The Heaton File

Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.” (Revelation 14:12-13)

Leaving A Legacy

Great men seek to leave great legacies. From the ancient Pharoah of Egypt who built colossal works preserved for thousands of years, to philanthropists of the modern age who leave millions of dollars to develop and maintain museums, theatres, charities, and parks, the obsessive need to leave a lasting legacy is found in the futile attempts for human immortality. The Pharaohs built pyramids, ancient kings constructed vast cities, despots created statutes and temples to honor their accomplishments, and museums filled with the antiquities of legacy-seeking men wanting to leave a part of their lives for generations. Sadly, in time, few people know the names of those who sought to establish a dynasty of remembrance for what they accomplished in life. Museums and temples crumble and fall, names are forgotten, and one man’s efforts to be remembered are lost in the dust pile of history.

What is a legacy? The heritage of a man’s life is limited to a small frame of time that is quickly forgotten. He can leave millions of dollars to preserve his memory, but he is soon forgotten. The futility of the human pursuit of immortal glory is the inability of humanity to maintain the story. Time washes away the name, the influence, the contribution, and the legacy. Everything a man works for is lost. J. Paul Getty left $661 million to a museum that bears his name that one day no one will know who he is, and the buildings housing his artwork will be destroyed. That is the fate of all things men build, and there is no lasting legacy. The Vanderbilt legacy of the Biltmore House will be gone one day, as will the legacy of Andrew Carnegie and Carnegie Hall. All of these philanthropic contributions have value but only for a short time. Legacies are short-lived.

John writes in the Revelation of a legacy that never dies. The early saints suffered under the oppressive hand of persecution. It seemed hopeless for the people of God, but there was a brighter day for those who remained faithful. Death did not diminish the power of the gospel but only enhanced it. Many of the early Christians died at the hand of persecution. Their faith and devotion to the Lord became a legacy that lived on in the lives of the church. Like the great chapter of faith in Hebrews, names became testimonies of faithfulness, devotion, holiness, and love for succeeding generations that still resonate today. Noah died thousands of years ago, but his story is on the lips of children who marvel at the story. Abraham has been buried for eons of time, and his story gives hope to troubled lives. The early Christians faced a harsh world, and yet the voice of Stephen still echoes in the halls of faith, and Paul’s courage to face death with a godly resolve is a lasting legacy.

All men must die. Many chose to fill their lives with building a legacy of human accomplishments, which is vanity. The greatest treasure a man can leave is the image of Jesus Christ. A father and mother who teach their children about God to serve the Lord all the days of their lives leave the greatest legacy a man can possess. There is a heavenly host of godly saints who, in death, left a lasting mark upon the hearts of God’s people through their legacy of faith. Many names are lifted up in honor that few people will know, but for the chosen few that were guided to Christ by that man or taught the Bible by that woman, a divine legacy of truth will never leave their hearts. Life insurance will only leave a monetary blessing that will be wasted and forgotten. The greatest gift given in death is the legacy of Jesus Christ. Their works will follow them. For many generations.

And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen. (Mark 16:15-20)

Miracles Were To Confirm The Word, Not Entertain

The age of so-called “Faith Healers” is not a new phenomenon. Deceiving the people with the allurement of the impossibility has always enticed the simple-minded to believe. There have been multitudes of men and women made famous for their trickeries and delusional antics of healing people through the work of the Holy Spirit. Charismatic churches thrive on the allure of speaking in tongues, casting out demons, and removing disease. The lame walk, the blind sees, and the troubled spirits are cast out; or so it seems. Events called “healing services” draw people in. Miracles are said to be done. Churches fill to capacity. The professional miracle wranglers become wealthy at the expense of the common man.

Jesus commissioned the eleven after His resurrection to go into all the world and preach the gospel. The apostles would become the tip of the spear in the work of evangelizing and establishing the church and kingdom of Jesus Christ. Twelve men would begin the global enterprise in the city of Jerusalem when the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they were endued with power from on high. This was not the first time they had experienced the power of the Holy Spirit. During the ministry of Jesus, the Holy Spirit worked through the apostles to heal the sick, raise the dead, and cast out demons. As Jesus returns to the Father, He sends the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, to guide the apostles into all truth. Luke records the story of the acts of the apostles as they take the gospel to the world using miracles as confirmation the word.

Before Jesus returned to the Father, He told the eleven to tarry in the city of Jerusalem, where they would be endowed with power from on high. The eleven tarried in Jerusalem as instructed by the Lord; when on the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came upon the eleven and the newest apostle, Matthias. They began to speak in languages preaching the gospel to a multitude of devout Jews from every nation under heaven. The church had begun. Miracles were done. People believed. Souls were saved. Miracles were not the focus though. There were many miracles done by the hands of the apostles and those granted the power, but the emphasis of the early church was preaching the word. As the years progressed, fewer miracles were done because the gospel was becoming embedded into the world – until one day, the power of the Holy Spirit was removed from the hands of men. Miracles ceased. They no longer had a purpose.

The life of the apostle Paul best explains the purpose of miracles. He was a chosen vessel of the Lord to take the message of salvation to the Gentile world. Paul preached everywhere. He was relentless in his pursuit of lost souls. There were occasions when he would confirm his teaching with a miracle. But there were many instances where Paul could have used the power and did not. In the letter to the church at Philippi, Paul mentions Epaphroditus, who was sick almost unto death. God had mercy on Epaphroditus, and he recovered. Why did Paul not use his power to heal his dear brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier? Timothy had stomach problems, and Paul did not heal him. He advised his young protégé to seek medicinal relief. Paul suffered from illness. He tells Timothy he left Trophimus in Miletus sick. All these close friends and fellow workers of Paul and he would not heal them. Why? Miracles were limited to proving the word, not for the entertainment and benefit of others. There is no purpose to miracles today because God has delivered His will through one of the great miracles of divine grace: the Bible. Miracles do not save – the gospel of Jesus Christ does.

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Nothing To Brag About

There is a little rooster in all men. The temptation to overvalue self-worth is a constant battle of the heart. Men look at themselves as self-sufficient and self-reliant upon their own merits without regard to others. Society touts the character of independence. There is a badge of honor to achieve success and to claim glory for achievements. Awards and commendations are given for great men accomplishing great things, which measures the wisdom of the human gene as superior. Pride creeps into man’s relationship with God, convincing a man’s heart that he is independent without the need of God. If there is anything to be accomplished and any glory to be achieved, man does so by his own power.

Salvation is a subject that few men understand, and fewer still see the need for. The persuasive power of a prideful heart is to believe that all is well on the Titanic. Since the fall in the garden, the human factor has been measured by disaster, decay, and despair. Everything tried by men failed. Human wisdom could not solve the human problem. The laws of men are empty vats of failed philosophies that never solve the issues of the world. Every generation seeks answers, and they come up empty. Jesus Christ came into a world of darkness and became the light of the world. He allowed humanity for the first time to see hope and believe in the impossible. Through His teaching, the wisdom of man was shown as folly. When Jesus died on the cross, human philosophy railed against the futility of a man dying on a tree. The cross became foolishness to the wisdom of the world. And then Sunday came, and the world was never the same.

On the first day of the week, God raised up His Son, Jesus Christ, and gave all men the one thing they desperately needed and desired: hope. Jesus overcame death and ushered in the path of righteousness to the throne of God. He lived a sinless, perfect life and was murdered by His own brethren. The chains of Hades could not hold Him, and God raised Him up to be King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, willing hearts could some to the cleansing blood of Jesus and have their sins washed away. Jew and Gentile alike could find salvation in the death of a man from Nazareth. The portals of heaven burst open by the power of God. And man had nothing to do with it.

Salvation by grace is the perfect gift of God. It is only because of a loving Father that anyone has any hope. There has never been a redeeming quality of man to suggest he could save himself. After the fall of man and the world began to fill with humanity, man left to himself destroyed himself. Only eight souls were saved when God brought judgment upon the whole earth. The grace of God saved Noah and his family. Noah would have perished with the world without the knowledge of the coming flood and what to do to be saved. God’s grace opened up a way of salvation, and eight souls obeyed.

No man could have created Jesus Christ. It is beyond man’s wisdom to create a character larger than himself. The Son of God is so far beyond the philosophies of men that there are no comparisons. Where in all the wisdom of humanity could a dying Savior find a place? There is none. God’s grace abounded toward men as His gift of love for His creation. What God did takes away anything man could brag about. What has any man done that deserves boasting? Nothing! The only way to salvation is grace, and without obedience, there is no hope. Faith without works is dead. When men stand before God in judgment, they will not be beating their breasts in boasting. They will be on their knees, thankful for the grace of God.

Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” (Matthew 9:35-38)

Sheep In Need Of A Shepherd

It was not uncommon for multitudes to follow Jesus. On one occasion, there were five thousand men, not counting the women and children. The work of Jesus was exhausting. He traveled from the towns and villages dotting the landscape, teaching and preaching to the people. He would enter the local synagogues and teach the people. Not only did Jesus talk for endless hours, sharing the good news about the kingdom, but He also healed every kind of disease the people brought to Him. A man would come to the Lord imploring healing from a lifelong disease. He was healed immediately. Women would come with ailments, and they were cured. Mothers and fathers brought the children to be healed by the man from Nazareth, and the children returned home whole. Lepers were cleansed. The blind received sight. Jesus healed them all.

The work of Jesus was exhaustive. Thousands flocked to Jesus to hear his teaching and receive the wonder-working power of God’s healing. As the crowds came to Jesus, He looked at the multitudes filled with despair and hopelessness. They seemed confused and helpless. Jesus would spend hours teaching about the kingdom and healing all diseases, and the people kept coming. In a reflective moment of the work He was doing, Jesus realized the enormity of human suffering and the need for humanity to find hope. Jesus saw the multitudes as a flock of sheep that had no shepherd.

Sheep are defenseless creatures that cannot protect themselves and cannot provide for their needs. People are like that. No matter the advancement of human wisdom, the multitudes Jesus saw were the same as all creation. Sin took away the joy of life. Without guidance, the world implodes into chaos. The world of Noah had turned so far away from God because they sought to find answers within themselves. Jesus looked at the multitudes coming to Him filled with anxiety, despair, hopelessness, and disease. The Roman government offered no solutions. In the remnant of Israel, there were no answers. The wisdom of Plato and Socrates was empty. What could the world turn to for hope and answer? It was the man teaching in the cities and villages of Palestine who healed everyone of all sickness.

Jesus did not come to cure poverty or take away disease. The sympathy Jesus had for the multitudes is how lost they seemed to be – seeking answers in all the wrong places. God sent His Son into the world to bring light, dispel darkness, and deliver the way, the truth, and life. No man before Jesus and no man after Jesus would bring hope. There was much work to be done to convince helpless man his hope rests in the Son of God. Jesus prayed for helpers to labor in the vineyard of truth to show the multitudes the grace of God. There is no way but the way of the Lord for men to find peace. Only in the truth of Jesus Christ can answers be found. The world is in need of God. God is in need of those who will see the world for what it is and take the gospel of the kingdom to hungry men. The harvest truly is plentiful. Sadly, the laborers are few. The first prayer should be to find men and women willing to take up the banner and share the gospel with their neighbors. Take a look at your neighbors – they – like you – are sheep in need of the Shepherd.

And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord. (Acts 22:16)

Why Are You Waiting?

Saul of Tarsus had come to Damascus to arrest and imprison all those who were followers of Jesus Christ. He had brought serious persecution against the infant church following the stoning of Stephen. Saul was filled with rage against those who preached against Moses, claiming Jesus of Nazareth was the Son of God. He determined to do everything within his power to destroy those who were of the Way. Because of his persecution, the disciples were scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria. As Saul approached Damascus, he was struck with a brilliant light and fell to the ground. A voice cried out to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” Inquiring who the voice was, Jesus declared Himself to the persecutor, telling him to go into the city and he would be told what to do.

Blinded by the light, Saul had to be led into the city by the hand of those who traveled with him. Three days later, Saul was blind and did not eat or drink. A devout man named Ananias came to Saul, explaining the purpose of God’s plan for his life. Saul would become a witness to all men of the testimony of Jesus Christ. Then Ananias implored Saul to become a Christian. Saul was a devout Jew, but he had not obeyed the gospel of Christ. He believed in the voice he had heard three days earlier and accepted the instructions of Ananias, but he was not saved. His sins remained, and he needed God’s grace.

The message of Ananias to Saul was immediate and demonstrative. Ananias asked Saul why he was waiting. What purpose would any delay have to the will of God? Obedience is not something that can be delayed. The urgency of conviction grasped the heart of Saul. He faced the realization he was lost in his sin and needed the mercy of God. Ananias told Saul to be baptized to wash away his sins, calling on the name of the Lord. Remission of sins does not come by faith alone. Believing in Jesus alone does not wash away sin. The pattern of salvation as given to Saul was obedience was immediate and that only through the waters of baptism can sin be washed by the blood of Jesus. There is no reason to wait for another revelation. God delivered once the faith that would save men. Delaying for another purpose of the Lord to be revealed is futile.

There are many religious hearts today who are delaying salvation. They believe they are Christians when they have never had their sins washed away. The common doctrine in the religious world is salvation comes by faith only. It is best described by the idea of accepting Christ as a personal Savior, and salvation will be given. This is not what Ananias told Saul. There is never a record of anyone being saved by faith alone. Ananias was responsible for telling Saul what he needed to do for salvation. His message was not to wait and to be baptized. When Saul rendered himself to the will of God in baptism, the Lord would take away his sins. Calling on the name of the Lord was the declaration of allegiance to the will of God.

Do not wait to be told what you must do to be saved. Reject the teachings of human wisdom that deny the essentiality of baptism. Salvation in any other manner will not wash your sins away. Ananias told Saul precisely what he needed to hear, and Saul did not hesitate to do what God told him to do. He arose and was baptized. His sins were washed away. He called on the name of the Lord. God granted His grace and mercy to Saul, and the former persecutor became the great apostle to the Gentiles. There is little doubt as Paul told the multitudes not to tarry and wash away their sins, he remembered that moment in the house of Judas when Ananias told him the same thing. Why are you waiting? What reason do you have to deny the will of God? Arise. Be baptized. Wash away your sins in the blood of Jesus. Call on the name of the Lord.

When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him? (Psalm 8:3-4)

The Moon And The Fireworks

Every Fourth of July, the sky in America lights up with brilliant displays of fireworks screaming across the night sky. It is breathtaking to behold the beauty of an ancient Chinese invention that generations have thrilled to watch in great anticipation. There will be a lot of noise, lights, smoke, and often an abundance of confetti with each explosion. Dogs will howl, children scream, and couples embrace under the warm sky of color, bursting on a dark canvas. The sadness of a fireworks display is the length of its pyrotechnic demonstration, which is limited to only a few seconds or minutes. In 2014, New Year was announced in Norway with a fireworks display lasting one hour, one minute, and 32.35 seconds. A total of 810,904 individual fireworks were used for the record-breaking event.

When peering into the night sky, watching the splendor of colors exploding across the darkened sky, one solitary element continues to keep watch. Couched in a fog of cloud is the soft glowing circle of the moon. Its muted color of radiant glow from the sun creates an eerie world of shadows and mystery. The fireworks scream across the heavens and explode, leaving a path of smoke and dust. All of the energy of the firework is immediately dissipated, and it falls back to earth. Crowds are thrilled for the temporary pleasure of a moment’s glimpse, but it does not last. When the smoke clears, the resilient moon continues to watch over the night as it has done since the beginning of time.

The image of the moon becomes more incredible when the mind realizes what the eyes behold is the same orbiting celestial rock that Adam and Eve first beheld on the sixth night of creation. On the fourth day, God created the sun, moon, and stars and set them in the heavens. The moon would be the lesser light and would rule the night. It has steadfastly guided the history of humanity through every generation remaining resilient and trustworthy every night. Abraham used the moon to guide his journeys. David spent many nights peering into the depths of the heavens created by the hand of God. Jesus ventured out of his home in Nazareth, looking up into the starlit sky guarded by the moon. The moon will remain in its place until the end of time, as the promise given to Noah that while the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, and day and night, shall not cease. And the moon still hangs in the night sky as it has for thousands of years.

Fireworks are the invention of man, and they are, in their own right, an amazing creation of the human genius. But like everything created by man, it never lasts. There is a momentary enjoyment. The sound and visage of colors exploding in the night are exhilarating. And then comes the quick demise and silence. In the morning, the show will be over, and the confetti remnants of the night’s pleasure are strewn across acres of the landscape. The sun rules the day and the moon rules the night, remaining vigilant and constant every day and every night. They never fail, and they never diminish. God created them, placed them in the heavens four days into creation, and they have never changed.

The contrast between fireworks and the heavenly beings is a testimony to the failure of human wisdom and the greatness of God’s word. Fireworks are a work of beauty. The moon is a work of eternal glory. Everything the human mind imagines pales in comparison to the incredible works of creation ordained by the divine Creator in six days of creation. Everything remains in its constant place because God determined the habitation of all life. Man is the highest of God’s creative work and struggles with seeing God in creation. The tragedy of the fireworks display is the glory fades so quickly. So the wisdom, desires, and pleasure of life – only for a moment. When the fireworks settle down, spend some time with your family with the moon. You will be amazed at what you learn from that very ancient sphere that hands so beautifully in the sky. Thank you God for the moon. It is constant and true – like You.

Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul! While I live I will praise the Lord; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being. Do not put your trust in princes, nor in a son of man, in whom there is no help. His spirit departs, he returns to his earth; in that very day his plans perish. Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them; who keeps truth forever, who executes justice for the oppressed, who gives food to the hungry. The Lord gives freedom to the prisoners. The Lord opens the eyes of the blind; the Lord raises those who are bowed down; the Lord loves the righteous. The Lord watches over the strangers; He relieves the fatherless and widow; but the way of the wicked He turns upside down. The Lord shall reign forever—Your God, O Zion, to all generations. Praise the Lord! (Psalm 146)

Freedom Is Of God

The desire for freedom has always been the pursuit of men. Nations subject their citizens to the despot’s whims and oppression that God never intended for the world. The Lord created all men with the innate desire to have freedom. The blessing of self-choice is what enslaves men to the bondage of sin. Freedom is not just the idea of being free, but true freedom sets the heart free from the bondage of oppression. A dictator may tell his people they are free when they submit to his rule, but when that freedom is based on carnal pride and arrogance of those in power, freedom becomes suppression. There is nothing free about the evil of men forcing their wills on unwilling people.

True freedom is when the individual’s potential is exercised for his good. There is no greater freedom than what is found in the grace of God. The Lord gives freedom to all oppressed by sin’s bondage. Praise must be given to the Lord because His freedom gives all men the full release of what oppresses them. Putting trust in the wisdom of men is foolish. Every generation believes they have the better answer. History is filled with the ruins of man’s failures as he seeks to be his own God seeking his own way. Humanity is incapable of having sufficient wisdom to make the right decisions. Every loss of the human spirit has come when trust is put in men.

Trusting in God bridges time, culture, and wisdom throughout the ages. God made the heavens and earth and, through His great power, ordained such wisdom to guide the thoughts of men. Truth can only come from God. Justice is established by divine wisdom. The blessings of life are best served from the table of God’s abundance. Freedom is found in the word of God. Men seek to be free and can only find true freedom when they submit to the will of God. When men accept the will of God, their eyes are opened, and the Lord raises those who are bowed down. God’s love is shown to the righteous. He watches over the strangers and relieves the fatherless and the widow. Real freedom comes from the gracious hand of the Lord. Not all men accept the freedom offered by God. The way of the wicked He turns upside down. Sadly, they reject the freedom given through the blood of God’s Son.

Celebrating freedom is realizing the joy of serving the one true and living God. There is a need to praise the Lord because of His eternal blessings. Life is filled with daily praise of God’s grace and mercies. What does the psalmist proclaim? “I will praise the Lord as long as I live. I will sing praises to my God with my dying breath.” Freedom came through the death of Jesus Christ and the power of His resurrection. Hope can only be found in the one who made heaven and earth. Thank God for freedom. Its only color is red!

Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. So the men marveled, saying, “Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?” (Matthew 8:23-27)

Trusting God With The Big Things

Following His sermon on the mountain, great multitudes follow Jesus. A leper approaches Jesus pleading with Him to heal him. The leper shows remarkable faith in Jesus, suggesting that the Lord could take away his leprosy if He were willing. Jesus reaches out touching the man, and his leprosy is gone. When Jesus comes into Capernaum, a Roman military officer seeks the blessing of Jesus to heal a servant of his. The Lord marvels at the faith of the centurion and his compassion for the servant. Jesus tells the centurion that He will go and heal the servant, but the centurion believes Jesus can heal him without being there. The servant is healed that very hour.

Arriving at the home of Peter, Jesus sees his wife’s mother lying sick with a fever. Jesus heals her. That evening, many who were demon-possessed came to Jesus to be healed. Jesus healed all manner of sickness as the people sought the grace of His healing power. Everyone who came to Jesus was healed. No one left who desired to be healed without the healing power of God. The disciples of Jesus witnessed the power of healing as few men could experience. Traveling with the Lord was filled with multitudes surrounding Jesus, and all the sick were cured of their ailments. The stories of healing should have impressed themselves on the disciples’ minds.

After healing the multitudes, Jesus and the disciples got into a boat on the Sea of Galilee. Four of the disciples were experienced seamen. Suddenly a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat. Jesus was asleep in the boat when the storm came. Frantically, the disciples secured the boat as best they could in the face of the storm but to no avail. All of their efforts seemed to be pointless, and their concerns were they were going to drown. Fearful of their lives, they woke Jesus pleading for help. Jesus stood up and rebuked the wind and sea, and suddenly the storm ended, and everything was calm. The disciples were amazed at the power of Jesus.

From an outside perspective of the fearful disciples in the boat with Jesus, it would seem confusing that earlier, they had seen incredible miracles performed by Jesus, and when the storm threatened their boat, they thought they would die. Jesus sleeping during the storm should have been the first sign there was nothing to worry about. The disciples saw Jesus heal a leper. Leprosy was a death sentence with no cure. Jesus touched the leper, and he was cleansed. That was a visible miracle telling all who saw it the great power of Jesus. When the multitudes brought demon-possessed people to Jesus, and He healed them all, the disciples should have realized the power of Jesus reached into the demon world. All of the diseases that people had were healed. None walked away without the grace of God taking away their infirmities and sicknesses. Jesus healed everyone, and the disciples witnessed his power.

Peter, Andrew, James, and John were seasoned fishermen who knew the dangers of the open sea. They had probably experienced the quick storms familiar to the Sea of Galilee. The storm that beset them seemed especially harsh, and they all thought they would drown. Jesus was not disturbed by the storm and was asleep; which should have been a strong message there was nothing to fear. Faith struggled in the hearts of the disciples of Jesus; they trusted Him in the small details but could not trust Him in the larger issues. If they had learned the lessons of healing a leper, demon-possessed, and all the sick, they would never have feared in the storm. Did they take for granted the power of Jesus and become jaded to its power to transform their lives? The storm became personal to the twelve, and they got scared. It was then that they cried out to the Lord. They should have tied things down and hung on because being with Jesus meant there was nothing to fear.

It is easy to point the finger at the twelve for being afraid in the boat, but so often, the child of God will trust God for the small things but struggle in faith when the big storms come. Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and He will be the same tomorrow. Yesterday may be filled with great little victories here and there. Today may bring a storm that seems to overwhelm, overcome our spirits and cause doubt to fill the heart. If Jesus can heal a leper one day, He can calm a storm the next day. The small victories teach us that God is faithful, so when the big storms come, we have the assurance that God is still the God of victory. Tie everything down, hang on, and know that while the storm rages, God is in control. He will never leave nor forsake His children. Whatever life brings, Jesus is there, trusting His Father. Follow the lead of Jesus – remain calm. God has got this. And He really does.

Abstain from every form of evil. (1 Thessalonians 5:22)

Keep Your Distance

There is a lot of evil in the world, and it has been around a long time. Whenever evil is discussed, it is a cornucopia of things like murder, rape, stealing, torture, adultery, homosexuality, pedophilia, incest, anger, drunkenness, envy, sorcery, jealousy, and the list goes on. Evil is also relegated to the ungodly underworld of criminals and misfits who engage in the heinous crimes of passion and lust. Good people do not consider themselves evil folk. If they can live without any of the identifying marks of evil (see list above), then they feel pretty good about themselves; they have accomplished a level of righteousness and godliness. Sin is often defined by the characteristics of the preconceived major lists of evil things. The heart can believe that without the accusations of evil, goodness will merit acceptance before God.

Paul presents a puzzling challenge to the idea that evil resides only in the major act. After exhorting the saints at Thessalonica to warn the unruly, seek peace with all men, rejoice and pray often and give thanks for all things, he tells the Christians to keep away from evil. A careful reading of the text will show Paul did not warn the saints to keep away from evil but to distance themselves from every form of evil. There is an eternal difference between believing that evil alone will condemn and the reality that forms of evil will also bring judgment. Paul tells the Christians to stay away from anything that looks like, walks, and talks like evil. Every kind of evil needs to be abstained from with the greatest prejudice. He wants the people of God to remember that evil has an allurement that can draw a man to sin if he does not run away and stay away from evil.

In the Old Testament story of Joseph, the young son of Jacob was faced with a terrible situation. He had been sold as a slave to a man in charge of the king’s guards. Potiphar’s wife began to lust after Joseph and attempted to lure him with sexual immorality. Joseph refused, but she continued to put pressure on him daily. One day, she grabbed Joseph, demanding satisfaction, but Joseph ran away. He stood accused of attempted rape, and Potiphar placed him in the king’s dungeon. Joseph could not change the circumstance of being a slave, but he knew the only way to deal with the evil of Potiphar’s wife was to run away. He immediately removed himself from the seductions of Potiphar’s wife. Falsely accused, Joseph did not lose his faith in God but reaffirmed the lesson of dealing with sin in any form and how to react to sin.

The trouble with temptation is that often the greatest allurement is not the act itself but how near the heart gets to the fire. Sin is viewed from the vantage point that being warmed by its coals does not account for sin. The command of God is for His people to stay clear of sin, remove themselves from the presence of evil, and not put themselves in a compromising circumstance that can (and often does) lead to more sin. When a man plays with snakes, it should not come as a surprise if he gets bit. The likelihood is greatly reduced (magnified) that not handling snakes will guarantee the person will not be bitten by a snake. Christians mistakenly believe they can hold sin, and when sin bites, they are shocked and dismayed. Examining why a person falls into sin can be traced to the heart going places and being places they should not have been in the first place.

Adultery begins in the heart. Compromising situations and circumstances develop innocent enough, but then evil abounds because the man void of understanding walks along the street near the temptation. He has gone to the wrong place at the wrong time with good intentions that turn sinful because he did not distance himself from an obvious conclusion. Like a bird seeking a morsel, he is caught in the trap and dies. Drunkenness always begins with the first drink. Believing the first drink cannot lead to sin is folly. If the heart abstains from the evil of drunkenness, the first drink will never happen.

It is possible to live a sinless life if we keep a distance from sin and draw near to God. The reality is the carnal spirit fails so often to measure itself away from the temptation, and the heart is drawn away. Jesus lived a sinless life because He always kept His distance from sin. Every time a man sins, he does so because he is in the wrong place. A man will sin less in life when he can identify the alleys and byways of sin and refuse to travel those roads. Through the grace of God and the knowledge of His word, evil can be more readily identified. It is possible to walk through the woods and get bitten by a snake. Staying far removed from snakes will increase the odds. Sin will catch the heart unaware but exercising discretion and wisdom to refrain from evil will give a greater purpose in life to live godly. Abstain from sin and also abstain from every form of sin.

Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, “What shall we do? For this Man works many signs. If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation.” (John 11:47-48)

Denying The Miracles

No one denied the miracles of Jesus. The remarkable thing about how the enemies of Jesus viewed the signs He did was they could never and never did suggest a miracle did not happen. When Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead four days after he died, no one said the miracle of resurrection did not occur. Many of the Jewish leaders plotted to kill Jesus and Lazarus. What is ironic about their plan to kill Lazarus was the acceptance that Lazarus was alive and he needed to die – again. Jesus healed a woman with an infirmity that crippled her for eighteen years, and all the ruler of the synagogue could say was that Jesus should not heal on the Sabbath. On another occasion in a synagogue, Jesus healed a man with a crippled hand. The scribes and Pharisees were enraged at Jesus and discussed what they might do to Jesus.

Raising Lazarus from the dead was a powerful demonstration of Jesus over death itself. When Jesus told the men to remove the stone from Lazarus’ tomb, Martha feared the stench of death would be unbearable. The Jewish custom was to bury a loved one on the day they died and visit the tomb for three days. On the fourth day, the body began to show external signs of decay, and the stench of death increased. The tomb would be sealed before that decaying process began and became noticeable. Martha was horrified at what her brother would be like coming out of the tomb after four days. Her fears confirmed how dead Lazarus was. Many Jews who had come to Mary and comforted her and Martha in the death of Lazarus believed in Jesus. But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what had happened.

The reaction of the chief priests and the Pharisees was not excitement over the resurrection of Lazarus. They did not seek Jesus out to know what power He manifested to overcome death after four days. There was no appeal to honor God with the miracle of rebirth. The only thing the religious leaders feared was that the popularity of Jesus would overshadow their hold on the people and lose their influence; the Romans would remove them from the limited power they enjoyed. What was historically ironic about their pride was the refusal to believe they were in bondage to the Romans. The last time Israel was a united nation was when Solomon began to rule in 970 B.C. In 722 B. C., the Assyrians captured Samaria and carried off most of Israel. When the Babylonians came in 606 B. C., the long bondage of Israel began and would last until nearly forty years after Jesus died. In 70 A. B., the Romans destroyed Jerusalem and effectively ended the nation of Israel.

After the raising of Lazarus, the Jewish leaders feared Jesus would take their place among the Romans and destroy their nation. Jesus did not come to dismantle Israel. The son of God came to save men from sin and offer His blood as the means of redemption. The Jews destroyed themselves in 70 A. D. and have never been a nation again. Jesus warned them of the Roman carnage, but they would not listen. Lazarus was raised from the dead, and the chief priests and Pharisees were blinded by their own pride and arrogance, refusing to give God the glory through the signs done by Jesus. The old saying goes, “There are none so blind as those who cannot see.” Everything the world needed to find the love of God was embodied in the man from Nazareth, and the world killed Him. Israel has faded into the dust bowl of history, never to be the nation of God again. Jesus established a kingdom on Pentecost that has spread throughout the world and ruled for over two thousand years. His power and signs prove He is the Son of God. John testifies there were many other signs Jesus did in the presence of His disciples but what is written is proof that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God. You have a choice – react like the Jewish leaders who denied the power of God through Christ or accept that Jesus of Nazareth is the divine Son of God. In the final analysis, denying the miracles of Jesus does not deny the miracles but only denies the heart eternal life.