The Heaton File

You also say, ‘Oh, what a weariness!’ And you sneer at it,” says the Lord of hosts. “And you bring the stolen, the lame, and the sick; thus you bring an offering! Should I accept this from your hand?” says the Lord. (Malachi 1:13)

Renewing A Spirit Of Worship

Israel had survived the bondage of Babylon and returned to Jerusalem through the providence of God. The temple was rebuilt and within one hundred years, the city walls were established again. Life returned to normal but it was not as it had been before. The temple had been completed in 516 B.C. Worship was restored but it lacked a fervency. There was little interest in the spirit of worship. Nehemiah had infused a desire to rebuild the walls and accomplished the impossible task in fifty-two days. Still, there was a sense of despair among the people and the prophet Malachi was sent to renew a spirit of worship in the people.

A spirit of indifference overshadowed the hearts of the people. After one hundred years, the people were no better off than when they were first taken captive. They blamed God for their troubles and began to neglect the commandments of the law in offering sacrifices that were lame, blind and diseased. The priesthood accepted the vain worship without question. Worship was a weariness and bothersome to the people. They stopped bringing their tithes to the Lord, robbing Him of His due. Divorce was rampant. Worship was nothing more than a ritual to endure until the people could return home and pick up their carnal lives. As a result of this disparity, the Lord would remain silent for nearly four hundred years until the coming of John the Baptist and Jesus Christ.

Worship has always been about the heart. The Law of Moses required many rituals to be performed but the Lord did not desire the sacrifices of animals to please Him. He wanted to know the hearts of the people. Men can be robots going through the motions and doing what was required by the letter of the law, but without the spirit of true worship, it all becomes vain and useless. Prophets like Malachi sought a revival among the people. There was a need to renew the spirit of worship.

Difficult days can dampen the hearts of worshippers. There are days it is tough to have a mind to worship. When times are hard and the world is engulfed in a crisis, sometimes worship becomes a victim of the despondency and despair of the heart. Nehemiah inspired the people to “rise up and build” and changed Jerusalem’s landscape. Malachi reminded the downtrodden that God had not abandoned them and they needed to renew their hearts with full devotion to worship.

A reflection of worship is found in daily living. The way a man lives has much to do with how he approaches the throne of God to praise Him. Worship is criticized because it does not inspire the heart when the real problem is nothing the other six days of the week lead to worship. A renewal to worship begins in the home. If the word of God is not first in the home, it will not be first in worship. When God is not glorified in the family setting, there can be little joy in the gathering of God’s family. Renewing a spirit of worship is rekindling a love for the word of God in praising the glory of the Father and honoring the Son of God. The church is returned to its place of honor so that worship is filled with the adoration and praise of the Divine.

The past two years have been hard on everyone. Churches have suffered under the weight of the pandemic and hearts have become discouraged. The need for renewal is the cry of the spirited souls who are ready to rebuild the walls of faith and restore the joy of worship before the great God and Father of the church of Christ. Worship is central to the restoration of the Lord’s work. Let the church of the Lord ring loudly the praises of the Lord who has remained constant in His care of His people. Worship like you have never worshipped before. Praise God. Really praise God. Join hands. Let’s worship.

Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. (Acts 20:28)

Give Honor To The Church

The value of an object is determined by the price paid for it. In 2004, the painting Boy With A Pipe, painted by the Spanish artist Pablo Picasso, was sold for $104.1 million. A manuscript of Leonardo Da Vinci sold for $30,802,000 in 1994. In 1999, the 70^th home run baseball by Mark McGwire sold for $3 million. When the apostle Paul met with the Ephesian elders at Miletus, he warned them to oversee the church of the Lord as watchful shepherds because of the dangers of apostasy that could creep in among them. The reason was that the church had a value on it that could not be calculated. It was not measured by the brick, mortar, or stone. The church of God was purchased with the blood of Jesus Christ. There was no higher price to be paid for the church.

Jesus had promised to build His church. He often spoke of the coming kingdom and instructed His disciples about the nature of the kingdom. After the death of Jesus, the apostles gathered in Jerusalem, where on the day of Pentecost, Peter opened the doors of the kingdom for the Jews and introduced the Gentiles to the gospel a few years later. Luke writes that God added to the church daily those who were being saved, beginning with the three thousand of Pentecost. Great fear came upon the church after Ananias and Sapphira were struck down. Saul of Tarsus persecuted the church to foreign cities. Later, Paul would be the evangelistic mission of establishing churches throughout the Roman Empire. John addresses the Revelation to the seven churches of Asia with admonitions and judgments from the mouth of God.

The church is maligned as an “organized religion” and rejected as unnecessary. The church becomes a warm blanket of security for many people when a need arises. Most people only see the inside of a church building when they are sprinkled, spoused and sorrowful. Birth, marriage and death are the three reasons people go to church. Most churches bear different names, follow conflicting doctrines, and give allegiance to a host of leaders or beliefs. Unity is not found in the world of churches, although many claim unison of purpose. The world’s general attitude is that the church is a prosthetic that is helpful when a crisis comes but otherwise is good for nothing.

Jesus Christ died for the church. The special value of the church must be found by the price paid for it. It cost the blood of God’s Son to redeem man and build the church. If the church is not essential, the blood of Christ is of no value. The church has an eternal value attached to the blood of God’s Son. It is the most valuable thing in the world without reservation. No amount of gold, silver or precious jewels can match the worth of the church. The early disciples went everywhere, establishing churches in every community. There has never been a time since the beginning of the church on the day of Pentecost the church has not existed. The church is over two thousand years old without interruption and it was bought with the blood of Jesus Christ.

When the value of the church is recognized, greater respect and honor are given. It is sad when the children of God treat the church as if it were a community organization like the Kiwanis Club or Rotary, or Boy Scouts. These are good clubs to be involved with but not the focus of life. Everything about the church is everything about the life of the Christian. The church is foremost because it was bought with the blood of Jesus. Nothing will come before the work of the church because of its worth. The value of the church is precious to the saint who wants to do everything they can to exalt the church and its work.

There are certain characteristics of the church that must remain sanctified by the word of God. When the church is viewed from a casual view and anything can distract from the obligations of the church, its value in the eyes of the person is diminished. One of the New Testament teachings is the assembly of the saints as a body of Christ on the first day of the week. Habitual absence disrespects the church, disavows the blood of Christ, and insults the Holy Spirit. Coming into worship with a carnal mind destroys the harmony of the purpose of the church. Jesus died for the church for a reason. He will present the church to Himself as a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such things. The church will be holy and without blemish. Respecting the value of the church sees the worth of the church through His blood. It cost Jesus His blood. Can we consider the church any less?

From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?” But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (John 6:66-69)

To Whom Shall We Go?

Following the feeding of the five thousand, Jesus leaves the multitudes to a mountain where He can be alone. That evening His disciples got into a boat for Capernaum. When the boat was about three or four miles from land, Jesus came walking to them on the water and joined the disciples in the boat. Immediately, the disciples and Jesus arrived at Capernaum. The next day, the multitudes from the miracle of five loaves and two fishes found Jesus in Capernaum and were upset He did not tell them where He was going. They had not come to Jesus to hear more of His preaching but to be filled again with the wonderful meal of the day before. Jesus rebuked them for their misplaced allegiance and seeking after perishable things rather than that which is everlasting.

Jesus begins a lengthy discourse on the true manna from heaven. The miracle of the feast the day before was one of many signs Jesus did to show the world He was the Son of God. It was never the intention of God to send His only begotten Son into the world to feed the hungry. Miracles involving food demonstrated the power of God through Jesus Christ. Raising the dead did not take away death. Healing every disease, including leprosy, blindness, and those blind, maimed, deaf and crippled, did not remove the flesh’s infirmities. The miracles of Jesus were pointed to the evidence the man from Nazareth was the divine Son of God.

Jesus tells the crowd He was the bread from heaven and the bread of life. He shocks them with a language they did not understand when He told them unless they eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, they would have no life. The people were so focused on the five loaves and two fishes of yesterday, they could not hear the message of eternal life Jesus was offering them. They were offended by the teaching of Jesus and complained it was hard to accept. From that time, many of the disciples of Jesus turned and walked away. They refused to follow Jesus. Turning their backs, the doubters denied Jesus. Jesus looked at His twelve apostles and, seeing their faces, asked them if they were going to leave Him also.

The apostle Peter had a moment of truth as he watched large portions of disciples turn away from Jesus. It must have grieved Peter’s heart to see the crowd turn away from Jesus. When the Lord asked the twelve if they would leave Him also, Peter knew the answer. To whom would they go? Where would they find a man who was like Jesus? No man could show God’s power or teach with the authority of the Father as Jesus. Peter knew in an instant there was no other man that would give them eternal life. Jesus Christ was the only way Peter knew to walk. The man from Nazareth spoke the only truth. Life could only be found in the words and the power of Jesus Christ. Peter considered no other options. Jesus Christ was the only one that could bring hope and life.

Jesus alone had the words of eternal life. Peter did not look to Abraham or Moses for answers. The apostle would not accept his own words as life. Simon trusted in the only man who was the Son of God and that man was Jesus Christ. There was no one else to go to. The miracles of feeding five thousand, walking on water, instant travel and every other miracle witnessed by the apostles convinced them beyond a shadow of a doubt that Jesus was the Son of God. There was no other way to go and no other man to follow. Their minds were made up to follow Jesus and Jesus alone.

The world seeks answers in all the wrong places. Technology exalts the wisdom of men, science touts the accomplishments of human ingenuity, and the philosophies of men make gods out of their creators. Jesus is the Son of God and there is no other place a man will find answers to life. Many have turned away from Jesus, desiring to find happiness in every place void of God. All that is found is a desert of futility, decay and ruin. Fulfillment in life is only found when one comes to Jesus Christ and accepts Him as the bread of life. The world is a vast expanse of desert and the only place of life is the oasis of God’s word. Jesus is the bread of life and the living water of life in the oasis of God’s love. Until men come to the only source of life, they will die in the burning heat of the desert. When Peter said, “To whom shall we go,” he pointed out the only hope anyone has to find fulfillment in life comes from the Son of God, Jesus Christ. He has the words of eternal life.

Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, “Which is the first commandment of all?” Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. (Mark 12:28-30)

What It Means To Love God

There are many things that can be loved. Inspiring music can stir the soul and a love for music will fill the heart with intense feelings. Food can be loved as much as a person can have a deep preference for certain dishes. People talk about loving to take long walks, enjoying quiet moments in solitude, or immersing themselves in a good book. Love can be casual, it can be intense, and it can be misguided. The many definitions of love can fit inanimate objects to animate objects of desire. It is difficult to define love with a singular meaning as it is best described by the one defining the term.

God desires men to love Him. The meaning of love and how men express that love is as varied as the way men view God. A totem represents an image created by man to define God, thus expressing his meaning of love for God. Love is often a casual acquaintance as a friend enjoys the company of another but without any commitments. God is accepted as a friend without obligations to commit to His word or keep His commandments. Loving God can be measured by the expectations of the Lord showing favor for man, rather than the other way around. God becomes the puppet of man’s desire.

Love for God is seldom without bounds. A man will declare his love for God as long as there are no commitments involved in that love. The world is full of men and women who say they love God and seldom show that love through their lives. God becomes a casual friend or the kindly old man in the 1977 movie starring George Burns. Love for God is bound by the fickle desires of a carnal heart trying to serve two masters. Jesus said it could not be done. Love for God must be complete, whole, absolute, and without reservation. Either a man loves God, or he does not. His words will not define his love. The action of the heart is where the motive of love begins.

When a young couple falls in love, they long to be with one another almost every minute of the day. It is seldom hard to find things to talk about, share together, and there are not enough hours in the day to find time for them. Everyone knows they are in love because they talk about each other often, which shows in their lives. Their faces light up when they see one another. They share everything together. The kind of love they have is a deep feeling of intense longing. They radiate love for one another. God does not want men to love Him. He desires for men to fall in love with Him. There is a world of difference between loving God and falling in love with God. A man can love something without falling in love with it. Marriages filled with problems stem from two people who love one another but have never fallen in love with the other. God wants men to love Him but only in terms of falling in love with Him.

Loving God is an emotional bond that is felt, seen, heard, and exhibited every day in a person’s life. They long to listen to the voice of God through daily meditation on the word. The will of God is foremost in their decisions as they seek to please the God they love. Prayer is a big part of the life of one who is in love with God. They can’t stop talking to the Father. It is not hard to find something to say to God because of their love for Him. Jesus plainly said that a man who loves the Father would keep the commandments of the Father. Why? Because he loves God and desires to please Him. Love radiates in every part of a person’s life because of their love for God. As a couple in love, everyone will know the man and woman who is in love with God. It shows. It manifests itself. It shines in the heart. Do you love God, or are you in love with God? It makes a difference.

Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day. You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies; for they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers, for Your testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the ancients, because I keep Your precepts. I have restrained my feet from every evil way, that I may keep Your word. I have not departed from Your judgments, for You Yourself have taught me. How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through Your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way. (Psalm 119:97-104)

I Love The Word Of God

Life can be filled with dark clouds and a foreboding future. Every generation faces challenges that seem insurmountable. Worries and fears fill the soul with a crushing feeling of defeat, draining the spirit of energy and hope. Satan finds vulnerable souls in those dark days of despair to ply his trade of deceit, deception, and defeat. The first thing God created was light, which is a testimony to the purpose of man’s existence. God did not create man to live in darkness but in the light of His presence. Adam and Eve were placed in a garden of paradise that filled all their needs. They could walk and talk with the Lord God in the cool of the day. There were no dark clouds, doubt, or fear. That came when Satan deceived the woman and sin overshadowed the world.

The first thing Satan challenged the woman with was the word of God. When Eve accepted the deceptive words of the devil, the soul of man fell. Every generation faces the question of what to do with the word of God. There has never been a time when God has not revealed His will to His creation. The word of God has given man hope, promise, protection, and guidance. God said that man could find life when he obeys the word of the Lord, or he will find death in disobedience. The psalmist illustrates the power of God’s word to renew the spirit to the image of the Father.

Love is a profoundly emotional feeling. The psalmist declares a love for the word of God. It is not a passing fancy or a seasonal expression of casual acquaintance. He loves the word of God. This loves comes from a daily meditation on the story of God’s love, His grace, mercy, and kindness to mankind. Loving the word of God is a priority in life. Every day spent in God’s word is a day of renewal. The spirit finds a refreshing spirit in the pages of the word of God. Through a study of the Bible, a man can have a greater understanding than his enemies, his teachers, and the ancients. The Bible tells a man what he is, why he is on the earth, and where he is going when he dies. There is no book written by man that brings hope to the soul as the word of God – the Bible.

The world can be a dark place with fear. There are uncertainties highlighted by the pandemic of a virus that has changed the landscape of humanity for generations to come. One message that has not changed and cannot be challenged is the word of God. There must be a spirit of renewal to return to the old paths of God’s word for hope. What this generation is experiencing is not new to the problems men have faced before. It is impossible to know what dangers the psalmist faced when he penned the great psalm of God’s word. What is clearly defined in his message is that loving the word of God will renew the spirit to soar like eagles and trust in the will of the Father with greater hope. Renewal begins with love – a deep love – for the word of God. Then the spirit can be renewed to love God more, honor Christ, and be a person of joy in a world of darkness. Allow the word of God to shine deep in your heart this year. Let’s renew our spirits in the word of God.

But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man. (Luke 21:34-36)

The End Of Another Year – And Yet

December brings the end of twelve months with three-hundred-sixty-five days completed in a calendar year. Each year is marked by the increasing number from the time of Jesus Christ. Whether one believes in God or accepts Jesus Christ as His Son, the yearly calendar reflects the acceptance that the Son of God changed the world a little more than two thousand years ago. Jesus taught about time. He knew his place on earth was limited and would accomplish the Father’s will. Throughout His teachings, He warned of the coming of the Lord and reminded His disciples the day would come unexpectedly.

In the days of Jesus, there was a two-edged sword in the warnings of a coming day. For the Jews, the end of their nation would come as the day of the Lord. In 70 A.D., the Romans destroyed Jerusalem, effectively ending the existence of the nation of Israel. In a broader lesson, Jesus was talking about a day that has yet to happen. Like in the days of Noah, a great day of the Lord is coming that will impact every soul on earth. Unlike in the days of Noah, no one will escape the destruction. Jesus warned of a day when the world will come to an end – not by the hand of human waste or misuse – but the hand of God. The lesson Jesus wanted men to take heed was that no one would know when that day would come.

Another year has faded to the halls of yesterday. Twelve months end and a new year begins. The Lord did not come. He has not come this year and life continues uninterrupted. The warning of Jesus is how easy it becomes to let the things of life dull the senses about the reality that Jesus is coming back. There is a warning to take heed or watch out when life becomes so comfortable that no concerns are given to prepare for a divine certainty. The carousing and worries of life dull the senses. Jesus does not want the day to catch anyone unaware but sadly, it will.

The new year brings a flurry of resolutions and promises. Two things that should be at the top of the list are watching and praying. The Lord did not come this year and He may not come next year; it could be another two thousand years before that day comes. What is indisputable is that one day He will come and few will be prepared. The day of the Lord does not seem real any more than the day of death. One of the certainties of life is death’s reality, yet everyone is surprised by it. This new year will be filled with funerals of those who thought to live to midnight who die at 11:30. Death is so real and so ignored. The day of the Lord will come one day. It will come unexpectantly and without warning. Live each day watching and preparing for His coming and while the day will surprise you, His glory will not. Enjoy the new year. Watch. Pray.

Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. He did evil in the sight of the Lord his God and did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who spoke from the mouth of the Lord. (2 Chronicles 36:11-12)

Speaking From The Mouth Of The Lord

The work of preaching the word of God carries an incredible burden of responsibility. There is nothing purer than taking the message of the divine to instruct the human heart of its needs, obligations, and requirements. When God created man and woman, He gave them instructions. The Lord spoke to them and told them what they could do and not do. There were many blessings in the Garden of Eden and there was a penalty for disobedience. God relayed His word to Adam and Eve so they could know and understand His will. Those first words came from the mouth of God. Throughout the history of mankind, God spoke to the fathers by various methods and means. Sometimes the Lord would speak directly to the man, reveal His will through visions and dreams, but most commonly transcribe His will for all to read. Ultimately, the will of the Lord came from the mouth of God.

Zedekiah was one of the final kings of Judah when Nebuchadnezzar captured Jerusalem. The king tried to flee but was caught by the Babylonian soldiers and brought before Nebuchadnezzar. His sons were killed before his eyes and then Nebuchadnezzar had Zedekiah’s eyes burned out. The king of Judah was taken to Babylon, where he died. Zedekiah followed the pathway of evil, refusing to listen to the words of Jeremiah, the prophet. His demise came as a consequence of rebellion against the preaching of Jeremiah. The gravity of his sin was that refusing to heed the preaching of Jeremiah meant that Zedekiah refused to listen to the words coming from the mouth of God. Jeremiah was not preaching a message of human origin or something the prophet dreamed up. The message of Jeremiah came from the mouth of God.

Preaching the word is declaring the voice of God. The Bible is the divinely revealed message of God and to obey the words of the Bible is to obey the voice of God. Refusing to submit to the words of the Bible is refusing to listen to the words coming from the mouth of God. When men begin to pick and choose which parts of the Bible they will believe, they decide which part of the mouth of God they will accept or reject. The word of God is settled in heaven and no man can change it. There should be a holy reverence to the teachings of the Bible because what is found between Genesis and the Revelation is the mouth of God. Hear it to be wise. Believe it to be saved. Tremble if you refuse. Fear when you ignore it. Zedekiah did not humble himself before Jeremiah, the prophet who spoke from the mouth of the Lord. Do not make the same mistake.

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. (Matthew 6:33-34)

God Is Almost First Place

The sermon of Jesus on the mountain was a powerful preamble to the constitution of the kingdom of God. In many ways, there is little new in the message as principles laid down from the foundation of the earth were reestablished in the minds of the disciples in a manner they could not expect. When Jesus finished his sermon, the people were astonished. They had heard similar preaching but nothing to the power of the words of the Christ. Fundamental statements of truth reminded the people what God has always demanded and expected of His people: obedience. This obedience came with a price and the price was high. There was no room for error or failure to obey. What Jesus laid out in the sermon was the nature of His Jealous Father.

Seeking God requires first place. There can never be a half-hearted devotion, almost a disciple attitude, or a seasonal interest in the will of God. If there is not complete devotion to the kingdom of God, there is no devotion. Seeking first the kingdom of God was not a suggestion. It was a clear mandate eliminating everything else. This can be a little confusing because many things in life are very important. A man must be a faithful son, husband, and father to his family but that is not the most important. Women serve the same obligation to be faithful daughters, wives, and mothers and like the man, this is not the most important.

From the beginning of time, God required the man to work and labor with his hands. Jobs are essential and necessary for the livelihood of the family. Throughout scripture, the Holy Spirit forbids a lazy spirit and if a man refuses to work, he should not eat. God said that! Seeking first the kingdom of God places our jobs off the number-one spot of importance. Obeying the government is required by the child of God but seeking the kingdom of God comes first. Friends are an important part of life. Recreation is helpful to bring comfort to life and enjoy some time off. Spending money for the creature comforts of life can be a blessing. But seeking first the kingdom of God is putting everything far down the list of importance.

Jesus preached a bold message. He was clear in his teaching as He sought to bring the people’s minds back to the word of God. There was a need for the people of God to repent and change their view of God. John the Baptist began his ministry with the preaching of repentance. Jesus began His Father’s work with the message of repentance. It was not the people who had left God for some pagan idol. The preaching of the word of God had grown soft and God was not first in the hearts of the people. To serve Jesus Christ, first place was the only place.

The preaching of the gospel has softened on the essential character of putting God and Jesus first place. Christianity has become an accepted part of the fabric of society as casual as the Jews of Jesus’ time. Families struggle because God is not first in their lives. Husbands and wives find themselves embroiled in discord from a spirit that never put the word of God first. Jobs are more important than assembling with the saints. It has become an acceptable practice for Christians to forsake the Lord’s supper to go to their jobs. This can happen for weeks or months. Assembling with the saints takes less importance as friends, recreation, jobs, and couch sitting church disciples take precedence over serving God first.

Seeking the kingdom of God first is trusting the Lord will care for all the needs of His children. The birds of the air testify that God knows and cares for His creation. What is there that man must worry about that is not in the hands of the Lord? Nothing must come before my service to God. Without exception. Putting the word of God first is abiding by His will first. Seeking God first brings a high price of devotion but the reward is eternal. What is first in your life? Or rather – WHO is first in your life?

Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! (Psalm 107:15)

Oh, That Men Would Give Thanks To The Lord

There is no limit to the goodness and mercy of the Lord. With the sun’s rising to the refreshing bounty of the rains that nourish the earth and the abundance of blessings given to all men, God has shown His glory for all humanity to see, know, and honor the Creator. Life is filled with the mercies of the Lord on a daily basis. The breath of life is a gift. Earth is a domain settled in its place among the stars affording the singular place in the universe to support life. The seas abound with life as the skies fill with the creations of the Most High God and across the wide expanse of earth, creation unfolds the glory of God. There is nothing that man lacks. He is provided everything needed for his happiness.

Beyond the created world, man possesses an intellect that allows him to have dominion over all creation. He is the master of the world as he fills the earth to subdue it. Only man is created in the image of the Divine and this places him above all creation to know and appreciate the Creator. God has given to humanity His word. Through the knowledge of wisdom possessed only by man, the eternal nature of God is revealed to all men. Animals die and cease to exist. Man will die but will never cease to exist. He continues in a world of eternity. Only man shares the nature of God. Since the beginning of time, the Lord has revealed to all men what they must do to be pleasing before their Creator. God has never left man alone to his own devices without instructions on how to save himself. The word of God has always been available for every man to know.

Creation declares the glory of God and the revealed word confirms the nature of God. It is responsive for men to give thanks to God for His goodness and to acknowledge the wonderful works God has done for all men. Everything the Lord provides satisfies the soul and fills the hungry soul with goodness. Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord. There is abundant evidence of the hand of God in creation and through the written word the Father has revealed every nature of grace in Jesus Christ. No man can stand before the Lord and suggest he did not know there was a God. No man will present themselves before the holy character of the Father in ignorance. Most men deny there is a Creator and few believe the word of God but both are real and everyone must acknowledge that truth. Denying the universe was created by God does not change the word of God. It only makes a man a sad creature deluded with his own grandiose visions of human wisdom. Oh, that all men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness.

The tragedy of the human heart is the ungrateful spirit. Denying praise to God is foolish. Refusing to see the rising sun as a testimony to the power of God darkens the soul. Rejecting the Bible as the word of God dooms the spirit to eternal darkness. Joy and happiness can only be found when men give thanks to the Lord of His goodness and for His wonderful works that He has done. The soul can only be satisfied by acknowledging God as Creator and abiding by His word as the only guide for the heart. Then – and only then – will life be complete, whole, and satisfying. Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord. Let that joy begin today. Praise God.

I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, saying, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,” and, “What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.” (Revelation 1:9-11)

Closed On Christmas But Open On Sunday

Yesterday was Christmas. Today is Sunday. Yesterday was a holiday. Today is the first day of the week. Christmas allowed families to gather together away from jobs and other distractions as a holiday. Almost all businesses were closed on Christmas – even Walmart. Major chains of restaurants closed their doors for Christmas. In most communities, the sidewalks were rolled up and hardly anyone was on the road. Christmas is on a list of about six major holidays where much of the nation shut down, including New Years Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, and Thanksgiving.

Today is the day following Christmas and except for courageous companies like Chick-Fil-A and Hobby Lobby, businesses return to normal with everyone opening their doors. Sunday has become the forgotten day it used to be remembered for. Calendars no longer reflect Sunday as the “first day of the week” but put Sunday as a “weekend” stuffed with Saturday at the end of the week. There is a total disregard for the “day of worship and rest” that was considered the importance of Sunday for many generations. On any Sunday, long streams of cars headed off to church and people dressed in the Sunday best walked to the community church. For many years, communities followed blue laws on Sunday prohibiting all activities except religious. Those laws have died with the horse and buggy.

The one thing that has never changed in the dichotomy of human nature is how he demands certain things for himself and denies the requirements of the God who made him. Imagine the outcry if Christmas was canceled as a holiday. There would be stiff resistance to cancel Christmas. Today is the first day of the week and most people have little concern for the Lord’s Day. What is more tragic is that many Christians did not want to work on Christmas but have no qualms working on the Lord’s Day week after week. They expect and demand days off on holidays. Missing the assembly on the first day of the week has become an accepted pattern in the church of the Lord.

Sunday is the Lord’s Day and will always be His day. The Holy Spirit set forth a pattern of worship delivered by the Father; the first day of the week is a day of remembrance. Early disciples followed the divine pattern of meeting to worship on the first day of the week (known as the day after Sabbath). God’s word has not changed. The Lord said nothing about Christmas, yet men give more honor to an erroneous day of frivolity than God’s command. Everything will return to normal today because Sunday is not a holy day anymore in the eyes of most people. The unfortunate thing is that while the world rejects God’s will, Christians act as if Sunday is a day of choice; as if they can assemble or not assemble. They will use their jobs as excuses to forsake the assembly and would not dream of working on Christmas. When Jesus returns, Christmas will be taken away with all the other pagan nonsense of human wisdom. The Lord’s Day? That will be some day on that day.