The Heaton File

Thursday Morning Thankfulness – Epistles of Paul

Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love. (1 Corinthians 16:13-14)

Five Points

In our packaged world of wrapped plastic we like our chicken cut up for us, salads premixed, drinks bound together and rice in a box. The idea is that we like easy things. There are some easy things in the Bible that give a few bullets to consider and help us become better disciples for Christ. Paul concludes his first letter to Corinth with a short exhortation for a group of disciples that were filled with a lot of confusion. The Corinthian church was a mess. Regardless of their failings they were still the church of God and the church of God at Corinth needed some things to help build them up. Check out the five points of our text.

1. Be watchful – We must be aware of the challenges we face and how to overcome them. Be people of awareness for sin but also be aware of those who need us. Being watchful is to be careful of the wiles of devil. Stay awake. Be on alert. Look for opportunities to help a brother or sister today. Don’t neglect a moment today when you can share your love for Christ.
2. Stand firm in the faith – Be assured of your salvation. When you go to work today resolve to be a person of faith. Do not let your schoolmates see a wavering in your moral character today. As you are about in the community let others see the resolve of truthfulness in your actions. Today is a day of faith.
3. Act like men – It takes courage to face some days. On this fifth day of the week remember the commitment you made on the Lord’s day to serve the crucified Christ. The purpose of fellowship on the first day of the week is to know that others will have the same courage as you to stand firm in the faith – today. Be brave. God is with you and what else do you need.
4. Be strong – Here is where the action comes in. Strength of character is found when character is strengthened by showing faith in our lives today. Do not be afraid to use God’s name for glory today. Shine as husbands and wives who share the love of God in their family life. Be people of purpose today to show our strength lies in the merciful God we love.
5. Let all that you do be done in love – Notice Paul says that everything we do is to be motivated by love. The fellow who cuts you off today on the highway; the rude clerk; the impossible boss; the derelict service man; the agonies of today should be dealt with in love. Bite the tongue – that’s love. Counting to one hundred before blowing up – that’s love. Helping an elderly lady with her shopping cart – love. Telling someone how much you appreciate them – love again. The list could go on – you fill in the blanks. Think love today. Live love today. Be love today.

Five points. Five resolutions. Five ways to make today a great day for God.

Your character is what God knows you to be. Your reputation is what men think you are.

Wednesday Morning Meditation – Psalms

Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD from the heavens; praise him in the heights! Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his hosts! Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars! Praise him, you highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens! Let them praise the name of the LORD! For he commanded and they were created. And he established them forever and ever; he gave a decree, and it shall not pass away. Praise the LORD from the earth, you great sea creatures and all deeps, fire and hail, snow and mist, stormy wind fulfilling his word! Mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars! Beasts and all livestock, creeping things and flying birds! Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all rulers of the earth! Young men and maidens together, old men and children! Let them praise the name of the LORD, for his name alone is exalted; his majesty is above earth and heaven. He has raised up a horn for his people, praise for all his saints, for the people of Israel who are near to him. Praise the LORD! (Psalms 148)

The unknown psalmist has a simple message: Praise the Lord. The truth of the matter is that nothing can be added to this psalm to heighten its message nor can anymore be said that would bring a worshipper closer to the Lord than the angelic herald of this powerful psalm. Praise the Lord. Nuff said. Amen.

Worship is a way of living, a way of seeing the world in the light of God. To worship is to rise to a higher level of existence, to see the world from the point of view of God. (Abraham J. Heschel, ‘Man’s Quest for God,’ 1954)

Tuesday Morning Early Start – Important Doctrines

But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine (Titus 2:1).

Family Matters

Whenever we hear of someone preaching sermons on doctrine we often consider baptism, authority, marriage and divorce, instrumental music, etc., as subjects that are fitting. However ‘doctrine’ is described by Paul as being matters of the family. His admonition to Titus was to preach those things proper for “sound doctrine” and then begins to show the example of older men and women teaching young men and women. This included the behavior of servants showing good fidelity toward their masters.

Sound doctrine is teaching the word of God and older men must be proper examples of the doctrine of God in their lives. This also goes for older women who profess the character of the doctrine of God in their lives. Included in this need for sound doctrine is the work of older folk teaching younger folk the doctrine of God. The doctrine Paul was trying to get Titus to follow for young and old is to be proper examples to others and teaching others the principles of the Lord.

If you are an older man follow the sound doctrine of being sober, reverent, faithful, loving and patient. Older women show sound doctrine when they are become as Paul describes in Titus 2:3-5. Young men and women learn from the older folk – that is sound doctrine. Employees (servants) exemplify sound doctrine toward their employers (masters) when they are “well pleasing in all things, not answering back, not [stealing], but showing all good fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things” (Titus 2:9-10).

Adorn the doctrine of God by living as a family of those who follow sound doctrine in their lives – each day.

The light that shines farthest shines brightest at home.

January 12, 2015

Host: Kent Heaton

Guest panelist: Saif Alsafeer and Steve Peeler

Bible Talk 92.1FM Hear it each Monday night 6:00pm-7:00pm EST

Visit our websitehttp://www.northvaldostacoc.com to LINK to the radio program or to listen to past programs.

Monday Morning Coffee Break – Life With Jesus

But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, “Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that hour. (Matthew 9:22)

He called her Daughter

It had been twelve long years of suffering. First it was the disease itself described only as “a flow of blood.” Then it was the money she had spent on physicians and could not be healed by any (Luke 8:43). To make matters worse she lived a life of impurity as the Law of Moses prescribed (Leviticus 15). Her life was tragic. There was little peace in her mind as she endured these horrible problems. Then she heard Jesus was coming her way. Mustering an incredible sense of courage and faith she believed that if only she touched the border of His garment she would be healed. Weaving through the multitude she comes behind Jesus and prays her touch will bring relief. It does. She is healed immediately. But there is more.

She slinks back away from the Lord hoping not to be discovered but too late. He calls her out to confess what she has done. Fear. Trembling. Embarrassment. Confessing her act she does not know what will happen next. Then a voice from the Son of God calling her, “daughter.” A moment of compassion. Jesus could have called her anything else but hearing those words she knew all was well. “Daughter.” A term of devoted endearment for a faith rarely witnessed in the days of Jesus. He did not call her “woman” or “person” or “hey you” – He called her by a name of relationship.

In this simple act Jesus connected with this woman. He acknowledged her suffering and the need to hear words of sympathy. He responded in such a way she would never forget what the Lord called her – “daughter.” Her disease was gone and He called her “daughter.” Praise God!

And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. (Acts 11:26)

Sunday Morning Starters – Worship

“I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet” (Revelation 1:10)

The Lord’s Day

The day of Pentecost was the day after Sabbath. It would be a Pentecost that would change thousands of lives and set on course a change that would permeate centuries of worship for people of God. The first day of the week would be a day the apostle Paul would linger for as he gathered with the saints at Troas to partake of the Lord’s Supper (Acts 20:6-7). Writing to the church in Corinth the man from Tarsus exhorted the brethren “On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come” (1 Corinthians 16:2). The first day of the week. The Lord’s day.

Today is the day of the Lord. It is the day when our Father has asked of us to come as His people and lift our hearts and hands in praise to Him. Leaving behind the scurrying pace of life we pause to reflect upon the glory of God, the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and the moving message of the Holy Spirit. Sunday is a day of worship. It is a time we can relieve ourselves from our wants and pursuits so that we can spend time with those of like precious faith worshiping a merciful Father.

Worship should be an all-day event. Often we put the obligations to the Lord in a capsule of time leaving behind the church services to restart our busy lives of carnal needs to fill our time with us. As in the principles established through the Sabbath, the first day of the week should be a DAY of praise and refreshing with the Lord. We have so much to give honor to God for this day.

John was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day. We should do no less.

Our Lord approved neither idol worship or idle worship but ideal worship in Spirit and truth. (Vance Havner)

Saturday Morning Promises – Great Stories

Now Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great and honorable man in the eyes of his master, because by him the Lord had given victory to Syria. He was also a mighty man of valor, but a leper. And the Syrians had gone out on raids, and had brought back captive a young girl from the land of Israel. She waited on Naaman’s wife. Then she said to her mistress, “If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! For he would heal him of his leprosy.” (2 Kings 5:1-3)

It was a bright day of sunshine in a little village in Israel. Smoke rose from the fires where food was being prepared. Animals were being herded into stalls and carpenters were busy mending the farming implements. Old men sat around talking of days gone by. Children played in the middle of the street. A dust cloud rose to the north. Terror was coming.

The invading Syrians took everything in their path. Those who resisted were killed. Livestock was driven away, grain gathered up, articles of value stolen and in the midst of the chaos of that horrible day a little girl was scooped up and taken away. Cries for her family fell on deaf ears. Her family would search for days until realizing she was taken captive. A slave girl. Taken to a foreign land with people who did not worship Jehovah. To deepen the wound she was enslaved in the house of the man who changed her life – Naaman. And he was a leper.

As the Lord peered into the heart of this little maiden He did not see hatred nor bitterness. He saw a remarkable heart. This young girl – thrown into a world unlike her own – let the radiance of God’s love shine through the dark veil of hatred and reach out to her enemy. She did not wish him dead of leprosy. Remarkably still she believed in the overwhelming power of God when she suggested to her mistress there was a man in Israel who could heal her husband. Leprosy? How is it possible to be healed of leprosy? She knew God could do it.

Jesus would use this story in His teaching many centuries later. He would remark, “And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian” (Luke 4:27). The reason this one man (a Gentile) was cured of his leprosy was because of a little maiden girl taken in a raid. Young people have such power in their hearts. They don’t have the hatred and prejudice we adults have. They just see the power of God.

The story for this last day of the week is to think of how much she changed the life of Naaman. Consider her plight because she did not. Being a captive did not mean she stopped loving God. Through her words she saved a man from certain death in leprosy. A simple little girl teaches a simple little lesson about what a simple little effort on our part can bring in the life of someone. “Would you like a Bible study?” “Would you like to visit with us this Sunday?” “Could I help you in any way?” Little maiden. Little words. Huge results. Thank you young lady.

The love we give away is the only love we keep. (Elbert Hubbard, ‘Notebook’ 1859-1915)

The relationship of man to God can never be contained within a nutshell. There are so many things that man must look at to understand the will of the Almighty. But sometimes in scripture those little nutshell’s appear that seem to sum up a totality of what God desires. Micah the prophet was a contemporary of Isaiah and like the prophets of his day Micah struggled to bring the people back to the Lord. The sixth chapter of Micah finds God pleading with Israel to consider how awesome His works are and the warning for not returning to Him. In the midst of this great proclamation the prophet speaks as a third person in the conversation when he writes, “With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the High God? Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:6-8)?

It was the Lord who commanded all the sacrifices of calves, rams, oil and dedication of the firstborn. The trouble with Israel is they kept the letter of the law without understand the meaning of the law. Keeping the law in obedience to the law of God without the heart of devotion is an empty sacrifice. The people seem to grasp for answers to appease Jehovah. Micah reminds them God has always shown them the answer of worship. The answer in a nutshell is to “do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God” (v8). This does not suggest there were no other regulations to keep but this summarizes what is lacking in their worship.

D. Horwood said of Micah 6:8: “To ‘do justly.’ Not only to think and speak justly, but to act so – to act with honesty, integrity, and fidelity, without injuring, defrauding, oppressing or tempting to evil any one. To ‘do justly’ is in every way to befriend your neighbor. To ‘love mercy.’ To take pleasure in acts of compassion, forgiveness, and kindness. The love of mercy is a very different thing from any act of professed mercy. Real mercy lies in the motive of kindness, and the love of it lies in the gratification felt in another’s benefit. The love of mercy is a mighty impulse to its exercise. The love of mercy gives an intensity to it. To ‘walk humbly with God.’ This indicates a teachable, submissive, thankful, patient, and dependent spirit; a close communion with God; and a progressive knowledge of the character and majesty of the Deity. As this knowledge dawns upon the soul, so does the soul sink into self-abasement. The great characteristic of walking with God on earth is trust in Christ.”

Here are three lessons we can take in life. As people of God we should be known for our honesty and fairness. Our speech is known for truth (Ephesians 4:25). The character of a Christian is based on the honest example of good works. “Having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation” (1 Peter 2:12). Our word is our bond because our bond is Christ Jesus. When our name is mentioned in a conversation the character of fidelity is always thought of.

Secondly, as the saints in Christ we love mercy and show that in our lives. This is found in Paul’s admonition of Colossians 3:12-14. “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.” This comes from a heart of love. It goes beyond just doing the Christian act but it lives the Christian ideal. People of God should be known as those who are full of mercy.

Finally, Micah says the character of the true worshiper is to “walk humbly with your God.” There are four parts to this admonition. First our relationship with God is a walk. We spend time with Him without the rush of life pushing us so fast we don’t have time to walk with God. Solomon declared of the Lord that there is “no God in heaven or on earth like You, who keep Your covenant and mercy with Your servants who walk before You with all their hearts” (2 Chronicles 6:14). It takes all he hear to walk with God. Two men in scripture are noted to have “walked with God” – Enoch and Noah (Genesis 5:24; 6:9). This shows a patient and loving heart to spend time with the Lord.

This walk is a humble walk. We are subservient to the pace of God in this walk. Our desires are only measured by the desires of the Lord. Wherever He leads, we will follow. Whatever hill or valley He will travel shall be our path. His word will guide my every step. Jesus left us an example that we should follow His steps (1 Peter 2:21). Walking humbly with my God expresses a companionship with God. I am not leading Him nor do I seek my own way. Where He leads I will follow is the only way to walk with my God. Finally there is the wonderful knowledge that the one I walk with is “my” God. That is personal. That is me and God. Just us two walking and talking together. The disciples who walked with Jesus will say later, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?” (Luke 24:32).

Micah’s nutshell: do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God. It says a lot with just a few words. Words to live by.

If there is one word that describes Christmas it is the word “anticipation.” Excitement builds as the day approaches and the early morning breaks with children scampering to see what is under the tree. In a flash the wrapping paper is ripped apart. Presents are counted as eyes sparkle at the new toys. The morning is filled with fun but as the day draws long bodies driven with adrenalin slowly begin to wind down. Sleep comes to many. The day is over. What began as a thrill ride melts into the regular pace of life. But Heaven ain’t Christmas.

The most enthralling message about Heaven is there is great anticipation with what it will be like to stand before “a throne set in heaven” (Revelation 4:2). It is hard (if not impossible) to imagine how glorious it will be to see the Lord face to face and hear His mighty voice. The apostle John glimpsed into the eternal portal and proclaimed, “And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald” (Revelation 4:3). Those surrounding the throne cried out, “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come … You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created” (Revelation 4:8, 11). What a powerful feeling of joy to give praise to the Lord God Almighty.

The end of the Revelation unfolds the everlasting beauty of God’s presence among His people as He wipes away every tear from our eyes and removes death, sorrow, crying and pain (Revelation 21:4). Heaven will be a marvelous place of untold splendor that overwhelms all the senses of man. “The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass” (Revelation 21:21). The most glorious moment as we enter the realm of everlasting life is that we shall see HIS face and HIS name shall be on our foreheads (Revelation 22:4).

As the morning unfolded on this Christmas day I could not help but think, “This is all over now.” All the preparation, all the excitement, all the planning and joy of the moment has passed. Life begins to slowly turn back to a sense of normal. The weeks will open up to a new year and the months will turn to summer and life with its challenges will return. But Heaven? It will never stop. All that we anticipate and long for will never end. The promises of God to wipe away every tear means there will never, ever, never, ever be another tear in my eye. Pain? Gone. Sorrow? Gone. Temptation? Done with. Sin? Defeated. Death? Cast into Hell. Satan? Finalized! Me? ETERNAL LIFE! ETERNAL GLORY! ETERNAL SALVATION! ETERNAL INHERITANCE! And here is the greatest joy – it never ends. I mean it never ends.

You can take all the Christmas days, birthdays, celebrations, weddings, graduations and days of momentous times in our lives and none will match the everlasting glory of unending joy in the presence of our God and our Father. “And thus we shall always be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:17). “Even so, come, Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22:20).

I was struck by the simple description of Jesus by the prophet Isaiah. “He has no form or comeliness; and when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him” (Isaiah 53:2). The CEV describes Jesus as “nothing about the way he looked made him attractive to us.” Contrary to popular opinion Jesus did not walk around with a glowing face or a halo. He did not stand out in a crowd by any measure. If you look through the multitudes He would not have been picked out. Jesus was as common as his brothers in the flesh or the fellow next door.

We know little of his early life before beginning His ministry at 30. Clearly He embodied the average Jewish male in Nazareth. When He finished working with Joseph in some carpentry work He was drenched with sweat and dirty. As He sat in the synagogue and listened to the teachers proclaim the word of the Lord He did not strike others with His appearance. The Lord walked with the caravans of pilgrims who made the journey to Jerusalem and He was unnoticed. Walking in the Temple no one took a second glance. At the age of 29 He was just another man caring for His family and engaging with his brothers and sisters. This would change within a year.

Was Jesus tall and did he have rugged features? What was the manner of His voice? How did He carry himself? We know He sang (Matthew 26:30). Did He have a low singing voice or a high one? What did His laughter sound like? Could He whistle? What was it like when He cried? There are a million questions left unanswered but one – He was just like me. “Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same” (Hebrews 2:14).

While His conception was through the power of God His birth was as natural as it could be. He was born after nine months it would seem and as a child made His first cooing sounds and smiles. He would roll over the first time, take His first steps and said “Abba” the first time. Mary’s heart would burst with love as He nestled close to her at night. Joseph would pick up the little toddler Jesus and hold Him tight. James would be born as well as Joses, Judas and Simon and Jesus would have siblings to play games with. His sisters would also make a family full as He watched them grow to young ladies. What a family feast when they all gathered for Passover in their home and remembered the story of the Exodus.

Jesus learned how to ride a donkey. He may have gone to the Sea of Galilee and watched the fisherman leave out for expected bounties. Did He ever visit the snowcapped Mount Hermon or stand on Mount Carmel where the prophet Elijah defeated the minions of Ahab and Jezebel? The Lord felt the bitter sting of winter and the searing heat of summer. He grew tired. His meals refreshed His body. He must have gotten a haircut some time in His life. “There is no beauty that we should desire Him” says that Jesus was a common man committed to doing an uncommon thing.

It is hard to imagine God becoming not just man but becoming a common man. He did not come with the pomp of nobility and splendor of earthly prestige although He was “only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords” (1 Timothy 6:15). He came to be like me. And I thank God for that.

The people of Nazareth could not see the carpenter’s son as anything but the boy who lived next door. “So all bore witness to Him, and marveled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth. And they said, “Is this not Joseph’s son” (Luke 4:22)? He was so common the home town folk could not see His divinity. John would write, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that He says, ‘I have come down from heaven’” (John 6:42)? He was a man that lived in Nazareth, they knew His parents, His family, His habits, His life – yet they did not know Him for who He really was.

It is easy to think that if we lived during the time of Jesus we would immediately be able to pick Him out of the crowd. When Jesus shared the last supper with His disciples there was nothing special that stood out to humanity about this event in an upper room; must less a cup the Lord drank from. Soon after this final meal the man from Nazareth was nailed to a common cross and the world took no note. There were no angels singing as was His birth. There would be no glowing face of the Lord on the cross. He would look like the man on His right and the man on His left. He would be humiliated with His bodily discharges and mournful cry on the cross as a man. Death would take Him as it takes all men. “And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:8).

The Roman soldiers would take Him from the cross and pull the nails from His hands and feet. Nicodemus and Joseph would carefully wash the body of Jesus and carry Him the distance to the tomb. Can you see these two men carrying the dead body of Jesus? He was a common man who suffered the common fate of all men – death.

A new day came. The first day of the week the common man became uncommon. Sabbath plus one the world changed. That man from Nazareth was not found in the tomb. Jesus had risen. The power of the gospel is found in the joy of resurrection day. “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:36).

As I look upon my Savior and marvel at His divine power and might, I am humbled that He had to share in the frailties of human flesh. But He became like me. He was common. He did not possess any attributes that would make Him stand out in the crowd. But He stands out for me.