The Heaton File

She watches over the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: “Many daughters have done well, but you excel them all.” Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her in the gates. (Proverbs 31:27-31)

What Children Say About Their Mother

Abraham Lincoln said, “All that I am, or can be, I owe to my angel mother.” Every person that walks on the face of the earth owes their life to the woman who carried them in her womb. The miracle of motherhood is the foundation of all humanity. Adam called his wife Eve because she was the mother of all living. Through the creative power of God, man and woman create a new life as a child is conceived in the womb of woman and life grows. All men have entered the world in the same manner including Jesus Christ. One of the most poignant moments in the history of man is when Jesus looked down from His cross and recognized Mary, His mother. He implored John to care for His mother.

A godly woman who has impressed upon her children the mantle of God is a woman worthy of the praise of her children. There are no trophies for the woman of the year because her humble spirit is rooted deep within the pages of God’s word. A successful woman is not measured by her degrees of education, outward beauty or wealth. The true character of a woman praised by her children is one that receives from the heart of godly children thanksgiving for her devotion to the Lord. Her children praise her because of her love for truth and righteousness. They have been taught the outward adorning of the body is of no value. The beauty of their mother is seen in the hands that toiled endlessly to provide for the family and then folded in quiet prayer. Children rise up, call their mother blessed as they remember the songs that taught them early that Jesus loved them, trust, and obey. The knowledge of the mother is imparted to the hearts of the children as she teaches them the wonderful stories of God.

Children who praise their mother know that charm is deceitful and beauty is passing. The honor given to a godly woman is the joy of hearing their children speak of the Lord in the home, praying together in the harmony of Christian love and letting their lights shine in the world as righteousness. Children who love the Lord honor their mother who taught the old, old story of the Father. Trinkets of this world pass away but the memory of a godly mother never will. Never let a day go by that expressions of love and honor be given to the women who have toiled in the home to build a foundation of truth and righteousness and a deep love for God. Children should rise up and bless their mothers for the joyful example given to them. It required a life of sacrifice. She excelled in her duty first to the Lord and then to her family. Her life was forfeit for Christ. Children can see this. Praise flows from the lips of children who know the joy of godly mothers. May the Lord raise up more women who will embrace the cloak of righteousness and teach their children the way of truth. And let not the children forget to honor godly mothers.

For Your name’s sake, O Lord, pardon my iniquity, for it is great. (Psalm 25:11)

Forgiveness Glorifies The Father

Sin leaves a terrible mark upon man. There is nothing he can do to provide the answer to sin apart from God. When Adam and Eve rebelled against God in the Garden of Eden, they hid in fear and shame. There was nothing they could do to find salvation until the Lord granted His mercy and grace upon them. Noah was told of an impending flood that would destroy all humanity but he would not have known this apart from God. Having received the news of the flood, Noah was still at the mercy of the Lord to know what to do to avert the tragedy. By the grace of God Noah was instructed to build an ark that would save himself and his family. When David and Bathsheba sinned in their liaison of adultery leading to murder, they were to be stoned to death in accordance with the Law of Moses but God removed that penalty. It was David who wrote that when God pardoned iniquity, it was to show the glory and majesty of the Almighty.

Forgiveness takes place in the mind of God. Man cannot boast of his own worth when the Lord removes his sin. Receiving the remission of sin glorifies the Father. The incarnation of Jesus was God’s idea. Allowing His Son to die on a cross brought exaltation to the Father. Granting remission of sins in the waters of baptism sets a man free from the bondage of sin but it magnifies the character of God more than anything else does. Forgiveness promotes the name of the Father “that His glorious character may be displayed; that he may show himself to the universe to be merciful and gracious. There are, doubtless, other reasons why He pardons sin – reasons drawn from the bearing which the act of mercy will have on the welfare of the universe; but still the main reason is, that His own honor will thus be promoted, and His true character thus made known” (Albert Barnes)

Each time I ask the Father to forgive me I must remember that what I ask of Him is to glorify His name. I am a sinner because I have transgressed His law. The only hope of redemption is in the name of the Father. There is no other way, there can be no other truth and the only life I can find that is eternal is in the name of the Father. Salvation is all about the mercy and grace of the Lord God Father. Without Him, I would be nothing and am nothing. Godly sorrow comes from the realization that my sin injures the name of my heavenly Father. Granting forgiveness exalts the name of God and His name alone. The conclusion is a powerful reminder of my own insignificance and the eternal glory of the One who grants me His abiding love to promise eternal life in His presence. How great the name of God.

And in these days prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch. Then one of them, named Agabus, stood up and showed by the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine throughout all the world, which also happened in the days of Claudius Caesar. Then the disciples, each according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brethren dwelling in Judea. This they also did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul. (Acts 11:27-30)

Relief To The Brethren

The pattern of the New Testament church is a clear demonstration of the divine will of God. When the Lord came to Noah and instructed him to build an ark, a divine pattern was given that must be followed. The Law of Moses was strict in its laws concerning the pattern of the Tabernacle enforced by the command to build it according to the divine pattern. In the early church, a pattern was given by the Holy Spirit that early disciples followed to establish the eternal plan of God in establishing the work of the church. Luke shows this pattern how the brethren extended their hearts of benevolence in caring for their fellow disciples in the region of Judea. What is important to understand about this work of benevolence is the targeted efforts of the church in Antioch (and other places) focused upon one group of people.

During the days of Claudius Caesar, a great famine engulfed the world. There were people impacted by this famine reaching far and near the region of Judea. In Judea, there were thousands of people impacted by this severe famine. Many hungry people, needy people and folks were in desperate need to find food. It is certain the Roman government was trying to stem the tide of this catastrophe but there was only so much they could accomplish. What the church of Antioch (and others) did was to send relief to some people in the region of Judea so they could have something to eat. It is imperative to see exactly how the Holy Spirit worded the relief effort: “send relief to the brethren dwelling in Judea.” The actions of the benevolent brethren in sending relief to the famine stricken area of Judea were to assist the Christians in the area. There were more non-Christians in need of relief than Christians but the only thing the Antioch church could do was to care for the needs of their fellow brethren. Did the brethren in Antioch not care about those other people in need? The Holy Spirit established a pattern of authority regarding the work of the church as being restricted to the brethren alone.

The early church was limited in what it could do in its work of benevolence. No example is given where the church became an organization of community relief. There were many brethren who could take it upon themselves to help anyone in any fashion but the authority of the church was limited in what the collective group of saints could do. As long as it was in keeping with the word of the Lord, an individual can expend their resources to be involved in many parts of society. The local congregation is restricted in the authority they have in becoming a community benevolent organization as much as it is not authorized to be involved in political, economic and social issues of the day. There is one purpose of the church and that is limited by the command of the Lord demonstrated by the New Testament scriptures. Using the treasury of the church to send relief to saints is in keeping with the New Testament authority. Allowing these funds to be used for non-Christians is against the work of Christ.

Many religious organizations today have become social bastions of community efforts that have no authority in scripture. Men have taken the simple design of the church and created a benevolent institution that Jesus never intended to be the work of His church. Every part of the church in the New Testament was established upon three principles of authority: command, example and necessary inference. Modern pundits have cast aside these tenets of authority as antiquated and useless. Weak arguments have been supported by misuse of passages trying to circumvent the authority of God’s word to support human institutions of error. When the dust settles and arguments are finished, the three tenets of authority remain intact and the arguments of men fail. The benevolence of the church is restricted because that is the pattern found in the word of God. Jesus did not contradict His Father in establishing the pattern of His church. If the early church understood the teaching of Jesus to send relief to everyone in Judea (brethren and non-brethren) then they would have done so. Luke clearly shows the early Christians understood the sermons of Jesus and teachings of the Holy Spirit that relief was to go to the brethren in Judea. And that is what Luke wrote. Then the disciples, each according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brethren dwelling in Judea. This they also did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.

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)

The Fruit Of The Spirit Is Joy

Happiness is one of the most amazing parts of God’s creation instilled in the heart of man. Made in the image of God, man elevates his spirit with a happy knowledge of his purpose in life. One of the fruits of the Holy Spirit is the exaltation of a spirit of joy transcending the trials and tribulations of life. Joy is the feeling of contentment acknowledging the benevolent hand of the Father in the life of His child. The eyes of joy see hope and promise in the midst of turmoil and pain. Made for the glory of God, man finds within the bounds of God’s love a spirit of peace brought about by the joy of the Spirit. Being anxious for nothing, joyful Christians share their lives in trusting the Father for all things and for His guiding hand to watch over their hearts.

Joy brings about contentment. Seeing the importance of the little things keeps the heart from wanting the things of this world. In the spirit of joy, an understanding of what is valuable in life and what is not comes clear. Little children are filled with joy because they have no worries or concerns. They may suffer pain or loss but they soon put those things behind them and find joy in other things. Like a little child, we are to view life as sandcastles built on the seashore. It will not be long before the tide comes in and washes away everything that was made. Life is transient. A joyful heart realizes the brevity of life and listens for the sounds of the bird or the smell of the roses.

Joy instills a heart of complete happiness. The measure of happiness we enjoy is not governed by laughter but the filling of the heart to know the purpose of life. Jesus endured the cross with a view of joy because He knew the purpose of His life. To be happy in the Lord is to know the value of our life before Him and how His grace guides our life. The fruit of the Spirit is a joy that completes our purpose. Seeing that life can be difficult yet find the plan of God in our day-to-day walk is the joy of the Spirit. Every sun that rises reminds us of the joy we have as children of God. The day is prepared so that we can find the joy in serving the Lord.

Joy is having the knowledge of the ages. There is power in knowledge and meditating on the word of God fills our heart with joy because we see the wisdom of God. His truth guides our minds to serve Him and through this knowledge, we are able to discern the questions of life. One of the great blessings of Spirit filled joy is the ability to understand the meaning of life and knowing how and why things affect our lives. There is an answer for everything and that answer is the word of God. The Bible is complete in revealing all the questions of man. The longer we spend at the well of the Lord the more joy we will have in knowing the eternal wisdom of the Creator. Like a tree planted by the waters, we will enjoy the blossoms of joy coming from the Holy Spirit.

Be filled with joy today. Learn to rest upon the word of God and in so doing you will find the greatest joy.

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ” (Matthew 4:1-4)

Living By The Word Of The Lord

The temptation of Jesus was an essential beginning of His ministry as the devil tried to dissuade the Lord from having to die on the cross. Satan used the same scheme he used on Eve in the Garden of Eden but failed. His purpose was to offer Jesus an easy way to glory rather than going through all the suffering and death on the cross. He attacked the physical needs of the body first. Jesus had been fasting for over a month and was in a terrible place of hunger. This was not just a few days of not eating. Luke writes Jesus ate nothing during this time. When the devil came to Jesus, the Lord was feeling the far reaches of death languishing His body. He was not hungry as if He missed a meal or two. Jesus was in a crisis and unsure when relief would come. The devil knew the Lord had the power to turn stones into bread and made the temptation real to Him.

Tempting Jesus with food was not just the idea of eating something but rather the temptation of not dying. Jesus had come from the Father to fulfill the plan of salvation for all men. As He languished from severe hunger, death was not far. If Jesus died from starvation, what would happen to the plan of His Father? The devil is suggesting to Jesus that turning the stones into bread would save His life allowing Him to complete His mission. There was a half-truth and a full lie from the lips of Satan. Creating food would sustain His body but destroy His place with the Father. Jesus may have had a desire to turn the stones to bread but He trusted the word of His Father and would not go beyond what God had promised Him in caring for him.

Jesus answered the devil with a quote from the Law of Moses. The book of Deuteronomy is the recounting of the Law by Moses prior to the conquering of Canaan. Often in the New Testament and frequently in the teaching of Jesus, the Law of Moses is referenced for the context of the message. Jesus quoted from Deuteronomy 8:3 but in fact, He was using the whole of the Law to defeat Satan. Moses began his fifth book showing the necessity of loving the Lord God with all the heart, soul and strength. The Jews were a chosen people as holy and sanctified to the Lord God. Obedience was shown to be a blessing of trusting in the word of God above all things. Moses recounts how the Lord had tempted the children of Israel in the forty year wandering allowing them to go hungry. His purpose was to teach them complete reliance on the will of God.

The devil did not succeed in tempting the Son of God to disobey His Father. Temptation is a strong desire and the flesh tempts all men. Sin is one-third fleshly desire and giving into this need is from a lack of trusting in the word of God. The key element in Jesus overcoming temptation is the preparation He made knowing the will of God. When faced with the incredible desire of hunger, the Lord fell back on the word of God and trusted in what He knew was truth. He did not know how the fasting would turn out whether He would live or die. He only knew the Father would fulfill His purpose in His own way. This pattern of defeating Satan is the same mechanism we must use today. Defeating Satan requires knowing the word of God and trusting that what is read is truth. Jesus rebuffed the devil because He trusted in His Father to care for Him regardless of the outcome. Our faith must rest upon knowledge of His word and a trust in the plan God has for my life. Jesus began His defense with the words, “It is written.” That is where we must begin.

That they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed. (Titus 2:4-5)

Learning To Love Your Children

Every person that has ever lived shares the single reality of creation than none had a choice in their birth. Adam and Eve had no choice in their creation. Man is formed by the power of God as He allows man to create life through the natural process of the will of God. Life is breathed into the tiny cells that make up the unborn child until the completion of the womb brings forth a baby. It is amazing how the Lord has allowed man to possess such power in deciding to bring forth another human being upon the earth. What is more remarkable is the influence of the parent upon the helpless child as it grows from infancy to adulthood. Every child born is dependent upon others to mold their bodies, spirits and intellect. A child born and raised in China will speak Chinese and bear the marks of the Chinese culture. The same child can be born of Chinese parents but raised in another culture growing up to speak that language and accept the ideals of the culture they learn. All children are born in the same fashion and all children grow in the same pattern. What makes a difference in a child is the manner of the influence of the world about them. We all share the same fate as to why we speak the languages we speak and accept the cultures that identify us. Children learn to become who they are by the world they live in.

Older women are admonished to teach young women to love their children. There is a natural affinity a parent has toward their child that defines the love for them. God has instilled in a mother an instinct of bonding towards a child carried in the womb and delivered in pain. The birth of a newborn is filled with joy and love as she caresses the newborn to her heart. If would seem there could be no greater love. The Holy Spirit exhorts older women to go beyond the natural love a mother has for their children and to spend time teaching young women a deeper relationship of love. There is a natural love and there is a taught love. This ‘taught love’ is so important in the training of the child.

One of the elements of the family lost in our American ideals of freedom is the ability of older women and younger women to share in learning how to love their husbands and their children. The text of Titus 2 clearly shows there is a part of love that must be learned. Learning to love children goes to the heart of the larger family element involved in the training of children. Sadly, it is not a common virtue for older women to teach younger women because in many cases younger women resent the instruction of the older. If a child is being unruly or disruptive, older women are not allowed to teach the younger women how to impress upon the child the lessons of reverence. The amazing part of parenting is that parents try to teach their children by their own wisdom when they have never experienced the years of training required to instill in a child what they need to know. Every parent believes they have all the answers to parenting when they have no experience. Older women are to teach younger women how to love their children because the older women (by virtue of age) have a greater sense of knowledge than younger women.

In the beginning, God created the family for a purpose. Adam and Eve had no mentors to rely on for their training but they are the only ones who can make that claim. One of the most important parts of the family is when older women are teaching younger women to love their children; and younger women are seeking out the wisdom of older women to help them teach their children. The wisdom of God’s creation is found in the influence of older men and women teaching younger men and women. Paul exhorted this pattern of family and called it “sound doctrine.” The families that grow together in the pattern of sound doctrine where younger women are seeking the advice of older women on the training of their children are families that will find the joy and fulfillment designed by God. Refusing to follow the pattern of God is planning for failure.

Now the man from whom the demons had departed begged Him that he might be with Him. But Jesus sent him away, saying, “Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you.” And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him. (Luke 8:38-39)

What Great Things Jesus Had Done

There are men who live in desperate straits with lives of sadness, troubles and challenges beyond the pale of understanding. Their lot in life is burdened with suffering and little hope of reprieve. Such was the case of a man from Gadarene opposite Galilee. When Jesus arrived on the shore, a certain man had been tormented by demons for a long time. As a raging mad man, he possessed no home and no friends because of the terrible plague of demons that controlled his life. Naked, fearful and unable to be constrained, the man roamed the wilderness seeking relief and finding none. His cries pierced the night as people huddled in fear of him. He cut himself with stones but to no avail of relieving his inner pain. His life was dispossessed of peace and he knew no happiness. And then Jesus came to his shore.

Many demons possessed the man of Gadarene. Jesus asked the name of the demon and he replied, “Legion.” In a stroke of mercy and love, the Son of God cast the demons from the Gadarene man relieving him of his incredible pain suffered for so long. There was an immediate relief, a release and calm the man had not known. In a single moment, the eyes of the Gadarene man became clear and his body relaxed. It was a feeling the man had not known since before he could recall. What a joy. His mind immediately settled into a clear picture of life. Clothes were given to him and he wrapped the garments around his tattered body feeling the warmth of a forgotten embrace. He gazed out on the countryside and the beautiful Sea of Galilee with the sun glimmering upon its waves. The wind soothed his rugged face. Birds were heard in the distance and he could discern the voices of people all around him. Peace. He had not known peace in so long. Now he sat clothed in his right mind and he drank deeply of something everyone around him took for granted.

The man from Gadarene saw the townsfolk implore Jesus to leave their shores. They were afraid of what they had witnessed but the man was not afraid. In an irony of conflicts, he had been the one fearful before Jesus came but now the people were afraid and he was not. He knew what Jesus had done for him. Like so many before him, his only desire was to stay close to this man and serve Him for the blessing He gave him in casting out the demons. Jesus had other plans for the man. He forbade him to follow Him but rather exhorted him to return to his own home and tell everyone what had happened that day. Filled with joy, the man eagerly took on his work and went telling everyone the great things Jesus had done. It had to be an incredible day when the crazy man returned home in a sound mind to tell everyone what had happened to him. The Holy Spirit does not reveal the fruits of this man’s labor but it would be safe to assume there were many who came to know Jesus because of what happened that day near the shore of Galilee. The man from Gadarene never stopped telling people about Jesus.

Demon possession was a horrible malady during the days of Jesus and the early disciples. When the gifts of the Holy Spirit ceased so did demon possession. No one is possessed like the man of Gadarene. Sadly, men have been possessed with something far greater and that is the stain of sin. Jesus is the only One who can take away sin and no matter how terrible the sin and deep the perversion of sin, God will wash away all sins when men repent and obey Him. Consider the plight of the demon possessed man and what joy he felt when he was healed. Why do we not feel the same compulsion to tell people about how God has taken away our sins and let them know what Jesus has done for us?

Sing to the Lord, all the earth; proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day. Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples. For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised; He is also to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the Lord made the heavens. Honor and majesty are before Him; strength and gladness are in His place. Give to the Lord, O families of the peoples, give to the Lord glory and strength. Give to the Lord the glory due His name; bring an offering, and come before Him. Oh, worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness! Tremble before Him, all the earth. The world also is firmly established, it shall not be moved. Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; and let them say among the nations, “The Lord reigns.” Let the sea roar, and all its fullness; let the field rejoice, and all that is in it. Then the trees of the woods shall rejoice before the Lord, for He is coming to judge the earth. (1 Chronicles 16:23-33)

The Lord Reigns

Today is the first day of the week. Two thousand years ago the first day of the week became the most beautiful day man has witnessed. On this day early in the morning, the Son of God rose from the dead and gained victory over hades and death. Satan was bruised in the head and man was given the redemptive blessing of God’s love through the sacrifice and raising of His only begotten Son. What a day that was when Jesus rose from the dead. What a day that will be when our Jesus we shall see. What a day today will become as we sing to the Lord the praises of His grace.

David was a powerful man of faith who loved to ascribe the honor and praise to the wonderful nature of God. His psalms are filled with so many powerful images of exalted praise to the Lord who reigns. As the ark was being placed in the Tabernacle in the City of David, the king delivered a psalm into the hand of Asaph and his brethren to thank the Lord. This song of thanksgiving echoes through the generations of faithful children of God who sing praises to the great God of all the earth. Today is a day to proclaim the good news of His salvation to all people. The saints of God will assemble on this day to share in the wealth of His blessings lifting up hearts filled with love for the grace of salvation. Congregations of the faithful will acknowledge how great the Lord is and greatly to be praised. There is no like the God of glory. All the gods of men that worship are nothing. Only the one true God created the world about us. He alone deserves honor, majesty, strength and gladness.

On this first day of the week, our hearts and voices will blend to give to the Lord glory and strength and the glory due the name of Lord. Our offerings of humble hearts will be as sweet aroma to the nostrils of the One who gave His only begotten Son to die for us. Worship will extol the beauty of the Lord for His incredible love. There is an understanding of fear in the presence of God. Worship today will not be trivial. It is impossible to come into the presence of the Lord without the knowledge of how great and powerful He is. The world stands in awe of the great God Creator and as saints of the most High God, our hearts are humbled in His presence.

Finally, David sums up the powerful nature of worship to God in three simple words: The Lord reigns. On this first day of the week, how can we not ascribe our worship by these three words? The joy of a sunrise is because of the rule of God. Gathering together to blend our hearts together in psalm is by the mercy of God. Remembering the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross comes through the grace of the Father. Returning to the Creator the blessings of our wealth is through His hand of bounty. Meditating on the word of God is listening to the plaintive call of a loving Father to His children seeking their hearts, souls, minds and bodies. Our worship today is about three words: THE LORD REIGNS.

Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. (Ephesians 2:19-22)

The Church Is A Family

In the beginning, the Lord looked upon Adam and knew it was not good for him to be alone. He made the woman as a helpmeet establishing the family. The creation of the home in the Garden of Eden would foreshadow what would take place in a garden outside of Jerusalem thousands of years later. Jesus came to the Garden of Gethsemane and offered His life to establish an eternal family that would be called the church of the Lord. Dying on the cross and being raised the third day ushered the age of the New Testament church and union of all men into one family. Like Adam of old, it is not good the people of God should be alone. One of the most important ingredients of the body of Christ is the fellowship of fellow citizens and members of a household that belongs to God. We are a family of the saved sharing in the same blood of Jesus Christ longing for the same home in eternity.

The family of God, like a building, has Jesus Christ as the chief cornerstone from which everything grows and matures. From the writings of the apostles and prophets, the church builds a foundation of truth melding together the unified hearts of each member into one cohesive family. The church is a union of souls sharing in the same goals, purpose and work to the glory of the Father. Being a family represents a love for others, caring for their souls and looking out for a brother or sister. Our Father is the same and the blood that flows in our veins comes from the same cross. Having love and care for my brothers and sisters is because we are brethren together in the same family.

The challenge of being in a spiritual family is learning how to conduct our lives with people we may not know very well. In a local congregation, there is always a diversity of backgrounds. Interpersonal relationships may be challenged by culture, economics, education and attitudes. Cliques form and often a person on one side of an auditorium do not know the persons on the other side. Pews are carved out in groups threatening the unity of the body. Lost in the pursuits of personal identity is the reality we are family. Beyond this world, we desire to share the glory of the Father in a heavenly home unaware of those brethren we refuse to know will be there also. The church is made up of fellow citizens belonging to the same community of God. Not different – the same. All saints are members of the same household of God. The church is built on the same foundation and has the same cornerstone. As a body of people, the same work of growing together as a holy temple to the Lord is accomplished by being built together.

It is vital for every member to know that every member is vital. No one is unimportant in the family of God – no one! My Father is your Father. My Savior is your Savior. The Holy Spirit was given to me in baptism just as it was given to you. We share in the same Father, Son and the Holy Spirit and one day we will share together in the same glory as eternity shines forth in the glory of Heavenly Father. The only big brother we have is Jesus Christ. In the family of God, we all share the same age with no distinction of superiority. The church is made up of saints who are brethren that are as blessed equally with the saving grace of God. His mercy is given the same to all men who obey Him. The church is a family of men and women who call themselves brothers and sisters in a household united under the love of one God. We are brethren. What a wonderful and powerful message to know that I am part of a family that crosses every border, nationality, tongue and age sharing in the same redemption found in Jesus Christ. Thank you my Father.

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen. (2 Peter 3:18)

Growing As A Christian

The greatest joy we can experience in life is the realization of our growth in Jesus Christ. Getting to know our Savior more and more brings a deep and abiding love for who He is and what He has done for me. He is my Lord. His blood makes possible my eternal hope. When I stand before the final judgment, His words will usher me into an eternal place of rest, “Come you blessed of My Father.” Each day I live on this earth, my heart swells with more joy in the knowledge of God. Growing as a Christian is learning everything I can about the blessings of my Heavenly Father knowing I can never fully know Him. But I am going to try. Why did God do this? What impact did this have on the people He affected? How can I learn to see the working of God in my life? Why do men reject the wonderful blessings of a forgiving Savior? Questions. Lots of question to ask because I want to know. I want to grow.

Growing as a Christian is a wonderful journey of inquiry. The more I explore the word of God the more I hunger and thirst for what is on the next page. The knowledge of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ drives me to understand more about His grace. This is a process that takes a lifetime to develop and after a full life of inquiry, there is so much more to learn. The early explorers of our world wanted to know what was on the other side of the mountain or beyond the horizon of the oceans. Their journeys led to incredible discoveries that changed the face of the earth. Setting forth on a journey through the mind of God is seeking what is beyond the horizon of this story and the mountain top experiences of Abraham, Moses, David and the prophets. It will not happen at once. A little here and a little there. Filling these empty spaces with a fragment of knowledge that soon connects to another story and like a tree planted by the waters brings increase and growth. The word of God is manna of God’s divine will and to hunger for its substance will fill the heart beyond measure.

Growing as a Christian draws me closer to my Father. There are so many times I have wished I had more time to know my earthly father. How much more to know the Father who gives me eternal life. He gave me a book to read that tells about His love, His mercy, His grace and His character. Reading the Bible opens the windows of Heaven so that I may hear my Father’s voice singing to me in graceful tunes of divine love. His voice comforts me in times of trouble. The hand of God rests upon my heart in quiet moments as I reflect upon His truth. Growing as a little child in dependence on Him grows stronger every day. The older I become the more I desire more time to spend getting to know Him. Life is fleeting but the knowledge of God will never fade away as I immerse myself in the study of His grace, His knowledge and the story of His Son. Above all things, grow!