The Heaton File

Saturday Morning Promises – Great Stories

Now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to test him with hard questions. She came to Jerusalem with a very great retinue, with camels that bore spices, very much gold, and precious stones; and when she came to Solomon, she spoke with him about all that was in her heart. So Solomon answered all her questions; there was nothing so difficult for the king that he could not explain it to her. And when the queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, the food on his table, the seating of his servants, the service of his waiters and their apparel, his cupbearers, and his entryway by which he went up to the house of the LORD, there was no more spirit in her. Then she said to the king: “It was a true report which I heard in my own land about your words and your wisdom. However I did not believe the words until I came and saw with my own eyes; and indeed the half was not told me. Your wisdom and prosperity exceed the fame of which I heard. Happy are your men and happy are these your servants, who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom! Blessed be the LORD your God, who delighted in you, setting you on the throne of Israel! Because the LORD has loved Israel forever, therefore He made you king, to do justice and righteousness.” Then she gave the king one hundred and twenty talents of gold, spices in great quantity, and precious stones. There never again came such abundance of spices as the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon. (1 Kings 10:1-10)

The Queen Of The South

Solomon was the richest man in all the world and his riches exceeded the imagination of every man. Israel was in the golden age of her existence. Prosperity reigned. Peace filled the cities. People lived in luxury. The wisdom of Solomon was almost omniscient. Blessed by the Lord the king was filled with understanding that has been unmatched among men. Far away in the land of Sheba the Queen heard of this follower of Jehovah and desired to see for herself this splendor. Arriving with her entourage of opulence she grilled the king in every corner of knowledge she could find. Undaunted Solomon answered every question with amazing mental dexterity. It took her breath away. She had never seen anything like this before.

The Queen honored Solomon by acknowledging the blessings of his land was given by the hand of the “Lord your God.” Everything she had witnessed was tempered by the presence of the Lord. The wisdom of Solomon was not based upon earthly wisdom but heavenly. All the physical blessings enjoyed by the nation came from the hand of God. Peace and prosperity reigned because the nation followed the one true God. It was clear to the visiting head of State the nation of Israel was a blessed nation because of one thing – Jehovah God.

Her impression of Solomon was not judged solely upon the man but rather the man who honored God. The king could not have attained all that he had without the power of God. Israel was the apple of God’s eye and through the promise in the Law that if the nation obeyed the Lord He would bless them immeasurably. Solomon’s wisdom came as a gift from God. The Queen of the South saw majesty. This majesty was God.

Sadly many years later if the Queen visited Israel she would have found a very different picture. Solomon was not as wise as he once was and the land was torn by strife. Eventually the kingdom would be torn in two and conquered by Assyria and Babylon. A much different picture. What happened? Exactly what the Queen of Sheba predicted. When a nation, a people and a leadership abandon God there is nothing to hope for. No more happiness. No more peace. No more wisdom beyond the ages. No more joy. The Queen could see the reason for all the blessings of Israel was not Solomon but the “Lord your God.” Israel imploded when they stopped trusting in God.

The Queen of the South saw some pretty amazing things. Jesus would later refer to the Queen admonishing Israel to see that a greater than Solomon was before them. When a nation turns away from Jesus Christ a woman from Sheba will rise up in judgment and declare, “What happened to the Lord your God?”

“Every philosopher and statesman who has discussed the subject of human governments, has acknowledged that there can be no stable society without justice, no justice without morality, no morality without religion, no religion without God. (James Gibbons, Our Christian Heritage, 1889)

Friday Morning Reflections – Wisdom Literature

Do not overwork to be rich; because of your own understanding, cease! Will you set your eyes on that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away like an eagle toward heaven. (Proverbs 23:4-5)

The Wings Of Money

An animal walks through a river stream seeking for food. His eye catches the gleam of a golden nugget glistening in the sand. He looks around and sees a multitude of gold gems filling the river stream. His heart begins to pound fiercely but it has nothing to do with the gold he has found. He is hungry and wants to find food to fill his stomach. Another animal walks through the same stream. He sees the gold filling the riverbed. His heart begins to pound and screams are heard as he frantically scoops up the gold. He will sacrifice life to gain this gold. Hiding the news from others he hurries to buy the land so he can fill his stomach with the manna of worldly riches. Wars will be fought to possess this gold. Lives destroyed to pursue more gold. The first animal is a bear foraging for food. The second animal is a man made in the image of God.

The bear will find food and be content. Man will find gold and never find contentment. It is more precious to him than food. The creator provides everything the bear needs to sustain life. Each day will be filled with the necessities of life provided through the marvelous world of creation. The creature made in the image of God has less sense than the bear because he will spend his life pursuing something that has no real value in the quality of life.

The accumulation of stuff is the driving force for many in life. Keeping up with ‘the Joneses’ is the goal of life not knowing the Jones family moved away last year. Riches have intrinsic value only for the purpose they serve. There is a need to work and provide for the family. Children of God work so they can also give to those who have need (see Ephesians 4:28). Beyond the needs of life riches have wings that fly away. For a brief moment in life the value of money seems like the greatest joy and when spent loses its splendor. Is not life more than the pursuit of riches? All wealth comes with wings.

The wise man did not say to refrain from working. He said not to OVERWORK to be rich because we waste our lives seeking something that comes with the wings of a butterfly that will fly away in short time. And then what? If you want to seek after something of true value, seek eternal life. That will not go away if we embrace it.

Thursday Morning Thankfulness – Epistles of Paul

But they were hearing only, “He who formerly persecuted us now preaches the faith which he once tried to destroy.” And they glorified God in me. (Galatians 1:23-24)

Who Did You Say Obeyed The Gospel?

It goes without saying the conversion of Saul of Tarsus was something no one could have foreseen happening. If there was one person in the whole world the early disciples would have never considered a candidate for the gospel – well, Saul was at the top of the list. He was the driving force of the first major persecution of the church admitting to dragging men and women off to prison. One striking statement of Saul’s methods is when he declares before Agrippa that he “punished [saints] often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceeding enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities” (Acts 26:11). When they were put to death he cast his vote against them. Remember Steven?

The poster boy for who will never obey the gospel of Jesus Christ was Saul of Tarsus. From the tribe of Benjamin Saul was a deeply devoted Hebrew who lived fully the life of a Pharisee. He was on his way to the city of Antioch to persecute and imprison Christians when he hit a huge road block. His life was perfect. He had power, money, influence and a deep hatred for anything Jesus. Then the light came and his life changed. Three days later, blind and fearful, the hand of a gentle man rose Saul up from the ground and asked, “Why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” Three days after the light knocked him off his horse, the persecutor of the church became a child of God. Who would have thought?

Ananias had fearful reservations. When the Lord came to him and told him that He wanted him to go to the house of Judas and find one called Saul of Tarsus the disciple was no less shocked. He even ‘reminded’ the Lord who this man was. If there was anyone Ananias would have never believed could be taught the gospel this was the man. Having been instructed by the Lord how Saul would be a chosen vessel for the Lord Ananias went immediately. And you know the rest of the story.

Here is the lesson: it is easy to categorize people as good and bad candidates for the gospel. Do you know someone like Saul today? Deeply devoted to their faith and you think to yourself that nothing would ever shake them from their error? They are so involved in their belief that nothing could ever move them? Saul of Tarsus became Saul of Jesus Christ! Never, never believe the person before you is not capable of being receptive the gospel. ALL men need the gospel. Jesus died for ALL men. You and I should never pick and choose. We are sowers who broadcast the seed without discrimination. Sow the seed – do not surgically plant seed in ground you think may bring forth a crop. Let God take care of that. You never know. Saul of Tarsus may be standing before you – in the waters of baptism. Praise God. Glorify God.

• Kent Heaton

Tuesday Morning Early Start – Important Doctrines

Do not let your adornment be merely outward–arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel–rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. (1 Peter 3:3-4)

Is Modesty Legislated

It is always with trepidation the subject of modesty is approached. In every generation the people of God must deal with what is modest and what is immodest. With each examination of the subject cultural views, personal opinions and clear agendas cloud the issue. For some a very strict code of modesty is imposed. Among many there does not seem to be any guidelines. Often it is remarked that trying to say how short is short and how long is long is unfair and must we pull out the measuring tape to determine the appropriate level of modesty? The conclusion is then given that modesty is only an opinion and we are left without teaching on the subject.

The danger in believing modesty is unregulated is to accept the belief that God has not given His word on the matter. Everything that pertains to life and godliness is found within the text of His fully revealed word including the subject of modesty. There is nothing in life that cannot be answered without spending time revealing the nature of how the Holy Spirit has spoken on the matter. Society does not govern whether something is modest or not – the Holy Spirit does. It may have been the case a century ago that revealing the ankle was considered risqué but that is not the meaning of modesty. Nor does it suggest that while the world today accepts the lack of clothing as acceptable that modesty is governed by the whims of modern man.

Modesty is regulated within the pages of God’s word. The Bible is the only book that outlines the measures of modesty in keeping with the character of God’s people. A Christian is a set apart person. They are not to measure their modesty by history, the present fashions of acceptability nor the agenda of a preacher or eldership. It must come from the word of God and the word of God alone. It is interesting how often modesty is discussed with closed Bibles. How can this be? If you want to know whether you are dressing in a modest manner – in keeping with your relationship with Jesus Christ – read the Book. And when someone teaches on the subject using the Bible as the guide book for admonishing clearer judgment on the matter then study the Book and make changes that reflect the character of God’s people.

Here is where we must all begin: “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). And that came right out of the Bible.

Monday Morning Coffee Break – Life With Jesus

Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me. (Matthew 21:1-2)

The Donkey And The White Horse

Horses were not as common for daily use as was the donkey. Reserved for war the horse was a symbol of conflict. As Jesus approached Jerusalem with only days left in His ministry, He did not want to show the world He had come to bring war but peace. It was common for the donkey to be used as a symbol of peace as people lined the roads laying their clothes down in honor of the triumphal entry. Branches would also be laid in the road giving glory for the one honored. What a scene of conflict this must have been for Jesus as the people shouted “Hosanna to the Son of David. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest” and within a short time the crowds would scream “Crucify Him, crucify Him!”

His final trip to Jerusalem ended with His death at Golgotha. The disciples were scattered as the Jewish leaders scowled with hatred watching their enemy die a most horrible death. Peace would come to man on the first day of the week when Jesus rose from the dead. This time it would not be on a donkey but a horse. The apostle John in the Revelation describes Jesus triumphal entry on the pages of God’s word as riding a “white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses” (Revelation 19:11-14). The King of Kings and Lord of Lords brought final victory when He entered Jerusalem on a donkey with palm leaves of peace and left Jerusalem on a white horse having victory over death, Hades and Satan.

Thank God for peace and war. Thank God Jesus brings peace to man and war to Satan. Thank God for the common animal who symbolized peace and the fierce creature who symbolized victory. Thank God He raised His Son from the dead and gave all of us a peace that passes understanding guarding our hearts and minds and assured us of victory over death with a white horse and Him who sat upon it.

Saturday Morning Promises – Great Stories

Many people shall come and say, “Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. (Isaiah 2:3)

The Greatest Story Of All

We have been spending our time on Saturdays looking at various stories from the Bible. This book is filled to the brim with stories of love, hate, intrigue, revenge, compassion, heroism, failure, wars, miracles – every category known to man is in this book. It is important to remember the stories in the Bible are real people living in real time experiencing real events with real consequences good or bad. The Bible is a book of reality.

The ‘Bible’ received its name from the Greek word “BIBLIA” meaning “books” (diminutive from bı́blos, the inner bark of the papyrus). Written by forty different men over 1400 years it has become a collection of books from Moses writing the first five books to the apostle John’s revelation. Hebrew, Chaldean and Koine Greek were the languages of the original text. Jesus refers to the Old Testament (the same books we have today) as the “Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms” (Luke 24:44). The Bible was divided into chapters by Stephen Langton about 1228, the Old Testament was divided into verses by R. Nathan in 1448 and the New Testament by Roberts Stephanus in 1551. The entire Bible divided into chapters and verses first appeared in the Geneva Bible in 1560.

What is the greatest story in the Bible? The Bible is its own great story. Filled with stories it becomes the greatest story ever told. Early man had the stories of creation and the flood handed down through generations by word of mouth. Moses began the collection of books in writing the Pentateuch (Genesis – Deuteronomy). Through the centuries inspired men wrote books of law, history, poetry and revelation. When we pick up a Bible today we are picking up a message that is as old as the earth – in fact older.

If you are looking for a good story to read then you have come to a story no man could write. Guided by the Holy Spirit the pens of men inscribed upon the centuries of time the greatest story – His name is Jesus. The book of Genesis is about the Christ. Exodus permeates with the will of the Lord. In every book of the Bible the central figure is Jesus Christ. The Old Testament is not about the Jews but the Savior they rejected. Filling the pages of the New Testament the Son of God burst upon the scene of humanity showing His love in His death. The Bible may be a collection of sixty-six books but it is one book with one story.

What is remarkable about the Bible is that if you lived as long as Adam (930 years) you will still not glean all the kernels of truth found in this great story. Do not let that discourage you. Let it challenge you. Learn all you can about the story from Creation to the “surely I am coming quickly” of the Revelation. Put things in place in time. Learn the story of the Bible and you will never be the same person. Get to know the characters, the places, the events, the stories, the message and your life will be filled with hope and peace.

Today is a great day to read a great story. Read the Bible.

Friday Morning Reflections – Wisdom Literature

Behold, God is great, and we do not know Him; nor can the number of His years be discovered. For He draws up drops of water, which distill as rain from the mist, which the clouds drop down and pour abundantly on man. Indeed, can anyone understand the spreading of clouds, the thunder from His canopy? Look, He scatters His light upon it, and covers the depths of the sea. For by these He judges the peoples; He gives food in abundance. He covers His hands with lightning, and commands it to strike. His thunder declares it, the cattle also, concerning the rising storm. At this also my heart trembles, and leaps from its place. Hear attentively the thunder of His voice, and the rumbling that comes from His mouth. He sends it forth under the whole heaven, His lightning to the ends of the earth. After it a voice roars; He thunders with His majestic voice, and He does not restrain them when His voice is heard. God thunders marvelously with His voice; He does great things which we cannot comprehend. For He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth’; likewise to the gentle rain and the heavy rain of His strength. He seals the hand of every man, that all men may know His work. The beasts go into dens, and remain in their lairs. From the chamber of the south comes the whirlwind, and cold from the scattering winds of the north. By the breath of God ice is given, and the broad waters are frozen. Also with moisture He saturates the thick clouds; He scatters His bright clouds. And they swirl about, being turned by His guidance, that they may do whatever He commands them on the face of the whole earth. He causes it to come, whether for correction, or for His land, or for mercy. Listen to this, O Job; stand still and consider the wondrous works of God. Do you know when God dispatches them, and causes the light of His cloud to shine? Do you know how the clouds are balanced, those wondrous works of Him who is perfect in knowledge? Why are your garments hot, when He quiets the earth by the south wind? With Him, have you spread out the skies, strong as a cast metal mirror? Teach us what we should say to Him, for we can prepare nothing because of the darkness. Should He be told that I wish to speak? If a man were to speak, surely he would be swallowed up. Even now men cannot look at the light when it is bright in the skies, when the wind has passed and cleared them. He comes from the north as golden splendor; with God is awesome majesty. As for the Almighty, we cannot find Him; He is excellent in power, in judgment and abundant justice; He does not oppress. Therefore men fear Him; He shows no partiality to any who are wise of heart. (Job 36:26-37:24)

Florida Rain Storms

It is Friday morning in central Florida and once again the skies pour forth an abundance of rain. The past few weeks have been saturated with daily rain, lightning and thunder. For many it is an inconvenience and for some troublesome as the clouds of rain pour forth rivers of water through the streets. Florida thunderstorms are a thing of beauty. The rain will begin softly but then explode with a fury as the skies light up and thunder like a kettle drum booms through the heavens often shaking the earth below. A calm will descend but only for a short time as the storm increases in ferocity. These storms can be deadly and destructive. No matter what men try to do in defending themselves from the onslaught the storms have their way. But they are a thing of beauty.

Elihu was the silent presence during the discussions of Job and his friends. We do not know this young man is present until he finally has enough of the way his four friends try to understand the meaning of God and he respectfully rebukes Job and the others. Elihu reminds these men how great the Lord is and how benevolent God has always been. It seems the four men have forgotten the strength and power of the Almighty even in matters pertaining to Job and his plight. During this rebuke the young man declares how majestic God is in nature. He covers His hands with lightning, and commands it to strike. His thunder declares it, the cattle also, concerning the rising storm. At this also my heart trembles, and leaps from its place. Elihu gets scared during these storms but he knows where the storms come from.

The storms of nature should remind us how great God is and small we are. Whether in summer or winter we stand at the mercy of the weather. There is much we have done to overcome certain elements of nature but often we are reminded of their power. Bridges collapse, towns are flooded, communities destroyed, and sadly many lives lost to the fury of natural flows of water, wind and fire. Elihu says, “Teach us what we should say to Him, for we can prepare nothing because of the darkness.” Be safe in the storms today. See the glory of God in these storms. Stand in awe of His power manifested in the world. Learn how great He is and how much He loves us. Worship Him. Teach children not to fear the storm but to see God in every part. What a beautiful day it will be today.

Thursday Morning Thankfulness – Epistles of Paul

For they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come. (1 Thessalonians 1:9-10)

The Power Of The Gospel

One of the first impressions I had as a young child from the preachers of my day was the emphasis upon the power of the gospel. There seemed to be a lot of Romans 1:16 going around and in almost all the gospel meetings and frequently from the pulpit would come the clarion call of the “dunamis” of the gospel. It was more often illustrated as ‘dynamite’ how the gospel would destroy the wisdom of men. The message of Christ would turn hearts to the good news of salvation. Not sure we hear much power from many pulpits anymore.

The gospel is an amazing thing (understatement I know). Paul commends the saints in Thessalonica because their transformation was a little more remarkable than many. Throughout the cities of Rome idolatry was on every corner in an ancient form of media blitz permeating every part of Roman life. Statues lined the streets filling the market places with their wares and life was governed by the will of the gods. Politics was guided by the corruptible images of glory (not much changed there), education was based upon idolatry and morality was governed by the will of self-worship (again not much changed). What the saints at Thessalonica did was to walk away from all of this. That was truly a remarkable thing to do.

There are many honest hearts in the world seeking truth. It is easy to look at a Muslim without any hope of teaching them the truth. Yet my son-in-law is now preaching the gospel of Christ when not many years ago he was a follower of the Koran. Recently a friend mentioned someone who once embraced the Mormon doctrine of Joseph Smith had obeyed the true gospel of Christ. I have wonderful brethren in my life who once served the Pope and dogmas of the Catholic Church but now see clearly the truly revealed word of God. There are those who have been alcohol free for many years with their lives changed by the gospel of Christ. Women who sold their bodies are now praising God in salvation. The gospel is powerful. It can change the heart of any man who is willing to let the gospel change their heart.

It can change you too. Let the word of Christ dwell in you and your life will never be the same. You and I may not have as tall a hurdle to overcome as others but we all must overcome sin. The gospel is the only way to do that. Praise God for the ‘dunamis’ of His word.

Wednesday Morning Meditation – Psalms

Keep me as the apple of Your eye; Hide me under the shadow of Your wings, From the wicked who oppress me, From my deadly enemies who surround me. (Psalms 17:8-9)

The Apple Of His Eye

“Of all the organs of the body the eye is the most delicate and precious, and is protected by the most wonderful and elaborate contrivances. The eyes are the sentinels of the body, and keep constant guard over it. They are the windows through which the soul looks out upon all things within its range. They are closely connected with the brain, and by a mysterious telegraphy of nerves convey to the brain knowledge of what is passing in the outer world. The eyes are like citizens within the entrenchments of a fortified town, surrounded by outworks, fences, and barricades. And the arms are like two warders to defend them. Note some of their protections. A protruding socket, like a wall around it: with overhanging brow to carry off drops of perspiration; with eyelashes to guard against dust and insects; with lids that automatically close at the approach of danger; with glands which secrete tears that clean and lubricate the ball of the eye; with beds, cushion like for their softness, upon which they repose and revolve with safety. All these and many more show how carefully God keeps the apple of the eye, and help us to see how David desired that God would keep him.” (F. W. Brown)

The sweet psalmist of Israel knew how to paint a picture of God’s beauty more than anyone. Psalm 17 is a text of thanksgiving for the watchful eye of the Lord upon His saints. How wonderful to know that we are loved and protected by our Father as precious the eye is to the whole body. The organs of the body have their peculiar placement as each part of the human frame testifies to the power of God’s creation. Eyes have such a vital role in the completeness of the perfection found in fleshly design. David understood the precious nature of the eye and immersed himself in the knowledge the Lord looked upon his frail spirit as the apple of His eye.

Our God is not an impersonal God. He knows us and cares for us. He is not to be viewed as some tyrant ruling from a throne of anger and revenge but as a benevolent Father who lovingly cares for His children. There is discipline from the Father but His tones are always given with love. I am the apple of His eye. You are the apple of His eye. He cares for me each day. He knows my hurt, my pain, my suffering and my needs. His love for me protects me from the evil one. His Spirit guides me through valleys of darkness because I am the apple of His eye. We share in the family of God a Father who loves beyond any measure of love found among men.

A fire sweeps across the parched ground consuming all in its path. A mother bird shields her babies from the raging fire with her protective wings. When the fire subsides the mother has given her life to protect the ones she loves. Unscathed the little ones scamper out from under the wings. Love protected those she loved from harm. We abide under the mighty wings of God. Sin ravaged through the world and with the blood of His only begotten Son the Father shows His love in protecting us. That protection continues today. He will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we are able to bear and if we abide under His wing we will overcome. It feels so good to be under His wing.

The apple of His eye and the protection of His wings. What a day today is going to be. “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” (Hebrews 13:6)

Tuesday Morning Early Start – Important Doctrines

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21)

The Power In Us

There is so much God can and will do for us. He has created a world that testifies to His incredible power. The heavens declare His glory. Holding the breath of life in His hand Jehovah shows all living beings how we depend upon His mercy, grace and love for existence. He determines our habitation and limitations. The gift of Jesus Christ is the fully revealed character of His love for man. No great gift, no greater sacrifice, no imagination of man can equal the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on a cross of wood. Our God is able to do more than we imagine. Paul writes in our text that He is not only able; He is able to do exceedingly more; and not only that – he is able to do exceedingly abundantly more; going beyond even this measure of greatness to do above all that we ask or think. Now that is beyond anything we can think of. Praise God for His powerful glory.

In the face of all of this power there is a catch! All that God can do, is willing to do and offers man from His treasure-trove of grace to do – it comes down to what is inside of me. The blessings of the Almighty are waiting to be used but only if we allow the power to work in us. There are two sides of this dilemma. The power of God is of no profit if we do not use it; yet if we use it what great things we can do. In our superhero minds we want to be able to leap tall buildings, be faster than a speeding bullet and have power greater than a locomotive. Imagine (in a spiritual setting) how ‘superhero’ kind of life we would live if we embrace the power promised by the Lord. He is able to do abundantly above all that we ask or think but it must come down to my choosing to serve Him with this power.

I can defeat Satan and make him run. Death does not have dominion over my thoughts. Life is sweet because my home is in Heaven. The troubles of life are many but pale in comparison to the glory revealed in Jesus Christ. I understand more than the ancients. My life is filled with hope and promise. The measure of life is guarded by the eternal truths revealed in His word. Sickness will not defeat me. Discouragement will not overcome my life. I will be emboldened to stand firm on the promises of God because if He is for me who can be against me? When I fail He forgives me. When I stumble He picks me up. He cares about me and wants me to live in His grace. His mercy bathes my soul with peace. Like a shepherd He leads me beside still waters restoring my soul. My God loves me.

Today on the third day of a busy week infuse the power of God in your life and live today with the knowledge that He is able to do so much more with you today. Make today a day of power for God. Let your light shine as a bright beacon of hope in a world filled with darkness. Power. It is working in me today!