The Heaton File

Friday Morning Reflections – Wisdom Literature

A good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death than the day of one’s birth; better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for that is the end of all men; and the living will take it to heart. Sorrow is better than laughter, for by a sad countenance the heart is made better. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. (Ecclesiastes 7:1-4)

The Meaning Of Life

At first glance this passage would seem to be a sad view of life. How can we look at death as a better thing than a birthday? We celebrate birthdays with cake and candles but we do not have a party on the remembrance day of one’s death. It is easier to remember the birthdays rather than the ‘deathdays’. Joy is found in the announcement of pregnancy and the day of birth with pictures, flowers and happy smiles. Sadness shrouds the days of death and fills the heart with sorrow.

The Holy Spirit does not suggest there should not be joy at birth and sadness at death. Our Creator made us to feel sorrow at the death of loved ones. Grief is a natural part of our separation of those we love. Babies are such a joy as life begins. What Solomon reminds us is that in the big picture of life the meaning of our existence is eternal. He points out two important lessons:

1 – Life is not about our stuff and seeing how much we can have before we die. Riches and wealth do not matter. Being famous is fleeting. Power is lost in death. A GOOD NAME will live on long after the riches, fame and power are diminished. Our spiritual 401K should be the golden sheen of a name held in honor because of our honesty, kindness, love, compassion and devotion to God.

2 – Death is better than birth because in death we go home to our Father. The conundrum of birth is the reality that now an eternal creature must face the onslaught of evil and face judgment. The blessing and joy of death is we are promised eternal life and we leave a world of toil and suffering for a place in the presence of God. There should be more joy in death than birth.

We learn these lessons from the house of mourning because that is when the lesson is brought home. Hopes and dreams are not filled in this life; they are received in life eternal. It is a difficult lesson to learn because we are so attached to this life. The wise man will see the joy in death because that is the real meaning of life.

There is nothing morbid about getting ready to die. For a Christian, it is preparation for life’s greatest adventure. (Vance Havner)

Thursday Morning Thankfulness – Epistles of Paul

But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, that I also may be encouraged when I know your state. For I have no one like-minded, who will sincerely care for your state. For all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus. But you know his proven character, that as a son with his father he served with me in the gospel. Therefore I hope to send him at once, as soon as I see how it goes with me. (Philippians 2:19-23)

No One Like-Minded

Paul loved Timothy. And for good reason. There was a special bond between these men that endeared them to the work of the gospel. They both loved the Lord with all their hearts and they both had a sincere love for the people of God. In his letter to Philippi, the apostle is excited about having Timothy return to Macedonia and edify the brethren. If there was one person Paul knew would do a good job it was Timothy. He had been tried and found faithful. His character was dependable. It was not a hard choice to send someone like Timothy because while others were distracted with the affairs of life the son of Eunice and Lois could be trusted to help in the work of the kingdom.

Timothy was not the only one Paul could depend on. He mentions in his letter Epaphroditus as one of his fellow workers who expended his life for the work of the Lord. The final paragraph of Paul’s letter to Rome included over 30 people commended for their labor in the work of the church. In almost all of his writings Paul takes note of simple servants of Christ doing their part to help in the ministry. Everyone is important to Paul – everyone is important to Jesus.

The commendation of Timothy does not set him apart from others because he is better than others. Quite the opposite. The spirit of Timothy is that he had shown himself to be dependable and Paul reflects on how dear to his own heart Timothy was – because when asked to do a job – he did so. That is a character I need to learn in my life. Being dependable is giving a measure of trustworthiness that others can count on my being able to help in the work of the church. Growth in the local congregation comes from what I bring to the table and what people can depend on me doing. Everyone has a part – everyone. I may not be able to preach or teach or lead singing but I still have a place in the work of the Lord. Every member is necessary and it is necessary that every member know how invaluable their service is to God.

Last night was a great time to be with brethren during the middle of the week. As we reach forward to Sunday let’s refuel our spirits to do our part in helping the church of _____ (where I live) grow in love, spirit, number and vitality. Let me be the leaven that helps the local church be a place where the spirit of God dwells. I want to be a ‘Timothy’ that people can depend on. Lord, give me courage to be an example to others; a hand to help my fellow man; a heart that will seek opportunities to teach my neighbor; let me be a light shining where I am to Your glory.

Take that gift that God has entrusted to you no matter how humble it may seem to be, and use it in the service of Christ and your fellow men. He will make it glow and shine like the very stars of heaven. (John Sutherland Bonnell, What Are You Living For? 1950)

Wednesday Morning Meditation – Psalms

Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord! Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, who seek Him with the whole heart! They also do no iniquity; they walk in His ways. You have commanded us to keep Your precepts diligently. Oh, that my ways were directed to keep Your statutes! Then I would not be ashamed, when I look into all Your commandments. I will praise You with uprightness of heart, when I learn Your righteous judgments. I will keep Your statutes; oh, do not forsake me utterly! (Psalm 119:1-8)

The Word of God in Alphabet

Language is fundamental to communication and developing an alphabet is the structure languages are built from. When teaching young children the alphabet various tools are used to help them learn all of the letters depending on the language. The Hebrew alphabet has 22 characters. An unknown psalmist used the Hebrew alphabet to teach the importance of the law of God. Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible but it is a mine of wealth to clearly define the joy of contemplating on God’s word.

With each section of Psalm 119 there are eight verses representing each letter of the alphabet (Aleph, Beth, Gimel, etc.). What is so amazing about this Psalm is the writer is able to proclaim in twenty-two ways the amazing character of the word of God. Truth be told – we could never exhaust the ways to describe the word of God.

The first eight verses begin with the Hebrew letter ALEPH. There is an exhortation to walk in the law of the Lord. Happy people are those who keep the testimonies walking in the way of the Lord. Keeping precepts and statutes is encouraged. Learning the judgments of God will bring happiness. An importance is put on the word of God requiring something more than just an expression of faith. Contrary to the opinion of many in the religious world today ‘commandment keeping’ is a vital part of our faith. The whole of Psalm 119 is about the word of God and the importance of doing something with the law of God. Walking, keeping, seeking, looking and learning the commandments of God will bring happiness.

One of the joys of reading Psalm 119 is how much the author loves the word of God. The psalm begins with a blessing. Righteous people seek the Lord with a whole heart praising Him with an upright heart. Keeping the commandments of the Lord cannot be done without our whole heart. There is so much joy in reading the words of God. The words seem to gush out of the page with a deep feeling of love for the Father.

What impact does the Bible have on your life? As we begin a day in the middle of the week how are we feeling about the word of God? Has it been our present help the last few days? Will it be part of our lives the next few days? It is easy to become so busy we only take time to read the Bible on Sunday morning and Wednesday night. Let the word of God be a joy to us each day. Hold tight the word of God in your heart. Read Psalm 119 this week and learn how to love God through His word.

The Bible becomes ever more beautiful the more it is understood. (J. W. von Goethe, Wilhelm Meister’s Travels, 1830)

Tuesday Morning Early Start – Important Doctrines

For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. (Galatians 3:26-27)

The Doctrine Of Through, Into And On

Following the sermon by Peter on the day of Pentecost, many of the devout Jews said, “What must we do?” They realized they had killed the Messiah and sought forgiveness. The evangelist Philip studied with a man from Ethiopia in the area of Gaza and as he preached Jesus the Ethiopian asked to be baptized in water. He was. Two preachers had been arrested and thrown into prison in Philippi for healing a young girl. That night a great earthquake opened the cell doors causing the jailor to fear for his life. He begged of Paul and Silas to know what to do to be saved. The story goes on as the historian Luke recounts the early growth of the Lord’s church. One overriding theme of the book of Acts is how people became Christians. It should be noted to the careful student of the New Testament there was only one path to salvation and every story of conversion walked this same path.

Paul’s letter of Galatians gives a three point lesson to answer the question of what a person must do to be saved. He points out that salvation comes THROUGH faith in Christ Jesus. To be a “Son of God” faith must be the engine that drives the spirit to believe Jesus of Nazareth is God’s Son. Without faith it is impossible to please God. There is great emphasis on faith in religion today but sadly to the exclusion of so many other things necessary for salvation. Salvation comes THROUGH faith in the will of the Father.

The next part of salvation comes from the INTO. Here comes the problem. Paul shows the necessity of faith and then explains that salvation is found in being baptized INTO Christ. Many people do not believe that baptism saves. They believe in the THROUGH of salvation but not the INTO of salvation. Paul outlines the need of the THROUGH and the INTO! Baptism is not an outward sign. It is a relationship changing act of faith. When one believes by faith in Christ Jesus they will obey the will of God and accept baptism INTO Christ as necessary leading to the final part of salvation. The forgiveness of sins will come THROUGH faith in Christ Jesus when a person is baptized INTO Christ and that is when they put ON Christ.

Saved people are put ‘ON’ people. If you have not put ON Christ there is no salvation. Faith is necessary because it shows the THROUGH of salvation. Baptism is necessary because it shows the INTO and the ON of obedience. If you believe in Jesus Christ and have not been baptized for the remission of sins you have not been saved. Why? There is no INTO and ON in faith – only THROUGH. Faith only cannot save you (James tells us this in James 2) because salvation by faith only will only get you the THROUGH. Baptism will bring salvation because faith has already been THROUGH and the obedience in water washes away sin because you are now INTO Christ and put ON Christ.

THROUGH – INTO – ON. Three points to help you wash away your sins.

Monday Morning Coffee Break – Life With Jesus

Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, saying: “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’ And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’ ” Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said. And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:1-8)

Praying With Faith

There is no force give to man that is more potent than the ability to stand before the throne of the Creator and plead desires and needs. Our Father opens His door for our petitions in the avenue of prayer. Think about that. Really think about that. We can talk to God anytime, anyplace about anything and He will listen. Pleading the promises of the Lord is the gift of love showing how He who sits above the circle of the earth knows what I need and has the love to answer my prayer. Although He has a name for billions of stars He knows my name. I am special to God.

Jesus prayed often (and that is an understatement). At times He prayed all night. His prayers were fervent and full of love. His disciples asked Him on a number of occasions to teach them how to pray. One of the great lessons on prayer is to understand persistence in letting God know how serious we are. Faith is the essence of what gives our prayers life. It is easy to become discouraged when we do not see the evidence of prayer either in time or action. Jesus wants us not to lose heart.

The parable of Luke 18 is no so much about the unjust judge but the determined nature of the widow. God is so much greater than what man will do and if we find the tenacious spirit in us to continually seek the blessings of our Father He will grant them. Prayer is not a vending machine where we put in a quarter and get what we want immediately. The nature of prayer is not about whether God has answered our prayer to our liking but whether or not we have allowed our faith to measure our reaction to prayer. People get mad about prayer because God did not answer the way they wanted. Faith is believing that God knows best and whatever answer is given is the right answer. Prayer is not about me – it is about the Lord’s will.

As we focus this week on the plans and pursuits of life take faith and prayer and pray in faith allowing God to work in your life. Trust Him. He knows best. Be persistent. If the Lord returns this week (and He can you know) let Him find faith on earth. My faith by my prayers. Amen?

God is not impressed by length or loudness in our prayer. He sees the heart and when we have prayed our hearts into acceptance of His will and our wills into obedience to it, we may calmly wait for the answer. (Vance Havner)

Sunday Morning Starters – WORSHIP

Today is a day of worship. As we worship let us reflect upon the glory of our worship to the Lord.

W = WAIT FOR THE LORD. Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! (Psalms 46:10)

O = OFFER THE FRUIT OF OUR LIPS. Offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. (Hebrews 13:15)

R = REFRESH THE SPIRIT WITH BRETHREN. Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in the Lord. (Philemon 1:20)

S = SING WITH THE SPIRIT. I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding. (1 Corinthians 14:15)

H = HONOR THE LORD WITH OUR GIVING. Honor the LORD with your possessions, and with the firstfruits of all your increase. (Proverbs 3:9)

I = INSTRUCTION FROM THE WORD OF GOD. Apply your heart to instruction, and your ears to words of knowledge. (Proverbs 23:12)

P = PRAISE IS WORSHIP. I will worship toward Your holy temple, and praise Your name For Your lovingkindness and Your truth; for You have magnified Your word above all Your name. (Psalms 138:2)

Saturday Morning Promises – Great Stories

Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and took some of every clean animal and some of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar. And when the Lord smelled the pleasing aroma, the Lord said in his heart, “I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of man’s heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done. While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.” (Genesis 8:20-22)

Climate Catastrophe

The experts say if we warm the world another 2 degrees Celsius, we risk super droughts, extinctions and worse. Great globs of warm water threaten the eco-system of large parts of the world. Pundits declare a great apocalypse is on the verge of happening with global warming. The end of the world as we know it is two degrees away from obliteration. In the words of the great scholar of old, Chicken Little, “The sky is falling.”

Reading the Bible is not only about how to find eternal life but also to understand the world we live in. Created by God the earth is a testimony to the marvelous design of the Master Creator. Through the revealed word of God the Lord has given us information about the world that will show His will and His power are still in control. Animals are restricted to reproduce only within their ‘kind.’ Man and woman were created for each other and deviation from this is called “against nature.” Scientist discovered the universe is expanding but the Lord told us this in Genesis 1. The book of Ecclesiastes tells us there are wind currents. Job speaks of the recesses of the deep and there is a relationship with lightening and rain. Moses writes in the Law that life is in the blood. Thousands of lives are saved by blood transfusions. Isaiah told early man the earth was round (circle) and wearing out like a garment.

Following the flood God made a promise to Noah. He said He would never destroy the world by water and the seasons would always continue as summer and winter. However the intelligent man of today declares great warnings of global catastrophe ending in the end of the human race. The Bible says otherwise. This does not suggest there are not shifts in degrees of cold and hot but the world will continue as it is (regardless of man) until the Creator decides to destroy the world. Fact is: man cannot destroy this world – that is God’s authority. We can make a mess of a lot of things and harm ourselves but the end of the world will only come by the hand of God. Plagues and wars can kill millions of people but man will always dwell on the earth until the Lord comes back. That is the plan of the Creator promised in the Bible. I believe the Bible. How about you?

Wherever we found a false idea about men its origin lay in a false idea of God. (Lord Halifax, Speech, New York Times, May 31, 1943)

Friday Morning Reflections – Wisdom Literature

Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!” But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips. (Job 2:9-10)

The Plight Of A Grieving Wife And Mother

A mother’s love for her children is unmatched for its deep devotion and sacrifice for the child born of her body. No man will understand this. The relationship of a godly woman to a godly man is also unrivaled in its character of devotion and sacrifice. Job was man of unique character but not set apart for self-righteousness. He was commended by God before Satan as no one like him in the world. His life was prefaced by shunning evil, fearing God, and seeking righteousness in everything he did. He was married to a pretty terrific woman also for a man of his character would only thrive with this kind of companion.

We know very little about Mrs. Job. What we do know is often summed up with scorn because of her admonition to Job to give up. I do not suggest knowing her heart but I want to try to understand her. It would be fair to say she loved her husband. They enjoyed ten children together – seven sons and three daughters. What joy that must have brought to their hearts. She lived a quality life tempered by a man who was a godly man. Job had married a beautiful lady and treasured her as a godly man to his wife. But then the day came when everything changed. It did not happen over a few weeks, months or years. It was ONE day.

The Sabeans raided his home taking away the oxen and donkeys killing the servants. Another calamity follows when fire from heaven burned up the sheep and the servants consuming them. The Chaldeans attacked the house of Job taking the camels and killing the servants. A lot of people died that day. A lot. But then came the most horrific news. Their ten children – count them – died at the same time. And remember this all happened in ONE day. So many bodies, so many families grieving, and so much loss – ten bodies for Mrs. Job to bury. A mother’s grief. How can it be measured?

Time passed but there was no easy path to walk with such grief. The sound of her children was gone. What joy there was in her daughters was dead. Her strong boys were dead. She was inconsolable. But it was not over. All of a sudden Job got sick. He became violently ill with boils from the sole of his feet to the top of his head. She could do nothing for her beloved husband. His breath was repulsive to her. Losing her family and now seemingly losing her husband was a burden of unbelievable proportions.

Critics can level charges against Mrs. Job for her statement to her husband but why not? She was crushed. Horrible things had happened and she was having a hard time. She did not hate God. Like Job she was trying to understand it all. What man or woman could endure such tragedy and not feel a strain of “WHY?” I feel so sorry for her because of the tears she wept. First her family and now her husband.

Sometimes we may suffer like Job but sometimes we suffer like his wife. And we may not say and do the right things in the heat of the moment. Our faith is challenged and we cry out to the Lord, “How long O Lord, how long.” This does not make us sinful people but those people of God who are having a really hard time and just need some help to understand it all. And sometimes we don’t get an answer. Faith continues on. The end of the story is that she was blessed with ten more children and her daughters were just as beautiful as she was. Her joy came back because she never gave up on God. She argued but she retained her faith. We may argue and ask the reason why and burst out in tears and still be faithful to our Lord. It is just hard sometimes.

There is no remembrance more blessed, and nothing more blessed to remember, than suffering overcome in solidarity with God; this is the mystery of suffering. (Soren Kierkegaard, Christian Discourses, 1847)

Thursday Morning Thankfulness – Epistles of Paul

Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all. I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. This is the sign of genuineness in every letter of mine; it is the way I write. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. (2 Thessalonians 3:16-18)

Missing The Written Word

One of the enjoyable things about reading the epistles of Paul is how he begins his letter and how he ends. There is a certain style and grace to the exhortations at the beginning of his appeals followed by an ending that is compassionate and sincere. Read again our text for the day. He begs peace upon those he writes. Imploring the Lord of peace the apostle blesses those who hear his letter to receive the grace of God. There is also an appeal for the presence of the Lord to be with him. Very important to this letter is the personal appeal Paul affixes to the note that he is writing by his own hand endearing himself closely to the brethren. Closing the man from Tarsus prays a simple pray of blessing to them.

In the day Paul wrote this letter there were no printing presses, computers with spell check and grammar check, texting, Facebook, tweet, and IM’s to cloud the landscape. He wrote this in a personal way. Pen to paper as it was. Time and energy to write it all down. Someone had to deliver the message. The recipients opened the letter and read it; and then read it again; and read it a lot of times for others to hear. They copied the letter. They shared the letter. It was treasured because it was a personal exhortation from their brother in Christ.

Today we live with technology. We no longer have personal notes. I have letters my mother wrote to me while I was stationed overseas. These are treasured letters that I can read again and again. Other correspondence I have from my father, aunts, friends and host of brethren. They are special pieces of paper. And while we have the means to communicate more than any time in history we are less personal with our relationships. We text. Instant messages are sent over the cloudways. Emails fill our screens. No matter how efficient we make it there will never be a sense of personal contact. What happened to putting pen to paper and writing a personal letter or note? Sad isn’t it.

I read Paul’s letters and how he ends them and think how special they were to others. It could be a wonderful work we can do for others by taking the time to “write this greeting with my own hand.” Now I know you are laughing because you are getting this message through the means of email but trust me sitting and writing to each one of you on a daily basis and mailing them out on a daily basis would be – daunting. Suffice it to say I enjoy writing these notes to encourage and uplift. But there are so many other occasions that we should send out personal notes to people we love.

When is the last time you sent a note or card to your parents? How about a sweet note to your wife or husband written in your own hand? Our children should have memories of our lives together with the written word. Brethren can be refreshed when they open the mail and find we sent a note or card – written by hand. Wow. Simple things. We have almost forgotten how to write anymore. Make it a weekly habit to write someone. Let’s use Thursday as a day to write. Throw-Back-Thursday is a good time to go back in time to pen (or pencil) and paper and say hello to someone. Make it a TBT day with P&P!

Kindness is like snow – it beautifies everything it covers. (Selected)

Wednesday Morning Meditation – Psalms

By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept when we remembered Zion. We hung our harps upon the willows in the midst of it. For there those who carried us away captive asked of us a song, and those who plundered us requested mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land? If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill! If I do not remember you, let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth — if I do not exalt Jerusalem above my chief joy. Remember, O Lord, against the sons of Edom the day of Jerusalem, who said, “Raze it, raze it, to its very foundation!” O daughter of Babylon, who are to be destroyed, happy the one who repays you as you have served us! Happy the one who takes and dashes your little ones against the rock! (Psalms 137:1-9)

The Killing Of Children

This psalm is troubling to us because of the horrible violence brought against children. It would seem the author is happy to witness infants with their brains bashed against some rock in a horrible death. There would be an immediate revolt to the practice of infanticide and yet the psalmist declares by the Holy Spirit a blessing on those who carry out this heinous act. How can this be understood in the context of God’s word?

The timing of the psalm is probably during the latter part of the captivity in Babylon. It seems the writing is on the wall for the destruction of Babylon and the writer reflects upon the plight the people of God found themselves with the bondage. There had been no joy in this punishment and no songs to sing. They had been abused by their captors by mockery. Jerusalem was always on their minds in reflective tones of sadness for what had happened to her. But it was the anger of nations against the beloved city that sparked an outcry of vengeance toward the aggressors. The Lord had punished His people with the Assyrian and Babylonian nations but also with the understanding these nations would find their own judgment. It was now the turn of Babylon.

There is no glory dashing infants on rocks. When Jerusalem was razed children were not spared nor women. There is no innocence in war. When Babylon was conquered its women and children were massacred. Retaining Psalm 137 in the holy writ is not to suggest condoning these actions but to show the vicious nature of what sin will do. The author of the psalm laments what happened to Jerusalem but the reason the Lord allowed the destruction of the city was because of sin. The punishment of captivity was because of sin. Judgement upon Babylon was because of sin.

Psalm 137 should remind us of what sin will do. The massacre of the children of Bethlehem was ordered by Herod but approved by Satan. He is the master of death. The joy we have as people of God is to know that one day children will not be killed. Death and Hades will be cast into the lake of fire. And Mr. Satan will be cast there also. Praise God.

War is death’s feast. (George Herbert, Outlandish Proverbs, 1640)