The Heaton File

Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. (Romans 12:17-18)

What The Christian Strives For

There is a lot of evil and hatred in the world. Living as a child of God can be challenging within a society bent on ungodliness. It has always been true that the righteous are the minority. The only time the godly people of Earth were the majority was Adam and Eve in the garden before the fall. Since sin entered the world, ungodliness has reigned supreme. From the days of Enoch, whom God took from earth without seeing death, and the turbulent years of Noah facing a world wholly filled with wickedness, God has always wanted His people to be separate from the world. Righteous men and women rose to honor God with their lives. Great names like Abraham, Sarah, Joseph, Moses, Ruth, David, and a host of godly men and women lived faithful lives.

Jesus died to establish His church. Through His blood, He purchased the church, and by the working of the Holy Spirit, the kingdom of God grew from twelve men to millions. For more than two thousand years, the people of God have ruled the world in righteousness as a minority influence in a world filled with darkness. The character of the Christian is that he is not like those in the world. His life is set above and set apart to the glory of God. Everything about his life is worship to the Lord God. His example, faith, dedication, honesty, and integrity glorify the name of Jesus Christ in all they do. How the Christian presents his life is different from the world. Paul wanted the Roman Christians to show the world how different they were by the way they lived.

The apostle shows that Christians do not repay an evil deed with an evil deed. Worldly philosophy teaches an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. If someone does evil to a man, he deserves the same returned upon him. This is not the character of the Christian. God forbids His children to exercise evil on others. God will take those matters into His hands if there is any consequence to evil. He forbids His children to be involved in repaying evil for evil. The Christian seeks for the good in all things in the sight of all men. Jesus said the peacemakers are called the sons of God because they act like their Father.

Living as a faithful Christian comes from the desire to live at peace with all men as much as possible. Every effort must be made to seek peace. Jesus did not revile those who treated Him so violently. He could have called down twelve legions of angels to render evil upon those who crucified Him, but He refused to cower to the whims of the evil one. The example of Jesus is how men should seek to live at peace with others. There can never be a spirit of returning evil upon others. Everything a Christian does seeks the good of others.

The character of the Christian can be hard to have in the workforce. In a dog-eat-dog world, repaying evil for evil and returning the favor to the aggressor is ungodly in the eyes of the eternal judge. A child of God sets themselves above the carnal fray of the world. In every situation, good is sought for and exploited for the glory of God. The world must see Christians as examples of Jesus Christ when dealing with those who oppose them. Enemies of the Christian have prayers lifted for them, good deeds done for them, and kind words spoken by those who love God. Be like Christ. Live in peace with all.

So when the centurion, who stood opposite Him, saw that He cried out like this and breathed His last, he said, “Truly this Man was the Son of God!” (Mark 15:39)

The Centurion At The Cross

The Roman Army made its presence known throughout the Empire by placing soldiers at every strategic location to maintain order, discipline, and security. Palestine was a back-water duty station as the Romans watched over the rebellious Jews. Roman soldiers filled the streets of Jerusalem. Crucifixion was common at Golgotha, directed by an elite group of soldiers who had perfected the art of human suffering. A centurion oversaw the details of crucifixions. As an officer of the Roman guard, the centurion had one hundred men at his command.

When Jesus and the two prisoners were taken to Golgotha, only four soldiers and the centurion led the procession. The four soldiers could make quick work of the crucifixion as they had done this many times. While the process was being done, the centurion observed to ensure the nails were properly placed and the mode of crucifixion was carried out correctly. If any of the condemned escaped death, the centurion and his soldiers would be accountable for their own deaths. It was not unusual when a man expired on the cross for one of the soldiers to drive his lance through the heart to make certain death took place. He precisely knew the place to thrust his spear to full effect. Jesus was dead.

The suffering on the cross was extreme for Jesus. For six long agonizing hours, the Son of God writhed with intense pain. Incredibly, Jesus was able to voice seven things while on the cross. At the beginning of His suffering, the two men crucified with Him cursed, swore, and screamed at Jesus. The Lord did not revile in return. One of the thieves had a change of heart and begged Jesus for mercy. A gentle and loving Savior granted it. Jesus never screamed at the soldiers or the crowd and acted as most men would dying such a horrible death. The disposition of Jesus on the cross was something the centurion had never seen. There was something different about this man from Nazareth.

For the long hours of Jesus’ suffering, the centurion kept watch on Him. He saw the demeanor of Jesus, His compassion for others, a voice of forgiveness, and a spirit of godliness. When Jesus died, the world fell apart. The veil in the Temple tore in two from top to bottom, the earth quaked, and the rocks were split. Golgotha was rocked to its core, and the centurion witnessed it all. The darkness lasted for three hours, ending when Jesus died. Everything sent shock waves through the mind of the centurion. He had never witnessed such things.

When Jesus died, the centurion reacted the only way he knew how. He acknowledged that the man in the middle of those crucified was not ordinary. Watching Jesus die, he exclaimed, “This man was the Son of God.” Luke says that when Jesus died, the centurion glorified God and said, “Certainly this was a righteous Man!” The centurion most likely took charge of Jesus when the Jews brought Him to Pilate. Jesus was mocked by the garrison of soldiers, spit upon, beaten with a rod, humiliated, and led away for crucifixion. During all these sufferings, Jesus never reviled in return. Jesus’ calm demeanor moved the centurion.

It is difficult to say whether the centurion acknowledged a firm belief in Jesus as being the Son of God from a divine perspective. Nothing is known about the centurion after the death of Jesus. What is known is the powerful example of God’s Son upon a Gentile accustomed to watching men die without dignity and honor. Sadly, the man charged with killing Jesus may have realized for the first time the man he was crucifying was innocent – and he knew that without a doubt. Did the centurion become a Christian? The Holy Spirit is silent, and one can only pray the story of Jesus impacted his heart. But – it may not have. Many people saw Jesus die and never believed Him to be the Son of God.

Jesus left an example of faith and love for the Father in His greatest suffering. He knew he was accomplishing the Father’s will, and Jesus gave glory to God in death. As a result of His powerful example, Jesus caused the heart of a Roman military officer callused from many crucifixions to exclaim the glory of God in the death of the man in the middle. Walking in the footsteps of Jesus just got more intense. My life must be lived in such a way as to glorify God and to leave an impression on others of that divine glory. Let it be that when others see my life, they will say, “There goes a righteous man or a godly woman.” Praise God.

For there is no partiality with God. (Romans 2:11)

God Is Impartial

The character of God’s judgment has never changed. It has been the same since the Garden of Eden and will continue until the end of time. Human wisdom struggles with partiality. It is impossible for someone to make a judgment free of partiality or prejudice. A judgment can be made with the clearest of impartiality, but factors always drive a person to decide one form or another. Past experiences may influence a choice, cultural viewpoints can alter a path, and the level of education in all aspects of life determines how best to make a decision. God has none of these limitations. He looks over a world of eight billion souls and makes impartial judgments in the purest of forms for each individual with a judgment of righteousness.

A judge can sit in the seat of authority during the course of a lifetime and make judgments based on the best information they have been given. Whatever conclusion is made has been prejudiced in some slight way because of many factors that influence the heart. All the judgments can be good decisions, but none are perfect. Because of the limitation of facts, judgments can be biased. When God makes a judgment, His impartiality comes from His complete knowledge of the individual from the moment they were conceived in the womb until the last breath of life is expelled. Nothing is left out or forgotten. And the Lord does this eight billion times every day, every year, every century, and every millennium.

There is a good side and a bad side to knowing God’s character. The good side is for the righteous to know the Lord is familiar with the struggles, trials, and challenges faced in life, and His judgment is full of mercy and grace. Knowing there is no partiality with God affirms the hope of eternal life through the blood of Christ as fair and righteous. The bad side for many people is that God is not impressed with anything a person does or has that is used to justify a life apart from a covenant relationship with Him. God does not respect one person over another. A wonderfully good person does not impress the Lord. Deeply religious people do not influence God. The Lord is not moved by a man’s financial prowess or his life station. A king is judged on the same measure as an ordinary man. Salvation is given only to those who do the will of the Father.

Paul reminds the Jews of his day that while they could claim ancestry to Abraham, that is not what will save them. The Jews felt secure in the knowledge that because they were the sons of Abraham, they had a greater position of influence above everyone else in the world (Gentiles). God’s righteous judgment is the same for Jews and Gentiles alike because the Jew is no more special to eternal life than the Gentile. If a Jew refuses to obey the gospel of Christ, he will be lost. That is the case with a Gentile who refuses to obey the gospel of Christ. There is no partiality with God. He gives no preference to the Jew, the religious zealot, the good person, the religious person, or the most important person in world affairs. God is not impressed with the trappings of human wisdom.

Everyone should be reminded of the impartial judgment of God. Each person will stand before the righteous judgment of God, who will render to each one according to his deeds. Do not try to impress the Lord because He cannot be impressed nor swayed. His judgment is the purest form of impartiality and is free from the hindrances of human wisdom. Your eternal destiny will be determined by whether you decide to do the will of the Father.

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” (Matthew 2:1-2)

Desiring To Worship God

The birth of Jesus is the most important story in the history of the world. No man was ever as great as Jesus before His birth than the Son of God. The birth of Jesus had been foretold since the beginning of time and retold through the ages in messianic psalms. No child held such awe and wonder as the little boy the wise men found in Bethlehem. Very little is known of the wise men who came from the East. The Holy Spirit does not reveal their names, how many there were, and whence they came. Matthew records the wise men came from the East, suggesting they had traveled a long way. The word means the men came from the direction of the sun’s rising.

Jesus was born in Bethlehem and lived there for a few years. After the birth of Jesus, Joseph and Mary secured a house to live in. When the men from the East came, Jesus was around the age of two years. The wise men never saw Jesus in a manger, and the star they followed was never above the manger. That story is a fable and false to its core. When the wise men found Jesus, the family was living in a house, and according to the time used by Herod to kill the male children of Bethlehem, Jesus was near the age of two.

The men from the East had a purpose in coming to Bethlehem. They wanted to worship Jesus. How they knew about Him can only be assumed by divine revelation. The Holy Spirit did not tell them precisely where Jesus was as they came first to Jerusalem seeking Jesus. They were told the child was in Bethlehem, just a few miles from Jerusalem. Following the star, they came to the house where Jesus was and Joseph and Mary. When they came into the house, the wise men fell down before the young toddler and worshipped Him. After leaving gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh and being divinely warned, the wise men departed for their own country in a different way than how they came.

What made these men travel such a long distance to worship a young child? Was it hundreds or thousands of miles they traveled? How long did their journey take? What possessed them to leave their homeland and make the long, difficult, and dangerous journey to an obscure town in Judah to bring gifts to a small child? They wanted to worship Jesus. The hearts of the men were entirely devoted to doing whatever it took to see the young Child and give Him honor and praise. When they returned home, they could tell their family and friends they had seen the Messiah. Any criticism given for taking the journey was dismissed for the joy in their hearts for a small amount of worship.

Worship is a privilege where humanity is allowed to stand in the presence of the Divine to praise, honor, and express thanksgiving for all that God has done. For many, worship is a boring exercise of rote songs, passages, and liturgies. It is hard to have them drive two miles in an air-conditioned vehicle to sit in a temperature-controlled room on padded seats. Worship becomes drudgery. If the preacher goes one minute beyond the allotted divine time as allowed in the book of Third Hezekiah, a rebellion ensues. The wise men came from the East to do one thing – worship Jesus.

When the treasurer of Ethiopia decided to worship God, he traveled thousands of miles to leave his home in Ethiopia to make a journey to Jerusalem, knowing he would have to make the trip again to go home. His devotion to worship was clear. No matter what it took, the Ethiopian eunuch would worship God in Jerusalem. Such devotion is needed for true worshipers today. Church services are out of context with the other six days of the week because the other six days of the week are out of context with the meaning of worship. Are you glad when it is time to assemble with the saints at a house of God? How much trouble does it take for you to go and worship the Lord and honor Him? Would you travel a long distance just to worship a young child? Wise men sought Jesus long distance, and those who seek Jesus today are not concerned by what it takes to worship Him. When it is time to worship, they assemble with God’s people.

The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart and saves such as have a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. He guards all his bones; not one of them is broken. (Psalm 34:17-20)

The God Of Comfort

Grief is common to all mankind. In a lifetime, everyone experiences sadness and will experience the pain of a broken heart. As common as the human spirit, all feel the feeling of loss. Every experience is different. Some endure grievous loss. Others try to understand the void left by the absence of a loved one. Pain and suffering come from many different parts of life. Natural events change lives, personal choices reap consequences of sorrow, and often, pain is inflicted by the carelessness of others or evil intentions of those who seek to bring harm. Whatever the reason, grief is real, painful, without end, and void of understanding.

God did not intend for His creation to suffer. He places them in the Garden of Eden, a Paradise of security, happiness, and fellowship with the Divine. Men often ask why bad things happen, and God has the answer. Pain and suffering came as a consequence of sin. When Adam and Eve lost the garden, they gained evil, pain, and suffering. Shortly after the story of Eden, Adam and Eve found their son dead in the field, killed by his brother. Their son had killed their son. The wickedness of Cain killed Abel, and the plague of suffering and pain has been felt ever since.

Mankind has brought the worst of humanity against itself. In the face of such suffering, God has given a message of hope and comfort. Who can bring peace to the heart of a suffering soul than the One who created that soul? God knows how to bring answers to grieving hearts. The hurt may not diminish sorrow, but the heart can mend itself to allow joy to return.

When the people of God cry out to Him, He hears and helps them find answers to escape their troubles. The answer to grief can only be found in a relationship with God. As a child weeps before his father, a child of God weeps before his heavenly Father, seeking solace and peace. God hears! He is not unaware of the depth of suffering. The Lord has a name for every star in the sky as a testimony that of the eight billion souls dwelling on Earth, God knows the grief of every heart – and He cares! He wants to deliver the troubled soul and will if the heart is willing.

The poet David knew the protecting care of His heavenly Father. David knew the closer he drew near to God, the greater his comfort was found. His relationship with God was the key to understanding life’s sorrows. His heart was broken, and contrite before the Lord, and the Lord brought him peace. The righteous suffer many things. God is aware of every one of the sufferings. When a man trusts in God to deliver him, he will find the joy of deliverance. There will be many sorrows in life, and the heart will discover loss on many levels. The Lord has the answer to sorrow and loss.

God does not promise to remove grief and grieving. There is a healing process for those who exercise grief in the presence of God. Standing at the tomb of Lazarus, Jesus wept – and He was the Son of God. There are lessons to be learned. The promise of God to wipe away all the tears does not happen until eternity. In the meantime, God gives those who seek Him hope, peace, joy, and comfort. He will draw near to them and give them the answers to the cruel hand of pain and suffering. It may not be the answer we want, but it is the right answer to grief. Let God fill your heart with His love, and you will find the courage to face grief. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences. (2 Corinthians 5:10-11)

We Need Some Terror

Webster defines ‘terror’ as “a state of intense fear, a frightening aspect.” The Greek word for terror is PHOBOS, from which the word “phobia” comes. It means to be afraid, exceedingly fearful, and terror. It is not a pleasant word and comes with exceeding alarm and dread. The context of Paul using this phrase is found in two things. First, the apprehension personally felt by Paul to be found wanting before the Lord. Second, understanding the plight of most people in the world who do not fear God. It was Paul’s mission to save those who were lost, and there were many, many souls to save.

Fear is a productive and strong motivator. Paul does not dismiss the love of God and His grace but is fully aware of the consequences of ignoring the judgment seat of Christ. His warning is crystal clear. Anyone who dismisses eternal judgment will find themselves in a most unpleasant place with God. Sadly, the world is so busy seeking after the trappings of life no time is given to consider what happens after death. Unbelievers falsely claim that death ends all things. They suggest life is all there is, and death obliterates the life of the person, denying eternity. Paul is arguing for what happens after death in the eternal realm.

If life on earth was all there was, what kind of guardrails would there be? There would be no boundaries or inhibitions because life is one free exercise of personal choice. If death ends everything and there is nothing after death, a person should live their life as wild, free, immoral, and degrading as they can. What difference would it make? What is an amazing experience for the human factor is the deep-seated need for moral choice. Morality demands reckoning and accountability. Humanity struggles with morality because, whether they understand the mechanics of judgment or not, they believe life has no consequence. Paul calls it the “judgment seat of Christ.”

When law is removed, a lawless state exists. This means that anything a person does is not accountable. If murder were lawful, the world would fall into chaos. When sexuality is delegated to personal choice without accountability, adultery, fornication, homosexuality, bestiality, pedophilia, and free sex are accepted without judgment. The law of man is established to maintain order and civility. God has a law that was established to determine what is right and wrong. Disregarding the law of God will bring eternal consequences – the judgment seat of Christ.

Paul looked at life with the view that whatever a person does in this life (in the body) will be brought before the judgment seat of Christ to receive the blessings of God or the wrath of God. There are consequences to what a person does in life. Everyone will appear before Christ’s judgment seat with no respect for persons. If a person has done good, he will be blessed; if he has done bad, he will be punished. Fear should grip the heart, knowing that life will be judged and there is the reality of eternal condemnation. The terror of the Lord must live in the heart to convince the soul of God’s wrath.

Understanding the wrath of God will help convince a rebellious soul to change. If the terror of the Lord cannot change the heart, there is no hope. There will be a day of judgment. It will be a strict and impartial accounting for every person. The wrath of God will be brought upon the guilty. It will be an awful day of wailing and terror for those who ignore the warnings. Jesus said most will be lost because the world does not fear God. They will one day, and it will be too late. Albert Barnes writes, “Who can fancy the horrors of the hosts of the guilty and the wretched who shall then hear that their doom is to be fixed forever in a world of unspeakable woe?” What the world needs is some terror to fill their hearts.

The Lord will bring the king of Assyria upon you and your people and your father’s house—days that have not come since the day that Ephraim departed from Judah. And it shall come to pass in that day that the Lord will whistle for the fly that is in the farthest part of the rivers of Egypt, and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria. (Isaiah 7:17-18)

When The Lord Whistles

Since the days of the Tower of Babel, the world has become a global land of nations divided by languages and cultures. Powerful nations like Egypt and Rome once ruled over vast tracts of land for centuries. History is filled with nations conquering other nations, global wars, and empires rising and falling. The writings of men record the events, but only the Bible shows the reasons. Some of the world’s great empires include the Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, and Romans. Secular history tells the story of great kings who ruled in these nations and their conquests. From a Biblical perspective, the greater story is told.

Assyria was a great nation from 900 to 600 B.C. It was a ruthless and brutal military force devasting anything in its path. Sargon, Shalmaneser, Tiglath-Pileser, Sennacherib, and Esarhaddon were great kings of Assyria who plagued the people of God. It was the Assyrians that captured the northern ten tribes of Israel and destroyed their identity. In 722 B.C., the Assyrians captured Samaria and took the people of God captive. The coming of Assyria against the people of God was not by accident. God whistled, and Assyria came.

Isaiah prophesied 740-700 B.C. during the Assyrian age and was a contemporary with Amos, Hosea, Micah, and Jonah. He pleaded with the people of God to repent and turn back to God. His warning came as he described the Lord whistling for an army as numerous as the swarms of flies that plagued Egypt during the plagues. A bee is a stinging creature called by the Lord to bring great pain and suffering. The Egyptians, Assyrians, and later the Babylonians will all come against the nation of God and punish them. Isaiah tells them that when they see the armies of Assyria encamped around Samaria, it is God’s doing. He whistled, and they came. The warning extended to Jerusalem when the Nebuchadnezzar came with his army.

History unfolds the fulfillment of the nations that came against Israel and Judah. The prophets reminded the people that God rules over all nations, and when it is the will of the Lord for a people to rise to greatness, it is God’s will, not man’s. God brings nations down. When the Lord whistles, nations crumble. He used nations more evil than Israel to destroy them. A nation that turns away from God will hear the divine whistle of a wrathful God. There is no mistaking its sound. Isaiah declares God rules in the affairs of men. It is the will of the Lord when He decides to whistle.

The sound of God’s whistle can still be heard today. There is an unmistakable lesson from the history of nations that remains true. God remains in charge of all nations, and according to His will, nations rise and fall. The political world can seem chaotic and uncertain, but one thing is crystal clear. God has a plan for all nations, including the United States of America. The deeper the nation plunges into ungodliness, the louder the whistle of God becomes. He knows the hearts of all men, and when He sees a nation turn its heart away from Him, He whistles. If you listen for it, you will hear it.

The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass. (Revelation 21:21)

An Inexpressible View Of Heaven

Words can hardly describe the full impact of what an unimaginable place can be, especially when describing the eternal abode of the saved. What John saw in the Revelation, he wrote down in words, but to know how he felt when he saw the new heaven and new earth is impossible. Imagine what his eyes beheld and the impact of the vision on his soul. He saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. Then, an angel came to show John the bride, the Lamb’s wife.

The great city, the holy Jerusalem, descended out of heaven from God with light like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. John saw a city 1400 miles cubed made of the most incredible jewels. There were twelve gates, three on each side of the city. The wall was of jasper, and the city was pure gold, like clear glass, with a foundation adorned with all kinds of precious stones. What was amazing to the eye was discerning that the twelve gates were twelve pearls and that the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.

How is it possible to imagine a massive gate made of one pearl? John saw the street of the city was made of pure gold, as was the city itself made of gold. What is there in this world to compare to the majesty, glory, beauty, and incredible wonder of such a city? John’s vision was not to describe a literal city with gates of pearl or a street of pure gold but to show something so far beyond the imagination of man; it is an eternal wonder. Even with all the details of the holy city described in the Revelation, the soul is left breathless at the immensity of glory that fills the city contained within its walls.

Heaven is not a physical city made of precious stones and gold. There are no mansions where the saints will abide as if on earth. Jesus went to prepare the abiding place for the saved through the sacrifice of Himself on the cross. Man has been privileged to look upon the eternal blessings of a loving God, who gives humanity a glimpse of something so powerful that it becomes almost unimaginable. Each gate was described as one pearl. How is that possible? The street of the city was pure gold. Is that possible? It’s not the detail but the imagery. John saw the impossible to show what is possible to believe in. Heaven is beyond words.

The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none who does good. The Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there are any who understand, who seek God. (Psalm 14:1-2)

God Is Looking For Hearts Seeking Him

To believe there is no God is to deny the invisible attributes that are clearly revealed in nature and the divine revelation. Calling a man a “fool” is a harsh reality of how disposed the mind has become to deny his Creator. A fool is a person lacking in judgment or prudence. According to Hastings Bible Dictionary, the New Testament Greek word for ‘fool’ describes him as “deficient in understanding,” “unwise,” “senseless,” and “unintelligent.” Denying God makes one a fool and will put him in jeopardy of eternal punishment.

David says the fool is corrupt, and their actions are evil; not one of them does good! Life without God makes one a fool because he lives for his own self-satisfaction. A godless world leads to all kinds of evil. When society turns away from God, the world becomes a corrupt and perverse place of moral chaos and wickedness. The only way a man can live in harmony with his fellow man is to follow the guidelines of the One who created and formed him. A fool tries to establish a law of right and wrong from a failed point of view that is corrupt and immoral. That is why the world has become a dark place to live. The light of God is removed, and how dark is that darkness.

Peering through the darkness are the eyes of God seeking men who understand and seek God. In the days of Noah, the Lord saw eight souls that could be saved. When Israel turned away from God, the remnant was preserved through the grace of God. Even in the church of Sardis, a church Jesus said was dead; God saw a few that would walk with Him in white. God is looking over the human race for those who are not fools but wise to know His will. He wants to bless the souls of those who seek His word and His will in their lives. They are living above the filth of the world, shining as lights in a dark place, seasoning the influence of the world through their obedience to the gospel.

It is comforting to know God is seeking those who are seeking Him. The world can be a hard place to live for those seeking righteousness and godliness. There can be times when the disciple of Christ can feel alone. Throughout the life of Jesus, He knew He was never far from His Father. The blessing of God’s presence helped to fortify Jesus’s work to accomplish all He came to do. Even on the cross, Jesus knew God had not abandoned Him. When He cried out, “It is finished,” Jesus knew His Father was pleased with Him. God raised His Son from the dead, giving hope to all His followers they would never be forsaken or forgotten.

The fool will say in his heart there is no God, but the believer will know in his heart there is a God who seeks Him. God is looking for hearts that spend time praying, reading, sharing, and working in the vineyard. Hearts seeking God please Him. Make every day an opportunity to seek the Lord and draw closer to Him. As you draw your life closer to Him, He will draw His love deeper into your heart. What a joy that will be.

For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward. (Mark 9:41)

It’s The Little Things In Life

So many things can be done to show the glory of God, and most of those things are never noticed or known. The big things in life seldom make as many changes as possible than the insignificant acts of kindness, goodness, and benevolence. The idea that to be helpful requires great fanfare belies the reality of how much more good is done under the radar with no one noticing. A cup of water is not much. It is less than a gallon and not even a quart. A cup of water seems so small, yet the Lord sees it as something greater. There is a heart that willingly brings water to someone in need.

Albert Barnes noted, “The feeblest service will be accepted, and acts of love that may be forgotten by man, will be remembered by Him, and rewarded in heaven.” The world seldom takes note of the small things. They go unnoticed and unrecognized because they are not done for the glory of men. Some live their lives seeking to leave their mark on history. Others quietly concern themselves with those who are thirsty, hungry, naked, destitute, and disheartened. A cup of water takes a servant’s heart with a utensil to carry a small amount of water. For the person receiving the water, it is a fountain overflowing.

Jesus reminds the proud of the work of the humble. Taking a cup of water to someone in need is the servant’s heart, showing the glory of God. There are many things to do in the family of God. Some are preachers, shepherds, song leaders, devotional leaders, and Bible class teachers. These are essential parts of the church’s work, but the church needs the cupbearers the most. Nehemiah was a cupbearer to a king, but he challenged a distraught and disheartened people to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. His small contribution led to great things.

The servant’s heart in the kingdom is found in sending a card with a handwritten note. With social media so prevalent with texting, emails, and electronic communication, the human factor of a cup of water is lost. Receiving a short handwritten note inspires the heart. A voice on the phone can cheer a person’s heart, which needs cheering. The great tragedy of the American landscape is the absence of front porches where people used to spend endless hours visiting and talking. It isn’t easy to visit with many folks without an appointment. The house must be spotlessly clean before anyone can stop in. Stopping by with a cup of water is a lost art.

Jesus wants His disciples to be cupbearers looking for small things to do that bring great rewards. The church needs to return to the roots of its heritage, where brethren shared their cups of water with one another and their neighbors. There is no such thing as retiring in the vineyard of the Lord. Everyone has work to do. For most of us, the most we can do is a cup of water, but how blessed is that cup when needed. Look for opportunities to offer a glimmer of hope to someone. Dust off those water cups and put them to use again. Learn how to share the love of God. You belong to Christ. Give a cup of water.