The Heaton File

Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men–extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18:9-14)

Two Views Of God

The problem with man has always been he has thought of himself more highly than he should. Goliath was an incredible specimen of humanity standing over nine feet tall. Anyone standing in his shadow would have been dwarfed by the size of this behemoth. The young lad David was but a “ruddy youth” compared to this mighty warrior from Gath. As big as Goliath was, there were trees bigger than him, mountains taller and the moon so far away it could not be touched by man. The proportion of man is miniscule compared to the immensity of the Creator. He holds the stars in His hand and numbers each one calling them by name. All the mountains and seas were formed by His word and retain their place in accordance with His will. So why would a man stand and brag to God about how great he is?

Two men came to pray; one to brag, the other to pray. The Pharisee is not unlike most men who have a deep feeling of prideful self-worth. He had a lot to brag about and tell the Lord his accomplishments. His prayer begins with elevating himself to the level of God. It was not an intercessory acknowledgement of humility but a ‘matter-of-fact look-at-me’ statement reminding the Lord God how important this man thought of himself. He thanks God he (the man) is not like other men. Head unbowed and heart lifted up, the Pharisee assumed the position of divinity because of all his goodness and purity. His moral compass was perfect and all knew his actions toward God as he checked off the list of fasting and giving from his abundance. In the heavenly hall of fame, he was a charter member. How deserving of God’s love this man thought of himself. He walked with a smug feeling of religious superiority. And why not? He was God’s man on earth – or so he thought.

The camera moves to the second man. He is not in a place of prominence but off to the side. No one takes notice of this pious man. His head is bowed as his body slumps in humble mercy begging for the Lord to take just a glimpse of his worth. He does not begin his prayer with bragging or explain to God how much good he has done in life and how religious he is. The only thing he can say is how much he needs the eternal mercy of a loving Father. Seven words make up one of the most powerful prayers in scripture. It begins with the acknowledgement of sovereignty. It implores mercy where mercy is not deserved. It ends with the cry of dependence. There is nothing to brag about. This prayer is simple yet powerful because it speaks to the heart of man and God. The tax collector was a despised man among his people but in the eyes of the Lord, he was a giant. His justification did not come with reminding God of how great he was. This man’s heart was grieved for the sin that separated him from his Lord. He only wanted the grace of God to fill his heart and take away his sin. His spirit was not demanding but appealing with tears.

Two men went to pray but only one left with the blessing of the Father. The man who bragged went away with more to boast. With little notice, a man standing afar off quietly returned home a righteous man. Death came to both men. There was great boasting and righteous lamentation for one. They spoke of all the good deeds he had done and how he prayed such beautiful prayers. He kept himself pure before extortioners, the unjust, adulterers and the despised people of his own race. Swelling words from fellow Pharisees rang clear the day they buried their fellow hypocrite. On the other side of town, an unknown tax collector quietly slipped the bonds of mortal flesh and was received by the angels of God to glory. He was justified while the Pharisee found himself in a place of torment. Eternal justification came from a heart that was humble.

The humility of hypocrites is, of all pride, the greatest and most haughty. (Martin Luther; 1483-1546; Table Talk)

Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father, knowing, beloved brethren, your election by God. (1 Thessalonians 1:1-4)

A Big Church Sign

Churches are easily identifiable by the signs out front declaring their allegiance to various faiths and practices. They say a lot about what group the church follows, what they believe and how they practice their religion. Sign makers have long been prosperous in creating elaborate edifices highlighting groups identifying marks. The popularity of having a sign in front of the building is a new novelty in the history of man and development of the many church faiths. For nearly 1500 years, there was only the one true church of the Lord and a few apostate representatives of the early church (Roman Catholic; Eastern Orthodox). It was not until the period of the Reformation that ‘attending the church of your choice’ would become a popular national pastime through the years of protestant branches of the Roman Catholic Church developing in Europe and America. Today there are thousands of different denominations and most of those have signs out front with thousands of different names and descriptions.

Turning an eye back nearly two thousand years to the early church we see a different picture. There was only one church. For nearly six hundred years, the truth of one church remained constant in the minds of men. In the first century of the church Jesus died for there was a group of saints that met in a city just north of Athens, Greece. Thessalonica was a Roman town that had a prosperous and lively group of people who believed in the Father and Jesus Christ as Lord. Paul addressed them as a body of people who were in God and in the Lord Jesus Christ. They did not have a name like so many churches today. The sign in the front of their church building declared who they were and what they were and it was a big sign. Okay, they did not have a church building with a sign out front but in a figure that is how Paul identified the church in Thessalonica. He called them a church. The apostle recognized these saints were individuals who knew what it meant to be in God.

The brethren at Thessalonica were models of what the New Testament church should be. The church in this city was full of hard workers diligently sharing the gospel message of salvation to a lost world. Paul commended them for their work of faith and labor of love. These are words of action. Faith and love were not signs out front but signs of the heart. Working and laboring suggested these brethren were active in what they believed. Being a Christian during the Roman period would bring a lot of persecution but these brethren continued the work of God with a patient hope knowing their eternal destination was secure in Christ. The church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ did not need a painted or electrified sign out front to let the world know what they were doing. This province of Greece was being turned upside down by the lives of the saints who knew what it meant to be in God and in His Son.

There was a big church sign in Thessalonica. It was found in the hearts of simple people loving the Lord God with all their hearts, souls, minds and bodies. The Lord Jesus radiated in their lives as men and women, husband, wives, fathers and mothers and citizens of the Roman Empire. Whatever labor they engaged in was measured by the word of God and their faith in His word. Death was not fearful for them as they looked for the glorious coming of Jesus Christ. They faced persecution with the faith of their Lord who was killed on a cross. The church of the Thessalonians was filled with rejoicing, prayer, thanksgiving, the Holy spirit, preaching and abstaining from every form of evil. The coming of the Lord would not come soon enough for these brethren. And they did all of this without a sign in front of a church building. These people were the sign.

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)

Carrying For Others

The New Testament Christians did not have a lot of history to look back on for examples or admonition. What they did was fresh, new, and learning as they grew as children of God. On the Day of Pentecost, the first converts were devout Jews. The first disciples of Christ came from the people of Abraham. Gentiles were brought into the kingdom later and a melting pot of cross-racial, social-economic blending of cultures made up the infant church. Growing in their relationships, early Christian learned how to care for one another putting the prejudices of the past behind them. It was not easy. Many of the appeals of the early writers exhorted the Christian not to think of themselves more highly than they should but have the mind of Christ. This was a spirit of sacrifice for their fellow saint supplying the needs of suffering Christians.

The famine that happened in the days of Claudius Caesar highlighted the love brethren had for one another. It is easy to stay disconnected from the problems of those who live far away but this was not the case of early Christians. The disciples, each according to their need or ability, sent relief to their fellow brethren. Whether they knew who these people were is not likely. It did not matter. Their fellow Christians, brothers and sisters in Christ, were in need and that is all that mattered. Brotherly love comes from a heart that wants to help the ones in need. Some disciples could give more than others but the amount was not the lesson. The disciples of Antioch decided to do what they could with what they had to care for the needs of those who were in dire want.

Jesus taught the lesson of the man who helped his fellow man left for dead by robbers. Human nature is on display in this parable when you have the heart of the thieves who say, “What is thine is mine, we will take it.” There are a lot of people like that in the world. The only thing they want out of life is what they can take. And then there is the spirit of the priest and Levite who walk by the injured man with little concern. The priest completely ignores the man and the Levite comes over to see the condition of the man but does nothing. Their spirit is likened to those who say, “What is mine is mine and I will keep it.” This spirit is prevalent among many. There is no love to help others. They blame the man who should not have been on the road in the first place allowing himself to be robbed and so he must suffer the consequence. Finally, a man comes on the scene from a mongrel nation, despised by the Jew, hated because of their half-breed heritage of Jew and Gentile. A Samaritan sees the injured man dying on the side of the road and has compassion. He binds up the wounds, carries him to an inn where he will stay with him all night and leaves the next day paying for all expenses and promises to return to make certain the injured man is well cared for. He did all he could do according to his ability and he cared for his fellow man.

The spirit of a Christian is seeing the sacrifice of Jesus and all He gave for the redemption of man. God’s children are compassionate and caring for others. The early disciples gave of their means to their fellow saints. They did not have much to give but those in the famine had nothing. Being a child of God is an example of benevolent living and giving. The heart is filled with love for others and the hand is the ready agent of change for those who need relief. A great famine afflicted the whole world but the saints in Judea received the love of God through the benevolent hand of their brethren in Antioch. People caring for people. What a wonderful story of love.

Sympathy is your pain in my heart. (Anonymous)

And you shall not walk in the statutes of the nation which I am casting out before you; for they commit all these things, and therefore I abhor them. (Leviticus 20:23)

The Lord God Abhors America

It will be a little over forty years before the children of Israel will cross the Jordan River into the land of promise. Mt. Sinai still looms large before them as the law was delivered to the people through the servant of the Lord, Moses. The Ten Commandments are given as the preamble to the extensive law that would become the whole of the Law of Moses. Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers declare the law given by God to the people with the clear admonition to obey every tenant and design given by the Lord. Among the prohibitions of the law are the practice of pagan worship as characterized by the Ammonite god Molech and the immorality of the many nations surrounding Israel. The Hebrews were to be a separate nation by geography and by morality. Their laws were strict in adhering to principles of righteousness, purity and holiness as set forth by God. Failure to obey the commandments, ordinances and judgments of the Lord were met with severe penalty.

The greatest challenge Israel would face as a nation was to reject the idol worship of the nations around them. It would become their downfall as the kingdom divided following the death of Solomon, who laid the groundwork for idol worship. Pagan idolatry eviscerated the spiritual heart of God’s people from within with its immoral and decadent practices. Human sacrifice was part of idol worship including the sacrifice of children on the red-hot arms of Molech. Sexual whoredom was common in the religious rites of hedonism. Turning away from God and seeking after psychics and spiritualist man worshiped himself. Families were torn apart as children rebelled against their parents cursing them and screaming vulgarities. Adultery was common. Pornography was graphic in the lives of the pagans. Sexual perversion endorsed a man to sleep with his neighbor’s wife, his father’s wife and even his own daughter-in-law. Homosexuality was the norm as men went in with men and women with women. Orgies were the past time of the day. A man married a woman and brought to his bed his mother-in-law. Bestiality was practiced. Incest was common. This was the character of the nation’s God was destroying and telling the Israelite nation to not follow in their path.

Reading Leviticus 20 is a reflection of where our country finds itself today. There can be no denying these practices are common and defended by the laws of the land. Increasingly, the minority of the ungodly are changing the heart of the nation towards the hedonistic voyeurisms of fleshly pleasures. Television flagrantly portrays homosexuality and multiple partners as the only way to find pleasure. Abortion is the modern form of Molech as millions of unborn children are murdered. A snow-flake generation of young people are entering the world believing they are entitled to have whatever they want, rebelling against authority, law and personal rights. Chaos reigns in the streets of America with protesters burning and destroying properties because they did not get their way. Families are decimated by the rebellion of a society gone mad.

Sexual perversion is no longer uncommon. Pornography is destroying lives by the millions with its ease of access and empty promises of pleasure. Billions of dollars are spent each year to fight the drug epidemic that takes the lives of so many of our young people and porn is the greatest addiction that goes untreated. Sexual promiscuity is proliferated through sexting, chat sites and the internet. There are no bounds for the level of depravity men will seek to find a moment’s pleasure. America is stained with the putridity of Satan’s touch and increasingly is devolving into a world of darkness. It is no longer the land of the red, white and blue but a nation of degenerate, rebellious and selfish people seeking their own lustful desires.

God abhors what America has become just as He abhorred the people of Israel when they turned away from Him. Israel was the Lord’s own special people; the apple of His eye. They rejected God and He rejected them. America has never been the chosen nation of God as He is not interested in the political wrangling of men. At one time, there was a greater sense of morality in America that has long been forgotten. No longer a nation united under God, we have become a body of people that have evolved into the mire of a decadence not unlike so many nations before us and around us. Our pride will not allow us to see how truly immoral we have become and how deeply we have buried ourselves in the rabbit hole of our pleasures. But here we are. And God abhors it.

Salvation may not come to America but Jesus did not die for nations, He died for men. Like the days of Noah, righteousness will come from the heart of the individual who is willing to stand for truth, righteousness and purity in a world gone made for the delicacies of the devil’s brew. There were only eight righteous souls when Noah entered the ark. When the hand of God shut the door, the only thing that mattered was who was in the safety of the ark. Living in America is no different. What matters is if a person is in Christ and walking in the light of His word. When the world comes to an end (and it will), God will save only those who have kept themselves undefiled from those things that He abhors. The choice is yours. Choose whom you will serve.

America is not a Christian nation. There is only one Christian nation – God’s people, the church of Jesus Christ. (Vance Havner; 1901-1986)

And he who strikes his father or his mother shall surely be put to death … and he who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death … if a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother, and who, when they have chastened him, will not heed them, then his father and his mother shall take hold of him and bring him out to the elders of his city, to the gate of his city. And they shall say to the elders of his city, ‘This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious; he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton and a drunkard.’ Then all the men of his city shall stone him to death with stones; so you shall put away the evil from among you, and all Israel shall hear and fear. (Exodus 21:15,17; Deuteronomy 21:18-21)

Law Of Moses Parenting

There are two things to understand about the Law of Moses: first, the Law was given only to the Jewish nation and to no other people; second, the Law has been abolished and is no longer in effect. The purpose of the Law was to facilitate the coming of God’s Son and help bring the Jews to Christ. Paul would remind his readers the old law was helpful to understand the nature of God and His will. Reading the Law of Moses gives a deep sense of respect for the mind of the Lord God and His view towards the relationship of man to man and man to God. While the force of the law has been removed, the impact of its principles is clear. Speaking of the family relationship, the Lord has left a pattern of absolute reverence children should have toward the parent. A refusal to listen to the word of God will bring great judgment in the final day.

God looked upon the family unit as a very precious commodity. Adam and Eve were formed in the Garden of Eden for the purpose of family. The blessings of God have always been upon the parent/child relationship and the respect that was to be given for the role of the father and mother. In the Law of Moses there was no room for rebellion of a child to a parent. Many laws were less punitive in nature than what God said should be done to a rebellious child. Cursing a parent or striking a parent brought the death penalty. Not everything brought the enforcement of death but a rebellious child would be taken out of the city and stoned to death by all the men of the city.

The impact of the Law of Moses was colossal. Consider for a moment parents who have a child that is unruly, disobedient and refuses to honor his father and mother. The parents know what the Law prescribes. They take their son to the elders of the city and declare how he is uncontrollable and without regard to anyone. After an examination it is determined the boy is a disobedient child refusing to bow down to the law. All the men of the city take the boy to a place in the field where they surround him and begin throwing stones at him until he is dead. Being stoned to death is a horrible manner of death. Each man of the city is responsible for the death of this young man. They do not leave until it has been determined the boy is dead. The father gathers up the lifeless body of his son, takes his mother and they bury him. Returning home, there is one less place at the table and one less name uttered in the home. The father looks at his hands and knows what he has done. His children look at their parents and see the sadness in their faces. It is impressed on their minds the penalty of disobeying their parents. And all of this was exactly what God commanded to be done to a rebellious child.

Across town, another man returns home. He speaks softly to his wife telling him the tragic news of the young man who was brought to the elders. The children hear the story of how he was stoned to death. They know their father was part of those men who stoned the young man. The family knows the death of the boy was in accordance to the will of God and they praise Him. Honor is given to the Lord because His Law is righteous and His will is to be obeyed.

This story horrifies men today. There is nothing that prepares the modern mind with the concept of taking a child out and stoning them to death. The outrage would be without precedent. But what is lost in the fury of rebuttal for such a thing being carried out is the sanctity God places upon parents to bring their children along the path of truth and righteousness. There can be many reasons the child is rebellious. Parents could be so lax they refuse to punish their child. They allow their son to do whatever he wants to do and speak to them in any fashion he desires. His rebellion is fueled by the lack of respect his parents teach him. It could be the case of an incorrigible child who dishonors his parents and cursing them. Whatever the reason, a rebellious child was to be put to death because God holds the family unit as holy. The mode of punishment has changed (there is no death penalty) but the view of God has never changed. Young people who are rebellious to their parents will face the consequences of a wrathful Lord. Parents who coddle their children with everything but discipline will also face the punishment of God.  The Law of Moses shows how important the family unit is to God. Can we do any less than honor the will of the Lord? Parents (and grandparents) must hear and fear the word of the Lord.

My father considered himself to be the head of the family, and the rest of us were inclined to agree with him. He was not opposed to the posterior application of superior force, if necessary. He was not afraid he would frustrate Junior. He saw no conflict between love and discipline. Neither does the Bible. Our Lord said, “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten” Revelation 3:19. (Vance Havner; 1901-1986)

Now it came to pass, when Jesus finished commanding His twelve disciples, that He departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities. And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples and said to Him, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?” Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.” (Matthew 11:1-6)

The Testimony Of His Life

There has never been a man who has impacted the world as Jesus of Nazareth. In less than three years, Jesus turned the world upside down and forever changed the course of human history and the eternal destiny of all men. No man rules the earth with such power and might as the little child born in an animal stall in Bethlehem. He was the supposed son of Joseph, a carpenter from Nazareth. His mother was a quiet example of devotion to the Lord God. At the age of 30, Jesus began teaching the multitudes in a manner that astonished them. The world had not heard this kind of testimony as Jesus opened the scriptures of old revealing His nature and presence on every page. Opening the scrolls of the prophets, Jesus explained how He fulfilled the prophecy given long ago by the messengers of God. His teaching challenged the norm of Jewish theology breaking down the barriers placed by the scribes and Pharisees.

What was remarkable about the work of the man from Nazareth was His emphasis upon the common man, the poor and the rejected of society. Unlike the hypocrites of His day, Jesus spent time teaching every man with no concern for their station in life. He would take time to talk to a woman at a well, a ruler of the Jews at night and a rich tax collector who climbed a tree to see Him. This man would touch lepers, speak kindly to those of ill-repute, challenge the hierarchy of religious elite and admonish love for enemies. There was no man that ever spoke as this Jesus of Nazareth. Try as they may, many tried to trap Jesus in His teaching and always failing miserably; learned a greater lesson from His rebuke and soft answer. Incredibly enough, when the envious Jewish rulers had Jesus nailed to a cross, He forgave them.

Jesus of Nazareth was not just a remarkable teacher. He claimed to be the Son of God. Many men have walked that path influencing multitudes to follow them but to no avail. This man who taught so forcefully was also a true miracle worker. Charlatans were plenty and through their trickery convinced the people they were something when they were not. Jesus of Nazareth healed blind men and caused the lame to walk. Leprosy was not a disease that man could cure but Jesus of Nazareth cleansed many lepers by His word and His touch. Those who were deaf were healed of their infirmity. To the astonishment of everyone who were privileged to witness the power of Jesus, dead were brought to life again. One man had been dead for four days and the stench of decay had begun and Jesus restored him to life. He walked on water, commanded the forces of nature, subdued every spirit of Satan, and forgave sins.

John the Baptist languished in prison and questioned if the man he heard so much about was the true Christ. Jesus sent testimony of His work in teaching the people and healing all manner of disease. His life was His testimony. The miracles proved Him to be God’s son and His teaching established His authority. There can be no doubt. Faith is built on the testimony of the evidence of Jesus power and His word. The blessed man is the one who will not be offended by the clear sign that Jesus is the Christ. His power is written down for men to believe. His teaching is written down for men to accept. There is no other testimony. There is no other way, no other truth and no other life. Jesus is the Son of God.

It is impossible to do nothing about Jesus Christ. Not to decide for Him is to decide against Him, but decide we must. (Vance Havner; 1901-1986)

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. (Hebrews 12:28)

The True Church In The Year 1217

Genghis Khan is undisputed ruler of the Mongol nation in the Far East and the Fifth Crusade reaches the Holy Land attempting to retake the city of Jerusalem. The crusade ends in disaster. In Europe, England and France are warring with one another. The Americas are writing an unknown history with its native population as many parts of the world fall into a historical blackout. Very little is known of the worldwide history of nations during the year 1217. The Roman Catholic Church has a strong hold on the European continent while the Eastern Orthodox Church influences the east. Medieval Europe lives under the sway of Roman Catholicism. History is a trivial master that fails to inscribe everything that happens in the vast territories of the world. A study of history is a selective piecing together of what is known and retained through the centuries. It is clear the majority of events that happened in history are unknown unless it involved a major story changing the course of the nations of men.

Church history is often viewed with skewed perspectives lacking the historical basis of proof. Not everything that happened in the year 1217 is recorded but this does not mean it did not happen. The Roman Catholic Church was not the only church in existence in the 13^th Century. According to the promise of the Holy Spirit the real church of the Lord was flourishing somewhere in the world. Begun on the Day of Pentecost, the New Testament church was established by the word of the Lord as disciples were added to the church daily. Luke tells the story of the early church growing from infancy to persecution. John writes in the Revelation the trials the church faced as Satan tried to destroy the body of Christ. The message of the Revelation is no government, religious or moral battles fought against the church of the Lord will succeed.

It has been two thousand years since the church began and there has never been a time the church was not existing somewhere in the world. Church history is mistakenly divided into the early church, apostasy, reformation and restoration. From a Biblical standpoint, true church history has been one single continued line of existence. It has been difficult to document where the church was and how it held to the teachings of Jesus Christ. As in the days of Noah, if only eight righteous souls made up the true church of Christ it fulfilled the promise the kingdom of God would never be shaken or removed. One of the great miracles of scripture is being fulfilled every year for the last two thousand years that the true church can be found somewhere in the world. The Roman Catholic Church is not the New Testament church. It has a historical footprint from the writings of men but the Book of Life engraves the names of the faithful few that rejected the apostasy of men for the truth of Jesus Christ.

The church in the year 1217 met on the first day of the week and remembered the sacrifice of the Lord in the supper. Hymns were sung and prayers offered and souls turned from pagan practices to obey the true God. Papists were turned from the apostasy of Catholic dogmas to obey the only true word of God. Families rejoiced in the joy of knowing the salvation offered by the Son of God. Men and women were baptized for the remission of their sins having believed the message of grace. Where was this little congregation? Only God knows – but He knew and that is the wonderful message of His will. The church of Christ has never stopped existing and we should never forget that. I am thankful for the legacy of the faithful few who through many trials and tribulations endured unspeakable hardships to preserve the nature of the one true church. To my brethren in the year 1217 – thank you.

It is not the history of families, nor of races and nation, nor of cultures that holds within itself the final meaning of history, but only the history of the salvation of persons in the kingdom of God. (Theodore Haecker, Dublin Review, CCXIX, 1946)

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy–meditate on these things. (Philippians 4:8)

Thinking About Righteousness

What separates man from animal is the ability to reason and think. Created in the image of God, man has been given the gift of eternity in the image of the Heavenly Father and the responsibility to discern between right and wrong. In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve knew the significance of the trees in the midst of the garden. Given a choice by the Lord, they partook of the forbidden fruit because their willful thoughts rebelled against the command of God. Sin plunged humanity into the dark abyss of separation from the glory of the Lord until the coming of the Son of God who brought eternal light into the world. Through Christ, redemption is found in those who choose to turn their hearts toward the love and mercy of God finding peace and salvation. The battleground that man has always struggled with is the heart and what a man thinks in his heart.

Paul defined clearly the challenge faced in fighting Satan. On the one hand, the devil entices the hearts of men to consider his lies as true, his virtues as just and his will as pure. He attacks the eight pillars of righteousness that will destroy man. The Holy Spirit admonishes the Christian to fight against the wiles of the devil to think of things on a higher plane. Righteousness is built upon what is true, noble, just, pure, lovely, good and virtuous and worthy of praise. Truth pervades the mind as the foundation of life. Honesty is the virtue of speech and action. The Christian does what is right in the eyes of God. Purity fills the mind not allowing the pollution’s of the world to make the heart and eyes to stray. A heart of courage guides the mind to the lovely things of life seeing good in the will of God. Instead of dwelling on the bad and evil, children of God are good-thinking people who desire to know decency in dress, speech and character. The crown of the Christian character is a virtuous mind that sees the image of the Father and seeks to live reflecting that image. When the seven lights of Christian character shine through, the heart lifts up praise and glory to the Father and God is pleased.

All of the characters of the Christian are manifested in living each day reflecting the virtues of Jesus Christ. What Paul described in this atomic particle of scripture is the mind of Christ. Examining His life is a commentary on those things that are true, noble, just, pure, and lovely, of good report, virtue and praise. Imitating Jesus is clothing the heart with these beautiful tapestries of God’s love. Sin cannot stand against these pillars of holiness. Whatever challenge we have in life can be defeated implanting these guardians of spiritual warfare in our hearts. Spend time every day reflecting these virtues in your life and the devil will never have hold of your heart. Marriages will flourish, relationships will blossom and faith will be exalted to the throne of God. The world will be seen through the eyes of a meditated heart focused on righteousness. Think on these things. Think hard. Blessings await. Lives will be changed. Let the glory of God shine in your heart.

It would be as wise and reasonable to say that it does not matter which way the rudder swings as the ship moves, as to say that it does not matter what a man thinks. (W. J. Dawson, The Making of Manhood, 1895)

Every commandment which I command you today you must be careful to observe, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land of which the Lord swore to your fathers. And you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord. (Deuteronomy 8:1-3)

Living For Bread

Canaan was the land of promise just beyond the turbulent waters of the Jordan. After forty years, the nation of Israel had come to the threshold of a land that would become their home in fulfillment of a promise given to Abraham so many years before. The generation that rebelled against the will of God is scattered throughout the wilderness and a new people stand anticipating the joy of finding their reward granted by the grace of God. Moses will not make that journey. He will turn the leadership of the nation to his assistant Joshua who will lead the people to many victories. In the final declaration of the aged Moses, God’s law is recounted in the hearing of the people to affirm once again the covenant made at Sinai. Moses impresses upon the minds of every soul the importance of having a dedicated heart to the cause of the Lord. Possessing the land must come from hearts that are dedicated to the word of God.

The joy of dwelling in the land of promise will only come from those who seek to keep the commandments of the Lord. Salvation is obedience measured from the love of God who bountifully gives to His people everything they need. In the forty years the children of Israel wandered from place to place, God took care of them. Their garments did not wear out, they were given ample food and water and gained victory over their enemies. The survival of the people would come only by the hand of the Lord. They should remember the wilderness journey was a test of their love for God. The Lord humbled them to see what was in their hearts. He tested them to see how deep their allegiance was for Him. His aim was to show the people they did not live by the bounty of bread alone but by the word of the Lord.

Part of the Ten Commandments admonishes the people to keep the Sabbath day holy and do no work on that day. There was a message the Lord wanted to send to His people: life is not about the busy work we think is so necessary. They were not allowed to do any work on the Sabbath day – not even picking up sticks (for which a man was stoned to death for doing on the Sabbath). Man has not changed in his misunderstanding of what is important in life. He still rushes around like a mad-hatter so busy he has no time for God. While the Law of Moses is no longer binding including the keeping of the Sabbath laws, the principle of learning how to trust in the bread of Heaven is lost upon many Christians today. Life is filled with a hurried pace seven days a week with a non-stop rush to full life with all the empty promises of things that will pass away one day. When a person is lying on their deathbed, they are in no hurry to do anything. The reason is that they realize that life is not about the hectic pursuits that so captivated the heart before. Dying people take time to die. Sadly, living people make no provisions for the day of death.

Satan came to Jesus in the wilderness tempting the Lord with the desires of the flesh. He pleaded with Jesus to turn stones into bread so that He could satisfy His belly. After fasting forty days, the Lord had a powerful hunger. Rebuking the devil, Jesus condemned Satan with the truth that life is not about bread but devouring the manna of the Heavenly Father. Man does not live by bread alone; although looking around it is hard to see many people following that admonition. Jesus kept His focus on His Father. It seems that many Christians today live such vicarious lives pursing worthless things. Sunday has become a day of fun, frolic and focus on matters of the world instead of putting God first. Why are Sunday night services so frequently diminished from Sunday morning by the trivial pursuits of those who live for the flesh? In America, we are so busy we have little time for God. Face the truth. Look at this week. How much time have we spent with the Lord? When do we plan to fit Him into our schedule? Ironically, we live on His timetable because He holds our breath in His hand.

If you are not living by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God, you are dying.

When I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also. (2 Timothy 1:5)

Generational Teaching

The family unit is never as strong as when the generations of grandparents, parents and children are knitted together in a single bond of the love of God. There are many things we want to pass along to our children and even our grandchildren. A heritage is a valuable blessing to share with family as each passing generation builds upon the other leaving legacies that define who we are. Trinkets sprinkle the shelves of days gone by, treasures are safely hidden away and memories of the past dot the walls with pictures and mementoes of family. The apostle Paul mentions the greatest gift his young protégé Timothy could have when he mentions the faith that dwelt first in his grandmother Lois and was carried into the heart of his mother, Eunice. Timothy had the greatest treasure of all. A family legacy of faith.

A virtuous woman is a life worth more than rubies or great wealth. Her character is molded by the image of God, as she trusts in the mercy of God to guide her life and her family. Lois taught her daughter Eunice to embrace that love and make the Lord the guiding light of her life. It is difficult in any age to teach children the word of God and Lois was faced with no easy task. Her determination fueled her desire to see her daughter grow to womanhood serving the will of the Lord God in every part of her life. Following the admonition of the Law of Moses, Lois taught young Eunice when she walked by the way, laid down to sleep and rose up. The young daughter of Lois learned the wonderful stories of Creation, Abraham, Moses and great kings like David. Her mother taught her the voice of the prophets and the eternal truths in the word of God. Eunice grew up knowing the voice of the heavenly Father. Lois was also teaching Eunice another valuable lesson: how to teach her children.

Generational learning is when one generation teaches the next generation to teach the next generation. Lois taught Eunice to love the Lord with all her heart, soul, mind and body and to teach this same message to her own children. Eunice gave birth to a little boy that would grow up in the shadow of his grandmother and mother teaching him the eternal truths of God’s word. Timothy’s mother would sing the ancient hymns of the Psalms and tell the little boy the stories of Noah, Joseph, David and Daniel. Lois had taught Eunice well to carry on the faith of God in her own children. Timothy grew up knowing about the nature of God, His will and His word. He learned this because two women made certain he knew God.

Teaching is a lifetime of directing the hearts of our children and our grandchildren. Parenting lasts as long as we live. There is a need for families to begin building generations of children who love the Lord. Nothing is more important in the life of a child than knowing who God is and falling in love with Him. This work is especially important for grandparents to instill in their grandchildren. The greatest treasure we can leave our family is a legacy of service to God. It begins in the home. Fathers and mothers must teach their children the word of God above everything else. Grandfathers and grandmothers must be examples of fidelity and truth to their families. How many generations of faithful Christians do we find in our family? This must come from each generation teaching the next.

A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops. (Henry Adams, The Education of Henry Adams, 1906)