The Heaton File

“The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,” says the Lord of hosts. (Haggai 2:8)

It All Belongs To Him

After the children of Israel returned from the long captivity that saw the burning and destruction of the temple, it was time to rebuild the House of the Lord. By the hand of God, the remnant of His people possessed the land of their forefathers. In their joy of living in the promised land they had forgotten to give God the glory of rebuilding His house. The people lived in paneled houses but the temple of God was in ruins. Haggai and Zechariah implored the people to rebuild the place where the glory of the Lord once ruled. It would be a difficult task but the second temple was completed in 516 B.C.

When the foundation of the second temple was completed, there was great sorrow because it was not like the former glory of Solomon’s temple. A sense of defeat filled the hearts of the people as they compared the glory of the first temple with their feeble efforts in rebuilding the second. Solomon had filled the temple with the wealth of the land with an incomparable presence but the people of Haggai’s day had nothing. How could they restore the temple like that of Solomon when they had no gold, silver or anything? They were poor and had little. The temple would not be the glorious edifice of Solomon’s day. Their hearts were discouraged and downtrodden.

The temple of Solomon was an incredible example of the wealth and splendor of man’s achievement. When the people began building the second temple, a sense of despair filled their hearts. What they forgot is the temple was a place of worship regardless of the outward adorning. The Lord reminded them that while Solomon’s temple was a beautiful edifice adorned with gold – it was the worship that was important to God. Building the second temple would pale in comparison to the first but whether it had gold or silver would not matter to God because He owned all the things of the world. The Lord wanted the hearts of the people, not their gold.

Jesus reminded the woman at the well worship to God has always been about truth and spirit. There is nothing wrong with worshipping in a beautiful building or nicely adorned place but worship is not about the things that God already possesses. All the gold and silver belong to the Lord and He is not impressed. What He desires is the heart of men to honor Him, serve Him, love Him and devote their hearts and wills to Him. Haggai was reminding the people of priorities. The second temple would never rival the first but all the Lord wanted in the temple was the hearts of the people. Men have put so much emphasis upon the outward adorning of pleasure driven worship they have forgotten the real meaning of praising God in spirit and truth. Haggai’s lesson begs the question: what is the purpose of our worship?

Too many church members sit smugly in church on Sunday, some closing their eyes and others eyeing the clothes, and with a dozen other things ahead of God in their lives. (Vance Havner; 1901-1986)

Therefore, though I might be very bold in Christ to command you what is fitting, yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you–being such a one as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ–I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten while in my chains, who once was unprofitable to you, but now is profitable to you and to me. I am sending him back. You therefore receive him, that is, my own heart, whom I wished to keep with me, that on your behalf he might minister to me in my chains for the gospel. But without your consent I wanted to do nothing, that your good deed might not be by compulsion, as it were, but voluntary. For perhaps he departed for a while for this purpose, that you might receive him forever, no longer as a slave but more than a slave–a beloved brother, especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. (Philemon 8-16)

Turning A Mistake To Glory

The circumstance of Onesimus is unknown why he ran away from his master, Philemon. Slaves took an incredible risk if they decided to leave their masters without permission because there were few places they could go to find protection. The Roman Empire was so vast, eventually a slave would be caught and severe penalties would be enforced. The Empire was full of thousands of men, women and children who lived the life of slavery. Throughout the New Testament writings, slavery was used as an expression of discipleship to Jesus Christ and on a few occasions, the commands of the Lord forbade slaves to be unruly towards their masters. In kind, masters were forbidden to be harsh to their slaves. How Onesimus came to know Paul is of speculation but it was the greatest thing that ever happened to this runaway slave.

Onesimus took a brave step when he decided to slip away from the home of Philemon. There were many anxious days and nights as he secretly moved about the land. It is possible he was caught and imprisoned with Paul and that is when his life changed. The apostle took every opportunity to teach others the gospel and this runaway slave was no exception. The joy of salvation brought Onesimus into a servitude with Jesus Christ and a brotherhood with Paul and his master, Philemon. Paul’s letter to Philemon is an expression of his respect for his friend and an appeal to receive Onesimus back – not just as a slave but now as a brother. Onesimus had made a grave mistake to run away. Paul acknowledges this but what was an unfortunate decision changed the lives of the slave and the master. Philemon was now blessed with a servant who was also a servant of the Lord.

Paul alludes to the providence of God in the decision of Onesimus to run away. Could it be the slave running away fulfilled a purpose in the plan of the Lord to bring him to Christ? Regardless, the reality was that Onesimus made a mistake but his decision turned out for glory. Philemon must see the wonder working power of Christ in the life of Onesimus and the joy of a slave who was now a brother. As a Christian, Onesimus will be a more valuable slave than ever before. The bond of Philemon to his slave will change dramatically and what a blessing.

Mistakes often fill our lives. We make a decision that is a bad choice and one we will regret for a long time. What we learn from Onesimus and Philemon is the joy of turning a mistake into glory. Was it wrong for the slave to run away? Yes. Was Philemon upset about the action of his slave? Probably. Was there a greater good found in the story of a runaway slave? To the glory of God, the slave became a child of God and what looked like a tragedy turned into rejoicing. Paul’s appeal to Philemon is one of perspective. The apostle does not supposed to demand of Philemon the wrong Onesimus did but to remember the joy of how something bad turned into something good. How Philemon receives his slave will determine the outcome of both of their lives. When we look at mistakes and regrets, we should also look at the opportunities that come from a broken heart, remorseful spirit and a desire to do right. A greater good so often can come from a tragedy.

Forgiveness is the joy of being a child of God. The relationship we share with the Father is the expression of love we have for one another. Our Father forgives us when we repent and we should forgive those who have wronged us. No man need be defined by his failures but how he rises from the ashes of a broken life to serve God in glory. Onesimus made a serious mistake but he made a decision that had eternal consequence. Perhaps he ran away so he could fall in the arms of a forgiving Savior. To God be the glory.

There is nothing final about a mistake, except its being taken as final. (Phyllis Bottome, Strange Fruit, 1928)

In the house of the righteous there is much treasure, but in the revenue of the wicked is trouble. (Proverbs 15:6)

The House Of The Righteous

There are many similarities of those who seek God and those who do not. In contrast, there is one thing that separates the believer from the unbeliever. The rain falls on the just and the unjust and all men share in the common bounties of life. A man can be wealthy whether he is righteous or not. Living unrighteous does not suggest ill health or poverty as righteousness will not guarantee prosperity. The treasure of the righteous is not unlike the revenue of the wicked. All men can share in the material blessings of the world in a like manner regardless of their spiritual viewpoint. In the Old Testament, the man Job was a wealthy man that feared God with a deep reverence. David met a man named Nabal that was very rich but was a harsh and evil man. Job and Nabal enjoyed the fruits of the world but their characters were different.

The character of the righteous and the wicked is what sets them apart. Whether a righteous man is rich or poor does not change his life. He lives in the contentment of God’s grace knowing the Lord will care for him. There is joy if the bread is few and there is joy if the table is filled with abundance. His eye is not on the quantity of what he possesses for he knows that life does not consist of the things he has. The character of his heart measures life for a man of God because his fulfillment comes from an eternal reward. A wicked man believes that gold will bring him happiness. His life is consumed with building bigger barns to hoard possessions he will never enjoy. The character of the wicked is the trouble of a life filled with empty promises. Seeking after fame, fortune and pleasure, the wicked man is driven to fill his life with all thing things that are temporary. He finds he is never happy. Trouble is the only reward a wicked man finds.

Godliness is profitable for this life because it produces a character of satisfaction. A heart filled with the presence of God will bring joy whether one is rich or poor. There is much treasure in the house of those who love the Lord. Faith guards the door, love fills the rooms and hope shelters the home with the mantle of God’s grace. The house of the wicked in unprotected, empty and void of hope. Riches are measured by character, not possessions.

Humanly speaking, it is only when the hair is white, when … life is almost over, that men begin to realize how hopelessly elusive is the happiness promised by wealth and fame. (Joseph McSorley, Be of Good Heart, 1924)

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6)

The Agnostic Atheist

There are distinctions between a person who claims to be an agnostic and one who declares a belief in denying God. An agnostic claims to disbelieve in God because it is impossible to know whether God exists and an atheist readily affirms there is no God. The distinction is semantical as the result of their system of belief is a denial of eternal authority. Separating the atheist from the agnostic is splitting hairs of how each one denies the existence of what is clearly seen in creation and affirmed through the unchanging word of God. Remarkably, while the agnostic and the atheist deny a belief in God, they affirm a system of belief upon which they establish their unbelief. Innate in all man is belief. What they do with that belief is decide if their faith is in a Creator or themselves as creation.

An agnostic will deny God because he denies any scientific means to prove there is a God. If it cannot be replicated in the laboratory then it must be false. Denying God because there is no way to prove him in a visible world only suggests man has no desire to attempt any proof of God’s existence. If may be safe to say the atheist will go to great lengths to prove there is no God while the agnostic stands around with his hands in his pockets shrugging his shoulders saying “I don’t know.” Ironically, the man who shrugs his shoulders in denial cannot explain his own birth. He had nothing to do with it, had no control over it and came from the womb of another human being growing into an intelligent being denying he is an intelligent creation and he has no answers. The atheists will spend his life disproving his existence. His birth was a phenomenon of unlinked events chained together in a continual chance of precise requirements of impossible necessary sequences producing a human being evolved from non-human particles. At the same time, they decry the believer in God because of faith. There is more faith required in the belief of an atheist than a follower of an eternal Creator.

Agnostics and atheists share the same DNA, both in body and belief. Neither can explain the biological creation; either denying lack of proof or disproving by a convoluted system of unbelieving faith. All men have a system of belief that by itself shows the eternal nature of how God made man. Every civilization has based their society on a system of belief and the question has always been whether their belief was in an eternal Father or themselves. Ultimately, the reason men deny God is that they want to make a god of their own desire so they can live in the false security of man’s wisdom. The totems of men have always been the image of man. Making a golden calf allows man to enjoy the pleasures of himself, the pride of ruling his own life and rejecting the authority of a higher being. Man worships man like an ant bows before his fellow insect.

Paul reminds the Roman disciples the invisible attributes of God are clearly seen. King David expressed in prose the viability of the word of the Lord and the powerful testimony of the created world. Faith in the heavenly Father requires a belief that He is. There is nothing more man can find within himself that will change that. God is who He is and will always be who He is. Denying ones birth does not change the reality. Accepting the knowledge of God also requires the belief of life after death. Agnostics and atheists believe man is an animal that dies and ceases to exist. Their belief is predicated on the need to live in such a manner there will no consequence or penalty. The driving force to deny God is to live with no judgment. Sadly, agnostics and atheists will learn too late, there is a God and there is consequence. Seeking God is the only happiness man will find in this life and the life to come.

Agnosticism is not open-mindedness; it is culpable inaction. (Nels F. S. Ferre, Faith and Reason, 1946)

And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me all that I ever did.” So when the Samaritans had come to Him, they urged Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. And many more believed because of His own word. Then they said to the woman, “Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.” (John 4:39-42)

The Noble Samaritans

Jesus had come to the well of Jacob to refresh Himself while His disciples went to bring food. As he rested at the well, a woman of Samaria came to draw water. The discourse of Jesus and the woman at the well is a striking testimony of God’s message to save all people. Samaritans were despised by the Jews. A Samaritan woman of questionable character would seem to be less desired. She was shocked Jesus spoke to her but soon the words of Jesus would change her life. Her reaction was to return to the city and tell everyone of her encounter with the man at the well. She told the men Jesus had told her all she had done and possibly this man was the Christ. Curious, the men of the city came to see Jesus. What happened next was even more remarkable.

The Holy Spirit does not record the teaching of Jesus to the people of Samaria but the reaction is clear. Many Samaritans believed in Jesus. A mongrel race, despised and hated by the Jews, listened to the word of God and they believed in Him. In contrast, Jesus was rejected in His own hometown. He was despised by the Jewish leadership. Eventually the Jews would have Jesus killed by the Roman authorities. But at a well outside the city of Sychar, a Bible study with the Lord turned the hearts of many Samaritans to believe Jesus was the Son of God. They implored Jesus to stay with them and He remained two more days. What an exciting time that must have been. How refreshing for Jesus to find such open hearts willing to listen to His teaching. What separated the Samaritans from so many others is their desire to listen to Jesus and make their decisions based simply on their own minds. They told the woman how grateful they were for her bringing Jesus to their attention but their faith was not based on her – it came from hearts that opened the truth of Jesus Christ and His word.

In the work of evangelism there are many Samaritans longing to hear the good news of Jesus Christ. The woman at the well was not a woman of good character. Samaria was a land rejected by the people of God but not by God. Jesus had a bountiful harvest in the land of Samaria. What set these folk apart from so many is their open hearts. They hungered for a message of hope. Their hearts were receptive to the powerful teaching of the Son of God. How many Jewish cities begged Jesus to stay with them so He could teach them? How thrilling those two days were for the people who soaked in the word of God’s Son. It all began because Jesus knew the power of talking to a woman of Samaria. Teaching the gospel of Christ should never be measured by the character of the person but the measure of the heart. The disciples were shocked Jesus was talking to the woman because they would never have thought this woman was deserving. It is sad when we make that same mistake today.

The noble Samaritans remind the church there are many people in the world who are hungering for the truth that will set them free. Sometimes all it takes is a conversation at a water fountain. The bounty of a simple contact can lead to so many more blessings. What sets the Samaritans apart is their willing hearts to hear the truth. In the lives of every Christian are people who pass by who would believe because they heard the word – if only given the opportunity. The Samaritans believed because they heard the word of God. They believed it. They obeyed. Their lives were changed. This all began because of a discussion at a well near the city of Sychar.

The gospel is for lifeboats, not showboats, and a man must make up his mind which boat he is going to operate. (Vance Havner; 1901-1986)

Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, “This Man receives sinners and eats with them.” So He spoke this parable to them, saying: “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance. (Luke 15:1-7)

A Father’s Love For The One

From birth, every child needs to feel loved and cared for. There is reliance upon someone to protect, nourish and care for the needs of the baby because it is helpless without it. In the family of God, the greatest joy knows that the Father cares for everyone and He cares for the individual. It is easy to see how the heavenly Father will care for all men but it is sometimes difficult to remember that He cares for the one as much as he cares for the millions of others. Jesus shared a parable about the worth of the individual in the mind of God. A man with one hundred sheep has many animals to look after. Each one is unique in their own way; some are easily cared for – others more difficult. If a man loses one sheep the loss is one percent. In the business world this would be an accepted loss but not so in the family of God. One sheep is as important as the ninety-nine because the love of the Father is just as great for the one as the many.

The parable Jesus told is vital to make a practical application of the Father’s care for the individual. No one is unimportant to God. There can be a lot of reasons the sheep was lost. It could have been his own fault, carelessness, fear, bad choice or a number of reasons. The real message is the one lost sheep mattered to the shepherd because he cared for the one as much as the ninety-nine. Realizing the one sheep is lost, the shepherd begins an arduous task of looking for the lost sheep. That is a lot of work, time and energy to find one lost sheep. The shepherd does it willingly because of his love. He does not stop until he finds the lost sheep and rejoices with friends and neighbors when he returns home. Jesus makes the application that when one sinner repents, the halls of heaven resound with the joyous praise of the angels. There is greater joy over the one than the ninety and nine.

Losing one sheep may not matter to a businessman but losing one soul means a great deal to the Father. It is gratifying to know God cares that much for the one. He understands our needs and through His love desires to bless us with His personal touch. Consider how fearful the sheep would be lost in the wilderness. The greatest comfort he would have is to know his shepherd is looking for him. We fail our Father often. Yet, we know He loves us enough to seek us and implores us to return. When we restore our spirits in the arms of the Savior, He forgives us and the angels of Heaven rejoice. Think about this for a moment: one sinner who repents makes noise in Heaven. The Father’s love makes that joy possible because He cares than much for me. Never think you are not important to the Father. The Father cares for the ninety-nine but He cares deeply for the one. And that is YOU.

God is beautiful. He is the most beautiful of all beings, because … His beauty is without change or vicissitude, without increase or diminution. (Jacques Maritain, The Philosophy of Art, 1923)

Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” (Matthew 9:37-38)

Living In The Midst Of Bounty

There have been few countries as blessed as the United States. From sea to shining sea the bounty of America’s crops have fed millions an abundance of produce in both this country and the world abroad. It is not hard to see the incredible blessings of the rich land the American dream was built upon. Grocery stores are filled every day with shelves teeming with goods. Fuel is always available, malls and department stores bulge with thousands of selections and few people do not enjoy the technological advancements of cell phones, computers, internet and a vast array of amazing toys for men to dabble with. Unlike many nations in the world, the United States is a world of unending opportunities.

A greater harvest awaits the work of men that has nothing to do with the physical blessings of the land. Imagine for a moment a land filled to the brim with fields upon fields of grain and few people working the fields to reap the bounty. Millions of people are starving. Millions more are dying. The irony is the answer to the famine is found in the fields gleaming with ripe grain and yet few workers are found working in the heat of the day. In some parts of the globe, diligent workers are busy working in the fields finding those who hunger for the lifesaving grain and saving their lives. A sad reality is the workers of the one who planted all the grain are so often found idly sitting by without harvesting the crops. People are dying daily who needed the grain to live but no one took the time or effort to help.

Jesus was not speaking of a physical harvest when He looked upon the multitudes that followed Him. His compassion led Him to proclaim the stark reality of the world. Millions of people die with no hope and so often, the reason is the lack of workers in the field of souls. Multitudes spend their lives like sheep without a shepherd. The fact remains the harvest of lost souls is abundant but the ones willing to labor in the field of teaching others the gospel is few. Little has changed over the two thousand years Jesus spoke those words. Few are working diligently to bring others to Christ. For many, evangelism is waiting for the lost to walk in the church building and then after attending for a few weeks will suddenly – on their own – decide to obey the gospel. On rare occasions this will happen but only rare. It is like fisherman having a weekly convention hoping the fish will jump into their boat so they can proclaim they are doing the work of the Lord. The laborers are few and remain so.

There are lost souls all around our lives. How often do we make an effort to glean the harvest of those who are our friends, co-workers, families and sometimes strangers? There is a plentiful harvest but few laborers. Jesus emphasized an important part of the work of evangelism. There are many things to pray for but one thing most needful is to spend time praying about the work of teaching others the gospel of Jesus Christ. The fields are teeming. Workers are needed. It is work. Let there be no doubt. The rewards are eternal. Now that is a great story.

The gospel is not a secret to be hoarded but a story to be heralded. Too many Christians are stuffing themselves with gospel blessings; while millions have never had a taste. (Vance Havner; 1901-1986)

Then the Lord said to me, “Go again, love a woman who is loved by a lover and is committing adultery, just like the love of the Lord for the children of Israel, who look to other gods and love the raisin cakes of the pagans.” So I bought her for myself for fifteen shekels of silver, and one and one-half homers of barley. And I said to her, “You shall stay with me many days; you shall not play the harlot, nor shall you have a man–so, too, will I be toward you.” For the children of Israel shall abide many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred pillar, without ephod or teraphim. Afterward the children of Israel shall return and seek the Lord their God and David their king. They shall fear the Lord and His goodness in the latter days. (Hosea 3:1-5)

Loving An Unfaithful Wife

Hosea is one of the most amazing prophets of the Old Testament. His book is just over five thousand words but the message of the son of Beeri is one of the greatest love stories in scripture. He was a pre-exilic prophet seeking to bring the people of God back to a faithful relationship with the Lord. The book opens with the Lord telling Hosea to marry a woman of harlotry. Three children are born to his wife Gomer but only one belongs to Hosea. Jezreel is the only child of Hosea with Lo-Ruhamah (a girl) and Lo-Ammi (a boy) conceived by others. In time, Gomer leaves Hosea returning to her life of debauchery. Deserted, despised and perhaps sold as a slave, she is bought by her loving husband for fifteen shekels of silver (half the price of a common slave) and one and one-half homers of barley. Hosea brings his wife home “no longer to enjoy the privileges of an honored wife, which she had flung away, but to repair the past and atone for the sin by mortification, seclusion, and tears” (Albert Barnes).

It seems incredulous for a man of God to marry a woman who was a prostitute. Hosea truly loved his wife. Gomer was a troubled woman who had difficulty keeping her faithfulness to her husband. Jezreel would be the only fruit of Hosea’s loins. He would know Lo-Ruhamah and Lo-Ammi were not his children. How crushing that must have been for the prophet. His love for Gomer was deep. He cared deeply for her and wanted her to share his love as he could care for her. Sometime later she leaves Hosea returning to her life of whoredom. The story of Hosea is beyond the realm of understanding. He marries a woman of ill-repute, has one child by her and discovers she bears two children by other men and then his wife leaves him to go back to her life of harlotry. How could any man love a woman such as Gomer? That is the powerful message of the book of Hosea when he takes Gomer back as his wife.

The message of Hosea was a clear warning for the nation of Israel and a declaration of the love God had for His people. They were nothing when He found them and made them His own. Through their rebellion and whoredom with the nations around them, the nation of Israel had turned away from God. In the face of all their whoredom, Israel was still loved by the Lord and a remnant would return. The prophet shows by his own life-experience the relationship God had with His people. It is also a testimony to the love of God for all men. There was a time when we were enemies of God, living in the darkness of sin. God so loved the world He gave His only begotten Son to save man. Our harlotry is the challenge of sin. Time and again, we struggle with the passions of mortality when we transgress the law of God. In the incredible mercy of God He forgives us when we repent. The powerful message of Hosea is not the acceptance of a sinful life but the amazing grace and mercy of a loving God who will take us back when we have sinned. And He will always do this because He loves us more than we can understand. Do we deserve this love? No! Will God forgive us when we repent? Yes!

Hosea concludes his book reminding the children of Israel the ways of the Lord are right. The righteous will walk in the ways of the Lord and find peace. Those who disobey the Lord continuing in their rebellion will be punished. The book of Hosea is about the mercy and unmerited favor of a righteous God who unfolds His expansive arms of love seeking His children to return to Him. He loves us. What more can be said.

The sun does not look less upon one rose in the midst of a thousand millions of other flowers than if he looked down upon it alone. And God does not shed His love less upon one soul while He loves an infinity of others than if He loved it alone. (Frances of Sales; 1567-1622; Consoling Thoughts of, ed. Huguet)

So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. (2 Corinthians 9:7)

Giving Or Tithing

One of the singular parts of worship from the beginning has been returning to the Lord what He has graciously allowed man to have. Everything man has comes from God. The world was created as a cornucopia of God’s blessings for man to enjoy. Cain and Abel illustrate the importance of true worship and teach how the Creator desired for the creation to remember where all his blessings came. In the days of Abraham, organized worship is found when Melchizedek was a priest of the God Most High. Abraham gave him a tithe of all, which is the first reference to the worship of giving. Later, under the Law of Moses, the children of Israel are commanded to give a tithe of the land as a holy gift to the Lord. Most people in the religious world are not aware tithing is no longer required.

The first reason tithing is not a part of worship today is the Law of Moses has been done away with. Jesus came to establish a new law. His death took away the law of flesh or the law given only to the Jews. Various passages reflect the command of tithing but these are found under the old law. Keeping the law of tithing requires keeping the rest of the law given to Israel. Jesus took that law out of the way, nailing it to the cross.

Using the New Testament as the pattern for worship, giving is a matter of the heart. No reference of the early Christians reflects their giving as a tithe. Paul’s letters to Corinth establish the pattern of how Christian’s are to give. He exhorted them to put something aside on the first day of the week, storing up as a person may prosper. In his second letter, he went into more detail using the churches of Macedonia as an example of sacrificial giving. One of the points Paul makes is how the brethren first gave of themselves, an important ingredient to cheerful giving. A principle of sowing and reaping is set forth to measure the gratitude of the heart. Giving should come from a heart with purpose and thanksgiving. Before any gift is given, the heart must be filled with the praise of what God has blessed by His loving power.

Worship has always been a matter of the heart. Giving is as much a spiritual exercise as singing and praying. It can become a matter of rote practice with little consideration of how special it is to return a small blessing to the Creator. Removing the command to tithe has elevated the worship to a matter of choice with the individual as a sign of love in how they give to the Father. Giving is not a matter of begrudging or resentment. If a person squeezes the Indian nickel so tight he is riding the buffalo on the other side, his worship is vain. Often the question is asked how much to give. The real question to ask is if a person gives a certain amount, how much are they keeping for themselves? Even a ten-percent gift allows the giver to retain ninety-percent. While tithing is not commanded, giving ten-percent would be acceptable if the heart was willing. The honest realization is that few give even ten-percent. Giving is a cheerful experience because giving is an expression of devoted love to the Father.

Worship is a matter of the heart. Spirit and truth are the foundations worship is built upon. Giving must be according to the spirit of the heart and the truth of God’s commands. There may be some who will find themselves as Ananias and Sapphira did when they pretended to give as they prospered. Still others will find joy when their hearts are filled like the man called Barnabas. Jesus gave His all. What I give will never match the gift of the Father. What I can do is to return to him the bountiful portion of what He has so generously given to me trusting He will provide all my needs. Thank you God for your abundant blessings and gifts.

Much church giving is to ease the conscience. Giving five dollars may be only a nice way of “paying off” the Lord while the heart really is set on the concubines of self and sin. It is one thing to write out a handsome check for the church; it is another to give God oneself and the ability by which one earned the check. (Vance Havner; 1901-1986)

The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them Your servant is warned, and in keeping them there is great reward. (Psalm 19:7-11)

My Bible

The election is over. In one of the most contested political races of our time, America has come through a tempest of unparalleled proportions as the partisan agendas of two opposing parties fought a long and bitter battle to gain the presidency. Regardless of who won, the realities of a new day bring a reminder that life continues in the face of national turmoil. By the grace of God the sun rises from the east and through His power our days will be filled with the daily pursuit of life. As I entered my office this early morning pondering the impact of a newly elected president, lying upon my desk was my Bible. A black cover binding the golden edged pages of the word of God is where it is each morning waiting the cover to be broken and the wisdom of eternity to be mined. Each morning I open the book and spend a few hours gleaning a message for the day, a thought for a moment and a lesson for my life. My Bible is always there waiting. The words are always fresh. New teachings are simmering on the surface. Some new thing is discovered with a little gentle persuasion. Words are assembled and crafted in a simple manner to make a sentence and a paragraph and hopefully a lesson. It is my Bible that is always on my desk waiting for me.

The past year has been a flurry of political intrigue filling every part of the conversation of life. There is an immense sense of relief the year of electing another president is over. This one especially. It is great to be an American but this has not been a stellar year for the American spirit. Through all of the anguish of fear and doubt, my Bible has remained constant waiting for me each day on my desk. This morning was no different than any morning with the exception that I was really glad to see my Bible this morning. A constant friend and an abiding companion, my Bible is a refreshing breath of real hope filling my mind – not with the putridity of human waste – but the glory of God and His love. Rising above the debauchery of a world filled with prejudice and hatred, the oasis of the mind of God brings relief and soothes the soul.

Reading the law of the Lord changes the soul. His testimonies are solid ground enabling me to stand with the reassurance of the wisdom of God. There is joy in my heart as I fill my heart with the decrees of the Almighty. Seeing the world through the commandments of the Lord brings purity. Cleansed from the fear of men the word of God fills me with the enduring reverend fear of the Lord. What I find in my Bible are judgments that are true and righteous because they come from my God who is truth and righteousness. There is nothing in life more precious than time with my Bible. Gold perishes, honey wastes away but my Bible remains a constant reminder of the everlasting presence of God. There is nothing more precious and nothing sweeter than spending time with the words of my eternal Father.

The day after an election is always a day of reflection. It is then we realize that life is not about the here and now as each day comes and goes by the mercy of God. We may have thought the world would end on that second Tuesday of November. It could have but only because the will of God decreed the coming of the Son of Man. By His grace, we are allowed a new day. It is in this small frame of time we should renew our devotion to God – not to the whims of men – but devote ourselves more fully to what so many of us have at our disposal. Where is your Bible? How often do we glean its pages? One thing we should have learned this past year is how much more we need to open the word of God and spend time in His presence. His word is unchanging. It is still perfect, sure, right, pure, enduring, true and righteous altogether. Keeping the word of God brings great reward. Open your Bible. Read.

Give me the Bible, star of gladness gleaming; to cheer the wanderer lone and tempest tossed. No storm can hide that radiance peaceful beaming; since Jesus came to seek and save the lost. (Priscilla J. Owens, 1883)