The Heaton File

“O death, where is your sting? O hades, where is your victory?” The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:55-57)

A Day Of Victory

Today is a special day to reflect upon the sadness born from how liberty has been forged over the past two hundred years for every American. Freedom has never been free. It has cost the lives of thousands of men and women. War has been the blight of man since the beginning. Many reasons are given for war. Every conflict is portrayed as a noble cause but in the end, it becomes an exercise of killing. For Americans, the first warfare was to achieve separation from the English empire. Then the bloody and senseless civil war where Americans killed Americans by the thousands. Other wars have been fought throughout the world increasing the population of cemeteries. Today is a day to pause and reflect upon the sacrifices given by those who gave all.

Man has always given tribute to the fallen heroes of wars gone by. From the Greeks and the Romans, the honoring of the dead has been a part of every national consciousness. Whether we understand the reasons for war, we can understand the reality of a loved one’s death. It is a terrible price to pay. It is fitting to have a day of remembrance to acknowledge the sacrifice of a life cut short. Memorial Day is a time to reflect upon the realities of what man is and what he needs.

Death is horrible. Wars are the killing fields of youth. The sadness of what this day reflects is the reality of what happened so very long ago. Death embraced man because of his rejection of his Creator. In the garden of Eden Adam and Eve lived in a paradise of peace before God. Because of sin, they were driven from the tree of life. Death reigned. Cain killed Abel. Nations destroyed nations. Men killed one another. There was no hope. Jesus came. He was killed. What changed with His death is what happened on the first day of the week. He arose. He not only arose but He still lives. Because of His resurrection, death is no longer something to be feared. Now there is hope.

Trying to explain the reasons for war is impossible. Understanding what Jesus did can be explained. The sacrifice of our dead is personal and we should pause today giving honor to their memory. It should remind us of the terrible way man finds himself without God. Thankfully, death is not to be viewed as final. There is victory in death for the child of God because the war against Satan has been won by the blood of Jesus Christ. Our memorial day is every first day of the week when we remember the greatest sacrifice. There is a real hope that one day death will be taken away and there will be no more sorrow, no more tears and no more pain. Then, and only then, will all memorial days be taken away. Victory will be final in Jesus Christ. Lord come quickly.

We often hear it said: “If God existed there would be no wars.” But it would be truer to say: “If God’s laws were observed there would be no wars.” (Yves M. Congar; God, Man and the Universe, 1950)

And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord. (Ephesians 6:4)

What Children Need To Know About God

When I was growing up, we always had chickens either in the pen or scratching around the house. The care of chickens is not complex. They were provided housing, food and water with the expectation of some kind of produce in the form of eggs or part of the dumplings mom would fix for supper. On occasions, an opossum may have to be shot to protect the brood. Raising chickens was not anything personal and was as matter-of-fact as only providing what was necessary for survival. It seems hard to make a correlation between raising chickens and parenting but for many homes, there is not a lot of difference. Children are loved very different from chickens but that is where the differences end. As long as the child is provided a home, nourishment and some level of protection; that is all that is done. The one key ingredient lacking in many homes is the presence of God.

It is easy to see how successful our children have become in the world because they have good jobs, nice homes, and friends and seem to enjoy life. They work hard every week at maintaining the American dream. Life is good. Sadly, God is nowhere to be found in the home. There is no time for reading the Bible or praying together. Decisions are made for the family without God. Success in life is limited to the coins of popularity, wealth and materialism. Every home needs to build the foundation upon the knowledge of God. Children need to learn about the Heavenly Father first in the home. The obligation of the home is where the truth of God is rooted.

Children need to know there is a God. The training of the Lord first recognizes an eternal being that is the Creator, Savior, Protector and Judge. Parents must instill in their children the knowledge of the Lord in the hearts of their children. He needs to be real to them because He is real. Teaching children about God is the fundamental teaching of the child’s schoolroom.

Children need to know the character of God. The admonition of the Lord shows the goodness of God and the severity of God. There are many places in the Bible where God’s love is shown. His mercy, grace and love fill the pages of the Bible. Repeatedly He exercises a longsuffering spirit to forgive man. The embrace of a loving God is vital to knowing the true character of the Lord. There is also a side of the Lord children need to believe and that is the punishment of God. Like the examples of His love, there are many stories of the severity of the Lord against unrighteousness. God will punish. The Lord will exercise His will against those who disobey Him. Children must learn that God is to be respected for both His love and His severity.

Children must learn the Father loves them and wants them to obey Him. Salvation can only be found in the word of God. Obedience is not a burdensome thing but the beauty of God’s love for all men. Teaching children to trust in God will give them a direction in life that will lead to Heaven. The most important thing you can teach your children is to know the Lord because that is the only knowledge they will take with them to eternity. Parents only have one opportunity to teach their children. Make certain it begins, includes and ends with God.

We take care of our possessions for our children. But of the children themselves we take no care at all. What an absurdity is this. Form the soul of thy son aright, and all the rest will be added hereafter. (John Chrysostom [340-407]; Select Library of Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Vol. 13, 1^st Series)

That night the king could not sleep. So one was commanded to bring the book of the records of the chronicles; and they were read before the king. And it was found written that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs, the doorkeepers who had sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. Then the king said, “What honor or dignity has been bestowed on Mordecai for this?” And the king’s servants who attended him said, “Nothing has been done for him.” So the king said, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the king’s palace to suggest that the king hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him. The king’s servants said to him, “Haman is there, standing in the court.” And the king said, “Let him come in.” So Haman came in, and the king asked him, “What shall be done for the man whom the king delights to honor?” Now Haman thought in his heart, “Whom would the king delight to honor more than me?” And Haman answered the king, “For the man whom the king delights to honor, let a royal robe be brought which the king has worn, and a horse on which the king has ridden, which has a royal crest placed on its head. Then let this robe and horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king’s most noble princes, that he may array the man whom the king delights to honor. Then parade him on horseback through the city square, and proclaim before him: ‘Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor!’ ” Then the king said to Haman, “Hurry, take the robe and the horse, as you have suggested, and do so for Mordecai the Jew who sits within the king’s gate! Leave nothing undone of all that you have spoken.” So Haman took the robe and the horse, arrayed Mordecai and led him on horseback through the city square, and proclaimed before him, “Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor!” Afterward Mordecai went back to the king’s gate. But Haman hurried to his house, mourning and with his head covered. (Esther 6:1-12)

Haman’s Really, Really Bad Day

Pride is a powerful enemy of the soul when men fill themselves with their self-worth and exalted pride. It happened to a man called Haman who was placed in a position of national power. Everyone bowed in the presence of the son of Hammedatha the Agagite giving him great tribute except a man by the name of Mordecai. This rattled the spirit of Haman and he hated Mordecai. Devising a plan to destroy Mordecai and all his people Haman approached King Ahasuerus with a bold plan to exterminate the Jews. Receiving authority to carry out the holocaust the decree was set.

On a day when Mordecai was sitting in the gate of the city, he overhead two eunuchs talking of killing King Ahasuerus which he reported to the king immediately. The two conspirators were discovered and hanged on a gallows with the record of the event kept in the official records of the king. One night when the king could not sleep, he called for a reading and was reminded of the foiled plot. Inquiring if any reward was given for Mordecai it was found that nothing had been done. This is where Haman’s day turns horrible – really horrible. He had come to the palace to suggest to the king they hang Mordecai on a specially prepared gallows. The significance of this gallows was that it was nearly 75 feet in height. Haman wanted to make everyone see Mordecai hang as high as he could make it. His hatred for Mordecai was uncompromising. Nothing would stand in his way of killing that Jew. So he thought.

As he stood in the court waiting to tell the king of his plan, he must have been beside himself with glee to know that his mortal enemy would be writhing in insufferable pain in just a few hours. The king calls Haman into his court and poses a question: how do you show honor to a great man of the kingdom? Immediately Haman thought the king was speaking of himself because who else in the kingdom would be so important to receive such a blessing from the king? What a moment for Haman. Immediately Haman sets forth a beautiful plan of how the king would honor him with something beyond his imagination. He went overboard with how this man would be honored. Finishing his great oratory, Haman waited for the crown to be placed on his head and the noble horse delivered for him to ride throughout the city. The words that came out of the kings mouth stunned Haman. It was more than stunned. To his complete unbelief the king ordered Haman to place the crown upon the head of Mordecai and for Haman to lead Mordecai around the city in the splendor of a noble prince.

Haman had no choice but to obey the king’s command. That was the worst day of his life – or so he thought. It was up to him to find Mordecai and tell him the news from the king. He had to place the crown on his head. He had to lead him about and proclaim how honored Mordecai was. What a grief that must have been to his heart. He really did not mean what he told the people. He lied the whole time but no once knew the difference because he knew he had to obey the king. When the procession finally finished Haman ran back to his home enraged, humiliated and ashamed. This day was the worst ‘Monday’ he had ever had and no day would ever be as terrible as the day he had to lead Mordecai around on a horse proclaiming great honors to the man he hated. Little did he know his day was about to get even worse when he was called to a feast at the palace. When he left the feast sometime later, he was not going home. He was headed for the gallows he built for Mordecai. Instead of his hated enemy dying that day, it was Haman who lost his life.

Justice against evil does not always come in this life. Sometimes it does. It did the day Haman had a really, really bad day. Now that is a great story.

Who is a God like You, pardoning iniquity and passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in mercy. He will again have compassion on us, and will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. (Micah 7:18-19)

What A Wonderful God We Serve

The history of man has never been anything that has shown man to be worth a great deal. From the beginning, the struggle against sin resulted in Adam and Eve being cast out of the Garden of Eden, the world of Noah’s day literally destroyed and the apple of God’s eye – Israel – destroyed from the ravaging stench of sin. It goes unabated today. The world is in a fragile state of immorality destroying nations and families with its insidious onslaught of unfulfilled promises. Why does God allow the world to stand? Looking around the world makes a person stop and question how much worse can it be and when will the Lord return and bring all this misery to an end? Reflecting in a personal way can be a challenge to question why the Lord continues to forgive us when we struggle so hard with sin. The prophet Micah gives us the answer.

Who is a God like the Lord of the Bible? His grace gave hope to Adam and Eve in the beginning because He forgave them offering a way of escape. The world of Noah’s day was completely given over to sin. He destroyed all those who rebelled but Noah found grace in His eyes and the Lord God saved eight people. Israel was the precious vineyard of the Lord that He destroyed because of their rebellion but there was a remnant that came out of the darkness because of their faithfulness. Who can we compare the Lord God Almighty with regarding anything man has done? There is no God like our Father. He does not stay angry forever. There may be reason for Him to retain His anger because we sin repeatedly but He does not because He is full of mercy. His love is so abounding we cannot fathom how much God loves us.

Penitent hearts are so dear to God. When David did all those terrible things involving Bathsheba, the Lord saw a tender heart of godly sorrow and forgave him. Saul of Tarsus devoted his early life to the complete obliteration of the church of Christ and yet he found mercy from a loving God who forgave him and molded him into an instrument of righteousness. Who is a God like that? If our Father will forgive David and Saul (among so many more examples) then why do we think He will not forgive us when we are filled with godly sorrow and remorse? Our Father in Heaven will pardon us. That means the sentence of death is removed. He will pass over our sin because He sees the blood of Jesus Christ and our hearts of penitent sorrow. The anger God has with sin He removes because He wants to, desires to, and longs to extend His mercy to us in every measure of His nature.

The Lord is a God of wrath. Of this, we must not be mistaken. But this fear of the wrath of His character is not why we serve Him. We follow the will of God because He is full of mercy forgiving us every time we sin casting our sins into the deepest part of the sea. Coming to the Lord in love for His mercy we are forgiven and stand righteous before Him in love. Who is a God like Him? His truth and His mercy have been from everlasting. His promises are true. Thank God for the wonderful grace of His love.

When it is said that God loves man this is not a judgment on what man is like, but on what God is like. (Anders Nygren, Agape and Eros, 1953)

By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world–our faith. (1 John 5:2-4)

Love, Commandments And Faith

Defining love is not just expressing a feeling with words. We can say we love God but not have a true love for God. Often the people of God have struggled with offering sacrifices out of duty without any love for the Father because their faith in Him is lacking. Love alone will not make us pleasing to God no more than just keeping a set number of rules. Having faith in God does not save by itself because James tells us faith without works is dead. True love is given in the words we express to God as we follow His will because of the faith that motivates our love and obedience. Love is the imperative and keeping the commandments of God is necessary for salvation. Faith is the heart of why we keep the commandments of God because the Lord requires obedience.

Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount that salvation comes from doing the will of the Father. There is a right and wrong that we must follow and our faith comes from hearing the word of God or the commandments of the Lord. The Bible is the full revelation of God’s will. Spending time with the pages of Holy Writ will increase our love for God when we see how merciful the Lord is to sinful man. Love comes from having a relationship with someone. Our love for God does not come because we are children of God. When a child is born into the world, he learns love from the relationship he develops with his parents. They show him love and he responds to that love. Being a Christian alone does not make us love God. We love Him more and more because the more time we spend reading His word they more we come to know how much the Lord loves us. Having a personal relationship with the Father is where our love for Him begins.

As we spend time in the word and our love grows, the desire to please God becomes so much greater. We show our love to Him when we keep His commandments. There is nothing the Father will ask of us that we cannot do. None of His commands are hard. All that God wants us to do can be done because He loves us and we love Him and we can do anything He asks of us. Commandment keeping is an integral part of our lives as Christians. Remember that commandment keeping does not save us alone if we do not have the love for God. We obey His will because we love Him and the more we love Him the more we want to please Him. God knows we love Him when we obey Him.

Faith is the fruit of our love for God and our love for God to obey Him. The Bible is the written word for all men to understand the will of God. Like any relationship, love grows more over time as we learn more about the grace of God. Throughout the history of man, God has shown His love and His severity so that we can come to love a Father who is filled with justice, mercy, grace, and love and longsuffering. The more we love Him and obey His word the greater our faith grows. It becomes deeper. The roots of faith grow deep in our life because we love God more and we mold our lives more perfectly to the image of His Son.

Faith, love and keeping the commandments of God: one cannot exist without the other. As each part grows – the greater the other part becomes. We overcome the world because our faith in God grows daily from His love as we keep His commandments. Spend time in the word of God. Let your faith soar to the throne of God telling Him how much you love Him more today than ever before.

What gives faith its movement towards God, makes it vital and infectious, and carries people away, is love. (Adrienne von Speyr, Meditations on the Gospel of John, 1961)

Do not withhold correction from a child, for if you beat him with a rod, he will not die. You shall beat him with a rod, and deliver his soul from hell. (Proverbs 23:13-14)

To Spank Or Not To Spank

Unpopular. When the discussion turns to the discipline of children, society turns a dim eye on anyone who would lay a hand on a child. Changes happen in cultures for good and for worse. What was once considered acceptable is no longer viewed with the same concern. There was a time when the majority of Americans smoked. The diligence of health experts and the people’s desire for a better life has reduced smoking to a very low percentage. How did that happen? Culture changed. This was a good change but it shows the power of how what once something was viewed as a normal part of life is not as accepted as it had been. The same thing has happened to spanking children. There was a time in our country when discipline was a part of life. If you misbehaved at school, you would face the consequence at home. In today’s liberal society, if a child misbehaves in school the teacher is punished. There is a fear to correct children in public for fear of law enforcement being called.

The whims of society dictate the culture of character. History bears the scars of every generation trying to improve upon the principles laid forth from the word of God. The Bible is the mind of God revealed to man showing him the only path of truth. There has never been a time in the history of man the Lord has approved of child abuse. Paul warns fathers not to bring their children up in an atmosphere of wrath. Love is the foundation of a parents relationship with their children as they teach them, correct them and admonish them. But then we turn to the wisdom literature where God tells parents to beat their child with a rod. Another thing that changes in society is the meaning of words. When someone reads the words “beat” and “rod” images of horrific child abuse emerge. Is this what God intended? No. What the Lord does mean is that pain is involved. Children need to understand the consequence of their actions can bring about the punishment of chastisement. It is not to inflict pain for pain’s sake but to impress upon the mind the seriousness of their actions.

There are many dangers in life. If a child wants to stick their finger in an electrical socket, are mere words going to impose upon their will the danger? Not likely. When a child is running through the parking lot and does not see a car approach, will kind words of love stop him in his tracks? Never. There are times something more forceful must be done. Inflicting pain to teach a child the dangers of electricity is prudent. Being able to forcefully shout a command to stop may save a child’s life. Everyone needs corrective discipline from time to time. Children who grow up without the infliction of painful disciple will be a ruin to themselves and to others.

When parents spend a lot of time with instructive discipline, it becomes less likely the use of punitive discipline is necessary. But there will always be a time to choose the rod instead of the word. Consider this parents: if you believe the Bible to be the word of truth and you believe the word of God tells you about the Son of God – how can you deny the proverb of today? Our loving Father tells us that children need the rod from time to time. If we refuse to do that, we have refused to follow the plan God intended for the family. There are many passages that tell parents to teach children the way of truth in love. Understand that God also requires you to exercise punitive discipline when needed.

A good home is authoritarian, for if a wise mothers sees her young son about to eat poison berries, she stops him. She does not say: “I must not coerce him. He must make his own discovery of truth” … but a good home is also … an honoring of personality. So any sound education is both authoritarian and free. (George A. Buttrick, Christ and Man’s Dilemma, 1946)

Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works. (Hebrews 10:22-24)

A Three-Part Salad

The Hebrew writer has a difficult task ahead of him. He is trying diligently to help the Hebrew Christians keep their faith in Jesus Christ. Struggling under the weight of persecution the early saints were in fear of drawing back to a failed system of salvation. Showing Jesus Christ as the better way, the better promise, the better High priest and the only sacrifice that can take away sins, the letter to the Hebrews is an exhortation to keep the faith in true diligence. There are many nuggets that come out of the book but in chapter 10 there is a powerful three point lesson given for all of us.

LET US draw near with a true heart. Because of the blood of Jesus Christ we can enter the most Holy of Holies. Prohibited except by the High Priest once a year, the Holy of Holies was a place of danger for anyone to enter. Jesus came to remove the veil that separated man from God. The Father has granted access to Him by His people to come before Him as man has never done before. Consider what it means to be allowed to stand before the Lord God Creator. With a pure heart we are able to come before the Hallowed name of Jehovah. He invites us to come. Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith.

LET US trust in the word of God as faithful and true. There is no reason to draw back because God will never leave us or forsake us. Holding fast to the words we confessed in obedience to the gospel of Christ will bind us with the Father for eternity. He will not waver. We must not waver. No matter the level of persecution we can maintain the spirit of truth given to us by God. All of His promises are true and none have failed. Whatever the Lord speaks is true. His faithfulness is without end. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful

LET US help others find the same peace we have found in the assurance of God. Our role in the body of Christ is to exhort others helping them see the blessings of the Heavenly Father. The writer will encourage the brethren to assemble so their spirits can be lifted as one in love and good works. We need each other and we all need one another. Stirring others up will help them as it helps us. We help one another in our journey to Heaven by considering one another. Our care should rise from how we feel about one another. It becomes ‘our’ struggles instead of ‘their’ struggles. We share in ‘our’ joy rather than ‘their’ joy. We are one together in the body of Christ. Let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works.

A three-part salad filled with let-us.

And it happened, as He spoke these things, that a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, “Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!” But He said, “More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” (Luke 11:27-28)

Jesus And The Woman

She was just a woman in a crowd listening to Jesus teach. The Lord showed the people how to pray with persistence and the need to keep asking for the good gifts from above. He cast out a demon from a mute who then began to speak. Many marveled at His power while others accused Him of casting out demons by Beelzebub. Jesus rebuked those who challenged Him with stern words of warning. Through it all stood a woman soaking in all that Jesus said and did. She could tell this man from Nazareth was unlike any teacher she had ever heard. He spoke with simplicity, kindness and yet forceful when challenged. The woman quietly watched the character of His speech, the tone of His voice, taking note of how He moved the crowd with His teaching. It was an amazing thing to watch. It was more amazing to hear Him talk. As if in a spontaneous expression of praise she bursts forth how blessed the world was for the woman who brought such a man into this world. In His true fashion of humility, Jesus deflects the comment to the work He had come to accomplish for His Father.

The Jews would eventually bring about the death of Jesus but there were many who loved Him and followed Him because of His teaching. These were hearts that were fertile for the teachings of the carpenter’s son. Jesus dealt with the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, scribes, and Jewish leaders but He really connected with the common people. Here is an unknown woman the Holy Spirit does not identify raising her voice in praise of the man who stood before her. Jesus did not rebuke her but channeled her comment to remind the people why He had come. His mission was to bring men to His Father. Hearing the word of God and keeping it was the most important thing they could do.

No doubt, the woman’s comment reflected in the mind of Jesus of His dear mother who brought Him into the world caring for His every need. Those days when He was a baby learning to walk and the soothing hymns Mary would sing to Him flooded His mind. Jesus loved His mother and Joseph very much. On the cross He stopped everything to tell Mary how much He loved her and asked John to care for her. The unknown woman who raised her voice did so because she could tell there was something special about Jesus. The record does not say but did she come up to Jesus later and hug his neck thanking Him for His life and kind words? Jesus received a lot of abuse but He needed to hear these words also. There can be little doubt the simple praise of a woman in the crowd gave Jesus pause to thank His Father for the good people in the world who loved Him. We need a lot of unknown women in the crowd of humanity to see the purity of Jesus and acknowledge such.

There are many people like this woman. Let us see the humble character of the man from Nazareth and lift up our voices to the throne of the Father thanking Him for giving us the life of His only Son. Never let a day go by that we do not thank the Heavenly Father for the gift of Jesus. Learn His words. Listen to His teachings. Walk in His steps. Come to know the Son of God. And then you too – like the unknown woman – will lift up your voice and say, “Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You.” Thank you Jesus.

When Jesus utters a word, He opens His mouth so wide that it embraces all heaven and earth, even though the word be but a whisper. (Marth Luther; 1483-1546; Table Talk)

So when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich. And when Jesus saw that he became very sorrowful, He said, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” And those who heard it said, “Who then can be saved?” But He said, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.” (Luke 18:22-27)

With God Everything Is Possible

When God created the world, He spoke it into existence. Think about that. He did not take some matter and work it in His hands to form to the world.  He said, “Let there be light and there was light.” Every part of creation that we see around us came forth by the word of God. Man was formed from the dust of the ground. Woman was created from a rib taken from Adam. The universe and all its bodies continue in motion today because of the word of God. He spoke and it happened. In the days of Noah, the Lord unleased the waters from above and the waters from below destroying all life on the planet earth with the exception of eight people and a boat load of animals. He made the flood to happen. It covered every continent and every mountain. His word diminished the flood and the earth returned to its created place. He spoke and it happened.

The Old Testament is filled with stories of God bringing plagues upon Egypt, dividing the Red Sea, wonders and mighty deeds against the enemies of Israel and on His own people. In one night 185,000 men were killed by the hand of God. He lifted up nations to punish Israel and brought nations low for killing His people. Jesus Christ came to earth showing His power to walk on water, raise the dead, heal every disease known to man and shackle the powers of demons with only a word. The power of God was in the life of Christ testifying that He was God. Mortal men were given these powers for a limited time to prove the word of God true. The mighty, wonder working power of God fills the pages of Holy Writ telling the people of God that nothing is impossible for Him.

Jesus was sorrowful the rich young ruler went away. He had come to the Lord seeking eternal life but thought it impossible to give up all his riches. The ruler did not believe in the power of God. Selfishly, he would not accept the will of the Lord. Those standing around also mused of what the young man did. They understood what Jesus asked was too hard. The problem with man is that he is blinded by his own power to see what can be done with the power of God. If God can speak a world into existence, destroy the world with a flood, raise the dead, heal any sickness and cast out fierce demons – what can He not do in my life? Men view situations from the impossible vistas of doubt. God sees everything as possible because He made all things. He is greater than everything, anything and all things in this world. He is HUGE. He is ALL POWERFUL.

The lesson about the Father is this: what is there in your life that God cannot take care of? Are you in an impossible marriage? With God, all things are possible. Is sickness troubling your soul? The Lord is a God of possibilities. Are you fearful of the world’s politics? He is still in control. Is sin having a crippling hold on your heart? Let God forgive you and purify you with His love. There is nothing in life that I cannot trust in the Lord God Creator Savior to take care of. Death is nothing to be feared because He took the sting away. Everything is possible with God! Period!

If I looked into a mirror and did not see my face, I should have the same sort of feeling which actually comes upon me, when I look into this living busy world, and see no reflection of its Creator. (John Henry Newman, Apologia pro Vita Sua, 1864)

Moreover the Lord stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines and the Arabians who were near the Ethiopians. And they came up into Judah and invaded it, and carried away all the possessions that were found in the king’s house, and also his sons and his wives, so that there was not a son left to him except Jehoahaz, the youngest of his sons. After all this the Lord struck him in his intestines with an incurable disease. Then it happened in the course of time, after the end of two years, that his intestines came out because of his sickness; so he died in severe pain. And his people made no burning for him, like the burning for his fathers. He was thirty-two years old when he became king. He reigned in Jerusalem eight years and, to no one’s sorrow, departed. However they buried him in the City of David, but not in the tombs of the kings. (2 Chronicles 21:16-20)

The Saddest Story

Death brings sorrow for the passing of our loved ones. We grieve the times lost to talk with them, laugh about life, go places together and enjoy their company. When people of nobility die, we have a sense of mourning for them as well. Death brings about a loss and a spirit of sadness. There is one story in the Bible where none of this is true. The king of Judah was a man named Jehoram. He was the son of Jehoshaphat and immediately after he became king slaughtered all his brothers and the princes that opposed him. At the age of 32, Jehoram lead the nation in all of the wickedness of Ahab, his father-in-law. The land was filled with the whoredom of idolatry as the people forsook the Lord God. His reign would last only eight years. The prophet Elijah sent a letter to the king warning him of the terrible things that would come against the land. He also prophesied a miserable end for Jehoram.

The word of the Lord came true as Jehoram was inflicted with an incurable disease in his intestines suffering for two years before he died a violent death. When he died, the people were so wicked and so indifferent the text says that when the king died nobody cared or gave notice. He lived forty years and his death was not even mentioned in the obituary of the kings. A wasted life. His people had no sympathy for him. There was no love loss for the death of a fellow human being who had served the nation as king.

Jehoram is a sad story because he spent his whole life gaining the pleasures and nobility of life and died in obscurity. No one cared that he died. There were no tears of sorrow at the death of a king much less for a human being. The wicked world he helped propagate – like him – cared only for themselves. Their wickedness took no notice of his misery for two years much less his death. His life was so wicked death had no meaning. He is barely remembered in the annals of the Bible. A nothing man. Oblivion.

We all will have an epitaph of our life. It is not that we live to be remembered in prominence among men but the praise of the Lord. Many saints die unnoticed from the hurried affairs of men but someone knows and someone cares. It only matters if our names are found in the book of life but we desire for some sorrow at our passing from others. Jehoram had none. He lived his life his way and died his way. His place in eternity is sealed among the damned because he rejected the love of God. What men will place on your death marker will say a lot about the life you have lived. Do not let your life end with the sadness of being lost. Live so that in death there will be sorrow from family and friends but joy in the praise of angels welcoming you to the bosom of Abraham. Now that is a great story.

Let us so live that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry. (Mark Twain; 1835-1910; Notebook, publ. 1935)