The Heaton File

Wednesday Morning Meditation – Psalms

Praise the Lord! Praise the name of the Lord; praise Him, O you servants of the Lord! You who stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God, praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; sing praises to His name, for it is pleasant. For the Lord has chosen Jacob for Himself, Israel for His special treasure.

For I know that the Lord is great, and our Lord is above all gods. Whatever the Lord pleases He does, in heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deep places. He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; He makes lightning for the rain; He brings the wind out of His treasuries.

He destroyed the firstborn of Egypt, both of man and beast. He sent signs and wonders into the midst of you, O Egypt, upon Pharaoh and all his servants. He defeated many nations and slew mighty kings–Sihon king of the Amorites, Og king of Bashan, and all the kingdoms of Canaan–and gave their land as a heritage, a heritage to Israel His people. Your name, O Lord, endures forever, Your fame, O Lord, throughout all generations. For the Lord will judge His people, and He will have compassion on His servants.

The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. They have mouths, but they do not speak; eyes they have, but they do not see; they have ears, but they do not hear; nor is there any breath in their mouths. Those who make them are like them; so is everyone who trusts in them.

Bless the Lord, O house of Israel! Bless the Lord, O house of Aaron! Bless the Lord, O house of Levi! You who fear the Lord, bless the Lord! Blessed be the Lord out of Zion, who dwells in Jerusalem! Praise the Lord! (Psalm 135)

There Is No God Like Our God

Praise comes from a heart that recognizes the greatness of the one with whom we stand. It is an awe inspiring feeling to be in the presence of the Holy God of Israel to see His great works among them. As a people Israel was a living testimony to the power, mercy, grace and love of the Lord. Nothing on earth can compare. Creation calls forth His name. He is not limited by time and space. The heavens cannot contain Him. His might is found in the storm filled with lightning and wind. He did mighty things in Egypt when He slew all the firstborn of the land destroying the Egyptian army in the sea. As the nation of Israel journeyed to the land of promise no king could stand before them. Kings like Sihon and Og and all the kingdoms of Canaan were nothing compared to the Almighty God. They melted before Him.

What is an idol but a totem of man’s fears that create a god out of wood or stone? The gold and silver that make the idol shine does not create power. There is no life in an idol. It is an inanimate object of foolishness that men bow down too seeking deliverance from their terrors. Those who serve idols serve themselves. Deliverance does not come from a voiceless idol.

Praise, honor and glory are to be given to Him who speaks, who sees, who hears and who has the power to save or destroy man. Jehovah God is real. His power is mighty. His wonders abound in the world as testimony to His greatness. Trusting in idols is the greatest folly man has ever done. Trusting in God is the greatest joy man will ever find.

Many still worship pagan gods today seeking deliverance through idols made of stone and wood. In America our idols are more subtle. We worship materialism and prosperity. An idol is something created by man to give him peace trusting in its supposed deliverance rather than finding answers from God. It is easy to be overcome by the ‘stuff’ of our day that we spend years to attain and to what end? We may not fall down to a statue of Buddha but the results are still the same. Our gods become the pursuit of the American dream. The works of our hands become the idols of the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. Idolatry is doing well in our land. Many of God’s people are spending all their energies to serve a world that is passing away making no provisions for an eternal home. How sad.

The next time a storm passes through take time to see the power of Him who created the lightning, rain and wind. Know that what you see is the glory of the everlasting God. Look around at all the stuff we hold on so tightly and see what its value really is. Like an idol it is all dumb. It cannot save us. Jesus Christ can. Praise God. Bless the Lord. You who fear the Lord bless the Lord.

Often I see the words, “Christ Is The Answer.” Indeed, He is the answer to everything. If we are Christians we are members of His body, and therefore part of the answer. But judging by the way some Christians live, they are part of the problem. (Vance Havner, 1901-1986)

Tuesday Morning Early Start – Important Doctrines

Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons. (Philippians 1:1)

I Am A Saint

If a lie is told long enough it can be accepted as truth. Sometimes stories become urban legends that were never based on fact yet accepted by many as being true. There are many long held beliefs that if investigated for clarity are found to be false. Religion is not immune to spiritual ‘urban legends’ of beliefs held by people throughout history. Myriad are teachings accepted as Biblical when in fact nothing is farther from the truth.

The world holds a convicted belief that in order for one to be a saint there is a long series of requirements. This is based on a process that has developed over centuries of time with long held traditions outlining the manner one is recognized as a saint. It is required that certain evidence be submitted to church officials the individual considered lived a righteous life, exemplified great faith and there are at least two miracles related to this person’s life. This doctrine is rooted in the Roman Catholic dogmas which have permeated into the belief by most people of what makes up a saint. To the surprise and sometimes anger of religious people this teaching of sainthood is far from what the Bible teaches. And here is the need for absolute clarity: if one will only read the Bible and the Bible alone they will find none of the Catholic doctrines of sainthood.

Throughout the Old and New Testaments the reference to the people of God as “saints” is found almost one hundred times. A saint is someone who has been set apart by God – not the Pope. Man can become a saint but man cannot make a saint. When Paul wrote to the church at Philippi he was not writing to a special group of folk who were part of the Roman Catholic Church. These were ordinary people who lived ordinary lives under the extraordinary grace of the Lord. They were saints for one reason: they were the children of God. Every Christian is a saint because every Christian is a child of God. Being a saint does not suggest perfection no more than being a Christian implies perfection. Regardless of what the Pope declares, what Catholics believe or what the world accepts as tenants of what a saint is the word of God simply describes a saint as a person who is a servant of the Lord. There were saints in the Old Testament and there were saints in the New Testament. Today there are thousands of saints who serve God every day because they are children of the Most High God.

How does one become a saint? Peter answered that question in Acts 2:38-39. He told a crowd of devout Jews to repent and be baptized for the remission of their sins and they would receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise was then and continues today. And then a wonderful thing happened. Three thousand saints under the Law of Moses became saints under the grace of Jesus Christ. When does one become a saint? In the waters of baptism. If you have obeyed the gospel of Jesus Christ in the death, burial and resurrection of obedience you are a saint. Do not let anyone tell you otherwise. Praise God you are a saint.

The simplest and most necessary truths are always the last believed. (John Ruskin, Modern Painters, 1856)

Monday Morning Coffee Break – Life With Jesus

 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” (John 8:12)

Man Was Created For Light

Nocturnal creatures live in darkness. They were created to adapt to a world void of light. Man is not such a creature. He lives in the world of the day adapting to the night with technology but limited because he is a creature of light. Spiritually man was created to be in the light not darkness. People have always enjoyed the darkness more than the light because they can hide the wickedness they do. When Jesus came into the world He came as the Light to give man direction. Walking in the day is much easier than walking in the night. Daylight exposes every danger and stumbling block in the way. Life with Christ illuminates the dangers helping us avoid them. Following Jesus as the Light offers peace and comfort because He knows the way and we can see the Way, the Truth and the Life.

Satan is the darkness of the world. Those who follow him will always walk in darkness and will never have the Light. He shadows the lives of those who follow him with dangers and perils unseen. Without light his victims blindly follow him to perdition. Life is hard as people of darkness stumble and fall from one temptation to another. Jesus explained that those who follow in darkness do so because they love the darkness. Because their deeds are evil they do not desire for the light lest their lives be found to be useless. Darkness is their friend. It is also their end.

Walking in the Light means exactly what it says. The one who follows Jesus will have clarity and assurance. He is not afraid of his life because it is clearly seen by God. Trusting in the purity of the Light truth is revealed. Light always dispels darkness. Darkness can never overcome light. Even a small candle can illumine a room of darkness.

Each of our lives is represented by a candle. We do not hide our lives under a basket where darkness dwells. Our light shines forth because we radiate Christ Jesus in our lives. Everyone begins as a candle of light. Most have their light extinguished by the prince of darkness. Obedience to the Lord rekindles that light to be seen as the glory of God overcoming sin. Jesus is our Light and we follow Him. Those who follow Christ will always dwell in the Light. Those who follow Satan will always dwell in the darkness. Light or darkness. Which will you chose?

O Everlasting Light, surpassing all created luminaries: dart the beams of Thy brightness from above and penetrate all the corners of my heart. Purify, beautify and vivify my spirit with all its powers: that I may cleave unto Thee with transports of jubilation. (Thomas A Kempis, Imitation of Christ, 1441)

Sunday Morning Starters – Worship

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. (Colossians 3:15-17)

Worship In Peace, In Song, In Thanksgiving

Man was created to worship. There is nothing more central to the happiness of man than the act of giving homage, respect and glory to the Lord God Creator. From the beginning of time worship has been the key to man’s happiness. The types of worship have changed over the generations but the nature of how to worship remains the same. Jesus told the woman at the well sermon that His Father desires for men to worship in spirit and truth. From Adam to what we do today on the first day of the week worship is a time of peace, a time of song and a time to give thanks for all the blessings bestowed on us.

Our worship today is about the peace of God. The world is filled with a lot of uneasiness, anxiety, fear and worry. Being together with people who love the Lord and love one another is the spirit of peace. Isaiah declared the peace in the coming kingdom as the wolf and the lamb dwelling together or the leopards lying down with the goats. Our hearts are ruled by the peace of God. United under the common cause of the cross of Jesus Christ we share together in the turmoil’s of life. Peace is how we share our worship today.

Our worship today is about the word of Christ dwelling in our hearts. This comes from a meditation of the word of God surrounding His grace in our hearts. Like the psalmist we love to read God’s message of peace. It dwells in our hearts richly as the fruit of its branches fill every corner of what we think, what we do and how we live. The Bible teaches us truth. Each day is a small measure of God’s love filling our minds. His wisdom is my wisdom. His teaching is my teaching. His word is my life.

Our worship today is about singing. The good news about God’s ear is that He loves to hear His children singing no matter whether the tune is carried in a bucket or not. It matters not how the child sings but rather that the child is singing. He wants us to sing to Him with joy. Grace fills our hearts as we joyfully proclaim the peace we have in Christ. Singing brings peace. It soothes the troubled soul. Words fill our minds with the love of God. Singing is as much about listening as making a joyful noise. We do not sing by ourselves today. We lift up our voices with others to exalt the name of God. Our worship is an experience of togetherness. It is about one another. It is about communion. Singing is worship with one another to one another for one another.

Our worship is about what we do. Whatever we do in word is about Jesus Christ. All that we do in deed is about Jesus Christ. Worship is about Jesus Christ. When we worship God we remove the selfish motives of our lives yielding them to the will of the Father. Our worship to the Son is our worship to the Father. God gave His Son to die for us. Can we worship any less than honor given to such a sacrifice? How great is the love of the Father and how great the love of the Son.

Worship is about saying thank you to the Father. During the time of collective worship today keep in mind how thankful we should be for the grace of God. We can never say it enough but we should say it often. Worship today with thanksgiving. How awesome a God we serve. Thank you dear Father.

Perfectly to will what God wills, to want what He wants, is to have joy. (Meister Eckhart, 14^th Century, Works)

Saturday Morning Promises – Great Stories

Most blessed among women is Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite; blessed is she among women in tents. He asked for water, she gave milk; she brought out cream in a lordly bowl. She stretched her hand to the tent peg, her right hand to the workmen’s hammer; she pounded Sisera, she pierced his head, she split and struck through his temple. At her feet he sank, he fell, he lay still; at her feet he sank, he fell; where he sank, there he fell dead. The mother of Sisera looked through the window, and cried out through the lattice, ‘Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why tarries the clatter of his chariots?’ Her wisest ladies answered her, yes, she answered herself, ‘Are they not finding and dividing the spoil: to every man a girl or two; for Sisera, plunder of dyed garments, plunder of garments embroidered and dyed, two pieces of dyed embroidery for the neck of the looter?’ Thus let all Your enemies perish, O Lord! But let those who love Him be like the sun when it comes out in full strength. So the land had rest for forty years. (Judges 5:24-31)

The Story Of Three Women

Judges is a book filled with stories of the early days of Israel before the kings. It was a time of great turmoil. The period of Judges is characterized by a cycle of rest, rebellion, rejection and redemption. When the people served the Lord there was rest. In time the hearts of the people turned away from God and the Lord rejected them to the plight of an oppressive army. Pleading for mercy the land would be redeemed through the hand of another judge. This story would repeat itself throughout the writings of the judges.

Early in the judges a woman named Deborah, a prophetess, was judging Israel. The people forgot the Lord and He sent Sisera commander of the army of Hazor, the Philistines, and the king of Moab to punish the people. Through the leadership of Deborah and Barak the Lord routed Sisera and all his army with Israel defeating them completely. However Sisera escaped from his chariot and fled on foot. In his retreat the commander came by the tent of Jael, wife of Heber the Kenite. She implored Sisera to come into her tent to rest and find safety. Covering him with a blanket the commander asked for a drink of water. Instead Jael brought him warm milk to drink to help him sleep. Filling himself with the cream Sisera fell fast asleep.

It was the practice of the women to pitch the tents and break them down when moving. These were large tents requiring great skill and strength to manipulate. Jael was not unfamiliar with the use of a hammer and a tent peg. Silently coming to where Sisera lay fast asleep she places the tent peg over the temple of his head and with a great blow drives the stake into his head. She strikes the peg with such force it penetrates the brain and comes out the other side into the ground. In an over simplistic manner the Holy Spirit writes, “So he died.” Deborah’s song illuminates the manner of his death.

Meanwhile a third woman awaits the return of her son. The army of Sisera has been decimated. No one has been left alive. As the mother of Sisera anxiously looks out the lattice her maidens comfort her that he will home soon. They tell her he is busy plundering the possessions of Israel and taking captive girls. The wait stretches into days and then weeks when they realize none of their men are coming home. She grieves the death of her son.

Three women. Deborah who judged the people in the righteousness of God’s will. Jael who had the courage to execute judgement upon the enemies of Israel. A mother who would never see her son alive again. Three different stories. Three very different women. What a great story.

p. s. Heber must have treated Jael very nice from that day forward. Just saying.

Friday Morning Reflections – Wisdom Literature

Can anyone teach God knowledge, since He judges those on high? One dies in his full strength, being wholly at ease and secure; his pails are full of milk, and the marrow of his bones is moist. Another man dies in the bitterness of his soul, never having eaten with pleasure. They lie down alike in the dust, and worms cover them. (Job 21:22-26)

Worm Food

Job struggles with the calamity that engulfs him physically and spiritually. Three of his friends are feeding his paranoia of why suffering has so overwhelmed him. He treads upon sacred ground to challenge the Lord searching the matters of His wisdom. Why does God allow him to suffer? His children are dead, he has lost everything save his wife and friends are found to be without comfort.

There is no man like Job. He was one of the most righteous men on earth. His thoughts turn to the plight of the wicked compared to the righteous. He reflects upon all he sought to do for God and now his life is nearly destroyed. There are many wicked men who walk about with little or no suffering in life. Why is it that he did all he could for God and he suffers instead of those who live in open rebellion to God? How can he charge the Lord for this seemingly imbalance of life? He cannot.

The book of Job is about victory in the face of suffering. It shows the real purpose of life is not about what we have here but what we gain in eternity. Life for the righteous and the unrighteous can be different but the end is all the same. Many will live righteous lives and suffer little. Such is the case with those who are wicked who live contently in this world. Some who serve God will deep devotion and suffer immense pain dying miserably. Even wicked people can fill their lives with sin and never find peace or happiness. The story of life is not about how a man lives but how a man dies. And that is the meaning of life: all men die the same way.

Life is a whisk of air that appears for a moment and then vanishes without a trace. What separates those who live full lives and those who live unfulfilled lives are those who decide that life is a challenge but dying is the victory. The wicked can live full lives with “pails full of milk” but their death is a horrible reality of condemnation. Those who seek God in life may find suffering but their death is a moment of joy. Job would come to know this more clearly when his trial comes to an end. The lesson is to know how to see life and to know the same end comes to all men: we are covered with worms. The good news is the new body we receive in glory can never be eaten by worms. Live for God. Joy awaits.

That day, which you fear as being the end of all things, is the birthday of your eternity. (Seneca, Epistulae ad Lucilium, Epis. C. 11, c. 63 A.D.)

Thursday Morning Thankfulness – Epistles of Paul

This salutation by my own hand–Paul. Remember my chains. Grace be with you. Amen. (Colossians 4:18)

No Complaints On My Part

The air has a chill to it, cooler than normal as I roll out of a soft bed early in the morning. Sleep came easily and the night passed with no distractions. The warmth of the covers enclosed me gently in a peaceful nights rest. Enjoyed a productive day yesterday with plans for Bible study and work in the coming hours. There is no lack of food with the shelves lined with all the essentials of life. The closet is filled with comfortable clothing. Shoes in various colors are arranged in their proper place. Since childhood I have never know hunger or want. When I have been in prisons or jails I am there as a visitor who is allowed to return to the comfort of my home.

Paul was in a Roman jail. The air was thick in his nostrils. It was a foul stench from prisoners who languished in agony and despair from Roman oppression. The only beds these men knew was a hard, cold, filthy foundation of stone and dirt with no concern of comfort. Sleep was nearly impossible with only fleeting moments of frightful spurts of restless ease. It was a miserable experience that offered little hope to those incarcerated. Freedom was prohibited not only by the security of the jail door but also the constant clanging of the chains that encased his hands and feet. Paul was in a dire and dreadful place.

He writes a letter to the church at Colosse and fills the letter with everything positive and upbeat. It is filled with thanksgiving, love, and sprinkled with notes of joy for suffering the bonds of imprisonment for Christ. He encourages them. He exhorts them to greater service. He describes the character of the new man as the elect of God. Remarkably he reminds the brethren to be thankful in everything. His letter outlines hope for wives, husbands and parents. He asked the saints to pray for him to have opportunities to preach the gospel to others while in chains. He is in chains. His life is not easy. It is a hard existence and he is encouraging others.

What have I to complain about in my life? Compared to the endurance of Paul I suspect that none of us have much to fuss about. He closes his letter with the simple request to remember him in his chains. What a testimony of a man who gave his all for Jesus Christ. We are blessed with so many things unhindered by the world to teach and preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. There are no chains that bind us. Only the shackles of the cursed blessings that take our eyes off the ministry of sharing the gospel with others. Our chains are the excuses we use to do so little in the work of the Lord. The rattle of apathy rings loudly in our service to Jesus Christ. We are more concerned about comfort here rather than comfort there. May God bless us with the spirit of Paul to share a positive spirit of sacrifice in helping others see the cleansing power of the blood of Christ. Thank you Paul. I will remember your chains.

The modern church member all too often avoids persecution by taking the line of least resistance and living in a truce with this age. The early Christians wore scars but we wear medals. (Vance Havner 1901-1986)

Wednesday Morning Meditation – Psalms

Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have relieved me in my distress; have mercy on me, and hear my prayer. How long, O you sons of men, will you turn my glory to shame? How long will you love worthlessness and seek falsehood? But know that the Lord has set apart for Himself him who is godly; the Lord will hear when I call to Him. Be angry, and do not sin. Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still. Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the Lord. There are many who say, “Who will show us any good?” Lord, lift up the light of Your countenance upon us. You have put gladness in my heart, more than in the season that their grain and wine increased. I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety. (Psalm 4; To the Chief Musician. With Stringed Instruments. A Psalm of David.)

Sleep In Heavenly Peace

The singular desire of all men is peace. From creation man has sought for answers to quiet his troubling spirit. Conflict rages within him and man must find the means to salve the passions that roar within. Sin is the opium given by Satan to answer those desires yet peace is always out of reach. Driven by the mad addiction to find a settled harmony man flings himself headlong into the works of the flesh to experience the euphoria of self-gratification. At the end of every road is emptiness. Lives are crushed under the weight of looking for spiritual slumber in all the wrong places. Miserable, angry, empty and distraught men die with no hope on their lips.

David knew the peace that passed understanding. He fought the demons of the flesh. His most crushing defeat came when thought he would find peace in the adulterous affair with Bathsheba. It brought shame and despair. Eventually it would lead him to destroy the life of one of his noble soldiers bringing the wrath of God upon him and his family. Even in his darkest hour David found peace because he knew the mercy of a loving Father. Reading Psalm 32 and Psalm 51 the psalmist expresses the deepest feelings of the joy of forgiveness. David knew the peace slumber of God’s grace.

Peaceful slumber comes to those who call upon the Lord. Anguish is taken away by the words of prayer. Seeking consolation from the flesh will only bring more suffering but godliness will envelope the spirit with rest. Meditation on the word of God fills the heart with the calming ointment of understand that can only come from the Holy Spirit. The world is filled with those who are seeking answers in sex, drugs, alcohol and living free but finding only guilt and sorrow. Gladness of heart comes from trusting the Lord. David could rest his head each night knowing that his heavenly Shepherd guarded him and guided him in all his ways. No one can bring the blessing of safety but God.

Are you troubled? Are you tired? Give your heart to the Lord and He will supplant your desires with His love. His grace is so big we could never drain the oceans dry from it. Thank you Father for loving me so much.

The Christian has a deep, silent, hidden peace, which the world sees not, like some well in a retired and shady place … What he is when left to himself and to his God; that is his true life. (John Henry Newman, Parochial and Plain Sermons, Vol. 5, 1843)

Tuesday Morning Early Start – Important Doctrines

There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. (Ephesians 4:4-6)

The One Truth

It is difficult to accept the idea that truth can reside in one place alone. Living in the land of the free and the brave we have been taught since early childhood the joy of freedom. Rebelling against the tyranny of British rule America has carved its place in history as the seed bed of democracy. At least that is what we have been taught. It is true that we are a country of immense freedoms which paradoxically are leading to our downfall. Every four years we elect a new leader and with the checks and balances of government we live in a democratic society. What is lost in the propaganda of American culture is the kingdom of God is not a democracy but a monarchy ruled by a single King. Jesus told His disciples that He was the only truth, the only way and the only life. He further declared access to the Father was only by one means: Him. This singular body of truth is uncomfortable for democratic minded people to embrace.

The Holy Spirit declares through Paul the character of the kingdom of God as being found in the restricted unity of one. There is only one body. The reference to the body is a further explanation of what Paul wrote in the beginning of his letter when he said the body was the church. In other words there are not many churches with different names, faiths, practices, memberships, goals and purpose. Jesus died for one church and one church alone. He is King of one Kingdom and one Kingdom alone.

There is only one Holy Spirit and one God. This eliminates gods of men or spirits of men who seek wisdom through other means. Jehovah God is one alone. He is identified in the Bible by many names but only those names given in the Bible declare the glory of the one true God. That is the same conclusion about how many Lord’s there are. There is only one Lord and He is Jesus Christ. The unity of the Godhead is one God, one Lord and one Spirit. One. Not two. Not three. Not many. One! This will remove the teachings of most religions in the world.

Faith is not based upon a multiple level of personal whims allowing man to worship God as he chooses. There is only one faith and one faith alone established upon the teachings of one book. The Bible is the only revealed word of God. What is called “Another Testament of Jesus Christ” is a lie because the Bible shows there is only one faith. Why would the Bible declare one faith and then have another faith. Two books are not one but two. One book and one faith means one book and one faith. The Bible rejects any book that does not glorify Jesus Christ as Lord.

Finally there is one hope in one means of salvation. The hope of man is not in this life but that which is to come. Promises of eternal life come from one God, one Lord and one Spirit who promise in one message of faith based upon one book that salvation can only come from one source. The one baptism shows that only through the blood of Jesus Christ cleansing man from sin can there be a singular hope. Water baptism is where man finds the blood of Jesus Christ. Without obedience to the one Lord through the message of the one faith in the cleansing power of the one baptism there can never be the one hope. Salvation is found in the ONE.

What is your choice? You have but one choice. Based upon that one choice eternity awaits.

Man passes away; generations are but shadows; there is nothing stable but truth. (Josiah Quincy, Speech, September 17, 1830)

Monday Morning Coffee Break – Life With Jesus

These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble. They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service. And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me. But these things I have told you, that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you of them. And these things I did not say to you at the beginning, because I was with you. (John 16:1-4)

Murder In The Name Of God

As Jesus and the eleven walked to Gethsemane the Lord continued to talk with his disciples. It is difficult to see how they could understand the gravity of the situation and how soon they would witness the death of their Lord. Jesus knew they were not comprehending the depth of events unfolding as He spoke. Judas was bargaining the betrayal as the disciples were walking to the garden where the mob would quickly arrest Jesus leading Him to His death. The Lord tells them they will remember His words later. What a shock it must have been for them when they put all the pieces together.

One thing that must have been troubling to them later was the words of Jesus speaking of their deaths. Of the twelve men who would lead the early church only one seems to have died of natural causes. Church history tells a number of stories of how the apostles died with only one recorded death given by the Holy Spirit. James was killed by Herod in Acts 12. John died on Patmos in old age. The remaining ten suffered unknown deaths but Jesus gives a glimpse of the severity of their deaths. They would be killed by those who thought they were doing the will of God.

Killing in the name of God does not justify murder. The Jews murdered Jesus because they thought they were doing the will of God. Saul of Tarsus persecuted the early church for the same reason until he learned the truth of Jesus. Men will justify their own selfish motives using the name of God to do whatever they want to do. There was a time when the people of God were instructed by the Lord to wipe out a people (Jericho, Ai, Amalekites, etc). Christ came to change the hearts of men with the good news of salvation. Throughout history men have used the name of God to justify the slaughter of millions but this was not God’s will. Today there are those who still try to convince the masses they are doing things in the name of God. The reason for this kind of holocaust is because they do not know God. They do not know Jesus.

It is amazing how many people think they know the mind of God without reading the mind of God – the Bible. The truth of God’s word reveals the character of the Father. Why is it that so many claim to know what God thinks when they have no knowledge of who God is? The early disciples were murdered by those who believed they were doing the will of God. How often people blindly follow a teaching or belief based upon a misapplied understanding of what God believes. It is not about killing others in the name of God. When a man speaks more about God without the word of God in his mouth then it is evident he speaks more of himself than the truth of the Father. Never charge God with truth unless that truth is God.

The church had martyrs throughout the entire Roman Empire before a single book of the New Testament was written. (Fulton J. Sheen, The Woman, 1951)