The Heaton File

And Achan answered Joshua and said, “Indeed I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel, and this is what I have done: When I saw among the spoils a beautiful Babylonian garment, two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. And there they are, hidden in the earth in the midst of my tent, with the silver under it.” So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent; and there it was, hidden in his tent, with the silver under it. And they took them from the midst of the tent, brought them to Joshua and to all the children of Israel, and laid them out before the Lord. Then Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, the silver, the garment, the wedge of gold, his sons, his daughters, his oxen, his donkeys, his sheep, his tent, and all that he had, and they brought them to the Valley of Achor. And Joshua said, “Why have you troubled us? The Lord will trouble you this day.” So all Israel stoned him with stones; and they burned them with fire after they had stoned them with stones. Then they raised over him a great heap of stones, still there to this day. So the Lord turned from the fierceness of His anger. Therefore the name of that place has been called the Valley of Achor to this day. (Joshua 7:20-26)

The Family Of Achan

Israel had a great victory over Jericho and thought the battle for Ai would be much easier. Instead of sending the whole compliment of the Hebrew army, Joshua chose three thousand men to go up and attack Ai. To the dismay of the Israelites, the army was routed and thirty-six men were killed. Joshua tore his clothes and fell before the ark of the Lord pleading for an answer how they could be defeated by the men of Ai. The Lord brought news that sin in the camp of Israel was the cause of the victory by the people of Ai and until that sin was rooted out, there would be no triumph for Israel. It was discovered that a man from the tribe of Judah had taken of the accursed things from Jericho. When the people came against the city God had clearly said that everything was to be consecrated to Him and be placed in the treasury of the Lord. He had warned against taken anything for personal gain and by doing so would bring the wrath of God upon them. Achan, son of Carmi, thought he could get away with such a small amount no one would notice. The Lord knew what he had done.

Joshua brought the people before him and the Lord revealed Achan’s sin. As long as this sin went unpunished, Israel would be defeated by all their enemies. Bringing Achan before him, Joshua asked what the man had done. Achan admitted while looting the city of Jericho he saw a beautiful Babylonian garment, two hundred shekels of silver and a wedge of gold weighing. He took the forbidden things and buried them in the midst of his tent. Joshua sent messengers to retrieve the booty and found it exactly where Achan had said. As penalty for his sin, Achan was stoned to death. What is remarkable about the story is to realize that along with Achan those who were stoned to death was his wife, his sons and daughters and all of his animals. After stoning them to death they cremated their bodies and built a large heap of stones over the place. The writer of Joshua comments the pile of stones was still there in his day.

There is a family lesson in the story of Achan. As a father, he failed in leading his family in the path of righteousness. The decision to stone to death his wife and children is in the righteous mind of God. It would suggest the family was in collusion with Achan and were held to blame for the theft. There was no doubt by any of those who went up to fight in Jericho that everything was to be given to the Lord. Achan thought he could hide his deed from the Lord. Bringing the items to his tent, his family fell into complicity with the sin of their father. His wife should have refused the stolen goods. Sadly, the single act of one man was endorsed by his family and they all suffered death. Destroying the animals, tent and stolen items taught Israel a lesson about the penalty for sin. The only way that God will bless the nation is when sin is removed from its midst. This should have been done with the accursed things brought into the home. Like Israel, the sacred place of the home should be free from sin.

Achan failed in his leadership of his family and it cost them all their lives. What value did those items have when the stones began to fly? At what cost did he pay for the greed of a few items that meant nothing in the end? How many fathers are leading their families along the same path of Achan who work day and night for covetous things that will perish? The accursed thing in many homes is the pursuit of the lust of the flesh, lust of the eye and pride of life. The family has little concern for the Lord as they hoard their possessions of today building lives from the stones of Ai. Parents teach their children to love the world and seldom mention God. Like Achan and his wife, they impress upon their children that it is okay to steal, lie, cheat and expect the world to give them everything they want. God was not in the midst of the tent of Achan and when this happens to the home of God’s people, tragedy follows. Was it right to stone everyone in the family of Achan? The answer is a resounding yes because that is the justice of a loving and righteous God. It should also warn of the dangers of disobeying Him. Fathers – how are you leading your families?

For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. (Luke 6:43-45)

The Good Treasure Of A Good Tree

Jesus is a teacher of plain truth. There is no difficulty understanding His language. Using simple illustrations, the Lord lays out a pattern of clear admonitions that drive home the point of the will of His Father. As Creator, Christ established the pattern of trees to bear in accordance with their nature. Orange trees bear oranges and apple trees produce apples. The law of nature is that each tree bears according to its kind. An orange tree cannot bear apples because the molecular design of the seed is limited to creating oranges. An apple tree can bear orange apples but the apple is still an apple. This is also true of a good tree and a bad tree. Good trees are healthy and yield great quantities of fruit because they possess the elements of life. Trees that are dying inside will not bear much fruit and eventually wither away to dust.

People are like trees. God created them in the same fashion as goodness comes from a good heart but evil is evidence of an evil heart. The seed of man is limited by the DNA established in creation and will never change. Good things come from people who have good hearts. It is impossible that an evil heart will bring forth righteousness. The conflict between light and darkness is that darkness is the absence of light. If a man wants to be a good person he must have a good heart. If there is no goodness in the heart how dark is the void filling his heart. Jesus shows how the tongue is a barometer of the heart. What comes out of the mouth is first planted in the heart. Anger comes from an angry heart. Hatred is fertile in a heart filled with hate. The cursing’s that come from a mouth do not suggest a filthy mouth but a corrupt heart. In the old days the remedy of a foul mouth was washing the mouth out with soap but what needed cleaning was the heart. Using soap fortified the solution but if the heart never changed the soap was wasted.

The teaching of Jesus is clear. We are who we say we are. A man is known by his word. James would later write in his epistle the tongue is an unruly evil that no man can tame. There have been wars fought, fortunes lost, families destroyed and reputations marred because of the tongue. What must be learned is what comes out of the mouth first resides in the heart. To clean up the mouth the heart must be changed. When the heart is filled with the grace of God the words of a man will be seasoned with grace. Faith comes from hearing and hearing by the word of God; the more the word of God dwells in the heart the more the mouth will tell the wonders of God’s grace. Change the heart and the mouth will change.

But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. (1 Peter 5:10)

The Incredible Things God Has Done

How is it possible for anyone to measure the grace of God? It is not good form to begin a discussion with a question but when addressing the incredible things God has done there can be no other way to begin. If the ocean were ink and the sky a parchment, time would not allow articulating the many facets of the grace of God. From the creation of man from dust and the love the Creator showed in allowing man to live until the coming of His only begotten Son, the Lord has filled the canvas of man’s history with amazing grace. Adam and Eve disobeyed the command of God and He allowed them to live. The world turned to the wickedness of sin but Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. From the beginning of the promise to Abraham and through their turbulent history, Israel received the grace of God time and time again. No other example of saving grace can be found than the day God was nailed to a cross. Two thousand years removed the glory of His grace shines even brighter as the story of the risen Savior resonates in honest hearts seeking hope. Grace becomes personal when we see how God has moved in our lives. He has called us to glory by Christ Jesus giving us an eternal hope that while suffering the pangs of mortal life, a greater reward awaits in death.

God’s grace is immeasurable because He chose to save us. There is nothing we have done that deserves this kind of love. The reality is that all men have done nothing to merit the kind of mercy given by God. How can I repay the Lord for the sacrifice of His Son? Did anyone rush to the cross and take the place of Jesus? His own disciples forsook Him and abandoned Him in His hour of need. The courageous spirit of Peter was crushed under pressure from others denying He knew Jesus of Nazareth. He denied Jesus three times cursing as pride filled his heart. Who stood for Jesus when He needed it most? No one. Jesus Christ took my sin – all of my ugly sins – He took my sin and died on a cross. The nails that pierced His hands were put there because of me. As they bent His legs to nail them to a piece of wood, my sins hammered His flesh to the cross. How am I supposed to pay this kind of debt? Grace is God’s acknowledgement that we cannot repay Him yet He forgives us. Incredible.

Sin is a powerful enemy. We struggle against the temptations of the flesh and eye and the overwhelming pride of life. There are days of euphoria when we are mighty against the evil hand of Satan. Sadly, the days of defeat are often as we fall victim to his devices. We sin in anger, lust, pride, covetousness and a hosts of ills that plague the spirit of man and through repentance God forgives us time and time again – and then He does it all over again. How can we measure the longsuffering of the Lord when we try so hard to pull ourselves together and still fail? Sin may not have its victory but it will win some battles. It is in those battles that we lose so horribly that God’s grace shines brighter. Humble hearts filled with regret seek the cleansing of His hand and He grants it. Incredible.

God’s grace is the joy of living a Christian life. There will be days of joy and there will be days of defeat. It is hard to understand the forgiveness of God and why He continues to grant a rebellious people (that is you and me) His mercy. Every time sin overtakes us and we repent the grace of God becomes larger. He is the God of all grace because there is nothing to measure against what He does. Eternal glory is promised to all His people and that is the joy of knowing His grace. There may be suffering in this life for a little while and then the happiness of experiencing the final act of grace when God allows us to live with Him in eternal life. Grace is found in Jesus Christ and blesses our lives while here on earth. Seeing grace fulfilled is when we hear those wonderful words of our Lord: “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter in to the joy of your Lord.” Incredible.

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2)

We Have Jesus

Life can be tough. Sometimes it is so hard it challenges our faith and makes us feel alone. Living a righteous life in an unrighteous world is not for the faint of heart. Courage is needed every day to stand against the wiles of the devil and his minions of evil seeking to discourage us, stop us and destroy our hope. If Satan tempted the Son of God it should come as no surprise he fully intends putting forth every effort to tease me with the allurements of the world. Faced with this reality the heart can become tired of fighting, weakened from the years of battle and accepting defeat. One of the great blessings of the New Testament church is that we have a promise from God that we are not alone. He has given us a promise that is steadfast and sure confirming His love that there is a heavenly body watching over us and the face of Jesus Christ His Son standing at the finish line encouraging us to keep running. There is a powerful “THEREFORE” the Hebrew writer declares for those early Hebrew Christians who had grown faint of heart. We have a great cloud of witnesses that we can look to for strength because they finished the race receiving the crown and Jesus Christ is my Lord that I must make the author and finisher of my personal hope.

The Bible is a book of struggles overcome. Hope fills each page as the righteous from ages ago struggle in their faith to overcome the temptations of the world. Noah lived in a world so evil God destroyed it but he kept his faith. Abram left his home not knowing where he was going because he trusted in the uncertain future by the promises of a certain hope. Moses led a rebellious and often wicked people to the promised land with the strength of God’s love and forgiveness. David learned how deep God’s forgiveness was when Nathan stood before him unveiling his sin. Prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Daniel gained strength from their trials to stand for truth and preach the certain word of God’s goodness and severity. All of the saints testify to the grace of God and the overpowering love the Father bestows upon His people. These great stories and more are the clouds that surround us as the voices to cheer us on to lay aside the encumbering doubts that fill our minds. Knowing how they overcame will help us to lay aside the trappings of sinful doubt and run with endurance the race we must run.

Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith when we make His life our life. He endured a cruel cross that I do not have to bear. His death was the greatest shame men could heap upon one individual and Jesus willingly took that shame so that I would be free from guilt. He died so that I could live and He came to earth so that I could go to the Father. Through the power of the resurrection He reigns at the right hand of the throne of God so that I can have a beacon of light to guide my weary steps. There is no reason to give up. With so great a cloud of witness that surrounds my life through the word of God and the face of Jesus Christ the Son of God urging me to keep on keeping on; how can I give up? The New Testament church is where these blessings are found. My brethren exhort me as we walk together – hand in hand – guided by the same cloud of witness and the same Lord – and one day we will enter our eternal home together when our victory is won in eternal life.

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)

Having A Godly Character

None of the graces mentioned by Peter are of greater importance than the other but godliness is clearly a foundational element of the whole ideal that makes the Christian unique. This quality will define the motives and actions of the person who is seeking to mold their character in the image of Jesus Christ. By its nature, godliness is the becoming the image of God. Having a Godward attitude is where true devotion comes from and creates a desire to please God in every part of life. Adding godliness to perseverance is the bond of faith helping the child of God become more like the person of the Father. Developing a God-fearing spirit removes the dross of the carnal man. Godliness is the silver that shines brightly in the world of darkness reflecting the purity of truth, righteousness and holiness.

Faith becomes stronger when godliness is exercised with the virtues of knowledge, self-control, perseverance, brotherly kindness and love. Abounding in the graces of the Lord, a Godward spirit motivates the heart to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ. The continual battle of the flesh and spirit are tempered by the desire of pleasing God showing godliness in action, thought and deed. Striving to maintain a strong faith believing the Lord will reward the diligent servant is made easier with godliness. As the fragrance of the beautiful flower, having a devoted heart will help bring love to the relationships of God and man. Godliness is the summary of all the graces mixed into one with the desire to follow all of God’s word and show the character of Christ in life. His divine power has given all things that pertain to life and godliness. Exercising these traits in the spirit of the Christian will create a bond of greater strength and courage.

True piety is an essential part of the Christian character. A deep and reverential heart worships the Lord in truth seeking ways to become more like Christ. Anger is removed with godliness. A haughty spirit is humbled by the character of a pious heart. Jealousy, wrath, dissension and a host of evils that plague the heart of men will be overcome through the practice of godliness and the Christian graces. Brotherly love will replace envy because the character of God lives within the mind of a godly person. Godliness summed up is becoming more and more like the Father seeking to let His light shine in our lives by the way we talk, our attitudes, the manner of our dress, a work ethic that sets us apart and an example that is without reproach. Godliness will transform the man of the world into a man of God. Paul reminded his readers that godliness is profitable for all things and will bring contentment. Peter shows the importance of adding the virtue of godliness to the diligence of making the call and election sure. Godliness. It is much needed in our lives. Live for God and you will see God.

I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. (Exodus 20:2)

Preamble To The Ten Commandments

When Moses delivered the law to the people of Israel, He gave them a covenant that would bind them to the Lord God and determine their success or failure. The Law of Moses would become the foundation for every part of the lives of the Hebrews. This law included not only the criminal adjudications but also laws concerning what they were to eat, dress, how to handle disease, relationships within the family, community and worship; a hosts of regulations that would impact every corner of the day to day lives of the family. The Ten Commandments would become the summary of the law given to them from God in their dealings with Him and with their fellow man. Before giving the people the ten words of the covenant, God reminded them of why He was in a position of authority to command these words.

Law requires authority. Without the right to impose a law upon someone else, there will be no impact and the law becomes invalid. God makes His case in the beginning of the law when He reminds the people who He is and why He can demand their allegiance. They must remember the only reason they stood at the foot of Mt. Sinai was because of the power of God. It was only a few weeks before they were in Egypt bound under the cruel hand of the Pharaoh. The hand of the Lord was heavy upon the Egyptians as He demonstrated His power in the plagues that destroyed the economy, religion and will of the nation. All of the Hebrews had been spared the onslaught of God’s wrath upon the Egyptians and they should never forget His love for them. Leaving Egypt, the people had feared for their lives as they stood at the edge of the Red Sea with the Egyptian army behind them. An east wind blew all night dividing the waters before the eyes of the Israelites as God delivered the people of Abraham from the fear of the Egyptians. They walked across on dry land. Their eyes saw the sea crash upon the army of Egypt destroying the might of Pharaoh’s power. As they stood before the Lord at Sinai He wanted them to remember how they were saved by His power and grace.

None of the Ten Commandments would have any meaning if they did not accept the grace of God first. Having no other gods before Him could only be understood from a people that knew their salvation came from the hand of the Lord God. Putting away any carved image like the Egyptians worshipped was a sign the people acknowledged only one true god. Revering the name of God, keeping the Sabbath holy and honoring family and their fellow-man must first begin with the recognition that God was the Lord and only by His power they lived. They had been in bondage and could not save themselves. The people could never say they were saved by their own power. As rebellious a people as they became it is difficult to understand why the Lord saved such an ungrateful and irresponsible people. They did not deserve such love. Fulfilling a promise made to Abraham many generations before, a compassionate God delivered the people from bondage and set them free.

The people of the Lord have commandments to keep. In Christ all the spiritual blessings of God are realized. There has been no greater love and no greater sacrifice than the gift of Jesus on the cross. Throughout the writings of the New Testament the necessity of obedience is emphasized with clear detail. Like the keeping of the Ten Commandments and all the words of the covenant given by Moses that day, the people of God in Christ must first realize whom they serve. We were in bondage to sin and there was nothing we could do to effect a change in our depravity. There was nothing in us that deserved the gift of God’s Son to die on a cross for our sin. In the incredible gift of God’s love He showed His power by sending His only begotten Son to this miserable world of darkness to bring a light of salvation. The answer of man was to kill His Son. God demonstrated His power by raising Jesus from the dead releasing the bondage of sin from man. He did that. His power brought us out of bondage.

Obedience to the law of God is not because we are law-keepers as if the only thing we had to do was keep a bunch of laws. We are saved because we first recognize that without God’s grace and His power we are nothing. Keeping the Ten Commandments meant nothing without first realizing the reason why. Following the commandments of the Lord today will have no meaning if we do not first realize the reason why we are in Christ. Serving the Lord can only come from a thankful heart for the undeserved mercy given to us by God and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Thank God for His power.

Better is a little with the fear of the Lord, than great treasure with trouble. Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a fatted calf with hatred. (Proverbs 15:16-17)

The Simple Things Of Life

Happiness in the home can never be measured by the abundance of earthly possessions. Filling the heart with a coveting eye brings darkness to the soul of man as he turns inward to self-destruction. Everyone seeks peace and desires to find fulfillment in life. Amassing great treasures will not bring lasting joy. Dining on the fatted calf will clog the arteries of love. The simple things of life will always bring greater contentment because there are less worries and fear. When the lottery first became popular a contestant had won a large amount of money but had not been heard of for some time. It was discovered the couple had waited until an alarm system was installed before letting anyone know who they were. They did not have this fear when they did not have a lot of money. Winning millions of dollars turned their life into a dreadful routine of who may want to rob them. People will spend lifetimes surrounding themselves with the opulent trappings of the world and never really finding a deep happiness.

The fear of the Lord measures life whether one is rich or poor. God does not condemn riches as they can be used for His glory. Appealing to carnal pleasures for happiness will only bring sadness and heartbreak. The wise man declares that seeking a full life can be found with little possessions and dinners of herb than seeking the abundance of great treasures and eating the fatted calf. It is a hard lesson to learn in the land of plenty. So much is driven by the desire to have the best of everything, the latest gadgets and smartphones and grand homes with cars and boats and expensive toys. None of these things can be enjoyed because of the expense to keep them running, protected and spending a lot of money to insure those things that will perish. Madness ensues. Joy is lost. Souls can be endangered.

Family life under the grace of God is found in being thankful for what He has blessed us with to the level that we have established our souls in His love. The fear of the Lord brings happiness and joy. Having little in this life is a byproduct of knowing we will leave it all behind when we die. The mistake that all men make is to believe that happiness is here on this earth. Man was not created to live on this planet but to dwell in the eternal home with God. Everything we accumulate in life will be left behind. The one treasure all men possess they will not leave behind is their eternal spirit. Cultivating an eternal treasure will bring happiness in this life and the life to come. Enjoying the fear of the Lord and dining on herbs is a lesson about priorities. When love is in the home there is greater treasure than all the kingdoms of the world can possess. A quiet evening with family with simple fare is to be desired more than the frantic rat race of worldly pursuits where hatred fills the home. So many homes are not havens of rest because they seek the treasures of stuff. Fear the Lord. You will find joy beyond measure and love beyond compare.

Then an opportune day came when Herod on his birthday gave a feast for his nobles, the high officers, and the chief men of Galilee. And when Herodias’ daughter herself came in and danced, and pleased Herod and those who sat with him, the king said to the girl, “Ask me whatever you want, and I will give it to you.” He also swore to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half my kingdom.” So she went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist!” Immediately she came in with haste to the king and asked, saying, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” And the king was exceedingly sorry; yet, because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he did not want to refuse her. Immediately the king sent an executioner and commanded his head to be brought. And he went and beheaded him in prison, brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother. When his disciples heard of it, they came and took away his corpse and laid it in a tomb. (Mark 6:21-29)

Because Of An Oath

Herod Antipas was an immoral, superstitious and cruel man who had no value for life allowing himself to be seduced by his step-daughter. He was the same character as Ahab of old and served the strong-willed temptress of his illegitimate wife Herodias. While in Rome he had seduced his half-brother Phillip’s wife (who was also his niece) and John the Baptist had condemned him because of it. Angered by the accusations of John, Herodias connived to have Herod arrest John and keep him in prison. During a feast for his birthday, Salome came and danced in a lascivious and wanton manner that pleased all the nobles, high officers and chief men of Galilee. Herod declared he would give half his kingdom to his great-niece if she would but ask. Rushing to her mother’s side, she asked what gift she would seek. Herodias knew at once Herod would not resist her request and asked for the head of John the Baptist. In league with the wickedness of her mother, Salome returns to Herod demanding the head of John.

Herod is hesitant to grant the wish of Salome and regrets the promise he made. As king he could make any decision and there would be no argument. He carries a high hand of authority over Galilee and has used that power to carry out his will upon the people often in cruel ways. But now cornered with the flirtations of a beautiful young woman and the pressure of those gathered for his birthday, he orders the execution of John the Baptist. He made an oath but the consequence was the murder of a righteous man. The peer pressure of those gathered that day forced his hand to make a decision that would define his legacy. How could he refuse and keep face with his noble friends and fellow rulers? The chief men of Galilee would see him as a weak king and he could lose his position. His father Herod the Great had ruled with a cruel hand killing all the young children in Bethlehem, seeking the young child Jesus. Beheading John the Baptist would show him to be a strong king. Orders were given and the head of John was brought to Herod who gave the gruesome trophy to Salome. She then carried the still warm and bleeding head to her mother who bask in the final victory over her accuser. Herodias would suffer the same fate as Herod when Caligula banished them to exile where they died in misery.

Because of an oath, John the Baptist was beheaded. It is not surprising Herod would fall prey to the allurements of an evil woman and bring about the death of a righteous man. His relationship with Phillip’s wife was immoral and he had no pangs to further his deeds of evil in killing John. The great tragedy of John’s death is it came because of a decadent promise. Pride would not allow Herod to change his mind. Many a failed decision has been made because a man or woman refused to stand for truth and bowed to the pressure of others. What Herod did is repeated on a daily basis. Refusing to lose face in front of friends has led to many decisions with life-long consequences. Being like the crowd, going with the crowd, bowing to the pressures of the crowd – can lead to fornication, theft, lying and sometimes more tragic consequences. The first lesson is never making a promise that is not a righteous one. Second, when a promise is made that was made in error, stand for truth suffering the ridicule of friends rather than the condemnation of God. Friends will come and go but the Lord God will never acquit the actions of sin when bowing to peer pressure. Never allow the allurements of someone else cause you to do something that you will regret for the rest of your life – and impact your eternal destiny. Stand for righteousness and you will never fear the ground you stand upon.

Even the stork in the heavens knows her appointed times; and the turtledove, the swift, and the swallow observe the time of their coming. But My people do not know the judgment of the Lord. (Jeremiah 8:7)

Man Is Not The Smartest Animal

It was a sad and tragic time for God’s people. The apple of His eye had turned their backs on Him and the Lord lamented the punishment He would bring upon them for disobedience. Many prophets came to the nation seeking to turn the hearts of the people back to the Lord but to no avail. Israel continued in a downward spiral of wickedness and rebellion drawing closer to the final judgment of God upon them. There would be no heeding the dire warnings of the prophets. All of the pestilence sent by the hand of the Lord did not change the hearts of the people. Doom overshadowed the special people of God and they seemed to give little heed or concern. Jeremiah pleaded with his fellow countrymen to change the course of their hearts. The condition was so dreadful the prophet remarked that the animals had more sense than God’s people.

Comparing a flock of birds to the people of God was an obvious condemnation to the depth of Israel’s depravity. Migratory birds live according to the natural laws instilled in them by their creator. “The instinct of the migratory birds leads them with unfailing regularity to return every spring from their winter abodes in summer climes (Song of Solomon 2:12); but God’s people will not return to Him even when the winter of His wrath is past, and He invites them back to the spring of His favor” (Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary). Isaiah had used the ox and the donkey as an example of how they knew their master’s care for them and yet Israel did not know the Lord. Animals act in a more dedicated manner than the one creation who is a free moral agent. Man has the ability to choose his destiny yet fails miserably to heed the grace and love of his Maker. The animals trust in their Creator. They do not worry like man does. The sparrows of the field are provided for by their Maker and they are content.

Jeremiah’s comparison was not a flattering commentary on the plight of man’s rebellion against the will of God. The animals of the world have no free moral agency yet they have greater faith in the Creator than the one who has dominion over them. How sad that man cannot trust in the Lord with greater faith when he was made a little lower than the angels and received the gift of God in the form of the crucified Christ. Jesus did not die for the animals of the world. He gave His life for men because they can be saved if they are willing. Taking time to look at the animals of the world and see how they are provided for and trust in the care of their Maker should remind the creature made in the image of God to serve Him in faith. Man is eternal; animals are not. God sent His Son to show men His love and to know of His judgment. Sadly, like the days of Jeremiah, most men do not know the Lord or believe in His word.

And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works. (Hebrews 10:24)

What I Miss When I Do Not Attend

Worship has always been a part of the relationship between man and God. Cain and Abel brought offerings to the Lord, Abram built altars to honor his God, Melchizedek was a High Priest serving under the will of the Lord and Moses gave the Hebrews a law filled with exhortations on true worship. In Christ worship is a precious remembrance of the sacrifice of the Father to send His Son for the sins of all men. The death of Jesus abolished the Law of Moses and gained an entrance for the Gentiles to enjoy the blessings of all men coming to God as one people. Only in the name of Jesus Christ would salvation be offered to the world.

The pattern of worship in the early church was a simple plan of God for His people to gather as one in the fellowship of how each person could exhort and admonish one another. They would sing together with voices blended in speaking to one another through hymns, psalms and spiritual songs. Examining the scriptures would be a time of faith building as they studied together and learned from one another. Remembering the sacrifice of Christ highlighted the service as the supper was taken of the bread and fruit of the vine. Paul reminded the Corinthians of the necessity of obeying the word of Christ to remember Him in a manner of reverence. Bonding the hearts together in worship came from prayers lifted to the Father in thanksgiving, praise, honor and glory. The New Testament church established a weekly observance of worship.

Through the centuries methods have changed in carrying out the first day of the week worship. The scriptures teach assembling on the first day of the week is a command. Acts 20:7, 1 Corinthians 16:2, Hebrews 10:24-25 and 1 Corinthians 11:17-34 are examples of the command to gather on the first day of the week. It must be especially noted that if a person does not assemble for the Lord’s Supper they cannot take of it in a worthy manner bringing severe judgment from the Lord. Whether this command is carried out one time on Sunday or multiple times is left to man to decide as long as the word of God is followed in assembling on the first day of the week. In our modern world of easy transportation, electricity and comforts of prosperity, many churches meet multiple times on Sunday and during the week. The buildings are adequate to allow worship to be carried out with ease. For most people, travel to and from the places of worship are also with great simplicity.

With all the comforts of a modern world and convenience of more time on our hands, many saints only come to one service during the week. Sunday morning worship is routinely a larger crowd than Bible class and evening services. There are exceptions to some who are unable to attend more services than one (distance, darkness, well-being, etc.). What is sad to see are swelling numbers on Sunday morning dwindling down 40% or more when the evening service comes or mid-week studies. Because of this many churches are cancelling services in the evening. What do people miss when they do not attend the services?

They miss the fellowship of other saints. Many churches are filled with people who do not know one another because they seldom spend time getting to know their brethren. In part this comes from seldom or infrequently coming to services. Even coming to the Sunday morning service alone makes it very difficult to build a relationship with another person. Those who do not to attend will never enjoy the close relationship that begins in worship and blossoms into relationships in life. Those who miss the services do not enjoy the blessings of Hebrews 10:24 – “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works.” See also Colossians 3:16.

Those who do not attend the services do not grow in faith with their fellow saints. Bible classes and preaching are vital parts of the work of the Lord but when the services are neglected, faith dwindles. Self-study is important and an answer can be given that personal studies are done but where is the discussion, the examination, the challenge of iron striking iron (Proverbs 27:17)? Families with children who seldom bring them to Bible studies realize much too late their children have little interest in the Lord. Teachers prepare great lessons for their students only to see them attend sporadically. Children have a funny way of growing up and becoming just like us – no matter how hard we try to teach them different. They learn more by our example than our words.

Failing to assemble with the saints makes a statement to the community. My life is an open book to my neighbors and friends and when church services are not important enough to attend – they see my faith. I miss the opportunity to let my light shine to others. Our lives may be the only Bible some folk will read and what a great impact I can have on others when I show my faith by my works (James 2:14-26).

The growth of a local congregation comes from what everyone puts into the effort. Paul explained church growth in Ephesians 4:16 when he writes, “From whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.” If the members of a local congregation are not engaged enough to be an active part of the work, what is the message they are sending? The whole body must be joined together. It must be knit together. Each person must do their part to create an effective work in the local congregation. When members do not find enough interest to meet but the minimum requirements of the law the church struggles to grow.

Maybe it is time for the Lord to take away the work of the church from the soft-peddled Americans who have every comfort and convenience to worship and give it to a people who are not burdened with the blessings of prosperity. Folks in Nicaragua sit in buildings without air-conditioning on plastic chairs and dim lights and have little to complain about. Churches in South Africa meet under a tree allowing the shade to be their only relief from the sun. Saints in Bulgaria gather in a small apartment with little fanfare and lift their voices to God in praise. What will we tell Abraham, Moses, David and the Apostles of the glory days of the Kingdom and all the opportunities we had to worship together under the banner of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords – and we complained and fussed about having to do so much and go so far and stay so long and … ? Sad isn’t it? Jesus died on a wooden cross and we complain about splinters.