The Heaton File

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)

Tuesday Morning Early Start – Important Doctrines

Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” (Acts 2:38-39)

Life Changing Words

An elderly woman had just returned home from an evening church service when she realized there was an intruder in her home. Seeing that he was in the act of robbing her home of its valuables, the lady yelled “Stop! Acts 2:38!” Hearing her, the burglar stopped dead in his tracks and stood motionless. The woman calmly called the police and explained what was going on. As the officer cuffed the man to take him in, he asked the burglar, “Why did you just stand there? All the lady did was yell a Bible verse at you.” “Bible verse?” said the burglar, “She said she had an ax and two 38’s!”

Words have a way of changing lives as in the humorous story above. More important are words that will change lives for eternity. The Jews that gathered on a certain Pentecost had no idea how their lives were about to change. They were devout men and from all parts of the world. It seemed as normal as any other Pentecost in Jerusalem until they heard that unusual noise. Then something marvelous happened as they saw twelve men with tongues of fire on their head speaking in their native tongues. Attention was drawn to one man who delivered a moving eight minute sermon. It was the content of the sermon that struck deep in their hearts. A reality set in that an obscure event nearly two months ago was in fact the most important time in history. The Son of God had been killed by an angry mob of Jews. Realizing what had been done a cry went up from these devout men for answers. “What shall we do” echoed throughout the crowd.

Peter’s answer was direct and simple. The doctrine of salvation is direct and simple. There were more things Peter and the other apostles had to say but in the end three thousand people believed the words of the apostles and were baptized into Christ. They gladly received the word. There were no debates and arguments about what Peter said. They knew they needed to repent or to change their hearts to serve the Lord. It was the command of the Lord for everyone to be baptized and they gladly did that. Submission to the will of God was simple and direct. They heard the word and were baptized into water.

Today doctrine is very confusing. Sometimes it is even ignored. It almost has a bad taste. However doctrine is simply the will of God. The meaning of doctrine is that which is taught or the act of teaching. How can anyone expect to be saved without doctrine; being taught. Peter taught them what to do to be saved: repent and be baptized. Doctrine. Unchanged. Taught two thousand years ago. Still true today

Baptism is God’s wardrobe; in baptism we put on Christ; there we are invested, appareled in Christ. (John Donne, Sermon, Spring, 1618)

Monday Morning Coffee Break – Life With Jesus

You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. (Matthew 5:43-48)

Jesus Called Us To A Higher Relationship

Having a friend is a special part of life. They are people who listen without judging or share in laughter and make life enjoyable in so many ways. But there are those folk who do not make life easy and they are hard to live with. Some people seek to make life miserable and cause us harm. It may not be that we call them our enemies but we know we do not like them. Feelings run deep against these people. Anger. Mistrust. Hatred. Emotions run deep.

Monday is a new day. For many it is the start of a new work week or school. This is the day we complain most about because it is Monday. But this can be a pivotal day of the week as we have been refreshed from a time of worship on Sunday and a new chapter unfolds itself before us. Let us consider the people in our lives that we have a hard time getting along with.

The sermon on the mountain is filled with many wonderful lessons. Jesus calls us to a higher relationship on so many levels. And He does not leave undone the challenge of what to do about people we may have deep feelings of anger – even hatred – and how we are to deal with them. Get ready to put on some tough armor. Even though this person is someone who hates us, tries to make life miserable for us and succeeds often in causing us pain in life, the Son of God instructs us to love them. Let’s say it is someone we work with. We are to do good to them and not allow bitterness to guide our actions. Standing around the water cooler is not a time to speak evil of them to others. When their name is brought up we refuse to speak in an evil manner. Our actions as children of God show kindness to this person. Yes – to the person that is not kind to me. Monday may be harder than I thought.

Pray. Pray a lot. Pray hard. The Lord calls us to a higher plane and we pray for our enemies like Jesus did on the cross. If He can do it so can I. Making Monday a good day is learning to pray for a good attitude toward those folk that abuse me and to pray forgiveness in the heart. Anger and hatred do not come from the spirit of Christ in me. Jesus instructs my heart to be one of love and forgiveness. When we learn to manifest a kind spirit then the kind of spirit we manifest will be like God. Our Father loves that person as much as He loves me. Jesus died for that person as much as He died for me. Thank you God for loving me. Thank you Jesus for dying for me. Thank you for reminding me that you love THAT person also.

An hour spent in hate is an eternity withdrawn from love. (Ludwig Boerne 1786-1837, Fragmente and Aphorismen, no. 191)

Sunday Morning Starters – Worship

I will worship toward Your holy temple, and praise Your name For Your loving-kindness and Your truth; for You have magnified Your word above all Your name. (Psalms 138:2)

Worship: Steadfast Love And Truth

David was a man who loved to worship God. His heart saw the glory of God in everything around him. As a shepherd he praised the Lord for his provision and care. Facing uncertainty against many enemies the king pledged his life to the Almighty. Worship was a blessing David could never have enough of. He loved to honor the loving-kindness and the truth he found in the providence of his heavenly Father.

The temple in Jerusalem was not built when David penned this psalm but he understood the glory of worship as he entered the heavenly temple in the presence of God. Worship was a joy beyond measure. He sang of the steadfast love of God and how often in his life he could see God threading His love toward him. Truth abounded in everything David did because he trusted in the promises of God. The word of God was the constant companion in David’s life because it was true. Worship was such a joy for him.

Today we assemble with our brothers and sisters in Christ to praise the Lord for His steadfast love and truth. We stand on the fulfilled side of the cross to see the redemption through the blood of Jesus. Can we worship any less than David? The loving-kindness of God is found in the giving of His Son; the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross; the power of the resurrection – the name of God should be constant on our lips today. We worship the Truth today! Our praise in worship should fill our hearts with the glory of God. It is not enough just to ‘go to church’ – rather we are melding our lives together with fellow saints to acknowledge how great and awesome our God is! When you dress for services dress your heart with the thanksgiving of God’s love. Driving to that place of worship should cause us to reflect on how we have been moved by the Spirit of God to praise Him. Joining with our family of God we should embrace the tender love of His truth to save me.

Thank you God for sparing my life. Thank you God for giving me life. Thank you God because your word is truth and has always been truth and will always be truth. Today I will magnify your name above all names.

What debilitates our prayer life … is our presupposition that the pressures of life are on one side while God is on some other side. (George Macleod, Only One Way Left, 1956)

Friday Morning Reflections – Wisdom Literature

Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble. (Proverbs 21:23)

Speech 101

There really is nothing more that needs to be said.

Speech is silver, silence is gold. (Unknown)