The Heaton File

Monday Morning Coffee Break – Life With Jesus

Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.” (John 2:4)

The Hour Of Jesus

There are at least thirteen times in the Gospels a reference to the “hour” of Jesus is recorded. Matthew and Mark mention the hour of Jesus once; Luke twice and the final nine references contained in John’s gospel. At the marriage feast of Cana Mary implores her son to help in preparing more drink for the guest. Jesus replies that His hour had not yet come. This would be a common theme in the short life of the man from Nazareth who lived each day walking towards a certain hour.

John tells his readers on a few occasions that Jesus was not taken by the Jewish leaders because “His hour had not yet come” (John 7:30; 8:20). The meticulous plan of the Father was for the fullness of time to find its fullness in the plan of God’s wisdom. Jesus lived each day knowing where He was going and what would happen to Him. His understanding of His death was clear in His mind. He knew how He would suffer. The hour of His suffering was carefully orchestrated by the Finger of God to fulfill the plan of redeeming man. As a lamb being lead to the slaughter Jesus walked each day moving closer to that hour. When the disciples feared returning to Judea because of the Jews wanted to stone Him, the Lord reminded them His Father would not allow His death to happen until He decided it was time (John 11:7-10). Jesus knew His hour.

The garden of Gethsemane is the setting for the realization of the hour of Jesus. Following the Passover feast the eleven disciples walked with Jesus to a familiar place of prayer for the Lord. They were unaware the hour was fast approaching when Jesus would be betrayed, tried and killed on a cross. Taking Peter, James and John the Lord goes a little further to pray to His Father about this “hour” that has now arrived. Jesus knew it was time. He knew what Judas was doing. He knew what was about to happen because it was His hour. In His prayer He begged His Father to save Him from that hour knowing it was for that hour He had purposed to come. The hour had come for Him to die for all men.

Examining the life of Jesus tells us many things. The mind of Jesus was focused on one thing: His hour. His teaching was focused on the meaning of that hour. The miracles He performed foreshadowed the miracle that would happen at that hour. Every fiber of His life was directed towards the hour when He would open wide His arms and die for all men. It was that hour the earth trembled and the sky turned dark. The veil in the Temple was torn because of that hour. Jesus lived for that hour to die at that hour so that all men could live for eternity. Thank God for that hour.

No cross. No crown. (Thomas Fuller, Gnomologia, 1732)

Saturday Morning Promises – Great Stories

“I gave you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, and lack of bread in all your places, yet you did not return to me,” declares the LORD. “I also withheld the rain from you when there were yet three months to the harvest; I would send rain on one city, and send no rain on another city; one field would have rain, and the field on which it did not rain would wither; so two or three cities would wander to another city to drink water, and would not be satisfied; yet you did not return to me,” declares the Lord. “I struck you with blight and mildew; your many gardens and your vineyards, your fig trees and your olive trees the locust devoured; yet you did not return to me,” declares the Lord. “I sent among you a pestilence after the manner of Egypt; I killed your young men with the sword, and carried away your horses, and I made the stench of your camp go up into your nostrils; yet you did not return to me,” declares the Lord. “I overthrew some of you, as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and you were as a brand plucked out of the burning; yet you did not return to me,” declares the Lord. “Therefore thus I will do to you, O Israel; because I will do this to you, prepare to meet your God, O Israel!” For behold, he who forms the mountains and creates the wind, and declares to man what is his thought, who makes the morning darkness, and treads on the heights of the earth– the Lord, the God of hosts, is his name! (Amos 4:6-13)

Prepare To Meet Your God

The prophet Amos was a tough no-nonsense preacher from a small town in Judah named Tekoa. His message to Israel was a fierce defense of the sovereignty of Jehovah and a blistering rebuke to the rebellious lives of God’s people. He began his message with the Lord roaring from Zion. He never let up. The message of Amos is a clear demonstration of the severity of God upon those who refuse to obey Him. And there were plenty of opportunities to change.

The Lord loved Israel as the apple of His eye. When they began to follow after the gods of Baal, Ashtoreth, Chemosh, and Molech (to name a few) He brought judgment upon them with famine and drought but to no avail. Their crops died in the fields with blight and mildew. The plagues of Egypt descended upon the people and sons were slain with the sword and the people continued in their idolatrous worship. Stench filled the land with the rotting corpse of man and animal yet the people did not return. The Lord destroyed the people as in the days of Sodom and Gomorrah and they still refused to return to Him. Times up. Judgment day is here.

Israel had seen the hand of God and felt His punishment in a most severe manner. The incredible thing is that with all of this being brought down upon them they stubbornly refused to do His will. God’s righteousness is found in the mercy given by Him to the people seeking their return. He did this because of His name. The Lord is longsuffering and patient. His kindness is beyond understanding. But there comes a day when His name must be exalted according to His grace. The grace of God saves and the grace of God condemns. With all His works being done among the people they continued in their denial of His love. His grace would now be found in their destruction.

Noah was saved by grace and the world was condemned by grace. The message of salvation was also a message of doom. Noah believed and obeyed the grace of God in preparing the ark for the saving of his household. The rest of the world did not believe and refused to obey the grace of God and were destroyed. Amos shows the grace of God in the saving power of how often the Lord punished the people seeking to bring them back but they refused. Now the day of judgment had come and they would suffer for disobedience to God’s grace.

The message of Amos still rings clear today. Our God has sent His Son into the world to show the light of salvation. He even let man kill His Son on a cross. The mind of God is revealed to man through the pages of Holy writ. Most people today live with no interest in either the death of Jesus Christ or the message of the Bible. There will come a day when the name of the Lord must be exalted and man will be reminded of how he was shown the grace of God in so many ways. Sadly the majority of people will be cast into hell for ignoring the clear message of salvation in Jesus Christ. We need to listen to Amos. It is a great story.

Careless soul, why will you linger,

Wand’ring from the fold of God?

Hear you not the invitation?

Oh, prepare to meet thy God.

Refrain:

Careless soul, oh, heed the warning,

For your life will soon be gone;

Oh, how sad to face the judgment,

Unprepared to meet thy God.

Why so thoughtless are you standing,

While the fleeting years go by,

And your life is spent in folly?

Oh, prepare to meet thy God.

Hear you not the earnest pleadings

Of your friends that wish you well?

And perhaps before tomorrow

You’ll be called to meet your God.

If you spurn the invitation

Till the Spirit shall depart,

Then you’ll see your sad condition,

Unprepared to meet thy God.

(James H. Stanley, 1909)

Friday Morning Reflections – Wisdom Literature

For who knows what is good for man in life, all the days of his vain life which he passes like a shadow? Who can tell a man what will happen after him under the sun? A good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death than the day of one’s birth. (Ecclesiastes 6:12-7:1)

My Name

There are many things of great value in this world but nothing compares to the worth of our name. We received our name by virtue of birth without our knowledge or choosing. The name given to us was inscribed by our parents identifying who we are throughout the ages. A name describes the personality of who we are. It becomes the identifying mark of our personality, our legacy and our future. History is filled with names that tell stories of heroism, courage, evil, intellect and leadership. My name bears the same imprint upon the hearts of others.

The Bible is filled with names. Adam was the first name given as a man of the earth. He called Woman Eve because she was the mother of all living. A few times the Lord changed the names of His faithful servants. Abram became Abraham and Sarai became Sarah. The Lord on occasion instructed the parents what to name their children. Hosea was used as an example of God’s dealing with Israel through the marriage to Gomer and naming of his children. Both Jesus and John the Baptist were named by God before birth. Saul the persecutor became Paul the apostle. Names tell stories.

My name is who I am. Contained within the kernels of my life my name becomes my identity of character; good or bad. It is reflected on by others with favor or disappointment. Sadly our names are often trifled with in our lack of self-control or rebellion. Honor is granted without prejudice to our names until we tarnish that name by foolish actions. Sometimes it can never be fully repaired. The names David and Bathsheba are eternally connected with a moment’s reckless folly (see Matthew 1:6).

If I accomplish nothing in life but to have a good name I have attained a great honor. So often we spend our lives trying to find something we had in the beginning: self-value. We want to be known in the public arena or famous for some accomplishment. These pursuits often cloud the judgment of truth and righteousness failing in the end to give honor to our name. The wise man reminds us the greatest worth in life is to have a good name rather than the riches of this world. What is inscribed on monuments of marble reflects the life we live.

The final reality of our name is what it means to God. There is a book the Holy Spirit describes that is filled with names. This exclusive book has only one set of names: those who are saved. Nothing in our eternal nature is more important than having our name penned on the pages of the Book of Life. If our name is not in this book there is no joy. The name given to me by my parents will be uttered by the voice of God saying, “Well done good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Lord.” Isn’t that going to be so exciting when our NAME is uttered by the mouth of God? Saved. Thank God for His salvation.

Tigers die and leave their skins; people die and leave their names.  ~Japanese Proverb

Thursday Morning Thankfulness – Epistles of Paul

Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification. Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. (Romans 4:23-5:5)

It’s A Wonderful Life

When God sent His Son as a sacrifice for the redemption of man, He gave His children a promise of peace that is beyond understanding. The resurrection of Jesus from the dead is the assurance of our faith that He is the Son of God. Grace is found in the gift of the Father and the hope of eternal life. Jesus took away the darkness of sin giving light to the world to see His Father finding salvation through His blood. The price paid by the Father and the Son paved the way for all those who are willing to bear the cross in following Christ. The free gift offered to man comes with a price tag. Glory is found in tribulation. Serving God is a life filled with His grace and peace but measured by growth of character leading to hope.

Paul declared to Timothy that living a godly life will bring persecution. This appeal is not to discourage but to urge children of God to face tribulation with the peace found in Christ. Overcoming the trials of life will produce the spirit of resolution. Jesus faced the cross with the unyielding faith to accomplish His Father’s will. The cross is a testimony of where character comes from. Molded by the fires of suffering the Lord left an example of endurance that produces hope. In the garden Jesus prayed for His cup to be removed. He accepted the will of the Father because He longed for the hope of the resurrection day. Learning obedience in the crucifix of suffering Jesus rose to victory.

The life of a Christian is a medley of flavors that will bring many things to rejoice about and many things to be challenged by. We follow the steps of Jesus. Our faith is rooted in the knowledge that the trials we face in life are leading somewhere. The grace of God surrounds us with peace so that we can rejoice in the hope of our resurrection day. We all gain that access by going through the cross. It requires a spirit of endurance to persevere and overcome. Do not let the trials of this life take away the glory of eternal life. Our hope does not disappoint. The love of God is poured out in our hearts to live full lives of victory in Christ. Victory is given to us because of Jesus Christ. How blessed we are to be filled with the Holy Spirit.

We are justified. We live by faith. We have peace. We rejoice in hope. We face tribulation with courage. We persevere. We are people of character. We are guided by hope. We are God filled people. Thank you God for your incredible gift.

This is a direct act of hope to look through the cloud and look for a beam of the light from God. (Jeremy Taylor, Holy Living, 1650)

Wednesday Morning Meditation – Psalms

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? How long will my enemy be exalted over me? Consider and hear me, O Lord my God; enlighten my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death; lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed against him”; lest those who trouble me rejoice when I am moved. But I have trusted in Your mercy; my heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, because He has dealt bountifully with me. (Psalm 13)

Delay, Grace And Mercy

You feel like nobody listens. Complaints arise and you seem alone with no answer. It comes to mind that even God is not listening as you plead your case with Him. Was David lamenting his struggle with sin and seeking the forgiveness of his God? Could something have happened in his life that left him in a dark cloud of despair? He pleads in earnest tones of reunion with his Lord. It seems to him that God has forgotten him, hidden His face from him and allowed sorrow and persecution to overcome him. These are dark days for David. When we are covered in a mantle of anguish it can be more than we can bear. Four times in the beginning the psalmist begs, “How long?”

Grace knows that when the day looks dark the Lord is still there shining above the clouds. As David feels alone He knows that God is full of grace and willing to hear. The great joy of serving the Almighty is the knowledge that He will never leave us or forsake us. When we need clarity He enlightens us with His word and His presence. His mercy protects us from our enemies giving us strength to overcome the slights and persecutions of those who seek our harm. The greatness of Jehovah is found in His deep love for His people as He bestows upon their hearts the balm of grace.

What began as a psalm of desperate need concludes with a joyful praise of trust. David knows the will of God is in His own time and He knows the grace of God is always open to him. As he writes this psalm the shepherd king already enjoys the blessings of the Lord’s abundant mercy in soothing his troubled soul giving him confidence that victory is in sight. This is not a psalm of defeat but of victory. There is a song in his heart because he waited on the Lord trusting in His divine mercy. The conclusion is how bountiful God shows Himself in the life of David.

We can feel forsaken at times. Life is filled with troubled days. This psalm assures us of those days when all seems lost but victory is always on the horizon. Living in the grace of God gives us the hope that we are never forgotten – never forgotten. Embracing the knowledge of the eternal care of the Creator for is sufficient to allow my life to be filled with praise. There is no defeat in my life. I have the victory in Jesus Christ. Realizing this hope I can trust that God will bring all things to work for good in my life. He cares for me and wants the best for me. That blessing is found in Christ. I serve a magnificent Savior. How long, O Lord? I wait for You.

Even in the dark hour after he has become guilty against his brother, man is not abandoned to the forces of chaos. God Himself seeks him out, and even when He comes to call him to account, His coming is salvation. (Martin Buber, At the Turning, 1952)

Tuesday Morning Early Start – Important Doctrines

Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?” Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” (John 18:37-38)

What Is Truth

The sun rises in the east and sets in the west. This is a known fact that has never changed since the beginning of time. There has never been a deviation of this fact. It is a certainty as long as the earth remains. No argument will change this reality. The veracity of the sun rising in the east and setting in the west is never challenged or denied. This is truth.

Recently mankind witnessed a supermoon lunar eclipse. The next supermoon eclipse will occur in 2033. How does man know this? Because truth is not only the same yesterday and today but it will also be the same in the year 2033. If the world remains the sun will still rise in the east and set in the west in the year 2033. Why? Because truth is constant. In mathematics 1+1=2 whether you speak English or Russian or live in Italy or Bolivia. Math is the purest form of truth because it does not change. You can believe that 1+1=3 but it does not change the truth. It just means that what you believe is wrong.

The Bible is truth. While no one argues about the rising and setting of the sun or the truth in mathematics the Bible is seldom viewed as truth. Critics of the word of God deny the exactness of its contents yet its message has remained unchanged since the beginning of time. Like the sun it reflects the hand of its Creator as being complete, unchanging and without variation. A charge is made that man changes the world of God but an honest examination finds this to be false. Jesus came to bear witness of the truth given to Him by His Father and through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit the word of God has remained the same since the day of its inception. Disbelieving the Bible does not change the truth no more than when the Jews killed Jesus on the cross changed the fact that He was the Son of God.

When we view the Bible as anything but TRUTH then we deny the sun rising in the east and 1+1=2. The difference is that one day the truth of science and math will be destroyed but the truth of God’s word will be eternal. Only in the Bible can we find the mind of God and only through our acceptance of the Bible as being our guide will we find happiness and meaning. Pilate asked “What is truth.” It was standing before Him.

Such is the irresistible nature of truth that all it asks, and all it wants, is the liberty of appearing. The sun needs no inscription to distinguish him from darkness. (Thomas Paine, The Rights of Man, 1791)

Monday Morning Coffee Break – Life With Jesus

If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched– where ‘Their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’ And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame, rather than having two feet, to be cast into hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched– where ‘Their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’ And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire– where ‘Their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’ (Mark 9:43-48)

Hand, Foot And Eye

Jesus could preach some hard lessons. There were occasions His own disciples chided Him because He offended some with His teaching. It is clear from the ministry of the Lord His purpose was singular. Matthew 23 is a fiery condemnation of the hypocrisy of the Jewish elite who put themselves above the Law. Jesus told His disciples that many would not like what He had to say about divorce in Matthew 19. In the final days of His life the Son of God declared there was only one way to the Father, one truth to salvation and one life in Him. Tough words. Consider His teaching on distractions of life.

Our hands are very precious to us. With them we are able to engage in a full life in contrast to the handicap of missing one or both hands. Our feet are also very precious to life as they give us the mobility to live a productive life. There is no doubt how priceless our eyes are to life. When any one of these members is damaged or lost it makes life hard. Losing a hand or foot or eye would cause great concern. However, the teaching of Jesus suggests a challenging lesson about those things that are important in life that we are willing to voluntarily forgo so that we can rise to the glory of God.

Jesus does not tell His disciples to literally remove these parts of the body but to look at things in life as to what is of value and what is not. The lesson is of values. If our hand caused us to lose our soul would we be willing to cut it off? Would we follow the same course with our feet or eyes? What is of greater importance in life? What we have here in a temporary way or what we will lose if we go into eternity with everything intact? These are tough questions. The answers are more difficult.

The rich young ruler was not willing to give up his riches. Some refuse to turn from false doctrine to save their souls. Many follow the pleasures of this life unprepared for a life without end. So often in our lives we are put into positions of temptations because we will not remove certain things from our lives so that we can live holy before God. If watching television caused you to sin would you be willing to get rid of it. If pornography is a constant temptation through the means of the internet would it not be better to cut it off here than to be cut off there? What if our job was not conducive to our spiritual welfare and we refused to give it up because we trusted in it more than God? Friends help us identify who we are but if they are not helping us be lights in a world of darkness are we willing to retain them and lose our soul?

The challenge of cutting off our hands, feet and eyes is a lesson of how devoted we want to be to the Lord. Life as child of God is a life of crucifixion. There are choices to be made. Sometimes these choices are the hardest decisions we will ever make in life. But these choices are about where we will spend eternity. Nothing else matters. How sad it will be to lose our soul because we were unwilling to give something up here.

In so far as man himself, consecrated by God’s name and dedicated to God, dies to the world that he may live for God, he is a sacrifice. (St. Augustine, The City of God, X, 426)

Sunday Morning Starters – Worship

These are the statutes and judgments which you shall be careful to observe in the land which the Lord God of your fathers is giving you to possess, all the days that you live on the earth. You shall utterly destroy all the places where the nations which you shall dispossess served their gods, on the high mountains and on the hills and under every green tree. And you shall destroy their altars, break their sacred pillars, and burn their wooden images with fire; you shall cut down the carved images of their gods and destroy their names from that place. You shall not worship the Lord your God with such things. But you shall seek the place where the Lord your God chooses, out of all your tribes, to put His name for His dwelling place; and there you shall go. (Deuteronomy 12:1-5)

For Which We Are Gathered

The first day of the week is a special day. Unlike the other days of the week it is time of reflection, devotion and worship. Since the beginning of time the Lord has desired the heart of man to give honor and praise to the Creator. Abel’s sacrifice reflected the glory of God. The altars of Abraham filled the heavenly realm with sweet incense. Songs of praise rang forth from the glories of the Temple as God’s people worshipped Jehovah. On the first day of the first day of the church three thousand devoted Jews learned a new way to worship God. Throughout the pages of the New Testament writers the early church gathered on the first day of the week to sing holy hymns of glory to God remembering the sacrifice of their savior Jesus Christ.

We should never look at the Law of Moses as simply a physical law requiring things to do to please the Lord. There were many regulations to follow but the intent of the Law was to instill in the hearts of the people the universal need of all men to bring their hearts to God. The allurement of idol worship was rooted in the physical satisfaction of a god that was seen and served with the hands of men. Worship to the Almighty has always been about bringing a heart of worship to the throne of the One who made us for glory. Throughout the Law God forbade His children to follow after the gods of the people because it would take their hearts away from Him. He demanded they not worship with such things. It is easy for the child of God today to worship the Lord with the external satisfactions of a religion of works. His will is still that we not worship Him with such things.

What we do today is a heart filled love for a sacrifice so large the world cannot contain its complete message. We are created for glory and standing at the cross of Jesus we see the greatest glory known to man. The first day of the week is a day that should belong to praise and worship of redemption. Salvation is the message of the day. Eternal life fills our hearts with the promise of life after death. Fellowship with saints who love the Lord with all their hearts, souls and minds is the joy of this day. Let us not worship God with such things as the gods of this world. Do not wait for a song to remove the thoughts of the world from our minds. Live each day with Christ. Let today be a resounding chorus of praise for the One who delivered us and saved us from sin. Today is a day of worship!

Salvation is not putting a man into Heaven, but putting Heaven into man. (Maltbie D. Babcock. Thoughts for Everyday Living, 1901)

Saturday Morning Promises – Great Stories

Behold, I send an Angel before you to keep you in the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared. Beware of Him and obey His voice; do not provoke Him, for He will not pardon your transgressions; for My name is in Him. But if you indeed obey His voice and do all that I speak, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries. For My Angel will go before you and bring you in to the Amorites and the Hittites and the Perizzites and the Canaanites and the Hivites and the Jebusites; and I will cut them off. You shall not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do according to their works; but you shall utterly overthrow them and completely break down their sacred pillars. So you shall serve the Lord your God, and He will bless your bread and your water. And I will take sickness away from the midst of you. No one shall suffer miscarriage or be barren in your land; I will fulfill the number of your days. I will send My fear before you, I will cause confusion among all the people to whom you come, and will make all your enemies turn their backs to you. And I will send hornets before you, which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite from before you. (Exodus 23:20-28)

How Could They Turn This Down?

The Old Testament is a wonderful story of the love and grace of God. From the book of Genesis to the final words of Malachi the tapestry of God’s plan to save man is unveiled in bold colors in the promise of the blessings from the Lord. As the people trembled at the presence of the Almighty at Sinai He assured them of complete victory over all their enemies and blessings beyond the imagination. The Lord would send His Angel to lead them having victory over all enemies that come up against them. There would be no people in the world that would be able to defeat them. Imagine for a moment being told the Angel of the Lord would be THE enemy of their enemies! This promise is sure and steadfast. Incredible.

There were formidable foes to be defeated. The Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites and Jebusites were a superpower of allies impossible to destroy. These people were warriors bent on the destruction of their enemies razing the ground of those who would oppose them. Jehovah God tells a nation that had just a few months before struggled to survive a brutal oppression of slavery they could defeat these powerful nations. Israel was not a nation of warriors. When Saul was King a century later no one had weapons. But God tells these brick mason slaves they would be able to defeat a host of nations if they would trust in His word.

The promise of God goes beyond the military might. If they would obey His word they would never go hungry or lack for drink. He would take sickness away from them and no woman would experience the painful agony of a miscarriage. Peace would reign throughout the land as the fear of the nation of Israel would fall upon all the nations around them. Prosperity would fill the land with milk and honey as no nation had ever experienced. The promises were true. His word was powerful. He told the people this could be all theirs if they would simply obey His Angel. They turned God down.

Read again all the things God said He would do and then remember how the people walked away and said “no.” How is that possible? What people in their right mind would turn away from such an offer? The Lord truly promised them health, wealth, might and power and the children of Israel refused God’s offer. How? Read Exodus 32 when they made a golden calf and said, “This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt.” Read Number 13-14 when the Hebrews came to the promised land and shrank back in fear refusing to enter. Unfold the history of the Jews and see how they turned away from every promise God made to them. Their lineage is a living sermon on the refusal of God’s blessings.

John tells us that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son to die for all men. The story is the same as it was with Israel. Now it is Jesus Christ God sends forth as the Word. If we will obey His word and follow Him we will enter a spiritual promised land. Our greatest enemy will be defeated when we follow Jesus. Nothing will be able to stand against us because we are soldiers of the cross. All spiritual blessings are found in Christ Jesus and all these promises are sure and steadfast. Death is no longer feared. Sin has been defeated. Hope reigns. Eternal life promised. And sadly like Israel most people stand at the Kadesh-Barnea of life and refuse the protection of the only one who could bring victory. Fear turns the heart away from God. Rebellion to accept the Word as truth causes men to wander in a wilderness of hopelessness to their ruin and death.

Faithful children of God embrace the promise of the Lord as their life. The Angel of the Lord encamps around us and protects us. Our blessings are found in the Son of God and realized in the hope of eternal life. Only God could give us that. Thank you God for loving me so much to allow me to come to your abode and live with you. Thank you for Your protection, Your blessing, Your promise and Your Son. Now that is a great story.

A little boy playing on the deck of a ship in a mighty storm was asked by a passenger if he wasn’t afraid. “No, I’m not afraid. My father is the captain of the ship.” (Rufus M. Jones, The Radiant Life, 1944)

Friday Morning Reflections – Wisdom Literature

Houses and riches are an inheritance from fathers, but a prudent wife is from the Lord. (Proverbs 19:14)

She Had Good Understanding

Marie died last night. She was not known by many but those who knew her understood the burden she bore every day. A simple woman with no pretense of outward glory she beamed from an inner spirit of a deep love for the Lord. Her love was seen in the care of her children and her husband whose greatest desire was to preach the gospel. Mark began at an early age to speak the words of truth. Time would present a terrible challenge as he lost his eye sight. As a family they would always struggle to provide for the family yet through it all remained a spirit of optimism and hope that God would take care of them. He did. He always did. Until the final moments of life there seemed to be a hope for the future but the body was unable to endure. Death embraced Marie and she was taken. But God was still doing what He had always done – one of His saints has gone home. Glory.

Children still remain at home. Family gathers together to mourn yet rejoice in the spirit of Marie. She patiently worked under many hardships but it would seem hard to notice. The family will be at a great loss for the one who cared for everyone else to the neglect often of herself. She was not a woman of the world. She was a woman of God. Her desire was not for the riches of this life and seldom enjoyed that. The heart of Marie was in the riches of God. Her eyes were on a heavenly home where no moth or corruption would come. The heart of Marie trusted in the riches of God’s grace. She died in faith. Death became a release allowing her life to experience the amazing joy of eternal salvation in Christ.

She was a woman of good understanding. Her character was that of Eve who was brought to man as a help-meet. There is no comparison of her worth for her life of service to God was of more value than precious gems. Her husband praised her and her children loved and adored her. She will be missed beyond measure. Life was cut short. Joy is found in the love she died in the Lord and found blessing during her short time of illness a greater reward was waiting for her. She really did understand things.

The chapter of faith in Hebrews 11 notably inscribes the names of the faithful. Legion are the names that fill the roll. It would seem natural to think if the writer were speaking of today Marie’s name would be found somewhere etched upon those pages of glory. Her significance is not about her life or her name. The reason for these few words is because in the death of a friend there is the glory of God. She lived not for herself but for her God. And that is the most important understanding of all.

The woman was made out of a rib out of the side of Adam; not of his feet to be trampled on by him, but out of his side to be equal with him, under his arms to be protected and, near to his heart to be loved. (Matthew Henry, Exposition of Genesis, 1725)