The Heaton File

Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this scripture, preached Jesus to him. (Acts 8:35)

Preaching Jesus

The work of an evangelist is simple in form, basic in nature, and powerful in transmission. When Philip joined the man from Ethiopia in his chariot, he asked his student if he understood what he was reading. The man had been examining the book of Isaiah when Philip joined him. Seeking the help of any who would help him know further the mysteries of God, the Ethiopian implored Philip to join him and explain the meaning of the text.

There is an important bridge that Philip used to teach the lost sinner what he needed to do to be saved. He recognized the Ethiopian’s desire to know the truth from the word of God (the book of Isaiah). Philip saw an open heart (belief) to accept what was taught in scripture. The hope of Philip was to convict the heart (repentance) in obedience to the gospel of Christ unto salvation (baptism).

When Philip began to teach the Ethiopian, he did not discuss the modern views of religious opinions of the Jewish leadership or interpretations of the Law of Moses. He did not seek to soften the responsibilities of what the Ethiopian must do to be saved. The Ethiopian was a curious student of scripture who knew the importance of following the word of God with respect for the authority of scripture. Philip did not offer some plan of human wisdom to make it more palatable for a man from another country to accept. What Philip did was to preach Jesus. That is what the man needed. The story of Jesus is what must be told. There was no other avenue to take the man when teaching him the word of salvation.

There is little known about what Philip shared with the Ethiopian. Only three things are certain. First, Philip began where the man was in the book of Isaiah. He started with the word of God. Philip did not bring the books of men into the discussion. Beginning with the message of Isaiah, the evangelist opened the teachings of God to instruct the student. Second, he preached Jesus. Isaiah’s prophecy of the coming Messiah was fitting to begin telling the story of Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested by God by miracles, wonders, and signs. Philip would tell the eunuch that the man Jesus was raised by God to be both Lord and Christ (Messiah). There is nothing more to preach than Jesus.

The third certainty known of the teaching of Philip was baptism. As Philip was preaching Jesus, the student asked about baptism. The response by the Ethiopian is profound when he tells Philip, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?” It is clearly demonstrated that beginning with the word of God and preaching Jesus, the heart of the honest man will see the need to wash away sins in the waters of baptism. The eunuch is the one who pointed out the necessity. After confessing his allegiance to Jesus Christ, both the eunuch and Philip went down into the water, and the eunuch was baptized.

Philip preached Jesus. It is hard to find many churches today where Jesus is preached. Unlike the disciples of the first century, most pulpits talk about social issues, political controversies, and messages soothing to the ears of the listeners. If Jesus were truly preached in most pulpits, the preachers would not be popular. Modern preachers will not preach about sin. How can you preach about Jesus and not preach about sin? The pulpits of today spout human philosophy instead of preaching the Bible. Most people can attend a church service and never open their Bibles for all the good stories and feel-good sermons they hear.

When men stop preaching Jesus, they build a house built on sand. Religion becomes a social club with elite members ignorant of the basics of God’s word. If Philip were alive today, he would be shocked at the depravity of those who claim to follow Jesus and are not even close to being on the same page. If a man will not preach Jesus, he is not preaching truth. Jesus must be the central figure in preaching the gospel because the gospel is empty without Him. The heart of the message of salvation is Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Take Jesus out of preaching, and you will have a crossless message. Without preaching Jesus, the blood of Christ becomes water. Convincing the audience they can be saved without obedience to the word of God is a loveless dedication.

Preach Jesus.

I cry out to the Lord with my voice; with my voice to the Lord I make my supplication. I pour out my complaint before Him; I declare before Him my trouble. When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then You knew my path. In the way in which I walk they have secretly set a snare for me. Look on my right hand and see, for there is no one who acknowledges me; refuge has failed me; no one cares for my soul. I cried out to You, O Lord: I said, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living. Attend to my cry, for I am brought very low; deliver me from my persecutors, for they are stronger than I. Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise Your name; the righteous shall surround me, for You shall deal bountifully with me.” (A Contemplation of David. A prayer when he was in the cave. Psalm 142)

No One Cares For Me

The life of David was an ideal time for a shepherd boy in a big family with godly parents. As a boy, he was entrusted with keeping and protecting the sheep. He learned early the rigors of shepherd life with a trust in God to defend himself and his flock. This faith would serve him well as he stood in the valley of Elah against the giant Goliath. His life would change when he was taken to serve the king of Israel. Saul enjoyed the musical talents of young David. The son of Jesse would excel in combat, receiving the praise of the people. It was this praise that caused King Saul to become jealous of David to the point the king tried to kill David on numerous occasions.

Saul’s hatred of David grew into intense jealousy. Because of Saul’s rashness in disobeying the word of the Lord, he was rejected as king. Saul would spend much of his life chasing David like a flea in the wilderness. David loved his king and would never harm him, even when the opportunity arose. The constant running from the army of Saul exhausted David. On two occasions, David hid from Saul in the caves of Adullam and Engedi. It is not known if the psalm David wrote about his hiding in the cave is from these two stories, but David was familiar with hiding in caves to escape the soldiers of Saul.

The prayer in the cave is a cry of distress. David is seeking refuge, but there is no way to escape his enemies. He is overwhelmed by those who seek to harm him. His friends have forsaken him. He is alone with no one to help. He cries out to the Lord with tears of anguish. His spirit is overwhelmed by enemies who have set traps for him. David finds himself at a low point in life when he cries out to the Lord that there is no one to help him and no one cares what happens to him.

Abandoned by everyone, David seeks the refuge of the Lord. God is his sanctuary, his dwelling place. David is low, but through the Holy Spirit, he is exalted to the presence of the One who will never forsake or leave him. There is hope in God and God alone. He knows that the Shepherd of his life will bring him out of the prison of despair so that he may praise the name of the Lord. Mixed with the fear of betrayal and enemies seeking his life, David knows the power of God’s saving grace to lift him up. The joy of the presence of God gives David hope as he dwells in the cave of fear. There is nothing to fear when God is surrounding him.

Life is filled with many caves where the heart is overwhelmed with despair, sadness, heartbreak, loss, and fear. David learned in the cave that God is there. No cave is so dark God cannot light the heart of the oppressed. The world may be careless and cruel, but God is always faithful. David said no one cared for his soul. God cared for and blessed His servant. Never give up hope that God knows your grief and pain and understands your sadness. When you live in the caves of despair, trust in God, who will never fail you. He will never forsake you. Praise His name. Surround yourself with the righteous. God will deal with you in His bountiful care.

My son, let them not depart from your eyes—keep sound wisdom and discretion; so they will be life to your soul and grace to your neck. Then you will walk safely in your way, and your foot will not stumble. When you lie down, you will not be afraid; yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet. (Proverbs 3:21-24)

How To Sleep In Peace

The creation of the body is an amazing testimony to the wisdom of the Creator. Thousands of things going on in the body go unnoticed unless there is an event attacking the body. Eyes blink without notice, the heart beats its rhythmic patterns about 100,000 times a day, breathing fills the lungs with air followed by exhaling, and the brain processes millions of pieces of data each day. The body is an exhaustive creation that is limited in function if it does not get rest and sleep. Sleep is an essential part of life; without it, the body will destroy itself.

God created the body to require sleep. Everyone requires sleep, whether they are kings or common people. All the wealth in the world will not keep a man from needing sleep. While all men will have to sleep, what becomes a greater challenge is to sleep in peace. There is nothing more powerful than a peaceful night’s sleep; many experience sleepless nights with restless nights over worries, concerns, and fear.

Solomon offers advice for those who have trouble sleeping. One of the causes of sleeplessness is the guilt of sin and worry about the consequences of bad decisions. Throughout the Proverbs, Solomon urges his son not to forget the law of God and the value of divine wisdom. The heart must keep the commandments of the Lord to find happiness. Trusting in the promises of God will give value to life. Fearing the Lord and departing from evil gives strength to the body. A generous heart will reap many blessings from God.

The happy man is the one who finds wisdom and understanding in the word of God. Like a tree of life to those who take hold of her, the word of God will bring hope to the weary heart. Believing that God created man for His glory will help the spirit of a man direct his paths in the light of righteousness. Common sense and discernment will refresh the soul. The value of knowing the will of the Father is how the words of God will keep the heart safe on the journeys of life. Following the righteous commandments of the Lord will keep the feet of trouble far away. And when it is time to sleep, the head can fall upon a pillow soft with the knowledge there is no guilt to trouble the mind because of sin.

The greatest remedy many need to get a peaceful night’s sleep is to remove sin from their lives. Going to bed without fear comes from a deep relationship with the Lord. There are many reasons why some people are troubled with sleep. Do not let the guilt of an ungodly life be the reason. Sleep is essential for good health: the health of the body and the health of the soul. Solomon gives good advice that is sound even after nearly three thousand years. Listen to God. Sleep in peace.

Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. (Romans 6:3-4)

The Moment Of Redemption

When a child is born, the medical staff will log the exact time of birth, including the day and time. This will show when the child is born and often can make a difference between one year and the next or one month to the next. A child born on February 29 will be a leap-year child, but the time must be recorded to determine if the child is born on the 28^th or the 29^th. Whether a time is recorded or not, there is a moment in time when everyone leaves the womb to enter the world. That is the time of birth.

In the spiritual world, a time of birth translates a person from being a slave of sin to being a slave of righteousness. When the heart becomes accountable to God, and sin begins to dominate the spirit, the person is a sinner lost with no hope. There is a time when the heart becomes accountable to God for righteousness. They will be judged when the influence of sin enters the heart, corrupting it and seeking to bring it to the subjection of the devil’s wiles. Over time, a person will come to know the love of God offered through Jesus Christ and the redemption of His grace. The heart will respond to the gospel call of the word of God to be obedient to the will of the Father.

There are many things needed to change the heart of a sinner. Knowing God’s love is where the heart learns of sin’s consequences. Hearing the word of God impresses on the soul God is real and willing to forgive. Recognizing the love of the Father, a man begins to process the gift of God in accepting the incredible gift of grace and mercy. When the heart is moved by the message of Jesus Christ, the need to know what to do becomes paramount.

On the day of Pentecost in Jerusalem, a large crowd heard the preaching of twelve men, showing how Jesus of Nazareth was the promised Messiah. Through the evil hands of the Jewish leaders, Jesus had been killed. The message of hope was shown that Jesus was buried but then risen by the power of God to be King of Kings. Jesus was Lord and Christ. Hearing this, the crowd cried, “What must we do to be saved?” Peter responded that they needed to repent. Three thousand souls repented that day in obedience to the word of God.

Peter not only told the crowd to repent, but he also told them what Jesus had instructed them to preach to the whole world. Jesus instructed His apostles to teach that all those who believed and were baptized would be saved. Peter told the crowd to repent and be baptized, just like Jesus commanded. Three thousand people were born again that day when they were baptized in water for the remission of their sins. All through the book of Acts, people like the citizens of Samaria, a man from Ethiopia, Saul of Tarsus, Cornelius, Lydia, a jailor from Philippi, and multitudes of souls obeyed the word of God. In every case of conversion, there was a moment when the people left the slavery of sin and became the servants of the Most High God.

What is constant in all the conversion stories is when the moment of birth takes place. Believing the word of God is vital, but that was not the moment of birth. Accepting God’s grace and mercy shows the heart’s willingness to move on to God’s love, but that was not the moment of birth. Repentance is mandatory; as Jesus said, without it, one would perish. Many things precede the moment when a person is born again, but the moment of birth into the kingdom of God takes place in the waters of baptism. Not before. Jesus did not become Lord and Christ until God raised Him from the dead. In like manner, a person is not a blood-bought child of God until the moment of birth – water baptism.

To deny the importance and necessity of water baptism is to suggest a child can be born without birth. Spiritual birth takes place when the command to be baptized is completed. Like the physical birth, a day and time can be determined when a person becomes a child of God. As they rise from the waters of baptism, that singular moment transforms them from being lost to the joy of salvation. That is the moment God’s grace is fulfilled in the person’s life. Until sins are washed away, there is no birth. Sins can only be washed away in water. Paul instructed the brethren in Rome that salvation came in the spiritual resurrection. No burial means no resurrection. The new birth takes place when a person obeys all that God commands.

This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck, of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme. (1 Timothy 1:18-20)

When Faith Is Shipwrecked

Faith is the central characteristic of the heart to believe that God is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Without faith, there is no hope. A dead faith is a life that has no works to show its faith. Believing Jesus is the Son of God requires faith to accept the life of a man that lived and died two thousand years ago, and that was reported to have risen from the grave by many witnesses. There is no physical proof of Jesus’s life apart from the scriptures’ testimony. The empty tomb of Jesus has long been lost to the centuries of time. When a man accepts the truth of Jesus to follow the will of the Father, he does so by faith.

There is no doubt that faith is necessary for salvation. What is also defined in scripture is the possibility of those who once named the name of Christ and obeyed the gospel of Christ to turn away from God’s grace for the attraction of the world. Obedience to the gospel is a necessary part of the Christian’s life. Washing sins away in baptism will not guarantee salvation alone. Only those who do the will of the Father will be saved. If a man refuses to obey the will of God, he has cast aside his faith to embrace the will of the carnal mind.

Ships sail on the waters, moving from one place to another. They are sturdy and seaworthy to make long voyages and carry great loads. There is something majestic about a ship sailing on the wide open spaces of the ocean. The greatest tragedy to befall a ship is to experience a shipwreck. This is where the ship is lost and irretrievably damaged. Over the centuries, many ships have been lost to neglect, accidents, wars, and human error. The remnants of a shipwreck can be discovered, but the ship can never be returned to service.

Paul uses the image of a shipwreck to describe the condition of the hearts of two Christians. Hymenaeus and Alexander suffered shipwreck of their faith, as Paul says he delivered them to Satan so that they may learn not to blaspheme. What happened to Hymenaeus and Alexander was not damaged by running into a rock or suffering the loss of the mizzen, main mast, or foremast. Shipwreck shows the totality of the condition. The faith of these two Christians was destroyed. It is unknown how or why this happened, but the sad reality is that it did happen and can happen.

Ships endure many things in the harsh waters of the world, and a good sailing crew will continually make repairs to keep the ship afloat and useful. When a ship suffers a shipwreck, there is nothing more to repair. It is beyond hope. Faith will endure many hardships in life. The spirit of the devoted Christian will continually repair the damage brought on by the evil one. Sadly, some of God’s children allow the trappings of the world and the lies of Satan to shipwreck their faith, leaving them with no hope.

Rejecting sound doctrine will shipwreck a soul. Giving up the warfare against the lust of the flesh will sink a Christian life. Allowing a good conscience to be filled with the desires of the world brings the soul to the depths of sin. A life shipwrecked is a life ruined. Sin will continue to beat upon the soul of the Christian. Unless the ship is found on the rock of Jesus Christ, it will be destroyed. There is nothing left to hope for.

Faith must be secured in God’s promises to survive life’s storms regardless of how bad conditions become. God will not allow the heart of His child to be destroyed if that child will continue to trust in Him. Storms will come, and some will have great winds of fear. Trusting in the Lord will keep the ship secure. Do not let Satan bring your life to shipwreck. There is nothing worse than a child of God suffering shipwreck. Stay the course. Trust in God. He will guide you to the fair haven of rest.

There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment, a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always. (Acts 10:1-2)

A Devout Man Who Was Lost

To be devout is to be devoted to a pursuit or movement. A devout football fan is “religious” about their fanaticism towards a team. In the business world, an employee can be a devoted team member, spending many hours on the job. Primarily, a devout person is identified by their deep faith in a religious movement, identifying them as a spiritual and religious person seeking an eternal reward.

The gospel writer Luke tells the story of a devout man in the days of the early church that was a model example of a spiritually religious soul. What made the man unusual was that he was a member of the Roman Army, serving in a regiment composed of soldiers from Italy. As a centurion, Cornelius commanded a division in the Roman army consisting of one hundred men. He was a man of great authority and responsibility. Stationed in the region of Palestine was not the most glamorous posting.

Luke describes Cornelius as an amazing person. He calls the centurion a devout man. A profoundly religious belief characterized his life. Cornelius feared God as the only true God in a world that more commonly accepted the worship of multiple gods. This trait alone would have separated Cornelius from many of his fellow officers, commanders, and soldiers under his command. The fear of God also characterized the family of Cornelius. As the leader of his home, he was leading his family to believe in the one true God. He was very generous, giving alms to the people and caring for the poor. The benevolence of the family of Cornelius blessed the community of Caesarea.

As a God-fearing man, Cornelius was a man of prayer. He prayed regularly to God. His home was an altar of prayer to the Lord God. The life of the Roman centurion was guided by a humble spirit of piety toward God in his words, deeds, and heart. Everyone who knew Cornelius recognized a man as religiously devout as any other man. The impression left by the example of Cornelius was profound. To anyone looking at the home of the Roman centurion, all would accept the fact that Cornelius was on the right track and bound for salvation.

The Holy Spirit had a different view of Cornelius. Everything Luke said about the man was true to his nature, but one essential key was missing in the life of Cornelius and his household. They were not saved by the blood of Christ and were not children of God. For all the good works the family did and all the prayers lifted by Cornelius and his family, they were not saved. An outward expression of being devout does not mean a person is saved. Salvation does not come from the religious acts of a devout man. To be redeemed is to be bought by the blood of Jesus Christ; Cornelius and his household had never experienced that saving grace.

An angel comes to Cornelius and instructs him to send to Joppa for a man named Peter. When the apostle Peter recounts the story later, he tells the Jerusalem church how an angel had appeared to Cornelius in his home and had told him to send messengers to Joppa and summon Peter and that Peter would tell them what to do to be saved. According to Peter, Cornelius and his household were lost. He went to Cornelius’s home to share the gospel so they could know what to do to be saved. As religious as the household of Cornelius was, they were still lost in their sins. Only after Peter came and taught them the gospel of Jesus Christ and baptized them in water for the remission of their sins did Cornelius and his household find salvation.

Being religious will not save. Having a good heart will not save. Going to church and being pious will not save. Salvation is not determined by the devout heart doing the right things. Jesus taught that calling Him “Lord” will not save a man if he refuses to do the will of the Father. Obedience is demanded for salvation; without an obedient heart, there is no salvation. Cornelius stands as a monument to those who think they are saved because they are religious but are lost because they have not done the will of the Father. Love the Lord and keep His commandments.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)

Why Is John 3:16 Famous?

The Bible comprises sixty-six books written by forty different authors who lived within a space of 1600 years in different parts of the world. When Moses penned the first five books, he began the revelation of God’s word in written form to be kept until the end of time. As history progressed, other books were added to the divine canon of God’s revelation. When Jesus came to earth, the Old Testament, as known today, had been complete for more than four hundred years. Alexander the Great had the Hebrew text translated into Greek.

After the death of Jesus, the church began to spread all over the world. In keeping with the divine revelation of God’s word, books were written about the life of Jesus, and letters written by early Christians began to be preserved. Paul wrote seven letters before the first gospel of Jesus was written. Over time, the Holy Spirit collected twenty-seven books to be included in the New Testament canon to form God’s perfect will. There have been many more books and letters written by the people of God since Moses, but the Father selected sixty-six books to be retained for His glory.

It was not until 1228 that the Bible was divided into chapters. The verse division occurred in 1448 (Old Testament) and 1551 (New Testament). The entire Bible divided into chapters and verses, first appeared in the Geneva Bible of 1560. Using chapters and verses has uniquely directed the reader to a specific part of the scripture. Still, it has also created a division of teaching that leaves some things greatly lacking in application.

The apostle John wrote a book about the deity of Jesus Christ. His focus was to prove that Jesus was the Son of God. John’s gospel is the third largest among the four gospels. When the book was divided into verses, one out of 878 verses became one of the most famous verses in the annals of history. Many people know very little about the Bible, but many know that John 3:16 is in the Bible, and a few can quote the verse. What has made John 3:16 such a powerful draw? Why has one verse out of thousands in the Bible become one of the most recognizable verses in the Bible? What are the implications of John 3:16?

One of the key lessons of Bible study is the importance of context. The proverb says, “A text without a context is a pretext.” Examining one verse without the support of the other verses creates a conclusion denying the text’s meaning. John 3:16 is supported by fifteen verses preceding it and five verses following it. The context of the passage contains the whole of John 3:1-21 where Jesus is conversing with a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. Nicodemus has come to Jesus seeking answers. Jesus uses the time to show the ruler of the Jews the way to the Father. The Lord tells Nicodemus he must be born again and explains what He means by the new birth.

Jesus tells Nicodemus the Son of Man must be lifted up like Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness. Whoever believes on the Son of Man (Jesus) will not perish but have eternal life. Then Jesus tells him of God’s love to send Jesus to die for the world. Jesus continues telling Nicodemus He came to save the world as the light of the world. The problem with the world is they like to stay in the darkness, away from the light, lest their deeds be exposed. Those who practice evil love the darkness. Those who believe in Jesus love the light, so their deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.

John 3:16, taken alone, hints that a man can be saved by belief (faith) alone. The reason John 3:16 is famous is because it becomes the proof text that all a man has to do to be saved is to believe. Jesus never taught salvation by faith alone. The context of John 3 shows the need for a man to be born of the water and the Spirit, obedience to the word of God, accept the truth that Jesus shed His blood for the remission of sins, believing Jesus is the Christ, walking in the light, and how works are a part of salvation. All of this is found in the context of John 3:1-21.

When the Jews asked Peter on the day of Pentecost what to do to be saved, Peter did not quote John 3:16. There is no example of conversion in the New Testament where someone quoted John 3:16 as a prerequisite for salvation. The elements of John 3:1-21 are found throughout the stories of conversion in the book of Acts and the writings of the early disciples. John 3:16 is not a proof text; John 3:1-21 is a good beginning. Be careful when men deceive you into believing only part of the truth. There is so much more than just one verse in the plan of redemption.

Now it happened on the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, that a great multitude met Him. Suddenly a man from the multitude cried out, saying, “Teacher, I implore You, look on my son, for he is my only child. And behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out; it convulses him so that he foams at the mouth; and it departs from him with great difficulty, bruising him. So I implored Your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.” Then Jesus answered and said, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.” And as he was still coming, the demon threw him down and convulsed him. Then Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the child, and gave him back to his father. (Luke 9:37-42)

Jesus Has All Power

When Jesus sent the twelve apostles into the mission field, He gave them the power of the Holy Spirit to heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, and cast out demons. Their authority was extensive to cure any disease known to man, cleanse lepers of a disease that was certain death with no cure, do the incredible task of raising people from the dead, and finally, exercise the authority over the realm of the evil demons sent by Satan. This package of divine Holy Spirit power was to prove the word of God measured by the will of the Holy Spirit. The twelve would only exercise the power through the authority of God.

A man had an only child who was possessed by a spirit that caused him much harm and distress. An evil spirit would seize the child, making him scream. It threw him into convulsions so that he foamed at the mouth. The spirit would abuse the child violently and hardly ever leave him alone. When the father heard of the apostles, he implored them to heal his son. To the amazement of the twelve, they could not heal the child. Vainly, they tried to cast the demon out with no success. When the father brought the child to Jesus, the Lord rebuked the unclean spirit, and the child was healed.

The healing of the child was a puzzlement to the twelve. They had been given the power of the Holy Spirit, but the Holy Spirit had refused to act through them. The power of healing was not indiscriminately done by men. Only by the will of the Holy Spirit and His authority were miracles performed by men. Jesus rebuked His apostles for not exercising the faith needed to heal the child, explaining why the Holy Spirit would not allow the power to be used. It also proved that Jesus had all faith, authority, and power to heal anyone of anything. The faith of men weakened for reasons unknown, but Jesus demonstrated His complete power over all things – including the unclean spirits.

Jesus is the Son of God, proven through the miracles He performed with no exceptions. There is nothing Jesus could not do. He had power over the world to change water, curse a tree, walk on water, and calm the storm. His power over any disease was complete. Death had no power when Jesus commanded the dead to rise. During the time of Jesus and the early days of the church, God allowed the demon world to exact its curse on humanity to show the power of Jesus and the Holy Spirit. When did a miracle of Jesus fail? Never. The failure of the apostles reminded them that Jesus had all the power to heal everything.

Central to the story of the child’s healing is the need for greater faith. Had they taken for granted their power and tried to use it in a careless way? Jesus was angry with the apostles for their lack of faith. The apostles had allowed the carnal mind to cloud their ability to show the power of God in healing the child. They needed deeper faith to heal the child. Had they not prayed about their failure? Jesus healed the child immediately, showing His complete power to do everything, establishing the difference between the Son of God and men.

Men fail when they do not trust in God. Eleven of the men would learn greater faith when they began to preach the gospel at Pentecost, and ten of the men would die martyrdom for the cause of Jesus Christ. Faith must grow, but sometimes it grows best in the field of failure. What made the men great was not the power to heal the body but the power to heal the soul. Curing a man of leprosy will not save him, but removing the stain of sin will. Jesus has all power to work in your life to take away the guilt of sin. Let Him, who has all power, give you greater faith to accomplish the will of God in your life. Jesus never fails.

But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the Christ. (Acts 9:22)

Proving Jesus Is The Son Of God

Saul of Tarsus was a force to be reckoned with. He had made a personal mission of destroying all those who followed Jesus of Nazareth. There was nothing he would not do to show his zeal for God in persecuting those of the Way. Saul had the authority to arrest anyone who opposed him and, if need be, to cast his vote in favor of their execution. The historian Luke said Saul wreaked havoc on the early church as fear spread among the faithful of the man from Tarsus. Saul was going everywhere to destroy the church. He went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them into prison.

Damascus had become a hotbed of disciples of Jesus. Saul took letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in arresting any followers of the Way he found there. With the blessing of the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem, Saul took his police force to the city of Damascus. He wanted to bring men and women back to Jerusalem in chains that were disciples of Jesus. As he approached the city, a bright light shone around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice crying out to him. The Lord appeared to Saul telling him to go into the city, and it would be told him what he must do. As he stood, Saul realized he was blind.

The companions of Saul helped him into the city to the house of Judas, a disciple of Jesus. For three days and nights, Saul fasted and prayed, waiting on the word of the Lord. Ananias came to restore Saul’s sight and baptized him for the remission of sins. And immediately, he began preaching about Jesus in the synagogues. The man who formerly was a blasphemer and leader of the persecution now preached Jesus was the Son of God. All were amazed at the change in Saul.

Saul’s preaching was powerful. The Jews in Damascus could not refute the message Saul preached that Jesus was the longed-for Messiah. Using the scriptures, Saul challenged the thinking of the Jews that Jesus of Nazareth was proven by God by miracles, wonders, and signs to be the Son of God, the Messiah. Saul proved with the word of God that Jesus was who He said He was. There was no doubt, and the Jews of Jerusalem could not refute or challenge the preaching of Saul.

Less than ten years after Jesus had been crucified outside of Jerusalem, Saul became a preacher of Jesus Christ. There were many people who could testify to seeing Jesus alive after that fateful day at Golgotha. Saul used the scriptures to prove Jesus was the Son of God. It has been more than two thousand years since the death of Jesus, but the same method used by Saul can be used today to prove Jesus is the Christ the Son of God. The word of God testifies that Jesus is the Christ. Saul, later called Paul, would write to the disciples in Corinth, reminding them that hundreds of people could testify to seeing Jesus, but the proof came from the scriptures. Jesus is the Son of God because the word of God testifies to His power, miracles, signs, and wonders that God was with Him.

There were many who did not believe that Jesus was the Son of God. They could not be convinced Jesus of Nazareth was anything special. The majority of the world will not accept that Jesus is anything more than a good man who did good deeds. Sadly, the rejection of the word of God will end in an eternal rejection by the One whom they deny is God. Jesus is the Son of God. There is no doubt of this fact. The Bible is the testimony of the divine nature of Jesus of Nazareth. If a man refuses to accept this truth, there is no hope. Except you believe that Jesus is Christ, you will die in your sins. Saul proved it, and no one could challenge him. How about you?

The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. It came to pass in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the citadel, that Hanani one of my brethren came with men from Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews who had escaped, who had survived the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem. And they said to me, “The survivors who are left from the captivity in the province are there in great distress and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem is also broken down, and its gates are burned with fire.” (Nehemiah 1:1-3)

Broken Walls For Ninety-Two Years

In the year 586 B.C., Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, burned the house of God, broke down the wall of Jerusalem, and burned all its palaces with fire. The king of the Chaldeans killed the young men with the sword without mercy and slaughtered the virgins along with the old and the weak. Those who escaped the sword were bound in chains and taken to Babylon. For seventy years, according to the word of Jeremiah, the prophet, the people of Judah remained until the rule of the kingdom of Persia. In the first year of Cyrus, king of Persia, a remnant was allowed to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple of God. The work on the temple was completed in 516 B.C.

When the temple’s foundation was finished, there was great joy in praise to God mingled with voices of sadness for those who remembered the first temple. Many shouted aloud for joy so that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people. Over a period of twenty years, the temple remained unfinished because of opposition from critics. Through the work of Haggai, Zechariah, and Zerubbabel, the people had a mind to work and finish the temple. While the city rejoiced at the completion of the second temple in Jerusalem, the walls and city gates remained broken and burned. They would remain broken for seventy-two years; ninety-two years after the first group returned from Persia.

The story of the returning Jews building the temple before repairing the walls illustrates a need to trust in God first. Rebuilding the temple established the sovereignty of the Lord over His people again. What the remnant failed to do was make any effort to restore the walls of Jerusalem. For almost one hundred years, the people walked around and over the broken-down walls and burned gates. No one took the initiative to begin repairing the walls. They had grown accustomed to a world of broken walls. It was inconvenient, but it was not a worry. The task seemed too great, and no one made the effort. A city without walls was susceptible to attacks, but no one cared. It seems everyone thought it was someone else’s job to repair the walls, not their own.

It would take the heart of a man who had never seen Jerusalem to change the city. He was not an engineer, ruler, or prominent man of his day. The man who changed the city of Jerusalem was a cupbearer for the Persian king. What separated Nehemiah from the Jews of Jerusalem was his heart. He mourned over the condition of the city while the inhabitants moved over the ruins of the city. Nehemiah had a plan and purpose and believed in the power of God. Through his leadership, the city walls were repaired in 52 days. It was a remarkable feat through the power of God. Nehemiah accomplished in less than two months what everyone had ignored for nearly one hundred years.

Nehemiah saw a need and immediately began the task of rebuilding. The people of Jerusalem saw the same ruins but did not care. Nehemiah cared for Jerusalem, but the people had become complacent. Too many churches live among broken walls with little or no concern for the lost. It becomes easy to live among the ruins. Year after year, the same group meets and goes through the motions of scriptural worship and sound doctrine. Like the people of Jerusalem, they walk around the lost but never seek to tell them the story of Jesus. Praise God, we are the spiritual city of Jerusalem with broken walls and burned gates; but we have a temple!

The cupbearer for the king did not accomplish the task of building the walls alone. He gathered the faithful together and worked under harsh conditions, believing the work was the will of God. Nehemiah did not care what the norm was or how the brethren had done things for the past ninety-two years. He was there to build. Either lend a helping hand or get out of the way. What the church needs today are men and women like Nehemiah – not the people who sat around for ninety-two years doing nothing. Let us rise up and build. Then they set their hands to this good work. Are you willing?