The Heaton File

I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. (Galatians 5:16)

Walking In The Spirit

The battle between the lust of the flesh and the spiritual mind is enormous. No day goes by without a skirmish of mortal desires attacking heavily the holy life of the child of God. Satan arms himself with everything in his power to break down the walls of faithful resistance. He wins a few battles. He loses many times through the power of God. The battle goes on. While there is no simple formula to ward off the attacks of the devil, Paul’s admonition has a simple approach to deal with the constant barrage of temptation. Walking in the Spirit is an active lifestyle. The apostle did not suggest sitting in the Spirit or standing in the Spirit. He emphasized the adjective of walking indicating action. Walking in the Spirit will defeat the temptations of the flesh in three ways.

Walking in the Spirit is walking away from lust. The spirit and the flesh are like polar ends of each other. There is no attraction between the spirit and the flesh because they are contrary to one another. Spiritual mindedness is filled with purity and holiness by the word of God. Faith comes from hearing the word of God and the more the heart is filled with the mind of the Lord the less there will be room for the lust of the flesh to find root. As an active measure of our faith, walking in the Spirit is a daily feeding on the character of God immersing ourselves in His image. The lust of the flesh is appealing but walking in the Spirit helps us flee from immorality.

Walking in the Spirit is walking with God. The armor of God protects us from the harmful blows of the wiles of Satan. He attacks the heart with every measure of lust he can muster. All parts of the armor of God defend against the powerful lust of the flesh with righteousness, truth, hope, faith and the word of God. The child of God is surrounded by the army of God whose leader is the commander of the Lord’s army. Every day is a walk with God. We go with Him, He leads us, we follow His guide and His power protects us. Walking in the Spirit is putting our footsteps in the path of righteousness. Walking in the Spirit is walking with Jesus.

Walking in the Spirit is seeking those things above. The vision we have in our life will determine the direction we are going. Seeking the Spirit of God will help defend against the lust of the flesh, measure our steps by His word and give us a hope to live for as the battle continues each day. We know this life is temporary and the battles we face will end in glory. The Spirit helps in our weakness and gives us confidence as we faithfully serve the Lord. Heaven is not just a place we desire to go but also a visualization of the life we live now in the grace of God. Walking in the Spirit is a journey taking us to an eternal home where there are no tears, sorrow and death.

Does the hawk fly by your wisdom, and spread its wings toward the south? Does the eagle mount up at your command, and make its nest on high? On the rock it dwells and resides, on the crag of the rock and the stronghold. From there it spies out the prey; its eyes observe from afar. Its young ones suck up blood; and where the slain are, there it is. (Job 39:26-30)

The Way Of The Hawk And The Eagle

There are few birds as majestic as the hawk and the eagle. As raptors, these birds of prey rule the sky with a regal beauty. The American bald eagle is the symbol of our nation (in contrast to Benjamin Franklin’s choice of the turkey). It is impressive to watch these birds fly. They have a grace about them and yet fierceness for their uncanny ability to see with such precision. The Lord uses them as an example to Job of the majesty of His creation and power of His word. Job and his friends had long discussed the mercies of God seeking answers for the misery fallen upon poor Job. As they digressed further from the true nature of suffering and God, Elihu speaks up rebuking the four older men for their misguided views of the power of the Lord. It was then God Himself intervenes from the whirlwind challenging Job to consider the omnipotence of His power seen in creation. Near the end of His discourse, God reminds Job the hawk and the eagle are not controlled by man but by the will of the Lord alone.

The hawk and the eagle are majestic birds that carry out their lives without any regard to the will of man. God has placed within the hawk the power of flight. He created the hawk. It is according to the will of the Lord the eagle soars above the earth making its nest on high. The eyesight of these birds can be four times that of a person with perfect vision. A rabbit can be spotted from a mile away making the hawk and the eagle one of the premier hunting animals on earth. All of this comes about because of the creation of God. Job is reminded of how great the Lord is and how lowly man must remember he is.

There are great lessons for us to consider when we spend time watching nature. Birds gather to their nest their needs with no worries or concerns. Animals scurry around preparing for winter. Bears will hibernate, flocks of geese will fly to warmer climates and thousands of animals will migrate to their feeding pastures. The cycle of life within the kingdom of nature has continued since the beginning of time without interruption. How is this all possible and who made it so? The Lord God Creator is the one who reveals His character through the animal kingdom. Ants have no leader yet they work tirelessly. Bees harvest the elements of their honey world with precision. Fish fill an abundant world with bounty unending and the creatures of the earth supply man with food and clothing. All of this made possible by the hand of God.

The Lord has left His imprint upon the face of the earth with creatures like the hawk and the eagle. They show His handiwork in everything they do. Man can marvel at their beauty but he should be reminded the hawk and the eagle fly because of the will of the Lord, not man. The hawk and eagle teach men. Take time out of your busy day and look at the world around you. It will amaze you how much you will see what you have not seen before. Praise God for His magnificent creation.

“Who made it?” asked the noted agnostic Robert G. Ingersoll when he saw a beautiful globe portraying the constellations and stars of the heavens. “Why colonel,” replied Henry Ward Beecher (1813-1887), “nobody made it, it just happened.” (Told by M. D. Landon in Kings of Platform and Pulpit.)

Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him. The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ–He is Lord of all–that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on a tree. Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead. To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.” (Acts 10:34-43)

An Eight Point

Jesus had promised Peter that he would receive the keys of the kingdom and on Pentecost that promise was kept. Peter extolled the crowd to know the Jesus whom they crucified was the Christ. Three-thousand devout Jews obeyed the gospel as the church began to grow in spirit and number. In the beginning, the focus of the gospel was upon the Jews. Then came the day the door was open for the Gentiles and Peter was at center-stage once again. Cornelius, a centurion in the Roman army, was a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people and was a man of deep prayer. Through the direction of God, Peter was brought to Cornelius to preach the good news of Jesus Christ. His sermon to the household of Cornelius is a powerful testimony to the simple message of redemption found only in Jesus Christ.

Point One – The gospel is for all men, regardless of nationality, gender, age, race or economic status. God has no partiality because He created all men. All the unique qualities of man are there because the Creator God made all men in such a manner. Sending His Son to earth was not to die for a select few but for all men.

Point Two – The Lord will bless any man or woman who fears Him and works righteousness. Faith is the beginning of the journey to salvation and that faith must rest upon the knowledge of the Almighty God. Peter was preaching what James would later describe as faith and works. Without faith and works, there is no salvation.

Point Three – Everyone who comes to God must believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God.  Taking up the cross and following Jesus demands first place in every part of life. Jesus will be Lord of all and nothing will be accepted except total devotion to the will of the Father. Obedience demands the sacrifice of self.

Point Four – Knowing the story of Jesus is what convicts the heart. Too often people become Christians without knowing the true nature of Jesus. Believing Jesus is the Christ demands the knowledge of His power, His works, His teaching and His example. Jesus is the only way to the Father and His story is the only story that can save.

Point Five – The story of Jesus is true because Peter and many others testified as witnesses of the life, death and resurrection of the man from Nazareth. The Bible is not a book of fairy tales created by man. God’s word is true because it comes from His mouth and the reliable evidence of eyewitness accounts confirms it.

Point Six – The resurrection. Nothing is more critical than believing in the resurrection. This did not happen in a corner and many in the day of Cornelius could go to the tomb of Jesus and see He was not there. Without the resurrection, there was no gospel. Everything hinged upon the evidence of the risen Savior. He arose and He lives.

Point Seven – The early disciples were charged with going into the whole world preaching the story of Jesus as the Son of God who dwelt among men, was killed and raised the third day to glory. There is no greater story than the story of Jesus Christ. All those who believe in the risen Savior must tell the greatest story ever told.

Point Eight – The Old Testament proclaims the truth of Jesus Christ and now all men are given the fully revealed word of God. Salvation comes in the obedience of the gospel of Christ in hearing the word and obeying every command instructed by the Lord. The power of the gospel is for all men and it will save all men.

When Peter finished his sermon, Cornelius and all his household were baptized. A great sermon with a wonderful response. Praise God.

Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?” But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him. When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:13-17)

Baptism Pleases God

The religious world is a place of great confusion. Among those who believe in Jesus Christ, variety is the common theme of how a person should worship the Lord, approach Him in prayer, obey the commands of the Lord and what a person must do to be saved. There is one revelation of truth and more than a thousand different churches teaching hundreds of diverse interpretations of what God has taught. The crucial teaching of scripture is the plan of salvation. This is key because it establishes hope of eternal life. Without the right information, there is no second chance. Jesus died to save all men and became either the author of confusion or the sole message of truth from the Father. The problem does not lie in the word of God but what man has done with the truth of God’s message to save man.

Most religious groups teach salvation by faith alone. A consequence of this teaching is the denial of baptism as having any role in salvation. This is a tremendous advantage for Satan to convince man that being immersed in water is of no value save an outward expression of an inward grace. Baptism is frowned upon. It is ridiculed as salvation by works. The body of religious dogma places baptism as a minor role in the plan of redemption with millions of people believing the lie that faith or grace alone saves. Satan gains his minions through the error of false teachers refusing to acknowledge clear teaching of scripture of the role baptism. This does not suggest salvation by baptism alone. There are many steps to take for salvation to be granted but the final point when a man leaves a state of sin and enters the grace of redemption is the waters of baptism. Jesus Christ proves this by His own baptism.

John the Baptist was quite surprised when he saw Jesus coming to be baptized. His reaction was expected when he pleaded with Jesus to baptize him. The answer of Jesus helps us understand why baptism is essential for salvation. John was correct to realize the greatness of the Lord but like many men, failed to grasp the plan the Father had in sending His Son to earth. In his innocence, John thought he knew more than the will of God. He was wrong. Jesus did not come to wash away sins. The Lord was thirty years old and had never broken a single commandment of God. He was sinless. Jesus was not coming to repent for there was nothing to repent of. The Lord was coming to fulfill the righteous pattern of His Father giving all men an avenue of salvation. Jesus established the law in His baptism.

John took Jesus into the Jordan River, immersed Him and when Jesus rose from the waters of baptism, the seal of God poured forth from heaven in approval. The Holy Spirit affirmed the action of Jesus in the presence of a dove. God’s voiced echoed from His eternal throne that the baptism of His Son pleased Him. Why did it please God? It was the will of God as a pattern of righteousness for all men to follow. Luke records in the book of Acts every time a person was saved, they were baptized. Paul proves in his epistles to Galatia, Rome, and Colossae that baptism is necessary for salvation. Peter affirms the same in his writings. How men can deny the critical need of baptism is an example of how powerful the teaching of Satan has permeated those who believe in Jesus Christ.

It will be a sad day when men stand before Jesus Christ – who did not believe baptism was an essential part of their salvation – and hear those terrible words of condemnation. The example of Jesus will stand in stark contrast to the false teaching of men. Baptism is not a matter of interpretation. Satan has successfully convinced religious people to ‘almost become a Christian’ and never realize they are lost. To almost become a Christian is to miss heaven totally. Baptism is not an outward sign of anything inward to save. It is the acceptance of the will of God, confirmed by the example of Jesus Christ, taught by every disciple of truth in the New Testament; and followed by every believing heart that seeks salvation today. It pleases God because it is the will of God.

He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. (Jesus Christ, Son of God)

So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom … for a thousand years in Your sight are like yesterday when it is past, and like a watch in the night. (Psalm 90:12 & 4)

He Is Timeless

Birthdays are enjoyable for many reasons. As a child, you anxiously look with expecting eyes at mom and dad’s gifts or grandparent surprises. In older age, you laugh at the prank gifts that make you smile deep inside. No matter the age, days are numbered and another year begins. We are measured by our age. Youth is defined by a set of numbers, adulthood framed in the expansive years of life and old age described by the number of years lived. Two things are found on the tombstone of our life: a name and dates indicating age. The first number is the year of our birth and the last number is the years lived on mortal earth. A simple dash represents all the time of our life. How appropriate. The symbol of a dash is a small mark of no particular beauty. It has no creativity, no design, no fanciful character but it represents every moment of our life. It has a beginning and it has an end.

Moses writes that wisdom is found in understanding the number of days lived. He impresses upon the mind that life is about days, weeks, months and years. All men have a beginning day and there will come a day of death. Numbering the days of our lives is not knowing how old we are but to reflect upon the fact that our days are numbered. There is a limitation to life. While he lived to be one-hundred-twenty years and possessed the vigor of unabated strength at death, Moses knew that life was like a mist passing quickly through time. His death was written millennia’s ago but the words are still true. Knowledge is found in the birthdays of our lives. The man of God implores his heavenly Father to teach him the meaning of life and how frail everything about life is filled with transient memories.

The Father is not like His children. As creations of the hand of God, we number our days but He does not. A thousand years mean nothing to the Lord. Time for man is governed by the seasons and revolutions of the heavenly bodies and the Lord God dwells above all time possessing eternity without beginning and without end. Age is the curse of sin as we grow apart from the tree of life marching closer to death. Our Father created the tree of life and He took it away. His power is unmatched. There is no comparison to a creature that numbers but few days with the unlimited existence of the Almighty God. The same Lord Moses knew is the same Lord we know today. Have we forgotten the same exact sun we see today is the same exact sun Moses looked at in his life and yet the Father God dwells above all creation? He is timeless.

Wisdom will find a place in our heart when we realize how big is the ocean of God’s existence and how small our boat. We are finite and He is infinite. Our lives are spent in time and He is timeless. We have a beginning with no end but He has no beginning without an end. Death is not our final song as we live in eternity. How is this possible? We celebrate the day of birth each year with happiness when the day of our death is a greater birth. Dying in the Lord begins the eternal joy of living in the presence of the Father. Made in the image of God we possess the seed of His almighty power allowing us to share in His glory. What a joy that will be. Numbering our days profits a little. Seeing the days of our lives in eternal glory is wisdom.

What is this world? A dream within a dream – as we grow older each step is an awakening. The grave the last sleep? No, it is the last and final awakening. (Walter Scott; 1771-1832; Journal)

Now it came to pass when Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem heard how Joshua had taken Ai and had utterly destroyed it–as he had done to Jericho and its king, so he had done to Ai and its king–and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were among them, that they feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, like one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all its men were mighty. Therefore Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem sent to Hoham king of Hebron, Piram king of Jarmuth, Japhia king of Lachish, and Debir king of Eglon, saying, “Come up to me and help me, that we may attack Gibeon, for it has made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel.” Therefore the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon, gathered together and went up, they and all their armies, and camped before Gibeon and made war against it. And the men of Gibeon sent to Joshua at the camp at Gilgal, saying, “Do not forsake your servants; come up to us quickly, save us and help us, for all the kings of the Amorites who dwell in the mountains have gathered together against us.” So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valor. And the Lord said to Joshua, “Do not fear them, for I have delivered them into your hand; not a man of them shall stand before you.” Joshua therefore came upon them suddenly, having marched all night from Gilgal. So the Lord routed them before Israel, killed them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, chased them along the road that goes to Beth Horon, and struck them down as far as Azekah and Makkedah. And it happened, as they fled before Israel and were on the descent of Beth Horon, that the Lord cast down large hailstones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died. There were more who died from the hailstones than the children of Israel killed with the sword. Then Joshua spoke to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel: “Sun, stand still over Gibeon; And Moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.” So the sun stood still, And the moon stopped, Till the people had revenge Upon their enemies. Is this not written in the Book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day. And there has been no day like that, before it or after it, that the Lord heeded the voice of a man; for the Lord fought for Israel. Then Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp at Gilgal. (Joshua 10:1-15)

When The Sun Stood Still

The long journey in the wilderness is over. Moses has died and Joshua, his assistant, leads the nation of Israel in the conquest of an area roughly the size of New Jersey. Jericho has fallen in spectacular fashion through the power of God. Ai became a sad lesson on the penalty of disobedience but victory was finally achieved. Gibeon saved itself through crafty deception and was not destroyed. With Jerusalem in the sights of the Hebrews and three great Canaanite cities succumbing to the might of the army of Joshua, the king of Jerusalem bands together with four other kings to stop the Israelite onslaught. Five kings and their armies march on Gibeon to punish the city for making peace with Joshua.

Gibeon sends an urgent message to Joshua to save them and he responds immediately. Marching all night from Gilgal, the people of the Lord rout the army of the five kings in a great slaughter. Promised by the Lord victory was theirs, none were left and the five kings were sealed in a cave waiting their execution. During the day of the great victory against the Amorites, Joshua appeals to the Lord for a remarkable blessing. He implores the Lord to allow the sun and moon to stand still allowing the people to fully execute all those who stood against him. The Lord agrees. There was never a day such as this or a day since where the sun and moon literally remained in place for about a whole day. The story is more amazing that the Lord heeded the voice of a man to carry out His judgment on the enemies of Israel.

When the sun and moon stood still, a power testimony of the grace of God is seen. Like Moses, Joshua was a mighty man of God. His plea was according to the promises of the Lord and the son of Nun implored Him to bring a full annihilation upon the Amorites. Abraham was not given the land of promise because the wickedness of the people was not full. Now the time of judgment came upon the land of Canaan. The Lord heeded the voice of man and there was a great slaughter. Following the execution of the Amorite kings, cities of the Canaanites were destroyed with all the inhabitants killed; none was left remaining.

The day the sun stood still is a reminder of the power of prayer. Consider for a moment what prayer suggests. A man speaks to the Lord God and makes a petition. Through His mercy and grace, God grants the wish and blesses the petitioner his request. He heeds the voice of a man. This does not elevate man but humbles him. Only through the eternal mercy of the Lord is man granted an audience to seek the blessings of God. Because the Son of God has taken away the veil that once kept man at a distance, all men who believe and obey Him can come into His presence and seek blessings. The children of God have the ear of the Father. Prayer is asking the sun to stand still. Not in a literal sense but bowing a knee will drive Satan himself away. That is power. That is might. That is grace.

Brent Hunter said that the problem with most Christians is the spiritual kindergarten they find in their prayer life. The power and force of devoted prayer is lost on the lips of those who are afraid to ask for the ‘sun to stand still.’ Joshua was told the victory would be his. He was fighting against incredible odds. Five kings brought their armies to the fight and when it was all said and done, the people of God had slaughtered every one of them. The power of believing prayer lead Joshua to seek the blessing of God and it was granted by the power of God. The Lord will listen to the voice of a man and woman who fully believe in His promises – and here is why this is such a great story – the Lord will heed the voice of a man. That is a great story.

Rummaging through my father’s papers the other day, I came across this old well-worn statement: “Nothing is ever settled till it is settled right, and nothing is ever settled right till it is settled with God.” God invites us to talk it over: “Come now, and let us reason together.” Isaiah 1:18. (Vance Havner; 1901-1986)

The hand of the Lord came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones. Then He caused me to pass by them all around, and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and indeed they were very dry. And He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” So I answered, “O Lord God, You know.” Again He said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! Thus says the Lord God to these bones: “Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the Lord.” ‘“So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone. Indeed, as I looked, the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them over; but there was no breath in them. Also He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” ‘“So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army. Then He said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They indeed say, ‘Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off!’ Therefore prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Behold, O My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. Then you shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up from your graves. I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken it and performed it,” says the Lord. (Ezekiel 37:1-14)

Can Dry Bones Live?

Ezekiel was a prophet of the exile exhorting the people of God to not lose hope in the face of the destruction of the nation of Israel. Babylon had conquered the once great nation beginning a seventy-year captivity marked by despair and defeat. A complete generation of people would pass before a remnant would be allowed to return. The prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah proclaimed the calamity in stern warnings mixed with the hopeful renewal of a promised return. The Lord brought Ezekiel to a valley filled with dry bones to show His power, and His promise to His beloved people giving assurance that with God anything is possible.

The valley was filled with untold numbers of bones that were very dry. Ezekiel walked among the remnants of death that no man could change. The sight of these bones must have overwhelmed the heart of the prophet with complete hopelessness and despair. There could be many reasons these bodies were in the valley; probably because of a great battle. Death filled the air. The sight of these bones reminded Ezekiel of the limitations of man as there was no possibility to bring life to dry bones. No medicine, technology or devising of man could restore life to the carnage the prophet beheld that day. And then God spoke to him.

What changed for Ezekiel was the word of God. The question posed by the Lord was an impossible task. Dry bones cannot live. Modern science can change the lives of many people but very dry bones will only be dry bones. Ezekiel does not hesitate in answering the Lord but answers carefully. He knows if life is to be given to the dry bones God has the power – if He is willing. The first thing the prophet must do is tell the dry bones to hear the word of the Lord. Life comes when the Lord works His power covering the bones with flesh. Breath came into the bodies and life was restored. A exceedingly great army stood before Ezekiel as his eyes marveled at the wonder-working power of the Almighty God. A valley full of very dry bones was now filled with a multitude of living, breathing people.

The immediate lesson is clear. Israel seemed a doomed nation but they would find life again through the power of God. Their bondage was the very dry bones. There was no hope apart from the Lord. Israel could not come out of the captivity without the will of the Lord. Like very dry bones, there was an impossibility of hope. They were dry, their hope was lost and the people were cut off. The grace of God made possible their release after seventy-years when Cyrus signed the decree allowing the Jews to return to Jerusalem. This could only be done because of the power of God’s will. Ezekiel is seeking to infuse hope in the hearts of the faithful that the Lord has not forgotten His people and He will bring them up once again.

There are eternal lessons from the valley of dry bones parallel to the joy of being a Christian. Sin drains all life from the spirit of man. Condemned before God, there is no hope for man. All men face the day when they lie in the ruin of Satan’s vicious attack, dead in trespasses and sin. There is no hope. There is no life. There is no victory. Jesus came to bring life to men. Hearing the word of the Lord is the beginning of a miraculous transformation where sinful man transforms by the renewal of God’s word to a living sacrifice. The eternal breath of life is given to sinful man and he becomes a child of God. Becoming a Christian proclaims that God is Lord.

A final lesson is the hope of eternal life. In a literal sense, man will die and nothing can bring life. Death is certain, it is final and it is complete. Two thousand years ago a man was buried following his death. Like all men, he died. Unlike any man, He arose on the first day of the week and lives forever. The promise of eternal life is given to all those who hear the word of the Lord and live in the Spirit of the Lord. Death may seem final for the eyes that weep but the heart knows that eternal life is given to dead bodies of His saints. Like the valley of dry bones, life comes from the word of God. The nature of life is like a vapor. The promise of life after death comes by the power of God who can take very dry bones and give them life. He will do the same for you. Hear His word and obey. Life is promised. Let those dry bones live.

What reason have atheists for saying that we cannot rise again? Which is the more difficult, to be born, or to rise again? That what has never been, should be, or that what has been, should be again? Is it more difficult to come into being that to return to it? (Blaise Pascal, Pensees, 1670)

Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ. (Jude 3-4)

Contending And Watching

It seems incredulous the church could have evil people in its midst. The Biblical view of the Lord’s body should not be skewed by the mistaken idea that everyone is looking out for the spiritual interest of the kingdom of God. They are not. Reading about the early days of the church shows the struggles faced by the first Christians as ungodly men filled the hearts of God’s people with immorality, false doctrine and lies. Jude’s little epistle of six hundred words is filled to the brim with warnings against those who would try and destroy the work of God. Not everyone who is a Christian is seeking the will of God. Often they are pressing their own agenda corrupting the minds of innocent brethren.

Contending for the faith is an active rebuke of false teachers who deny the faith of God. As a verb, ‘contending’ suggests action. The sacredness of the word of God cannot abide those who would wrestle the truth to their own gain. Christians need to be vigilant in keeping false doctrine from entering the church and the lives of God’s people. Apostasy has destroyed the eternal souls of millions of those who blindly follow men proclaiming a message foreign to scripture. Why are there so many churches and why are believers in Christ not united? Too few souls are honestly contending for the faith. Historically the path of apostasy can be traced to certain men and while blame can be placed upon their teachings, there is a responsibility that brethren should face in failing to earnestly contend for the truth of God. Jude was writing to the “beloved”, those “who are called, sanctified by God.” Everyone has a responsibility to examine the words of men with the truth of God. The common salvation should be a daily part of the life of every Christian.

False doctrine tickles the ears of those who have no knowledge of the truth. The ignorance of scripture has done more to destroy the work of God when brethren fail to stand against teachings not found in scripture. It is difficult to contend for something without knowing what to contend about. A few snowflakes have little impact but combine a lot of snowflakes and you have an avalanche. The point is that if more people would become students of the Book, contending for the truth would be more active in keeping the tentacles of false doctrine out of the church. Why are brethren beginning to embrace musical instruments in the body of Christ? Less contending. What is the cause for worldliness to be so common among the people of God? Little resistance. Worship has become a time of casual playtime where people come to be entertained because no one contends for the truth. It happened in the New Testament church and it is happening in the church today.

Some people in the church have evil motives. Jude describes men who creep in unnoticed. Their purpose is to extol their virtues of ungodliness on the simple hearts of those who do not know the truth. The grace of God becomes an open door allowing anything and everyone to live as they choose without any boundaries – and all in the name of Jesus Christ. Churches fill with families living the American dream of materialism, hedonism, immorality and covetous hearts. Sin is no longer recognized. The lack of contending for the faith opens the door to the wiles of the devil. Every generation faces the challenges of keeping the church pure from such defilements. These are dire warnings. Written two thousand years ago does not diminish the impact on the church today. Satan is still fighting to destroy every congregation of God’s people he can successfully fill with dead hearts.

Contending earnestly is a clarion call for God’s people to embrace the common salvation delivered to men in the purest form of truth. Saints must build themselves up in the faith of God by spending time with the word of God and in prayer. There is a war going on and while victory has been assured, there will be many victims who fall prey to the seduction of ungodly men. Sin must be shown for what it is. The mercy of God is given to all men to find salvation and all men must stand upon the conviction of truth and truth alone.

People used to blush when they were ashamed. Now they are ashamed if they blush. Modesty has disappeared and a brazen generation with no fear of God before its eyes mocks at sin. We are so fond of being called tolerant and broadminded that we wink at sin when we ought to weep. (Vance Havner; 1901-1986)

Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples! Shout to God with the voice of triumph! For the Lord Most High is awesome; He is a great King over all the earth. He will subdue the peoples under us, and the nations under our feet. He will choose our inheritance for us, the excellence of Jacob whom He loves. God has gone up with a shout, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet. Sing praises to God, sing praises! Sing praises to our King, sing praises! For God is the King of all the earth; sing praises with understanding. God reigns over the nations; God sits on His holy throne. The princes of the people have gathered together, the people of the God of Abraham. For the shields of the earth belong to God; He is greatly exalted. (Psalm 47; To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah.)

Our God Is An Awesome God

The story of the tower at Babel changed everything for the world. Bob Waldron pointed out in his study of Genesis the significance of the division of people was to prohibit the unified efforts of a global conquest by man. No one group of people will dominate the world or nation rule the globe because the habitation of man is firmly held in check by the awesome power (and wisdom) of the Lord Most High. There have been many nations that have tried to rule the world but ended in failure because the only King over all the earth is God. That is exciting to think about. He is such an awesome God nothing in the wisdom of man can come close. He reigns and rules over the affairs of all men. He can subdue tyrants, despots and political thugs who bring misery to the world. All of the power of the nation’s rests upon the hand of the Awesome Lord God.

The child of God has a unique perspective on world events. There is much to be concerned with, sorrowing over the tragedies that come to so many innocent people, fear with the rise of this group and that group. History is the great teacher that always shows that men will fail in time because God is in control. During the days of the two world wars, hearts melted for fear of what the enemies of freedom were bringing upon millions of souls. But where are they today? Following the Second World War the ‘Cold War’ began and hearts again were troubled with fear of nuclear annihilation and destruction. The USSR stood against the United States and prognosticators claimed the great holocaust of the apocalypse would drown the world in a nuclear waste. The USSR is gone and the United States is slowly decaying from the inside. In modern times, fear of ISIS draws the headlines with concerns for Iran and the new Russia and North Korea. The cycle of those seeking domination continues and will follow the same path of self-destruction. God reigns over the nations; God sits on His holy throne. Praise the Lord.

Looking at the United States, the pattern of destruction is following the time held truth that any nation that exalts itself in the denial of God will soon be destroyed. This great country is on the downward spiral of immoral implosion. The Lord God is not feared, acknowledged or believed. More and more the foundation that made this country great is being chipped away. Concerns over the present political climate can only be answered by the lack of moral character in the votes of those Americans who have selected the despots we now face in the coming election. Is there fear? Are there concerns? There is something to be thankful for and the need of joyful voices – the Lord Most High is awesome and He is STILL in control. Clap your hands together in joy. He is a great king over all the earth – including the 3.79 million square miles that we call the United States.

America is a wonderful land to live and work in but it is not home. Home is where our heart is. The heart of the Christian is firmly planted in the soil of a heavenly abode where God is seated on His awesome throne. He is Awesome, the Lord Most High, King over all the earth and he owns all the shields of the earth. All the power of man is in the palm of God’s hand. The sons of Korah had reason to rejoice and their psalm from so long ago resonates in the hearts of God’s people who know that power and glory belong to the Lord. Nothing man can do can change this. Praise God. Lord come quickly. Shout to God with the voice of triumph.

There is only one limit to the sovereignty of the state; it is the knowledge of the sovereignty of God … Where this is lacking there is no limit to the SUPERBIA of the state, for there is only one remedy for the SUPERBIA – fear of God. (Emil Brunner, Justice and the Social Order, 1945)

For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:6-8)

The Love Of God

(Kent Heaton)

There was no strength found in our life,

Everything about us was purely dark.

The stain of sin marked our souls with grief,

No hope was found in Adam’s mark.

Men tried vainly to find a cure,

They tried to live as if they could win.

Every attempt at finding righteousness,

Fell to the tempters power of sin.

The world was cold and dark with fear,

We had no strength, we had no might.

All of our efforts left us as sinners,

Nothing we did made us right.

Then came Jesus to die for me,

He gave His life as God did plan.

A righteous man I was not,

The Son of God dared die for man.

Love was demonstrated long ago,

When still a sinner Christ died for me.

Now I am justified and free from sin,

His blood did save me now I see.

Thank you God for all your love,

You gave your Son and now I live.

My life is changed by your rich grace,

There is nothing I know that I can give.

The love of God is greater far,

Than all I can imagine or ever be.

I am saved by His life and that’s my joy,

I rejoice in my God because now I’m free.