A Book Burning

Posted on March 22, 2016 by heatonkent

bookburningofephesusThis became known both to all Jews and Greeks dwelling in Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. And many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds. Also, many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver. So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed. (Acts 19:17-20)

A Book Burning

Paul’s work in Ephesus was filled with great demonstrations of the power of God both through teaching and unusual miracles. He taught daily in the school of Tyrannus. The miracles were so powerful that if handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from him the people would be healed. On one occasion some itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to try and mimic what had been done through the Holy Spirit but with disastrous results. They fled out of the house naked and wounded. All the Jews and Greeks in Ephesus heard of this and great fear came upon the people. As a result many obeyed the gospel of Jesus Christ.

One particular group that saw the power of God and turned to the gospel was those who practiced the magic arts. These were not entertainers like David Copperfield but men who dabbled in the occult arts of magic like spiritualism, astrology and divination. Having seen the true power of God they turned from their deceitful practices to the one true God. As a show of their conviction they brought their books of magic and burned them in the sight of all. They were not merely turning to the Lord; they were excising their lives of those things that stood against the doctrine of Jesus Christ. Luke points out the value of these rare books totaled 50,000 pieces of silver which was an incredible amount of money. They demonstrated the wonder working power of the love of God as it changes men into servants of God.

Not everyone had to burn expensive books when they became a Christian. What is found in the example of these men is the attitude that everyone must have in obedience to the gospel. Anything that stands in the way of what God requires has to be removed. Jesus implored His disciples to take up their cross and follow Him. The cost was huge. In some cases a greater price had to be paid. The rich young ruler that came to Jesus was told to give all his riches to the poor but he refused. Peter said the apostles had left all to follow Jesus. The attitude of heart for obedience demands a full surrender to the cause of Christ.

There are those today who must leave good paying jobs to be a child of God. Some have to give up marital relationships, friendships, or religious affiliations to be obedient to the will of the Father. For some the cost is great. What is wonderful about the magicians in our story is they were willing to burn rare and expensive books to show their faith in Jesus Christ. This was total dedication. Taking up the cross of Jesus is a painful experience. Unless we are willing to give up everything to follow the Lord we cannot follow Him. Heaven cost the Father the life of His Son. Can we expect the cost to be less for us? Do not let anything – no matter how precious it may be – hinder obedience to the gospel call of Jesus Christ.

The marks of the cross are simply the marks of our identification with our Lord, death to our own plans and purposes, death to our own right to our lives, that He might have His way with us and ours. (Vance Havner; 1901-1986)

Posted in Bible, Character Study, Christ, Christian, Church, cross, Jesus Christ, New Testament, Paul | 1 Comment

Jesus Calls Me

Posted on March 21, 2016 by heatonkent

 

follow-me_wide_t_nvAfter these things He went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” So he left all, rose up, and followed Him. (Luke 5:27-28)

Jesus Calls Me

There is so much more information the reader would like to have when Jesus called His disciples to Him. Mark and Luke record the calling of Matthew in a brief paragraph with Matthew himself referring to the event in the third person. The three gospel writers show that Matthew was sitting at his place of work and when Jesus implored him to follow him he left his table and never turned back. When Matthew writes his book of the life of Jesus he says almost nothing about his own life. There are only seven places Matthew is named (or Levi) in scripture. He is implied in many places as being part of the apostles in their work such as being sent out with power to perform miracles or to teach in the cities.

Matthew had a lucrative job. His position as a tax collector was one of wealth and certain influence in the community. Hated by his own people as a representative of the Roman oppression Matthew would be viewed with disdain by others. Jesus comes along and bids him follow after a teacher that offers no wealth, no fame and certainly no position in life. And he still follows Jesus. He leaves his table and goes after a man that will be hated by the Jewish elite and murdered because of His teaching. Matthew renounces everything he knew to be a follower of the Christ. His life would take him to the cross where he would watch the one he gave up all to follow die with the curse of a cross. Early that Sunday morning his heart would burst with great joy as he saw his Lord face to face following the resurrection. For the next forty days Matthew would revel in the teachings of the risen Savior. Watching with longing eyes he saw Jesus ascend to Heaven. Ten days later he was with Peter and the apostles baptizing three thousand disciples into the new body of Christ. And then the mission he left all to accept took on a real meaning. Through his work the gospel went to every creature under heaven.

Like Peter would say later, Matthew left all to follow Jesus. The Lord saw fit not to include the story of how Matthew made that choice. Following Jesus does not take a lot of explaining. The reason Matthew left his table of collecting was that he only wanted to follow Jesus wherever He went. His heart was fully dedicated to the cause of Christ. It would be a great sacrifice but the trinkets of this world were of no value to Matthew. He knew the value of the soul over the failure of worldly pleasures. He gave his life fully to the work of the Lord. He worked tirelessly to tell others about his Lord. No doubt he suffered a martyr’s death for what he believed. He died living for Jesus because he lived to die for Jesus. He left it all.

Matthew was a chosen vessel for Christ. Like Matthew we are to follow Jesus. There are things in this life we must walk away from. When Jesus calls He demands dedication. God wants all of our hearts and our minds and our souls. Our worship to Him is full. The devotion to His work is completely given to His cause. Matthew became a proclaimer of truth to others. We can do no less. It is not that we are called to leave our jobs and wander aimlessly in life. Our example in the work place should testify of Jesus Christ. The influence we have in the community should reflect the life of Jesus. As a husband or a wife, father or mother we should imitate the character of righteousness. Jesus calls us to be His disciples. Will we take up the cause? Who will follow Jesus standing for the right; holding up His banner in the thickest fight? Listening for His orders ready to obey. I will follow Jesus. He has called me.

God did not call you to be canary-birds in a little cage, and to hop up and down on three sticks, within a space no larger than the size of the cage. God calls you to be eagles, and to fly from sun to sun, over continents. (Henry Ward Beecher, Sermon, 1887)

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We Have The Same Father

Posted on March 20, 2016 by heatonkent

IMG_1059Y de una sangre ha hecho todo el linaje de los hombres, para que habiten sobre toda la faz de la tierra; y les ha prefijado el orden de los tiempos, y los límites de su habitación; para que busquen a Dios, si en alguna manera, palpando, puedan hallarle, aunque ciertamente no está lejos de cada uno de nosotros. Porque en él vivimos, y nos movemos, y somos; como algunos de vuestros propios poetas también han dicho: Porque linaje suyo somos. Siendo, pues, linaje de Dios, no debemos pensar que la Divinidad sea semejante a oro, o plata, o piedra, escultura de arte y de imaginación de hombres. Pero Dios, habiendo pasado por alto los tiempos de esta ignorancia, ahora manda a todos los hombres en todo lugar, que se arrepientan; por cuanto ha establecido un día en el cual juzgará al mundo con justicia, por aquel varón a quien designó, dando fe a todos con haberle levantado de los muertos. (Acts 17:26-31)

We Have The Same Father

When Paul came to Athens he faced a monumental task of convincing a people given over to idol worship of the doctrine of the one God. Standing on the Areopagus surrounded by idols the apostle proclaimed the truth of what the Athenians called the “Unknown God.” Flanked by the Acropolis and its majestic temples and the Agora filled with marble totems of man’s imaginations Paul preached a powerful sermon of unity in the mind of listeners. The true God of creation made all men to be of the same blood and dwell upon the earth to serve Him. The habitation of man is divinely determined being measured by the will of the Creator. All men regardless of tongue, culture or nationality must seek the one Father to find the answers to life. The message of salvation has always been the same throughout the myriad of generations man has walked upon the face of the earth. The Lord is not far and He wants man to seek Him. The message of repentance and the coming judgment has always guided man in his quest of the Almighty.

I returned late Friday night from a great week in Nicaragua. Working with five men of great spirit was an immense joy for me. It was a hard and arduous task of preaching in six different congregations before hundreds of people including Bible studies with numerous families. The task was challenging as only one of us spoke the native tongue. Enlisting the help of others the work of translation helped the message instill its power in the hearts of those who came. But through it all it seemed no challenge at all to preach the good news of Jesus Christ. For those of us who did not speak Spanish it was difficult to fully grasp the context of everything that was going on. Preaching with translation was a remarkable change from the norm. But one thing remained a constant. The faces of the people were just as beautiful to the message of salvation as any place on earth.

One of the things Paul wanted to impress upon the people of Athens is that we have the same Father. We may speak a different language and we may live in a different part of the world but we are united under the love of a single Father. What a joy to worship with the children of God who speak a different language yet the bond of love is the same. The smiles and warmth of the Nicaraguan brethren was just as warm and inviting as any place in the United States. They worshipped in places of simple design with no fanfare or comforts that we demand. Only one church meets in a place where the possibility for air conditioning exist. On Sunday more than 200 people gathered in a place for three hours with no AC and no padded pews and they were just as happy as could be. This was true all week. The singing was incredible. The prayers lengthy. The joy evident.

As we gather today to worship the Lord God Almighty let us all remember that others gather over the world to lift up their voices to sing Hallelujah to the Father. Hands of different colors clasp in prayer with the same hope. The grace of God is given to people of all nations no matter what language they speak. We are all God’s children in the body of Christ. One of the things I concluded my sermons with during my stay in Nicaragua was the message that one day we will be gathered together in one place and we will sing praises to God in one language. No barriers, no translations and no hindrances to what we share together. I look forward to the day I can worship with my Nicaraguan brethren again in eternal glory. My Father in Heaven is their Father and so it is with you.

When you see your brother, you see God. (Clement of Alexandria, Stromateis, 150)

Posted in Bible, Christ, Church, God, Gospels, Jesus Christ, New Testament, obedience, Paul | Leave a comment

Deeper Than Mount Everest

Posted on March 11, 2016 by heatonkent

power-of-forgiveness_tWho 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. You will give truth to Jacob and mercy to Abraham, which You have sworn to our fathers from days of old. (Micah 7:18-20)

Deeper Than Mount Everest

According to geology.com the “Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench is the deepest known point in Earth’s oceans. In 2010 the United States Center for Coastal & Ocean Mapping measured the depth of the Challenger Deep at 10,994 meters (36,070 feet) below sea level with an estimated vertical accuracy of ± 40 meters. If Mount Everest, the highest mountain on Earth, were placed at this location it would be covered by over one mile of water.” There are incredible things in our world. Mount Everest is the tallest peak on land and the Mariana Trench is the converse of that as the deepest point in the oceans. Whether Micah knew about the Mariana is probably doubtful because the point is not the name of the lowest point on earth but the truth of God’s grace.

The world declares the glory of God. In creation His hand is seen by His own invisible attributes. Using this as a backdrop the prophet closes his book by declaring the character of the Lord God as one of forgiveness. Sin is a dominant subject in the history of man as he struggles to overcome its poison. The consequences of sin destroyed the world in the time of Noah and in Micah’s day had destroyed the apple of God’s eye. Jesus came to earth to destroy sin by His death and resurrection. While sin is a major theme the forgiveness of God is the greater theme. Our Lord God does not keep His anger forever because of His great love and mercy. Written seven hundred years before Christ the people of God had done so many wicked things it was only by the grace of God that one child of Abraham was left. Through it all the Lord pleaded with the nation to return to Him. Micah’s message of mercy implores the people to come back to righteousness because God will not always be angry and He is willing to forgive. The depth of His love is that he promises to cast their sins into the depths of the sea. And that is a deep sea where no man can live.

God’s anger is not retained forever. That is still true today and will be true until the coming of His Son. The mercy of the Lord is beyond words to describe. How often we sin and disappoint our God and time and time again from penitent hearts we beg Him to take away our sins. And He does. Time and time again. His compassion is our grace. His love is our mercy. His depth of grace, mercy and love is that He will take our sins and burying them “36,070 feet below sea level” (as a figure of speech). That is like saying He will take our sins and throw them to the outermost parts of the universe. That is huge. That is incredible. That is our God.

He will cast all our sins away. He desires penitent hearts to come to Him seeking forgiveness. No matter what we have done (no matter what it is) we can receive through the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ the salvation of forgiveness and the promise that our sins are cast into the deepest parts of the sea. And that is deep folks. And that is how much God loves us. His love will never end. His grace will never diminish. His mercy will never fade. Sin has been conquered. There is no victory in sin and the sting has been removed. Jesus nailed its power to His cross and through Him we have the victory to overcome every sin and God will bury our sins into the depths of the sea. Praise God for His deliverance. Repent and be converted. Receive the forgiveness of a loving and kind God. Let Him take our sins away. God be merciful to me a sinner.

Love is the greatest thing that God can give us; for Himself is love; and it is the greatest thing we can give to God. (Jeremy Taylor, Holy Living, 1650)

Posted in Bible, Christ, Forgiveness, Jesus Christ, Micah, Old Testament | Leave a comment

He Wants Us To Live With Him

Posted on March 10, 2016 by heatonkent

18728_1280x1024-wallpaper-cb1273013536For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him. (1 Thessalonians 5:9-10)

He Wants Us To Live With Him

Our God is a kind God full of mercy, grace and love. For all the bad in the world and all the darkness of the spirit of the world one constant remains: the Lord God desires for His children to come live with Him. In all the scheme of man’s redemption the single longing of the Lord is for man to be saved. The severity of God is clearly defined in scripture. Time and again punishment has been meted out to those who disobey His will. Yet the true desire of the Father is not to punish but to save. There is so much to offer in His redemption. His blessings are so immense. The bounty of the grace of the Savior is like a cup running over. What a wonderful God we serve.

Peter writes that God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. Why? The treasure houses of spiritual blessings overflow waiting only for the will of man to seek and find them. Satan destroyed the happiness of peace in the garden of Eden and continues to strike against the people of God. His message of evil permeates the lives of all men destroying most. In the face of such terrible consequence the Lord God offered His only begotten Son as a sacrifice to show how much He loved man. Jesus came to earth and suffered as no man has ever endured. Sinless and with a forgiving heart the Son of God shed His blood on the cross for the sins of all men. What greater love can be shown? This is the Father’s love. His message is clear: He wants man to come to Him to find rest.

There is great comfort in knowing how much God loves us. Whether in this life or the life to come the Father wants to have a complete relationship with man. For those who drink of the well of blessing the Lord is full of grace. There is a life giving stream that flows through the life of the child of God. Joy fills the heart. Anticipating the promise of eternal life living in the presence of the Creator, the Lord God Almighty and the Heavenly Father is beyond the imagination. He wants us to live with Him. His desire is for all men to see Him face to face basking in His glory. The desire of God is for you to live with Him. Are you ready to see God? Is your life in harmony with His grace? John reminds us that what we read affirms our knowledge that we are saved and through this salvation we can live with God and see His face. Thank you God for your invitation of mercy. We can’t wait to live with you.

A little girl was walking with her father in the country. As she looked up into the star-studded sky, her eyes were filled with wonder. Turning to her father she asked, “Daddy, if the wrong side of heaven is so beautiful, what do you think the right side will be like?” (Facing Death and the Life After, Billy Graham, 1987, p. 237)

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What Will Come Of Our Nation?

Posted on March 9, 2016 by heatonkent

american-flagOh, clap your hands, all you peoples! Shout to God with the voice of triumph! For the Lord Most High is awesome; He is a great King over all the earth. He will subdue the peoples under us, and the nations under our feet. He will choose our inheritance for us, the excellence of Jacob whom He loves. God has gone up with a shout, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet. Sing praises to God, sing praises! Sing praises to our King, sing praises! For God is the King of all the earth; sing praises with understanding. God reigns over the nations; God sits on His holy throne. The princes of the people have gathered together, the people of the God of Abraham. For the shields of the earth belong to God; He is greatly exalted. (Psalm 47; To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah.)

What Will Come Of Our Nation?

Each political year comes with fear, frustration and concern for what will become of our nation. In the first place we should be thankful we live in a country that offers these feelings as many countries are locked in governments that do not allow the freedom of vote. Regardless of the form of government there is one single truth that has always overshadowed the rule of man – that is the rule of God. From the beginning of time the Lord has been the ruler of the world and only by His will have nations risen and His will have brought down nations. The Bible tells the stories of superpowers like Egypt, Assyria, Babylon and Rome who have been used by God for His purpose and then destroyed. The sons of Korah understood how the Lord works in nations declaring the glory of God as greatly exalted.

The ruler of earthly kingdoms is awesome, a great King, subduing all people to His will. By His power the nation of Israel was able to bring other nations under their control. The people of Israel lived under the grace of God. There is great reason to rejoice as the hand of the Lord is mighty upon all nations. His holy throne is greater than any power on earth. The shields or symbols of government belong to the Lord God Almighty and in everything God will be exalted. The sons of Korah understood the providence of Jehovah in the affairs of men. This has not changed in our political year.

A government exists today because of the will of the Father. They are established by his hand. Through the turbulent year of our political process we must see the power of God working to shape our lives to His will. This does not suggest we stand idly by without deep prayer and devotion to the word of God. So often the reason that things come about is because of the few who pray for a change. As Americans we are blessed with the privilege of voting. As children of God we have the greater privilege of prayer. Stepping behind a curtain does not match what happens when we bow the knee. Prayer affirms that we still believe that God works in the nations of men and His will is evident by His guiding hand. The Lord is not a Republican or a Democrat. He is the Lord God Almighty and what He does in our great country is the same thing He does in halls of power in Russia, China, England and Iran. God reigns over the nations – all of them.

Thank God for His wonderful grace. Thank God that He is in charge of the affairs of men. The people of God need to stop complaining and start praying. Trusting in the Lord is where our hearts belong. Seeking His guidance in our lives as a nation is where our minds need to be. Our voices should be proclaiming the praises of a mighty King who is King of all kings. Let God’s rule sound forth in this political year of decision. For God is the King of all the earth; sing praises with understanding.

God in His highest heaven holds the reins of all the kingdoms of earth. He holds the hearts of men in His hands. (J. B. Bossuet, Discourses on Universal History, 1675)

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Time Is Running Out

Posted on March 8, 2016 by heatonkent

199And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts. (Romans 13:11-14)

Time Is Running Out

One constant of life is that time waits for no man. With each sunrise and sunset another day goes by never to be gained again. The sun has risen thousands of times but those morning beams of sunlight will pass away and no man will be able to see them again. Days turn to months, months to years and years to generations. Every second that ticks off the clock is a moment closer to death, eternity and the Lord. You and I are nearly two thousand years removed from Paul’s letter to Rome and we are closer to our salvation than ever before. That generation has found their reward; we await ours.

The principle of redeeming the time understands that what we have today cannot be regained. What happened last night cannot be changed for the night is spent. It is gone. History will record the deeds of yesterday with either regrets or joy. Today is the only day we have with no promise of tomorrow. Having a clear understanding of yesterday, today and tomorrow we should realize the importance of looking after our lives in the present. Often we determine to make changes in our lives tomorrow. “One day” we say we will make better decisions, choices and changes in life. That day never comes. The time is now. It is today we must seize the hour.

Living a life as a Christian demands action today. Many struggle in their lives to do what is right and what they believe God expects them to do. They always look for another day to do that and seldom make any serious changes. New Year resolutions come only once a year but Paul exhorts the disciple of Christ to make daily changes. Today we need to cast off the things of this world and be the kind of people the Father desires of His children. Today is the day we walk right, think right, act right, dress right and live right. Now is the time to know the Lord.

This is not a time to live like the frivolity of the world. All the desires of the flesh and mind will not bring lasting happiness. Christian’s need to stop living as if they can have one foot in the world and the other in the Lord. As the old preacher said, “You can’t have a bowing knee on a dancing leg.” The faithful need to grow up to spiritual adulthood and act like the people of God. Too many like to live like the world in drunkenness, sexual immorality, sensuality, quarreling and jealousy and this is a shame on God’s people. Grow up! Be the Christian man or woman you are supposed to be.

Putting on the armor of God is putting on the Lord Jesus Christ in your heart. It is high time to wake up for the spiritual stupor we can easily find ourselves in and be people of God. The night is far spent. The church needs to be growing. Souls need to be saved. Lives need to be changed. Today is the day – not tomorrow – now. Let’s stop talking about restoring New Testament Christianity and start doing what the New Testament tells us to do. Stop mixing the pollutions of the world with the righteousness of the Holy God and live consecrated sanctified lives before Him. Wake up. Time is fleeting. Time is running out.

We ought to watch and pray because of the shortness of the time, the seriousness of the hour, and the shallowness of our nature. (Vance Havner, 1901-1986)

Posted in Christ, Christian, Church, God, Jesus Christ, Judgement, Romans, salvation | 1 Comment

They Spit In His Face

Posted on March 7, 2016 by heatonkent

jesus (1)Then they spat in His face and beat Him; and others struck Him with the palms of their hands, saying, “Prophesy to us, Christ! Who is the one who struck You?” … Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole garrison around Him. And they stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him. When they had twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand. And they bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” Then they spat on Him, and took the reed and struck Him on the head. And when they had mocked Him, they took the robe off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him away to be crucified. (Matthew 26:67-68; 27:27-31)

They Spit In His Face

The suffering of Jesus is never completely understood until a complete examination of everything that was done to Him is considered. Even then it is difficult to imagine the depth of anguish the Lord endured because of sin. The cross is a focal point with its own horrors. As if only a passing remark the gospel writers say Jesus was scourged. This was an event that was beyond the pale of human suffering. Prior to the scourging and the nailing to a cross were the things done to God’s Son by the Jews and the Romans alike. At the judgment seat of Caiaphas the high priest they spat in the face of Jesus. Not one person but a group of people gathered saliva out of their mouths and projected it on the face of Jesus. Spitting on another has always been considered an expression of the deepest contempt. This is a most disgusting thing to endure. There Jesus stood. Spit covering His face. The face of God’s Son. The holy Son of God is covered in frothy spittle. And He does nothing.

Not only are the Jews spitting in the face of the Lord they are slapping Him repeatedly. The pain of the beating courses through His head. His skin is turning red from the repeated blows from this person and that person. As the blows are administered the spit flies off His face. This way His head turns from a blow and then another. His hair is filled with spit. Voices cry out for Him to prophesy. Taunting the Lord God they mock Him to tell who is slapping Him. And they continue to spit on Him. His face now covered with the refuse of spit running down everywhere. Jesus does not call the twelve legions of angels to come to His defense. He stands alone for you and me.

Early on Friday morning Jesus is taken to the governor. Following His examination and scourging by the Roman soldiers Jesus is taken into the Praetorium where the whole garrison gathered around Him. The number of soldiers would be over 400 men with estimates being as high as 1200 elite men of war. Jesus stood alone. The might of the Roman army surrounded the Lord God and they began their sport. It is important to know this was after the horror of scourging. The body of Jesus is wracked with intense pain and blood loss. He is weakened. Ripping his bloody clothes off they place a purple robe on Him and a crown of thorns. They mocked Him with derision. And it happens again. The brutes of war begin spitting in His face. Time and again the phlegm of wicked men covers the face of Jesus. Taking the rod they strike Him repeatedly. Jesus reels from each blow. His head is drenched with mucus. Sweat pours down His face. He does not call the twelve legions of angels to His rescue. He allows this brutal treatment to continue. Finally tired of their sport they lead the man from Nazareth away and nail Him to the cross.

Spit. When Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus took Jesus down from the cross they washed His body. Tears filled their eyes as they cleansed the face of Jesus filled with spit. Wrapping His body in linen they laid Him in the tomb. God raised Him from the dead three days later. Man did all they could do to destroy Jesus but He suffered alone so that we could see His face. When glory comes and the Lord returns we will see His face. It will be the face of the Lord without the contempt of man covering Him. There will be no spit. It will be a beautiful face to behold. Thank you Jesus for suffering in every way that you did because of my sin.

It was not weakness which made Christ hang on the cross; it was obedience to the law of sacrifice, of love. For how could He save us if He ever saved Himself? (Fulton J. Sheen, Radio Sermon, April 6, 1941)

Posted in Angels, Bible, Character Study, Christ, cross, Forgiveness, God, Gospels, Jesus Christ, Mercy, New Testament, Pilate, Roman, salvation, suffering | Leave a comment

God Is My Shepherd

Posted on March 6, 2016 by heatonkent

Sheep with their shepherd, mat01285The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. (Psalm 23)

God Is My Shepherd

The twenty-third Psalm is one of the most visible passages of scripture. It is often quoted and numerous arrangements have been sung to the beauty of its simple message. David knew everything there was to know about being a shepherd and he could see how the heavenly Father was like a shepherd. Written in a brief style the psalmist captures the life of one who guards, protects, provides and sustains creatures that have no defense and no guidance. Sheep are animals that have many enemies. They do not have any form of defense and must rely upon the shepherds care for defense. The sheep are unable to find green pastures or still waters on their own and need a guiding hand to take them to where they will find life. Sheep are completely dependent upon the shepherd. Without the work of the shepherd the sheep will die.

Shepherds know their role is to care for every sheep in the fold. Unlike a hireling who is only in it for the money a shepherd will take the time to look after each and every sheep. He provides them abundant fields of greenery. Waters that rush across the rocks will not help the sheep so the shepherd finds still waters. When the roar of a bear echoes across the hills the sheep crowd close to the shepherd because they know he will protect them. There is no fear in the flock. From time to time a sheep will wander away. He is lost among the crags and valleys with no defense. His bleating will reach the ears of his shepherd and with great joy sees his protector coming to rescue him. What a wonderful feeling to know the arms of the shepherd will carry him to safety and back to the fold. There is peace with the sheep because of the shepherd.

David realized the God was the great shepherd. Living for God each day will bring a peace that passes understanding. Only by the hand of the Lord God are provisions given for daily food, raiment and the needs of life. Hearing the voice of God daily is a way to follow the path of righteousness. There is no fear in the hearts of a child of God because he knows the will of God will guard his life, protect him from the roaring lion and comfort him in times of storm. If life takes a difficult toll and one wanders from the truth he knows that a loving Father will forgive and receive back the prodigal son with great joy.

There are too many Christians who know the twenty-third psalm but have never known the great Shepherd of the psalm. David had a personal relationship with the Father and He could feel the joy of the great Shepherd in his life every day. Our Father is longing for us to know Him, trust Him, live for Him each day and He will take care of us. As we worship God today let us lift up our voices of praise to the Shepherd of our salvation. Thank you God for being my Father. Thank you God for being my Shepherd.

The highest lesson God wants to teach us is to “trust Him regardless.” If everything made sense to our understanding we would need no faith. (Vance Havner; 1901-1986)

Posted in Character Study, Christian, David, God, Psalms | Leave a comment

Weeping Over A City

Posted on March 5, 2016 by heatonkent

tearsNow as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation.” (Luke 19:41-44)

Weeping For A City

The Mount of Olives offered a panorama view of Jerusalem. As Jesus drew near the city of David His heart filled with the tragic sadness of its history, the present condition of blindness to the Son of God and the final destruction that was less than forty years away. It was from the Mount of Olives all of the city could be seen with the Temple the central figure in the many buildings that dotted the landscape. The city of Jerusalem was the Holy mountain of the Lord, the city of Righteousness, City of Truth; the place Daniel had opened his window and prayed toward. Jesus was overwhelmed by what He saw. It was in Jerusalem that God had placed the Temple to show the children of Abraham His glory. The heart of the people did not long rest in the mercy of the Lord but turned the Temple into a place of wickedness. When Jesus stood on the Mount of Olives the once beautiful city of God had been destroyed by the Babylonians, rebuilt and seven hundred years later under the guard of the Roman Empire. The Jews were looking for the promised Messiah but could not see the Christ in a man from Nazareth.

Destruction would come in 70 AD when the Roman army under Titus would level the city and destroy its inhabitants. It is said that so complete was the destruction that Titus had the Temple plowed under. Jesus wept because He knew what was coming. He cried tears of sorrow because while the city went about its busy day of the hustle and bustle of life judgment was coming. A terrible judgment was coming. His Father had longed for the city to see the glory of the Son of God but to no avail. They rejected the prophets of old and they were about to kill the Redeemer of the world. Albert Barnes wrote, “The national wickedness is too great; the cup is full: mercy is exhausted; and Jerusalem, with all her pride and splendor, the glory of her temple, and the pomp of her service, ‘must perish!’”

Jesus wept over a city. There are many reasons to sorrow in life. Generally it is connected with a death of a loved one. Jerusalem was a loved one of God. But it was more than a city. It was a story. One that began in the Garden of Eden and continues to this day. A story of the destructive hand of Satan. Looking down on Jerusalem the Lord could see all the people busy about their lives and many unaware of the coming judgment. Sin had filled the lives of all men and there was a need for a Savior. Jesus knew as He looked upon the city what price would be paid to redeem Jerusalem. That price would be paid outside the city gates like a lamb bearing the sins of the people. He wept for their sins, He wept for their sorrows soon to be found at the end of a Roman sword and He wept because what was to happen was the will of His Father – and nothing was going to change what would take place.

There is a need to weep over sin. The world has changed the view of sin but until we gain the proper insight of its tragedy tears will never come to our hearts. Jesus shows the proper attitude toward rejecting His Father. Sin is separation from the grace of God. It destroys and kills the soul. The result of sin is an eternal damnation of unbelievable horror. There may be a brief time of enjoyment in the arms of sin but the end is death – every time. Sin has killed our loved ones. The mark of sin will destroy many more lives. Jesus wept over sin and we can do no less when we see its tragic results. Godly sorrow is where repentance comes from and godly sorrow must always be at the forefront of how we view sin. We need to weep over sin. This sorrow must lead us to share the good news of salvation with a world given over to sin. Like Jesus looking upon Jerusalem with tears we should look around our community and weep over the lost souls that have no hope.

Weeping brings joy when a sinner turns from his way. Tears of sorrow are turned to tears of joy. May we have a heart of compassion for lost souls. Look deep into the lives of those we know and ask the question: “Is there joy?” Can we look upon them with happiness or with tears? Judgment is coming. It will be worse than what the Romans brought to the Jews. This judgment is final and its consequences are eternal. A great day is coming. Weep. Mourn. Sorrow over sin. Change hearts. Lead others to Christ. That is the greatest story ever told.

The real trouble with our times is not the multiplication of sinners; it is the disappearance of sin. (Etienne Gilson, Ensign, March, 1952)

Posted in Bible, Character Study, Christian, God, Jerusalem, Jesus Christ, Judgement, Prophets | Leave a comment