The Heaton File

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)

Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels? (Matthew 26:53)

His Father Is Our Father

The picture of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane is one of the most powerful and moving scenes in scripture. God’s Son is pleading to His Father while His disciples sleep. A huge crowd is assembling with Judas to come arrest Jesus of Nazareth. Golgotha stands empty waiting for the next bloody crucifixion to take place. Barabbas sits in a Roman jail not knowing that within hours he will be set free because of the one born in Bethlehem. The world is unaware of the moment in history when God will sacrifice His Son for the sins of all men.

Judas descends upon the place where Jesus often spent time in the garden. Assembled with him is a great multitude of people along with detachment of soldiers led by officers from the chief priests and Pharisees. The soldiers were fully armed; many in the crowd came with lanterns, torches and weapons. Judas was taking no chances. To the eleven disciples this must have been terrifying. The crowd moves closer to Jesus. Peter, fearful and unsure, takes a sword and lashes out, striking the servant of the high priest. He succeeds in cutting off his ear and the crowd becomes electrified. Calmly Jesus heals the ear of Malchus and says there is nothing to fear. He assures Peter and all those gathered in the garden that if it were so He could call upon His Father to send twelve legions of angels to protect Him.

A legion was a division of the Roman army amounting to more than 6,000 men. If this number is considered, Jesus is saying that in a moment’s notice – 72,000 angels would descend upon the earth and deliver Him from death. From the Old Testament we remember that only one angel destroyed 185,000 fighting men in one night. Imagine what 72,000 angels could do. All Jesus had to do was call upon His Father and the angels would come. The love of Jesus was so great He restrained from doing so and willingly offered His life for the sin of all men. He was doing the will of the Father.

It is not in our power to call down an angel to bring destruction upon our enemies. However, the same Father Jesus said He could call upon to deliver Him is the same Father we have in the family of Christ. Our greatest foe is Satan. The devil is very, very powerful, cunning, deceptive and full of destruction. There are times in life when he influences us to follow His path. We have the power to ask God to send us 72,000 angels to defeat the forces of wickedness, doubt, fear and trouble. When we struggle in life, we only have to ask for the angels. As the cold hand of Satan creeps into our lives, it is but a prayer away to seek the help of the Father. We should never let a day go by that we do not ask of the Father the same power Jesus knew was within His grasp. His Father is our Father. Our God is greater than anything – period. When days get dark, ask for the twelve legions of angels to come.

God hears us not the sooner for our many words, but much the sooner for an earnest desire. (Jeremy Taylor, Holy Living, 1650)

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham: Abraham begot Isaac, Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot Judah and his brothers. Judah begot Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez begot Hezron, and Hezron begot Ram. Ram begot Amminadab, Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon. Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David the king. David the king begot Solomon by her who had been the wife of Uriah. Solomon begot Rehoboam, Rehoboam begot Abijah, and Abijah begot Asa. Asa begot Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat begot Joram, and Joram begot Uzziah. Uzziah begot Jotham, Jotham begot Ahaz, and Ahaz begot Hezekiah. Hezekiah begot Manasseh, Manasseh begot Amon, and Amon begot Josiah. Josiah begot Jeconiah and his brothers about the time they were carried away to Babylon. And after they were brought to Babylon, Jeconiah begot Shealtiel, and Shealtiel begot Zerubbabel. Zerubbabel begot Abiud, Abiud begot Eliakim, and Eliakim begot Azor. Azor begot Zadok, Zadok begot Achim, and Achim begot Eliud. Eliud begot Eleazar, Eleazar begot Matthan, and Matthan begot Jacob. And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ. (Matthew 1:1-16)

His Family Tree

The study of the family tree of Jesus is a character lesson on the humanity of man. Genealogies are not the most exciting passages to read with this person ‘begetting’ this person who ‘begets’ more people and the names run together and are hard to pronounce. Most of us skip these lists and go on to more important details. However, there is a lot of material in a genealogy listing and Jesus’ is no exception.

Matthew begins the ancestors of Jesus as a summation of the lineage of David and Abraham. This represents the promise of the seed first made to Abraham and lastly confirmed to David. Two important starting points show the fulfillment of a promise made in the Garden of Eden. Abraham tops the list (Luke’s account will carry the ancestry to Adam). He was a great man of faith and called the “Friend of God.” He also had trouble telling the truth about his wife. On more than one occasion, for fear of his life, he convinces Sarah to tell others she is his sister. When the son of promise did not come, Abraham agrees to bear a son by Hagar at the insistence of Sarah. It seems a lack of faith and trust on his part. Isaac will follow in the footsteps of his father telling people his beautiful wife, Rebekah, is his sister. Jacob, youngest son of Isaac, takes the birthright away from Esau and through a devised plan of deception steals the birthright blessing from his brother. He flees for his life and through another devised plan of deception marries two sisters, Leah and Rachel. Jacob loves Rachel more than Leah and the pain of being unloved weighs heavy on Leah. The lineage of Jesus does not come through Rachel as the loved wife but Leah the unloved: parabolic!

Judah is the fourth son of Jacob and Jesus will trace His lineage through him. This is where the ancestry of Jesus takes an unusual turn. Judah had three sons by a Canaanite woman. His oldest son married a woman named Tamar. Because he was wicked, the Lord struck him down. Widowed, Tamar marries Judah’s second son, Onan. He disrespected Tamar and God struck him dead. Judah told Tamar when his youngest son was grown she would be married to him. This never happened. Following the death of his own wife, Judah went up to his sheepshearers at Timnah. Hearing her father-in-law was in the land, Tamar dressed herself like a harlot and placed herself in his path. When Judah saw her, he took her and conceived twins by her (he was unaware at first). The son’s names were Perez and Zerah. It was through the relation of Judah to his daughter-in-law Tamar, the lineage of Jesus was passed through the family of Perez.

Along with Tamar, three other women are mentioned in the genealogy. Rahab was a prostitute living in Jericho when the children of Israel came against it. She would marry Salmon and their son Boaz would marry Ruth, a woman of Moab, whose lineage is traced back to the daughters of Lot bearing children by their father. Bathsheba was the wife of Uriah whom David murdered to cover up his sin of adultery. Notice that Bathsheba is not named but the sin is referenced in Matthew’s listing. Solomon would be a great king but have seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; who would turn his heart away from God.

The kings that followed Solomon were miserable examples of devotion to God. Few of the sons of Solomon throughout the divided kingdom extolled the greatest of David. Often it is said the kings of Judah walked in the sins of their fathers or Ahab the wicked king of Israel. Uzziah tried to make himself a high priest and was struck with leprosy by God. Ahaz offered his children as burnt offerings. Manasseh also made his children pass through the fire, practiced soothsaying, used witchcraft, and consulted spiritists and mediums doing more evil in the sight of the Lord than those before him. The lineage of Jesus was taken away to Babylon as captives and slaves.

The pedigree of Jesus was not filled with sinless people. They were all sinners. Some worse than others. Some better than others. The account by Matthew and Luke established the fulfillment of the seed promise but it also shows why Jesus came to earth. His own lineage proves the need for redemption. Everyone needs the saving grace of God to bring them to holiness. It gives me comfort to read the names in the family of Jesus and see that I can have hope of eternal life through the life of Jesus Christ. I need my Savior.

Now that is a great story.

“Is not My word like a fire?” says the Lord, “and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces? (Jeremiah 23:29)

The Power Of God’s Word

From the beginning of time, the word of God established the heavens, the earth and all that is contained therein. He spoke and the world came into existence. With only the whisper of His voice, the waters formed apart from dry land. His power is evident in the creation of all things by the power of His word. Peter reminds us the world is held together by this same word. The sun, moon and stars follow a determined path because the word of God speaks it. Everything about the earth and the preservation of life is in continual motion because of the word of God. We exist because the word of God allows it.

Through each generation, the Lord has revealed His mind to man in many different ways. The Bible is the divine revealing of His will to all men and nothing can and has changed that word. Most men reject the Bible as truth because they find within its pages the reflection of who they are. The word of God is astonishing because it reveals the humility of man without God. Pride is the core character of man and allowing a belief in a higher God is difficult for man to accept. Rejecting the Bible as truth allows man to live as he desires. To the surprise of those who reject the Bible as truth will come the eternal realization that God’s word has always been true and their rejection has not changed the word of God in any way.

Why do so many not believe in the Bible? Jeremiah declares the word of the Lord showing His word is like a fire or hammer. Fire cleanses by burning off the dross or excess. During the days of Jeremiah there were many false prophets declaring the word of God but not in truth of what the Lord had revealed. These false prophets continue today as many follow the allurements of those who teach what the Lord has not said. It is sad to realize how many good and honest hearts are being deceived because they are unwilling to let the fire of God’s word burn in their hearts removing the false promises of Satan’s minions. Fire is pure. The word of God is pure. It will destroy all those who stand against the Lord. Like a hammer, the word of God will break into pieces the tenets of false doctrine. When all religions are vanquished God’s holy word will abide.

A further application is what the word of God does to the heart of man. The more time spent in the revelation of the mind of God upon the heart of a humble man – the more the influence of the world is burned off. The Bible crushes the desires of the flesh in the power of its word on the heart. Rocks of doubt, despair, hopelessness are broken apart by the word of God. A lifetime cannot contain all the message of God’s word as it penetrates deep into the core of man changing his desires, his hopes and his dreams. Fire is used to purify and refine. The Bible purifies the heart and refines the spirit of man to become more in the image of the Father. It will not take long before one realizes the Bible breaks up the stubborn spirit like a hammer. The fire and the hammer bring blessing to an honest heart. Let the word of God dwell in you richly letting the power of its fire and the force of it word change your life in the grace of a loving Father.

The Bible humbles or hardens the human heart. If we hear it and do not do what it says, we deceive ourselves. It is not like Homer or Shakespeare. We do not go away the same after we have heard the word of God. We have to do something about its message, for we cannot leave it alone. We may think we have done nothing about it, but it will do something to us. (Vance Havner, 1901-1986)

For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. (2 John 1:7)

Modern Day Deceivers And Antichrists

John the son of Zebedee, a fisherman on the Sea of Galilee, knew Jesus of Nazareth as few men would know Him. Jesus invited John to follow Him as His disciple and this humble man would become one of the most beloved characters of scripture. His gospel of the life of Jesus exalted the divine nature of the man born in Bethlehem. At the cross, Jesus asked John to care for Mary, His mother. The early church saw the work of John fill the pages of history as he and the other apostles established the redemption of Christ to the world. His three small epistles bring forth the love of God in a powerful message. The revelation given to John on Patmos declares the glorious victory of the King of King and Lord of Lords over all the evil forces of Satan.

It struck a nerve with John when men would declare Jesus never came in the flesh. They were liars and frauds. Peculiar to John’s writing is the use of antichrist. He was not suggesting one single person with a mark of 666 on his forehead but any and all those who would deny the nature of Jesus Christ and His life. Jesus called them “false christs” and “false prophets.” John knew firsthand the reality of Jesus being a man and being God. His gospel declares the divinity of the man from Nazareth. Jesus was not just a good teacher. He was not any ordinary man in the terms of humanity. The supposed son of Joseph was the incarnate visage of the Lord God Almighty. He was God. Denying Jesus came in the flesh was paramount to the complete denial of salvation.

Deceivers and antichrist abound today. Everyone must answer the question, “What will I do with Jesus?” He is either the Son of God or a fraud. Throughout the life of Jesus He declared He and the Father were one. His claim was He came from Heaven. His teaching directed men towards the throne of God only through Him. Is Jesus a liar? Did Jesus of Nazareth create these false stories to have men follow Him? The four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John declare plainly that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. He does not walk among us in the flesh but He stands in our midst through the pages of God’s word. If we believe and accept the truth of His life, we will be saved. If we deny Jesus came in the flesh, we will perish. This is paramount to how we view Jesus whether we accept that God became flesh and dwelt among us; or it is a lie. Believing or rejecting Jesus as coming the flesh will determine how we live.

The lesson from John’s second epistle is that while there were many in the day of John denying that Jesus came in the flesh, there are many today who still deny Jesus came in the flesh. Many religious people believe in a Jesus but do not live as if He is the Son of God. These are two separate beliefs. It is easy to accept the idea that Jesus once lived on earth. Believing He is the Son of God requires obedience to His word and accepting the grace He brought to man. This results in a changed life. If Jesus is the Son of God, how do I live each day with that knowledge? That will decide how I view Jesus. Make Jesus real for you. Let His life change your life.

In no one else in all history do you find an abiding hatred, an immortal hatred except against our Lord … The hatred against Christ has never weakened even after twenty centuries … because He is still an obstacle – an obstacle to sin, to selfishness, to godlessness, and to the spirit of the world. (Fulton J. Sheen, The Eternal Galilean, 1934)

Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your vain life which He has given you under the sun, all your days of vanity; for that is your portion in life, and in the labor which you perform under the sun. Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going. (Ecclesiastes 9:9-10)

Living Joyfully In Marriage

In the beginning, God created man and woman to be happy with a cherished love for one another spanning a lifetime. Sin marred that relationship but the promise of a happy life is still given within the bond of marriage. The perfection of creation can be found in the home where love rules and forgiveness is the constant character of the husband and wife. Life is short. Every day is lost to the pages of yesterday so we must make the best of finding happiness with our husband or wife. No one is perfect and love is finding that happiness overlooking the faults of the other as they overlook the faults in ourselves. Marriage was created to bring joy.

Following the plan of the Creator the home can be a place of lasting contentment. Successful marriages are not characterized by the absence of problems but a willingness to solve those problems with the word of God. Solomon makes important concessions in the proverb that will help in our marriages. God wants us to be happy. This will be a lifetime of commitment. Life is short so make the best of every day. Do the best you can every day to make your marriage happy. Share your love with one another while you are living before the day of death separates you forever. Flowers on the grave will be too late if flowers never came in life. Words of love are empty when death takes away the voice. Today is the day to show love for one another.

Living joyfully is finding happiness in life. There are many things to discourage. Life can be hard. When the Lord created Adam, He said it was not good that he should be alone. Creating the woman from the side of Adam shows how God wants the man and woman to face life – together; united. Joy is found in companionship. Marriage is a union of friendship where the husband and wife seek the welfare of the other above the needs of self. Joy is not selfish. Do the best you can do with every ounce of energy to bring the spirt of God into the home and you will find a deeper peace and lasting joy than ever before. His plan always works!

[Marriage] is a fusion of two hearts – the union of two lives – the coming together of two tributaries, which after being joined in marriage, will flow in the same channel in the same direction … carrying the same burdens of responsibility and obligation. (Peter Marshall, quoted by Catherine Marshall, in her A Man Called Peter, 1951)

And Jeroboam said in his heart, “Now the kingdom may return to the house of David: If these people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will turn back to their lord, Rehoboam king of Judah, and they will kill me and go back to Rehoboam king of Judah.” Therefore the king asked advice, made two calves of gold, and said to the people, “It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, O Israel, which brought you up from the land of Egypt!” And he set up one in Bethel, and the other he put in Dan. Now this thing became a sin, for the people went to worship before the one as far as Dan. He made shrines on the high places, and made priests from every class of people, who were not of the sons of Levi. Jeroboam ordained a feast on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, like the feast that was in Judah, and offered sacrifices on the altar. So he did at Bethel, sacrificing to the calves that he had made. And at Bethel he installed the priests of the high places which he had made. So he made offerings on the altar which he had made at Bethel on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, in the month which he had devised in his own heart. And he ordained a feast for the children of Israel, and offered sacrifices on the altar and burned incense. (1 Kings 12:26-33)

A Religion Of Convenience

Following the death of Solomon, the nation of Israel divided north and south under the leadership of Rehoboam, son of Solomon and Jeroboam, son of Nebat. The history of the northern tribes would be marred by the leadership of every king rebelling against the Lord. Judah and Benjamin would have periods of good kings and bad kings. What set the northern tribes on their collision course with annihilation was the foundation of worship by Jeroboam. The Law of Moses had been established for many years as the single authority of truth among the people of God. There was no question the word of the Lord came to Moses at Mount Sinai giving Him the Law. During the journey to Canaan, subsequent conquering of the land and periods of Judges and reigns of Saul, David and Solomon, the Law of Moses was understood as the only message of truth for the people to follow. However, Jeroboam had a problem. If he did not take drastic measures, he would lose his grip on the hearts of the people. His solution came directly from the beguiling lips of Satan.

The king did not change the word of God but simply made it more convenient. He convinced the people that travel to Jerusalem was too much and they should worship in a much more expedient place. It was unfair for the Lord to expect the people to make such an arduous trip just to offer some sacrifices and say some prayers. Think of the time they would save for themselves by not having to make that long journey south. Appealing to the scriptures, the king reminds them of the worship of the golden calf at Sinai, suggesting like Aaron, these golden calves were responsible for delivering the people from Egypt. Sadly, the people readily accepted the lie.

To further solidify his hold on the people, Jeroboam allowed anyone who wanted to be a priest to become one. Why be bound by the Law allowing only those from the tribe of Levi to serve as priest? Every class of the people would be allowed to don the priestly garbs. It was also necessary to change the time of the feast. Instead of the feast being on the 15^th day of the 7^th month as prescribed in the Law of Moses, Jeroboam set up the feast on the 15^th day of the 8^th month. The king became a symbol of the wickedness of this new religion by making sacrifices himself on the altar. There is nothing more appealing than a religion of convenience. The scriptures affirm all of these changes came as a result of what Jeroboam devised in his own heart.

False religion comes in the same fashion as Jeroboam’s reform. The church of God began on Pentecost two thousand years ago. Now, there are many churches filling the landscape of the country with their different forms of faith, worship and practice. Men have a desire to worship God as they want and change the word of God to fit their needs. The religion of convenience is the greatest tool Satan has used to corrupt the minds of men. It is easy for the church of the Lord to point a finger at those who have so corrupted the truth they have fallen far away from the pattern of scripture. The real truth is the religion of convenience is alive and well within the minds of God’s people today.

Church services are becoming more convenient to the needs of the people. Less time spent in worship together, less Bible being taught, more emphasis upon the pleasures of life are norm. God’s word is being challenged to form a religion of acceptance that truth is relative to the needs of the social culture of the day. Immodesty abounds in the lives of God’s children, social drinking and fornicating are not uncommon and acceptance of any divorce is expected. Musical instruments are heard blaring from the places of worship. Acceptance of women taking the role of leadership within the body of Christ is debated and accepted. For many, the church is an institution of fun, frolic and finding personal happiness.

What Jeroboam started ended with destruction. The further the church of Christ becomes an institution of convenience the farther away from truth it will slide. Thankfully, the grace of God will never allow the church to be destroyed. What will happen are the thousands of local congregations of God’s people who will assemble to offer sacrifice to the golden calf of modern American religion will become nothing but a stench of Satan’s touch. Jeroboam’s folly is the future of many of God’s people.

In every age of Christianity since it was first preached, there has been what may be called a religion of the world, which so far imitates the one true religion as to deceive the unstable and unwary. (John Henry Newman, Parochial and Plain Sermons, I, 1843)