Do These Four Things

Posted on November 27, 2023 by heatonkent

The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:9)

Do These Four Things

The art of imitation is the greatest compliment, but it is the most dangerous. Asking someone to imitate the life of another is taking on a grave responsibility fraught with danger. Can a person live to invite others to walk as they walk and talk as they talk? The frailty of the nature of man makes him an imperfect being, asking other imperfect beings to be like them. Living in such a way to ask others to imitate their lives can only be done through the grace of God. Paul boldly asked his brethren to imitate him as he imitated Jesus Christ.

When Paul was confined to a Roman prison, he wrote a letter to the Philippian church with a message of joy, imploring them to rejoice in the Lord always. He was shackled with chains, but his heart was free in Christ. Remarkably, the apostle told the saints in Philippi not to be anxious about anything but to trust in God through prayer. He wanted them to think about noble things that would lift their spirits. And he asked four things of the brethren taken from his own life.

Paul wanted the Christians to imitate his life through what he had taught them. On Paul’s second missionary journey, he came to the city of Macedon and taught Lydia and her household and the jailor of Philippi and his household. He had taught them the gospel of Jesus Christ and wanted them to continue in the things he had taught them. The sound doctrine of truth was embedded in the hearts of the brethren so that when Paul left them, they would continue in the pattern of truth.

After Paul left Phillipi, it seems that other correspondence from the apostle was likely sent to the Philippian church to help them grow in the knowledge of Christ. He encouraged them to hold fast to all the things the brethren had received from Paul. Feeling confident in what he had taught them, he said that if they followed those words and his example of faith, they would grow stronger in their faith. This is a bold position to place oneself, but Paul knew he had taught them the truth.

The third encouragement from the apostle was for the brethren to remember what he had said to them and use that as a pattern of guiding the young church. His preaching helped to teach the family of Lydia and the jailor the gospel. Before Paul left Philippi, he spent many hours sharing the doctrine of Christ with the newly baptized believers. There was much to teach and say and establish, and in the short time he was there, Paul wasted no time answering questions, establishing lines of authority, and showing the joy of salvation.

Finally, Paul asked the saints to do one more thing. He prayed the brethren would follow his example in life. What they saw in his life, he asked them to imitate. How many people can say with confidence that others should follow their example? Paul wanted them to do as he did, not do as he said. It is easy to tell others how to live, but the hard part comes when they are asked to imitate the daily walk of a person’s life. The apostle was sitting in a jail, inviting others to be like him. He was jailed for the cause of Christ. The Philippian’s brethren were praying for Paul, and the apostle was praying for them. Reflecting on his time in Philippi and the measure of his work in the kingdom of God, he was offered as an example for others to follow.

Paul’s request was not a casual admonition. He was serious about the saints to do as he had done in teaching, example, word, and deed. Putting himself out there for the brethren to examine closely every part of his life – Paul asked them to do as he had done. If there is a measure of faith that all of God’s children should strive for, it is to attain to the time in life when what Paul asked of the saints at Philippi can be asked of brethren today. The things others have learned in me, received from me, heard from me, and saw in me … can that be a pattern to follow?

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The Lord’s Supper

Posted on November 26, 2023 by heatonkent

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.” (Matthew 26:26-29)

The Lord’s Supper

The night of the Passover was incredibly fearful. God brought nine plagues upon the nation of Egypt, and the final was to be devastating. Moses warned the Hebrews of the night of death the Lord planned for Egypt by telling them how to be saved from destruction. The people were to take a lamb without blemish, a male of the first year, for each family or neighbor. On the fourteenth day of the month, the whole assembly would kill the lamb at twilight and take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses where they were to eat the lamb. God placed specific requirements on the people on how to cook the meal and what to do on the night God brought death upon Egypt.

Moses gave the instructions to the people, and they obeyed. On a fearful night, the hand of God swept over the land of Egypt and killed all the firstborns of every family and the firstborn of the livestock. It was a night of death on a scale never seen or heard before. At midnight, the Lord struck all the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon. When God saw the blood on the homes of the Hebrews, He passed over and saved them from death. As the hand of the Lord killed the firstborn of every Egyptian home, there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house where there was not one dead. This night of terror would be commemorated as the Feast of the Passover to remind the Hebrews of the wrath of God and the grace of God.

Jesus took the Passover every year with Joseph and Mary and His half-brothers and sisters. It was a solemn feast remembered with the emblems of the night God swept through Egypt and the singing of the Hallal Psalms, which were considered Psalms 113-118. For Jesus, the Passover took on greater meaning the last three times He observed the feast. On the night He was betrayed, Jesus observed His final Passover with the twelve apostles (including Judas). As a solemn night of remembrance, the Passover took on a deeper meaning for the Son of God. He took the emblems of the Passover and established a memorial for His disciples symbolic of the sacrifice of the Lamb of God. Jesus would be the lamb sacrificed, and His blood would be what His Father would see in the hearts of men. The Lord’s Supper would be a foundational part of the Kingdom of Christ.

There is no part of the worship the saints of God engage in more emblematic and purposeful than the Lord’s Supper. The unleavened bread and fruit of the vine are more than something to eat and drink. Paul would remind the church at Corinth of the penalties attached to the supper if taken in an improper manner. The Lord’s Supper is commanded by God to be observed every first day of the week as a memorial of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Jesus told His disciples to take the supper to remember Him. Luke describes the early church meeting on the first day of the week to remember the sacrifice of Jesus. The Lord’s Supper is not something that can be done by individuals in their homes watching television. Paul expressly said it is when the church comes together.

The Lord’s Supper is a holy communion expressing to God our thanksgiving for sparing us from His wrath and offering His grace. On the night God came to Egypt, His wrath was poured out. Only by the blood of the Lamb were the Hebrews saved. All men stand in the face of the wrath of God. Only in the blood of Jesus Christ will God pass over our sins and redeem us. That is what the Lord’s Supper should mean to each one of the disciples of Christ. It should be a time of thanksgiving, reflection, sorrow, joy, blessing, and looking forward to His return. Paul said, “For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.” (1 Corinthians 11:26)

Never take the Lord’s Supper for granted. It is a moment of great importance to take the time to thank God for what He has accomplished through Jesus Christ. Without the blood of the lamb, we would find ourselves in the place of the Egyptians – facing death. Churches should never rush through the Supper. It is not a time to laugh and play with babies and look around the room. God is looking into our hearts and seeing what we think about the death of His only Begotten Son. What does He see? Thank God He has saved us through the blood of His Son. How amazing is the grace of God.

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The Joy Of Reconciliation

Posted on November 25, 2023 by heatonkent

And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. (Romans 5:11)

The Joy Of Reconciliation

Hope is the mainspring of the Christian’s life, helping the heart endure tribulations to find peace in Jesus Christ. The joy of salvation is knowing how the Father has taken His child from the weakness and crippling impact of sin to the heights of glory found in the blood of Christ. There was a time when all men were enemies of God, without strength, ungodly, underserving, and facing the wrath of God. Through the blood of Jesus, God has offered pardon through the death of His Son, all who would accept His love to be justified by grace.

There was a time when all men were enemies. Reconciliation was made possible by Jesus Christ to bring together the Creator and His creation. Adam and Eve were created for the glory of God, but Satan destroyed that union as the forbidden fruit was taken. Sin reigned over the world until Jesus came to complete the grace of God in reuniting the Divine with humanity. Reconciliation takes away the sting of death and the victory of Hades.

When a man obeys the gospel of Christ in the burial through baptism into death, God joins His love, mercy, and grace with the individual’s faith, works, and obedience. As a man is raised from the spiritual grave of baptism, he walks in the newness of life as a man reconciled to the Father. The joy of reconciliation is knowing one is saved. There is no doubting or facing the fear of God’s wrath. The blood of Jesus has cleansed all sins away, and the Holy Spirit testifies with the spirit of the man that he is a child of God. There is no condemnation to those who are in Christ. They are reconciled. Saved. Free from the fear of God’s wrath.

The joy of reconciliation is seeing where a man once was and where he finds himself by God’s grace. There should be greater joy in the hearts of God’s children to know they are saved. Hope does not come from chances, maybe, possibilities, or uncertainty. Reconciliation is the divine joining of a man’s heart to the heart of God. The Lord makes reconciliation possible as He embraces the saved as His children cry, “Abba, Father.” There is no bondage again to fear. To be led by the Spirit of God emboldens the heart to embrace reconciliation.

There is great joy in being a child of God. Salvation comes in the hope of the promises of God, who cannot lie. The child of God is more than conquerors through Him who loved and gave His only begotten Son to reconcile sinful man to Himself. Nothing can separate those reconciled to the love of Christ. Joy fills the heartstrings of salvation for the child of God as he praises the Lord for the joy of eternal life. There is much to sing about. We are saved. Reconciled. Brought near. Forgiven. Lifted up. Loved. The joy of reconciliation – what joy.

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Once Enemies, Now Children

Posted on November 24, 2023 by heatonkent

For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. (Romans 5:10)

Once Enemies, Now Children

An enemy is someone who is antagonistic toward another, seeking to injure, overthrow, and treat with harm. Enemies are hostile forces fighting against one another. Nations go to war with their enemies. Civil war is when fellow citizens fight against their brothers. It is terrible to have an enemy but to have God as an enemy is the wrath of the Divine.

The consequences of having an enemy among men can be severe, but there is no comparison to what it means to be an enemy of God. Man was created in the image of God. The Lord created man for His glory. God is omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent. Finding oneself an enemy of a God who possesses these attributes is eternal. The worst that man can do to another is to kill him. What God can do is send an eternal spirit to perdition, outer darkness, a lake of fire and brimstone: Hell!

Man struggles to understand God’s demand for worship. The wisdom of man makes him think he is smarter than his Creator. He rebels against the commands of the Lord. There is no desire to seek the Lord. Man dies. God’s wrath is poured out with an eternal vengeance. There is nothing man can do. Eternity has no end, and there will be no mercy or grace allowing the damned soul to receive a reprieve from his eternal horror. God’s wrath does not last for a moment. The wrath of God is without end.

All have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory, facing God’s wrath. In the deepest darkness of man’s fallen state, God gave His only begotten Son to give man a chance to escape eternal wrath. Every child of God was once an enemy of God. Yet, through God’s love, the sinner can be reconciled to God through the death of Jesus Christ. Reconciliation is the ceasing of hostilities between two parties. It is not man that can make that peace – only God. When a man turns to Christ in obedience, having his sins washed away in the waters of baptism, the wrath of God is removed.

The enemy of God is now the child of God. As a child of God, eternal life is given. There is no more wrath or condemnation to those who are in Christ. Saul of Tarsus faced the wrath of God for the wickedness of his life and was an enemy of God. Through the grace of the Lord and Saul’s obedience to the command of God, Saul became a child of God. He would later call himself the worst of sinners, but he was not alone. All men are enemies of God. Through the grace of God, the enemy becomes the child.

To understand the grace of God, a man must remember where he came from. There was a time in every person’s life when they stood as an enemy of God. It is not a fearful thing to consider what a man can do to another; what is fearful is what God can do. That same wrath can be changed into mercy when a humble heart seeks the mercy of God and becomes a child of the Divine. The man who once was an enemy is now promised eternal life. There will be no horror or suffering for the one reconciled by the blood of Christ. Eternal life is a grace given by a wrathful God who has shown love and mercy. What a joy to know – I am saved.

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Saved From God’s Wrath

Posted on November 22, 2023 by heatonkent

Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. (Romans 5:9)

Saved From God’s Wrath

The joy of salvation is found in the justification given by God through the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ. Grace is the measure of the gift of eternal life to a creation undeserving of divine blessings. God loved the world so much that He gave His Son. Jesus loved the world equally by offering Himself as the lamb of sacrifice. When a man comes to the knowledge of Jesus Christ in obedience to the will of God, he finds the greatest peace and happiness known to man. Justification is a time of joy.

There is another side of justification that must be realized by the grace of God. Through the blood of Jesus, the wrath of God is removed. The Bible is given to the world to show them the goodness and severity of the Lord. When Paul wrote to the Romans, he explained the gospel of Jesus Christ as the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes. Contained within the gospel is the righteousness of God and the wrath of God. There are many stories of the love and compassion of God to sinful man. The Bible also has stories of God’s wrath measured against those who rebel against him.

The wrath of God is found in the story of the flood, where every living thing is killed. Only Noah and seven other people are saved in the ark. It was a worldwide flood that killed millions of people. The history of Israel is proof positive of the wrath of God. It began with the destruction of Egypt and the judgment against the nations that stood against Israel. God also punished his own people: Nadab and Abihu were struck with fire from heaven, the rebellion of Korah ended when the earth swallowed up the rebels, thousands died from snake bites and disease, and everyone above the age of twenty years died in the wilderness.

Throughout the history of Israel, thousands died who rebelled against the Lord. In one night, an angel of the Lord killed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers. The Assyrians destroyed the ten tribes of the north. Thousands died at the hands of the Babylonians. God’s wrath was severe and without mercy against those who defied His will. During the ministry of Jesus, the Son of God spoke more about eternal damnation than anyone. Hell is a real place prepared for the devil, his angels, and all those who rebel against God. There is no doubt when reading the Bible that the wrath of God is very real.

Jesus took the wrath of God away. Justification by the blood of Jesus saves a man from the wrath of God. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, but through Jesus Christ, a man can be justified and sanctified when he rises from the waters of baptism to find the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ. The only place the blood of Jesus justifies is in spiritual circumcision: baptism. What a joy to know the wrath of God has been removed. To be saved from the wrath of God is to know the wrath of God and find grace in the love of God.

Praise God for the joy of being saved from God’s wrath. Everyone deserves the wrath of God, but Jesus made it possible for His Father’s wrath to be removed. Jesus drank the cup of wrath so that you and I would not face the fury of a vengeful God whose righteousness demands justice. Much more, having been justified by His blood, I am saved from the wrath of God.

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The Demonstration Of God’s Love

Posted on November 21, 2023 by heatonkent

For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:7-8)

The Demonstration Of God’s Love

Stories of heroism have long filled the pages of history. Men and women put themselves in harm’s way to save others. The courage of some to sacrifice their lives for the safety of others is an incredible story of love. Parents sacrifice their lives to protect their children. Total strangers help others to find rescue and, in the process, lose their own lives. These stories inspire humanity’s spirit for the goodness in others.

Consider the reasons people give for dying for others. A father sees his young child in the path of an oncoming car and pushes the child out of the way to save her. He dies to save his child. There is a sense of justice to take the place of a good or righteous man who is facing death. From the human standpoint of justice, taking the place of a condemned man is hard to accept.

A man walks into a business and kills several people. He is condemned to die for his act of murder and hatred. Family members tell the man they forgive him, but are they willing to take his place of execution? The measure of mercy shown against a vile and despicable person is a more challenging issue to resolve. A sense of fairness demands the guilty be punished and condemned to die without mercy. Most would understand this kind of rationale to punish the guilty.

God is not man. This simple fact is what creates the most incredible love story in the history of man. No man has ever lived that measures to the wickedness and evil of what the Lord looked upon the earth and saw. It was not a single person who had offended the Creator. All of humanity hated God, despised Him, rebelled violently against Him, and treated Him with contempt. In all fairness, the world should have been wiped clean of every human. There is none righteous. No one.

When God looked upon the face of the earth during the days of Noah, everyone would die by His hand except four men and four women. God wiped off the face of the earth, everything that had the breath of life. The flood did not cure the problem of sinful man. It was not long before sin took over the hearts of men. Viewing the hearts of men from His eternal domain, God saw the intent of men’s hearts as continually evil. Instead of destroying man – who was guilty of sin and worthy of the wrath of the Creator – God chose to save mankind.

The sacrifice of Jesus was not because anyone was worthy or deserving of His blood. Jesus was sinless. He had never wronged man, and He had never disobeyed God. Every man on the face of the earth was guilty of sin. God demonstrated His own love, allowing the wretched creature of His creation to torture and kill His beloved Son. Why? Because God loved man.

Jesus did not die because someone was righteous or good. In fact, Jesus died for the worst creature on earth. Man was a sinner, a weak creation, an ungodly product of his own lusts, and an enemy of God. Everything screamed for God to destroy humanity – He chose to save it. The demonstration of love is beyond words for men to understand why God would do such a thing.

There is nothing worthwhile in me to deserve the love of God. Christ died for me. I am the reason Jesus died on the cross. Two thousand years may separate me from the event outside Jerusalem where the Jews screamed for Jesus to be crucified and the Romans nailed the Son of God to a tree – but I am guilty and undeserving. By God’s grace, I see His love. More than that, I see the demonstration of God’s love. His act of love to sacrifice His Son can never be repaid. Thank God for His demonstration of love.

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Christ Died For The Ungodly

Posted on November 20, 2023 by heatonkent

For when we were still without strength, in due time, Christ died for the ungodly. (Romans 5:6)

Christ Died For The Ungodly

The death of Jesus was the greatest tragedy in the history of humanity, yet the greatest act of love in the history of the world. God’s love was so great for the world He willingly gave His only begotten Son to die in the place of rebellious man. The death of Jesus was not a mistake or miscalculation. Everything leading up to the murder of God’s Son was divinely crafted before the world was created. Throughout the unfolding of history, everything pointed toward that fateful day outside the city of Jerusalem.

Jesus of Nazareth was killed by his brethren at the hands of the Romans. Jews and Gentiles alike share in the death of Jesus. All men sin, making them accountable for the death of Jesus. No man can live a sinless life, highlighting the life of Jesus, who lived more than three decades and never sinned. He was tempted in all points like all men, yet without sin. Noah was a great man of faith but a sinful man. God used Job as an example to Satan of the righteousness of a man but not as a perfect man. Job sinned. Abraham, Moses, David, and Peter are examples of great men of faith who failed to live sinless lives.

All men struggle with sin and are enslaved by its power. There will never be a person who can live a life without sin. No man can ever claim he is sinless and perfect. Christ did not die to save sinless men. Jesus died to save the ungodly. An ungodly man is a wicked man. He is damaged goods. There is nothing worthy to be found in an ungodly man. Goodness does not make a person godly. Doing religious things will not make a man perfect in God’s eyes. Christ died because all men are ungodly.

Before a person can understand the death of Jesus, they must understand what they are. All men are ungodly. Not godly or good – ungodly. Destitute. Broken. Deserving the full wrath and fury of God. Without hope. No mercy was given. Undeserving. Jesus died for those who had no strength. He did not die for a righteous man or a good man. Jesus died to save sinners—the enemies of His Father. Nothing is redeeming in man that would qualify him to deserve the sacrifice of God’s only Son.

The picture is complete. Man is ungodly. Sin has darkened the world of humanity, deserving the full wrath of God as unleashed on the world of Noah. And yet, in the midst of this darkness, came the Light of the world to die for the ungodly. The price of the sacrifice illuminates the depth of man’s fall. Animals could never make a man whole because animals are not eternal creatures. The blood of bulls and goats never satisfied the debt of sin to reconcile all men to the Father. Only through the blood of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, could the wrath of God be averted.

Christ died for the ungodly. He did not die because anyone deserved His death. God allowed men to treat His Son with contempt and hatred and to kill Jesus on the cross in the most horrific manner. Jesus died for the ungodly to show the mercy and grace of a loving Father. The amazing grace of God is measured by the extreme price paid to save a wretched man who is called “ungodly.” You are ungodly. I am ungodly. We did not find salvation through any worth of our own. Steeped in sin, we stood under the wrath of God.

Through the blood of Jesus, reconciliation was given to those who would obey His word. Instead of being the ungodly condemned to eternal death, now the ungodly can be saved from wrath through the grace of God. There is no greater demonstration of love than Christ dying for the ungodly. The saved are justified through His blood and saved from wrath. Praise God. I am redeemed.

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The Holy Spirit

Posted on November 20, 2023 by heatonkent

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)

The Holy Spirit

In the beginning of time, the Holy Spirit was hovering above the face of the waters. From creation, the Holy Spirit has been an integral part of unfolding the scheme of redemption. Moses performed miracles by the Holy Spirit. Through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Moses described the world of Genesis and then penned the other books of the Pentateuch.

Throughout the history of Israel, God worked His wonders through the Finger of God (Holy Spirit). Jesus was conceived in the womb of Mary by the Holy Spirit. At the beginning of His ministry, Jesus was baptized to fulfill all righteousness.

When Jesus came up out of the water and was praying, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. All the miracles Jesus performed were accomplished by the Finger of God (Holy Spirit).

Knowing that He must return to the Father, Jesus instructed the eleven to remain in Jerusalem until they were given power from on high. Ten days after Jesus ascended to the Father’s right hand, the twelve apostles (now including Matthias) were in Jerusalem when they were baptized in the Holy Spirit.

This was a sign of the power of God given to His ambassadors of the gospel of Jesus Christ. When the devout Jews asked Peter and the other apostles what they must do to be saved, Peter told them to repent and be baptized for the remission of their sins, and they would receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. What Peter promised was to be given to all men in every generation. That promise was not the promise given to the apostles by Jesus.

A distinction must be made between the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and the gift of the Holy Spirit. Jesus promised the apostles the power of the Holy Spirit but only to the apostles. They were endowed with power from God to perform all types of miracles (healing, raising the dead, casting out demons), which they did in their ministry.

The gift of the Spirit promised by Peter in his response is the promise of the Holy Spirit to everyone who obeys the gospel of Christ. This gift is non-miraculous and has no power attached to it.

This is best understood from the story of Philip preaching in Samaria (Acts 8). Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ. The multitudes obeyed the gospel, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.

A sorcerer named Simon also obeyed the gospel. When the apostles in Jerusalem heard what Philip was doing in Samaria, they sent Peter and John, who came and parted the gifts of the Holy Spirit to the saints. Simon thought to purchase the power and was rebuked for his wickedness.

Philip had the power of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, but he could not pass that gift to another person. The Samaritans (including Simon) had been baptized into Christ and received the gift of the Holy Spirit (non-miraculous). Peter and John came to Samaria to pass along miraculous gifts to the waiting saints.

Three things are noted about the Holy Spirit in this story: (1) Philip had received the power of the gifts of the Holy Spirit (casting out demons, healing the paralyzed and the lame). (2) All those who obeyed the gospel received the gift of the Holy Spirit; (3) Peter and John were apostles and were the only ones who could pass along the gifts to others. When Peter goes to the home of Cornelius, the baptism of the Holy Spirit is given to the Gentiles in the same fashion as upon the apostles at Pentecost.

The miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit were part of the scaffolding of the early church. Through the gifts of the Holy Spirit, the church was able to go throughout the world unto every nation. When the establishment of the church was completed with the fully revealed word of God, the spiritual scaffolding was removed – the age of miraculous gifts ceased.

The Holy Spirit is still active today through the saints who have been baptized in Christ and the power of the word. Paul explained to the Christians in Rome how the Holy Spirit dwells in them, and to the Ephesian brethren, the sword of the Holy Spirit is the word of God.

To the churches of Galatia, Paul reminded them of the fruits of the Holy Spirit. Until the Lord returns, the Holy Spirit will continue to fulfill His work of the divine plan of the Father.

All Christians must realize the importance of filling their hearts with the word of God and setting their minds on the things of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit is not to be worshiped as Jesus Christ because everything the Spirit did was to lead men to Christ.

Jesus died for all men. The Holy Spirit guided men into all truth so they could see and realize the love of God accomplished through His only begotten Son.

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168 Hours Of Friendship

Posted on November 16, 2023 by heatonkent

Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this adversity that had come upon him, each one came from his own place—Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. For they had made an appointment together to come and mourn with him, and to comfort him. And when they raised their eyes from afar, and did not recognize him, they lifted their voices and wept; and each one tore his robe and sprinkled dust on his head toward heaven. So they sat down with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his grief was very great. (Job 2:11-13)

168 Hours Of Friendship

The story of Job is the courage of a man who faced overwhelming odds, experienced his own mortality, challenged God wrongfully, and remained a man of faith in the end. Job’s story is one of victory. His faith was put to the test, as few men experience. He sunk in despair in his misery, blaming God. Like any man, Job struggled with the burden of the flesh and the desire to serve the spirit. Compounding his story were three men who came to see him.

Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite were friends of Job. These three men heard of the terrible things that happened to Job and felt the need to visit their dear friend. The story of Job is centered on the discussions between Job and his friends. Before Job and his friends unravel the mystery of life, a story of friendship is established that is often overlooked.

Life is a busy activity of taking care of family, working to support the family and the challenges of living. It isn’t easy to take a lot of time off from the heavy responsibilities of the daily grind. When Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar heard of the tragedy of Job, they could have done many things. They could have sent provisions to Job, couriers telling their friend of their sorrow, or thought within themselves how sorry they were for their friend. What these three men did was a remarkable example of deep friendship.

Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar planned to leave their families to visit their friend face to face. He needed to see them. Their presence is what was required of the day. Whatever the distance was, it was of no consequence. They made an appointment together to see their friend, mourn with him, and comfort him. Friendship is the willingness to sacrifice the time to help someone in need. Their hearts were broken when they saw him. They could not recognize Job. More importantly – Job recognized them. How his heart must have leaped at the sight of his trusted friends. In the midst of his sorrow, Job experienced friendship.

When the friends of Job planned to visit, they did not plan on stopping by and leaving. They desired to help Job as long as it took. No one could have imagined what would happen next. The three men sat down with Job on the ground. Not on soft cushions of fine silk relaxing in the splendor of riches accustomed by the rich. Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar sat on the ground with Job. And they sat there on the ground with Job for a week – seven days – 168 hours – 10,080 minutes. For seven days, no one spoke a word to Job. They watched him day by day take a potsherd and scrape himself while he sat in the midst of the ashes.

Job suffered from painful boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. The three friends watched Job writhe in pain for seven days, and they did not leave him. The nights were long, and the days filled with the sorrow of Job, but they did not forsake their friend. They could have run away, but they remained for seven days without speaking a word. Job spoke first, deploring his birth, and then a conversation ensued with his friends, trying to understand what happened.

Job and his friends were wrong about their conclusions. In the end, God rebuked Job, but the man of God was not lost. His faith was firm, and so was the faith of his friends. What is missed in the story of Job is the faith of his three friends in the beginning and at the end. The friends were indeed wrong in their conclusions. God’s wrath was aroused against Job’s friends, demanding they make sacrifices so that Job could pray for them. They humbled themselves and obeyed the word of the Lord. As they made their way home, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar were greater men of faith because of their friendship with Job and their faith in God.

I must learn to be like Job’s friends. We all find ourselves in the place of the three men trying to understand the issues of life. The joy of the story is found at the end when the four men parted ways, more profound in their love for one another and richer in their experience of faith in God. I suspect somewhere among the hosts of witnesses looking down on my wrecked life are four men who understand the value of friendship and the eternal reward of godliness. Thank you, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar; and thank you, Job.

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Wife Catchers

Posted on November 15, 2023 by heatonkent

And the children of Benjamin did so; they took enough wives for their number from those who danced, whom they caught. Then they went and returned to their inheritance, and they rebuilt the cities and dwelt in them. (Judges 21:23)

Wife Catchers

In the closing days of the period of the Judges over Israel, there was war with the Benjamites. The children of God were fighting against their fellow brethren of the Lord. When the battle was over, twenty-five thousand men of valor from Benjamin died. The men of Israel were remorseful to destroy so many of the Benjamites. Without men to produce a continual seed line, the tribe of Benjamin could disappear. After appealing to the Lord for guidance, the elders of the people devised an unusual plan.

The first plan involved sending twelve thousand of their most valiant men to fight against the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead. They were to kill all the males and the women who were not virgins. When the fighting was over, they found four hundred young virgins who had not known a man intimately. Unfortunately, there were not enough women for the tribe of Benjamin. It seemed Benjamin would not survive as a tribe.

A second plan was put into action by the elders of the congregation. There was a yearly feast of the Lord in Shiloh. The Benjamites were told to hide in the vineyards and watch. When the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance, the Benjamites are instructed to catch a wife for himself and take her to the land of Benjamin. The daughters came out of the city, and the Benjamite men caught themselves a wife and took her back to their homeland. They rebuilt their cities, and life returned to normal.

“Wife catching” was an unusual courting ritual. The tragedy of Jabesh Gilead was those who died in the fighting and the four hundred taken from their homes and families. When the daughters danced outside the city of Shiloh, they were captured by men hiding in the vineyards and taken back as their wives. Many families suddenly lost their daughters without warning. It was a sad story for so many people.

There are many twists in the story of Israel, and the period of the Judges was when there was no king, and everyone did what was right in their own eyes. Finding wives for the Benjamites came as the result of an internal war pitting brother against brother, Hebrew killing Hebrew, and the people of God trying to destroy one another. The men of Gibeah, a town of Benjamin, committed a terrible outrage on the concubine of a Levite, raping her to death. At the war’s end, only six hundred men remained in Benjamin.

The story of ‘wife catching’ illustrates the failing of the wisdom of man when they seek after the wickedness of the world. There was no king in the land, leaving everyone to do as they desired. This ended in a disastrous war with tens of thousands of lives lost. Families were destroyed as their daughters were kidnapped and given away as wives. The wisdom of man always ends in disaster. Israel is left as an example of what happens when men do not follow the plan of God.

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