Righteousness Exalts
January 11, 2024
00:01:00
The Hamilton Minute is a power packed 60 seconds where we tackle the issues of the day through the lens of God’s Word. You don’t want to miss a moment of it.
“Righteousness exalts a nation, But sin is a disgrace to any people.” Proverbs 14:34 (NASB).
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
The prophet Isaiah diagnosed the condition of the rebellious nation of Judah prior to its conquest and exile by Nebuchadnezzar in chapter 59 of his book. He explained that Judah’s transgression separated the nation from YHWH. Due to Judah’s sinfulness truth had fallen in the streets. The consequences for their rejection of truth was that lawlessness abounded.
Similarly, truth has been rejected in our nation. Abundant lawlessness is the consequence for a nation that has turned away from the LORD. Repentance is what is needed in our nation, starting in the church. Righteousness is what exalts a nation.
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” Revelation 21:1-2 (ESV).
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
The city lies foursquare. Its length, width, and height all equal: 1,380 miles for each dimension.
The city’s wall is 216 feet high. Twelve gates surround the city, with each gate made of a single pearl.
Streets of gold so pure their translucent.
No need for a sun. God’s glory light’s the city.
No tears. No pain.
I wouldn’t miss it for the world!
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith.” 2 Timothy 4:7 (NASB).
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
Have you ever seen one of those track and field events where the runner starts out in blazing fashion, leading the pack for majority of the race, only to stumble just before reaching the finish line?
Starting the race well and running well are vitally important, but if we don’t finish the race well, all else can be overthrown.
The Apostle Paul penned those words, having fought the good fight, right on to the end as he faced imminent execution under Nero’s sword.
Let us all brothers and sisters set our courses to finish well.
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
Prior to the passage of the Federal Reserve Act of 1913, over 80% of American families were debt free.
Today, over 80% of the American people are saddled with debt.
I was asked recently asked what advice I could offer in the midst of the national tension we currently face. One of the things I said in response was to work toward getting completely out of debt.
So much fruitfulness and faithfulness to God has been robbed from us due to the impact of crushing debt.
One of the best things you can do for your family right now is to become debt-free.
“Faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:13 (NASB).
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
Karl Marx, an emissary of evil, and Charles Spurgeon, the “Prince of Preachers,” were evangelists of diametrically opposed messages, yet they both lived in London and the same time.
In fact, when asked the name of the person he most detested, Friedrich Engels, Marx’s cohort in chaos, responded unequivocally: “Spurgeon.”
A generation later George Bernard Shaw, a hardcore communist, seethed in hatred for William Booth and his Salvation Army of volunteers.
Time and again, robust Christian witness has been the inoculate against the proliferation of Marxist poison in society.
“You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness.” 2 Timothy 3:10 (ESV).
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
Apostle Paul penned his second epistle to Timothy, now an Elder in the Church at Ephesus, about 64-65 A.D. while imprisoned in Rome awaiting his imminent execution under Nero.
In warning Timothy about the coming perilous times, marked by the increased anti-Christian persecution in the Roman empire in 64 A.D., Paul directed Timothy to his speech and his feet.
In speech, Paul gave Timothy priceless Biblical instruction. In feet, Paul left Timothy a legacy of lifestyle.
Christ-following demands consistency between speech and feet.
“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” Matthew 28:19 (NASB).
And the second is like it. You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
My Name is Abraham Hamilton III, and this is the Hamilton Minute.
When Queries by the pharisees concerning the greatest commandment, Jesus answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind."
He then said the second greatest commandment is, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
He didn't simply say love your neighbor. He said Christ followers must love our neighbors as ourselves.
Christian duty requires us to employ discernment and active empathy. We worship our Lord when we put ourselves in one another's shoes as we do live together and resolve misunderstandings.
"The ear that listens to life-giving reproof will dwell among the wise.” Proverbs 15:31 (ESV).
"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1 (ESV).
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
Psalm 46 is a popular Psalm as it includes the text, “Be still, and know that I am God.” This was the conclusion to a Psalm that previously observed,
Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling.
This described what looked like the end of the world. Nevertheless, the Psalmist remained unshaken. He refused to allow present difficulty to cause him to forget God’s past faithfulness.
Virus or no virus, God is our refuge and strength.
“Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” Matthew 19:5 (ESV).
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
With this statement Jesus affirmed what He’d already said in Genesis 1 and 2 and defined marriage for all time. Contrary to the protestations of the nouveau critical theorists, the nuclear family consisting of a married father and mother is not a western sociological prescription or construct.
Marriage did not originate in the west. It’s origin isn’t suburban America.
It started in Genesis, in the Garden of Eden. Marriage is God’s idea. Therefore, He alone defines it. If you don’t like it, your problem is with God… not me.
“He who walks with wise men will be wise, But the companion of fools will suffer harm.” Proverbs 13:20 (NASB).
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
When my wife and I first started having children we discouraged our family members from speaking to them in baby talk… you know the gaga-googoo stuff.
The reason was simple. We wanted our children to speak English well. Baby talk would hinder that development.
The same principle applies to spiritual development.
If we want our children to be wise disciples of our LORD we should ask ourselves how much of their time is spent investing in spiritual maturity.
Protracted time in the company of spiritual baby-talkers will inevitably cause harm.
"So the chief Priests made plans to put Lazarus to death as well."
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
After Jesus resurrected Lazarus his and Lazarus’ fame spread. They already planned to kill Jesus. But now, because Lazarus was tangible evidence of Jesus’ resurrection power, the chief priests and Pharisees plotted to kill Lazarus too.
They never worried about Lazarus before. But now, because he is a walking billboard of Christ’s power, they want him dead too.
This, brothers and sisters, is why many come against you. It isn’t personal, but Satanic forces can’t stand your representation of God’s power to transform lives.
That’s why we rejoice when we’re slandered for His namesake. Christ’s power is on display.
"Rejoice with those who rejoice.” Romans 12:15(a).
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
Michael, a five-year-old boy, showed up at the courthouse in Grand Rapids, Michigan, for an adoption hearing with his foster parents, and he had a crowd of unusual supporters.
Michael's entire kindergarten class sat in the audience behind him waving big red hearts mounted on wooden sticks to show their support.
The kindergartners offered the most touching answers, standing up and telling the court, "I love Michael" or "Michael's my best friend.”
Michael's new father and mother have been married for nearly 10 years, and he'd been living with them as a foster child for more than year.
Adoption truly is at the heart of the Gospel.
"By mercy and truth iniquity is purged; and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.” Proverbs 16:6 (KJV).
My name is Abraham Hamilton III and this is the Hamilton Minute.
We live in a day when churches are filled with people ready to hear and receive God’s mercy. Unfortunately, however, it is often accompanied by a de-emphasis or concealment of the truth of God’s Word.
Paul, the salvation-by-grace-through-faith Apostle, was asked if salvation is solely a product of grace what benefit then does the law provide. Paul responded, “Without the law, I wouldn’t have known God’s righteous standard and how far away from it I was.”
Any presentation of God’s mercy absent of God’s truth is no Gospel at all.
Iniquity is purged by mercy and truth.
"Just as it is written, "HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THOSE WHO BRING GOOD NEWS OF GOOD THINGS!” Romans 10:15 (NASB).
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
A friend of mine who pastors in Nigeria once said to me “ya know, America has sent more missionaries into the world than any other nation before it. But the nation that once sent missionaries has now become the mission field.”
As you consider the calling God has for you, I just want to remind you that just as other nations need missionaries we need missionaries in America too.
There are a lot of neighborhoods right here in our country that desperately need evangelism and discipleship. Let’s not forget them.
"Having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.” 2 Timothy 3:5 (ESV).
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
Today some professing Christians assert that Critical Theory, Critical Race Theory, and Intersectionality are helpful tools for the Church. These people have an appearance of godliness, but their assertions deny the sufficiency of God’s Word to guide the Church in living out the reconciliation Jesus secured for us on the cross.
Make no mistake, as Paul told Timothy, the God-breathed Scripture is sufficient for teaching, for correction, for training in righteousness.
Those who have an appearance of godliness, but deny the power of God’s Word for doctrine and practice must be identified and avoided.
“She took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.” Genesis 3:6(b) (ESV).
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
Genesis 3 records for us the cataclysmic rebellion against God in the Garden of Eden. The entire episode, Eve’s entertainment of the sensual lies of the talking snake, the deceptive twisting of God’s word, all of it transpired with Adam standing right there.
Adam was the one to whom God entrusted his word to originally, Adam was the one God charged with cultivating and protecting the garden and his wife.
Yet he stood there silent.
Men, let us not repeat Adam’s sin of present absence.
Stand on God’s word and defend your gardens!
“The Lord hates a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that run rapidly to evil.” Proverbs 6:18 (NASB95).
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
Horrendous accounts of Hamas using rape of Israeli women as a war weapon are being reported along with corroborating video evidence of these barbaric terrorists committing these vile, evil acts. Could this be why Hamas ended the ceasefire?
U.S. State Department Spokesman Matthew Miller said,
The fact that they continue to hold women hostages… it seems one of the reasons they don’t want to turn women over they’ve been holding hostage, and the reason this pause fell apart, is they don’t want those women to be able to talk about what happened to them during their time in custody.
“The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.” 2 Timothy 2:2-3 (NASB95).
My name is Abraham Hamilton, III and this is The Hamilton Minute.
Just before his execution, Apostle Paul exhorted Timothy by the Spirit of God to seek out faithful men, who would be able to teach others, and pour into them all he’d received from the incarcerated Apostle. He then exhorted Timothy to anticipate times of hardship and to press forward with Jesus commission to make disciples nonetheless.
Jesus warned that hard times would come. We must press forward in obedience even while suffering hardship.
