The Heaton File

Sunday Morning Starters – Worship

And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, “Rejoice!” So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me.” (Matthew 28:9-10)

Those He Loved

Today is the Lord’s day. The First day of the week. The reason this day is important is because there was a day two thousand years ago that changed the world. It changed history and charted the course of the future. Jesus died and was buried. But then the first day came. The tomb was empty. Resurrection. There are a lot of people Jesus could have appeared and showed Himself. Why not Herod or Pilate and the Jews that screamed out to kill Him? The Lord could have walked in the palace of Caesar and explained Who really rules in the affairs of men. Of all the people Jesus could have appeared – He chose to show Himself to people that loved Him. They needed to see Him because they were going to take His message to the whole world.

Today is the Lord’s day. Jesus wants to meet with people that love Him. After resurrection He chose whom to appear. He met disciples in a closed room, a garden and a road to Emmaus. Today it is our choice to meet the Lord. He sits on His throne witnessing the throngs of saints who gather today to sing to Him, pray to Him, learn about Him and remember what He did. He looks down upon the ocean of humanity and all through the world people that love Him gather together. In our worship on this first day of the week we meet with Jesus and show Him how much we love Him.

Today is the Lord’s day because this is a day when He came from the grave and bestowed on each one of us the joy of redemption. What is really exciting is to think about the day when He returns to gather together those who love Him. We get to see Him face to face. As you sing today think about His love. When prayers are lifted consider the love He gave. Then when the preaching begins fill your heart with reverence to know of His presence in your life. And then there is the memorial. The Lord’s Supper is not just an act of worship; it is an expression of devotion. It shows how much Jesus loved us. He died for me. Let this feast move your heart. Remember.

He is coming back one day and like that first day of the week He is coming back to find those that love Him. Do you love Him? Are you ready for Him to come back and take us home? Lord come quickly. Please.

Christ’s resurrection, being the decisive event in all history, nothing that can ever happen will equal it in importance. (Jean Danielou, The Lord of History, 1958)

Friday Morning Reflections – Wisdom Literature

The wise lay up knowledge, but the mouth of a fool brings ruin near. A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver. (Proverbs 10:14; 25:11).

Golden Apples

I love apples. My preferences are the sweet and crunchy apples where the juice runs down both corners of the mouth (I get messy when eating apples). I enjoy golden apples but not gold apples. The problem with gold apples is you can’t eat them. They are for decoration. Of course I have never seen a gold apple. Plastic is the best I can do and they are for collecting dust. Solomon writes about apples of gold. If anyone had a few apples of gold it would have been the son of David. Using an image as vivid as an apple made of gold expresses great value. Adding to the picture of apples of gold in a setting of silver shows extravagance and elegance. Seeing a table filled with silver trays of golden apples is overwhelming. Great wealth.

Riches can be measured in many ways and what the richest man in history understood beyond all the opulence surrounding him was the value of words. He would write later the importance of a time to be silent and a time to speak. Wisdom is the greatest wealth. Contained within its vaults of gold and silver lie the coinage of knowing when to speak and when to remain silent. So often it is not our words that get us into trouble as much as the timing of our words. We talk before thinking. Strife and confusion comes when we talk too much, too soon and too quick.

Looking in the mirror will help cure the word problem we all have. Take careful note of how the Lord designed the head. There are two eyes that show us the pattern of His wisdom. On each side of the head are two listening devices implanted there for a vital role in communication. Placed just beneath two gleaming eyes is an arrow we call the nose pointing to the trouble maker – the mouth. The nose serves a dual purpose. First it gives us the pleasure of smelling so many wonderful things. But it also reminds us the odor of a mouth gone awry. And here is the real lesson: we have two ears and one mouth so we can listen twice as much as we speak and yet we so often fail to do so. James 3 tells us why.

Today is Friday. Look back this week and see how many apples of gold you left lying around for others to enjoy. Acknowledge the rotten apples of this week. Make a promise to be a better fruit inspector today and the coming week. Listen, listen, listen = wisdom.

Think much, speak little, and always think before you speak. This will promote your own peace and that of your neighbor. (Adam Clarke)

Thursday Morning Thankfulness – Epistles of Paul

Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; (Colossians 3:12)

Elect

Jackson Elementary School. Plant City, Florida. Playground. The scene of a great conflict. Time for PE (physical education). Teams are chosen for kick-ball. A captain was announced. They would choose players. Names were called. Obviously the more talented people went first. The thrill of being called first was a matter of playground pride. To be called last was like warm ice cream. I ate a lot of warm ice cream.

Heaven. The throne of God. My Creator knows my name – yes my name. He knows your name. Before the world was formed the Lord had a plan to save mankind. This would involve sending His only begotten Son to die for miserable man. Jesus came and offered His life for me and for you and for all mankind. He left a plan – a magnificent plan that would include one of the most marvelous feelings man has ever known. Through the blood of Jesus Christ we can be called the ELECT OF GOD. Chosen by Him and set aside as HIS OWN SPECIAL PEOPLE.

God knows our name. He knows all about us and promised to take care of us. We are HIS CHILDREN. He is our Father. I am ELECT. Just think how great this day is going to be when we think about how much the Lord loves us and can take care of us. As the ELECT He provides us with peace, security, hope, faith, guidance, love – there is not enough room in the universe to explain what it means to be called the ELECT of God.

This week is over half-finished and we move towards a day of worship with other saints. Don’t give up on this week because yesterday we were His ELECT, today we are His ELECT and tomorrow will be His ELECT. When the Lord’s Day comes we get to see a lot of ELECT to praise God for letting us be His ELECT. I am special. You are special. He chose us in Him and I am thankful that I am first in His heart. Let us live as the ELECT of God today showing how much we love Him and He is first in our hearts. ELECT. Wow.

The elect are whosever will, and the non-elect whosoever won’t. (Henry Ward Beecher, Life Thoughts, 1858)

Wednesday Morning Meditation – Psalms

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord! (Psalm 150:6)

From Beginning To End

The book of the Psalms is a treasure trove of how people of God glorify the majestic name of our Creator, Savior, Guardian, Punisher, Confidante, and Judge. One hundred and fifty psalms fill the pages with vivid descriptions of the nature of Jehovah and His love for sinful man. These psalms are only a mere fragment of the thousands of psalms written by men like Moses, David, Solomon, Asaph and the sons of Korah (to name a few). Attached to many of the psalms are musical instructions to favor the reading to a melody of praise to the Lord. It was the early hymnal of the saints.

Psalm 1 begins with a plea for man to walk in the right counsel. Trying to follow earthly counsel will only bring unhappiness and this theme is found throughout the psalms. One hundred and fifty psalms later the book ends with the only conclusion possible – everything under the heavens needs to praise the Lord.

This book is much like the journey of life. We are born as the creation seeking its Creator. Decisions of right and wrong must be made and through knowledge of God we begin to make those decisions that will lead us by the still waters. Tracing our lives through the psalms we find almost immediately a need for a Savior who is declared as “My Son” (Psalm 2). The Lord will help and guide man to salvation by following in the paths of righteousness. True worship is exalted throughout the Psalms as men turn from the idols of this world. Vengeance and punishment is also found as those who rebel against the will of God will find His severity meted out to them. Nations who forget God will be destroyed. Psalms is a journey of life. It begins with man but it ends with the Lord. That is what life is all about. No matter what we do in life all men will face the Lord in the end.

Psalm 150 is the conclusion of the whole matter. Fearing God and keeping His commandments is the whole of man illustrated by one hundred fifty declarations of the need of man to praise the Lord with every part of his being. God’s word is true – read the Psalms. God’s salvation is promised – read the Psalms. Redemption can only be found in a relationship with the Savior – read the Psalms. How to be a good husband and wife; father, mother, son, daughter, friend, employee, citizen – servant of God; it’s all in there. Read the book of Psalms and see how many practical daily life living lessons you will find there. If you do what Psalm 1 declares you will have no choice when you get to Psalm 150!

Tuesday Morning Early Start – Important Doctrines

Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. (1 Timothy 4:13)

Three Things To Make Your Day

If you are looking for a three-plan formula for life this is it. The encouragement Paul gives Timothy is to devote himself to reading, exhortation and doctrine. That is a solid plan to help you find a deeper relationship with the Lord. Every day should be a time to meditate on the word of God. If we are too busy to open the Bible then we are way too busy. How much time do we spend on Facebook each day but argue we just can’t find time to read and study the mind of God? A daily reading of the word of God will help us keep a close watch on our relationship with Jesus. Read.

The second thing we should plan for this week is to do some exhorting. I like to be exhorted and I know you do to. There are plenty of folk in any congregation that could use a phone call, visit or (brace yourself for this one) a handwritten card. Let’s face it – stamps don’t really cost that much (one trip to Starbucks proves that) but the return you get from knowing the person getting that note will last a lifetime. Exhorting one another is a kind word, a thank you and letting others know you care. Taped to my lamp on my desk is a saying, “No one really cares what you know until they know how much you care.” I try to live by that rule – exhortation.

Finally the other thing we should strive to do this week has to do with doctrine. Here we find the opportunity to teach. This is connected with reading and exhorting. We take what we read and help others know how great it is to serve our Father. Teaching is about showing the plan of salvation but this also includes teaching our friends how God has made our lives better. If you find yourself in a conversation about family this week let the person know that God has helped you find happiness through His word. Worried about the way the country is going? Remind them what God says. Watching the children play on the playground with your friends and neighbors is a great time to share the plan the Lord has for children. Teaching is telling others about God in your life.

Three things: read – uplift – share. Have a great week this week.

What is happiness other than the grace of being permitted to unfold to their fullest bloom all the spiritual powers planted within us. (Franz Werfel, Between Heaven and Earth, 1944)

Monday Morning Coffee Break – Life With Jesus

Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to ‘SET A MAN AGAINST HIS FATHER, A DAUGHTER AGAINST HER MOTHER, AND A DAUGHTER-IN-LAW AGAINST HER MOTHER-IN-LAW’; and ‘A MAN’S ENEMIES WILL BE THOSE OF HIS OWN HOUSEHOLD.’ He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it. (Matthew 10:34-39)

Radical Teaching

Jesus Christ is a loving and compassionate Savior. There are many stories in His life showing His love for others by touching lepers, blessing children and weeping tears of sorrow. The angels sang at His birth of peace and good will being brought to man. Love is defined by the Lord. These images of God’s Son are very appealing because it is easier to embrace an inspiring character of love than a more critical or harsh personality. The difficulty with this singular image of Jesus is it fails to see the condition of man and the mission of the Lord.

Sin darkened the world under the grip of Satan. God’s Son came to make war with the devil and a bloody war it would be; literally and figuratively. The hearts of men were set on their own way. They were not receptive to the change needed for their salvation. The conflict between Jesus and man came to a climax when the Savior of man was nailed to a cross and died. Followers of Jesus would find persecution in the same way and all for the same reason. The teaching of the Lord was radical and drastic in its nature.

The Son of God did not come to have tea and cookies with sinful man. Like a surgeon engaged in radical surgery to save the patient the Great Physician came to heal man of sin. His peace was a message of strong change measured by a sword. Quoting from the prophet Micah Jesus appeals to the message that salvation could only come from God (see Micah 7) and the sword of truth would divide families. The family is the basic element of life but allegiance to the will of God superseded those relationships. Obedience to the will of God will put fathers and mothers against their own children.

An old saying that ‘blood is thicker than water’ is invalidated by Christ. A man’s enemy (let that word sink in) will be his father, mother, brother or sister. Why? Because God is true and all men are liars. What that means is salvation does not come from our parents or siblings but from Jesus Christ. My belief system is not based on what my parents believed but what I believe. If we hold to the faith of anyone (family especially) we will be lost. Faith comes by the word of God not the word of others.

Jesus’ teaching was radical. We are to love and honor our parents but our faith must be our own. It will be a heavy cross from some to bear who have to turn their backs on parents and siblings because they do not believe the truth as taught in scripture. Radical. Tough love. Real love. Devoted love. Life changing. Without it we have no hope. The Great Physician is able to save to the utmost those who accept His ‘surgical’ will. He died on a cross. How much more radical can the example of love be?

Devotion, which is a derivative of the Latin word for TO VOW, means to yield oneself, to commit oneself, to consecrate oneself to the object of devotion, without regard to the sacrifice or suffering involved. (Douglas V. Steere, Door into Life, 1948)

Sunday Morning Starters – Worship

One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple. (Psalm 27:4)

Those Clothes

Sunday’s were always special in the Heaton household. Unlike other days of the week this was the day we got to wear our ‘Sunday Going To Meeting Clothes.’ Shoes had to be polished and behind the ears clean and hair combed (what little there was to comb). Five boys and a girl loaded up in the green Ford Econoline van with dad driving and mom dressed to perfect beauty and off we went to 803 W. Mahoney Street. Bible classes were intense but fun. The worship was wonderful as voices blended together and good strong preaching poured forth from the pulpit. And we were wearing our best clothes. It was truly a day of joy.

I still like to wear my Sunday/Go/To/Meeting clothes. It gives me a sense of security from something I learned a long time ago. Worship was a time of happiness. Respect was the word for what we did. Mom and dad never missed a service unless something close to death happened. My dad worked shift work at the mines but it seemed like he was always at church (30 minutes early). The smell of those clothes sure was nice. Mom would rustle us up in the van to return home to a quiet day of rest and relaxation (or the version five boys could make of resting).

Today is Mother’s Day. Happy day to all the mothers that take their children to worship to show them God. Happy day to all the mothers who show their children God when they are at home. Blessed are the mothers who dress their children in Sunday/Go/To/Meeting clothes of truth and honor for God. It is not so much about the kind of clothes we wear but the kind of heart we have for what we are doing. I am less than 100 years old (about 42 less) but that still resonates in my mind about mom wanting me to look my best. I am still trying to look my best for her on the outside but I am trying hard to dress good in the inside too. She loved Jesus Christ and I want to wear her mantle. Thanks mom for helping be get dressed for worship.

“All that I am, or can be, I owe to my angel mother” (Abraham Lincoln)

Saturday Morning Promises – Great Stories

Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry. And Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus. Bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas when you come–and the books, especially the parchments. (2 Timothy 4:11-13)

Last Minute Concerns

Paul’s final letter to Timothy is charged with a lot of emotion. He knows his life is very short yet he looks to the release of body and spirit as one of joy. The Roman shackles will not keep him from the reward he so anxiously longs for. Buried deep in a prison the apostle clearly sees the light of hope as he prepares for his death.

What I find so interesting about this letter is the spirit of Paul’s mind. Facing death he still has a lot of work to do. He tells Timothy he is being poured out and his death is at hand. But then he turns and exhorts the young man to be diligent to come quickly and to bring certain things. He wants Mark to come because he is useful to Paul’s work and ‘by the way could you bring that cloak I left with Carpus at Troas’ Paul says. It seems that Paul has a lot of work to do. He needs Timothy to bring the books and especially the parchments to prison when he comes. The apostle also reminds Timothy to come before winter. All of this from a man who is about to die.

I am not sure how long it was after Paul penned this letter that he died but it was probably not long. He had such a visionary spirit in the service of the Lord. It would seem natural the final days of one’s life to be spent in reflection of life. A somber time maybe. Not Paul. He still wants Timothy to come quickly and bring a fellow worker because there is still work to do. Asking for the cloak suggests Paul is thinking about the winter that is approaching. There is still some reading to do from the books and study from the parchments. Remember Paul knows his life is short. Death is near. He is spending his final days on earth working harder than I do on a normal day.

This is a great story to me because I learn how to face life and death. Paul had friends that he wanted to continue the work of the Lord. Chained and in prison we see a spirit of a man who kept serving the Lord in the face of death. He loved the Lord so much. He loved God’s people. Paul thrived on the spirit of service to Jesus Christ. Can I do less?

The last thing he writes in this letter is an exhortation to Timothy. “The Lord Jesus Christ be with YOUR spirit. Grace be with YOU. Amen.” Paul was thinking of others. Whether I know when death will come or not may I have the spirit of Paul that even in the last minutes of life I will look steadfastly in the face of my Lord and say, “I AM READY.” Lord come quickly.

To think of death and to prepare for death is not a surrender; it is a victory over fear. (Paul William von Keppler, More Joy, 1911)

And one more: “Feared of dying? Were you ‘feared of being born?’” (Old Farmer’s Almanac, 1943)

Friday Morning Reflections – Wisdom Literature

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up. Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one be warm alone? Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken. (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)

BFF

We need each other and I need you. The basic relationship of life is found in companionship. This first began in the home when God said that it was not good for man to be alone and created the woman. Cain and Abel were the first children born showing the bond of family as a community of persons melded together in a common need. Since that time the union of peoples established communities, cities, regions and nations. Following the tower of Babel people were united by language. The common thread through all of these was the need of companionship.

Friends are almost as dear as any relationship we share with one another. We find trust in friendship with a fondness to think well of as an ally or defender. Love begins with friendship. John Donne (1573-1631) wrote, “No man is an island, entire of it self; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.” We need each other because the Lord made us to need each other.

Two of us will be better than one of us because we can get a lot of things done when we unite under the same cause. Jesus sent out his disciples two by two because they needed each other. Paul went with Barnabas and Silas preaching the gospel and see what great things they did together. One of the greatest joys of life is when I am not feeling so good I have BFF’s that I can call and help me get back up. How sad to live in a world without friends to help in time of need.

Friendship is important to keeping our spirits ‘warm’ as we share in the work of God. The joy of worship is found in the union of hearts filled with the same purpose and devotion to the Lord. Studying the word of God together excites the heart with a fullness of brotherhood. Praying together glues our lives together as one. We do not just need BFF’s but we need SBFF’s (“Spiritual Best Friends Forever”). And here is the best part. If there is ONE thing Satan is terrified of (drum roll) is when two children of God unite against him; nay, three children … a pack of Christians, a whole community of saints – when we lock arms together under the banner of Jesus Christ nothing will stand in our way because a threefold cord is not quickly broken folks. Power. Might. Conquer. Victory.

Increase, O God, the spirit of neighborliness among us, that in peril we may uphold one another, in calamity serve one another, in suffering tend one another and in homeliness and loneliness in exile befriend one another. Grant us brave and enduring hearts that we may strengthen one another, till the disciplines and testing of these days be ended. (Prayer used in Air Raid Shelters, England, World War II)

Thursday Morning Thankfulness – Epistles of Paul

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy–meditate on these things. (Philippians 4:4-8)

It Is Great To Be A Christian

Rejoice in the Lord always. I like happy things. Babies make me smile and laughter with friends warms the heart. Singing praises together about our wonderful God is something that is indescribable. Young people make me feel young again (I only wish my body knew that). There is one thing that is the most wonderful thing in the world and it brings the greatest peace I have ever known: my Father which is in heaven.

Rejoice in the Lord always. My father in the flesh was a wonderful man who worked hard for his family to care for our needs. I knew as a child he cared for me and protected me. As I grew up learning about my heavenly Father the feeling of comfort and peace transcended anything of this world. He gave me (it is personal) His only Son to die for me because I was bound by shackles of sin. I have a lot of baggage the devil likes to remind me of but the Lord refreshes my spirit with His love through forgiveness.

Rejoice in the Lord always. Children of God are people filled with joy. That delight comes from my understanding that Jesus could come any time and any day. Wow. That is going to be something awesome to see. I don’t have any reason to worry about life because my joy is found in the life that is to come. As a child of God I can talk to Him anytime, anyplace, anywhere about anything, everything and all things (and that is a lot of stuff). Here is the best part: God hears me and does something marvelous that is very hard to understand. My God blesses me with a peace beyond my imagination guarding me from Satan. He gave me His son two thousand years ago so that I can have His Son today. Christ Jesus stands at the portal of my heart to protect me from temptation.

Rejoice in the Lord always. I am happy today because I think about things that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, good report, i.e. MY FATHER! Our joy comes from having minds that are filled with presence of our Father so that my life can be filled with the joy of my Father. Happy, happy, happy. It is a wonderful feeling. Thank you God.

p.s. Paul wrote the epistle of joy (Philippians) while locked away in a Roman prison. So what do you and I have to complain about today? Rejoice in the Lord always.

What is happiness other than the grace of being permitted to unfold to their fullest bloom all the spiritual powers planted within us. (Franz Werfel, Between Heaven and Earth, 1944)