The Heaton File

And when we all had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ So I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’ (Acts 26:14-18)

A Pauline Doctrine Or A Doctrine Of Christ

In the mail bag this week received a note asking if the Brooksville church was part of a group that followed the “Pauline doctrine.” They cited an author on the internet they follow who espouses this doctrine of Paul based on 1 Corinthians 15:1-4. I will never live long enough to hear every new thing and this was one that had never crossed my path before. It seems (according to the internet) to have become a prominent thought in the 20^th century with the term “Pauline doctrine” although elements of the movement can be traced back to the 2^nd century. From a cursory view it seems to highlight the writings of Paul above all others and the apostle Paul differs from all other writers of the New Testament. Some go so far as to suggest the apostle differs from teachings found in the Gospels, Acts and the book of James.

Attacks against the Bible will continue until the Lord returns as Satan tries to discredit the Holy text. The wisdom of man is an astonishing melody of discord in his infantile pursuit of exalting himself to be his own god. He believes that if he can talk loud enough and long enough he can outlast the power of the word of God. This is like an ant with three legs trying to move the Moon out of its place. The angels must smile as man seeks to outwit the Lord God Almighty in failed attempts to rewrite what is settled in heaven. The view of this “Pauline doctrine” is another attack of the devil to do what he did in the beginning: “Has God indeed said.”

The New Testament church is an eternal kingdom that will never fail. Paul was told by the Lord Himself that he was appointed a minister and a witness of the work of God and that through his work delivers the message of salvation to the Jewish people as well as the Gentiles. Paul was sent by Jesus Christ. The doctrine Paul preached was the doctrine of Jesus Christ as he was a messenger of the will of God. His work would be to open the eyes of the people to turn from darkness to light and the power of Satan to God. The doctrine of Paul was the same as the doctrine of Jesus. He would preach the message of forgiveness of sins established by the Son of God. The inheritance of eternal life was preached by Paul among those who were sanctified by faith in Jesus Christ. Paul never preached his own doctrine. Everything the apostle preached was the truth of Jesus Christ.

Paul was in harmony with what Luke wrote in the Acts of the Apostles. The apostles wrote the same message of hope, grace and mercy as Peter, James and John. There is no conflict in the doctrine written by any other writer of the New Testament. Peter affirms that Paul was a fellow author. The teachings of James on salvation by faith and works do not contradict the message of grace Paul writes to the saints at Ephesus. All sixty-six books of the Bible are in perfect accord with one another as they declare the message of salvation through Jesus Christ. The reason we have 27 books of the New Testament canon is because we did not need 26 or 28. In the perfection of the will of God, the Bible is a complete revelation of the mind of God. Paul wrote more books than we have preserved but what we have is all we need to know about the will of God. The other authors of the New Testament probably wrote more than what is preserved but all we need to know is found in the 27 books of the covenant. What is the Pauline doctrine? Paul would refute the idea himself if he were here. Paul preached Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ alone. Let the Son of God be glorified and men bow before the great I AM.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22-25)

Crucifying To Live

The fruit of the Spirit is a melody of blessings that will enrich and build up the life of every person that seeks to implement each of the fruits into their lives as the Spirit of God works in them. It will be life changing. Each one of the fruits will bring an enrichment that will help to fight off the passions of the flesh. Nine specific parts are given by God to complete the character of His children in a perfect manner. Every one of the fruits is necessary and codependent upon one another to perfect the heart of those who seek to glorify the Father in their life. Abiding in the fruit of the Spirit will raise the spirituality of the heart to walk more firmly in the will of God.

Remarkably, to live in the Spirit requires a death. Paul emphasized the importance of the fruit of the Spirit with the need to crucify the flesh with its passions and desires. To crucify something is to kill it. The fruit of the Spirit cannot flourish in a heart that remains filled with the passions of the flesh and the desires of the carnal man. Like a garden that first must be cleared of impediments and weeds, the heart must be cleaned of the lusts of the flesh to allow the fruit to grow. The fruit of the Spirit and the works of the flesh cannot grow in the same soil. Crucifying the flesh with its passions is exercising self-control and removing any sign of the carnal nature of sin. This demands action. Apathy toward the fleshly passions will choke out the fruit of the Spirit.

In the physical world, leaving a garden to grow on its own will produce healthy weeds because their nature is so strong. It takes constant care to prune, weed and remove the powerful seeds of the destructive nature of plants that are good for nothing. Their nature is so strong they need no tending. Weeds have a life of their own and ignoring them will bring about a ruined garden. The works of the flesh are very powerful and if they are not crucified – killed of their passions – they will choke out the fruit of the Spirt and destroy the heart. If there is not an active pursuit of keeping the works of the flesh out of the heart, the fruit of God will die.

Like weeds, the works of the flesh have a life of their own and are very powerful. There must be a constant weeding process to remove the influences of the fleshly works from our lives. The works of the flesh are evident on television, computers, smart phones and every electronic device known to man. Christians are drawn into the works of the flesh by the way the dress (or undress), the manner of their speech and their attitudes. Growing in the fruit of the Spirit demands removing these influences of the carnal man from the life of the Christian so that love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control can grow. If there is no crucifixion there will be no growth.

Living in the Spirit is walking in the Spirit. Walking is an active pursuit of the fruit of the Spirit. Talking about walking, thinking about walking and wishing to walk is not walking. Putting one foot in front of the other is walking and without an active desire to add the fruit of the Spirit to our lives there will be no blessing. Killing the passions of the flesh removes the influences of the carnal pleasures so that we can add the graces of the fruit of the Spirit to our daily walk. If we say that we are children of God then we should act like we are children of God. Walking in the Spirit will only come about when we walk in the Spirit. We cannot walk in the Spirit with one leg in the world and one foot in Christ. As the old preacher said, “a praying knee does not fit on a dancing foot.” Crucify the flesh and let the fruit grow.

Does this blessedness then come upon the circumcised only, or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness. How then was it accounted? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised. And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also, and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had while still uncircumcised. (Romans 4:9-12)

A Father To Jew And Gentile

There are many in the religious world that hold to the Ten Commandments and parts of the Law of Moses as their creed. Failing to discern the division of scripture, Christianity becomes a mixture of the Law of Moses and the Law of Christ. The early Christians struggled with the issue of circumcision and what a person must do to be saved. One of the early conflicts of the church was dispelling the teaching that circumcision was necessary for salvation. Paul addresses this question in his letter to Rome using Abraham as an example of how a man is justified by faith. Abraham is the father of the Jewish people and is regarded as the embodiment of the covenant God had with Israel. Using the example of Abraham as a backdrop to his argument, Paul shows that Abraham was justified before circumcision establishing that while circumcision was bound by the Law of Moses, justification came before the Law. This is a key element to understand the relationship of the Law for the Christian.

Without a proper address of the division of scripture, a student of the Bible can assume the Old Testament and its Law is binding upon the child of God today. Paul’s argument will settle the same question as the early church had to understand the role of the Law of Moses and the law of Christ. The Lord came to Abraham when he was ninety-nine years old to establish the covenant of circumcision. This was twenty-four years after God had called him to leave Haran. Abraham was justified before the law of circumcision. Faith was accounted to him for righteousness prior to the covenant. When Abraham was uncircumcised, he was found righteous before the Lord. For the Jew, the righteousness of the Law was established when the child was circumcised at eight days. Abraham became the father of the uncircumcised (Gentile) showing his faith before the Law and he became the father of the circumcised (Jew) by entering the covenant with God through obedience.

The Law of Moses was an important part of the scheme of redemption but the Law of Moses was only given to one nation and one people. Israel was the chosen nation of God and they were bound by the Law of Moses. Salvation for the Jew came through the Law. This law was not bound upon the Gentile and salvation for the non-Jew came through the same justification of faith exemplified by Abraham. Two laws ran concurrently before Christ: the law of faith and the Law of Moses. The strength of Paul’s argument was man is justified by faith before the Law of Moses removing the shackles of the Law as binding upon man today. The Gentile proved that man could not live to himself and the Jews proved that man could live under the Law. Both Jew and Gentile are brought together in Christ to show salvation is only in Jesus Christ.

Enforcing the Ten Commandments or parts of the Law of Moses for justification today is contrary to the teaching of the righteousness of Abraham. He was justified apart from the Law of Moses. It was a sin to commit adultery before the Ten Commandments. Disobedience to the will of God was not established by the Law of Moses. Abraham received grace from the Lord because he was justified by faith apart from the Law. Salvation today cannot come by being a good person or finding justification in the Law of Moses. There is only one name that will save man today and that is Jesus Christ. The Law of Moses has been abolished. It is a sin to commit adultery; not because it breaks one of the Ten Commandments but because it transgresses the law of God. Abraham is the father of all those who obey the Lord. He is a father to the Jew and the Gentile.

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 Home Of Little

Prosperity has never been a friend of the righteous. Having riches and enjoying the bounty of wealth is not the problem but when men begin to turn their hearts to seeking treasures in carnal things the home changes. Many righteous men were blessed with material riches. Abraham was a powerful and wealthy leader of a large family. Jacob would become wealthy in his day and at one time Solomon was incredibly affluent with untold riches that marveled the Queen of Sheba. The righteous man Lot was one of the richest men of his day. How a person looks at the treasures of the world is what makes the difference. For most men, seeking the rewards of riches will bring nothing but sorrow and heartache.

The ‘American Dream’ has ruined many a home in the frantic search for happiness in material treasures. Husbands and wives will drive themselves into the oblivion of debt to keep up with the latest, most exciting, new and shiny things of this world and have no happiness in the frantic search for enough. Children are left to themselves as the father and mother work long hours every day of the week with no time to spend with family. The people of God are oppressed with the need to have to latest, up-to-date novelty of a pleasure driven world to the neglect of any consciousness of God. Work becomes the new god that men fall down and worship. The Lord instilled in early man the need to work with his hands but never to the point he forgets the Lord. Services of the Lord are abandoned by families who are more interested in playing with the trinkets of the world rather than communing with the Creator. And to what end? Often homes are filled with unhappiness and discontent.

Solomon knew all too well the dangers of prosperity. When a man spends all his time to give the family the treasures of the world and to make certain the fatted calf is served every night; to the neglect of his own spiritual needs and the needs of the family – tragedy follows. The proverb explains that happiness never comes from the charms of the world but in the contented spirit of a home that trust in the Lord. It is better to have a home that is filled with knowledge of God than to have all the things of the world. A home that enjoys a simple meal of herbs where love abounds is better than a rich home surrounded by the opulence of marble and gold and there is no love. It does not have to have marble and gold. It can be a home where the family is fragmented by the cares and riches of the world and God is seldom taught. The family that is not centered on the Lord is a home that is built on a foundation of sand.

Satan does not have to tempt many people with the wickedness of immorality. He first will attract the soul of the family to gain all the pleasures of the world and as long as they do not think about God very much, he can have his evil way. The devil convinces the Christian the treasures of the world are more to be desired than a home with the fear of the Lord. He will impress upon the heart of the home that having the fatted calf is more important than the herbs of contentment. Satan drives the man and woman to work long hours over many days so they can have all the pleasures of life. All the while the home goes further and further away from the Lord. Instead of love filling the home, hatred and discontent rule the passions of the family.

It is a hard lesson to learn that life is not about the abundance of things we possess. Contentment is having enough to live with the Lord and allow His blessings to fill our hearts with love. Riches can be more or less but the measure of happiness is not ruled by the passion of things but the blessings given to us by God to share with others. The Lord instructs all men to work with their hands so they may have something to give to others. A home that learns the contentment of God will be a home that finds the joy of love.

So it was, when Jesus returned, that the multitude welcomed Him, for they were all waiting for Him. And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue. And he fell down at Jesus’ feet and begged Him to come to his house, for he had an only daughter about twelve years of age, and she was dying. But as He went, the multitudes thronged Him. Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any, came from behind and touched the border of His garment. And immediately her flow of blood stopped. And Jesus said, “Who touched Me?” When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, “Master, the multitudes throng and press You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ ” But Jesus said, “Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me.” Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately. And He said to her, “Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace.” While He was still speaking, someone came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house, saying to him, “Your daughter is dead. Do not trouble the Teacher.” But when Jesus heard it, He answered him, saying, “Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well.” When He came into the house, He permitted no one to go in except Peter, James, and John, and the father and mother of the girl. Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, “Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping.” And they ridiculed Him, knowing that she was dead. But He put them all outside, took her by the hand and called, saying, “Little girl, arise.” Then her spirit returned, and she arose immediately. And He commanded that she be given something to eat. And her parents were astonished, but He charged them to tell no one what had happened. (Luke 8:40-56)

The Miracle Of Twelve Years

There is a marvelous contrast in the life of Jesus when He is asked to leave the land of Gadarenes but welcomed with great anticipation in the land of the Galileans. Healing the man with the Legion spirit brought distrust and anger but coming into the region of Galilee Jesus was met by the multitudes who welcomed Him. In the crowd was a man extremely anxious to find Jesus. His twelve-year-old daughter lay sick unto death and he desperately needed to find the miracle healer. Jairus was a man of prominence. He was a ruler of the synagogue which brought him much power in his position of influence. None of this mattered to him now that his little daughter lay so gravely sick and there was no hope of her recovery. Seeking out Jesus was his final plea for mercy and he anxiously implored the Lord to come to his house.

On the way to the house of Jairus, a woman in the crowd brought the multitude to a standstill. For twelve years she had battled an issue of blood that had drained her finances and filled her life with misery seeking cures from everyone she could find. The nature of her disease would make her untouchable. Her embarrassment was heightened by her sickness making it impossible to approach Jesus directly and ask for a cure. In an incredible show of faith, she decided to quietly maneuver through the crowds and believed if only she could touch the garment of Jesus should would be healed. Coming behind Jesus she stretched out her hand and touched the border of His garment. Immediately she felt relief and Jesus felt power leave Him.

Jesus wanted to know who touched Him. What an amazing example of the divinity and humanity of the Lord. He knew power had flowed from Him but He did not know who had such great faith to seek healing by touching His garments. The woman had incredible faith to believe she could be healed with just a touch. Granting her desire, the Holy Spirit cleansed her of her disease. The greatest measure of faith came when Jesus called her out and she had to come before the Lord to confess her stealth. She began to tremble for fear of what may happen when everyone finds out what she did. Falling down before Him, the woman declared her plight and the blessing of her healing. Jesus did not rebuke her but commended the immense faith exhibited by her actions.

In the background, Jairus is pacing nervously over concern for his daughter. Why have we stopped and dealt with this woman? His daughter is dying and time is fleeting. His heart must have been bursting out of his chest. Then he saw the messenger approach and knew that something had happened with his child. The message was clear: his daughter had died. In an instant Jairus was crushed under the weight of grief. Jesus, perceiving the news exhorted the grieving father that all would be well. Arriving at the house, Jesus took Peter, James, John, Jairus and his wife into the room where they young child lay dead. Cries of anguish filled the house. Jesus told everyone to leave and He took the child by the hand and she lived. Commanding food be brought He charged them to tell no one what happened.

Two stories and one period of twelve years. The little girl was born nearly a decade before Jesus began His ministry and the woman first was diagnosed with her malady. Two lives that would intersect in the life of Jesus to show the power of faith from a father that believed Jesus could heal his daughter and a woman who believed healing could come from a slight touch. Twelve years corresponding the lives of a little girl and a woman who would come together in the same story as a memorial to love and courage. Two women that remain as monuments to the love of God in sending His Son to bring the healing power of His love over sin. Disease and death came from the sting of sin but Jesus conquered both. Twelve years came together in one day when Jesus healed a woman of faith and a little girl who had died.

Then He said: “A certain man had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood. And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. (Luke 15:11-13)

Our Father Waits

The parable of the prodigal son is a stirring story of the power of sin and the incredible grace of God. In contrast, the story reveals the wants of a young man desiring to be free from the bondage of his father but finds only greater slavery at the hands of fleshly passion. When the young man finds himself at the lowest parts of life he realizes how many blessings he had in the home of his benevolent father. Coming to himself, he resolves to return home and become a hired servant. He no longer desires to be a son because he knows the shame he has brought upon his loving father. Returning home he discovers a truth not yet revealed in the character of his father: forgiveness and mercy. When the young man declares his sorrow for his actions, the father embraces him and exalts him with greater love to know the son he thought dead now lives and prepares a feast. Joy has returned to the Father’s home.

One of the moving lessons from this story centers upon the father. He was a man of incredible blessings. There was never a want or desire on the part of his sons. The younger son decided that he could have more freedom if he left the protective care of his father. It is only a parable but it can be inferred for lesson sake the father tried to talk his son out of his disastrous plans but to no avail. Love is found in the father’s heart when he had to let his son go. He knew forcing his son to stay would serve no purpose. His heart sank as he watched his son cross over the horizon and pass into the far reaches of another land. There were hard lessons his son would learn but he had to let him go.

While his son was away, stories trickled in of the exploits of the younger son. They were not filled with happiness and joy but great sadness at a young heart wasting his life on the temporary provisions of a carnal world. The stories faded away and no world was heard of the son. He had found the deepest parts of disparity and no one cared for him anymore. The father never gave up hope. He continued to look down the road for the distinctive frame of his younger son. Then one day he glanced far away and saw a ragged, emaciated frame of a man coming down the road. It was his son. His heart did not fill with anger but overwhelming love. He knew his son was coming home. The tender words of forgiveness were heard and the father wiped away all the sorrows of his prodigal son. Repentance brought his wayward son back to his embrace.

The father in the story is our heavenly Father. Sadly, we often represent the prodigal son. We look for freedom away from what we see as restrictive bonds of God’s word and think there is greater joy in the wiles of the world. Sometimes the children of God turn their backs on Him and return to the world of darkness. The Father waits. He is full of compassion and forgiveness. He waits for the child to come home. Sometimes they never return and die in the foreign land of wickedness. But sometimes the prodigal sons and daughters of a loving Father find their way back home. They know that God is a forgiving Father and when repentance is measured in the broken spirits of remorse, the Father embraces the child once again and joy fills the house of God.

There can be no joy until the child comes home. The father did not go after the child because he had to make his own way. When the child came home and acknowledged his rebellion, grace took away the stain. What the young man realized as he sat in the swill of the hog pen was the grace and mercy of a loving father. And he knew a very important lesson about his father: he knew he had a father who waited for him to come home. Our God is a loving God. He waits for us to come home.

Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord. (Ephesians 5:19)

What Children Need To Hear

Last night I enjoyed listening to a fine lesson by my son-in-law as he spoke on a text from Nehemiah 10. Prior to the lesson we engaged in a number of songs praising God and the singing was filled with great spirit and enthusiasm. Sitting next to my daughter I could not help but notice my four month old granddaughter and her eyes as we sang those wonderful hymns. It seemed the music filled her soul even though she did not comprehend what was going on and what the words meant. Looking at her precious face it made me think what she has experienced in the past four months of her life. Her parents have taken her to numerous services of the Lord where songs were sung, prayers offered and the sharing of God’s word expounded and while she was not aware of its full meaning she learned early the joyful sound of worship. There will be many things Leila will experience in life but none so grand as the early memories of worship. It made an impression on how important it is for our children to hear the right kind of things and imprint on their early minds the joy of praising God.

Children learn early the important things in life. Leila will never question where she will be going on Sundays and Wednesdays. She will never experience the surprise of the family going to church services to sing, pray, remember and meditate on God’s word. This will become embedded in her life because her parents will instill in her a love for hearing the melodies of heaven whether in song or word. She will grow up like our oldest granddaughter Braylyn who loves to sing loudly the joys of spiritual song. And then there is little Josie who at the tender age of a year and a half loves to sing, “Our God Is An Awesome God.” Not to be outdone our six-year-old granddaughter Joslyn sings with an excited pitch the songs she has grown to love. That leaves four grandsons who also know every Sunday and Wednesday they will going to a place to worship the Lord and to sing praises to the God they have grown to know. The point is not a personal observation of my grandchildren. It is realizing the importance of children being in places of worship learning the joys of the Heavenly Father.

Many children of Christian’s do not know whether they are going to worship services or not. It is not unusual for them to stay home rather to “go to church.” They are not familiar with the words of the songs, how to find stories in the Bible or what the sacrifice of Jesus Christ means. Sadly, parents will waste the formative years of a child’s learning for their personal gains and carnal interest and then bemoan the reality their children have no interest in God when they get older. No child should ever have to ask their parents if they are going to church or not. The church needs to exhort and encourage the families to instill in their children a love for God. This begins before the first baby is born. Little Leila did not understand what was being said or done last night but through her eyes and ears should new something special was going on. I suspect that when she gains her voice she will sing those precious songs like “Jesus Loves Me” and her cousins will teach her to love the songs of God. It begins in the home. It begins in the heart of the parents who know the value of teaching their sons and daughters to love the Lord God with all their hearts and with all their little souls.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)

Against Such There Is No Law

The fruit of the Spirit is a complete list of virtues that will enable the bearer of such character to be perfect before the Father. All of the challenges faced in battling Satan can be defeated when the fruits of the Holy Spirit are adorned in the life of those who seek to walk in the footsteps of Jesus. He lived a perfect life because the Lord embodied every fruit of the Spirit. Seeking the perfection of the Father can only be accomplished through the qualities of these nine blessings of grace that will ensure the victory over sin.

One of the most important parts of a Christian’s life is self-examination. The weakness found in the life of a disciple can be measured by the lacking of one or more of the nine fruits of the Spirit. Doctors are trained to look for symptoms that lead to disease and to diagnose the maladies of the body that can bring sickness and death. In a spiritual view, one seeking to perfect their life before God as holy and righteous can only do so through the view of the fruits of the Spirit. Personal examination of the fruit of love will make changes in a character flawed by anger, bitterness and wrath. Adultery, fornication, uncleanness and lewdness will bring death to the child of God but taking the fruit of self-control and goodness will keep the passions away. Joy and peace will infuse the spirit of the Christian with the power to resist hatred, contentions, and jealousies. Outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions and heresies are controlled through the fruit of kindness, goodness and faithfulness. The fruit of the Spirit is the antidote to sin in every form.

Paul declares the lusts of the flesh wars against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh. Being led by the Spirit will empower the child of God to destroy the harmful influences of the works of the flesh that will destroy the soul. It must be made very clear: engaging in the works of the flesh will bring eternal punishment. Those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God! The works of the flesh may bring joy in this life but they will bring eternal terror in the next. Defeating the works of the flesh can only come from taking the fruit of the Spirit and filling every part of life with its blessing. The nine fruits of the Spirit are a complete basket of God’s grace given to all men to know the joy of eternal salvation. If there is any part of life that is challenged with the wiles of the devil, find the fruit that will inoculate the sin and keeping eating the fruit to conquer the sin. It is a proven and perfect plan.

You shall not steal. (Exodus 20:15)

The Law of Moses addressed the basic problems of the carnality of man. Since the beginning of time, the covetous nature of man has driven him to bring harm to his neighbor in stealing what is not his. Emboldened by a spirit of superiority, one man will steal from another and often bring about great harm to affect the sin. Nations have waged war to take lands from the neighbors inflicting death on millions of innocent people. Families have been torn apart through the savagery of greed. The Law of Moses included a simple statement of truth yet profound in its impact upon the people. Burrows suggested that when a man steals he wrongs himself and the community. A community of distrust is established for fear of those who would take what is not theirs; often by force. Stealing does injury to the community. It does not seek the good of the neighbor and does not promote the welfare of the interrelationship needed for a community to enjoy peace and security. In high crime areas where stealing is common, people live in fear not knowing if they would become the victim of an attack.

Stealing changes the mindset of the world. Man was created as a family unit that would help and preserve a community of sharing and benevolence. Stealing is a harsh reality of the depravity of man’s thoughts to hate his neighbor taking from him whatever he desires. The failure of stealing is that all that is taken is temporal and of no value. What is left is animosity leading to revenge, retribution and sometimes death. And for what? All that is taken is a trinket of no value that becomes the property of a man who now must guard his own things less someone steals from him. Thieves never live in peace for fear of being caught or from others stealing from them.

The nature of stealing is the iron rule: what is thine is mine we will take it. Sadly, there is no reward in stealing. Giving the law against stealing the Lord shows to man the harmony of living together and sharing for the needs of all men. The apostle Paul would later write that men should not steal from one another but rather labor with their hands so they may help others. Stealing is wrong because it destroys trust and the harmony of the community. Sharing increases the accord of the benevolence of one to another so that all men can work together for the common good of all. When a community lives in a world where stealing is not accepted the world becomes a place of peace and security.

Remember when doors were never locked or windows closed because the community trusted in one another? Stealing is a state of mind. It involves the selfish desires of one person over another gaining some kind of power over the other. When the community becomes selfish, self-centered and everything is about the “me” person, stealing increases. In some countries, thief’s hands are cut off as penalty for stealing. While this may be an effective deterrent to stealing the real problem are not the hands that steal but the heart that moves the hands. Pride, hatred and arrogance fuel the heart to covet the possessions of the neighbor. The Law of Moses was not just dealing with a judicial law of practicality but the spiritual failure of men who hate their neighbors. Stealing was a sin before the Law of Moses and remains a sin after the Law has been abolished.

The final tragedy of stealing is what is gained in dishonor is lost in death. If a man steals all the money in the world, he leaves everything he takes when he dies. No man takes anything with him as he came naked in the world so he returns to the dust from whence he came. Stealing has no lasting value. There is sadness in those who spend their life taking from others because at the end of the road there is no happiness. Thieves are caught and incarcerated for their crimes. Those who get away with their crime will never take anything with them in death and leave for others to steal. The reality of stealing is made crystal clear when naked they stand before God in judgment and give account of taking worthless things from their neighbors. There is a futility in stealing and complete madness. When you steal, you harm yourself. Repentance is the only cure for stealing returning what is taken to its lawful owner. Then the heart can be at peace and find happiness. More importantly, the soul is preserved for eternity.

Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows; for so He gives His beloved sleep. Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth. Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them; they shall not be ashamed, but shall speak with their enemies in the gate. (A Song of Ascents. Of Solomon. Psalm 127)

Unless The Lord Builds The House

Elizabeth Stone said it best. “Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.” A child does not have a choice to be born but a man and woman have a choice to bring a child into the world. Anyone can be a father or mother but the challenge is learning how to be a parent. The greater challenge is learning how to be a parent in the pattern set forth by God. There is a difference of those who seek to parent their children with the guiding hand of the Creator and those who raise children much like raising chickens – feeding and watering and letting them scratch out a living. Parenting in the present is no different than parenting has been since the beginning of time. In Genesis 3 Satan destroyed the happiness of Adam and Eve as husband and wife. In Genesis 4 Satan destroyed the happiness of Adam and Eve as parents. He continues to destroy families.

The only way we can know the proper way to interact with our children and be the kind of parents God designed the home to be is to let His words guide our minds and actions. If the Lord is not the center of the universe in the home the parents will fail. Parents who try to train their children without a firm basis of godly principles will not succeed. In our modern world the television, computer and smart phone have become the high tech idols that husbands, wives, fathers, mothers and children cannot get their faces away from neglecting the basic needs of human contact, interest and communication. Facebook has taken away face time with family. We do not look at one another anymore because we are glued to tiny screens. Children are a heritage of the Lord and that legacy is being lost to the wiles of the high tech influence of carnal knowledge.

The real challenge of parenting is to realize it only happens one time. There are no do-overs and second chances. This building project cannot be torn down and built again. It can be repaired but the structure built through life will always be a part of the final design. The word of God must be a daily part of the home in establishing the voice of the Lord as the guiding influence. His word must be the open book that children learn to read and listen to in forming their lives. Prayer shows the children the need to talk to the Heavenly Father. Worshiping together in accordance with the will of God teaches children the devotion of obeying God. The most important gift we can give our children is the gift of God. Teaching our children about the Lord is to guide their hearts to fall in love with who He is, what He is and why He created us. Children must be taught to be in love with God. It is easy to teach them words but words without love is empty.

The wise man reminds us to train up our children in the way they should go and when they get older they will not depart from it. This can only be done when we are going that way ourselves. Children are very smart to know the hypocrisy we fill our lives with and they will grow up to be like us in spite of what we tell them. Giving them an example of righteousness and truth will help mold their character to be like that of God because they see God in us. Unless the Lord builds the home we are wasting our time – and eternity will be measured by our actions. Now is the day of salvation for our children. Today is the day to put the Lord God in the center of our home.