Alcohol

Posted on March 12, 2025 by heatonkent

Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaints? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes? Those who linger long at the wine, those who go in search of mixed wine. (Proverbs 23:29-30)

Alcohol

If history has shown one lesson about the foolishness of man, it is the impact of alcohol on the world. The demon of the bottle has destroyed lives since the beginning of time. Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord and, along with his family, survived the flood because he was a righteous man living in an extremely unrighteous world. After the flood, Noah planted a vineyard. He drank of the wine and was drunk. His son, Ham, saw his father’s nakedness resulting in a curse being placed upon him as a servant of servants to his brothers. Wine has enslaved the hearts of men ever since.

The daughters of Lot got their father drunk to commit incest with him and bore two sons. Under the Law of Moses, priests were forbidden to drink wine of any type when they went into the tabernacle of meeting. Disobedience would bring death. The reason God commanded them not to drink wine or intoxicating drinks is to distinguish between holy and unholy and between clean and unclean. God told Aaron the priests were to teach the people of Israel the law of the Lord, and this could not be done by someone who went after alcohol.

David got Uriah drunk trying to cover up his sin with Bathsheba. Isaiah describes the impact of alcohol as a drunken man staggers in his vomit. The prophet Habakkuk declared a woe on anyone who gave a drink to his neighbor, pressing him to the bottle, even to make him drunk. God condemns drunkenness under every law man has lived under. The Holy Spirit wrote that drunkenness would keep one out of the kingdom of heaven and out of the Book of Life. There are many consequences of what alcohol will do to the lives of God’s people and they are enormous. If a person wants sorrow in their life, let them follow after alcohol.

Trying to justify social drinking is like justifying social fornication. Some try to justify their desire for alcohol by appealing to Jesus turning water into wine while at a wedding feast in Cana. The honest student of scripture will not seek to use the words of the Holy Spirit to condone sin, and seeking to argue Jesus created 180 gallons of intoxicating alcohol is beyond comprehension. An examination of scripture will show that wine is used for both intoxicating and nonintoxicating drinks. Furthermore, Jesus would have sinned if he had created one gallon of intoxicating drink that would cause those at the wedding feast to drink. It should also be noted when Jesus changed the water to wine, the guests had already well drunk. They were not drunk (why would Jesus and his mother be at a drunken party?), but all the refreshments had been exhausted.

The wise man clearly shows the folly of drink. If you want to have problems in life, go after alcohol. Alcohol will bring anguish of heart, sorrow without end, fighting and conflict, bodily harm, and the real possibility of killing yourself and others. In a clinical word of clarity, going after drinking is just stupid. Few good things will come from it. The man and woman of God will refrain from drinking to keep themselves pure in body and mind before God. There are enough challenges in life to deal with stone sober than trying to unravel the wiles of the devil a little buzzed. How foolish.

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It Was Not Done In A Corner

Posted on March 11, 2025 by heatonkent

For the king, before whom I also speak freely, knows these things; for I am convinced that none of these things escapes his attention, since this thing was not done in a corner. (Acts 26:26)

It Was Not Done In A Corner

Paul defended himself before Festus, the governor of Judea, powerfully and persuasively. The apostle presented his case before King Agrippa and his wife Bernice while under arrest in Caesarea. Earlier, Paul had appealed his case to Caesar’s judgment seat when he had defended himself before Festus. Agrippa was interested in hearing Paul’s case and had the prisoner brought before them to listen to his defense. Paul recounted his early life and his devotion to the Law of Moses. He admitted to persecuting the followers of Jesus of Nazareth, shutting many saints in prison, and casting his vote for some to be executed.

While he addresses the government officials, Paul recounted how he had become a follower of the One he sought to destroy. The reason the Jews from Jerusalem accused him was because he preached the risen Christ. Paul had taken the gospel of Christ to the Gentile world, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance. His preaching was Christ crucified, an event that took place more than twenty-five years earlier. As Roman officials in the Judea region, Agrippa and Festus would have known the stories of Jesus of Nazareth, who had been crucified and then seen alive by many people.

God made provisions for the story of His Son’s death to be known by and not hidden from the world. At the time of Jesus’ death, most people saw three criminals being crucified. When Jesus was buried, no one took notice of any special man receiving a burial in a new tomb carved out of rock. It was not until three days after the crucifixion – the world changed. Jesus of Nazareth appeared to ten men huddled together in a house in Jerusalem. A week later, he appeared to the same ten men with the addition of Thomas. Jesus appeared to more than five hundred people at one time. He spent time with the apostles and showed Himself to James. Paul declares he saw Jesus of Nazareth.

The testimony of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth was the cornerstone of the early church. Three thousand devout Jews became followers of the carpenter’s son and, later, more than five thousand. Scores of people followed the teaching of Jesus, claiming Him as their Lord and Savior. The teachings of Christ spread throughout the Roman Empire. These things did not go unnoticed by the Roman government, specifically Festus and Agrippa.

Paul points out to Festus and Agrippa that the story of Jesus is not a hidden tale obscured in the beliefs of a secret society. The story of Jesus was public and attracted a lot of attention in the world then. Paul could argue that his own conversion to follow Jesus Christ would be front-page news in a lot of places. Agrippa was well-versed in the affairs of the Jews. He would have known about and looked into the movement of disciples who claimed Jesus of Nazareth was alive. The story of Jesus was not done in a corner to be hidden from the hearts of men. By its very nature, the story of Jesus demanded attention.

Jesus has risen from the dead for over two thousand years, yet His story is relevant to the world. The Bible is not a book hidden in a corner. Over the centuries, many have attempted to destroy the Bible, refusing to believe the story of Jesus – but to no avail. The Bible is flourishing with the story of the death, burial, and resurrection of the Son of God. There can be no excuse for anyone to deny hearing about Jesus Christ. Sadly, most will deny Jesus, but they are denying something that is clearly revealed and not hidden from the minds of men.

Festus loudly yelled at Paul, telling him his belief had driven him mad. The governor would not accept what Paul said, although he knew what Paul was preaching was true. Agrippa had an experience suggesting to the apostle that he had almost persuaded him to become a follower of the risen Christ. The king acknowledged the truth of Paul’s message. Agrippa and Festus heard the message of Christ and refused to accept Jesus as the Son of God. They lived in the time of Jesus and rejected Him. Those who live today do the same thing when they reject the Bible. The story of Jesus continues and is not hidden in a corner. God presented to the world the greatest story of all so that all could see and understand the story of Jesus. What you do with that story will determine your eternal destiny. You make the decision. Someone who almost becomes a Christian is lost. Obey the gospel of Christ. It has not been hidden. The story is for the world to see.

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The Lord Is On Our Side

Posted on March 7, 2025 by heatonkent

A Song of Ascents. Of David. “If it had not been the Lord who was on our side,” let Israel now say, “If it had not been the Lord who was on our side when men rose up against us, then they would have swallowed us alive when their wrath was kindled against us. Then the waters would have overwhelmed us; the stream would have gone over our soul. Then the swollen waters would have gone over our soul.” Blessed be the Lord, who has not given us as prey to their teeth. Our soul has escaped as a bird from the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken, and we have escaped. Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth. (Psalm 124)

The Lord Is On Our Side

David was not a stranger to danger and those who actively sought to destroy him. Saul’s jealousy caused him to chase after David like a flea or hunting a partridge in the mountains. David had political foes, enemies in his own household, and the constant battles with the Philistines, Moabites, Ammonites, and Syrians. Throughout all his battles, one constant remained with David from an early age. He knew that God was his Shepherd, and he would never have want of anything. The dangers David faced were real. He describes his foes as a surging flood that would have overwhelmed them. His enemies were like the beasts of the field seeking to devour their prey or a bird caught in a trap. God was the only reason David was saved. He knew God created the world, and there was no greater help than the One who made heaven and earth.

Fear can destroy the soul more than the actions of the enemies. One of the powerful tools of Satan is to instill in the hearts of God’s people a fear that does not rely on the power of God. Anxiety, worry, obsession, and fear can fill the heart where the soul cowers in the darkness of the wiles of the devil. Jesus warned the world would hate His followers because it hated Him. If the child of God allows the fears of an antagonistic world to guide the heart, the kingdom of God will suffer. David reminds the people of God that help always comes from the Lord. It does not matter how great the adversity is; God is a constant help and rescue.

David’s conclusion is that if God had not been on the side of the righteous, he would have fallen. He attributes victory to the Lord through His great power. David was a wise shepherd who fought against the lion and the bear to protect his sheep. In the Valley of Elah, the shepherd boy killed Goliath with one stone. When Saul chased David, seeking to take his life, David relied upon his faith in God to protect him. He refused to kill Saul, the anointed of the Lord, even though he had opportunities to do so. His faith in God to protect him from his enemies did not allow him to strike against the will of God.

David praised God for His protection. The child of God knows the Father will take care of His children and keep them from the evil one. This does not mean there will not be trials to face and times, being a follower of Jesus Christ will not come without a price. Jesus taught that often, the enemies of truth are in the family. At times in history, the political forces of the world attacked the foundations of truth and righteousness. Religions of the world have persecuted the one true church. Satan is constantly at war with the saints of God to destroy them. David proclaims that without the help of the Lord God, there can be no victory. When the challenge of unrighteousness is won, glory is given to God for His deliverance by His power.

It is important to have the spirit of David to rise each day and to give praise to God for the victories over sin. God deserves the honor and glory for His greatness to deliver His children. Blessed be the Lord who brings His people through the trials of life. He brings hope and comfort. Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth. Always put your trust in your Maker and Savior. God will never leave you nor forsake you. That is a promise from God – who cannot lie. Put your trust in the Lord. He will not fail you.

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A Loyal Heart

Posted on March 6, 2025 by heatonkent

In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam the son of Nebat, Abijam became king over Judah. He reigned three years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Maachah the granddaughter of Abishalom. And he walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him; his heart was not loyal to the Lord his God, as was the heart of his father David. (1 Kings 15:1-3)

A Loyal Heart

After the death of Solomon, Israel was divided into the ten northern tribes (Israel) and the two southern tribes (Judah). All of the kings of the north were evil. Only about eight of the nineteen kings of Judah were considered good kings. Abijam was a king who did good things but was not noted as being a good king. He was the grandson of Solomon but lived under the influence of his father, Rehoboam, who ruled for forty-one years and did evil in the sight of the Lord. The son of Abijam, Asa, would be a good king, ruling the people for forty-one years. What made Asa different from his father, Abijam, was how they prepared their hearts before the Lord.

Abijam was not loyal in his heart to God, as was his great-grandfather, David. Asa was loyal to the Lord in his heart all his days. The heart is where the difference came in the lives of the kings. David had warned Solomon to walk before the Lord with all his heart and to be loyal to the Lord God. When Solomon was old, his many wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not loyal to the Lord. Hezekiah was considered a good king because his heart was loyal to the Lord.

A loyal heart requires a willing mind. The eyes of the Lord search the hearts of men to see what is in their hearts. In the days of Noah, the intent of the hearts of men was only evil. God destroyed them. When Saul was rejected as king of Israel, he had turned his heart away from doing the will of God. Samuel sought a man after God’s heart, and David was that man. Paul would speak about David as a man after God’s own heart. Loyal hearts seek the will of the Lord. A willing mind is someone who will obey the word of the Lord by faith without understanding God’s reason and purpose.

Abraham expressed a loyal heart when the Lord told him to leave his country to go to a place he would show him. Later, God told Abraham to offer Isaac as a burnt offering, and Abraham had a loyal heart to obey the word of the Lord to the fullest. Moses had a loyal heart to the Lord, choosing to suffer affliction with his people rather than enjoy the passing pleasures of the world. Daniel and his three friends faced persecution and hardship in bondage, but they kept their hearts loyal to the will of God. Three thousand souls expressed a loyal heart to God when they heard the apostles preach on the Day of Pentecost and were baptized for the remission of their sins. Men like the Ethiopian eunuch, the Philippian jailer, and Saul of Tarsus had loyal hearts to obey the word of the Lord. Women like Lydia, Priscilla, and Dorcas had loyal hearts to the Lord.

Abijam, King of Israel, did some good things, but his heart was not loyal to the Lord. It is possible to be a Christian, go through the right motions, and do the right things without a heart loyal to the love of Christ. Loyalty to God requires loving Him with all the heart, soul, mind, and body. Jesus was loyal to His Father completely. If we follow in the footsteps of Jesus, we can do no less. It takes faith and courage to make our hearts loyal to the Father. Through a knowledge of the word of God, we can find the paths that will lead us to the throne of God. Make your heart loyal to God, or you will be loyal to the devil. No man can serve two masters. Be loyal to God.

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An Example For The Ungodly

Posted on March 5, 2025 by heatonkent

For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly; and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly. (2 Peter 2:4-6)

An Example For The Ungodly

God has never left His creation without examples of His goodness and wrath. Many examples in scripture show the loving mercy of a kind and benevolent Father. There are also many examples given in scripture that serve as an example and warning to the wrath of God. These stories must not go unheeded as they define the nature of a God who demands obedience in righteousness. It shows the divine consequences of sin. There is no latitude in the mind of God for wickedness. Compassion and mercy are only given to those who believe and obey the will of the Father. When the hearts of the people turn to evil, God will bring harsh judgment and punishment.

Sodom and Gomorrah are Biblical examples of the mercy and wrath of the Lord God. Great mercy was given to these cities when Abraham pleaded to spare the cities if enough righteous souls were found. God was willing to withdraw His wrath if there were at least ten righteous people, but He found none. Only Lot, his wife, and two daughters were spared. God rained down brimstone and fire, killing every inhabitant of the cities and the plain. No one was spared, and no one survived. Abraham looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah and all the land of the plain and saw the smoke of the land going up like the smoke of a furnace. He knew the Lord had kept His word; tragically, there were not ten righteous people to save the cities.

The outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah was great before the Lord. Sin permeated the city. When the two angels visited the city, Lot took them into his home as an act of benevolence and protection. It was unsafe to be outside at night in the city. When the men of the city, young and old, learned that strangers had come into the city, they demanded of Lot to bring them out. The Sodomites planned on raping the two men. Lot refused. He offered his two virgin daughters instead for the men to ravage. The men of the city refused, wanting to violate the strangers. Only by divine intervention did Lot and his family escape.

Homosexuality is a vile sin as much as adultery and fornication. The hearts of the people of Sodom and Gomorrah were like those in the days of Noah, where the intent of the thoughts of their hearts was only continually evil. There were no redeeming qualities to save the people. The cities became examples throughout scripture of man’s depravity and God’s wrath. Peter noted in his epistle God did not spare rebellious angels. He did not spare the world of Noah, killing every human on the planet save the eight in the ark. God turned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemning them to destruction, as an example to those who would live ungodly. The examples are clear and demonstrative.

Most people do not believe a loving God would cast anyone into an eternal Hell of fire and brimstone. They are wrong. The examples of the rebellious angels, the world in the days of Noah, and God’s wrath upon Sodom and Gomorrah stand as stark testimonies to the impending wrath of God against all ungodliness. These examples show God’s wrath against those who refuse to obey Him. There is a Hell. It is real, and it is filled with horror. If you do not obey the will of the Father, you will spend an eternal night of terror from the presence of the Lord. Don’t be deceived. God is not mocked. If you live ungodly, you will die horribly. Ask Abraham what he saw the day God brought His wrath to Sodom and Gomorrah.

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Not Even Ten Righteous

Posted on March 4, 2025 by heatonkent

Then he said, “Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak but once more: Suppose ten should be found there?” And He said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of ten.” (Genesis 18:32)

Not Even Ten Righteous

The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah was a divine judgment upon cities that were so wicked that their character and nature demanded the immediate wrath of God. Abraham was dwelling by the terebinth trees of Mamre when three men approached the man of God. He ran to the door of his tent and greeted them, prepared a meal for the strangers, and stood as they ate. The men asked where Sarah was telling the patriarch the promise made by the Lord to have a son would come to pass, even though she was past the age of childbearing. Then, the men rose and looked toward Sodom with a purposed plan that had yet to be revealed to Abraham.

It was not the purpose of the Lord to hide from Abraham what He planned for Sodom and Gomorrah. The Lord told Abraham the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah was great, and their sin was very grave. He did not want to hide from Abraham what He planned on doing. As the men turned away and began to walk toward Sodom, Abraham stood before the Lord, knowing what the will of God was for the city where his nephew, Lot, had taken his family.

Abraham asked the Lord a series of questions about the justice and righteousness of divine will. Seeking the redemption of the cities, if fifty, forty-five, forty, thirty, twenty, and finally ten righteous souls were found, would God destroy the cities? God assured Abraham that if fifty souls were found, He would spare them. The Lord would not destroy the cities if forty-five were found. Finally, when Abraham appealed for ten righteous souls to be found in the city, God promised He would spare them. The next day, Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed when He rained down fire and brimstone on Sodom and Gomorrah out of the heavens. He utterly destroyed the cities, along with the other cities and villages of the plain, wiping out all the people and every bit of vegetation. The Lord could not find ten righteous souls.

There were many people in the cities and surrounding communities. The Bible does not suggest the number, but there were not ten people in all the population that could justify God relenting from what He purposed. Lot, his wife, and two daughters escaped by the grace of God. Lot’s wife disobeyed the voice of the Lord and was killed when she turned around to see the destruction. The two daughters of Lot committed incest with their father and bore sons from him. Four people escaped Sodom and Gomorrah, and three souls lost their trust in God.

Peter wrote about Lot and how he stood for righteousness in the midst of evil. It grieved his heart to see such wickedness as found in those cities. Lot’s heart was vexed every day with the immorality that permeated the fabric of society. The best thing for Lot was to leave the city, but he chose to stay at the cost of his family. God promised to spare the cities if ten righteous souls were saved. The Lord could not find ten righteous souls. Abraham watched the scene of the destruction, and it must have grieved his heart to see the conflagration of fire and brimstone wiping out the cities, knowing God could find enough people to save them.

God destroyed everyone with the breath of life in the days of Noah, except eight souls. Sodom and Gomorrah were wiped off the face of the planet because ten righteous souls could not be found in their midst. How many righteous are in a world of eight billion? Only the Lord knows. No one knows when the Lord will return to destroy the world. His coming will be like a thief in the night with sudden destruction. Everything will be destroyed, and nothing will be left. All the souls living at the time will be swept up in the resurrection; some to life and some to death. Will there be ten righteous on that day? It might be well to look around and start counting. The day is drawing nearer.

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Everything We Need Has Been Given

Posted on March 2, 2025 by heatonkent

Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue. (2 Peter 1:2-3)

Everything We Need Has Been Given

John C. Maxwell relates the story: “We are like the family that had become fed up with the noise and traffic of the city and decided to move to the country and try life in the wide-open spaces. Intending to raise cattle, they bought a western ranch. Some friends came to visit a month later and asked them what they had named the ranch. The father said, “Well, I wanted to call it the Flying-W, and my wife wanted to call it the Suzy-Q. But one of our sons liked the Bar-J, and the other preferred the Lazy-Y. So we compromised and called it the Flying-W, Suzy-Q, Bar-J, Lazy-y Rand.” Their friends asked, “Well, where are your cattle?” The man replied, “We don’t have any. None of them survived the branding.” (Developing the Leader Within You, p.33)

Life can be complicated, but most often, the complications are man-made. There is a simple part of life that is seldom complex. God has provided everything a man needs to survive physically and spiritually. There is a tendency to complicate life by creating a ‘rat-race’ pace of daily living that leaves the soul tired, weary, and exhausted. God never intended for man to be consumed by his stuff. Godliness with contentment is great gain and illustrates life’s simplicity. Learning to be content makes life a simpler way to live. So many live such hectic lives that it becomes a daily grind of keeping up with other people without knowing the joy of peaceful contentment.

The spiritual blessings are also simple. God has always revealed His Word to the world. Adam and Eve were given simple instructions not to eat of the forbidden tree. Satan deceived the woman into thinking the command was unfair, and when she and Adam took of the fruit, life became a lot more complicated. Sin complicates life because it is against the design of God. The Law of Moses was not difficult to follow as each command was clearly set forth. Jesus came to bring the abundant life through the revelation of the Word. God would not have brought the world a difficult and complex set of commands to follow. The apostle John wrote that keeping the commandments of God shows love for God and that His commandments are not burdensome.

People think the Bible is hard to understand. Are there challenging places in the book? Absolutely. A lifetime would never fill the time to know all there is about the Word of God. Many things are hard to understand in the natural world, but that does not mean a man should not enjoy the many splendors of nature that he can touch, see, smell, and experience. When one begins to take the Bible for what it is, one will realize how simple the message of God can be. There will be no more revelations. All things that pertain to life and godliness are revealed in the pages of the Bible. The more you read the clearer the message. Take time to read.

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What The World Needs Now

Posted on February 28, 2025 by heatonkent

Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. (Acts 2:43)

What The World Needs Now

There are many things the world needs, but none as essential as a good, healthy fear of God. The common perception of God is that He is a loving, compassionate God; which He is in every way. Knowing the love of God is imperative to understanding His grace and mercy, but there is so much more about the character of God. In the early days of the church, the Holy Spirit spoke about the fear people had about the nature of godliness and truth. After Peter and the apostles preached to the crowd on Pentecost, three thousand souls were convicted to obey the gospel of Christ. The first days of the church were filled with worship, communion, and praise. Luke also tells us that fear was a part of the early church.

After the people obeyed the gospel, they devoted themselves to the teachings of the apostles and fellowship. The infant church learned about the Lord’s Supper, the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the continuing power of prayer. If there were needs to be met, the people joined together to help one another. Luke says the people were also filled with fear. They had a healthy respect and regard for sin. Peter had convicted them they had killed the Messiah, the Son of God. Fear was part of the motivation that pricked their hearts to ask what to do to be saved. They understand the eternal consequences of killing the Son of God.

As the church began to grow in number, benevolent needs arose. Men like Barnabas sold some land he owned and gave the money to the apostles to help needy saints. This spurred others to do the same, including a couple named Ananias and Sapphira. They had a possession they sold to help those in need. When they brought the proceeds to the apostles, they kept back part of the proceeds and lied to Peter about the amount. Because they lied to God, they were both struck dead before the witness of all those gathered. Great fear came upon all those who heard about what happened. The church was filled with fear at the sudden deaths of Ananias and Sapphira. They knew this was a work of God. The city of Jerusalem was also fearful of hearing the news.

It should come as no surprise that God hates sin. The Lord used Ananias and Sapphira as examples of His wrath against sin and, thankfully, does not reward all sinners in a like manner. There would be few people left on the earth. But His wrath against sin remains the same. The world has watered down sin to where there are no sinners, and people make mistakes or misjudgments. A person can indeed be mistaken, but sin is an affront to the character and nature of God, and He hates it. Just because the world accepts sex outside of marriage does not mean that God does. Homosexuality can be common in the mind of the world, but God does not accept it. Lying, cheating, drunkenness, worldliness, covetousness, and a list too long to include is sin.

What the world needs now is a healthy dose of the fear of God. Sadly, many Christians do not have a fear of God. They live and act in such a manner that they do not believe there are consequences to their actions. Immodesty is common. Cursing is a daily occurrence. Pornography is rampant. Failure to worship on the first day of the week. Anger fills the heart. Racial hatred. Ungodliness. Immoral thoughts and behavior. And there is no fear of God. When a man realizes how small he is and how great He (God) is, the first thing that should happen is fear. God spoke a word, and the universe was created. That kind of power demands respect and fear.

Without fear, man becomes his own God. We need to fear the One who destroyed all life on the planet and saved eight souls in the days of Noah. It was the Lord God who destroyed the nations of Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Greece, and Rome. God also punished His own nation, Israel, because they did not fear Him. The Bible is a story about the love of God and the fear of the Lord. Read the Bible to see how much God loves you. Examine the holy scriptures to learn how to fear the great I AM, the Awesome God, the Lord God Almighty. Fear Him.

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A Tried Stone

Posted on February 27, 2025 by heatonkent

Therefore thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; whoever believes will not act hastily. (Isaiah 28:16)

A Tried Stone

The foundation of a building is key to its structural integrity. If the foundation is shoddy or carelessly constructed, the building will not stand. The Leaning Tower of Pisa is a prime example of what happens when a building is built upon a foundation lacking proper footing. Dubai boasts the tallest building in the world, standing 2,717 feet, a feat that could not have been successful without a secure foundation to hold the weight and height of the building. The foundation is made of reinforced concrete and steel and is supported by concrete piles. A concrete mat is nearly 13 feet thick, and the piles are 5 feet in diameter. The foundation is 49 feet deep with over 58,900 cubic yards of concrete, weighing more than 110,000 tons.

Building a proper foundation is always the most important part of a project. Depending on the size and depth of the foundation, a building can be planned to fit the size. While it remains unseen, a building is the reflection of its foundation. The imagery of having a solid foundation was not lost on the ancients and was used by the Lord to show His will in the affairs of men. During the days of Isaiah the prophet, Israel was imploding with all the wickedness, immorality, and idolatry that was tearing the nation apart. God warned the people to repent, telling them He would bring His vengeance against them. Throughout the message of His wrath, the Lord included the message of divine hope. That hope would be in a tried stone that would become the foundation of the greatest edifice man has ever known.

Zion was the city of Jerusalem. The Temple had been built on a foundation ninety feet long and thirty feet wide. Using the metaphor of the Temple foundation, God shows through Isaiah the Messiah, Jesus Christ, is the foundation, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, and a sure foundation. Jesus told Peter on the confession that he made, signifying that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the Living God, the kingdom of God, the church, would be built. On the Day of Pentecost, Peter established the church on the foundation that Jesus, who was crucified, was both Lord and Christ. The early church preached Jesus as the tried stone and the cornerstone. Everything about the church comes from the foundation of Jesus being the Son of God.

Every person has a foundation upon which they build their lives upon. Some build their lives upon the pleasures of the flesh. Many seek fame with a foundation of pride to exalt self. The world is filled with lives built upon the shallow foundation of worldly desires. There is only one true foundation that will bring stability and hope: the foundation of Jesus Christ. As a tried stone, Jesus has shown His love for the Father to give His life for all men. He is the precious cornerstone that comes from His love to die for the sins of the world. His teachings become the sure foundation of eternal hope. Jesus is the tried stone as One who has proven His love for the Father and His love for mankind. He was tempted in all points but without sin. No other foundation can a man lay than what is found in Jesus Christ.

Everyone is a reflection of the kind of foundation they lay. If your life is founded on Jesus Christ, your life will reflect that solid footing. When you try to build your foundation on wealth, pleasure, wisdom, and things of this world, your life will fail because none of those things are stable and enduring. The foundation of Jesus Christ is good for this life and the life to come. Take a look at your foundation and see what it is made of. Build on Jesus Christ – the tried stone.

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What Paul Found At Corinth

Posted on February 26, 2025 by heatonkent

For I fear lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I wish, and that I shall be found by you such as you do not wish; lest there be contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, backbitings, whisperings, conceits, tumults; lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and I shall mourn for many who have sinned before and have not repented of the uncleanness, fornication, and lewdness which they have practiced. (2 Corinthians 12:20-21)

What Paul Found At Corinth

The city of Corinth was known as a city of ill repute, wickedness, sexual immorality, and the worship of Venus, whose temple was on Acrocorinthus, was attended with shameless decadence, 1,000 female slaves being maintained for the service of strangers. It is little surprise how difficult the church of Christ existed in the pagan world of the Corinthians. From Paul’s two letters to Corinth, the church was rocked by charges of division and immorality. In his first letter, Paul remanded the saints for allowing a man to have his father’s wife. He warned them to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, and all indications from his second letter is the man repented and was restored to the Lord.

What Paul found at Corinth in his second letter raised concern for the church’s spiritual condition as they battled bad attitudes and actions unbecoming those who should be perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord. Strife was dividing the church. A spirit of envy destroyed the fellowship of the brethren. People were filled with sinful anger against others. Saints quarreled, slandered, and spoke evil of one another. Some of the Christians thought of themselves as better than others. The result was that the church at Corinth was filled with disorder, unruliness, and total confusion. Jesus did not die for brethren to act in such a manner. Because of their carnality, the brethren at Corinth allowed the influences of their environment to taint the image of the Lord’s people.

Paul was concerned there were saints at Corinth who had not given up their immoral practices that had been left behind when they gave up idolatry. The church was filled with worldliness, sexual immorality, and indecent conduct. Immodesty and impurity still plagued the Corinthian church. He had warned them to flee from sexual immorality and remove the influences of idolatry from their lives. There could be no fellowship with the wanting acts of unbelievers. The church must be a bastion of righteousness against lawlessness. As people of light, they were to shine in a world of darkness. Christ was the head of the church, not Satan. Yet, the church struggled to remove the influences of the world from their midst.

The church is a perfect union of divine wisdom made up of imperfect souls striving to remain unspotted from the world. Every church struggles to guide its members into a holy path of godly living. Paul had a great love for the church in Corinth and prayed they would cleanse themselves of the carnality of the world. It takes spiritual leadership to create an environment of godliness and truth among the saints as they fight against the forces of evil in the world. Paul was bold in preaching against unrighteousness and measured his preaching with love and understanding. He did not excuse the actions of the church. His preaching was hard and to the point. The church of God at Corinth needed rebuking in the spirit of gentleness like so many churches today. Satan is not finished in his work to destroy the local church. He desires more than anything to fill the church with division, strife, immorality, and false teaching. Leaders must listen to Paul’s admonition to Corinth. His appeal to Corinth is for them to examine themselves to see if they are in the faith and to test themselves. We can do no less.

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