The Angel Of Light

Posted on December 3, 2024 by heatonkent

For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works. (2 Corinthians 11:13-15)

The Angel Of Light

Apostasy is not new. Satan is the master of deceit with a powerful influence without peers. No one has a greater influential sway over the hearts of humanity than the dragon of old. Jesus said that only a few would be saved from the innumerable souls standing before His throne. This declares the vast majority of people will face eternal destruction through the deception of the devil. The wiles of Satan are subtle, persuasive, tempting, and overwhelming. He makes sin to be something wildly exciting and fun. Simple hearts are lured by the easiest of temptations through the lust of the flesh. Pride is a sickness that comes from the lips of the devil. Lusting through the eyes engulfs the heart with unattainable desires.

The work of Satan is never bold or declarative. If the devil really dressed in red with a pointed mask, pitchfork, and flames surrounding him, everyone would know who he was. He knows he would be easily identified for who and what he is, so he comes in another form. His visage is found in the deceitful image of an apostle of Christ, a prophet of God, and even an angel of light. From the beginning of the world, Satan has transformed himself into an image that appeals to man. In the Garden of Eden, the dragon came in the form of the serpent described by Moses as being the most subtle, crafty, clever, cunning, and shrewd creature of any animal. Eve was not alarmed by the presence of the talking serpent. She listened to the smooth voice of the deceiver and fell to his charms.

Paul warned the early Christians that everyone who looks like a disciple of Jesus may not be one. There were false apostles and deceitful workers in the early church. These were men who looked the part and talked the talk but inside were corrupted by the wiles of the devil. Satan himself would transform himself into an angel of light. His followers would show themselves to be servants of God, preachers of righteousness, and teachers of the gospel with the corruption of the devil’s breath. God is not unaware of false teachers and those who show themselves to be His ministers and are not. Their end is utter destruction.

Truth is older than error. Satan likes to let people think he is an angel of good. He is the father of lies. Hell is prepared for the devil and his angels. Tragically, he plans to take as many of God’s creation with him; and he is doing a powerful job of accomplishing that. The warning must be heeded: because a man acts like a servant of God, it does not make him such. Truth never changes, and the word of God is settled in heaven. If someone is teaching anything that is not according to the word of God, he will be condemned. Those who follow his pernicious ways will join him in perdition. Listening to an angel that teaches anything contrary to the word of God is apostasy. That angel has a name – Satan.

The sad reality is Satan has succeeded in making many people believe it does not matter how God is worshipped. Everyone can approach God in his own way. The proof is found in the churches that fill the earth, all proclaiming to follow Jesus Christ. If there is one church in the New Testament, how can there be so many today? Jesus is God’s Son, eliminating the need to follow any man. The gospel is the power of God unto salvation, not the teachings of men. Satan has convinced men today they should listen to an angel of light. And they do – by the thousands follow false teachers who lead them to destruction. Read the book, the word of God. Stop listening to the angel of light.

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When A Nation Forgets God

Posted on December 2, 2024 by heatonkent

A voice was heard on the desolate heights, weeping and supplications of the children of Israel. For they have perverted their way; they have forgotten the Lord their God. (Jeremiah 3:21)

When A Nation Forgets God

On March 4, 1797, George Washington left the office of President of the United States. His final address to the nation is printed in newspapers across the country. It has been a turbulent time as the infant nation begins its journey of uniting a people to become one country. Washington is keenly aware of the dangers that face the nation. He understands the importance of the nation’s solid moral compass that relies upon the Bible. His final address warned about the risks of building a country without God.

“Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, Religion and morality are indispensable supports … And let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality may be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect that National morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.”

When a nation forgets God, it begins a downward spiral toward the implosion of self-destruction. A godless society is a world where God is less and man is more. History is the great educator that has repeatedly shown that when a nation becomes a humanistic society rejecting the principles of morality based upon the Bible, the depravation is severe. Morality cannot be governed by the whims of men who believe men can have babies and surgical sex changes are expected. When abortion is an accepted form in society, the morals of the consciousness miscarry. Marriage and family are the bedrock of civilization until the law of marriage is forgotten and families no longer resemble the plan of God.

Morality cannot be maintained if the Bible is rejected. Vance Havner observed, “It would take a moral and spiritual earthquake to undo the mistakes of the past fifty years in home discipline, education, and religion. One wonders whether we have reached the point of no return.” Political platforms are no longer about the economy, defense, and foreign policy. Listening to the talking points of the modern political machines underlines how the depravity of the nation has devolved into ungodliness. When the populous votes for morals based upon the dregs of societal immorality, the nation is destroying the principles on which it was built. George Washington would be horrified at the loss of the moral compass so prevalent today.

A strong belief in God and morality coming from the word of God is indispensable to protecting the nation. If there is no moral consciousness, there is no nation. It should not come as a surprise in the coming years of the fall of a once proud country that once had a semblance of trust in God and the Bible. The Lord declared the nation that forgets God is doomed. Read the history of the nation of Israel. They forgot God, and He forgot them. Will history repeat itself?

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Moses – Faith Is A Choice

Posted on December 1, 2024 by heatonkent

By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s command. By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them. (Hebrews 11:23-28)

Moses – Faith Is A Choice

The faith of Moses began before he was born. Parents have the most powerful influence on their children’s future when they realize they stand at the headwaters of a child’s life, which can largely determine whether they believe in God. One of the great dangers of parenting is that the parents only get one chance to influence the child in the right way. Moses’ faith began first with the devoted love of his parents. Amram and Jochebed lived in a world of conflict. For hundreds of years, the Hebrews had become increasingly oppressed by the people of Egypt. Their lives were filled with toil as they became slaves to the political whims of the Pharaoh. Things would get much worse.

Amram and Jochebed were blessed with two children, Aaron and Miriam. When Pharaoh began to worry about the growing population of Hebrews in his country, the king made severe laws necessary to stem the tide of the Hebrew children. This profoundly impacted Amram and Jochebed’s lives when it was discovered they were expecting their third child. The lives of the Hebrews were made bitter with hard bondage. When Pharaoh decreed that every son who was born to the Hebrews was to be thrown into the river, the Hebrew people were filled with fear. It was not until their third child was born that fear entered their hearts when they saw they had another boy. What were they to do? It was the law of the land to kill the baby boy.

Amram and Jochebed’s faith was tested, but they did not hesitate. For three months, they quietly hid their infant son. They were not going to commit murder, even if it meant facing the wrath of the Egyptian government. Their fear of God was greater than their fear of Pharaoh. They could tell their son was a special child, and they trusted that the Lord would bless them. After three months, the baby boy could be hidden no longer. Jochebed put her infant son in an ark of bulrushes and placed him where the daughter of Pharaoh bathed. Miriam stood nearby to see what would become of the little boy. Jochebed’s faith in the care of God was evident in the courage she manifested to do such a thing.

Pharaoh’s daughter discovered the Hebrew child and took him to her home, where she adopted him. It was the daughter of Pharoah that named the little boy, Moses. Being raised in the palace of Pharaoh, Moses had the world at his feet. His mother cared for him in his formative years. He learned all the wisdom of the Egyptians and became a man mighty in words and deeds. His life was better than almost the whole world, but he was unsettled. The faith instilled by his parents was a seed that found a bountiful harvest in his heart.

When Moses came of age to choose for himself, he made the remarkable decision to leave all the trappings of the Egyptian monarchy and accept the suffering of his people. After killing an Egyptian, Moses fled to the faraway land of Midian. He left as a prince and returned as a pauper. He remained away from his fellow Hebrews for forty years, working as a lowly shepherd. His days of riches, wealth, and power were nothing to him as he knew God had a greater purpose in his life. His faith was in the work of God, not fearing what Pharaoh might do.

Faith is seeing all that is unseen. His parents’ choice to be faithful servants of God instilled in the heart of Moses a love for God. There can never be enough said about how influential parents are in their children’s faith. The goal is to allow each child to make their faith their own, but they can make the wrong choice without the proper guidance in the early years. Parents must teach their children what faith means, what faith looks like, and why faith is necessary. Moses was said to be the humblest man on earth. He learned that from the faith of his parents. Moses made a choice based on his faith in the word of God. He looked beyond the rewards of the Egyptians and looked to his eternal reward.

When Moses forsook Egypt, he did so because he feared God more than the king. He did not understand how much his life would change. Faith is the reason Moses made his choices. He struggled with his faith and was often found wanting. On the night of the destroyer’s coming to kill the firstborn, Moses had faith in the promises of God. He knew they would live because they had obeyed the word of the Lord. Faith leads to obedience. Moses led the people out and delivered the faithful to the land of promise, knowing he would not be allowed to enter. It did not matter to Moses because his faith was in the eternal promised land. The life of Moses was a life of choices. He tried to make the best choice based on his faith. Faith is a choice. You will decide your destiny by the choices you make from your faith.

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The Lake Of Fire

Posted on November 29, 2024 by heatonkent

Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:14-15)

The Lake Of Fire

There are some harsh realities revealed in the word of God. It is never easy to face eternal truths when they are so vividly portrayed by the Finger of God, the Holy Spirit. Human nature revolts at the notion of the severity of God’s wrath, suggesting the character of God’s love prohibits the exhibition of such dark language to punish man. Sadly, the realities are not governed by the whims of human emotion, and what God says is truth will not change. God is a God of love, mercy, and grace. He is also a God of wrath on a level that humanity struggles to grasp its full meaning.

Understanding the wrath of God accomplishes several things. It shows the truth of God’s word is not swayed by the wisdom of man. The thoughts of God are so much higher than the wisdom of man that there is nothing to compare. God sees all and knows all and has seen and known everything since Adam was first formed of the dust of the ground. As Creator, He is the potter that fashions the clay. The clay has no power but what is given to it by its potter. Knowing the wrath of God instills fear in the belief that disobedience to the will of the Father will be punished and punished severely.

The Holy Spirit used language to describe the wrath of God that is demonstrative, intense, clear, undeniable, and powerful beyond description. When describing the eternal punishment of those who refuse to do the will of the Father, God calls it a lake of fire burning with brimstone. It is not an oven or flame; it is a lake. The lake described by God is a lake of fire where eternal torment is experienced. It is difficult to understand the concept of an everlasting torment. In human terms, if a man falls into a lava flow, he dies instantly. The lake of fire is a place where no one dies. The rich man said he was in torment, desiring only a finger of water to cool his tongue.

Anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire. Jesus said that will be the majority of people who die. Everyone will be cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. Brimstone is very flammable and, when burning, emits a peculiar suffocating odor. It is found in great abundance near volcanoes. God uses familiar language to help man understand the terrible nature of eternal punishment. The lake of fire is a place where there will be torment without end. God’s mercy ends at the lake of fire. It is a lake of fire and brimstone.

The lake of fire was not prepared for humanity. Jesus said Hell was prepared for the devil and his angels. The tragedy of the human story is that God has made a way for all men to be saved from His wrath through Jesus Christ. With all the love, grace, and mercy of God given to man, few are willing to accept it. Those who deny God will suffer the lake of fire. All who do not follow His word will be in eternal torment. Religious people who refuse to obey God’s word will be lost in the darkness of the lake of fire. The ungodly and immoral are condemned to the lake of fire. Satan and his angels will be there.

The lake of fire is real and prepared for that day when the world ends, and judgment is brought before all men. It will be a place of incredible horror, but it does not have to be. That choice is left up to you. It does not matter what your parents believe or what your loved ones think or what the popular thought of the day is. You decide. Are you willing to find yourself in a lake of fire?

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Have A Spirit Of Thanksgiving

Posted on November 28, 2024 by heatonkent

Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving. (Colossians 4:2)

Have A Spirit Of Thanksgiving

“For three things I thank God every day of my life: thanks that he has vouchsafed me knowledge of His works; deep thanks that He has set in my darkness the lamp of faith; deep, deepest thanks that I have another life to look forward to – a life joyous with light and flowers and heavenly song.” (Helen Keller, Story of My Life, 1905).

Helen Keller was an American author, disability rights advocate, political activist, and lecturer. What makes the story of Helen Keller powerful is she lost her sight and her hearing when she was 19 months old. Living to the age of 87, Keller accomplished an amazing list of accomplishments, including a Bachelor of Arts degree, and authored fourteen books. Keller had every excuse to be angry about life, but she reflected a spirit of thanksgiving in a remarkable way.

Thanksgiving was established as a holiday when Abraham Lincoln set aside the celebration to encourage national unity during the American Civil War. President John F. Kennedy formalized the day of Thanksgiving in 1963. The fourth Thursday of November has become one of the most popular holidays of the season and often the least appreciated. The spirit of Thanksgiving is recognizing where the gifts of life come from. Helen Keller, unable to see and hear, could understand the need to have a thankful heart for the simple things of life. Most with eyesight and hearing take for granted the blessings of God.

Man was created in the image of God to glorify his Creator. It was not man that created God. The sun rises each day because God established the law on the fourth day of creation. Life is a gift received from God. Whatever measure of life that a person has is a gift. In return, God wants a thankful heart, recognizing that everything comes from Him and that without Him, there is no life. This is especially true when it comes to knowing God created man as an eternal creature. It is important to thank God for the things of this world. A greater gift is found in Jesus Christ, which involves the promise of life after death.

Thanksgiving as a holiday comes once a year, but thanksgiving as a way of life is a daily experience. The bounty of food will not last. Thanksgiving is a time of great feasting, and then the day passes. A man’s relationship with God is an eternal decision with eternal consequences. To be thankful for the gift of God is a daily walk recognizing all that God has done. The early church showed their thanksgiving every first day of the week when they gathered as God’s thankful people to express thanksgiving in their worship. Jesus Christ came to earth to show the love of God. A grateful heart will return that love with a spirit of thanksgiving every day. A true thanksgiving awakens every dawn with a prayer of humility of how great the gift God has been given to us to know Him and to worship Him.

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I Saw The Dead

Posted on November 27, 2024 by heatonkent

Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. (Revelation 20:11-12)

I Saw The Dead

The population of the earth is around eight billion souls. That is only the tally for one year. The world has existed for thousands of years, making the total number of people who have lived and are living on the earth innumerable. No one knows how long the world will exist. Only God knows when the end of all things will be accomplished, and until that time, with each passing hour of every day, more souls are added to the human equation. With these numbers in mind, consider the greatest gathering ever known before the throne of God, where everyone who has lived from Adam will be gathered.

In John’s revelation, he sees an image of what that day will be like. There is the great white throne where the Lord God is seated. Heaven and earth have passed away into obliteration. Only the eternal souls of humanity remain. What John saw was the dead. When God destroyed the universe, all human life came to an end. All of humanity had died or were changed when the world ended. Everyone standing before the Lord was dead but alive in the eternal spirit. There was no separation of the small and great, rich and poor, nationality, gender, or education into certain groups. Rich men stood next to the poor. Influential people in history were standing next to the unknowns of human history. The scene of judgment was without partiality. Every soul was equal.

No one has received preference over another because of their lives on earth. The only separation that took place were those found in the Book of Life and those whose names were not inscribed by the blood of the Lamb. It was a simple process. When the Book of Life was opened, it was filled with many names. These souls had been in covenant with the Lord God and found faithful to His will. They had been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. The Book of Life was a book of eternal life. These saints would enjoy the blessings of eternal life in the presence of God.

When the Book of Life was opened, there were many whose names could not be found there. Most had never had their names written in the Book. Some had once named the name of Christ but had turned away from God’s grace. Their names had been blotted out. Seeing how many names were not in the Book of Life was sad and tragic. Jesus taught that most people would not find their names in the Book of Life. Many religious people thought their names were in the Book of Life, but they were rejected because they refused to obey the will of the Father.

The incredible mass of humanity standing before the great white throne were all judged according to what was written, or not written, in the books. The dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. It was no surprise for those who did not have their names there. They knew they had not believed in God or done His will. The souls who grieved the most were those who had once tasted the Heavenly gift of God’s mercy but had turned back into the world. Now, it was too late. The fate was sealed.

John saw the dead in a prophetic vision of what is yet to be. The final day of judgment has not come. God’s grace continues to call men to come to Him and find salvation in the blood of Jesus. If the Lord allows the world to continue for a thousand more years, more opportunities will be given to those who have yet to have their names inscribed in the Book of Life. At judgment, the only thing that will matter to you is where your name is. Don’t kid yourself into believing there is any other way to have your name in the Book of Life than what God said in His book, the Bible. There is only one way, one truth, and one life. Where is your name?

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Give Thanks To Him Who

Posted on November 26, 2024 by heatonkent

Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Oh, give thanks to the God of gods! For His mercy endures forever. Oh, give thanks to the Lord of lords! For His mercy endures forever: to Him who alone does great wonders, for His mercy endures forever. (Psalm 136:1-4)

Give Thanks To Him Who

The time of thanksgiving is to know from all blessings flow. There are many things to be thankful for, and the heart should acknowledge those blessings. Having a home and food is something to be thankful for. Enjoying a beautiful day kindles a spirit of thankfulness. Having close friends to enjoy company finds its worth in how thankful a person can be for friendship. There are so many things to be thankful for, but the question is, what is the heart grateful for that has lasting value? To be thankful for a home is wonderful, but it will not last. The things of the world are real, but they have no lasting value. Everything about life is transitory in the material world. True thanksgiving must come from a higher level of understanding.

God created man in His image as an eternal being. Every child that is born is a creature that will never cease to exist. Life comes from the hand of God as the eternal spirit inhabits a physical body. A baby brings nothing into the world, and it is certain in death, nothing is taken. This will help focus on those things that are of more value. Giving thanks must begin and end with recognition of the bountiful gifts of the Lord. God is good! Not just in blessing a person with good health or a home and a job. The mercy of the Lord endures forever. That is something that has a higher meaning of thanksgiving.

The mercy of God is best defined to know the difference between God and man. In the beginning, God created man to glorify Him. Because of sin and rebellion, man separated himself from the Lord. By the mercy of God, Adam and Eve were spared destruction and, through grace, allowed to exit the garden. Sin has had dominion over man from the beginning. Through the infinite mercy of God, Jesus Christ came to die on the cross, redeeming humanity back to the Father. Who among the populace of world history deserved such a sacrifice? None. God’s mercy is salvation because God is good, and His love is everlasting. Mercy came through the death of Jesus to wash away the sins of corruptible men.

If there is any giving of thanks that must pass the lips of the child of God, it is to be thankful the mercy of God endures forever. The Lord is the God of gods and Lord of lords. There is no one who has done so many great wonders than the Lord God Almighty. He spoke, and the world came into being. When He spoke in the days of Noah, eight souls were saved from a flood that killed everyone outside the ark. God spoke the words to man to know His will. Jesus Christ came as the living Word to reveal the Father. The cross of Christ is the greatest wonder, culminating in the greatest miracle, the resurrection. How can a man not be thankful?

There is great joy in knowing the mercy of the Lord endures forever. No one stands in the presence of God deserving of His grace, but the mercy of the Lord endures forever. A thankful heart gives thanks for the blessings of life, such as a home, food, clothing, and family. These are vital to the happy heart. Beyond the things of the world, nothing compares to the blessings for those in Christ Jesus. To be in Christ is to know the mercy of the Lord. Enjoying the covenant of grace in the body of Christ is to see the mercy of the Lord. Thanksgiving can only be understood when viewed through the lens of God’s mercy. It is amazing.

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The Purpose Of God

Posted on November 25, 2024 by heatonkent

For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done. (Acts 4:27-28)

The Purpose Of God

Herod Antipas was the son of Herod the Great by Malthake, a Samaritan. It was Herod Antipas, under the influence of his wife, Herodias, who killed John the Baptist. During the ministry of Jesus, Herod desired to meet the man from Nazareth to see some miracle performed. The first meeting between Herod and Jesus is when Pilate sends his prisoner to Herod for examination. Jesus refused to say anything to Herod. Before sending the Lord back to Pilate, Herod and his soldiers began mocking and ridiculing Jesus. They put a royal robe on him and sent him back to Pilate.

Pontius Pilate was the Roman governor of Judea. Luke tells of Pilate’s massacre, where the Jews were sacrificing at Jerusalem. Pilate came suddenly upon them and killed them, and their blood was mingled with the blood of the animals that they were offering for sacrifice. Like Herod, Pilate was a sadistic narcissist who ruled his subjects with force. The Roman Empire was the greatest nation on earth. No army could stand against the might of the Roman Legions. The Gentile world held a powerful grip over the subjects in hundreds of countries and subjects, including the Jews.

Israel had been under the rule of bondage for nearly six hundred years. Babylon had first subjected the people when Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem in 586 B.C. When Jesus was born, Israel was ruled by Caesar Augustus. Thirty years later, when Jesus began His ministry, Tiberius Caesar reigned. The Romans allowed Israel to exist with its rituals and leadership, but Roman law governed everything. Jesus worked within this system to declare God’s kingdom and show the world He was the Son of God.

In the early days of the church, the Jewish leadership arrested Peter and John because they preached in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. This greatly disturbed the Jews and the impact it was having on the people. Releasing Peter and John, the leaders warned them not to preach in the name of Jesus or teach in His name. Undaunted, the apostles returned to the brethren to proclaim the joy of suffering for Christ.

The message of the early disciples facing persecution was there was nothing the world could do to stop the will of God. Quoting from the psalmist David, the brethren rejoiced that nations raged and the people plotted vain things. Herod and Pilate were the two most powerful men in Palestine, and there was nothing they could do to stop the work of Jesus, which was to die for the sins of the world. The Roman Empire and Israel became the tools God used to bring about His will to offer His only begotten Son to redeem man. Pilate thought he had power over Jesus, but the Lord reminded the governor that his power came from God.

There is nothing the world can do to change the will of God. Men have tried to corrupt the Bible, but it remains true. Satan has tried for two thousand years to destroy the church of Christ. It stands firm. Right and wrong are challenged by the immorality of the human heart. Righteousness always prevails. In a dark world, evil forces seek to take hope away from the faithful’s hearts. Hope reigns. Everything Herod, Pilate, the Romans, and the Jews did was determined beforehand according to God’s will. The earth will pass away, but the word of the Lord endures. Man serves the will of the Lord God Almighty.

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Blessing By Faith

Posted on November 24, 2024 by heatonkent

By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel and gave instructions concerning his bones. (Hebrews 11:22)

Blessing By Faith

After Jacob returned to Canaan with Leah and Rachel, he purchased a field at Shechem. He erected an altar in the field and called it “El Elohe Israel,” meaning “God, the God of Israel.” One hundred eighty-five years earlier, Abraham built an altar on the same land as a sign of the promises of God. Jacob established an altar at Shechem to show the faithfulness of God in keeping his promises. The altar confirmed Jacob’s vision at Bethel years before when the Lord assured him that He would always be with him and that Jacob would return to the promised land.

At one hundred thirty, Jacob moved his family to Egypt to be with Joseph, his beloved son. It had been twenty-two years since Jacob had seen his son, believing him to be dead. Jacob lived seventeen years in Egypt, and when he knew he was dying, he made Joseph promise him that upon his death, his son would take his body back to Canaan. After Jacob’s death, Joseph and his brothers took their father back to Canaan and buried Jacob in the cave of Machpelah, which Abraham had purchased from Ephron the Hittite.

Joseph lived to be one hundred and ten years old. He took an oath from the children of Israel that upon his death, they would carry his bones when they left Egypt. The difference in the story of Joseph is that, unlike Jacob, his bones would remain in Egypt until the Hebrews were released from the bondage of Egypt. They could have made the trip to Canaan as they did with Jacob, but Joseph wanted the people to remember a promise God had made them. The Lord had told Abraham his descendants would be strangers in a foreign land and be oppressed as slaves for four hundred years, but God would deliver them.

Because of his deep faith in the promises of God, Joseph told the people they would leave Egypt one day. As a sign of the promise of God, Joseph’s coffin would remain in Egypt for hundreds of years as a memorial of the promise of God. Whenever the people saw the bones of Joseph, they would know God promised to deliver them, and He would keep His promise. After the conquest of Canaan and the division of the land, the family of Joseph buried their ancestor as a sign of the fulfillment of the promise of God.

Jacob built an altar on the ground where Joseph was buried, calling it “God, the God of Israel.” For the Christian, the cross of Jesus has been left as a memorial to remind us of the faithful promise of God to deliver us from sin and death. God, the God of Israel, is faithful and true to all His promises. When the people saw the remains of Joseph, they knew God would not abandon them.

The cross of Jesus is a memorial to the faithful promise of God to deliver us. Sin is defeated in the Red Sea of the blood of Christ. Death is defeated as the saved enter the promised land through the Jordan River. By faith, Joseph wanted the people to know that God was a God of promise. That same faith is proven in our lives when we commune before the cross of Jesus Christ. God cannot lie, and He keeps all His promises. He washed away our sins and promised eternal life. Trust in God. Believe in His promises.

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Bearing The Marks Of Jesus

Posted on November 21, 2024 by heatonkent

From now on let no one trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus. (Galatians 6:17)

Bearing The Marks Of Jesus

The apostle Paul lived a remarkable life. From his informative years to adulthood, Paul (Saul) was a devoted Jew to the keeping of the Law. His life changed when he persecuted the disciples of a teacher named Jesus and met the Lord on the road to Damascus. Paul was going to Damascus to arrest any followers of Jesus he could find. Three days later, Paul was baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins. He would devote his life to the gospel of Christ and die for his Lord and Master, Jesus of Nazareth.

Paul endured many conflicts and persecutions during his ministry of spreading the gospel. His body bore the marks of stripes from beatings. Five times, he was beaten by the Jews, who inflicted 39 stripes each time. On three occasions, he was beaten with rods. When Paul preached at Lystra, the people took him out of the city and stoned him, leaving him for dead. His body was wracked from the shipwrecks, perils, weariness, hunger, thirst, cold, and nakedness. One could not help but see the cost Paul paid to devote his life to the cause of Christ.

Paul’s physical sufferings were evident as he bore in his body the marks of Jesus Christ. Paul was not ashamed of his marks of agony when compared to what Jesus endured. Nothing could conquer Paul’s spirit to live for Christ and preach his name. He spent many long weeks in prison but never gave up hope. When he faced certain death, he confided in Timothy of his expectant hope and joy for the crown that awaited him. Paul bore the marks of Jesus on his body not to brag but to testify. His life was not easy. He grew up in opulence but was willing to die in poverty to serve his Lord. The marks that covered his body were his testimony of God’s grace.

There were many years when the followers of Christ suffered at the hands of those who tried to destroy the church. The faithful saints of God endured the suffering in this present world to attain the glories of the world beyond. Their sufferings were real and harsh. In a time of peace, little suffering inflicts the church of the Lord making the heart complacent and lax. Paul’s bold assertion of bearing the marks of Jesus bears scrutiny in the church today. If God’s people were beaten for assembling together to remember the memorial of Christ, how many would show up? Excuses are given as to why service to God is lacking, and none are about physical persecution. Christianity can become a means of worship according to convenience rather than conviction.

The question that must be answered is how far will the child of God go to bear the evidence they belong to the Son of God? Living in a country without persecution in a time of prosperity can damage the view of living with the marks of Jesus. Faithfulness is not being faithful only in times of persecution. There are many excuses given why God’s people will not and cannot serve the Lord and they bring shame to the name of Christ. Standing for truth is allowing the Bible to speak the truth. This will be against the norms of society. Questions of morality are shaded so feelings are not hurt. There is an acceptance of immoral behavior lest conflict arise. Marriage questions refuse to be answered so families will not be broken up.

It is impossible to live in the world and not suffer persecution. If a child of God never faces difficult decisions about choices relating to the word of God and the norms of society, they have become friends with the world and enemies of God. Paul reminds Timothy that all who desire to live godly will suffer persecution. The body may not bear the marks of beatings (like Paul), but if the life of the Christian does not bear the marks of devotion to the Lord, there is no blessing from God. Paul gloried he was able to suffer for Jesus – it was the least he could do for his Lord. What am I willing to do for Jesus?

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