share His glory with His children. Giving diligence to add these graces will make our calling and election sure. Live with hope. Awake to the dawn of salvation. Look for the day the Lord will return and know that Heaven is yours.

In that He says, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away. (Hebrews 8:13)

Something New And Better

Everyone likes getting something new. It is exciting to buy a new car, build a new house or start a new job. There is a freshness that brings that new car smell to mind. Moving into a new home freshly painted and perfectly constructed is a wonderful experience. A new job can be scary but still a new beginning is often the most productive. There is anticipation when something new comes along. Driving an old truck for many years brings a sense of comfort but the newer trucks have so many whistles and bells that attract the senses of want. When things become worn out over time there comes a time for replacement. The Law of Moses served a purpose for a time but like many things needed to be replaced. When God gave the Law to the nation of Israel, it was established upon the grace of God’s love to redeem His people through the sacrifices of animals. The Gentiles were saved as a law to themselves which included animal sacrifices. Both laws were inefficient. There was a need for a better covenant.

The Law of Moses was an old covenant given to a select group of people based upon sacrifices that could never fully take away sin. God had determined before the world was created to establish a new covenant that would fulfill the demands of sin. A new covenant would be given that would cost the Son of God His life on a cross outside Jerusalem. Love was the binding contract for the establishment of the new covenant. It would be unlike the covenant with the Jews and Gentiles. Man could not save himself as a law to himself or keeping the old law. Jesus would be a perfect sacrifice without spot or blemish given for all the sins of man. He opened the door to a new way, a new truth and a new life. His blood was a better means of salvation unmatched by anything man could do. The sacrifice of Jesus took away the Law of Moses. The first covenant was obsolete. It vanished away long ago. There is no hope in the Law of Moses. The Jews could not keep the law failing miserably to perform the requirements of the law. Only in the new covenant was hope rekindled through the blood of Jesus.

A new covenant is a remarkable statement of God’s mercy. He proved that man could not live to himself or be keepers of a faulty covenant. The sacrifice of Jesus exalted the glory of God to show all men the loving grace of the power found in a new covenant. There will never be another covenant or testament declaring the will of God. All man needs is found in the new covenant established by Christ at a place called Golgotha. It is through the resurrection that hope rises to the throne of the Lord God giving promise to all men the new covenant is the last and greatest act of love man will ever see. Almost all things that are new become old but the new covenant of Christ will never grow old. Established two thousand years ago the law is still in its perfect state of newness. Imagine possessing something that old and it remains new. The new covenant is the law of God saving men through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. It will remain until the Lord returns. A new covenant. Thank you God.

Listen to your father who begot you, and do not despise your mother when she is old. Buy the truth, and do not sell it, also wisdom and instruction and understanding. The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice, and he who begets a wise child will delight in him. Let your father and your mother be glad, and let her who bore you rejoice. (Proverbs 23:22-25)

A Family Of Thanksgiving

Thanks-living is learning how to be filled with thanks-giving. There are so many things to be thankful for. Counting the blessings of God is enumerable. He has given so many things both in the physical world and the promise of eternal life that man could never possess all the things given by the Lord. The joy of thanksgiving is to learn how important the relationship of the family is to the happiness of man. Everyone has a set of parents but many do not have a father or mother that will guide and instruct them in the way of righteousness. God designed the home where the wisdom of the parents guided the children to love and adore Him and in return show that love toward the parents. No one can love God and not have love for parents. They are to be received with honor and respect for who they are and what they mean to the will of the Lord. Revering the parent is commanded by the Lord.

No matter the age of the child, listening to the father is a sign of wisdom. The wise man shows that when parents become old they are not to be despised.  Buying the truth with wisdom, instruction and understanding brings glory to the family and to God. Scorning a parent because they have grown old is sinful to the Lord. The father of the righteous will rejoice as the will of God is found in the respect his children have for him. A wise child comes from wise parents that follow the pattern of righteousness, truth, holiness and godliness. Children that are trained in the nurture of the Lord will make the father glad and the mother to rejoice. The pattern of the home was designed to bring thanksgiving.

As the family assembles for a time of thanksgiving, let God be glorified in the lives of each person. The food and trappings of the day of Thanksgiving are important. There is a lot of work that goes into the preparation of a beautiful table adorned with wonderful food. Laughter will ring through the home as relationships are bonded in love for one another. Admittedly there will be moments of “why did I have that second piece of pie” coursing through everyone’s mind. When all is said and done the great joy of Thanksgiving should be the godly family. A unit of people united under the hand of a gracious God that has led their lives to serve His Son as devoted servants of righteousness. Nothing is more important than to share in a family where everyone is serving the Lord as obedient children. True thanksgiving comes from the joy of a family walking in the steps of the Lord. Buying the truth is what matters in a family. Following the wisdom of God, listening to the instructions of the word of God and understanding the joy of faithful obedience brings honor to the parents and gives glory to the Heavenly Father.

Now they came to Jericho. As He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the road begging. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called. Then they called the blind man, saying to him, “Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you.” And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus. So Jesus answered and said to him, “What do you want Me to do for you?” The blind man said to Him, “Rabboni, that I may receive my sight.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road. (Mark 10:46-52)

It Seemed Obvious

There were not many days left before Jesus would be crucified. He had told His disciples what would happen when He went to Jerusalem and they were leaving Jericho on the road to His final hours. There must have been many things on the mind of Jesus as He journeyed towards fulfilling the Father’s will. With throngs of people surrounding Him, the Lord walked along the dusty road deeply in thought of the trial of obedience that would tempt His soul to its core. And then there was a commotion. He heard above the noise of the crowd a voice crying out to Him. A man was calling out for Jesus to have mercy on him. Those standing by rebuked the man telling him to be quiet but he insisted more. Standing still Jesus commanded the man to be brought to Him. Stumbling through the crowd a man approached Jesus and it was clear the man was blind. Bartimaeus, son of Timaeus, sought for mercy and a remarkable thing happened. Jesus asked him what he wanted Him to do. There would be just a few miracles left before the Son of God was killed. It would seem evident the miracle this man would desire was his sight but Jesus asked him what he wanted.

Nothing is known about the life of Bartimaeus and how long he had been blind. It would seem clear that he had never seen a miracle of Jesus and yet here he is begging the Lord to have mercy on him to give him sight. There was a poetical blind faith on the part of Bartimaeus to believe Jesus could perform such a feat but his heart was not to be swayed by the crowd as he determined to have an audience with Jesus. The Lord could have come to the blind man but He insisted he come to Him. There was no hesitation. Throwing aside his garment, Bartimaeus went directly to his savior. Living in blindness would create a world of trust in what he could not see. He had never seen the face of Jesus but he trusted His voice. A blind man would have only one object in life and that would be to receive or restore his sight. As the frail sightless man stood before Jesus, the Lord asked him what he wanted.

Faith comes in many forms. Someone might argue it was obvious what the man desired. He was blind. Who would not want to receive their sight? What purpose did it serve to ask the man what he wanted when it seemed clear the need of the man? Jesus asked Bartimaeus, “What do you want Me to do for you?” Faith is a determined soul who boldly asks God for the impossible. Healing a man of blindness was not giving him a pair of glasses so he could see better. What Jesus did for Bartimaeus was to take him from his world of darkness to perfect vision. The blind man had to pronounce his faith in the power of the Lord. Jesus could have healed Bartimaeus where he sat but the Lord insisted he come to Him. Seeking an answer from Bartimaeus was a testimony of his own faith to believe the Lord could do the impossible and the confession to the multitude of the power of Jesus.

There is a deeply sad part to the story. Bartimaeus received his sight and immediately followed Jesus. Very shortly after seeing the face of Jesus for the first time and imprinting the image of the Son of God on his heart, the former blind man witnessed the death of Jesus by those who could not see the power of the man from Nazareth. Jesus went to Jerusalem, was received with a triumphal festival of glory by the people and then watched as the hearts of the people turned in hatred to kill Him. Where was Bartimaeus in these dark days? A great miracle had happened with him but now they delivered his Savior up to be crucified. He believed Jesus had the power of God when he was blind and those who could see denied that same power. It must have been a crushing blow to the son of Timaeus. There is a hope that one of the first Christian’s of the New Testament church was a former blind man who sat by the side of the road near a town called Jericho. What a story he could tell when Jesus asked him what he wanted.

And the disciples were astonished at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, “Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, “Who then can be saved?” But Jesus looked at them and said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.” (Mark 10:24-27)

With God

There are many things in this world beyond the power of man to know or understand. He is limited by the boundaries of his own habitation and he cannot go beyond. It is impossible for man to fly. He created machines that carry him through the air but man will never be able to fly like a bird because he is not made in that form. It is impossible for man to walk to the moon, travel to distant stars, dwell in the oceans or create life. The list is endless of what man cannot do and falls under the category of impossible. To define the word impossible is to understand it cannot be done. This is unlike the achievements of men that went beyond the normal perception. There was a time when men said walking on the moon was impossible and yet that feat was accomplished in 1969. Men will look at this to believe they can do anything and nothing is impossible for them. Columbus believed he could sail beyond the western horizon and come back – which he accomplished. Striving for the impossible has led man to learn great things about his world. When all is said and done, there are many things man can do and will accomplish in the future. The apostle Paul reminded the idol worshippers of Athens that man has a habitation and he is limited. There are things that are impossible for man to do.

The contrast of man’s limitation and the unlimited power of God is what makes the nature of God so incredible. A rich man came to Jesus seeking eternal life but did not have the heart to follow Jesus without his riches. This discouraged the disciples. They thought if anyone would be saved it was the rich man. Jesus knew the man’s heart and while he would have made a noble disciple he would never have given up his love of money. Man cannot serve God and mammon. It is hard for those who love their riches to enter into the kingdom of God. Reacting to the rich man walking away the disciples lamented the possibility of salvation for anyone. The Lord declares that men will look at the situation of the rich man as an impossible task but with His Father anything could be done. Imagine a billionaire being told to give all his wealth to the poor and follow Jesus. Men would shake their heads and say that is asking too much. The point of the story is the difference what man can do by himself and what a man can do with God.

If the rich man had a heart of service he would have gone home, sold all his possessions and returned to follow Jesus. His friends would have thought he had lost his mind. It is uncertain what his family circumstance was but Jesus knew what the man needed to do and demanded a heavy payment. The Lord did not ask this rich man to do anything he could not have done. From his view, the rich man said that was impossible. It could not be done and it would not be done. How does one give up such wealth to follow Jesus Christ? Impossible. What the rich young ruler failed to see is that with God he could have done that. Anything with God can be done. Everything with God will be accomplished.

Living a Christian life will be the most joyous life anyone can live. There can and will be times the cost is high. Temptation will creep in seeking to seduce the spirit to walk away from God and serve the flesh. Passions will fill the heart driving the will of man to the brink of disaster. Decisions will have to be made that test the limits of man’s ability to endure. Persecution can become a real threat. How does man overcome these challenges and remain faithful to the Lord? WITH GOD. The only way to have the power to find eternal life is to submit the will of man to the will of God. Jesus said that WITH GOD nothing is impossible. Trusting in the love of God to guide the decisions of life will bring about the impossible. What seemed beyond the reach of man will become real. Let the power of God work in your life to realize the impossible.

Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death. Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this. The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches. (Revelation 1:12-20)

The Church Has A Lampstand

John the apostle was witness to some incredible things. His writing of the Revelation is a remarkable vision of the power and majesty of God. Through each page the message of victory cries forth in tones from saint suffering under the hand of persecution to the shouts of victory in the defeat of all the enemies of the Lord. The Revelation is a book of hope that stirs the hearts of God’s people to know He loves them and cares for what the face each day. John was introduced to a concept of the church that is first told in the Revelation. Writing to seven churches in Asia, Christ tells John of the gathering of the churches in Asia as a ring of seven lampstands with the Lord Jesus standing in the midst. The seven stars in the right hand of Christ are angels of the seven churches and each of the lampstands represent seven unique congregations: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea. Christ gives a summary of each congregation regarding their spiritual condition whether good or bad. For some the report is favorable but for some it is not. As the Lord addresses each congregation the message is the same: there is a reckoning for each location. The Lord will implore the churches to give heed to His words by reminding them that he who has an ear to ear must heed the warnings and admonitions or suffer the consequences. God knows the works of every church whether they are hot, cold or lukewarm. He is aware of the troubles they face and the victories they have gained. Some churches are rebuked severely for their lack of faith and told to repent. Overshadowing each testimony of the church is the knowledge that God holds accountable the work of the local church.

The lesson to take from this introduction to the Revelation is the responsibility each church has to be faithful to the Lord and fulfill the mission given by God for His glory. Setting up church services to go through the motions is a clear warning that God is not going to be pleased with the lack of diligence. Reading the letters to each of the seven churches illustrates the positives and negatives of church work. Every congregation has a divine mandate to carry out the work of the kingdom with an accountability ledger being kept by the Lord. His warning to the church of Ephesus is that without repentance the lampstand would be removed and they needed to take quick action. The Ephesian’s are prominent in the writings of the New Testament through the work of the apostle Paul. Sadly, the congregation had fallen out of love with God becoming dangerously close to falling away from truth. Warning them to change their ways, the Lord impresses upon them the danger of having their lampstand removed. This would be the case for the other six churches if they followed the path of the church at Ephesus.

Reading the testimonies of the seven churches of Asia should give pause to each church of Christ who is seeking to follow the pattern of the New Testament. It does not matter what the sign says out front. The reputation of the local work in the eyes of others is of little significance. Whatever reputation a local church has will not be established by the whims of social prestige but the Holy Spirit. Each church has a lampstand and the Lord determines whether it remains. The work of the church in teaching the truth and defending the cause of Christ will be reflected by the words of the Lord toward that church. Unlike the Revelation, no one will know what the Lord would say but seeking to pattern the congregation after the word of God will should establish a confidence the Lord is pleased. The church must be busy teaching others and like the First Century church increasing in spirit and number. Building an edifice and putting a name on the outside is not what the Lord wants. He desires for His church to be busy in teaching, admonishes, correcting and saving souls. Churches that fail to have the proper leadership, saving souls, teaching the whole council of God and showing brotherly love are in jeopardy of losing their lampstand. Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End and He knows the condition of each church.

Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:2-11)

Are We Abounding Or Lacking?

Everything that is needed for the Christian to grow in Christ has been provided through the love of God and inspiration of the Holy Spirit. The apostle Peter begins his powerful epistle of hope with the graces that should mold every child of God to a better understanding of salvation. People of God are called by His glory and virtue to excel in every part of their life. From these graces come the exceedingly great and precious promises so that we can partake of the divine nature. Adding to faith virtue and to virtue knowledge along with self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and love will change the heart and soul of the disciple of Christ. There will no doubts or fears about eternal life. Diligence is needed to make redemption real and hope alive in the hearts of God’s people. Salvation will be assured. The graces of the Lord will change the landscape of a person’s life to be filled with eternal hope and promise. But there is a condition that brings about this confidence. The graces listed by Peter will have little value if they are not possessed in the mind of the saint and abounding in his life.

God’s love is without measure but salvation in conditional. It would be easy to believe that there is little man has to do to be saved. From the Garden of Eden the grace of God has shown man where to look for salvation. It was inherent upon man to obey the commands of the Lord to find that grace. The list of virtues by Peter will have no impact on the life of the Christian if they do not seek to possess each one in his or her life. Faith must be an active part of our life. Virtue is the means by which we carry out that faith. Knowledge motivates the heart to seek the path of righteousness. Self-control is the steering wheel that keeps the mind of man in the narrow path of holiness. Perseverance fuels the soul to endure whatever comes against the spirit of man. Godliness is the canopy protecting the child of God from the wiles of the evil one. Brotherly kindness and love wrap the soul of man in his relationship with others because he serves the Almighty Father. These graces must be possessed, personal and possessive. I must make each one of the fruits of the Spirit my own.

Secondly, the Christian graces must abound. They must increase in order for them to be effective in my life. Whatever faith I had yesterday must be greater today. The virtues that set me apart last week must be more emboldened this week. Knowledge is always in need of growing as I study more and more about the Lord. The problem with self is the daily challenge of keeping it under the power of God. When the day gets long and the spirit begins to waver, I must increase my willpower to keep on keeping on; persevering to the end. Godliness is not an event but a lifestyle. Molding my heart to be pure, my mind to be clear and my steps ordered by the Lord will give me a spirit like God. Brotherly kindness is an expression of love through my actions toward others. This kind of love is an expressed love that must grow stronger every day. The more I abound in brotherly kindness the more I will know how to love unconditionally. Love must abound more and more so that I can see God.

Lacking any or all of the graces will doom the heart of man. Possessing and abounding in the graces of God will make the heart abound in the knowledge of Christ. Failing to possess these graces will dim the eyesight and cause a person to forget why they serve the King of Kings. The danger of ignoring the Christian graces is the sickness that follows. Looking at the Christian graces as the remedy for sin shows the seriousness of ignoring them. If a person is diagnosed with a serious disease and told how to cure the malady with a series of treatments, by ignoring the treatment they will bring about death. The graces given by Peter represent the perfect treatment for sin. Lacking these things will bring about spiritual decay and eventually death. There are terrible consequences if any of the graces are lacking. They must abound in the life of the Christian.

Then He took the twelve aside and said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished. For He will be delivered to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon. They will scourge Him and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again.” But they understood none of these things; this saying was hidden from them, and they did not know the things which were spoken. (Luke 18:31-34)

What The Prophets Said About Jesus

The events in the life of Jesus were not random or coincidental. Long before His birth, the prophets spoke of where the Savior would be born, His character, what He would teach and most importantly: how the Messiah would die. Jesus would share only a few times with His disciples what was written in the Law, Prophets and Psalms concerning His death. Taking the twelve aside, the Lord tells them they will be going to Jerusalem and He will be delivered to the Gentiles. This is especially powerful because Jesus is telling the twelve the Romans will scourge Him and kill Him on a cross. What is more amazing is that Jesus tells them He will rise from the dead. In all of this the twelve did not understand what He meant and dared not ask. God hid the full meaning of these words to the twelve to protect them and to fulfill the plan of redemption. Taking the twelve aside Jesus limited the discussion to a few. If the people had heard this they might have risen up against the Romans to save their Lord. Keeping the twelve in the dark also kept them from doing anything rash. Later, in the Garden of Gethsemane, Peter used a sword to defend the Lord but to no avail. Jesus rebuked him that it was not the will of the Father to stop what would need to happen.

Reading the Old Testament must be seen from the standpoint of its message. At first glance it is the story of beginnings such as the world, the nations and the history of the Israelite nation. The poetry and wisdom literature is a refreshing change with its powerful music of words and proverbs of knowledge. Opening the books of the prophets can be a challenge. However, reading the prophets from the view of Jesus will change the perspective to see God’s glory in what was written. The 39 books of the Old Testament are about one person: Jesus Christ. Changing the lens of examination will help the student see more clearly the reason God gave men the Old Testament. It testifies of His Son. Jesus illustrated to His disciples the prophets wrote about Him. They wrote about the Gentiles (Romans) taking the Messiah and treating Him in a savage manner. Scourging was a horrific beating that preceded a crucifixion. Being crucified was the most painful and torturous death devised by man and the Coming One would die such a death. If the students of the old law were careful in their studies they would see the purpose in death by crucifixion was that no bone would be broken. They would know the Jews used stoning as a means of execution but the Lamb of God would not have any bones broken. The prophets wrote how the Gentiles would be the executioners fulfilling that requirement.

Hidden from the disciples was the reality of the resurrection. On a few occasions Jesus would tell His disciples that He would die but then come out of the grave. Raising Lazarus from the dead was a precursor to the resurrection of Jesus. The Son of Man showed His power over death and testified the Father would raise Him in the same manner. The prophets wrote about the resurrection of the Son of God. The Law, Psalms and Prophets clearly defined the life of the Messiah and the power of God to raise His Son from the dead. All of this should lead the student of scripture to see the grace of God in His Son Jesus Christ and that all things were fulfilled as promised by the prophets. The things that happened to Jesus were not happen-chance. They were the fulfillment of the plan God had before the world began. Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s love.

Reading the Old Testament should reveal Christ to all men. The early disciples preached Christ from the Old Testament. Philip taught a man from Ethiopia what he must do to be saved starting from the book of Isaiah. The conclusion drawn from the Ethiopian was that baptism was necessary for salvation. Jesus is in there. He proclaimed His own story from the pages of the Law, Psalms and Prophets. His life is revealed in the scheme of redemption on every page. The death of Jesus was not a mistake or the church a substitute because the Jews accidentally killed the Messiah. It was in the prophets. The Jews delivered Jesus to be killed and the Romans carried out the sentence making all men – Jew and Gentile – guilty of the blood of God’s Son. No one is justified because the prophets said it would happen. Praise God for His infinite glory seen in the writings of the prophets.