The Heaton File

So the king gave the command, and they brought Daniel and cast him into the den of lions. But the king spoke, saying to Daniel, “Your God, whom you serve continually, He will deliver you.” Then a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signets of his lords, that the purpose concerning Daniel might not be changed. (Daniel 6:16-17)

A Daily Faith

The story of Daniel’s faith is a hallmark of godly devotion in a time of crisis. Along with his friends, Hananiah, Mishael, and Abed-Nego, Daniel had been taken captive from Judah under the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem. As captives to a foreign nation, the four young men were at the mercy of captors who did not serve the true and living God. When they arrived in Babylon and were assigned to serve in the king’s palace, they were indoctrinated into the Babylonian culture through language, education, and diet. It was the latter concern for the kinds of foods they would eat, the four purposes in their hearts not to accept. It was an incredible test of faith.

Through God’s grace, Daniel and his friends were exempt from defiling themselves with the king’s delicacies. Their faith established a pattern that would follow them all their lives. The faith of the four was tested when Nebuchadnezzar began killing the wise men because they could not reveal a dream he had or give its interpretation. Daniel interceded, and as he and his friends prayed, the Lord revealed the dream and its meaning. Their faith was clearly evident in their lives, as they trusted in the Lord’s will to do the impossible.

Hanahiah, Mishael, and Abed-Nego faced their own crisis when Nebuchadnezzar set up a gold image on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. He commanded everyone to fall down and worship the gold image that the king had set up. The three men from Judah refused, knowing the penalty for disobedience was death by the fiery furnace. God delivered the three men from certain death, and their faith prompted the king to praise the one true God.

The Medes defeated the Babylonians, and Darius became the ruler of the kingdom. Darius set over his kingdom 120 satraps (governors), to be over the whole kingdom. Daniel, in his eighties or nineties, was also chosen as one of the satraps. Jealousy arose against Daniel because he had distinguished himself above all the other governors and satraps, because he had an excellent spirit. The king considered putting Daniel over the whole realm. This angered his political enemies, who devised a plan to destroy him. Their efforts were in vain because they could find no charge or fault in Daniel’s life.

Daniels’ faith was evident. He was not a perfect man, but he lived perfectly before the Lord. Failing to find something to accuse Daniel, his enemies used his faith against him. The only way to accuse Daniel was to find something against him concerning the law of the Lord. Daniel was taught from an early age to pray three times a day. As an older man, Daniel continued to pray three times a day, and for this, he was arrested and charged. The penalty for disobeying the king’s command (trumped up falsely by others) was death by lions. The king was deeply remorseful about having Daniel executed, but Persian law could not be changed.

The summation of Daniel’s law came from the lips of the king of the Medes, when Darius said to Daniel, “Your God, whom you serve toninually, He will deliver you.” There was no question where Daniel’s faith was found. Darius did not believe in the one true God, but he knew Daniel did. The life of Daniel was an expression of faith and love to the Lord – even in the face of Babylonian captivity. Like Joseph, Daniel did not allow his surroundings to define his faith. His faith was a daily walk with God. Everyone knew what Daniel believed. Even the enemies of Daniel knew the only way to trap him was to find something in his faith.

The lessons are legion. Christians have the greatest opportunities to show the dark world the light of Jesus Christ by their example of faith. Daniel’s faith should be an example of how those who are in the grace of Jesus Christ let the world know they serve only one Lord. Live in such a way that the king of the Medes would honor you by saying you serve the Lord continually. Do you serve the Lord continually?

It happened after this that David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go up to any of the cities of Judah?” And the Lord said to him, “Go up.” David said, “Where shall I go up?” And He said, “To Hebron.” (2 Samuel 2:1)

David Inquired Of The Lord

There are two kinds of people in the world. What separates men from one another is whether they seek the Lord or not. In the early days of the earth, the generation of Cain followed after wickedness, and the generation of Seth sought the righteousness of God. By the time of Noah, the two had merged into a wicked conflagration of evil that brought the wrath of God to destroy them. God gave Israel a choice of life and death when He told them to seek Him with all their heart. They refused. The key to understanding the difference in the hearts of men lies in David’s response after learning of Saul’s death.

Saul had been killed along with his sons, Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua. When the news reached David, he was crushed and mourned and wept and fasted until evening. David had been anointed king to replace Saul and faced the burden of leading the people of God in a time of civil war. The first thing that David did was to inquire of the Lord. Unlike Saul, who often presumed what God wanted, David asked the Lord whether he wanted him to go up to any of the cities of Judah. The Lord told him to go. Then David inquired of the Lord again, asking where he should go up. God directed him to go to Hebron.

David was a man of war. He was skilled in warfare. It would be easy for a man of his caliber to view himself as a great leader who needed no one to guide him. The humility of David’s heart began with asking God where he needed to go and to which city. David inquired of the Lord first before beginning his journey. The will of the Lord was first in his life in making decisions – all decisions. David trusted in the word of the Lord rather than his own wisdom. Saul lost God’s favor because he did not put God’s will first in his life. Looking for God’s blessing to guide his path, David inquired of the Lord.

Jesus taught His disciples to seek first the kingdom of God. He taught them the principle of David’s example that everything in life must begin with inquiring about what the Lord desires. The power of prayer is seeking the counsel of the Lord before acting. When the heart is tuned to the word of God, the wisdom of man is never put first. In everything a man does, he wants to know what the Lord wants him to do. This applies to every facet of life and should be taught early to children, who learn to trust in the will of the Lord to guide their lives.

When a young man and woman are considering a career, do they ask the Lord whether that path would glorify God? When job offers come, often the last thing on the mind is whether or not there is a body of believers in the area. Many take jobs on Sunday that take them away from the assembly because they did not inquire of the Lord first. When the time comes to fall in love and find that person to spend the rest of one’s life with, do they inquire of the Lord whether the choice will help them to Heaven? So often, unions are formed where the goals of the man and woman are strained because one is an unbeliever. Without inquiring of the Lord, the decision to marry may bring heartache.

David went to the place where he was most comfortable and where he had history. When facing Goliath, he trusted in God. Saul tried to kill David, but David put God’s will first by not killing the anointed of the Lord. At the death of Saul, David mourned because the anointed of God had been killed. David was a man after God’s own heart because he inquired of the Lord first. His example is well worth the lessons it offers in finding ways to inquire of the Lord in making decisions. Before making a decision – ask God first.

No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father. (John 10:18)

It Was His Choice

The death of Jesus is the central theme of God’s plan to redeem the world from sin. In the Garden of Eden, God promised the Seed would bruise the head of Satan as the devil bruised the heel of the Son of God. Through the promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, God intertwined His divine plan to bring His Son into the world through a virgin birth and save mankind from sin, death, and Hades. Jesus was the answer to the plight of sinful man. His one sacrifice would atone for sin by one act of selfless love for His Father and for the world. When Jesus began His ministry at the age of thirty, He knew He had little time left to live.

The authority of Jesus came through His teachings and His miracles. He was the good shepherd who would lay down His life for the sheep. After healing a man who was blind from birth, Jesus caused a stir among the Jewish leadership when He challenged them of being blind to the will of God. He explained that He was not like a hireling watching over sheep who would run in fear at the first sign of danger. As a good shepherd, Jesus would die for His sheep. He also told the Pharisees His death was His choice and His choice alone. The Father loved His Son for His willingness to leave the glory of the divine to become a servant and die a horrible death.

Jesus had the power to call twelve legions of angels to rescue Him. He chose not to bring the heavenly host to earth. The miracles Jesus performed proved He was the Son of God, and He could have used His divine power to lessen His suffering, but He chose not to diminish His pain. Every part of the human experience was shared by the Son of God. He was tempted by the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. Through it all, Jesus never once succumbed to the wiles of the devil. His perfection was not by divine power but the will of the Son of God to please His Father and bear the cup of sorrow needed to redeem the world.

The sacrifice of Jesus must be viewed in its singular story of one man’s choice to suffer an incredible death to save the ones who were killing Him. Jesus asked the Father to forgive those who blasphemed Him, hurled insults and threats, and cursed Him. He prayed for the Romans who paid no heed to the man in the middle. When Jesus died, the crowds walked away with little care or concern about what they had witnessed. Only the few disciples (including the apostle John and Mary, the mother of Jesus) walked away with hearts crushed with love. The world had no interest in the man in the middle. They did not realize that God had died and the first day of the week was coming.

Jesus offered Himself by His own authority. He was never forced to come to earth, and He was not forced to die on the cross. Everything about the death of Jesus was the choice of the Son of God alone. He loved His Father so much that He was willing to bear the sins of the world, becoming the sacrificial lamb for all mankind. His choice was to finish the task given to Him by His Father. When Jesus died, the Father rejoiced. His Son had committed Himself to His will – fully. Three days later, God raised His Son to be Lord, Christ, and Savior. Hallelujah for Jesus making a choice to save the world. He laid His life down because of love.

But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. (Revelation 21:27)

Why Heaven Is So Wonderful

There has to be a reason someone would want to be in Heaven. The desire for eternal life is the strongest emotion in the heart, which is motivated by a deep desire to be in a better place than where a person is. What advantage will there be in Heaven? Why would the thought of Heaven be something to spend a lifetime seeking? What is the appeal? The Holy Spirit gives a hint to the wonderful place called Heaven when He reminds the Christian what will be lost in gaining eternal life. God promises to wipe away the tears from His children’s eyes. He will take away all sorrow and pain, and death will be no more. The reason this appeals to the Christian is the realization of what is given up in this world.

The glory of the heavenly abode is that three things will no longer be a factor in the hearts and minds of God’s children. Heaven is a place where there is nothing that defiles or that is unclean. The world is filled with defilement and unclean things. After creation and the generations of men spread across the globe, the natural desires of the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life filled the hearts of men to follow after unclean and unholy things. Ungodliness and unrighteousness filled the earth as the hearts of men denied the existence of God. They knew God but refused to give Him the honor and glory due His name. The wisdom of man created idols to be worshipped. Lust filled the hearts to live under the vile passions of the flesh, where women exchanged the natural use of what is against nature to dishonor their bodies among themselves. Men left the natural use of the woman and burned in their lust for one another—fornication, adultery, homosexuality, bestiality, and every sexual perversion the flesh could create flourished.

The carnal nature of man lived for his own pleasure, denying the God that made him. Every intent of the thoughts of the heart was only evil continually. The world is filled with the detestable and abominable acts of rebellion against everything holy, righteous, and pure. Men sought to worship themselves as gods, believing they were their own masters. The world became the abiding place of everything abominable or vile. As a result, men found lying more powerful than the truth. Business was run based on lies. Politics measured success through lies. Lies destroyed marriages. The common language of all men was to tell a lie. It was easier to tell a lie than tell the truth.

The world was complete. It was filled with everything unclean, detestable, false, and dishonest. The world remains in the broken condition of the human equation. Everything that defiles the nature of righteousness is accepted and propagated. The world is filled with abominations of unrighteousness. There is little truth on the lips of men. But God says there is a day coming when all the defilements will be taken away. There will be no more abominations. All liars will face the wrath of God. Among the many reasons to desire to go to Heaven, knowing the character of the world will be taken away is one of the greatest blessings of eternity.

When eternal life is given to the faithful of the Lord, there will by no means enter anything that defiles. Everything that caused an abomination will be taken away. The lips will praise the Lord God Almighty instead of telling lies. Why go to Heaven? What a joy to be in a place where the putridity of the world will be taken away. God makes it very clear that every man and woman who lives defiled by the flesh will not inherit the kingdom. He makes it very clear that every man and woman who lives the abominable lives of sexual perversion and the like will not be saved. And all liars – repeated often in scripture – will not receive eternal life. What a glory it will be to be in a place like Heaven. All the troubles of this life are gone. No tears. Sorrow is taken away. Death is destroyed. God reigns. Praise God.

I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting; in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works. (1 Timothy 2:8-10)

Striving To Be A Godly Spouse

Marriage is the original institution created by God to showcase His creation and wisdom. God made man from the dust of the ground and formed woman from the rib of Adam. Immediately, God shows that two different creatures are formed from different beginnings, but with the desire, the two lives meld into one cohesive union of love, respect, and godliness. Happiness in the home comes from seeking greater faith to be godly people of God. Sin destroyed the union of God and man, and sin is what destroys a relationship between husband and wife. A marriage is made up of two sinners trying to find their way before God. Any success can only be found in seeking God’s will.

Striving to be a godly spouse is the desire to create a home where God is the center of everything. The Lord does not become a prosthetic that is used only in case of emergencies. Faith directs the husband’s heart to fulfill his role of guiding the home toward God. The wife demonstrates her faith in God by showing it to her family. A husband and wife embark on a journey of self-discovery, learning about one another and realizing they are relative strangers who have fallen in love. That journey must also be accompanied by learning about how God wants the family to function in each of the roles the spouse assumes. A home that has no leadership and guidance will fail, and a home that is troubled by authority will also fail.

God designed the home as a place of happiness through the holiness of His will. Seeking to be a godly spouse is molding every part of life to the will of the Father. Men will learn how to love their wives and treat them with the respect and honor that God expects. Women will discover the beauty of submission in a godly role, showing the power of God’s design. Decisions made between a husband and wife always begin with the will and word of God. A godly family is a praying family. Their lives are guided daily by showing worship to the Father as they grow in their relationship to one another. Husbands are spiritual leaders in the home. Wives are spiritual teachers in the home. A union of like faith is the bond that holds them together.

Seeking greater faith as a godly spouse begins with seeking a greater faith. Paul reminds disciples that faith comes from hearing the word of God. Greater faith can only come from tireless hours of meditation and discussion of the will of the Lord. One of the first habits young couples must create is their private worship together. Uniting the home under the banner of truth will help instill godliness, so that each spouse can help the other reach Heaven. There will be challenges in marriage that can only be answered by looking at the word of God. When problems arise in the marriage, God is the first one to whom we turn for answers. Godly husbands and wives forgive one another, bear with one another, exhort one another, and all the “one another’s” found in scripture. Each Christian principle is a part of a godly spouse. The husband adds virtue to the faith, including knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, and love. Wives will follow the same pattern.

Godly husbands and wives will seek the things that are above because their minds are set on Christ. As the elect of God, godly spouses will put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering, and a host of other godly characteristics that define the Christian life. Wives will submit to their husbands as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands will love their wives and not be bitter against them. The home will be guided by the example of Jesus Christ, who loved the church, His Bride, and was willing to die for her. A godly home is made from godly husbands and wives seeking the divine blessings of the Father. No marriage is perfect, but when it is perfected in the will of God, husbands and wives will demonstrate godliness in their lives to the glory of the Father. Seeking greater faith is finding ways to be a godly spouse to the glory of God.

Now there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, saying, “Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!” But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!” And when the unclean spirit had convulsed him and cried out with a loud voice, he came out of him. Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.” (Mark 1:23-27)

Demons Obey Him, But People Don’t

Jesus had the power to heal all diseases, to set aside the laws of nature (walking on water), to raise the dead, and to cast out demons. The miracles of Jesus could be performed even when Jesus was not present at the sick person’s location. He could speak, and the power of God would heal or raise up. A woman with a blood issue touched the hem of His garment and was healed. All of these proved the man from Nazareth to be the Son of God. Multitudes came to Jesus to be healed and left completely restored to health from all diseases, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

One of the manifestations allowed by the Father during the ministry of Jesus and the early church was demon possession. There are numerous stories of demon possession in men, women, and children. A man of the country of the Gadarenes was possessed by a demon called Legion and was healed by the Finger of God. Often, when confronted by Jesus, the demons would cry out. They knew who the man from Nazareth was and called Him the Holy One of God. The demons knew their future was set in stone for destruction. Jesus rebuked the demons to not speak of Him as the Son of God. Their rebellious spirit continued to exalt itself against the Holy One as they taunted Jesus. Commanding them to be quiet, Jesus demanded the unclean spirit to come out.

As the people watched Jesus heal the man with an unclean spirit and the spirit obey, they realized the incredible power of Jesus. He commanded demons, and they obeyed Him. It was a new doctrine for them to see and hear how Jesus commanded the demons. The Jewish leaders had no teaching on this matter, and yet this man from Nazareth exercised complete control. How could a man with no pedigree show such power and authority? He commands the unclean spirits, and they obey Him. The people were amazed and marveled at Jesus, yet they failed to see the deeper truth that stood before them. If the demons knew Jesus was the Holy One of God and obeyed, why didn’t the people know Jesus was God and obey?

God created man in His image, a little lower than the angels. Man was created for the glory of God. From the beginning of time, God revealed Himself to the world so there would be no excuse for His creation not to honor and praise His name. While the demon world knew and believed Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God, the world denied Jesus. The demons obeyed Jesus without fail. They called Him the Holy One of God because they believed Him to be the Christ without question. Jesus revealed His glory to the world, and men denied, ridiculed, and killed Him. The demons know their future is the second death. Man is given the choice of eternal life or facing the second death.

How is it possible that demons obey Jesus and man will not? The destiny of man is not set in stone unless he turns his heart away from the Son of God. There is never an occasion when a demon did not obey Jesus, but the scriptures are filled with men disobeying the words of Jesus. Even today, most of the world denies Jesus to be the Son of God, and yet the whole demon world believes and knows Jesus to be God’s Son. James will later observe that men boast they believe in Jesus and refuse to obey when the demons also believe but are damned. Faith alone will not save a demon. Why should it save a man? The demons obeyed Jesus because they knew who He was. If a man does not obey Jesus, he will not be saved.

Then he said to his servants, “The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.” So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests. But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. So he said to him, “Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?” And he was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, “Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” For many are called, but few are chosen. (Matthew 22:8-14)

The Man Without Proper Clothes

During the final weeks of the life of Jesus, the Jewish leadership challenged the teachings and authority of the Lord with greater fervor. Jesus answered their criticisms with parables to expose the hypocrisy of the chief priests and Pharisees. One parable described a king arranging his son’s marriage and sending invitations to all those called to the wedding. Everyone had other things to do. They ignored the invitation and chaffed at it, treating the messengers spitefully and killing some of them. This angered the king, and he sent his army to destroy the murderers, and he burned their cities to the ground.

A second series of invitations was sent out to the common people —the people of the highways, good and bad. The first invitations were sent to those who were unworthy. Now the king opened his doors to all those who had not been invited. Those invited readily accepted the invitation to dine with the king at his son’s wedding feast. As the king looked over the crowd, he was pleased with all those who had come. When the king looked closer, he noticed a man who did not have on a wedding garment. Insulted, the king asked the impertinent man how he came into the feast without a wedding garment. The man was speechless. Immediately, the king demanded that the man be thrown out into the darkness of the streets. He would not allow this man into his son’s wedding feast. The man was cast out into the outer darkness, where there was weeping and gnashing of teeth. Many are called, but few are chosen.

The question of the man without a wedding garment must be understood in the context of the culture. Jesus does not elaborate in the parable about the manner in which the man was to receive the proper clothing, but one thing is certain. The man was brazen in his conduct, attending the wedding feast without proper attire. It was customary for the hosts of the wedding feast to provide garments for the guests to wear. The clothing was most often long, flowing white garments. Each person would be dressed to honor the king and his son. Not putting the garment on showed contempt for the gift and disrespect for the king. It is clear that the man’s actions were not an oversight but a self-willed rejection of the king’s gracious provisions. The man had no reverence for the wedding feast, the son, or the king.

Jesus’ use of parables was to impart spiritual wisdom and lessons for the individual to take to heart. Everyone at the feast of the king came through the grace of his opening the doors to them. They were not invited on the first invitation. Because of the rejection of the first group, now everyone can come and dine with the king. The man without a garment was an ingrate who thought he could attend the wedding feast his way. He came in to serve his own pleasures. His arrogance led him to think he would be accepted. He was very wrong and was proven to have made a very serious misjudgment.

The parable of the wedding feast shows the grace and mercy of God to bring all men into a covenant with His Son. Grace is the overriding power of how men come to God because no one deserves the kindness of God. The invitation to sit at the wedding feast of Jesus Christ is made possible by a benevolent God who wants all men to be saved. What the man without proper garments on shows is that while grace opens the door to allow a person to sit at the wedding feast of the king, keeping the commandments of the king are still necessary. Commandment keeping and grace go hand in hand. The man was in the room where the feast was taking place, but he refused to abide by the commandments of the king – even something as trivial as the right type of garment.

Many people seek to attend the wedding feast on their own terms. They refuse to accept the requirements of the Lord. Many believe they will be saved through their good deeds by being good people. Some think the only thing they have to do is accept Jesus as their personal Savior, and that God will accept them. A man will come to the feast without repentance or remorse over sin. Whatever the reason, the world is filled with reasons and excuses to attend the wedding feast of the king in whatever they want to wear. They believe they have a right to wear what they want. That is only true until they are cast out into the outer darkness, where there is the weeping and gnashing of teeth. Does it matter if one keeps the commandments of the Lord? Ask the man who was removed from the wedding feast. Jesus said, “Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?”

Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another. “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil. (Ephesians 4:25-27)

When Anger Becomes Sin

It has been rightly said that the emptier the pot, the quicker it boils, so watch your temper. Anger is an emotion that can bring about great harm when left unchecked. When the tongue works faster than the mind, boiling over into a tirade of emotional outbursts, the results can be devastating for everyone. Cain killed his brother Abel because he became angry. Because of Moses’ anger toward the people of Israel, he was not allowed to enter the Promised Land. Saul hated David because he got angry when the people loved David more than him. When the wise men deceived Herod about where to find the Christ, he was exceedingly angry and sent his soldiers into Bethlehem, killing all the males two years old and under. Anger comes with a high cost.

It is possible to be angry without sinning, but it takes the power of the Lord to calm the spirit. Having a temper is not an excuse; it is folly. Anger comes when the heart is empty of the word of God. Faith comes from hearing the word of God and spending time in the word, and through prayer, anger can be controlled. Fire is good for many things, but left unchecked, it can destroy everything in its path. Following the path of anger is a fool’s errand that stirs up strife and brings about sin. In our modern world, road rage is a common problem that sometimes ends in death. People have been killed by angry drivers enraged against others. Uncontrolled anger leads to chaos.

The disciple of Christ experiences anger. What the Lord teaches is to tame the emotion of anger to be like the Father, who is slow to anger. Paul reminded the saints at Ephesus to be angry, not to sin, and not to allow the sun to go down until they dealt with it. Having a quick temper leads to outbursts of anger, and the Lord said that anger rests in the bosom of fools. Coping with anger takes calming the spirit, finding ways to meditate within the heart to calm the emotions, and, many times, simply walking away to talk to the Lord.

Jesus got angry, but He never allowed His emotions to control Him. To be like Jesus is to learn to control anger because it can be done. Angry people cannot find happiness and peace. A clenched fist cannot be productive. Sam Ewing correctly observed that anger is just one letter short of danger. Although Alexander the Great conquered the known world, he couldn’t conquer his own temper. On one occasion, Cletus, a childhood friend and a general in Alexander’s army, became drunk and insulted the leader in front of his men. Alexander became enraged and hurled a spear at Cletus, intending merely to scare him. Instead, the spear killed Alexander’s lifelong friend. Remorse engulfed Alexander as he assessed the destruction of his uncontrollable anger. If anger is not controlled, it will control its victim.

A child of God exercising self-control to temper his anger will speak with grace, seasoned with language that is wholesome and palatable. The admonition is to speak truth to one another. Everyone is known by their speech, and Christians, above all others, should be examples of gracious speaking without the dangers of anger. The Lord does not accept uncontrolled outbursts of anger, wrath, and malice. This is not keeping with the spirit of Jesus Christ. Jesus taught His disciples that what comes from the mouth begins in the heart. Anger is calmed when the word of God and prayer soften the heart. Be angry – but don’t sin. A person who cannot control his anger is doing exactly what the devil wants him to do.

But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the Christ. Now after many days were past, the Jews plotted to kill him. But their plot became known to Saul. And they watched the gates day and night, to kill him. (Acts 9:22-24)

A Marked Man

Saul of Tarsus was a rising star in the Jewish community. He was a Roman citizen by birth, from the tribe of Benjamin, and a Pharisee. Saul was probably from a wealthy family that sent their son to study under the instruction of Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in respect by all the people. He was taught according to the strictness of the law and was zealous toward God with a fervent desire and passion. When Stephen argued before the Sanhedrin, Saul was present. As Stephen was dragged out of the city and stoned, Saul was there, witnessing and condoning the act of killing a disciple of Jesus. He could not imagine how his life would change in a few short years.

The persecution following Stephen’s death was intense. Led by the zealous Saul, the Jews came at the disciples of Christ with full fury, breathing out threats and murders. Saul was zealous to destroy those who followed the blasphemous teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. He made it his personal mission to arrest, convict, and cast votes of death against both men and women. He heard there were disciples of Christ in Damascus and was given authority to travel 150 miles north to bring them back in chains. That would be his final trip as the persecutor of the church. Saul of Tarsus became a Christian —a follower of Jesus Christ —and a vessel of the Lord, carrying His name to the whole world.

The first few days after Ananias baptized Saul for the remission of his sins were spent with the disciples he had come to Damascus to arrest. It was an amazing time for Saul as he lived in the house of Judas and greeted and mingled with the disciples. Immediately, Saul began preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ in the synagogues of the Jews. This shocked the Jews who had welcomed the news that Saul was coming to Damascus to arrest Christians; yet here he stood preaching their doctrine. Everyone was amazed at the change that took place in Saul as he increased all the more in strength, confounding his fellow Jews concerning Jesus of Nazareth. His forceful preaching began to infuriate the Jews of Damascus. After enduring many days of Saul’s preaching, the Jews plotted to kill him. They watched the gates of the city, waiting for Saul to try to escape. By the grace of God, the disciple took him by night and let him down through the wall in a large basket.

The man who came to Damascus with full authority of the High Priest in Jerusalem, armed with chains, wagons, and ropes, was now fleeing the city like a bug. How different for Saul as he bounced along the wall of the city to be whisked away by disciples. He traveled the 150 miles back to Jerusalem, entering the city in a very different way than he had planned many days before. When Saul gathered with the Jerusalem saints, the brethren were scared of him, thinking it was a ploy to root out the followers of Christ. Barnabas brought Saul to the apostles to confirm that Saul was now a child of God and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.

Saul was a marked man by the disciples as the ruthless persecutor of the church. The saints in Damascus were fearful of the news that Saul was coming to arrest them. Some may have fled, but many stayed. Judas and his family remained, as did Ananias. Saul was marked as the enemy of the church. His zeal to persecute the church brought much harm to the people. Everyone in the church knew the power of Saul and his mission to eradicate the followers of Christ. They were afraid of him. After Saul became a Christian, he became a marked man by the Jews who wanted to kill him. Although the Christian’s marked Saul as a persecutor, they did not seek to kill him. When the Jews of Damascus learned of Saul’s conversion and his power to preach Jesus Christ, they had no choice but to kill their former leader. God intervened and Saul escaped. The Jews would continue to plague Saul, who later was called Paul. Eventually, Paul would die at the hands of the Romans through the persistence of the Jews. His death patterned the death of Jesus, who was brought before Pilate by the Jews and killed.

A disciple of Jesus is a marked man or woman. The mark of a lost soul is how the Christians look upon the individual, and their only prayer is to save the person. They have no desire to harm the person or to hate them, but to share the grace of God with them. After a person becomes a Christian, they become a marked man or woman because the world hates them. Jesus warned His disciples that if the world hated Him, it would hate His followers. A Christian cannot live like the world, which marks him as being different. It is impossible to live a godly life and not suffer persecution because the blood of Jesus Christ marks a Christian. Saul rejoiced that he was able to suffer for the cause of his Savior. Our hope should be the joy of being marked with the gospel of Christ as His followers and disciples. Wear your mark with joy, brethren.

For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? (Matthew 16:26)

Choosing A Godly Mate

The text of Matthew 16:26 seems an unusual place to discuss the role of faith in seeking a godly mate. It has everything to do with choosing a person to marry. There are many reasons people marry. In many cultures, marriages often result from two people falling in love after a courtship. Some cultures arrange marriages for their children. Whatever the reason for the marriage, the result is a home created with a husband and wife. The challenge of many marriages is staying together. Divorce has always been a common answer to problems that arise in marriage. God hates divorce. God created Adam and Eve as a pattern of fidelity and commitment in marriage.

God has always had laws concerning the marriage relationship. Choosing a mate is a life-long commitment the Lord expects and demands to be kept by both parties who covenanted with the Lord that they remain faithful to one another. Seeking greater faith must be the foundation of choosing a mate. The only other decision a person will make in life of greater importance is to obey the gospel of Jesus Christ, and this decision must drive the commitment to choosing a godly mate. Selecting someone to spend the rest of one’s life with has eternal consequences for both parties. That decision cannot be taken lightly. To do so will bring great heartache and misery.

Seeking greater faith in choosing a mate is knowing that choosing a mate matters. As the marriage blends together, becoming one, the child of God will face challenges in allowing the influence of the other mate to shape how they serve the Lord. A husband may not encourage his wife to assemble with the saints. The wife’s worldly influence can detract from the husband’s desire to serve the Lord. Two lives going in opposite directions spiritually will always be a challenge. Of greater importance is a mate living with the knowledge that their loved one is not in a saved condition before God.

Choosing a mate must be based on faith. That faith determines the marriage will be a union of two souls glorifying the Lord. All marriages face trials because they are made up of two imperfect individuals. When the husband and wife face the trials of life united under the banner of Christ, there is greater hope to overcome. It isn’t easy when one spouse is not a Christian. Life can be a series of heartaches when there is no commonality of spiritual values. This especially becomes difficult if children enter the home. The influence of a non-Christian father can have a negative impact on the children, as well as a non-believing wife. There is no unity in training the children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

Jesus asked the question: What value is there in a man gaining all the happiness in this world if that happiness is lost in the next? This does not suggest it is a sin to marry a non-Christian, but the reality that a spouse is not going to Heaven can be a heavy burden to bear. Choosing a godly mate will not engender the crushing blow of a loved one lost to perdition. That must matter. It must be at the forefront of deciding whom to marry, whether that person will help one get to Heaven or hinder them. There are many reasons to fall in love and get married, but the greatest blessing of marriage is when two hearts are united in Christ first. Seeking greater faith is about finding a godly mate who will lead the family to eternal life.