The Heaton File

For it is written: “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. (Romans 14:11-12)

Giving An Account Of Self

There was an old sage whose wisdom was sought out by the community. He was a wise man giving answers to difficult questions of life. One day, a young and arrogant youth sought to stump the old man by concealing a live bird in his hands and asking, “Sir, is the bird in my hands alive or dead?” His plan of deception was simple. If the wise man said it was dead, he would open his hands and let the bird fly away. If he said it was alive, he would give his hands a quick squeeze and open them to reveal a dead bird. Surprisingly, though, the old man never looked at the younger man’s hands. He looked deep into his eyes and quietly said, “My son, it is whatever you wish it to be.”

Life is about choices. A man can blame others for his troubles, indict society for the ills of life, and refuse to take personal responsibility, but at the end of the day, a man’s life is determined by the choices he makes. Ironically, many blame God for the trials of life. They cast dispersion on God’s character for the suffering in the world, refusing to realize that God never intended for humanity to live in a world of suffering. When Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit and were challenged by God, they blamed everyone but themselves. Eve blamed the serpent, and Adam blamed the woman. They would not accept that the choice was singularly theirs and theirs alone.

Blaming others is not the answer to poor decisions that are made in life. Shifting the blame to someone else is the favorite pastime in a world that refuses to accept personal accountability. Everyone is innocent. The world is to blame. What the world fails to acknowledge is that, before God, a man stands alone, accountable to himself. There will be no advocates to plead his case. Parents will not be able to answer for their children. Husbands and wives cannot appeal to each other. Society will not be on trial at the judgment seat of God. Every life is open and laid bare before the judgment seat of God.

The choice of life and death is in the hands of every individual. There are no exceptions. God views a man’s life from one viewpoint – what has the man done with his life? There will be no excuses, no appeals, and no blaming others. Everyone who stands before God will agree with God’s judgment because they will know their life as a choice they made. God’s grace is a choice that must be made for all who stand before a righteous God. You hold your life in your hands. Whatever you wish it to be, it will be.

Individual choice declares the glory of God. The Lord God created the universe and all of its splendor, but He will not force someone to worship Him or to obey Him. Adam and Eve were free moral agents, able to make choices. Satan did not force Eve to take the forbidden fruit. She did so of her own volition. Eve was deceived by her decision whether to ‘let the bird live or die.’ God could have stopped Eve from taking the fruit, but her decision was her choice. So it is with the judgment of God on the final day. God desires for all men to repent and come to Him.

The final judgment will be according to the righteousness of God and the choice of man. No one will blame God if they lose their soul. Those who inherit eternal life will praise God for His righteousness. Everyone who is cast into the lake of fire and brimstone will agree with the judgment of God because the choice was made by themselves. They denied the grace of God who wanted to save them. The matter of choice is in the hands of the individual. There can be no blaming parents, society, or God. All men will choose whom they will serve. Like the young man who did not understand the moral prerogative of choice, “My son, it is whatever you wish it to be.”

The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe. (Proverbs 18:10)

Running To The Name Of The Lord

Ancient cities typically had strongholds in the midst, with formidable battlements serving as places of safety and security. Armies would attack the city with great force, and the people would flee to the fortress for safety, knowing the king and his army would protect them. There was a feeling of security in the tower or fortress as a place of refuge. The wise man uses this common image from the ancient land as a message of God’s protective power over His people. When danger arises, the faithful will seek refuge in the tower of God.

The name of the strong tower is the name of the Lord. Calling the tower the name of the Lord suggests the eternal attributes of the Almighty, His everlasting love, undying mercy, and the knowledge that no power could defeat the will of the Lord God. The power of God always defeats the onslaughts of the evil one, Satan. Through the knowledge of God’s word, the faithful saints will seek the refuge of the Creator who promises complete protection from the fiery darts of the wicked one.

Danger lurks in every corner as the devil seeks those whom he can devour. The child of God recognizes the dangers of the roaring lion and seeks the shelter of God’s mighty tower to protect them. They run to the tower when they hear the roar. The danger is real. Standing alone will bring certain disaster. The only power to defeat Satan comes from the word of the Lord. His name is the power of salvation to defeat the ways of the devil. It is not found in human wisdom. Those who stand in the field of human knowledge will soon be devoured by the wicked one. For those who run to the tower of the Lord, they will find safety and security.

The name of the Lord is the strongest of towers with power that makes the devil run. While the child of God runs to the tower, the devil runs from the power of God. The righteous know the voice of Satan and run away as quickly as they can. They know the only hope is in the tower of the name of the Lord. Safety is not found outside the tower. God has promised safety inside the tower. This requires submission to the will of the Father and to obey His commands. Calling on the name of the Lord is the submissive spirit yielding to all that God says. Running to the strong tower of the Lord is calling out for the power of God to defeat the dragon. The bastion of grace and power will never fall and will never fail the righteous.

Sin does not have to have dominion over the spirit of God’s people. Satan was defeated when the lost sinner yielded themselves to the grace of God in the waters of baptism, where sins were washed away. Rising in victory, the child of God has a strong tower to run to and be safe. God’s promises are true. He has promised to protect His people if they come to Him. Running to the tower of the Lord is a choice. The name of the Lord is a strong tower, but if the saint does not seek its shelter for safety, there can be no hope. God provides a strong tower to save the saint. Those who run to it are safe.

Many are my persecutors and my enemies, yet I do not turn from Your testimonies. (Psalm 119:157)

No Excuse

The righteous will always suffer at the hands of the unrighteous. Evil and goodness cannot dwell together without conflict because they are opposed in every respect. God’s faithful have always suffered from slights, prejudice, misunderstanding, and falsehood. Persecution is a common trait. People of God stand alone in a dark world seeking the glory of God against those who seek carnal glory. Conflict is inevitable. Trials and troubles are the common lot of those who desire to live godly in a corrupt world. Satan successfully tempts some to abandon their trust in God when faced with persecution. They fall to the wiles of the devil to deny the Lord. Only the strong in faith will stand against the pattern of abuse and persecution leveled against the righteous because they are rooted in the word of God.

There are many reasons given why some abandon their faith. They blame the church, the preacher, unkind brethren, society, and even God. Faced with trials for their faith, some cower down to turn away from God’s love. The trials of life become too severe, and they quit. Their lives become stories of eternal tragedy as they blame the hardship of serving Christ for their lack of faith. An unknown psalmist clarified the reaction of the faithful when faced with persecution when he boldly declared that he had many persecutors and enemies, but he refused to turn away from the word of God. His heart was firmly planted in the will of God. The number of persecutors was many. He had numerous enemies. This would seem to be a daunting task to maintain faith in the face of such odds. His resolve was firm. He would not deny God.

Faith grows from the seeds of God’s word. The more the heart pours into the testimonies of the Lord, the greater the firmness to remain rooted and grounded in truth. Even when enemies abound, faith remains secure. Faced with persecution, faith continues to be resolved with the trust in God’s word. This all comes from dwelling in the testimonies of the Lord. God’s word is the foundation that protects against the devil’s attacks. There is no excuse to allow the trials of life to destroy faith. If a man remains constant in the world of God, he will not abandon God. Even if there are many persecutors and many enemies, no one has an excuse to turn away from God. How many enemies did Jesus have when they killed Him, but He remained faithful?

There will be no excuses on the final day. No one can stand before the Lord and blame people who persecuted them for why they gave up their faith. There will be no excuses for the things enemies did to the Christian, explaining why they turned away from God. Yes, there will be those who oppose the faithful, but the faithful will remain true to the word of God. The testimony of the Lord is the foundation of faith. Stand firm in the word of God. No excuses.

I love the Lord, because He has heard my voice and my supplications. Because He has inclined His ear to me, therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live. (Psalm 116:1-2)

I Love The Lord

There are many reasons to love the Lord. The immeasurable blessings of God abound from a rich and gracious Father who bestows upon His children the eternal grace of love and compassion. No one is deserving of God’s blessings, but He gives them anyway. Sin marred the harmony between God and man, and immediately the Lord spoke of redeeming sinful man through the sacrifice of His only begotten Son. Jesus came to the world with power and glory, showing the love of His Father to a lost and dying world; and they killed Him, murdered the Son of God on a cross. Through the death of Jesus, man finds life and hope, and forgiveness.

One of the foundations of faith is the knowledge that God hears the prayers of the faithful. The Creator of the world hears the tiny voice of a single heart begging for mercy in a vast universe of people. Billions of souls walk upon the face of the earth, and the Lord God knows the name of every person. God has a name for every star, and they are uncountable, and He knows the voice of those who seek His face because He created them in His image. It should not come as a surprise that God hears the prayers of the faithful. Man was created for the glory of the Father. Made in the image of the eternal, man shares a special place with God that death cannot change. When a man devotes his life to the will of the Father, God grants the soul eternal joy and eternal life. God hears the prayers of the faithful as they plead for mercy and grace.

Loving the Lord comes from the eyes that see God’s grace in their lives and how the Lord moves His hand to guide, protect, and nourish the downtrodden soul. Loving the Lord is not based on self-merit but on the knowledge that God hears the voice of His children. All the supplications of the faithful heart do not go unheeded by the Maker of the universe. God knows the distinct nature of the voice of every person on earth. He does not tire nor grow weary. He, in a figure, bends down to take notice of the feeble voice of His child to know their needs and bless them with His love. Loving God is knowing He inclines His ear to those who seek Him.

Realizing how wonderful it is to be known and heard by God, the thankful heart turns to the Divine with complete faith and love, trusting in the answers that are given. Loving the Lord does not demand answers from a human standpoint but accepting the divine will of the One who inclined His ear to the petitions of the child seeking the favor of his Father. There are many reasons to love the Lord. Few compare in total to the joy that God knows, He hears, He acts, and His will brings the greatest blessings of all. There is nothing to measure how great the gift of God’s love is when the heart comes to the divine throne seeking favor. Why do you love the Lord?

Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you excel still more. (1 Thessalonians 4:1)

Excel Still More

On June 17, 1885, the Statue of Liberty arrived in New York City aboard the French ship Isere. Miss Liberty’s sculptor was the noted Frenchman, Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi. Together with his crew, Bartholdi created a masterpiece of excellence. The intricacies of this statute are incredible. One intriguing aspect of this commitment to excellence can be found atop her head. The detail given to this section of the statue makes you think the sculptor planned for the whole world to gaze down at Lady Liberty’s head frequently. The fact is, once she was raised to her full height of more than 151 feet, only the seagulls could appreciate the artist’s propensity for excellence. Bartholdi didn’t think anyone would notice his work up top, but he still wanted every inch to be finished with the best he had to offer. Good thing, because in 1903, Orville and Wilbur Wright created a new avenue for the world to examine Bartholdi’s work. Excellence starts when we’re committed to doing our best, whether anyone else ever notices. Besides, somebody like Orville or Wilbur may come along and make sure the whole world takes notice of your work. (Charles Swindoll)

God always wants the best for His creation. Worship is centered around offering the best. When God established the Passover Feast, He wanted the best to be offered. The lamb was to be without blemish, a male of the first year. The law also stated that it was an abomination to the Lord to offer a bull or a sheep that had any blemish or defect. At the end of the Old Testament, the prophet Malachi declared the people of God had polluted their offerings by presenting before the Lord defiled food, and blind animals that were lame and sick. They would never offer such things to their leaders, but they would offer profane worship to the Lord.

Worship is offering to the Lord the best a man has without the fanfare of the world taking notice. No one will notice the work of the quiet disciple of the Lord serving his Savior and King, but the Lord sees. God knows and sees the hearts of all men. What matters is not what men see standing on the ground, but what the Lord looks upon from above. The view from the eternal is what measures the worth of a man. His character is built upon the excellence that every part of his life is important to the Lord. What God sees is what matters. The view from above shows the true excellence of a heart sculptured by someone seeking to live pure and holy before God.

Building a 151-foot-tall statue required attention to detail throughout the project. Living a godly life requires attention to details that matter to the One who looks down from above. God knows everything in the lives of His children. The world may frown and disapprove, but they cannot see the beauty that encases the image from above. God wants His children to excel in their lives so the world can see His beauty. When a Christian seeks to live above the world, he shows the glory of God to a lost and dark world. Nothing is hidden from the view of God, but the Lord desires His people to reflect His image, no matter where the world views them. Attention to detail can bring a lost soul to Christ. The whole character of the Christian excels in all they do to please God.

“Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord, “When the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him who sows seed; the mountains shall drip with sweet wine, and all the hills shall flow with it.” (Amos 9:13)

The Book Of Amos

Amos was a sheep breeder from Tekoa and a tender of sycamore fruit, who was tasked to prophecy against Israel and Judah. He lived in the days of Uzziah, the king of Judah, and Joash, the king of Israel. Amos declares that he was no prophet, nor the son of a prophet, but he was the man God called to preach against the sins of God’s people. He was accused of sedition by Amaziah, the idolatrous priest of Bethel. It was a time of unprecedented prosperity in the Northern Kingdom. Social corruption, religious apostasy, and luxurious living characterized the world of Israel. Amos denounces the neighboring nations and condemns Israel for serving the mammon of the world and believing no nation could conquer them.

The message of Amos was harsh. They sold the righteous for silver and the poor for a pair of sandals. A man and his father go in with the same woman. Idolatry filled the land where God’s people drank to the wine of the Baals and Ashdod. Violence and robbery were common. God punished the people seeking to bring them back to His way, but they refused. His discipline began with blessings, then famine, drought, and pestilence. The people did not serve the Lord. God sent plagues like those of Egypt upon His people, and they did not return to Him. Some cities were overthrown like Sodom and Gomorrah. They did not repent.

Amos is the Old Testament writer who declared from the mouth of God, “Prepare to meet your God, O Israel.” This was no idle threat. God’s longsuffering was coming to an end, and the full fury of His wrath would be poured out on the Northern Kingdom. The Lord pleads with Israel to repent, to seek Him, and live. If the people do not repent, there will be wailing in the streets, destruction, and calamity. It will be like a man running from a lion who meets a bear or like a man running into his house, leaning his hand on the wall, and bitten by a serpent. There is no hope. The judgment and wrath of God are coming in full fury and might.

The Lord showed Amos a vision of locusts, a plumb line, and a basket of summer fruit to tell Israel that the will of the Lord will be complete against Israel. Judgment comes from the Lord of hosts, who touches the earth and it melts, who builds His layers in the sky, and establishes the strata in the earth. There is no God like the Lord God. Amos shows the power and might of God’s wrath, who will destroy the sinful nation of Israel but save the house of Jacob. By the Lord’s command, He will sift the house of Israel among the nations, and all sinners will die by the sword. None will escape.

Amos paints a dark picture, and the words of the man from Tekoa come true. At the end of his message, Amos offers the glimpse of hope that can only be found in the Lord God. The wrath of God is against all unrighteousness, but God is not willing that any should perish. He desires for all men to come to repentance, and He opens a way for salvation. Amos concludes his message with a promise of hope and redemption. On that day, God will restore the tabernacle of David. The prosperity of God’s grace will once again be given to His people. God’s wrath does not remain against those who seek Him. Israel will be destroyed, and Judah will be taken captive. Seventy years will pass before the remnant of God’s people return, but the nation will never be the same. What is left as the remnant of God’s people will always be in bondage to another nation. Seventy years after the coming of Christ, the Jewish nation will come to an end.

Amos has a message for the people of his day, and it resonates with the people of God today. It remains the same message. God hates sin and will punish wickedness, even among His people. The wrath of God is terrible, consuming, and complete. No one will escape the judgment of the Lord. In the midst of the severity of God is His goodness. The nation of Israel will disappear, but the kingdom of Christ will rule over the world. Grace is found in the blood of Jesus, who brings hope to the lost and eternal life to the damned. Prosperity will be found in the kingdom of Christ. Hope is given anew with the promise of Heaven. Joy comes to the heart when faith guides the soul to live in hope. That is the message of Amos. God hates sin, but He offers hope. Christ died to take away sin and bring the promise of eternal life to those who repent.

Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalm 139:23-24)

Search Me

The omniscience of God is difficult to grasp because the limitations of man make it hard to understand how a Being can have all knowledge of all things at all times. God existed before the world, so His power is unlimited. He created the world and framed everything according to time, and limited man’s habitation to know only what God allows. No one can read another’s mind. The wisdom of man attempts to probe the mysteries of the mind, but at best fails miserably. One of the challenges of the mind is the erroneous idea that what a man thinks, says, and does can go unnoticed. What a man thinks is contained within the walls of his mind that no man can probe. A man can say and do things in secret from the prying eyes of others, but he is not alone. In fact, he is never alone. There is never a time when the soul of man is hidden from the visage of the Almighty God.

Jesus told Nicodemus that men love darkness. The reason they love darkness is that they think they can get away with anything in the absence of light. What is done in secret is hidden from the eyes of men. The eyes of the Lord peer through the darkness because He created light and darkness. What is hidden in the eyes of man is clearly revealed before the eyes of God. Compounding the reality of God’s omniscience is the omnipotence of God to retain everything a man says, thinks, or does in a span of life – even if you live to be 969 years. God knows all. He sees all, and He remembers all. If God can hold the universe in His hand, He can know everything about a man’s character.

The psalmist David positively declared God’s omniscience. He challenges the soul with four words: “Search me, O God.” David knew God saw all things. When David and Bathsheba committed adultery, God knew it. The Lord sent Nathan the prophet to remind David that what he did was not done in secret. Scripture establishes that God knows all things, but David takes the thought to a higher level. The psalmist invites God to search him in every part of his life. David does not suggest that God does not do that already, but that David’s spirit was willing to open his life before God to seek His blessings. When a man invites God to search his heart, he invites complete disclosure. David wants God to know his heart. He is asking God to try him, as metal is tried in fire to make it stronger. David invites the Lord to conduct a divine inspection of the heart.

It takes a courageous and bold heart to invite the Lord to do what He can do anyway. The lesson is not so much denying that God can do so, but the individual’s faith to willingly open his life to the microscope of the Lord, who peers deep into the fullest measure of the soul. David’s prayer is more a resolution to keep wickedness from his heart, knowing that God stands at the door. Knowing that God sees all things is designed to help the soul refrain from evil. David also wanted the Lord to lead him in the way everlasting. He knew that God could not do that unless David were righteous before the Lord. David wanted the Lord to be the examiner of his heart, giving him hope of eternal life.

All men sin and fall short of God’s glory. Anytime God looks on the heart of a man, He will see the failures of sin. The child of God seeks God’s grace to look into the heart with mercy, looking for the everlasting path to glory. David’s prayer is a challenge that will change the hearts of those who seek the examination of God in their lives. Faith grows stronger when we ask God to examine our hearts. Can you say like David, “Search me, O God”?

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. (1 Peter 5:6-7)

God Cares For Me

The world can be a cold place of insensitive slights, abandonment, persecution, neglect, prejudice, and hatred. It can feel as if no one cares. The world rushes on with a single mind of seeking the welfare of self above all else. It’s a “dog-eat-dog” world of cruelty guided by the selfish pursuits of personal gain, no matter the cost. Friendships are destroyed. Relationships are broken. People feel abandoned by the world, leaving them in a state of despair. The worries of life overwhelm the soul to the point of depression, gloom, and hopelessness. Hearts cry out for compassion and understanding. No one calls out to answer.

God is the Creator of the universe. He formed the world by His word. On the sixth day, He formed man from the dust of the ground and then, taking a rib from the man, created woman. God placed the man and woman into a garden of paradise where all their needs were met. He provided a place of security, comfort, and His presence for them to share. There was no hopelessness because man was dwelling in the presence of God. What changed was sin. Satan deceived the woman to eat of the forbidden fruit, and she gave some to Adam. As a consequence of sin, Adam and Eve were driven from the paradise home into a world of cruelty and despair. The sufferings of life came because of sin. God’s answer for sin would come many generations later in the form of Jesus of Nazareth, His only begotten Son.

Jesus came to save mankind from the wrath of God. Through the death of Jesus, the world was offered grace to come to the throne of God for the remission of sins. In the waters of baptism, God cleansed the soul of sin and made man anew as a new creation. Hope springs eternal in the soul washed in the blood of Jesus. What Jesus Christ accomplished was to testify to how much God loves His creation. He willingly gave His Son to die for the sins of the world, who had no sin. It was God’s will that Jesus died to show how much He cared for sinful men. The sacrifice of Jesus was the eternal gift of a loving and caring Father, offering salvation to a world He created for His glory.

Throughout the story of God’s plan to save mankind, the Creator has repeatedly shown His mercy and grace. When men humble themselves to submit to the will of God, they find the peace that passes all understanding and the compassion of a loving Father. The reason there is misery in the world is because of sin and rebellion. When the world refuses to submit to the will of God, it can and will only find misery, death, pain, and suffering. It is only when a man humbles himself under the mighty hand of God that he will find peace and happiness. The heavenly Father wants to exalt His children. He wants His children to cast all their cares upon Him because He cares for them. God cares for His children.

The tragedy of life is found in the hearts of those who do not know God and refuse to accept His will in their lives. God’s greatest treasures are found by those who seek His will, follow His word, and bask in the glory of His grace. True happiness in life can only be found in one place – in Christ Jesus. The resounding joy of living is to know that while the world may ignore and despise the downtrodden, God cares and longs to bless the troubled souls. No one is unimportant in the eyes of God. No matter the burden that is taken upon the heart, God cares, and He loves. He desires for men to cast their burdens upon Him, because He really, really cares. It matters to the Lord God the trials and afflictions endured by His children.

Faith can be hard to accept because it is the invisible attributes of God that are clearly seen through the eye of faith. God has revealed Himself in nature and explained Himself in scripture. Humbling the heart under the mighty hand of God is where peace begins. Life can be lifted in due time through the mercies of God. The Lord is not asleep, nor does He become weary. There is never a time when God will not listen. His will is ready to be performed in the lives of those who will give themselves to Him. Understand and know: God cares for you.

Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the multitude. So they all ate and were filled, and twelve baskets of the leftover fragments were taken up by them. (Luke 9:16-17)

Leftovers From Nothing

The miracles of Jesus were done to show that He was the divine Son of God and that believing in the miracles would lead men to eternal life. No one could do the miracles Jesus could do. He healed all diseases, commanded the elements to His desire, changed the course of nature, cast out demons, and raised the dead. His critics never denied that Jesus performed miracles but attacked his teaching. Multitudes followed Jesus in the thousands. On one occasion, more than five thousand people followed Jesus to hear His teaching. The five thousand was just the men, not including the women and children. As the day was wearing on, the twelve came to Jesus, telling Him He needed to send the crowd away so they could find food. It was obvious that Jesus and the twelve were ill-equipped to care for such a large crowd.

Jesus shocked His apostles when He told them to feed the multitude. Looking at the plus five thousand people, the apostles were astonished and dismayed. They could only find five loaves of bread and two small fish. Telling the apostles to make the people sit down in groups of fifty, the Lord took the five loaves and two fish, blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to give to the five thousand plus people. As the disciples passed out the bread and fish, they multiplied until everyone was filled, leaving twelve baskets full of the leftover fragments. Jesus began with five loaves and two small fish, and left the crowd with twelve baskets full.

The miracle of feeding the five thousand showed the world the incredible power of God. It should not surprise anyone that Jesus could multiply the bread and fish. It was by Jesus that all things were created, both in heaven and on earth. All things were created through Him and for Him. Replicating bread and fish is Jesus showing His power as Creator. The lesson of the feeding is also a reminder of what God can and will do in the lives of His people.

Jesus started with almost nothing, and when the people were filled, there was an abundance left over. That is the promise God makes for how He cares for His people. Man is an empty shell. Sin has decimated the nature of man to face the wrath of God. There is no redeeming quality in the character of man. Nothing man can do can find a way to save himself from the fury of God. Only when God sent His only begotten Son did man find hope. Through the blood of Jesus, grace was given to sinful man. By the mercy of God, humanity found relief. Obedience to the will of the Father will bring one into an eternal relationship with the Father. Man began with nothing and was given abundance.

The leftovers from the feeding of the five thousand is God telling the human heart what is in store for him if he will trust in the Son of God. Jesus is able to make grace abound in the heart that is washed, cleaned, forgiven, renewed, and abounding in the love of God. Man sees the impossible. God shows the possible. Man is empty. God fills him. Man is hopeless. God brings hope. Man stands condemned. God brings salvation. It is often said that the best part of a great feast is the leftovers. The grace of God is an abundant feast that is greater than anything man can understand. Having twelve baskets after feeding thousands of people is the message of God that in His Son, blessings abound – and they get better every day. Only Jesus could have fed five thousand with five loaves and two fish. Jesus is the only way, truth, and life. He is the abundance of God’s love.

You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:13-16)

Influence Is Salt And Light

According to Rick Warren, there are two basic reasons people don’t know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior: (1) they have never met a Christian; and (2) they have met a Christian. Christian influence is no small matter. The influence of someone who lives at the heart of the gospel’s central theme will impact the world around them. Living by the words of Jesus Christ will change the heart to be an example of righteousness and truth. The difference in the lives of too many people is that they say they know Jesus, but never live as they do. When the world sees the hypocrisy of their belief, they are left unimpressed.

Jesus taught that the influence of a disciple is like salt and light. Salt is a powerful element, but it only serves its purpose when it is applied to another source. The Christian can never change the world he lives in if he never attaches himself to those who need the good news of Jesus Christ. Salt-shaker Christianity looks good but is of no value. A light hidden under a bushel serves no purpose. The light shines with all its power, but when hidden from others’ view, it becomes useless. Removing the bushel, allowing the light to stream to every corner in the room, is what light was created for.

Many people will never know Jesus Christ because they see how those who profess His name live in the lusts of the world. Saying one knows Jesus Christ does not influence another. Living every day with Christ as the guide will show the glory of God in the lives of His people. The influence of a godly man and woman can change the lives of those around them. Seeking to influence others with the gospel of Jesus Christ is bringing every part of life under the subjection of Jesus’ will.

Everyone has an influence. No one can actually lose their influence. They may have a bad influence, but they have influence, nonetheless. God wants His children to be examples to the world. He wants His children to show the world what godliness and purity are. The best example one can give is the best example. Learning about the will of the Father through study of the word, spending time in prayer seeking the favor of God, and sharing the good news will help to influence others to Christ. Everyone leaves an impression. The question will always be what kind of impression will be left.

If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict? Would there be plenty of people who would testify that you were a Christian, or would the witness box be few? Choose to follow Jesus so that others can see the way. Your influence can make a difference in someone’s life.