The Wrath Of God Is Utter Destruction

Posted on November 20, 2024 by heatonkent

If you hear someone in one of your cities, which the Lord your God gives you to dwell in, saying, “Corrupt men have gone out from among you and enticed the inhabitants of their city, saying, ‘Let us go and serve other gods’”—which you have not known— then you shall inquire, search out, and ask diligently. And if it is indeed true and certain that such an abomination was committed among you, you shall surely strike the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying it, all that is in it and its livestock—with the edge of the sword. And you shall gather all its plunder into the middle of the street, and completely burn with fire the city and all its plunder, for the Lord your God. It shall be a heap forever; it shall not be built again. So none of the accursed things shall remain in your hand, that the Lord may turn from the fierceness of His anger and show you mercy, have compassion on you and multiply you, just as He swore to your fathers, because you have listened to the voice of the Lord your God, to keep all His commandments which I command you today, to do what is right in the eyes of the Lord your God. (Deuteronomy 13:12-18)

The Wrath Of God Is Utter Destruction

There is no quarter with sin and wickedness. God is a jealous God. His name is Jealous. Many examples are given in the Bible about the wrath of God. In the days of Noah, the Lord killed every human being on the face of the planet except for eight souls. This is the highest count of people killed in one event in the history of the world. On Passover night, when the Hebrews huddled in their homes, the destroyer of the Lord swept through Egypt and killed every Egyptian firstborn child and firstborn among the animals. Contained within the Law of Moses is the imprecatory language of God’s wrath against those who challenged His law and authority.

Moses brought the law to the people, beginning with the Ten Commandments. First and foremost is the commandment that no other god can come before service to the One True God. This was not a suggestion but a divine law that carried with it the divine wrath of a jealous God. To clarify how intent the Lord was to impose this law, Moses further explained the consequences of challenging the Law of God and the danger of serving the gods of men. If men came among the people and tried to lead them away from serving the Lord God, specific judgments were to be rendered to the city and its inhabitants.

Every person in the city must be killed without exception. No mercy is to be given to the city. Everyone must die. All the livestock must be slaughtered. Everything that belongs to the city’s inhabitants will be gathered in the middle of the street and burned. The city must be leveled to complete destruction. No person is to be left alive, no possessions kept, and the city made into a heap, never to be rebuilt again. This was the law of God. The Lord expected and demanded it be carried out to the fullest extent of the Law.

God demands justice against all ungodliness. It seems brutal to go into a city teeming with men, women, and children and slaughter every living being, including their animals. That was the command of the Lord against those who sought to steal away the hearts of His people to serve the gods of men. If a brother, sister, son, or daughter tries to lead hearts away to serve other gods, they are to be killed. A parent was not to consent to the actions of their rebellious children. They were commanded to kill their child and to be the first to cast a stone because they sought to entice the family away from the Lord God. There is no quarter given to sin. God tells Israel to hear His word and fear Him.

The failure of Israel to keep the law of God doomed the nation to be destroyed by God. Israel was once the apple of God’s eye. The nation of Israel was destroyed by the Assyrians and Babylonians, never to rise again as God’s people. They stand as a monument to the wrath of God and the failure of human wisdom to obey the law of God. The Lord God is viewed as only a God of love and compassion; He is a God of love and compassion. But there is the nature of God that will unleash His wrath against those who refuse to obey Him. Human wisdom cannot define it. The Bible explains it. Jesus preached it. A day is coming when those who will not do the will of God will face an eternal wrath that will never end. The wrath of God is utter destruction – Hell.

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Two Things That Are Certain

Posted on November 18, 2024 by heatonkent

For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. (1 Timothy 6:7)

Two Things That Are Certain

Life is filled with uncertainties and fears. There are few guarantees because of the unstable nature of the economy, ever-changing health and aging, decisions impacting the course of life, and a host of elements that fill life with feelings of insecurity. A divine view of life will put everything into perspective with two certainties that are true for everyone without exception. It does not matter if a person is rich or poor; these certainties apply. Cultural differences do not change reality. Science cannot redefine or alter what is unchangeable. Every human being enters the world naked and leaves the same way.  

The first certainty is evident every time a child is born. When a baby is delivered, there are no attachments of riches, fame, and knowledge that proceed from the womb. The only thing the doctor finds at the birth of a child is a naked baby dependent on someone else for survival. Without the care of the mother, the child will die. It will take a few years for the child to become dependent. No one brings anything with them into the world. Birth only produces a baby. Every announcement of a new baby should come with the acknowledgment that the baby entered the world naked. They did not bring anything with them. Babies born with silver spoons in their mouths get the spoon after birth.

A second certainty is connected to the first. As the baby comes into the world naked, everyone dies naked. Death does not take a person’s clothes. They are left behind. When a person dies, they cannot take their bank account with them. It remains for others to divide among themselves. All the knowledge gained from the many years of study dies. Fame will diminish over time, and the world will soon forget names once known by the world in a fickle turn of fate. Cemeteries are filled with marble headstones of souls born into the world stark naked who died completely naked of everything they gained in life. The two certainties in an uncertain world are the certainties that nothing is brought into the world and nothing is taken in death.

The knowledge of the certainties of life should impress upon the heart the true value of living. It is remarkable how often the lesson is lost that gaining the world is gaining nothing. No one remembers the moment of their birth, but they should learn the lesson they brought nothing with them. More importantly, the grave is a stark reminder that everything possessed in life remains in this world. How many funerals have people attended mourning the loss of a loved one and not realizing everything the person had remains? No one is exempt from these certainties, and yet most people live as if they will take everything with them when they die. It would be good for them to look at their baby pictures to remember how dependent they were on others and that nothing in life is of any value.

God testifies to His creation of certainties in life to remind man how frail he is. Man was not created to serve the world but to serve God. The reason man comes naked in the world is first to declare man is created by God. Death is a reminder from God that nothing in this world is of value. When a child is created, he becomes an eternal creature that will never die. He is born naked in the flesh, but he is made in the image of God. Life is the time when the eternal spirit of man learns about his Creator so that he can worship Him and give Him glory. When death comes, everything in the world is left behind, but the eternal spirit continues to the praise and honor of God. That is what life is about.

There are three certainties that man must remember: nothing is brought into the world, and nothing is taken in death. The third reality is that God is on the other side of death. Life is a short time, but in that capsule of time, the destiny of an eternal creature is determined. Nothing in birth and nothing in death. It is what happens after death that is certain that must be considered. Are you ready to meet God?

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Isaac And Jacob – Faith Overcomes Weakness

Posted on November 17, 2024 by heatonkent

By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. (Hebrews 11:20-21)

Isaac And Jacob – Faith Overcomes Weakness

The faith of Isaac and Jacob looked beyond the customs of men and accepted the will of God as their guide. That faith was severely challenged throughout their lives. Isaac was deceived in giving his blessings to Jacob, and Joseph watched as his father, Jacob, blessed his two sons in the wrong order. All of this was because of the faith in things to come. Faith is always looking ahead, and it comes from trusting in God.

Following a long-held tradition of the fathers blessing their sons, Isaac and Jacob blessed their children and grandchildren, which became part of the divine plan from God. For Issac and Jacob, this came from their reliance upon the providence of God stemming from their great faith in the will of the Lord.

Isaac favored his eldest son, Esau, while Rebekah took Jacob under her wing. It came to pass when Isaac was old that he thought he might die. Before he died, Isaac wanted to pass on his blessing to Esau. Through deception, Jacob received the blessing instead of Esau as the divine “supplanter” of what was rightfully Esau’s.

Jacob would live to be one-hundred forty-seven; when realizing he was dying, he asked to bless the sons of Joseph. Joseph had married Asenath, the daughter of Poti-Pherah priest of On, and had two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. When Jacob asked to bless the sons of Joseph, Manasseh, and Ephraim were brought to their grandfather.

In a repeat of the blessings of Isaac on Jacob and Esau, Jacob chose to bless Ephraim (the younger) over Manasseh. Jacob put his right hand on the head of Ephraim to receive the greater blessing. Like Isaac blessing Jacob over Esau, Jacob followed the providential plan of God to raise Ephraim above Manasseh.

The Hebrew writer emphasizes the matter of faith on the part of Isaac and Jacob. They both realized God’s greater plan, even if they did not understand. Isaac was upset that he had blessed Jacob with the blessing of the firstborn, but he did not try to change it. He accepted by faith the will of God. Jacob blessed the young sons of Joseph as the will of God. In both stories, trust in God was first and foremost. Faith comes from the heart, trusting in the will of God in the face of ridicule, opposition, and the world’s norms. Esau and Manasseh should have received the blessings, but God had a greater plan.

Our faith must trust in the will of the Lord whether we understand everything God desires. In simple trusting faith, we obey and give God the glory. The stories of faith reflect the simple reliance on the truth that God knows what is best, and following His will becomes a blessing. Faith can be hard to accept sometimes, but allowing God to work in our lives will increase our faith. Then faith can have its perfect work and establish trust. Faith will always overcome the weakness of human logic.

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When The Lord Holds Back The Water

Posted on November 15, 2024 by heatonkent

And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.” (Exodus 14:13-14)

When The Lord Holds Back The Water

The Hebrews rejoiced as they prepared to leave the land they had called home for nearly four centuries. Life had become a bitter struggle as the Egyptians enslaved the people and made their lives hard with severe labor. Through the grace of God’s love, Moses had come to deliver the descendants of Abraham to fulfill a promise made many centuries before. The land of promise was near where the Hebrews lived in Goshen. If the people took the route by the sea, they could quickly arrive at the border of Canaan. When the time came for Moses to lead the people out of Egypt, the Lord led them roundabout through the wilderness toward the Red Sea. He told Moses to have the people camp by Pi-hahiroth between Migdol and the sea along the shore, across from Baal-zephon.

Pharaoh heard where the Hebrews had gone and thought they had gotten lost in the wilderness. He mustered his army, took all his horses and chariots, charioteers, and troops, and caught up with the people of Israel as they were camped beside the shore near Pi-hahiroth, across from Baal-zephon. When the people saw the Egyptian army, they panicked and cried out to the Lord. Moses was not fearful because He knew God would deliver them. The plagues the Lord brought upon Egypt should have taught the Hebrews to trust in the power of God.  They would see another example of God’s power as they leave Egypt for the last time.

The Lord tells Moses to take his rod and raise it over the Red Sea. By the power of God, the sea was opened by a strong east wind that blew all night. A path through the water opened, allowing the more than two million souls to walk through the middle of the sea on dry land, with walls of water on each side. The parting of the Red Sea was a miracle matched only by the flood of Noah. God held the waters up to let His people pass. The Egyptians did not learn from the plagues that devasted their nation. They should have been warned against trying to destroy the Hebrews, especially having recently buried all their firstborn. Emboldened by rage and pride, Pharaoh sent his army into the sea where the people had walked. Just before dawn, the Lord confused the army, creating panic among the soldiers. As the day dawned, Moses held his rod above the waters and the waters returned and covered all the army of Pharaoh. All the Egyptians that chased the Hebrews into the sea perished. No one survived.

God held the waters back, allowing the faithful to walk safely to the other side. The same hand that held the waters back for the Hebrews let loose the waters upon the Egyptians to destroy them. All the Hebrews passed in safety, and all of the Egyptian army perished in the flood. God’s power saved, and His power destroyed. The Hebrews were rescued because of their faithfulness and trust in the word of the Lord. They had to have great faith to walk in the midst of the sea with waters abounding on both sides. There was no hesitation. They obeyed and were saved. The Egyptians believed they could find salvation like the Hebrews, not knowing the hand of the Lord would not save them but kill them.

The story of the Red Sea crossing declares the power of God and the need for faithful hearts to believe the word of the Lord. When the Hebrews came to the Red Sea, they thought they were trapped, and there was no hope. God brought them the way of the sea to test them and show His power. There was no hope to evade the Egyptian army as the people stood on the seashore. Moses told the people to wait and see the power of God; and they did. God held back the waters of the sea, and the people walked through. His power can do the impossible when it seems impossible because it is impossible for God to fail. The people believed, and they were saved by the hand of God.

There are times in life when the world seems like an impossible place. It can be like the people standing before the sea with no escape and the army of doubt coming to destroy. Waiting on the Lord and letting His power save in the day of darkness will allow the soul to walk on dry ground in the midst of a sea. God can deliver His people. Sometimes, He does it quickly; sometimes, it takes a wind blowing all night. He will never leave His people and leave them defenseless. The people trusted in the hand of the Lord to keep the waters away, and God did. When you trust in the Lord to keep the fears of the world at bay, you will find the peace that passes understanding as you walk on dry land. God does not lie. His hand will hold back the waters. He knows and cares. Let Him take away your fear. He can do some awesome things.

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Never Retire

Posted on November 14, 2024 by heatonkent

Now also when I am old and gray-headed, O God, do not forsake me until I declare Your strength to this generation, Your power to everyone who is to come (Psalm 71:18).

Never Retire

General Douglas MacArthur wrote, “People grow old by deserting their ideas. Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up interest wrinkles the soul. You are as young as your faith, as old as your doubts; as young as your self-confidence, as old as your fears; as young as your hope, as old as your despair.” Age is a number that should never define the character of the man. The Bible says that with the increase of age, the body’s development is slowing down and changing. This does not mean that the mind must quit using its faculties to learn more about the word of God and share the gospel of Christ.

Retirement for the masses is an idea that has only been possible in recent history and only in certain parts of the world. The hope of reaching a time when there are few responsibilities is appealing. It can be a wonderful time, but it can also be a dangerous period of waste. A person wants to work for forty years, retire with a gold watch, and spend the remaining years watching the sunrise and sunset leisurely. There is so much more to do. Ideas do not age. Knowledge does not come with wrinkles. Faith is not something that should be retired from. When faith is retired, it dies.

While the body goes through many changes with increasing years, the spirit of hope should increase. There is so much work to be done for the Lord. First, God does not give up on old people. The world may think the older generation is out of touch, but the opposite is true. When a man and woman spend their lives searching the word of God, learning all the nuggets of divine truth to help and guide them; they have an infinite storehouse of knowledge to share.

Retiring from a job is a privilege well deserved and well rewarded. There are no retirees in the kingdom of God because the work never ends. Few people would want to retire and then work again. The joy of working in the kingdom of God as an older person is it brings in so many dividends. There is knowledge to share from a lifetime of experience. Learning from the younger generations increases the capital of knowledge that must be shared.

As a Christian, the heart must be willing to work in the vineyard of the Lord until the eternal retirement in the presence of God. Then, and only then, will the labor be done. Until then, there is so much more to do, to learn, and to share.

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Come Out From The World

Posted on November 13, 2024 by heatonkent

Therefore “Come out from among them and be separate,” says the Lord. “Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. I will be a father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters,” says the Lord Almighty.” (2 Corinthians 6:17-18)

Come Out From The World

God the Father is very strict concerning His relationship with His children. Jesus Christ came to offer salvation to the world through His blood and establish the covenant between the saved and His Father. When the heart obeys the gospel, and a covenant of grace is established between God and man, there are conditions of that grace required by the Father that must be kept. Obeying the gospel and never leaving the trappings of the world cannot be done. To be a friend of the world is to be an enemy of the Lord. The two are never compatible. God has always been clear of what He expects from His people, as He demanded the Israelites not to mingle with the inhabitants of the land. What brought the nation of Israel to destruction is trying to serve God and man.

The Lord prohibited the Jews from marrying the people of the land. They refused the word of the Lord. God warned the people about having friendships with the nations around them. They refused to remain separate from the nations. The destruction of Israel came because the Hebrews could not keep themselves apart from the influences of the world around them. Paul warned the Corinthian church of the influences surrounding them and the impact of that influence upon their lives. Corinth was an ungodly and immoral city. To act in the “Corinthian way” was to behave in the most vile and immoral manner known to a corrupt world. The church in Corinth needed to hear the lessons about influence to help protect the body of Christ.

Paul’s admonition is twofold. First, the Christians needed to come out from among the people of Corinth. There was nothing good that was going to come from friendships in the pagan world. The apostle was not suggesting a monastic life but rather for the Christians to remove the influences of their immoral friends and families. Coming out of the world was an action of devotion to the cause of Christ. They may have to make difficult decisions about who would be included in their lives and how much influence others would have on their families. The cause of Christ must always be the priority. There can be nothing that changes the moral compass of the Christian relationship with the Father. Jesus said He came to bring fathers against sons, mothers against daughters, children against parents, and foes will be from one’s own household. The Lord is showing the cost of coming out of the world.

Secondly, when people remove themselves from ungodly influences, they must remain in that place. Coming out or removing oneself from the influences of the world can be difficult, but it will have no value if separation is not maintained. God wants His children to be separate. This is a severance or division from the influences of the world. Standing for Christ could mean friends and families are removed from the sphere of influence. The cost of losing friends and family can be high, but losing eternal life is much higher. Being separate requires being different from the crowd. When a Christian lives in such a manner that he blends in with the world, he has become the world. God demands separation.

Unclean hearts cannot approach the throne of God. The child of God that wallows in the mire of the world is not clean before the Father. God will only receive those who have come out of the world to be separate and have cleansed themselves from the world’s influences. The sons and daughters of God are separated souls longing to be in the presence of the Father. They know the need to be found clean in the eyes of the Lord. Purity comes by separation from the world. The world is a place of filth because it does not love God. Satan rules over a defiled and perverse world. Christians live in the world, but they do not become like the world. Living separate from the world will unite the Christian in eternal life to the presence of the Father. Come out from among the world and be separate.

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Seeing And Not Believing

Posted on November 12, 2024 by heatonkent

Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon’s porch. Then the Jews surrounded Him and said to Him, “How long do You keep us in doubt? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father’s name, they bear witness of Me.” (John 10:22-25)

Seeing And Not Believing

After more than two years of the ministry of Jesus, the Jews demanded Jesus declare publicly if He was the Christ, the Anointed One. The prophets had promised the coming of the Christ centuries earlier, and there had been many false men who claimed to be the chosen ones of God. Jesus began His ministry a few years earlier, teaching the multitudes the will of the Father. Throughout His ministry, Jesus had performed miracles to show the world He was the Son of God. Every miracle provided infallible proof that Jesus of Nazareth was Christ. They also established that God was with Jesus.

In the short time of the ministry of Jesus, He changed water into wine, fed more than nine thousand people with food left over, calmed a storm in the middle of the sea, walked on water, healed thousands of sick people, restored sight to the blind, cured leprosy, and cast out numerous demons from the possessed. Jesus brought Lazarus from the dead, raised the daughter of Jairus from the dead, and had compassion on a widow from Nain by raising her son from the dead as they took him to his burial. There would be more miracles before His ministry is completed.

The Jews doubted Jesus, not because of what they saw but of what they felt. There was never a time when the critics of Jesus doubted a miracle had been done. They never challenged the miracle and sometimes tried to doubt the person to whom the miracle was done, but there was never an occasion the Jews could find a miracle of Jesus failed. It seems incredulous that after nearly two years of teaching and miracles, the Jews demanded Jesus prove He was the promised Christ. They demanded that Jesus tell them in plain language that He was Christ.

Doubt filled the hearts of the Jews because they did not want to see the miracles of Jesus as proof. Watching Jesus heal a man with a withered hand in their presence did not move the needle toward belief. Because of their hardened hearts of unbelief, they could witness Lazarus walking out of the tomb dressed in a burial garb, and leave trying to find a way to kill Jesus. If Jesus was not the Christ, how could He have raised Lazarus from the dead? All the proof they needed stared them in the face, yet they denied the power of God. It may seem improbable for something like that to happen today, but it does.

Jesus returned to the Father after His resurrection. He gave instructions to the eleven to return to Jerusalem. On the Day of Pentecost, the kingdom of God began with great power and demonstration of the grace of God. From those humble beginnings, the gospel spread throughout the world. Shortly after the establishment of the church, the final canon of truth was found in what would become the Old Testament and the New Testament. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, sixty-six books are contained in a book called “The Bible.” Contained within the pages of the Bible is the proof that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. From Genesis to John’s final revelation, the Bible’s message points toward the kingship of Jesus Christ. Taking anything away from the Bible will bring the wrath of God. Adding more than what God has contained in the Bible will also bring the wrath of God. Everything a man needs to know about Jesus Christ is found in the Bible. Skeptics, like the Jews of Jesus’ day, will say, “How long do You keep us in doubt? If Jesus is the Christ, tell us plainly.” The answer is the same as Jesus when He said, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father’s name, they bear witness of Me.”

John signified in his gospel that the signs Jesus did in the presence of His disciples were done to convince the reader that Jesus is Christ, the Son of God, and that believing a man can have life in the name of Jesus. The gospels do not contain all the miracles of Jesus, yet many are recorded in the gospels that prove Jesus of Nazareth was God. Like the Jews in the days of Jesus, many deny what they read. No other revelations, testimonies, or witnesses will be given about Jesus. The Bible is the message of God to those who will read and understand His will. If you do not believe Jesus is the Christ through the testimony of the Bible, you will die in your sins. There is no other proof or evidence that will be given.

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Abraham – Faith Offers Everything To God

Posted on November 10, 2024 by heatonkent

By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, “IN ISAAC YOUR SEED SHALL BE CALLED,” concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense. (Hebrews 11:17-19)

Abraham – Faith Offers Everything To God

Abraham and Sarah were blessed with a child in their old age. There can be no language to adequately describe the incredible joy of aged parents looking into the face of their promised son who could not have been born without the divine power of God. The miracle of birth was only made possible through the faith of Abraham and Sarah and the will of the Lord. What an incredible experience. Every day, watching Isaac grow into an adolescent and young man would be an amazing experience. There could never be a day that was not a day of wonder. Abraham and Sarah had a son who was beyond exceptional because he was a son of promise made by the grace of God. Life for the aged couple was full of caring for Isaac.

The faith of Abraham had been proven time and again. There was a deep devotion evident in the life of this man of God that no one could doubt, and yet there was another test God would put before Abraham. The Lord came to Abraham and told him to do the most remarkable thing. What God asked of Abraham made no sense compared to the righteousness of a holy God. Abraham was told to kill the boy for whom he had waited 25 years. Despite how confusing that order was and how senseless it seemed on its face, Abraham acted like a man who believed that God was right.

Early in the morning, following the word of the Lord, Abraham took Isaac and two servants for the three-day journey as God prescribed. Arriving at the place, Abraham told the young men to remain with the animals while he and Isaac went to the mountain to worship before returning. Abraham alone knew what he planned on doing. According to the word of the Lord, he was to take the son of his old age, his promised son, and his beloved son and offer him as a burnt offering. This was the fulfillment of the plan of God that through Isaac, his seed would be blessed. Abraham knew the promise of God that in Isaac, his seed would be called and that God never lied. He obeyed.

The spirit of Abraham did not doubt the power and word of God. He did not argue with the Lord about what was commanded or try to dissuade the Lord from requiring such an incredible sacrifice. God tested Abraham to see if he was willing to give all to please the will of the Lord. It made no sense to offer Isaac as a burnt offering. But Abraham obeyed because he trusted in the providence of God to make things possible.

Abraham took Isaac to the place appointed by God, bound him upon the altar, stretched out his, and took the knife to slay his son. The Angel of the Lord stayed the hand of Abraham from killing his only begotten son. Abraham obeyed because he believed that killing Isaac was of no consequence. After all, if God had the power to create Isaac in the dead womb of Sarah, the Lord would have been able to raise Isaac from the womb of death. There was nothing that Abraham would not do for the Lord. His faith was affirmed through his works.

God does not require parents to offer their children as burnt offerings. He does require obedience like that of Abraham, who, when instructed to do the impossible, never hesitated. Too often, people want to argue with God instead of acting in faith. The test of Abraham showed he was willing to give all for God. Are we willing to give all for Christ? Faithfulness requires complete obedience. Faith offers everything to God. If God spoke to me as He did Abraham, what would I do? May our hearts be faithful like Abraham.

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The Thoughts Of God

Posted on November 8, 2024 by heatonkent

How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; when I awake, I am still with You. (Psalm 139:17-18)

The Thoughts Of God

There is a lot on David’s mind. He knew that God was everywhere, that there was no place David could go, and that his Lord was not there. Everything he did and thought was known by God. The omnipresence of the Lord was a comfort to the shepherd king, knowing he was surrounded by the love and grace of his heavenly Father. David longed for the overshadowing of the presence of God in his life to lead him and keep him from evil. The knowledge of God began when David was in his mother’s womb. It seemed incredible to him that God had such vast knowledge. Many men would fear the eternal knowledge of the Lord, but David invited the investigation of his Creator to know everything about his life.

The mind of man is unable to grasp how big the mind of God is entirely. In the vast expanse of the universe with billions and billions of galaxies and innumerable stars, the Lord God looks down on His pale blue dot called Earth and seeks out the heart of a man named David to know who he is and what he is doing. God has been doing this since he first created Adam and Eve. That thought is something David cannot grasp. The sum of God’s power is without words. David never fears the presence of the Lord. There is no dread or fear of knowing God is so powerful. David used this knowledge to defeat the giant in the valley of Elah. Goliath came against David with a sword and spear. David came with a sling, a rock, and the name of the Lord God Almighty.

God is mindful of His children. It should be a comfort to know that the heavenly Father seeks out the good and welfare of His children. This is a blessing that is only found in the family of God. David pondered his relationship with God and was overwhelmed at the thoughts of God to consider him worthy of saving. There is joy in knowing that God’s children are in a covenant relationship to receive His immense blessings. God’s love is given to His children, along with His everlasting mercy. Grace comes from the immeasurable character of God to forgive the sins of wicked men. How can one sum up the thoughts of God in the scheme of redemption?

David reminds the people of God there is nothing to be alarmed at: God sees all, knows all, and understands all. He invites God to search him and know what is in his heart. David wants the Lord to test his character as iron to fire. The thought that God has such a presence in his life is a comforting measure of grace. David sinned with Bathsheba when he forgot how much God knew about his life. His repentance came from a heart realizing how omnipresent God was and that he had sinned in his life and stood condemned. He repented. The knowledge of God leads one to repentance. Nothing is hidden from the eyes of the Lord.

It takes courage to live with the knowledge of God’s presence and to live in this knowledge with joy and hope. Walking in the light is a choice to allow the Lord to test every fiber of a person’s heart for faithfulness. Inviting the microscope of God’s eternal vision to peer into what a man thinks, says, and does is not an easy task. David welcomed it into his life. The thoughts of God to man are impossible to put into words; how great is the sum of them. Joy is found when we awake and find that God is still there because He is faithful and true.

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Understanding The Mysteries Of The World

Posted on November 7, 2024 by heatonkent

By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible. (Hebrews 11:3)

Understanding The Mysteries Of The World

“God had nothing to do with it!” the scientists insisted. Birds are able to navigate when they migrate because they have a compass inside their heads. That’s all. But then somebody asked these scientists who set the compass to adjust for the Earth’s rotation. Well, that,” the scientists said, “remains a mystery.”

The mystery of the world has never been a mystery. God created the world as a testimony of His divine design and wisdom. Everything about creation declares the unity of God’s divine will. The idea that the universe does not have a designer belies the immensity of designs found in its architect. Explaining how birds migrate thousands of miles cannot be answered through human wisdom. Monarch butterflies migrate on precision courses at precise times to exact locations every year. These frail creatures overcome incredible odds to accomplish the impossible.

The universe is a design of perfection, with eight planets circling constantly around the Sun with precision and order. Earth is supported by one moon that remains in orbit, impacting the tides and climate, and has been used since the beginning of time as a beacon for time. The human body is a marvel of science constantly evolving with its secrets and mysteries. It has always been a question of how one explains the world’s intricacies apart from God. There can be no explanation without declaring the glory of God.

What man finds difficult to imagine is that he is not the center of his world. The truth remains that the Earth is not the center of the solar system, and the solar system is not the center of the Milky Way, the universe where the Earth is home. There are billions of universes in the known expanse of space. Earth is not even an atomic particle in the vast measure of the known universe. At best, the planet inhabited by humanity is nothing more than a pale blue dot. Scientists believe God had nothing to do with the creation of the universe, and they have no explanation after thousands of years of human investigation. The only conclusion they can offer is that what they cannot explain remains a mystery.

There is no mystery if one believes that in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. It takes more faith to believe God did not create the world than it does to accept the divine truth. There is no mystery when the perfect design of the universe is placed in the template of God’s word. Birds migrate with precision because there is a compass they follow created by the hand of God. Mysteries are answered by examining the world’s questions through the microscope of God’s word. The Bible is the laboratory where answers can be found.

God has not left us without a testimony of His divine plan. By faith, man knows that the universe was formed at God’s command. It may not be proven in a Petrie dish, but it can be proven by the word of God, which explains how the world was created. The challenge for human wisdom is to recognize that what is seen in this world does not come from anything that can be seen. Explaining the birds’ migration is found in God’s special revelation. Read the Bible to find the answers. God created the universe in a spectacular way.

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