Rivers Of Living Water

Posted on March 31, 2025 by heatonkent

On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. (John 7:37-39)

Rivers Of Living Water

When Peter answered the crowd at Pentecost about what they needed to do to be saved, he also fulfilled a promise made by Jesus during His ministry. During the Jews’ Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus proclaimed a day would come when the believers of Christ would have rivers of living water flowing from their hearts. The Holy Spirit gives a divine commentary on the meaning of what Jesus said by describing the event of the giving of the Holy Spirit to all those who obeyed the word of the Lord. This gift had not happened yet because Jesus had not died and risen to be glorified as Lord and King. Fifty days after the resurrection of Jesus, the first converts to the new covenant put on Christ in the waters of baptism and received the gift of the Holy Spirit.

The crowd that gathered to hear Peter and the apostles preach at Pentecost were struck by the conviction they had killed the Anointed of the Lord. Peter explains how Jesus of Nazareth was shown to be the Son of God through miracles, wonders, and signs, and through the prophecies of Joel and David, God had made Jesus, whom they crucified, both Lord and Christ. Convicted of their sin, the people asked what to do. Peter tells them to repent and be baptized and then tells them God promises to give them the gift of the Holy Spirit. This gift is given to all who call upon the name of the Lord, obeying His commands.

The gift of the Holy Spirit is the fulfillment of what Jesus said would be given to all those who accept the new covenant through the blood of Christ. Peter reiterated that promise to the Sanhedrin council that arrested the apostles for preaching in the name of Jesus when he said God gave the Holy Spirit to all those who obey the word of the Lord. Paul explained to the Roman church the blessings of not being condemned before God for all who walk in the Holy Spirit. He further explains how to be led by the Holy Spirit, who dwells in the children of God. This shows the fulfillment of Jesus’ promise.

Jesus said His followers would become “rivers of living water.” This would not take place until after His resurrection and return to the Father. At Pentecost, the words of Jesus came to pass. Those who embrace the covenant of Christ through His blood receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise is to all those who repent and are baptized for the remission of their sins. As people of God, Christians must let the world see and know the power of the water of Life, Jesus Christ. As flowing streams of living water, the Christian is a person who influences the world around them as a river nourishes the lands it touches. The water of life flows from the throne of God in the hearts of the redeemed to let the world see the love and grace of the Father.

Jesus said His followers must be lights in the world and salt that seasons to the glory of God. A Christian is a river of living water that invites the world to come and taste the joy of living water in Jesus Christ. There is no greater joy than the nourishing water coming from the grace and mercy of God. All who obey the word of the Lord are blessed with the gift of the Holy Spirit. Live in such a manner the river of life does not dry up in your heart. Be a fountain of living water.

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Mercy To The Enemy

Posted on March 28, 2025 by heatonkent

So when the Syrians came down to him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, and said, “Strike this people, I pray, with blindness.” And He struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha. Now Elisha said to them, “This is not the way, nor is this the city. Follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek.” But he led them to Samaria. So it was, when they had come to Samaria, that Elisha said, “Lord, open the eyes of these men, that they may see.” And the Lord opened their eyes, and they saw; and there they were, inside Samaria! Now when the king of Israel saw them, he said to Elisha, “My father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?” But he answered, “You shall not kill them. Would you kill those whom you have taken captive with your sword and your bow? Set food and water before them, that they may eat and drink and go to their master.” Then he prepared a great feast for them; and after they ate and drank, he sent them away and they went to their master. So the bands of Syrian raiders came no more into the land of Israel. (2 Kings 6:18-23)

Mercy To The Enemy

During the days of the prophet Elisha, the king of Syria fought against the king of Israel. He would set up his camp in a place to trap the Israelite army, but on multiple occasions, the Israelites had been warned to stay away from that area. The Syrian king was greatly troubled that he may have a spy in his army warning the king of Israel. Somehow, one of the king’s servants knew it was Elisha who was warning the Israelite king of where the Syrians were camped as if he were standing in the king’s bedroom. The king sent his army to the city of Dothan, where Elisha lived. A great army surrounded the city with horses and chariots by night, taking the city by surprise.

In the morning, the people looked out and saw the great Syrian army besieging the city. A servant of Elisha was terrified, pleading to his master what to do. Elisha, the prophet of God, assured the servant there was nothing to fear as those who were with them were greater than the army pressing the city. This may have puzzled the servant as he looked at the formidable Syrian army with its great might against the small city of Dothan. Elisha prayed to the Lord to open the eyes of the servant and see the mountain filled with horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. The army of the Lord was so much greater than the Syrian army.

When the Syrians approached the city, Elisha asked God to blind them. Elisha went out to the army, telling them they were in the wrong city and to follow him. Blinded and trusting the prophet’s voice, the army followed Elisha to Samaria, twelve miles away. When the Lord opened the eyes of the Syrians, they found themselves trapped inside the city of Samaria. This must have terrified them greatly as they knew death was certain. Even the king of Samaria wanted to kill the army, but was forbidden by the prophet. Elisha told the king to set food and water before the Syrians and let them return home. A great feast was prepared for them, and afterward, they were allowed to return home to their master.

The salvation of the Syrian raiders was unconventional warfare. Elisha showed his servant the power of God with the army of the Lord on the mountains surrounding Dothan. The prophet taught the king and the people of Israel a lesson on divine mercy. Syria was a sworn enemy of Israel as the Syrians constantly raided and pillaged the northern tribes. The army of Syria was a very powerful force to reckon with. Instead of killing all the soldiers trapped inside the city of Samaria, Elisha told the Israelite king to prepare food and water for them. A great feast was prepared. The soldiers feasted and then returned home because God had shown mercy to save the lives of the Syrians.

There are many times when God utterly wipes out the enemies of Israel. The mercy of God was given to the army coming against Elisha to spare them and command the Israelites to bless their enemies with kindness. It had to be an awkward scene of the Syrian army marching through the city gates blinded and the opportunity of the king to wipe out a whole army with ease. God did not permit it. Instead, He commanded mercy to shown in feeding them and letting them return home. As the Syrians walked home, it had to impress on their minds the gracious character of God’s people upon their enemies.

Jesus taught the importance of having mercy on those who oppose us. People will curse, hate, and persecute the righteous, and the disciple of Christ will love their enemies, bless those who curse them, do good to those who hate them, and pray for those who spitefully use them and persecute them. This is the same thing demanded of the Israelites against the hated Syrians. To be a child of the Father, the Christian learns that God brings rain and sunshine to all men who deserve mercy. There is a time for divine justice, but it must begin with mercy. Abraham pleaded for mercy on the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, but none was found. There were other times the Syrian army was defeated, but it never discounted the mercy of God.

It is important to apply the story of the Syrians personally. The child of God is a lost sinner washed in the blood of Jesus Christ. No one deserves the mercy of God, and it is impossible to pay the debt owed because of sin. Yet, the mercy of God is given to all those who will accept the grace of God to be cleansed of sin and be found whole before the throne of God. We are the Syrian army blinded by sin. Death is what we deserve. God’s wrath is what we face. Through the mercy of God, we can feast at the table of the Lord when we find salvation in Jesus Christ. God has allowed us an eternal home if we obey His word. Mercy. Thank God for His mercy.

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He Could Have Come Down From The Cross

Posted on March 26, 2025 by heatonkent

And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads and saying, “You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” (Matthew 27:39-40)

He Could Have Come Down From The Cross

Crucifixion was the final step before death. When a man was crucified, he remained on the cross until he died. Death would come through time (some could last three or four days), or death would be hastened by crurifragium or breaking the legs of the victim. At the crucifixion of Jesus, two men were crucified next to Him, one to His right and the other to the left. The men crucified with Jesus were criminals and robbers found guilty by the Romans and sentenced to death. One of the criminals admitted guilt on the part they shared with one another for the crimes committed.

When a crucifixion took place, crowds would gather to gawk and ridicule the victims. A crowd of onlookers, including the chief priests, scribes, and elders of the Jewish council, watched Jesus as He died on the cross. A small group of faithful disciples gathered before Jesus, including His mother and the apostle John. As the people ridiculed the condemned, they shouted out for Jesus to save Himself. They blasphemed Jesus, wagging their heads at the pitiful sight of the one who claimed to be the Son of God. The crowd jeered at Jesus with contempt, shooting out the lip at Him, speaking evil things of Him. As the Son of God hung on a cross, stripped of dignity and treated with great contempt, the people made fun of Him, suggesting He could save others but could not save Himself.

The people taunted Jesus if He was truly the Son of God to come down from the cross. No man could wiggle his way out of crucifixion. The hands were spread and nailed to the cross, and the feet were also nailed. It was an impossibility for anyone to release themselves from the nails. There was no escape. Crucifixion was the final act before death. Jesus had performed many miracles during His ministry. He healed diseases, walked on the water, and raised the dead. The chief priests mocked Jesus to save Himself like He saved others, saying if Jesus would descend from the cross, they would see it and believe in Him. Also, the two men crucified reviled Jesus in the same manner.

The chief priests did not fully realize that Jesus of Nazareth was the Son of God, and He had the power to come down from the cross with the authority of twelve legions of angels. No man has ever had the power to come down from the cross until that day outside Jerusalem. Thank God Jesus did not come down off the cross. The people mocked Jesus to come down, and if He did, they would have been filled not with awe and wonder but with horror and fear. That moment would have changed their lives. But God’s grace and the love of Christ kept the divine sacrifice nailed to a cross, suffering for the sins of those who blasphemed Him.

The death of Jesus took place two thousand years ago, but people still blaspheme and mock Jesus to come down from the cross. They do not believe He is the Son of God and blame God for the misery of the world. When the people mocked Jesus, they failed to understand Jesus was the answer to their eternal destiny. He was dying for them. Jesus begged the Father to forgive those who mocked Him and derided Him. His words fell on deaf ears of those who mocked Him. Jesus will not come down from Heaven to show some special sign to get people to believe in Him. The revelation of God contained in the Bible is all man will have to save themselves. If they do not believe the words of Jesus, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead (or come down from Heaven).

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Put On The New Man

Posted on March 25, 2025 by heatonkent

Be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. (Ephesians 4:23-24)

Put On The New Man

Learning about Christ will change the heart of a man who is seeking the grace of God. There are many things that will be removed from the old man of sin to renew the spirit into the image of Jesus Christ. The transition from the old man to the new is where the character of the world is left behind as the soul embraces the new character of a Christian. There is a needful change, and there will be a responsive change. Learning from the word of God helps to identify the things that need to be removed, such as lying, cursing, stealing, sexual immorality, and all those things that corrupt the mind in ungodliness.

The new man must be put on in the renewal of the spirit of the mind. A transformation takes place when the babe in Christ feeds on the milk of the word, maturing over time to take on the solid food of the Spirit to grow thereby. The new man is renewed from a spirit of righteousness that speaks the truth in love instead of lying. There is no longer a desire to steal but to work diligently with the hands to care for family and others. Speech patterns change from corrupt words to things necessary for edification.

A Christian is a role model of kindness, tenderness, and forgiveness. They walk in love toward others. Jesus is the light of the world, and the new man of Christ walks in the light with goodness, righteousness, and truth. Wisdom is on the lips of the new man of Christ as they are filled with the Spirit of God. There is a clear difference between the life of the Christian and those of the world. The new man is molded into the image of God and His Son according to the words of the Holy Spirit. Time is spent meditating on the word of God to learn how to form the new man. Prayer is the means of transforming the heart to be a new man in Christ. Fellowship in the body of Christ encourages the new man to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ.

God wants His children to grow to maturity. By the grace of God, the saved have been transformed from the old man of sin to the new man of God’s love. Everyone must strive to be a new person in Christ to enjoy the blessings of God’s love. The fruits of the Holy Spirit change the heart with love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Living in the Spirit is the new man. Learning in the Spirit is the new man. This is how the old man is done away with, and the new man is entrenched in the hearts of God’s people.

Changing the old man to the new man takes time and effort. God created the new man to conform to the lives of His children. Each day should be an awakening to a new part of the new man created in Christ Jesus. Through a study of the word and devotion to prayer, the heart will change, becoming more like Jesus. The goal should always be to become more of the new man each day rather than remaining in the spirit of the old man. There is no hope and glory in the old man. Put off the old deeds of the flesh and put on the new man of the armor of God.

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Get Rid Of The Old Man

Posted on March 24, 2025 by heatonkent

But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts. (Ephesians 4:20-22)

Get Rid Of The Old Man

There are two kinds of people in the life of the Christian. The “old man” is the life past, and the “new man” is the life present. One of the key elements of a child of God is the translation from a life outside of Christ to a life in Christ. Through this translation, the individual’s heart, soul, and mind are changed dramatically. When asked what to do to be saved, the apostle Peter first told the Jerusalem crowd they needed to repent. The first word of the gospel has always been repentance or change of life. No one can come to God without emptying themselves of their previous life.

Using the image of old and new, Paul shows that life before one obeys the gospel is an old life that must be replaced with a new one. When the heart learns about the love of God and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, a change occurs where the habits of a corrupt and wicked life are replaced with the habits of a good and righteous life. The change comes from knowing God’s word or learning about Jesus Christ. When the gospel is preached, one hears the message of truth learning the truths of God’s grace to forgive sins through the blood of His Son. All truth resides in Jesus Christ. Coming to the blood of Christ demands a change take place.

The old man must be removed from the life of the Christian. Paul describes the old man as one who lies, steals, curses and is filled with bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, slander, and all types of evil behavior. These qualities are not to be found in the heart of the child of God and must be removed. The old man engages in fornication, uncleanness or covetousness, filthiness, and drunkenness. These things should not be named among those who profess a love for God. The old man walked according to the pattern of the world, fulfilling the lusts and desires of the flesh and mind. Christians cannot live with these things.

Paul calls the previous life of the Christian an old man because it needs to die. The need to put to death the deeds of the body is paramount to the character of those washed in the blood of Jesus Christ. In the waters of baptism, sins are washed away. The challenge of sin will always tempt men to disobey God, but the old man must be continually put away to purify the heart. If the old man is not put away, the Christian begins a spiritual death.

When a person is baptized into Christ, they have been united in the likeness of the death of Jesus. In the waters of baptism, the old man is crucified with Christ so that the body of sin might be done away with. The old man needs to remain dead. Too often, the old man is resurrected and the Christian lives in the image of the old man rather than being renewed in the spirit of the new man. Learning about Jesus is where the knowledge of removing the old man comes from. The daily work of the Christian is to remove the old man, not allowing his presence to be a part of the new life. Put to death the old man so the new man can live.

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The Abundant Pardon

Posted on March 21, 2025 by heatonkent

Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon. “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:7-9)

The Abundant Pardon

Grace is hard to understand from a human standpoint. Why would a wrathful God agree to extend the hand of grace to a rebellious, stubborn, wicked, and unrighteous soul? God has the power to destroy everyone on the face of the planet because He has already done that before. Wickedness is the rebellion of the heart where man lives in the desires of the flesh, mind, and soul. The unrighteous are those who fill their lives with all that is ungodly. Yet, in the grace of God, He invites the wicked and unrighteous to repent. That suggests that the human soul is capable of change if he desires. Repentance is not a magic pill or a miracle. The act of changing the heart is something God has created in man to do if he so makes that choice.

When the heart is humbled and willing to repent and return to the Lord, God is willing to have mercy on him. Man cannot come to the Lord without a humble heart. God does not pass out free passes to the unrepentant. He sees the heart and knows the spirit of man whether he is sorry for his sin. God does not see what is on the outside of a man but searches the heart to know the true character. When the Lord sees a penitent heart, He will not only pardon; He will abundantly pardon. The forgiveness of God is generous. There is nothing He will not forgive if a man is willing to repent.

David committed adultery, deceit, dishonor, and unrighteousness and caused a man to become drunk. He then murdered Uriah through treachery. His final sin was trying to cover up what he had done. After Nathan the prophet came to David, the heart of the King was broken before God, and he repented with a heavy heart. God’s abundant grace and mercy forgave David and Bathsheba, setting aside the consequences of the Law of Moses. As Lawgiver, God had the right to grant clemency to David and Bathsheba. Why would God show such grace to David and Bathsheba? Because God’s thoughts are not measured by the wisdom of man. Why did God destroy the world in the days of Noah? His thoughts are not the measure of human wisdom. The abundant mercy of God is willing to forgive anyone who repents and returns to the Lord.

Satan tries to convince us that we have sinned so grievously that God is unwilling to consider our plight. The lie has kept many from accepting the grace and mercy of God. Human wisdom decides there is nothing God will do because the sin is so great. The abundant forgiveness of God means that he is willing to forgive any sin when a man repents and turns his heart to the Lord. On the Day of Pentecost, three thousand souls received the forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit because they acknowledged they had killed the Son of God. Peter told them to repent and be baptized for the remission of sins – and they did so – and God forgave them. Abundant pardon. Grace. Mercy.

The ways of God are so much higher than the ways of man. His thoughts are infinitely greater than the minds of men. The joy of salvation is knowing God does not judge man through human wisdom but divine grace. His law is above all laws, and His grace is the voice of love that tells sinful men to repent and return, and God will wipe away all the tears from their eyes. Saul of Tarsus called himself the worst sinner, but God forgave him, and Paul became one of the greatest stories of grace in scripture.

Believe in the grace of God and let His mercy cleanse you of sin. The waters of baptism will wash away every sin when the heart repents and confesses allegiance to Jesus Christ. When a man rises from the waters of baptism, the abundant pardon of God has removed all sin. God’s grace will continue to shower His abundant pardon on the soul that turns to God. Take time to know the thoughts of God. They are higher than the earth and so far beyond our imagination. Grace. Mercy. Forgiveness. Saved.

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There Is No God Like Jehovah

Posted on March 20, 2025 by heatonkent

Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts. “I am the First and I am the Last; besides Me there is no God. And who can proclaim as I do? Then let him declare it and set it in order for Me, since I appointed the ancient people. And the things that are coming and shall come, let them show these to them. Do not fear, nor be afraid; have I not told you from that time, and declared it? You are My witnesses. Is there a God besides Me? Indeed there is no other Rock; I know not one.” (Isaiah 44:6-8)

There Is No God Like Jehovah

In the story of God and man, it is not man that is at the center of the universe. At best, he is a dash between God, who is first, and God, who is last. God existed long before man was created. The vacuum man lives in is a blink in the millisecond time of eternity where God knows nothing of time. Man was created an eternal being and will dwell with God in the infinite reality of eternity. What has challenged the mind of man is his belief that he is his own god and that he can determine his destiny apart from the One who formed him. Throughout history, God reminds man of his place by showing man how great God is.

God is the first and the last. There is nothing greater than the One who is before and will be after. He is not encumbered with the chains of days, weeks, months, and years. God is infinite, having been the Almighty before Adam was created by His hand. Every generation has been overseen by the eyes of the Lord God as the Lord raises a people and destroys a nation. Throughout the course of history, only the Lord can see and know the affairs of men. Every promise made by God came true. He prophesied the fall of nations like Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome. God also prophesied the destruction of Israel. Those prophecies still ring true today.

To look at God is to look at someone who is not like Him. There is nothing to compare to what the Lord has done. Critics have tried to destroy the Bible and continue to fail at every corner. The church has been attacked for two thousand years and remains the bastion of righteousness as it was in the early church. Although men have written their own forms of truth, truth has not changed. The main story of humanity is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This story is two thousand years old and more powerful each day. Jesus Christ is Lord, and as King, He rules over the Kingdom of God.

It is a fool’s errand to try and deny God and His power. There is no hope for a man so foolish to reject the Creator and Sustainer of life. His heart has turned away from the only answer to the questions of life. There is no human wisdom as full as the word of God. The efforts of man amount to nothing compared to the purpose of God. When we realize how small we are in the vast cosmos of God’s universe, it is then we learn how to stand before God. It is the Lord God who is first and last, and by God’s grace, we are allowed to come into His presence to acknowledge Him. On the final day, when all men stand before the Lord, all men will be standing on their knees, prostrate and humbled.

There is no fear serving a God so great. What is there to fear when we place ourselves next to the Creator of the world and proclaim Him as our Rock and Salvation? Nothing the world can do to us will remove the awe and wonder of how great God is. His will is going to be accomplished in this world without the input of human wisdom. God will fulfill all the eternal plans according to His divine will and word. Besides Him, there is no God. Period.

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To Be A Fool

Posted on March 19, 2025 by heatonkent

And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.” But God said to him, “Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?” (Luke 12:19-20)

To Be A Fool

Life will teach some hard lessons. Everyone thinks that happiness comes from the joy of having all the riches of the world. Living in large homes, driving brand cars, spending money, buying expensive toys, and living life to the fullest with the greatest gusto possible is the single pursuit of life. Whoever the Jones family is, the world is supposed to keep up with them. Having more will bring greater ease. Ultimately, a man wants to work long enough to retire and then enjoy the finer things of life with ease, merriment, and relaxation. And then life teaches a hard lesson because the body begins to waste away, youth is lost, the mind changes, and then death. All that is left is a full life of eighty years wrapped up in a single dash between two dates.

Jesus told the story of a man who had everything. He was blessed beyond measure. His wealth increased to where he needed more barns to keep his stuff. After he amassed his goods to be ready to enjoy the golden years with ease, he suddenly died. It was without warning. There were no signs. His riches did not help him. All the things he had in life were left behind for others to do as they wished. Death came swiftly and suddenly. God examined the rich man’s life and acknowledged he had gained great things in life but called him a fool because the one thing he never took time to prepare for was death. A fool is someone who refuses the reasoning of sound advice. There were plenty of warnings the man should have heeded. The Law of Moses warned against coveting after things of this life. Everything the rich man gained in life was left behind.

A fool is a man who refuses to acknowledge the reality of death. There is nothing more blatantly obvious than the truth that all men die. And yet, most people live in a manner where death comes as a surprise. How foolish. God blessed the rich man of Jesus’ story with all those possessions, and instead of having a benevolent heart to share with others, the man built bigger barns to keep it all for himself; or so he thought. A fool is a man who ignores death. The greater fool is the one who ignores death and does not believe in life after death – or, in the case of the rich man – death after death.

A man can make his bank account an amazing portfolio of financial wizardry that impresses friends and neighbors. He can impress with grand houses to hold the finest things of life. Money can be the god of the heart. Pleasures can be his recreation. Living life to the fullest with every part of good things at his beck and call can be how he measures himself. And at the end of the day, he is nothing more than a fool. A fool. He is a fool because he does not believe he will die. That is the highest measure of a fool.

Jesus came to bring the abundant life. An abundant life is blessed by God with the joys of life; who knows from whom they come and how they should be used. The true abundant life is not found in the trinkets of this world but in the jewels of eternal life. There is a reality that is recognized by the aged that life is so short. A life of eighty years is nothing. What is more important is to remember how long eternity will be. Life is a dash. Eternity has no end. Death removes all the pleasures of life so valiantly fought for and kept. Life after death rips the treasures of this world away and puts the soul face to face with a good and severe God. If you have not prepared your heart for eternity, there will be no resting in peace in death. A good God has provided the true wealth of life when He sent His only Begotten Son. The abundant life is in Jesus Christ. Those rewards are eternal. Are you a fool? Take stock of where your heart is.

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God Rules Over The Nations

Posted on March 18, 2025 by heatonkent

All the ends of the world shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before You. For the kingdom is the Lord’s, and He rules over the nations. (Psalm 22:27-28)

God Rules Over The Nations

It is comforting to know that in the chaotic world of global politics, wars, unrest, and uncertainty, there is a God who is in control over all nations. Despots throughout history have tried to leave a name for themselves, but they are forgotten in a short time. A generation arises that knows nothing of the conquest and accomplishments of the previous regimes. All despots die. The Lord rules over all nations, and He never dies. Consider the fact that God ruled over the world when the united people decided to build a tower to the heavens. They wanted to make a name for themselves, fearing they would be forgotten. The tower they began to build is dust. Their memory is preserved in the record of the God who spread them across the planet.

The tower of Babel is a warning to all who seek to dominate the world. There will never be a nation or people who will rule the world. God rules over the nations, and He will never be deposed. The Roman Empire was great, but it is no more. Tyrants have ruled in the modern world and are now gone. New tyrants rise only to fall another day. They are forgotten, and their kingdoms are dispersed. God rules over the nations.

There is comfort in knowing who rules in the affairs of men. It can become a daunting task to take in all the news that fills the mind with the strife, anger, hatred, prejudice, and inhumanity of humanity. Nations fight against other nations. There are fears of worldwide destruction and death. Millions upon millions of people were killed in the World Wars. Many more have been lost in the wars that followed. There will never be a time on earth when there are no wars because sin will always fill the minds of depraved men seeking their carnal desires.

God rules over all nations and will not permit man to destroy the world. The threat of nuclear war is real, but it will never come to the point of the total destruction of humanity. There is nothing man can do to destroy this world and all of humanity. God rules over the world’s nations, and it is only through His will that the world will be destroyed. It is in the mind of God when to allow a nation to rise and when to bring a nation down. God is not political and cares nothing for political preference. His word is the only measure of truth. The will of God is what preserves the world as it is. It will be the voice of God that brings the world to an end. He works among the nations to His will.

A day will come when all the ends of the world will know and recognize the glory of God. For most, it will be a day of reckoning, judgment, and righteous indignation. No nation follows God. The last nation that followed God was Israel, and God destroyed them because of unbelief. History reveals the character of a loving and just God as He deals with nations. The history of nations should be a warning to all peoples of how God deals with the world. For the child of God, there is great comfort in knowing God rules over all nations and will accomplish His will to His glory. It does not guarantee safety from persecution but promises eternal life. In Heaven, there will be no nations and divisions of people. Everyone will stand before the throne of God equal as one people united before the presence of the Lord God Almighty – ruler over all the nations.

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Dead In Sin

Posted on March 17, 2025 by heatonkent

But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.  (Romans 3:21-23)

Dead In Sin

While a preacher presented a lesson on the burden of sin, a youth from the audience interrupted him by saying, “You tell me about the burden of sin. I feel none. How heavy is it? Eighty pounds? Ten pounds?” The preacher answered, “Tell me, if you laid four hundred pounds weight on a corpse, would it feel the load?” “No, because it is dead,” replied the youth. The preacher said, “That spirit, too, is dead which feels no load of sin.” (Donald Grey Barnhouse)

The death of Jesus Christ can only be measured by how much a person feels the weight of sin. When the Jews cried out for Pilate to crucify Jesus, they felt no guilt for killing the Son of God. The Romans heartlessly carried out the will of the Jews and killed an innocent man. Only a few of the people gathered at the cross felt the weight of the man dying in the middle. On the Day of Pentecost, three thousand devout Jews were pricked in their hearts when they realized the Son of God had been crucified. Throughout the stories of the Acts of the Apostles, thousands felt the weight of sin and obeyed the gospel. Conversion comes from conviction.

Sin has little impact on those who do not recognize the weight of the cost to redeem the world. The truth is that most people have no consciousness of sin. They are callous to its reality, denying it has anything to do with them. The sacrifice of Jesus means little or nothing to them because they do not understand the weight of sin and the wrath of God against all ungodliness. Conversion comes to the heart when a man sees sin for what it really is. It is then the sacrifice of Jesus comes into focus. Sin is not a mistake – it is the action of rebellion against the Most Holy God. A sense of fear comes from understanding the depth of sin and its consequences. There is a reality to an eternal answer to sin.

When a man denies such a thing as sin and ignores it, the heart becomes hardened. Like a dead body bearing the weight of four hundred pounds, there is no feeling. The gospel can be preached to a large crowd, and most will leave unimpressed and unimpacted by the message of grace. They leave thinking they are okay and there is nothing to worry about; not realizing the burden of sin weighs heavy upon them. If they do not realize the gravity of sin, they can become a corpse of spiritual refuse bound for perdition.

Sin does not have to destroy the soul. Jesus came to bring salvation through His blood. Until you realize the weight of sin, you will die in your sins. God has provided the remedy of sin through His Son, Jesus Christ.

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