The Heaton File

Tuesday Morning Early Start – Important Doctrines

Abstain from every form of evil. (1 Thessalonians 5:22)

A Simple Rule

Evil is not invisible. The temptation of Eve was clearly evident as a tree planted in the midst of the garden. Her understanding of it was far more than eating the forbidden fruit. She knew they should not touch it lest the temptation be so great they would partake. Satan’s wiles allowed her to look more closely at the tree and embrace the belief that a little rebellion would be allowed. She was wrong. A simple rule was broken. She saw that it was good and before she knew it she and Adam had eaten the fruit. In fear they hid. They did not commit murder, adultery, idolatry or telling a lie. They ate a fruit. As benign as it may have seemed their actions led to expulsion from the garden and the penalty of sin.

Sin has an inviting attraction. Paul’s warning understands the nature of what causes us to be overwhelmed by evil. It can be assumed that as long as we do not find ourselves the victims of the major sins of scripture we are safe. Big sins come from small sins leading to greater rebellion. Walking on a rooftop is harmless but when you see a woman bathing it should be a warning to turn away and leave. David allowed an innocuous event to lead to adultery, lying and murder. The lesson should be learned that anything that has a shape of evil should be avoided.

A daredevil is someone who seeks the thrill of getting as close to death as possible escaping at the last moment to the applause of adoring fans. They show a carefree disregard for danger. Many die at the last moment when things go horribly wrong. Daredevil Christians are those who are deceived in believing they can tempt a roaring lion and escape unharmed. The simple rule is to stay out of the jungle. Why would anyone place themselves in a place of danger when it comes to Satan?

An old saying suggests that if you play with snakes don’t be surprised when you get bit. Unless we abstain from even the appearance of evil we should expect to be bitten. A simple rule is to remove any form or shape or fashion of evil from our lives and it will greatly decrease our being harmed. Flirting turns to adultery, a social drink becomes drunkenness, small lies become larger lies, and a casual curiosity can become an obsession. Preventive brushing today will keep truth decay from appearing later. Building a strong resistance to Satan can be done when we inoculate ourselves with the grace of God to resist the evils of tomorrow. A simple rule so often not followed.

Someday, in years to come, you will be wrestling with the great temptation, or trembling under the great sorrow of your life. But the real struggle is here, now in these quiet weeks. (Phillips Brooks 1835-1893, Perennials From)

Monday Morning Coffee Break – Life With Jesus

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

The Five Women

Genealogies are not always the most exciting parts of scripture to read. Trying to pronounce the names is a challenge by itself. Seldom are there any great stories found within the litany of names but often wonderful gems of information will be lost when ignored. Matthew’s account of the genealogy of Jesus has a lot of embedded stories of old that are well worth the telling. Women are rarely mentioned but five women are listed in the story of Jesus.

Tamar was the daughter-in-law of Judah. She was married to Er, the oldest son of Judah. Er was so wicked God slew him and Tamar married his brother Onan. Failing to carry on the seed by Tamar God killed Onan also. Judah promised his younger son, Shelah to her (as was the custom) but this never happened. In the course of time Judah’s wife died and he sought comfort among his shepherds. Tamar heard Judah was there and dressed as one of the harlots. Seeing her (not knowing she was his daughter-in-law) Judah went in to her and conceived twins. This was not discovered until three months later when Judah was confronted with the evidence of his union with Tamar. Later she bore Perez (ancestor of Jesus) and Zarah. Tamar’s story is found in Genesis 38.

Rahab is a very familiar story. When the children of Israel came to the promised land to begin the conquest her city was first on the list. Jericho would be a prize city dedicated the Lord. Before attacking the city two men came into Jericho and lodged at the house of Rahab the harlot. The king of the city heard of the spies and ordered Rahab to give up the men. She told the king she did not know who they were and they had escaped. As soldiers sought for the two men in the countryside Rahab hid them among the flax on the roof of her house. Before going to bed that night she implored the men to protect her from what she knew was coming. Her great faith in God was remarkable as she asked for the men to save her family from death. Later as she let them down by a scarlet cord (her house was on the wall) and the men told her to hang the same cord through the window and she would be saved when the attack came. Her deliverance came as promised by the Lord. Her story is found in Joshua 2 and Joshua 6. Later the writer of Hebrews will speak of her faith (Hebrews 11:31) and James would use her as an example of faith and works (James 2:25).

Ruth was a Moabite. She had married Mahlon son of Elimelech as a Gentile bride. When her father-in-law and husband died she chose to remain with her mother-in-law. It is in this story the wonderful statement is made by this young lady to Naomi, “Entreat me not to leave you, or to turn back from following after you; for wherever you go, I will go; and wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, and there will I be buried. The Lord do so to me, and more also, if anything but death parts you and me” (Ruth 1:16-17). Ruth would eventually marry Boaz a rich relative of Naomi and take her place as a grandmother of David the king of Israel.

Bathsheba is a tragic story. David was home from war and saw her bathing on the roof top. Taking her into his home the king committed adultery with the wife of Uriah, one of his mighty men and a Hittite (who happened to be off at war fighting for the king). When David was told Bathsheba was pregnant he brought Uriah home to cover up his sin. Failing to do so the king ordered Joab to put Uriah in the heat of battle and withdraw securing the death of this noble soldier. David comforted Bathsheba in the death of her husband and later married her. The deed was not unnoticed by God who sent Nathan the prophet to unveil the whole plot before David. The house of David would suffer greatly because of this sin. The child conceived would die and the rest of David’s life would be fraught with sadness. An interesting point about including Bathsheba in the list of Jesus’ genealogy is her name is not mentioned. She is referred to as the wife of Uriah. There is consequence to sin that often will continue after death. God reminds us of the far reaching penalty of sin. See 2 Samuel 11-12.

Mary is the highly favored one who was blessed to bear the Son of God in her womb. There is so much to say of this beautiful maiden. Her faith was so strong in the possibility of the impossibility and this faith carried her all through life. She was privileged to watch Jesus grow from a tiny baby to manhood and then the horror of the cross. Blessed by other children her life was filled with her devotion to God. Of all the people who stood at the cross she knew with no doubt her son was God yet she said nothing. Her last record by the Holy Spirit is found in the early church. What a Bible class teacher she must have been.

Five women. Genealogy of Jesus. A lot of great stories. Women who show a lot of different backgrounds of the common person Jesus came to save.

Christ did not love humanity. He never said that He loved humanity; He loved men. (G. K. Chesterton, Twelve Types, 1903)

Sunday Morning Starters – Worship

“A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am the Father, where is My honor? And if I am a Master, where is My reverence?” says the Lord of hosts to you priests who despise My name. Yet you say, “In what way have we despised Your name?” (Malachi 1:6)

Reverence In Our Worship

The seventy year captivity of Israel was in response to the people of Israel following after the gods of the nations around them. God had warned them emphatically the punishment to come upon them if they turned to other gods but they rebelled against Him and He sent them into bondage in another nation. The history of the Jews following captivity was characterized by the absence of idol worship. For all practical purposes the punishment did its job. However, the devil is always going to find another door to enter and he began to urge the people of God to be more consumed with themselves than the true devotion to the Lord. He convinced them of the pride they had in giving up idols and they could feel good about themselves all the while taking their hearts away from God.

Malachi the prophet bemoans the spirit of the people of God as the Lord charges them with the failure to give devotion to Him. The hearts of the people were only going through the motion. There was no deep desire to serve God. They did what they had to do and often not even the best they could do. Sacrifices were marginally offered and often a pale comparison to what the law required. The lack of love on the part of the people was evident.

Worship to God has always required a full heart of devotion. There are many words to describe worship. It suggests adoration, love and respect. It is easy to become like those Malachi writes about where the hand does what is required but the heart is far removed. True worship comes from the spirit of devotion and the truth of God’s word. Spending time to honor God is not a time to offer the maimed sacrifices of our lives but the best we have.

The church today does not worship idols and for that we are ‘proud.’ Often in our smug hypocrisy we gather on the first day of the week and go through the commandments avoiding the idols of other churches content in the knowledge that we are the one true church. Worship ends about twelve o’clock dull and we return to our homes happy in the failed knowledge we have done our duty. Praise God. Ho hum.

The Lord asks, “Where is my reverence?” Worship is not going through motions. The heart of our worship is the worship of the heart. Reverence is found in the deep respect and love for who God is and what He has done. Our worship today should not be the offering of lame excuses upon altars of apathy but glorious honor to the only One who is deserving of praise, honor and glory. Today is the day He raised His Son from the dead. This first day of the week is HIS DAY and we should honor Him, praise Him, loudly acknowledge our dependence on Him and GIVE HIM GLORY TODAY. God is so good. Today is a day of reverence. Let our worship today be filled with the awe of our God. Let us give reverence in our assemblies today.

God is of no importance unless He is of supreme importance. (A. J. Heshel, Man Is Not Alone, 1951)

Saturday Morning Promises – Great Stories

Now these were their names: from the tribe of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur; from the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat the son of Hori; from the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh; from the tribe of Issachar, Igal the son of Joseph; from the tribe of Ephraim, Hoshea the son of Nun; from the tribe of Benjamin, Palti the son of Raphu; from the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel the son of Sodi; from the tribe of Joseph, that is, from the tribe of Manasseh, Gaddi the son of Susi; from the tribe of Dan, Ammiel the son of Gemalli; from the tribe of Asher, Sethur the son of Michael; from the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi the son of Vophsi; from the tribe of Gad, Geuel the son of Machi. (Numbers 13:4-15)

The Unknown Ten

There are many names to remember in scripture telling great deeds of courage, faith and devotion to God. Enoch was not for God took him; Noah and the ark is a popular story of grace; Abram appears on the scene to plant the seed for the nation of Israel; Moses becomes the icon of the Law of God for the Jews; David is the courageous shepherd king; and the list could go on. Early in childhood the names of the twelve apostles are memorized along with the Judges of old. Names – lots of names to remember. Names that tell stories. Stories that tell the character of the men and women of God.

Ten of the most famous names of scripture (who are never remembered) are Shammua, Shaphat, Igal, Palti, Gaddiel, Gaddi, Ammiel, Sethur, Nahbi,  and Geuel. Do you know whose these leaders are? They were chosen because they showed great skill in leadership among the people. The ten names were heads of the children of Israel who bore the responsibility of one of the greatest undertakings in the history of men. “These are the names of the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land. And Moses called Hoshea the son of Nun, Joshua” (Numbers 13:16). Twelve men were sent into the land of Canaan to spy out the land and bring back a report. Only two men believed the land could be taken with the power of God. Joshua and Caleb would enter the promised land forty years later but the ten men that spied the land with them would die in the wilderness.

There must have been a great excitement among the people as they approached the land of Canaan. Leaving Egypt far behind they longed to be a people free from the bondage of slavery. God had delivered them time and again overcoming impossible odds to save His people. Spread out in a vast land of milk and honey Canaan was theirs for the taking. The twelve men that spied out the land were awed by the beauty of the land of promise. They had never seen anything like it. The bounty of the land was incredible. Giants lived in the land with large cities. It was a land of spectacular views overflowing with a cornucopia of prosperity. God has promised the land to them. They had only to go up and take it.

Twelve men walked the land of Canaan. Ten men walked with hearts of fear. Two men saw the glory of God. Returning to the people the ten caused fear in the hearts of Israel with the stories of giants and death and destruction. Joshua and Caleb sought to rally the people with words of hope and courage. The people followed the advice of the ten and paid with their lives. Only Joshua and Caleb would see the land of promise again and be inscribed in the monuments of faith as faithful men of God. But what of the ten? Their names are forgotten. Bible classes seldom require students to learn their names. They perished only to be remembered in a chapter of shame for their disbelief in the power of God.

There are two kinds of names in the world: names that will be remembered and names that will be forgotten. These are not names of famous leaders of history, inventors, adventurers, soldiers, scientists or heroes of men. The names that will be remembered are names written in a book of life inscribed by the hand of God. Many men live in such a way as to be remembered in the annuals of history. Sadly most men live to engrave their names on marble instead of the heavenly parchment of God’s book. These names will be forgotten. The names of the faithful (like Joshua and Caleb) will be echoed in the halls of judgment when the Lord calls them forth to eternal salvation. The names of the ten will be forgotten because of their unbelief along will all those who fail to inscribe their names in the roll of blood given to us by Christ.

Where is your name?

Sometimes the pinnacle of fame and the height of folly are twin peaks. (Anonymous)

Friday Morning Reflections – Wisdom Literature

Cease listening to instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge. (Proverbs 19:27)

The Hearing And The Doing

One of the first acts of life is the unconscious reaction to knowledge. As an infant, we may not fully understand the reasons why but we respond to words learning how to focus, speak and walk. Throughout adolescence we continue to respond to instructions learning how to take care of ourselves in the vast library of knowledge. Somewhere along the way we learn an ironic lesson of hearing knowledge but refusing to act on that knowledge. It gets worse the older we get. A spirit of rebellion enters our minds as we believe there is no need to listen to others for guidance. We become our own volume of knowledge and like Sinatra, “I did it my way.”’

The root of man’s failure has always been the inability to follow wisdom. This has been a problem on many levels. If man follows the wisdom of man it is foolishness. When man stops listening to the one who made him it is foolishness. Wisdom or knowledge is power. Refusing to follow knowledge will always end in disaster. The history of man is littered with the fragments of misery when knowledge is rebuffed.

Man has always enjoyed a healthy respect for his own knowledge rejecting the wisdom that is from above. The message of the proverb is the senseless act of listening to wise teaching with no intention of profiting by it. Whenever an answer is needed for a complex problem an expert is called in for consultation. It would be folly not to heed the wisdom of one who is well versed in the field of knowledge needed to solve the problem. The nature of man can only be answered by the One who is well versed in the needs of man: Creator Jehovah. Sadly, most reject the will of God. How tragic that all the answers of life are contained within the word of God and so few attend to its message.

The Bible is the mind of God revealed unto man. Everything we need to know about life is found in this simple revelation. Written by men across an array of generations the unity of purpose is clearly evident as the work of the Holy Spirit. No writing of man can come close to its content of wisdom. The single volume of knowledge that will empower man with an eternal glory is reviled as a book of myths and fairy tales. Paul writes that faith will come from a hearing of the word of God and without this message there can be no knowledge. The inescapable conclusion is the measure of our faith is determined by our knowledge of the word of God. Reading the Bible is not to garner stars in our crown for how many chapters we read each day but the power of change that takes place when we embed the teachings of Jesus Christ into our hearts. When we stop listening to the word of God we commit a most foolish act. Let the words abide in our lives. Let them change the character, refresh the spirit and make us in the image of our Father. Never cease from listening to the words of God. Live the words. Act upon its message. Let faith be seen in our living the knowledge gained in a study of His word.

Faith seeps out as knowledge seeps down. (John Haynes Holmes, Religion Today, ed. A. L. Swift, 1933)

Thursday Morning Thankfulness – Epistles of Paul

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)

Created For The Glory Of God

The night sky is a brilliant canvas of God’s glory. Filling the expanse of darkness the stars illuminate in a million ways how magnificent the Creator has shown Himself to man. In every corner of the earth God’s glory is found in the oceans teaming with life and the continents abound with incredible scenes of grandeur. The mountains rise high with awe inspiring glory. Everywhere man turns the finger of God has set forth a design of the nature of a Creator who implores man to see His infinite character. These elements of praise remain unchanged. The stars we look at today man looked upon a thousand years ago. The moon is as old as the fourth day of creation as well as the sun and stars. Animals fill the earth serving the Creator under a law of necessity. Creation is established within boundaries that remain unchanged with the exception of the last gift of God: man.

Everything created in six days gives glory to God and has done so since the beginning of time. Remaining unchanged the natural creation of the Lord testifies to the limitless glory of a Creator that desires honor and praise. Man is the only creation that has changed the glory of God to an image of corruption. The tragedy of sin is that it is counter to why man was created. Adam and Eve were the highest of creation because they were made in the image of God. They were given free will to show the glory of God in their lives. Sin changed that. Taking the forbidden fruit they became afraid and hid from God. As the Lord walked in the garden He called to Adam, “Where are you?” The manifestation of God’s glory in man was now marred by rebellion.

We were created to show forth the glory of God. The heavens testify to His glory and remain unchanged. When we sin we fail to show forth the glory of God. All men sin and fall short of being what we were created to be. Animals have no choice. Man has a choice because he is created in the image of God to glorify the eternal image. The flood in the days of Noah was a horrible thing for man but also for the Lord. He created man to glorify Him but now He was destroying everything with life save eight because they refused to give Him the glory due His nature. Moses said the Lord was sorry He had made man and He was grieved in His heart. Why? Man was such a powerful image of the glory of God and yet man had turned that glory to wickedness.

The age old question is answered in the word of God: Why am I here? We are created to show forth the glory of God (Isaiah 43:7). Unlike the stars above or the animals below man is the eternal creation formed to show forth the glory of God. The stars will be destroyed and this world will be burned up but man lives on in eternity. Sin happens when we allow the purpose of man’s creation to be used for carnal pleasures instead of the glorification of the Creator. To overcome sin we must be diligent to serve God to His glory. Live today for the glory of God. Think of His glory, meditate on the word of God to abide in the glory of God, let your light shine today for the glory of the one who gave His only begotten Son to die for sinful man. In Christ we give glory to God.

Sin is the infidelity of man to the image of what he ought to be in his eternal vocation as an adopted son of God. (Fulton J. Sheen, Three to Get Married, 1951)

Wednesday Morning Meditation – Psalms

O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O Lord, You know it altogether. You have hedged me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is high, I cannot attain it.

Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me. If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall on me,” even the night shall be light about me; indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, but the night shines as the day; the darkness and the light are both alike to You.

For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them.

How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; When I awake, I am still with You. Oh, that You would slay the wicked, O God! Depart from me, therefore, you bloodthirsty men. For they speak against You wickedly; Your enemies take Your name in vain. Do I not hate them, O Lord, who hate You? And do I not loathe those who rise up against You? I hate them with perfect hatred; I count them my enemies.

Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalm 139 – For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.)

The Joy Of His Knowledge

David had a keen awareness of the closeness of the Lord in his life. As a prolific psalmist, the king of Israel pondered the depths of God’s knowledge of man from every possible point on the compass. Before the days of technology that would show the human body’s design David understood the marvelous structure of creation. His conclusion was not one of fear but of marvelous wonder and security that God was always present in his life.

The Lord knows all we do, say and think. While this can be a warning to refrain from sin the focus of David is the positive realization that God is always with us to care for us. We are not alone. We are never alone. As a hedge of protection the Commander of the Army of God (see Joshua 5:13-15) encircles the army of righteousness around our lives. The hand of the Lord is upon us – why should we fear? People of God share the greatest blessing to know our Father is always present and ready to help in our lives. We are not alone.

There is no place in this world we can go that God is not already there. A growing baby may be hidden from man in the mother’s womb but the Lord sees every part of us before birth. The wonder of birth has been taken away somewhat because now we can use instruments to see the form of the baby in the womb but it should never take away our wonder at the knowledge of the Lord. David is overwhelmed by such knowledge. No matter where he goes, what he does, what he says – his heavenly Father is there. Wow.

To understand this knowledge helps us to know how to defeat Satan. The devil is always present trying to destroy us but our God is greater than anything the devil throws at us. Satan will have small victories in life but through the forgiveness of God’s grace the war has already been won. Christ arose from the dead and Satan was defeated. We have nothing to fear because God is always with us and the devil has no power.

The courage of David concludes the psalm. There is a great test of faith to invite the Lord to search our hearts and know our hearts. He already knows what is in the heart but our life is an ‘invited’ open book. This is where David draws his strength. He wants God to be embedded in all of his life every day.

Psalm 139 is our psalm. God knows all about us and that is joy. Through the power of His love He will protect us and guide us by His protection and hand upon our hearts. Pray this psalm with the faith that He will deliver us when we allow the Lord to search us and know us. What a powerful message of love and hope today.

The name of this infinite and inexhaustible depth and ground of all being is God. That depth is what the word God means … it … speaks of the depths of your life; of the source of your being … If you know that God means depth, you know much about him. (Paul Tillich, The Shaking of the Foundations, 1949)

Tuesday Morning Early Start – Important Doctrines

Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door! My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience. Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord–that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful. (James 5:7-11)

We All Need To Be Farmers

It is hard to be patient. In a world thriving on millisecond technology the mind can be frustrated that requires time to wait. When God created the world He established a pattern of nature that requires time. Planting a crop involves a time for growing before the harvest. Farming is an occupation of patience knowing that soil prepared today will not see fruition of blessings until much later. Life must be viewed in the context of a patient spirit.

One of the important lessons in our relationship with God is learning that He does things in His own time. The thoughts of the Lord are not our thoughts. Charles Jerdan writes, “To ‘wait upon God’ is a frequent exhortation of Scripture. The cultivation of this patience is perfectly consistent with holy activity. It springs from the same root of faith from which good works spring. We show our faith not only by our active ‘works,’ but also when we ‘endure, as seeing him who is invisible.’” Many things of life require waiting. We resist that but it does not change the nature of God’s will.

The epistle of James is filled with exhortation of patience. Trials befall the child of God daily. The maddened pace of life is focused upon the desire to have everything now. Pride causes man to forget God bragging about what he will do tomorrow when no promise of tomorrow is given. Pleasure and luxury are the orders for the day taking the focus of eternity out of sight. We must learn to be patient and establish our lives in Jesus Christ. Trusting in Him will give us the confidence to look for His coming today. It will cure the disheartened spirit and remind us of the examples of others who endured the trials of life because they trusted God. Consider the prophets of old. Learn the lessons of God’s man Job. Be a farmer and be patient. The bounty is coming. And what a cornucopia that is going to be.

Can anyone think of believing in God without trusting Him? Is it possible to trust in God for the big things like forgiveness and eternal life, and then refuse to trust Him for the little things like clothing and food? (Oswald C. J. Hoffmann, Life Crucified, 1959)

Monday Morning Coffee Break – Life With Jesus

When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret and anchored there. And when they came out of the boat, immediately the people recognized Him, ran through that whole surrounding region, and began to carry about on beds those who were sick to wherever they heard He was. Wherever He entered, into villages, cities, or the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged Him that they might just touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched Him were made well. (Mark 6:53-56)

When People Were Excited About Jesus

The news spread quickly. Jesus of Nazareth had just landed on the shores of Gennesaret and the air was filled with excitement. People were running everywhere with the news the great healer was in town. Multitudes of sick folk were gathered up to be brought to Jesus. The lame, blind, mute, demon possessed, lepers and the little girl with the common cold were rushed to the marketplace so that perhaps the hem of the garment could be touched for healing.

All over the land of Gennesaret lives were changed like never before. A man who suffered a horrible cancer found relief by the touch of Jesus. Dear friends brought a companion who had been crippled in an accident to Jesus. Mothers brought their sick children for the Master to touch. Blind men cried out to touch the Lord. Lepers no longer cried out “unclean.” Deformed limbs were made whole. The pain of suffering was relieved by the presence of Jesus. There was joy in the land.

Today the great Healer resides in Heaven with His Father. He no longer comes among men to heal the broken bones and diseased bodies. Gone are the days when infirmed men and women can touch His garments for the healing power of His mercy. There was great joy in Gennesaret two thousand years ago but this joy was short lived. Disease, suffering and pain returned to the lives of many and death took them all. The joy of healing was part of the plan of God’s grace but it was not the purpose. There was a greater disease that would require the touch of the Son of God. When Jesus died on the cross He gave man the only healing that is eternal. The disease cured by Jesus was sin. His blood washed it away. Now man could rejoice in the salvation of God’s love in sacrificing His only begotten Son for the malady of sin.

Two thousand years ago people were running all over the place announcing the joyful news of Jesus. Everyone came to Jesus for healing. Why is it that no one is running around today telling about Jesus’ healing power over sin? Where has the excitement gone? Imagine two thousand years ago a man bedridden for years hears Jesus is in town and he does not care. His attitude would astound us. Yet today the redemption of sin is made possible in the good news of Jesus Christ and few come to be touched by Him. Worse yet there are few of us running around telling people about Jesus.

There are two things in this story that we should learn. The Lord needs us to be excited about His healing power. He needs us to herald His message of healing. How are we telling people about salvation? Second, the only way a sin-sick person can be healed is come to Jesus. He is the only answer. Talking to a neighbor about their spiritual disease can only be answered with the message of the great physician. I need to bring my friend to Christ and let Him heal them of sin. There can be great rejoicing in the land if only we would talk to people about Jesus showing His power over suffering. Get your running shoes on. Let’s go.

No man can fail of the benefits of Christ’s salvation, but through an unwillingness to have it. (William Law, The Spirit of Prayer, 1749)

Sunday Morning Starters – Worship

Then God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear”; and it was so. And God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters He called Seas. And God saw that it was good. Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth”; and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields seed according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. So the evening and the morning were the third day. (Genesis 1:9-13)

Lessons With Three

The first life appeared on the third day. This will become a significant number throughout the history of man.

• Abraham traveled three days to sacrifice his only begotten son.
• God appeared to Israel on the third month and third day at Sinai to deliver the Law.
• Esther came before the King on the third day with courage to save her people.
• Three young Hebrews defied the King of Babylon by refusing to bow down to his image and were cast into a burning fiery furnace.
• Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and nights.
• Jesus first miracle was on the third day.
• Jesus prayed three times in Gethsemane before being arrested.
• Peter denied Jesus three times.
• Jesus was crucified on the third hour of the day with three nails.
• Jesus would be raised from the dead on the third day.
• Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved Him.
• The gospel of salvation was first preached at the third hour of the day.
• Three thousand devout Jews became the first Christians.
• The Godhead is made up of three:

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 28:19)

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen. (2 Corinthians 13:14)

Salvation can only be found in ONE name. There are TWO choices in eternity. There is no THIRD choice.