The Heaton File

That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death. (Philippians 3:10)

That I May Know Him

There are friendships that become nothing more than casual acquaintances, and there are relationships that go beyond casual to intimate, where a deep bond is established. When Paul spoke of his relationship with Jesus Christ, he did not want to share an unintended knowledge of the Son of God but to have a deep and abiding knowledge of everything that made Jesus the Savior of the world. His association with the carpenter’s son from Nazareth demanded a complete devotion to everything about Jesus. Paul had no desire to keep Jesus at a distance. His only need was to immerse himself in the character of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

The desire of Paul was to know why Jesus came to earth to die for those who would kill Him. Paul wanted to understand the power of raising a dead man from the grave and the significance of the resurrection of Jesus. In the past few years, Paul had suffered for the name of Jesus Christ, leading to his arrest and imprisonment. He was in Rome because of his love for Jesus. His desire was to know the fellowship of Christ’s sufferings, even if it meant death. Paul was uncertain if he would live or, like Jesus, suffer a cruel death. It was not Paul’s purpose to bring suffering into his life, but he accepted whatever came from preaching Christ crucified and the power of the resurrection.

Paul wanted to know Christ. He wanted to plunge himself into the character and personality of Jesus Christ with every part of his being. This desire came from a debt Paul knew he could never repay. He would later tell Timothy that he considered his life as one of the worst sinners for what he did against the church when he was known as Saul of Tarsus. There was a heavy burden of grace Paul bore to understand how much God forgave him for what he had done. As a result of this grace, the apostle of Jesus Christ wanted to know his Lord and Savior with all of his fiber. He knew he had been saved by the grace of God. How could he repay such a debt?

The greatest need in the kingdom of God is for the people of God to fall in love with the knowledge of grace and forgiveness. There is nothing that can be done to repay the debt. Sin has destroyed the harmony of God and man. Jesus Christ came to save all men, shedding His blood for the sins of the world; and the world turned its back on the Son of God. For the few who come to the grace of God, an incredible weight of guilt flows through the spirit of those who seek to understand how much Jesus loves them and is willing to save them. Paul just wanted to know Jesus Christ, His resurrection, and His sufferings. His only desire was to be as much like Jesus as possible.

There are many Christians who have a casual relationship with Jesus. They know little about Him, have little desire to know Him, and spend their lives consumed with the trivial matters of a wasted life. The blessed are those who change their lives to know all they can about Jesus of Nazareth. Who is He? What made Him come to earth to save sinful man? Why would Jesus suffer death on the cross to save a world that hated Him? These questions drive the spirit to seek out the answers of who Jesus is and what makes Him to be the Savior of the world. It is not possible to have a casual relationship with Jesus and to know Him fully. To know Jesus, one must immerse oneself in everything that made the Son of God who He is. The result of such a desire will enhance the soul to greater heights of spirituality and faith. Paul desired to know Jesus. Do you know Jesus – truly?

But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)

Sinners Who Are Walking In The Light

Walking with God is the most joyous feeling of love and grace. Adam and Eve walked with God in the cool of the day, but sin destroyed that. God’s love offered grace to save them, and through Jesus Christ, redemption was given to all who would come to the blood of the Son of God. What once separated man from God has now been brought back to reconciliation with the Creator and Savior of the world. Jesus is the light of the world. His disciples are to walk in the light of the word. The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses the soul to stand in the presence of the Almighty. There is no fear. By God’s free gift, all those who come to Jesus find salvation in the promise of eternal life.

The resurrection of Jesus did not take away sin. Men continue to struggle with disobeying the law of God as Jesus is the only one to live a sinless life. The waters of baptism wash away the sins of the past but will not prevent sins in the future. God has promised to forgive sins to those who have been baptized into Christ, washed in the blood of Jesus Christ, and walk in the light of His grace. Satan continues to attack the Christian with all his wiles and tricks. Those who walk in the light will continue to struggle with the temptations of the flesh, the temptation of the eyes, and the pride of life. Age will not diminish the temptations, but by the grace of God, a person can learn to sin less than before.

Every Christian should strive to do everything he can to walk in the light of Christ. This comes from turning the heart over to the word of God. There is no passive obedience to the word of God. Faithfulness requires action on the part of the saved. A spirit of diligence to add to a strong faith the characteristics of the graces of God. Faith comes from hearing the word of God. The fellowship of the saints builds up the soul to remain faithful. In the midst of great faith is the realization that those who walk in the light sin. Walking in the light does not perfect one to sinlessness but offers the love, grace, and forgiveness of God. When one walks in the light and sins, it does not suggest the Lord removes him from the light. Walking in the light is a manner of living guided by the Holy Spirit.

Most people in the world walk in darkness because they refuse to come to the light. When someone obeys the gospel of Christ, they begin walking in the light. Walking in the light is not a guarantee of salvation, where one is saved only because he is in the light. Those who walk in the light must walk in accordance with the word of God. When a man walks (active) in the light, he is not perfect, but he is saved. There are those who taste the heavenly gift and partake of the Holy Spirit who return to the darkness. This comes from a heart that no longer desires to walk in the light, and they choose to return to the filth of the world. John shows the joy of salvation that those who walk in the light struggle with sin but find forgiveness in the blood of Jesus.

The first thing God created was light because light is the basis of all life. Without light, there is no life. Jesus is the divine Light that is the basis of all life and the hope of eternal life. Without Jesus, there is no life. The joy of being a Christian is feeling the radiance of the divine light, overwhelming the soul with the knowledge that while temptation remains a challenge, there is no victory because salvation is in the light. A man’s heart that seeks God’s divine will will stumble from time to time, but God is gracious to forgive. Walk in the light. Come to the Light. Know that truth can only be found in the Light of God – Jesus Christ. Remember that God’s grace is abundant to forgive.

Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war, and charged the messenger, saying, “When you have finished telling the matters of the war to the king, if it happens that the king’s wrath rises, and he says to you: ‘Why did you approach so near to the city when you fought? Did you not know that they would shoot from the wall? Who struck Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Was it not a woman who cast a piece of a millstone on him from the wall, so that he died in Thebez? Why did you go near the wall?’—then you shall say, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.’ ” (2 Samuel 11:18-21)

The Consequences Of Sin

Sin is the transgression of God’s law. The danger of sin is not only in the act itself but in the consequences that come from the sin. Adam and Eve suffered expulsion from the garden because of their rebellion. Sin comes with so many entanglements that while forgiveness is granted, the lingering consequences can remain for a lifetime. During the days of the wars when David was king of Israel, the army of Israel destroyed the people of Ammon and besieged the city of Rabbah. David remained in Jerusalem and saw Bathsheba bathing while the king walked on the roof of his house. He had Bathsheba brought to his home, where he committed adultery with her, resulting in a pregnancy. When David learned of Bathsheba’s pregnancy, he had her husband, Uriah, brought home from the war to cover up his sin. Realizing Uriah would not go home, David sent a messenger to the commander of his army, Joab, to put Uriah in the heat of battle and to withdraw, leaving his mighty men to die at the hands of the enemy.

Joab obeyed the word of his king. While Joab besieged Rabbah, he assigned Uriah to a place where there were valiant men and attacked the enemy. The men of the city came out to fight, and Uriah was killed. Joab sent word back to David on the success of the war and told the messenger that if David got angry because of the men who were killed in the assault against the city, to remind the king that Uriah was also dead. The messenger did as commanded and told David about the war and the death of Uriah. David, in turn, told Joab not to be concerned about the death of Uriah and the other soldiers as war brings about terrible suffering. Joab was told to keep the fight against the enemy and overthrow the city.

God was aware of David’s sin. The king had not only committed adultery, but he also sinned in his deceit against one of his mighty men, caused a servant of the Lord to be drunk, and murdered him under the guise of war. His lies and deception were punished by the Lord as the child died, and the sword never left his house as prophesied by Nathan, the prophet. An overlooked consequence is Joab’s knowledge of the deceit against Uriah. Joab was the prince of the king’s army, and he knew David had murdered Uriah. He may not have understood why at the time, but the reasons would become abundantly clear. By association, David implicated Joab in the death of Uriah. The consequences of sin grew.

Satan does not tell how sin impacts a life. The devil convinces the heart to enjoy sin for a season without realizing there is a harvest to come. Sin will bring its own consequences, but more often, it lingers in the lives of others and has a greater impact. David implicated himself, Bathsheba, and the son of his sister. Others may have known about the deceit to kill Uriah. Because of one act of adultery, multiple lives were affected and impacted. Moses warned the people of Israel, “Your sin will find you out.” Nothing is hidden from the eyes of the Lord.

If the heart considered the consequences of sin long before the temptation, there would be less suffering in the world. The domino of David’s sin impacted generations. When Matthew wrote the genealogy of Jesus, he included the story of the “wife of Uriah.” Bathsheba was not named in the genealogy, as were Tamar, Rahab, and Ruth. Sin has long-reaching consequences and often has a greater impact. David’s sin embroiled others. Bathsheba could have refused, but she did not. Uriah could have refused, but he did not. The destruction of sin destroyed many lives. Divorce is never an act of two people. Pornography has ripple effects like a tsunami. Prejudice poisons hearts. An unwillingness to forgive can destroy generations. Pride divides churches. Sin must be stopped by courageous hearts willing to say no. Consider the consequences of sin – all of them.

Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:12-14)

Pressing Toward The Goal

Today is the only day we have. Looking at yesterday can only be done through the lens of times past without hope of changing. The future can look bright and hopeful, but it is wasted if the fortitude to press forward is lacking. Having goals in life can never bring about success unless the effort is put forth to attain those goals. Desiring to play the piano can be a great dream, but the dream remains distant until the fingers are laid on the ivory. The problem is that many have the right aims in life. They just never get around to pulling the trigger.

The Christian is someone who is always growing and maturing to greater ends with a deep understanding and appreciation of God’s grace. Paul explained that faith comes from hearing and hearing by the word of God. The measure of one’s faith is proportionate to the time spent in the word of God. Someone can have the noble aim of life to be the best Christian they can be yet never put forth the effort to exercise oneself to righteousness. The lack of faith is not because the message is not provided; rather, the lack of desire to change the heart.

So many people want to have greater faith like the godly men and women in scripture. They fail to realize that these people did not awaken one morning with greater faith. They had a history with God. When David faced Goliath, he did so without fear because he had learned to trust in God when facing the lion and the bear. His aim in life was to be a man after God’s own heart, and that is exactly how he became. He changed his life to learn how to trust in the power of God.

Having an aim in life is the beginning, but without the measure of faith to put into practice, what is learned voids the warranty. People of God are people of action. They believe, thereby, they act. Knowledge and faith are not gained through osmosis. Peter said it takes diligence to add to faith the virtues of righteousness. James explained true faith is found in being a doer of the word, not just a hearer. Faith demands action. Aims are only helpful if they are acted on. What are your aims in life? If you want to be wealthy, you can attain that goal, but for what purpose? You leave it all behind when you die. Goals matter so that we can have the proper aim.

God has given us a book that can be read and understood. He has provided all things necessary for faith and obedience. Heaven is a place for prepared people. Your aim can be salvation, but if you do not act on the commandments of God, you cannot be saved. Eternal life is granted to those who make it their life’s aim, and they grow to that end. Press on with action, resolve, and determination, and do not allow Satan to hinder your growth or your eternal home. Forget those things which are behind you and reach forward. This is the actionable part of the Christian life. A purposeful life will be used each day as part of the upward journey to the Father. Press toward the goal. Above all things, press on.

“But against none of the children of Israel shall a dog move its tongue, against man or beast, that you may know that the Lord does make a difference between the Egyptians and Israel.” (Exodus 11:7)

Not Even A Dog Barked

Animals have a sixth sense when danger is coming. Some animals can detect impending dangers before humans can. Animals seek higher ground when a tsunami approaches or seismic changes in the earth’s crust. God created animals this way, including the unique qualities that dogs have to know of danger before humans. Among the five senses a dog has, they have an extraordinary sense of smell, which is their strongest sense and is used for communication and navigation. They possess acute hearing abilities, allowing them to detect sounds at much higher frequencies than humans. In an amazing foresight of power and wisdom, God declares on the night He will bring death to the land of Egypt; not even the dogs will bark or make a sound. The Lord declares the silence of the canines will demonstrate His power to make a difference between the Egyptians and Israel.

God’s demonstration of power is far beyond the realm of human wisdom. It is not uncommon for dogs to howl when death overtakes a home. Some dogs have been known to stand guard over the burial of their masters. The Lord struck thousands (if not millions) of people in one night as the destroyer killed the firstborn of every home from Pharaoh to the lowest slave. God said there would be a loud wail that would rise throughout the land of Egypt, a wail like no one has heard before or will ever hear again – and not one dog would howl, bark, or whimper. Why did God make such a random yet specific prophecy about the night He brought His wrath on Egypt? According to Adam Clarke, one of the principal deities of the Egyptians was Osiris, whose son, worshipped under the form of a dog, or a man with a dog’s head, called Anubis latrator, the barking Anubis.

The ten plagues against Egypt destroyed the economy, government, and religion of the Pharaoh. Egypt would never be the same and became the symbol of God’s power and antithesis of human wisdom. On the night the destroyer killed all the firstborn, sparing the children of Israel and keeping the dogs quiet was a further demonstration of the will of the Creator acting in the affairs of men, showing His divine power that is unmatched. God can quiet the dogs. Man cannot foresee such a thing. A dog shall not move his tongue against man or beast when God’s wrath rains down on the Egyptian nation. It must have been an eerie quiet that came over the children of Israel when they realized how powerful the Lord God was to silence the dogs.

There is much evidence of God’s power in history, which is revealed in the Bible, declaring how specific and precise the word of the Lord is. The prophecies against Israel, Egypt, Babylon, Nineveh, and Tyre are so detailed no man could make such a prophecy. When Jesus came to earth, at least sixteen prophecies were fulfilled in less than 24 hours, centering on the death of God’s Son. The Holy Spirit foretold the great apostasy in detail. Like the story of the Passover night, God demonstrates His power over human wisdom to remind man he is made in the image of the divine and will be held accountable. Men should take notice when the dogs stop barking. God may be saying something needful to hear.

Then Moses said, “Thus says the Lord: ‘About midnight I will go out into the midst of Egypt; and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the female servant who is behind the handmill, and all the firstborn of the animals. Then there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as was not like it before, nor shall be like it again.'” (Exodus 11:4-6)

All The Firstborn In The Land Of Egypt Shall Die

According to 2024 statistics of population in the United States, there were 342 million people counted. The last census reported that less than 50% of families have children, indicating there were around 171 million homes with children. Moses writes the story of the final plague the Lord God brought against the most powerful nation on earth. He describes how God has plagued Egypt with nine terrible plagues devasting the nation. One final judgment is coming against Egypt, and it will decimate the population and economy of the land. As a final sign of God’s great power, the Lord will come upon the land at midnight and kill every firstborn of the land. The children of Israel will be spared when they follow the commands of the Lord letting the Lord pass over them, avoiding judgment. The Egyptians will not be spared the wrath of God.

It is impossible to know the population of Egypt at the time of the final plague. Using the United States as a model will help develop the scale of what God brought upon a nation that denied His glory. In one night, the Lord killed more than 171 million people. The tenth plague was the death of the firstborn among men and beasts. Every firstborn child died. This did not exclude adults. It was possible that in one family, a father and mother were the firstborn of their families, and they died along with their eldest son. Three people in one household suddenly died, leaving the other family members to grieve. The numbers were staggering. Millions of souls died in one night.

Adding to the horror of the night, the firstborn of the livestock died. God did not kill the animals because they were accountable in a spiritual way. This was to show Pharaoh, who stubbornly refused to obey the Lord’s word, that the Egyptians’ gods were lies and there was only one true God. Imagine the extent of animals that dropped dead that night throughout the land. The United States is home to approximately 87 million cattle and calves. Every firstborn of the land of Egypt died, totaling in the millions of dead livestock from one end of Egypt to the other. God’s wrath was clearly impressed upon the minds of the world.

When the sun rose the morning after the night of the Passover, death was everywhere throughout the land. That is what the world looks like when the world denies God. Moses told Pharaoh a loud wail would rise throughout the land of Egypt, a wail like no one has heard before or will ever hear again when the tenth plague comes. That night, a cry went through the land of Egypt as never before. Death filled the homes of the Egyptians and in the stables and barns. The Egyptians feared the Hebrews, begging them to leave for fear God would strike them dead. God’s power was shown to the world, proving He is a God of mercy and wrath.

Moses told Pharaoh that death would come to his house and the house of the servant. God’s wrath could have been directed toward Pharaoh alone for his stubborn rebellion, but the people were guilty and must suffer judgment. On that terrible night of death, it did not matter if a person was rich or poor, young or old, male or female, or begging their gods. They all died if they were the firstborn. The night of death reminded the world that death is the equalizer of all men. Pharaoh’s firstborn died the same way the firstborn of the female servant behind the hand mill. God is not a respecter of persons. Sin demands justice and all who sin will die.

In the land of Egypt, millions of souls died as a testimony to God’s wrath against those who seek to oppose Him. In a remarkable turn of events, as if the night of death was not enough, Pharaoh’s heart hardened again when he sent his army to destroy the fleeing Hebrews. The death of his firstborn and the millions of other souls did not change the heart of the king. He remained defiant to the end. God destroyed the Egyptian army, and Egypt would never be a great nation again. Many continue to believe in the word of God, defiant and rebellious to the grace and mercy of God. His wrath will come, and no quarter will be given to the disobedient. It is impressive to consider the millions who died that night. But the only number that matters is one – your soul. Are you ready to meet the Lord God Almighty? He’s coming, and He will bring His wrath. No family escaped the terrible night in Egypt, and no one will escape the judgment of God.

Then the children of Israel went away and did so; just as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did. (Exodus 12:28)

So They Did

The tenth and final plague against Egypt would be the most overwhelming show of God’s power the world had seen. Pharaoh repeatedly refused to allow the Hebrews to leave. Nine plagues devasted the economy, religion, and spirit of the most powerful nation on earth. Pharaoh would not yield. The Lord told Moses the final plague would come at the cost of every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt. During the nine plagues, God had spared the Hebrews by His grace. The tenth plague would be different.

Moses and Aaron were told what the tenth plague would be, but this time, the Hebrews had to act in accordance with the word of God to save themselves. God gave strict instructions on how the Hebrews could save themselves from the wrath of the destroyer that would come that fateful night across the land of Egypt. The word of the Lord was specific to precise instructions, including the time of month, type of sacrifice, day of sacrifice, how to cook the meat, and how to eat the meal. Blood must be put on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses where they ate the meal. The people were required to eat the meal with a belt on their waist, sandals on their feet, and a staff in their hand. When God saw the blood on the house, He would pass over them, and the plague would not be on them to destroy them on the night of death.

The Hebrews numbered six hundred thousand men, besides women, children, and other men, young and old. On the fateful night of the death of the firstborn, all of the Hebrews did what the Lord told them to do. They took the lamb in the right month and sacrificed on the right day. None of the lambs had any blemishes or broken bones. The meat was prepared exactly as God instructed, and the meal was eaten according to the law handed down by Moses and Aaron. At midnight, the Lord struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh to the firstborn of the captive and all the firstborn of the livestock. There was not a house where there was not one dead.

In the land where the Hebrews dwelt, there was no death. Unlike the first nine plagues, in which the mercy of God spared the Hebrews, the Hebrews had to obey the word of the Lord to be saved. When Moses and Aaron told the people what God commanded them to do, they did what God said. They believed in the promises of God, both of His wrath and His mercy. It was clear to the Hebrews that salvation required doing something, and they did what God told them to do. The children of Israel went away and did what was required for salvation. Salvation came by the grace of God and the obedience of the people.

The night of the death of the firstborn is illustrative of the law of God today. There is a great day of reckoning coming when the wrath of God will be revealed against all unrighteousness. God’s grace is abundant, providing everything a man needs to be saved. Sadly, most people do not believe they must do anything to save themselves. They would be the Hebrew family that chose not to put blood on the two doorposts and lintel of their home. When it came to eating the meal, they would have laid in bed waiting for God to save them by His grace. If that would have happened, the Hebrew family would have suffered the same fate as the Egyptians.

There was a night in the history of Israel when everyone did exactly what God told them to do. The children of Israel were saved by the grace of God and by works. God granted them salvation as He does today for those who accept His grace and obey (do) His commandments. If you do not believe you have to do anything to be saved, read the story of the Passover. Do not let error cloud your mind to believe you do not have to obey the word of the Lord. Obey the will of the Father.

Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven. Your faithfulness endures to all generations; You established the earth, and it abides. They continue this day according to Your ordinances, for all are Your servants. (Psalm 119:89-91)

Pete Rose And God’s Law

Pete Rose is one of the greatest Major League Baseball hitters of all time, with an astounding record of hits totaling 4,256. He is also an all-time leader in games played, at-bats, singles, and outs. Rose was part of three World Series championships with numerous other awards. In August 1989, he was accused of gambling on baseball games, including claims he bet on his own team. In 1991, the Baseball Hall of Fame formally voted to ban Rose from eligibility for the Hall of Fame. In May 2025, he was posthumously reinstated and became eligible for the Hall of Fame. There can be little doubt he will be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

The story of Pete Rose is not about whether he should be reinstated and admitted to the Hall of Fame. He was an incredible player on the field in terms of talent. The story of Rose is typical of the nature of human wisdom and the failure of human reasoning. In 1991, Rose was banned from the Hall of Fame because he had broken the laws governing baseball. Thirty-four years later, Rose is considered a candidate for the Hall of Fame because of the change of heart of the world. This may be a compassionate olive branch to a great player, but it does not change the fact he broke the rules and was punished. The danger of human reasoning is to believe that God’s laws are viewed in the same manner.

From the creation of the world, adultery is a transgression of God’s law. Premarital sex is a sin in the eyes of God. Homosexuality is the abomination God said it was. Lying remains a sinful act. Human reasoning convinces the world that adultery is an accepted part of society. Young people engaging in premarital sex is allowed by parents, and when a child is born, praise is heaped on the couple. Homosexuality demands acceptance. In the business world, lying is the business model. The world fails to appreciate that human reasoning can admit Pete Rose into the Hall of Fame – but God will not admit adulterers, fornicators, homosexuals, and liars into Heaven. His law does not change from one generation to another.

A complaint is made against the Bible that it is out of touch with the modern world. What is true is the world is out of touch with the law of God. Time does not change the law of God. Sexual immorality holds the same penalty today as it did three thousand years ago. Societal norms, culture, personal beliefs, and humanism do not govern sin. What will damn a soul thousands of years ago will damn a soul in modern America. God does not change His mind about sin. The word of God is established in Heaven, and man cannot change the law of God. That is the fundamental failure of the reasoning of the world. People believe that God has changed His mind about sin.

The history of the Bible covers more than 1500 years. When did God decide to change His law toward sin? Did Jesus come to earth to change the law of God? When the writers of scripture penned the revelation of God, did they meddle with and change the law of God? God’s law remains unchanged regarding sin. Cain sinned when he killed Abel, and murder is still a sin. God destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah because sexual immorality was a sin; and it still is. Ananias and Sapphira lied to God and were struck down. Lying is still a sin. Don’t kid yourself. Sin remains the repugnant stench it has always been. What can we do about sin? Repent!

Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:13-14)

Pressing Ahead Against The Wind

Henry Ford said, “When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.” The challenge for those who seek to live godly lives is the reality that life will be like swimming upstream against a raging current of water. There are many joys in living the Christian life, but it does not come with its cost. Jesus described the life of a disciple of truth as bearing a cross, denying self, putting God first in life, and seeking the will of God above the desires of the world. The image of the cross is an instrument of suffering and death. There were no golden crosses worn around the neck as jewelry. The cross symbolized a life of walking in such a way that conflicted with the world.

Jesus taught that the love of family above God was unacceptable, and no one could follow Him without counting the cost of loving the Lord more than anyone. Living apart from the world is a hard life because the world is going so far away from God. While the world rages in its rebellion against the truth, the child of God lives against the whims of the world. The spirit of the Christian is to live above the carnal desires of a perverted world, seeking only the glory of God. True happiness can be found by learning to trust in the Lord and believing with obedient faith in the word of God. 

As the person of faith lives against the winds of ungodliness, the soul is lifted to the throne of God in glory. The true measure of happiness can only be found in living in response to the world. Like the airplane, the Christian lives against the winds of the world, finding joy in rising to the grace of God and His eternal love. True happiness is never found in the flesh, the pride of life, or desires for wealth and power. Godliness brings about a happiness that is far above anything a man’s heart can imagine. Paul reminded the saints that godliness with contentment is the greater gain.

Nothing in life is kept in death except the eternal spirit of man. What men strive for in this world remains for others to divide and waste. Choosing to suffer affliction for a short time is of greater gain in eternity. It is not easy living in opposition to the world. The truth remains that the world stands against the righteous character of the child of God. Jesus lived against the world so that He could serve the will of His Father. He lived a sinless life so that those who lived for Him could find hope in the promises of God.

Life for the Christian is the greatest blessing a man can find, but it comes with a cost. The narrow path is difficult and challenging. There are greater rewards to be found in eternity than in this world. Faith will keep the spirit pursuing the upward call of Christ Jesus. God answered the problem of sin by sending His only begotten Son. Satan is trying to destroy everything God has given to the world, but facing the wind and rising above the wiles of the devil is the strength of the Christian. Soar with the eagles. Lift your eyes to the Lord above, and He will lift you up. There is strength in adversity.

So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of Elul, in fifty-two days. And it happened, when all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations around us saw these things, that they were very disheartened in their own eyes; for they perceived that this work was done by our God. (Nehemiah 6:15-16)

When The World Sees The Work Of God

Jerusalem was the city of David, where the Temple of Solomon adorned the landscape with its majesty and beauty, proclaiming the message of the one true God. The city of God was the perfection of beauty and the joy of the whole earth where the throne of the Lord stood. It represented the covenant of Jehovah God with the people of Israel through whom the Son of God would come to save all the earth. But in 586 B.C., the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and burned the Temple to the ground. The people of Israel had turned away from the one true God to serve the gods of the nations around them. When the Assyrians and Babylonians came against the nation of Israel, they could not see a God greater than their own. Nations fought other nations as gods fighting against gods. The heathen world had witnessed the power of the Jewish God with a rich history of conquest and might, but that had been lost when the Lord God allowed King Nebuchadnezzar and his army to enter the Most Holy of Holies and destroy the House of God’s Glory.

Seventy years after the destruction of Solomon’s temple, the second Temple was completed under the leadership of Zerubbabel and Jeshua and the prophets Haggai and Zechariah. The walls of Jerusalem lay in ruin, and the gates burned. No one began work on the walls until a cupbearer from Persia came to Jerusalem on a mission from the Lord. Nehemiah was distressed when he heard of the conditions in the city of God. The Second Temple had stood for another seventy years after the people returned, but the walls remained in ruin. Under Nehemiah’s leadership and courage, Jerusalem’s walls were rebuilt in fifty-two days. One hundred and forty-two years after the Babylonians destroyed the city, Jerusalem stood with a Temple in her midst and the walls standing.

Nehemiah faced a lot of persecution as he led the people in rebuilding the walls. It was a great accomplishment to organize the people into a workforce able to restore the city’s walls and hang the gates in less than two months. The impact was immediate. When the enemies of Israel and the surrounding nations heard about the walls being rebuilt, they were frightened and humiliated. They realized this work had been done with the help of the God of Israel. The work of rebuilding the walls, unified as one people together facing persecution, brought fear in the hearts of the nations around Israel because they saw what the people of God could accomplish with a firm belief in whom they serve.

Nehemiah was a man of vision who saw the needs and worked to accomplish the work of the Lord. The world reacted with shock because of his actions, faith, and courage to do the impossible. There is a lesson to learn from Nehemiah about church growth and the lack thereof. The kingdom of God is the church of Jesus Christ. Like Nehemiah, the church leaders must have the vision to see what no one else can see. There is much work to be done in the work of the church, and it will never be accomplished by talking about it. It requires action. Many churches are failing because there is no vision, and no one is willing to build the walls of the kingdom. Churches that are apathetic in evangelism show the world the gospel is not the power of God unto salvation.

When the church of Christ picks up the banner of truth and works diligently to teach, admonish, encourage, exhort, and share the gospel of good news; the world takes notice. Pharaoh was worried about the Hebrews, who were growing in number and might. There is a lesson when one views the church that is not growing in number and spirit. The world is unconcerned. Put a church of God in the midst of a community and let it grow in the work of the kingdom, and the world will take notice. What the world needs to see in the local church is the work of God as a vibrant and active work. Look around. Is the world concerned about what you are doing? Let them become very disheartened in their own eyes when they perceive that the work being done by the church is from the one true God.