A Note from Kim: Compton Beaton was a student in one of my husband’s classes offered at America’s Keswick some years back. During that time, God was working on Compton’s heart regarding pastoral ministry. After the class ended, Compton went on to attend Liberty University earning his master’s degree. I will always remember the day Compton called and left a message on my husband’s cell phone during his graduation ceremony from the floor of the Vines Center at Liberty University to say thank you for his counsel and teaching. He saved that voice mail for as long as he kept his phone! It meant so much to him. Compton is the pastor at Grace Gospel Church in South Tom’s River, NJ, serving there for the past ten years. Recently, we attended a dinner given in their honor by their church for ten years of faithful service. The love expressed by their dear people through this gesture was incredible. Last year, Compton and his wife, Coreta, were blessed by their church with the gift of a trip to the Holy Land. We, in turn, were blessed to have them join us for our Victorious Life Tour to Israel: In the Footsteps of Jesus and share in the devotional times and music each morning throughout the trip. Both Compton and Coreta exude the joy of Jesus in their lives and it is an honor to call them our friends.
Being Skilled at Life in the Right Kind of Way!
by Pastor Compton Beaton
Have you ever asked yourself “why do smart people do dumb things?” Or why do some people who seem to have everything do not have the wisdom to life? These questions and more have caused me to seek after wisdom to find the secret on how someone can become skilled, to live life in the right kind of way.
My search led me to the man of God Job who wanted to know the answer to the same question, “From where does wisdom come?” He received his response in [Job 28:20, 28 NKJV] “From where then does wisdom come? And where [is] the place of understanding?… And to man He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that [is] wisdom, And to depart from evil [is] understanding.’ “I then realized the starting point of wisdom begins with “the fear of God.” The word wisdom means skill or skillful. This key ingredient is also found in the book of Proverbs [Pro 1:7 NKJV] 7 “The fear of the LORD [is] the beginning of knowledge, [But] fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Therefore, if someone does not start with this key ingredient, he or she will not possess the skills to life.
My life did not begin with the fear of God, nor was I desirous of seeking after Him. I was born to teenage parents in a little village called Good Intent in Guyana South America. My early years were spent living with my grandparents in whose eyes I could do no wrong. The startling reality hit home to me when I failed my first attempt at the entrance examination to attend the high school. It was at this point my mom took me from her parents to live with her. At the time, she was living with a Christian family whose influence has impacted our lives today. I started attending church with my mom and was convicted of my sins by the Word of God. As a result, I came to accept Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord.
My new life in Christ then started with a reverential fear of God and set me on a quest to learn more about Him. I wanted to understand how I could become skilled at handling life in the right kind of way. I passed the high school entrance exam on my second attempt and embarked in studying the Scriptures. I was encouraged by the instructions given in Proverbs 2:1-9 from the father to the son. I took these verses as though they were the utterance of my father to me. They have formed the substance for my spiritual walk with Christ, and are foundational for my life, marriage, family, ministry and career.
The first four verses of [Pro 2:1-4 NKJV] present the conditions for “the son to accept the words of the father, and to treasure up his commands within him. He is to make his ear attentive to wisdom and apply his heart to understanding. If he cries out for discernment and lift up his voice for understanding, and seek for her as silver and search for her as hidden treasure;”
Then verse five shows the result of such actions, “Then you will understand the fear of the LORD, And find the knowledge of God.”
The next three verses [Pro 2:6-8 NKJV] show that “the LORD gives wisdom; From His mouth [come] knowledge and understanding; He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk uprightly; He guards the paths of justice, and preserves the way of His saints.” Verse nine displays that the son would have the understanding in the ethics of life. “Then you will understand righteousness and justice, Equity [and] every good path.” These instructions provide the tenet for someone to be skilled at living in the right kind of way hence, he or she must first start with the fear of God, obey His word and apply it to their lives. If your beginning started out wrong, or in failure and disappointment, you can start anew by trusting Jesus and have a new beginning to a life of wisdom.
Compton Beaton
May 21, 2016
Compton Beaton is a pastor at the Grace Gospel Church in South Toms River NJ, where he faithfully serves the Lord for the past ten years. He answered the call of God when the church was about to close with no one to lead the church of seven members at that time. Born in Guyana South America, he was involved in church ministries and enthusiastically served as a Sunday school teacher, youth leader and deacon in his local church before immigrating to the U.S.A. in 1990. He now resides in Toms River, NJ with his wife Coreta and two sons. He is a member of the Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF) Ocean County Chapter in Toms River, and enjoys doing the will of the Lord.
He is bi-vocational and also works as a computer specialist for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in Atlantic City NJ. He is the database project lead for flight movements and weather products distribution within the National Airspace System (NAS).
Compton holds a Master of Arts degree in Religion from Liberty University, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from New Jersey Institute of Technology. Find out more about Pastor Beaton’s ministry at http://www.facebook.com/gracegospelchurchnj