The Heaton File

He is the Lord our God; His judgments are in all the earth. He remembers His covenant forever, the word which He commanded, for a thousand generations. (Psalm 105:7-8)

God Remembers His Covenant

David was a man of deep conviction. He saw the power of God in the history of the nation of Israel as the testimony to the sacred word of the Lord. Worship to the shepherd king was joyful because whatever the word of God declared would come to pass. Unlike the words of man, when the Lord made a covenant it would not fail. It did not matter how long ago God made a covenant; He would uphold His righteousness by every word professed in the promise. When David delivered this psalm to Asaph, Abraham had been dead for many generations. The glory of God’s word is that David knew the promises made so long ago were still true and remained unchanged. There were no deviations, updates, rewriting of the covenant – it was the pure word of God unchanged. He is Lord because His word is established in heaven.

In the Garden of Eden God made a covenant to send His only begotten Son as sacrifice for the sin of man. Thousands of years later Jesus Christ came to earth. Promise kept. The life of Jesus was two thousand years ago. His promises remain the same. The Lord God who created the earth has kept His promise even to this year you and I live in. How can man compare to the eternal faithfulness of the Father? The covenant God has with the earth remains until this day. Following the flood, the Lord established a covenant of seasons where there will always be seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, day and night. This has not changed. Every time a rainbow appears, the covenant of God is affirmed and acknowledged. His word is truth.

What has the Lord said that He will not carry out? His word promises forgiveness. This word is true. He promises that if we repent and change our lives He will remove our sins as far as the east is from the west. That word is the covenant of truth. If we obey the will of the Lord in obedience to Christ, our sins will be washed away – every one of them. His word is true. The mercy of God is a covenant of grace that remains unchanged. In faith we come to God and through baptism the Lord promises to take away all of our sins that we may rise clean and pure. His word is true.

The promise of heaven is made to the children of God. Why do we live each day doubting the power of God to save us from our sins? He has made a covenant with His children that when we live within the arms of His love we can stand before Him in joy. There is a crown with our name on it. A place is reserved in heaven for us. This is what He has promised the faithful. His word is true. David lived each day in the confidence the God he served was the Lord of covenant keeping. Our worship daily should be the praise of God’s grace allowing us to be part of His kingdom. His word is true and everlasting. Never doubt the word of the Lord. It is impossible for God to lie. On that confidence we may rest our hope on the saving grace of Jesus Christ. His word is true.

No matter what the human intermediaries may be, it is the living and person word of God which presents the truths of faith to the soul until the end of time. (Jean Mouroux, I Believe, 1960)

Who has ascended into heaven, or descended? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has bound the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is His Son’s name, if you know? Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. (Proverbs 30:4-5)

He’s Got The Whole World In His Hands

The doctrine of God is the understanding that all things that exist are formed by the power of the hand of the Lord. It is fundamental for every man to acknowledge the belief in one Creator and one Lord. There is none like Him. The greatest feat of man’s wisdom pales in comparison to the One who placed each star on a blanket of darkness and suspended the sun in an exact position to warm the earth. Creation resounds with the doctrine of a majestic creator who allows the waves to advance only so far, the winds to circle the earth forming weather patterns needed for life, blood coursing through endless avenues of arteries necessary for the life of man and myriads of singular factors ordained in a creative pattern. Who is a God like Him?

He has the whole world in His hands. The children’s song is a fun reminder of what the Lord has done for man. He’s got the wind and the rain in His hands and He’s got the little bitty babies in His hands. Children need to learn that God is the Creator. Understanding the world is held in His hands will help them appreciate how great He is. Those are some big hands. The hands of God are not so big to protect them, to guide them. Children need to trust in the hands of the Lord. They will learn this from two sources: the world and the Bible.

Living in an electronic world does a disservice to children who never take the time to “smell the roses.” Spending time in the creation of the world shows children how beautiful the world has been created and the infinite power of God’s creation. James Dobson tells the story of one morning his father awakening him long before sunrise. They drive for some distance before getting out and sitting down in a field. His dad tells him, “Now watch what happens.” Soon the early sun begins to peek over the horizon and shortly the sky fills with the majesty of God’s creative hand in the early morning dew. It left an impression. Parents need to take their children out in the world of God and show them who He is. That is a vital doctrine for their hearts.

Second, children must know the Bible. Education is important but spiritual doctrine is an eternal necessity. Parents must teach their children the grand stories of scripture, showing them the majesty of a loving God, lifting up the image of Jesus Christ in their hearts. When they see the Lord in creation, they will understand better the God of scripture. Children who grow up knowing that He’s got the whole world in His hands will have some powerful arms to guide them through life. And it goes without saying that parents need to sing this same song. We all need to spend time in creation quietly meditating on His canvas of creative glory. The Bible must be our constant companion. Faith still comes from hearing the word of God. This faith will also come by looking up at the stars and filling the mind with the world He has left as His thumbprint of glory. He’s got the whole world in hands. Sing that today.

The spiritual interest in the doctrine of creation lies solely in the assertion of the dependence of all existence upon the will of God. (William Temple, Nature, Man and God, 1934)

When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear and understand: Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.” Then His disciples came and said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” But He answered and said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch.” (Matthew 15:10-14)

Jesus Offended People

The disciples felt a little conscience about the force of Jesus teaching style. They had been with Him enough to know that He did not concern Himself with mincing words against the religious leaders who sought to trap Him. His message was simple, direct and bold. It was truth. The scribes and Pharisees complained about the disciples of Jesus not keeping the traditions of their fathers – at the same time failing to understand the will of God in the Law. Their problem was heart trouble of keeping laws on the outside but failing to worship in spirit and truth on the inside. Jesus knew their hearts. He pointed out the clarity of their refusal to follow the Father. The disciples got a little edgy about His approach. Jesus reply to His own disciples was plain and direct. Those who follow His Father will be blessed and those who refuse will be torn down. Blind men lead blind men and the end is destruction. Any questions?

This is not uncharacteristic for Jesus. In truth, He never offended anyone. His words offended them because they were the truth. People often mistake the action of a person for offensive when in fact the content of the message is what upsets the spirit. Jesus reminded the multitudes the words He spoke were the words of His Father. Truth is narrow. It is direct. There is no latitude to allow for holding back so that men’s hearts will not be offended. Eventually the people would kill Jesus for the same reason. They could not handle the nature of truth. He was the embodiment of everything that was right in everything He said and the Jewish leaders hated Him for that.

Truth has the same message today. It is a clear temptation to withhold the truth because of how it may be perceived in a world given over to political correctness. Remember this spirit of correctness is not new. Since the beginning of time, the truth has been established as plain, simple and direct. Noah offended many people. A flood was coming, salvation is in the ark alone, repent or die. His words were truth because a flood did come and the only people that were saved with those in the ark. Being offended by the preaching of Noah did not change the reality of the coming flood. The prophets of old were killed because they told the truth. In the early days of the church disciples were persecuted because they upheld a banner of truth.

Teaching the gospel of Christ today is telling the story written by the finger of God. It is His story. The message of salvation is simple, plain and direct. There is no other way of salvation but Jesus Christ. He is the only way, the only truth and the only life and without Him no one – underline no one – will see the Father. If people are offended by what is taught, make certain what is taught is the word of God. When the word of God is taught and people are offended, remember they are mad at God – not you. You preach the word. God will handle His end. If they follow the will of the Lord, they will be saved. If not they will be lost. God’s word! His truth!

There is a tragic clash between truth and the world. Pure undistorted truth burns up the world. (Nicholas Berdyaev, The Divine and the Human, 1949)

The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knows those who trust in Him. (Nahum 1:7)

Trusting In The Lord

The mind of God is so huge it boggles the spirit of man to consider how great the Father is and how small we are. Literally, there is no comparison. Not even close. The greatest achievement of man is an oblivion of microscopic nothingness when the greatness of God is laid alongside the knowledge of the wisest of men. So why do we continue to rely upon our own power to solve matters of life? The oldest person I have ever known lived to be 106 but the Father is older than light. He dwells in eternity, which is without beginning and end (as if anyone really understands what that means). The Lord has a name for every star. His hand is so large it holds the universe easily within His grasp. He spoke and the world formed. His knowledge is so vast He knows everything about every person filling this six billion person rock three doors from the sun. He remembers what every man, woman and child has said and done for the last thousands of years since Adam and Eve first walked along the banks of the Pishon, Gihon, Hiddekel and Euphrates rivers. The list goes on and on. Question: why don’t we trust the Lord?

God is good. He is really, really good. All of creation screams His glory of how good He is. Nothing the Lord has done from the beginning of time has ever been without goodness. He does good things because He is the meaning of good. Throughout the Bible story, He has painted a portrait of goodness to those who love Him. Nothing has been withheld. His blessings are in multitudes of this goodness and that goodness and everyone who received His kindness never deserved it. Take a deep breath and thank God He is good. Look around the world, see the wonders of creation, and thank God He is so very good. Ponder the heavens on a star filled night and know how good the Lord really, really is.

God is a stronghold in the troubles we face. Life can be hard. It can be difficult without many answers. The limitations of man’s knowledge grasps at the wisp of his inability to know from one generation to the next. The Father is a place of security that even Satan himself cannot breach. Trusting in the Lord is the confidence that dwelling in the city of God protects us from all harm. The battering rams of doubt, despair and uncertainty do not penetrate our lives because we rest our hope on the solid rock of our heavenly Father. What will happen on the morrow is left to the marrow of God’s wisdom because He is already there. Trusting the Lord is leaving the matters of life in His big, wide and wonderful hands. There is nothing to worry about and nothing to be anxious for.

He knows those who trust in Him. What an exciting thought to know that God knows my name. Of all the people who have ever lived and live today the Lord God Creator knows who I am. When we trust fully in His love, He knows who we are. Giving our lives wholly to His will, He blesses us personally with His presence, His wisdom, His spirit and His incredible mercy. It’s personal. God knows those who trust in Him.

Father, thank you for being so good, so strong and so loving.

So the children of Israel who were present at Jerusalem kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with great gladness; and the Levites and the priests praised the Lord day by day, singing to the Lord, accompanied by loud instruments. And Hezekiah gave encouragement to all the Levites who taught the good knowledge of the Lord; and they ate throughout the feast seven days, offering peace offerings and making confession to the Lord God of their fathers. Then the whole assembly agreed to keep the feast another seven days, and they kept it another seven days with gladness. For Hezekiah king of Judah gave to the assembly a thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep, and the leaders gave to the assembly a thousand bulls and ten thousand sheep; and a great number of priests sanctified themselves. The whole assembly of Judah rejoiced, also the priests and Levites, all the assembly that came from Israel, the sojourners who came from the land of Israel, and those who dwelt in Judah. So there was great joy in Jerusalem, for since the time of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel, there had been nothing like this in Jerusalem. Then the priests, the Levites, arose and blessed the people, and their voice was heard; and their prayer came up to His holy dwelling place, to heaven. (2 Chronicles 30:21-27)

There Was Great Joy In Jerusalem

Worship to God has always been a fundamental part of the fellowship man enjoys with his creator. Man was formed to give glory to the Lord and through his acts of worship; he exalts the majesty of God and reminds himself of his humble station. The years of turmoil following the death of Solomon destroyed much of the spirit of worship to God. As the people sank deeper into the poverty of idol worship, their hearts were seared with the spirit of rebellion against the will of God. The northern kingdom of Israel never recovered from their impenitent hearts. Sprinkled through the history of Judah, a king would seek the will of God and do what was right. Hezekiah was one of the kings who did what was right in the sight of the Lord. It was during his reign that temple worship was restored.

Hezekiah sent letters throughout the land encouraging the people to come to Jerusalem to keep the Passover. Runners went throughout all Israel and Judah announcing the proclamation of the king. Many of the people laughed them to scorn and mocked them but the righteous in heart heeded the words and came to Jerusalem for the Passover. There was a singleness of heart among the faithful as the Lord blessed them. Singing and loud instruments filled the city with the praise of God echoing from every corner. The Levites taught the people the word of the Lord and the feast lasted for seven days. Sacrifices were made as the people confessed their sin. It was a deeply, moving time for the faithful children of God who were reminded of the holiness of worship to God. So much so the people wanted to keep the feast another seven days. They continued the worship for another seven days with a spirit of gladness.

There was great joy in Jerusalem. So much joy that nothing like it had been seen in the land since the days of Solomon. This was a high time of spiritual renewal. The faithful had rediscovered the joy of worship. God’s people had been reminded of the manifold blessings of a gracious Lord who had cared for them and protected them with His mighty hand. A restoration of spiritual remembrance infected the hearts of the humble who gladly worshiped the name of Jehovah God. The city of Jerusalem was a place of loud praise. The prayers of the people went all the way to the holy dwelling place of Almighty God who dwells in heaven. What a shout. What a joy. What a story.

Spiritual restoration is always a need for God’s people. Worship can become dull and filled with apathy. The faithful in the days of Hezekiah learned how to rekindle their hearts to the worthy praise of the Lord. It was a glorious time of worship. Tomorrow is the first day of the week. We come together – as we always do – to follow a pattern of worship. The question is this: will Sunday be a time of routine doing this and doing that; or will it be a time of spiritual renewal? How the worship impacts the heart in song, prayer and meditation upon the death of Jesus, will depend on how we prepare our hearts to worship God.  I like to read about the joy in Jerusalem. Let us make our worship tomorrow be a time of joy. Be happy to be with God’s people. Rejoice that God loves us so much to give us all the blessings of His mighty hand. Do not be tied to a ‘time-keeping-clock’ mentality but desire a spirit-filled expression of eternal joy because of the Passover Lamb who gave His life so we could enter heaven. Make worship tomorrow fill the throne room of God with fervent prayers, songs filled with joy, quiet meditation on the sacrifice of Jesus and amen laced sermons of the powerful word of God. Praise God. Let the place where you are be a place of great joy. Now that will be a great story. Amen?

Come, and let us return to the Lord; for He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up. After two days He will revive us; on the third day He will raise us up, that we may live in His sight. Let us know, let us pursue the knowledge of the Lord. His going forth is established as the morning; He will come to us like the rain, like the latter and former rain to the earth. (Hosea 6:1-3)

He Will Heal Us

Hosea is a prophet of the love of God. He bore a heavy burden trying to turn Israel from their path of destruction. His language at times is hard and yet the kindness of the Lord shines forth in his message of God’s forgiveness. The children of Israel had gone the way of Baal and followed the gods of the nations around them. Their wickedness filled the land with sexual immorality, sorcery, licentiousness, murder, stealing; every sin imaginable. As a nation, it had become a melting pot for the putridity of man’s base nature to exalt the pleasure of the flesh. Children were sacrificed as burnt offerings, families murdered for political gain and the word of God lost in the hearts of God’s people. The Lord was bringing judgement upon the people and the prophets warned of impending doom. Hosea did his part. His marriage to Gomer was an illustration of how much God loved His people even when they were so evil and corrupt.

Hosea pleads with the people to return to the Lord because the mercy of God would grant forgiveness. The harm they suffered was the punishment of the Lord but He would also show them love when they repented. Striking them with pestilence, disease and plagues was an effort to turn their hearts. Coming back to the Lord the people would find a compassionate and forgiving God. They were destroyed for lack of knowledge but the pursuit of knowledge would save them. All the promises of God were true Hosea reminds them and they should remember the forgiveness of God was promised. Like the blessings of rain the wonderful grace of God will revive the nation again.

God’s character is unchanged. Our sin is grievous in His sight but He longs for us to return to Him with penitent hearts. His grace is so large to forgive a spirit that grieves over the penalty of sin. Returning to the Lord He will heal us and bind our wounds with the blood of His Son. When we pursue the knowledge of God He will forgive us. His will guides us back to His throne. There is nothing we have done that He will not forgive if we come to Him seeking His abundant mercy and grace. What a great God we serve to be filled with such love. Nothing we have done and nothing we will ever do can deserve the forgiveness of God. He grants it still. From the parched plains of our sin He bears us on eagles wings to the mountains of His abundant blessings to be nourished by the rain that showers upon us His kindness. What a great God we serve.

The divine love hovers over the life of man with the vivacious persistence of April calling earth to life. (Walter Farrell, The Looking Glass, 1951)

For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness, for the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God. (Hebrews 7:18-19)

The Better Hope

The book of Hebrews could be called the book of Christians. A central theme of the book is the hope found in Christ. Facing persecution, many of the Hebrew Christians were in danger of giving up their allegiance to Christ. Throughout the book, the writer shows how the blessings of Christ far outweigh the hindrances of the Law of Moses. There is a better priesthood, better cleansing, better promises and very important – a better hope. If there is one thing the child of God should never lose it is their hope in the eternal reward of heaven. Hope is the engine of our faith. With little or no hope life is without purpose. Those who live without hope live miserable lives. Filling life with an eternal hope changes every part of a person’s outlook because they live with an eternal uplook.

Hope is used throughout the book of Hebrews. While the writer is encouraging the fellow saints of his day, we should not miss the point of our need to rest our hope on God. It is easy to get discouraged. We can become fainthearted, lacking the strong faith to endure trials. If our service to God becomes a ritualistic activity of checklist religion, our hope will diminish to trusting in our works instead of the grace of God. The better hope is because God does not lie. There has been a greater sacrifice through the blood of Jesus Christ. He has given us the eternal hope of glory through the offering of the Son of God as the one and only sacrifice for all men. Hope is real and active. Facing temptations, we have a Savior who sympathizes with our trials. He has been man on earth. He knows the seriousness of temptation. The Lord intercedes for us and gives us true hope because we know we can overcome.

The listing of the faithful in Hebrews gives us hope. A better hope is found when we read the stories of Abel, Noah, Abraham, Moses and all those faithful in days gone by who received the promises of God in faith. Noah had never seen a flood like the one promised by God but he lived in hope because he knew the Lord was faithful. Abram never saw the land fulfillment as promised by His God but he walked every day with the many altars of hope he burned in praise to His God. Moses endured the trials of a rebellious nation knowing he would never enter the promised land on earth. He lived every part of his life looking for the hope of an eternal promised land. You could read about David and find hope. In an amazing turn of events, Samson is listed in the faithful and that should give all of us true hope.

Hebrews is a message for all the children of God. Every Christian should read Hebrews constantly to light the fire of hope within their hearts. God does not lie. His promises are like an anchor; sure and steadfast. Hope is not a dim suggestion of possibilities. The kind of hope we have in Christ is real, true, faithful and coming. Thank God for hope.

Years ago, a hydroelectric dam was to be built across a valley in Maine. The people in the town were to be relocated, and the town would be submerged. During the interim time between making the final decision and actually evacuating the people, the town, which had once been well-kept, fell into disrepair. The townspeople saw no reason for maintain their town. One resident said, “Where there is no faith in the future, there is no work in the present.” We must have some hope for the future. With Jesus Christ, we can.” (Bits & Pieces, Feb. 6, 1992, p.15)

Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.'” Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.'” (Matthew 4:5-7)

The Devil Knows Scripture

It will come as a shock to most people to know that Satan is well versed in the word of God. James tells us the demons know and believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God. Unlike many today, the demons tremble at the knowledge of Jesus. Failing in his first attempt the tempt Jesus; Satan turns to the authority appealed to by the Lord – the holy word of God. Joseph Hall (1574–1656) said it best: “Satan himself with a Bible under his arm and a text in his mouth.” The text quoted by the devil is Psalm 91. What he conveniently leaves out of the text is the statement “to keep you in all your ways. A. T. Robertson writes, “So the devil quotes the Word of God, misinterprets it, omits a clause, and tries to trip the Son of God by the Word of God.”

Changing the psalm with just a few subtle variations serves the purpose of the devil. The wisdom literature becomes the propaganda of the great deceiver. In the Garden of Eden, the serpent challenged Eve to reconsider what God had told her. Did the Lord really say what she thinks He said? “Has God indeed said” is how the devil begins. He quotes words that Eve remembers but the devil twists the content to mean something very different from what God intended. Satan using God’s words to destroy His creation. He tried the same thing with Jesus.

Two things are clear from Psalm 91: Satan lies are found sprinkled with just enough truth to make those he tempts believe God said it; secondly, the only way to combat the devil is to use scripture properly. Jesus rebuked Satan in the temptation of the flesh with scripture – “It is written.” The deceiver uses scripture the second time but Jesus is aware of the whole truth, not just a portion of the truth. The Lord knows what was left out. He declares to the serpent the whole truth repelling his false argument. What becomes abundantly to the honest student of scripture is the ability of Satan to use God’s word to deceive the hearts of honest people.

Why is the religious world so divided? Everyone believes that one church is as good as another but the belief systems are very different. On any given Sunday a multitude of men and women will stand before large crowds expounding on the word of God proclaiming what they are sharing is the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Thousands upon thousands of souls flock to religious organizations seeking the worship of Jesus Christ carrying their Bibles and singing praises to the One on High. Scriptures will be quoted, exalted, personified, exemplified and applauded with great fervor. Sitting in the midst of the choir singing loudly is the great deceiver grinning from ear to ear because just enough scripture is quoted to make the masses believe what they hear. Satan did not misquote Psalm 91 – much – just a little bit. Like the rat poison of old (made up of 98% corn meal and 2% poison), the devil invites men to feast on the 98% of truth ignoring the little lie he tells leading to eternal death.

Baptism is not necessary for salvation but something good to do. Righteousness is measured by the standards of men for a pattern of goodness. Jesus died for all churches. It does not matter what you believe. God accepts sexuality in any form because God is love. Salvation can be found in a simple sinner’s prayer. Grace alone saves without any works. Being a good person is all one needs to do. Everyone goes to Heaven regardless of how they live. These are just a few of the many lies told by Satan who quotes the word of God as proof. It only takes the omitting of just a few words to make the lie of Satan his own truth.

Truth is found in the whole counsel of God. Be wary of the devil with a Bible. Let the word of God dwell in your heart with the complete word. Examine the whole truth. Know the whole truth. Remember: the devil knows scripture.

In divers ways the devil has shown hostility to the truth. At times he has tried to shake it by pretending to defend it. (Tertullian, Against Praxeas, c. 213)

From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 4:17)

Same Lord. Same Message.

The preaching of Jesus was very simple. It did not require great fanfare or pomp and circumstance to impress upon the mind the basic truth of God’s will. Men needed to change their lives and follow the will of the Father. It was the same message from the beginning and remains the same doctrine today. The reason most men do not believe the word of God is that human wisdom requires a greater reasoning. Viewing the will of God is too complicated because of its simplicity. Found in the simple message of Jesus Christ is the most difficult thing man has to do: change. Jesus did not come to change the political world, feed the millions with bread and fishes, heal all diseases of the flesh and satisfy the desires of the human mind. He came to change men because man needed to go in a different direction. The preaching was clear: change.

Repentance is a hard word for man to grasp. Pride builds a wall of resistance to the belief anything is wrong and rejects the idea that the spirit of man must make radical transformation. The character of repentance is not a slight turn. It requires a change of mind, a new purpose and a new life. Jesus preached a message to men of radical change. No longer can man do what he wants but he must follow the law of God. It is not a comfortable fit for man. The kingdom of God belongs to God and subservience to the will of God is required to be found faithful. Kingdom rule is not a democracy. The autocratic rule of God is absolute because there is no one greater than Him. All men must submit to the total control of the Lord God in their lives and that is how repentance brings peace.

Preaching the message of repentance and kingdom living is still necessary. The same Lord that spoke those words is the same Lord reigning today at the right hand of God. His rule of authority requires men to repent and serve the King. Repentance requires forsaking everything of the spirit of man to serve the Lord. Satan whispers in the ear that man is his own god. The lie of Satan turns most men away from serving the one true God because they do not want to repent or change their lives to serve the kingdom of the Lord. They build their kingdoms of straw and serve themselves. All kingdoms will be destroyed except the kingdom of God. It will stand.

Repent! Serve the King. Old message but still true.

Repentance was perhaps best defined by a small girl: It’s to be sorry enough to quit. (C. H. Kilmer, The New Illustrator, 1945)

Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go and pray over there.” And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.” He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.” And He came and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy. So He left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. Then He came to His disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand.” (Matthew 26:36-46)

Sleeping On Watch

It had been a long day and they were exhausted. There had been a lot of activity to prepare for the Passover. Jesus had spoken at length to the eleven about a memorial feast, a betrayer and He was going away at some time. His voice was pensive but there was no alarm that would warn them of what was coming. To the eleven disciples, it was another day with the Lord and there were many things to do the next few days and weeks. Returning to the Garden of Gethsemane they found a familiar place Jesus often came to pray. Jesus seemed a little more anxious this night than ever before but they took no notice.

Leaving the eight disciples, Jesus took Peter, James and John and went a little further to pray.  The three disciples were so very tired. Jesus told them He was very distraught and needed to go and pray. Fatigue had dulled their senses. The Lord asked them to keep watch. Unknown to them, Judas was assembling an entourage of soldiers and Jewish leaders to arrest Jesus. The Lord knew they were on the way. As Jesus went to pray, the eyes of the disciples fell heavy. They were so tired. Jesus returns and found them sleeping. How discouraging that must have been to Jesus as He knew what was coming. Exhorting them to remain watchful, the Lord returns to pray earnestly to His Father that the cup He faced be removed. The disciples slept on. When they awoke the final time events progressed so quickly, before they could say anything – Jesus was dead.

One can only imagine the grief of Peter, James and John when they realized what had happened. During the most critical time in Jesus life, they had failed Him. He was going to pray like He always did but they did not take notice of how serious He was. They failed their Lord because they allowed the weakness of the flesh to overcome their spirit. This compounded the sorrow of Jesus to find His disciples sleeping. He had asked them to do a simple task and they were not able to stay away long enough to keep watch. How sad to see the Lord in His final hours be let down by His own disciples. He faced the cross alone. Only the comfort of His Father gave Him the strength to endure.

We find ourselves sleeping a lot. Days run into weeks and weeks into months and we forget to watch and pray. There is concern for this and concern for that and the pleading of the Lord to stay awake looking for what is coming falls on sleepy ears. We are exhausted. Life is filled with so many things. The weakness of the flesh drives our lives in so many directions the compass cannot keep up. Jesus reminds us to watch and pray. But we are so tired it is hard to focus. The early disciples did not realize what was coming before it was too late. They thought long and hard about how Jesus had begged them to remain vigilant and how they failed Him. If they had known, their senses would have been on high alert. They slept on. We sleep on. The day approaches.

Watching and praying takes a mind diligent to hear the words of the Lord. Unlike the days of the disciples when Jesus went to die, the Lord will return to bring life. He suffered alone so that we can be glorified with all the saints. His death gives us life. His sorrow brings us joy. He is coming back. Our task – our simple task – is to stay awake. Be watchful. Long for the day to come, seeking the Lord’s announcement with the trump of the archangel and the shout. What a glorious day that will be when we are watching, waiting and praying for the Lord to take us home with Him. Lord come quickly. Lord come today. Lord come now.

The early believers were not looking for something to happen; they were looking for someone to come. Looking for the train to arrive is one thing, but looking for someone we love to come on that train is another matter. (Vance Havner, 1901-1986)