The Basics: A Brief Overview of Exodus

The Basics course is designed to help brothers and sisters in Christ, who have a desire for a brief study over each of the books of the Bible. While being more than just a timeline, it is designed to give a person a more realistic overview of the entire Bible. As well as pointing out different highlights along the way. Imagine riding in a car and seeing exit signs for a town. Each sign gives a brief glimpse of what is inside, while if you wanted to thoroughly investigate the town you would have to take the exit. This series is a collected work of the books of the Bible while continuing to drive past each of the exits. I would encourage you to take any exit and allow the Lord God to direct your path to where He would guide. 

  The Bible is written into 66 different books. Each one unique on its own but designed to be with its other collected works. 

  Cautionary Note: This work is not to argue for the authenticity of the Bible nor is it to argue over the mechanics of how God used man to write His Words. This is designed as an overview for someone to review the book in passing. Nevertheless, we here at Mill House Ministries believe that the Bible is without error and was written by God, through His divine attributes, through man. 

These overviews are sequenced in the below fashion. Each overview is designed to flow in unison. 

1.      Introduction

2.      Who wrote it

3.      When did they write it

5.      Key topics 

6.      Key sections

7.      Books that interact with each other

8.      Analysis of the Book

 As previously stated, if you find yourself drawn to one of these books, please take the time and see what God is wanting to show you in that book. 

 BASICS COURSE: EXODUS (Pentateuch) 

 INTRODUCTION:

The second book in the Bible was written by the Prophet Moses. You could say he is the oldest, most well known, and well written historian to ever be published. Pentateuch is the collected work of the first five books of the Bible. The term Pentateuch literally means “Five Books.” Jewish scholars identify this book as one of the five books of “The Law.” Exodus literally means “to leave” or “to exit,” it is the literal exit of the Jewish people from Egypt. The time frame between Genesis and Exodus is roughly 400 years based on Genesis 15:13, “God said to Abram, ‘Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, where they will be enslaved and oppressed four hundred years. 14 but I will also judge the nation whom they will serve, and afterward they will come out with many possessions.” This book is that account, we last saw the small family in Genesis and now we see the rise of a nation. In Genesis the stakes of man’s salvation were high, but in Exodus God takes it to a whole other level! God picked His nation, and even gave the enemy 400 years to prepare the land to fight back against the coming Jewish nation. Yet with the power of God, nothing is impossible. Simply put, Exodus is the incredible story of how the world fails through two groups to keep Israel in Egypt and out of their promised land. Inside human history, Exodus is God on the move. His actions are awe inspiring and terrifying all in the same moment, His love an ever present symbol of a coming Messiah. 

 WHO WROTE IT:

Moses is the son of Amram and Jochebed, he lived as an adopted son to Egyptian royalty. After murdering an Egyptian, he fled to the wilderness. There God called to him in a burning bush. He was than commissioned to lead the Jewish nation out of Egypt and into the promised land that God had ordained. He would lead them until his death, but unfortunately never into the promise land. He talked with God like a friend. Exodus 33:11a “So the LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend.” Moses is considered to be one of the greatest people in the Bible, and is even mentioned in Hebrews chapter 11 as one of the greats in the faith. 

 WHEN DID THEY WRITE IT:

Moses lived during the time and was a witness to the events of Exodus, he was called forth by God to write down the events which he saw. Not only was he instrumental in the book as a main character, but he was also blessed to write down what God told him to when recording the book from God’s Holy and all knowing perspective. According to famed author and Bible theologian Don Stewart, Moses lived during the Late Bronze Age around 1550 to 1200 B.C. We know that Exodus was written during this time frame.

 KEY TOPICS:

What is interesting about the book of Exodus, is that nothing comes to a close in Exodus. While it is called “The leaving”, they never fully arrive in the promised land. The book however, does have some impactful aspects that need to be addressed. In Exodus we have the beginning of the feasts, the symbols of what Jesus Christ would literally fulfill centuries later. Topics that can be found in the book are, Feudalism, racism, abortion, adoption, agriculture, man’s power, God’s power, Satan’s power, sin, holiness, deliverance, Nephilim, occult, warfare; and finally as well as most importantly, a coming savior Jesus Christ. 

 KEY SECTIONS: 

The book is easily dissectible into parts with chapters 1-11 describing the deliverer being prepared for the Jewish people. Chapters 12-14 is about how God delivers His people from the hands of Egypt. Chapters 15-18 is the Jews marching around Mt. Sinai. Chapters 18-24, the Law is given. Chapters 25-40 is how the Tabernacle and the specific instruments that would go into the Tabernacle were created. 

 BOOKS THAT INTERACT WITH EACH OTHER: 

Exodus can be seen as a close second to Genesis for being connected to the other books of the Bible. However, unlike Genesis, which has a strong connection to the book of Revelation, Exodus could be argued as being connected to Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. This connection actually finishes the first five books of the Bible, called the Pentateuch. However, Exodus can also very much be connected to the New Testament, what is first referenced in Exodus is finalized/materialized in Jesus Christ with the Gospels, as well as discussed in Romans. 

 ANALYSIS OF THE BOOK: 

In Genesis, we see how God formed creation for Himself. In Exodus, we see how He formed Israel for Himself. Matthew Henry wrote, “There [Genesis] creation of the world in history, here [Exodus] the redemption of the world in type.” God is revealing the stage of just how He is going to save the World and those who are willing to accept the Lord and God, Jesus Christ. Matthew Henry would later on go to say, “There are more types of Christ in this book than perhaps in any other book of the Old Testament…The way of man’s reconciliation to God, and coming into covenant and communion with him by a Mediator, is here variously represented’ and it is of great use to us for the illustration of the New Testament, now that we have that to assist us in the explication of the Old.” Exodus establishes the foundation for Judaism, this book cultivates the very roots of what it means for a Jew to be a Jew; and pointing to the very real reason each one of us, no matter if Jew or Gentile, need Jesus Christ. Within my own review of the book of Exodus, I am continuously brought back to a coming day which the nation of Israel will once again be in a position where they will have to rely on God in such a majestic manner for their very survival, known as Jacob’s trouble/The Tribulation. The book of Exodus shows us Godly power in a Godless land, God’s final plague against Egypt was so severe that even Israel needed protection from what was coming. Thus the “Passover” would come about, not soon after this the passing through the Red Sea would happen. Through a literal interpretation, God exemplifies the Savior Jesus Christ and how He would save. Finally, Exodus should be summarized plainly and seriously, as a historical book of God’s will overpowering the foolishness of man and the deviousness of Satan. This book is a great reminder of how awesome God is, but how real He takes sin and the reason why we need Jesus Christ. 

Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming

JL

RE-POST FRIDAY!

Our look back into Jesus Christ second appearance before His humble arrival. Read it HERE!

A Plentiful Harvest

This last year has thrown a wrench into so many plans. Many people are having to adjust to the idea of the “new normal”, even with certain areas starting to release restrictions we see that there are still many who appear to be wandering around as if they are lost. What grounded many to this world has changed, and many are wishing for simpler times. However, there has been one aspect that has always been the same in this world, we are all lost without God.

“36 Seeing the crowds, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and downcast, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. 38 Therefore, plead with the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.””

Matthew 9:36-38

The context of this verse comes after Jesus had been performing miraculous healings, He had healed a woman who had been hemorrhaging for twelve years, brought a young girl back from the dead, and cast out demons. With all of the issues that are mentioned in Matthew 9, we can be assured that there were many more not mentioned. The people were so downtrodden that Jesus brings mention of it, calling them sheep without a shepherd. They were lost and had no guidance, and so He had compassion for them.

It was this compassion that caused Him to tell His disciples that ““The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. 38 Therefore, plead with the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.”” There were so many people who were so downtrodden and lost who were looking for someone to bring them out of the darkness and into the Light. These people, perhaps unknowingly, were looking for Jesus Christ. “46 I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.” John 12:46. The only way these people would find the Light is if there was someone who was there to guide them. That person is Jesus Christ! Yet, He calls the believers to be His workers in the field.

This is still the call that is going out today. There are still so many people who are wandering around trying to find something to hold on too. They are desperate to find the Light, they are distressed and downcast. The harvest today is still plentiful but just as Jesus pointed out. The workers are few. When we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior we are not called to sit idly by and grow spiritually obese. We are called to share our knowledge with anyone and everyone who is willing to listen. “22 Be merciful to those who doubt; 23 save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.” Jude 1:22-23. 

In this late hour, we should not be hoping for chances to share the Gospel to fall into our laps, we need to be actively sharing it. We should not fear that the other person may not listen because we never know if we are one who is planting the seed, tending to the seed, or harvesting. Paul makes this clear in 1 Corinthians 3:5-9, “5 What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. 7 So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. 8 Now the one who plants and the one who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. 9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.” We need to be active today, we need to be those workers who are willing to go out into the field. After all, the harvest is plentiful.

Seek the truth, and encourage one another,

Alex

The Basics: A Brief Overview Of Job

The Basics course is designed to help brothers and sisters in Christ, who have a desire for a brief study over each of the books of the Bible. While being more than just a timeline, it is designed to give a person a more realistic overview of the entire Bible. As well as pointing out different highlights along the way. Imagine riding in a car and seeing exit signs for a town. Each sign gives a brief glimpse of what is inside, while if you wanted to thoroughly investigate the town you would have to take the exit. This series is a collected work of the books of the Bible while continuing to drive past each of the exits. I would encourage you to take any exit and allow the Lord God to direct your path to where He would guide. 

The Bible is written into 66 different books. Each one unique on its own but designed to be with its other collected works. 

Cautionary Note: This work is not to argue for the authenticity of the Bible nor is it to argue over the mechanics of how God used man to write His Words. This is designed as an overview for someone to review the book in passing. Nevertheless, we here at Mill House Ministries believe that the Bible is without error and was written by God, through His divine attributes, through man. 

These overviews are sequenced in the below fashion. Each overview is designed to flow in unison. 

1. Introduction

2. Who wrote it

3. When did they write it

4. Key topics

5. Key sections

6. Books that interact with each other

7. Analysis of the Book

As previously stated, if you find yourself drawn to one of these books, please take the time and see what God is wanting to show you in that book. 

BASICS COURSE: JOB 

INTRODUCTION 

The book of Job is a window into the past. The reader is able to view dialogue between God and Satan, God and man, and even men’s attempt of understanding the characteristics of life itself. This book is considered Hebrew poetry. However, do not mistake this book for symbolism nor for fantastical fiction, but rather a detailed written account of an event that God used to show an important lesson. God showed that the most righteous man on earth (excluding Jesus Christ) Job, needed to understand that he was nothing in comparison to God and His righteousness. This book is a scientific declaration, a philosophical underpinning of anthropology and theology. This book is a spiritual revealing of spiritual beings, and most importantly a proclamation of the need for our savior Jesus Christ. This book should not be taken lightly, but it is a wonderful encouragement to anyone who is in the midst of a trial. This book is not our second because of its placement in the Bible, but rather its timeline of when it was written. It is a stand alone book dealing with a single event instead of a family or nation. 

WHO WROTE IT: 

We do not know for sure who wrote the book of Job. However, we do know that it is considered to be part of the inspired Word of God. James references Job, “Behold, we count them happy which endure. You have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.” James 5:11. Some have speculated that Moses was the author. I would also throw King Solomon’s name onto the possible authors list based on the drastic amount of wisdom, biology, anthropology, theology, and other studies that are found in the book. In my own opinion, the book is written like a philosophical dialogue that would be a key characteristic of King Solomon. 

WHEN DID THEY WRITE IT: 

While the exact date of it being written is vague, we do have a good idea of when the events of the book happened. Job 42:16 “After this, Job lived 140 years, and saw his sons and his grandsons, four generations.” His life span reflects those immediately after the events of the flood. We know it happened prior to the Exodus of the Hebrews from Egypt since there is no mosaic law, thus we can conclude that the events are probably right around the time of Jacob. This is based on Eliphaz the Temanite, who was descended from the oldest son of Esau in Genesis 36:10-11. So with all this said, we can estimate around 1836-1689 BC. 

KEY TOPICS: 

This book ranges across topics from Heaven, Angels, Satan, anthropology, biology, astronomy, philosophy, sociology, and finally theology. 

KEY SECTIONS: 

The book of Job is identified as Hebrew poetry. While not rhythmic, rather a written dialogue discussion. Because of this typology the book can be broken into parts. A good example of this style of writing is the secular book “The Odyssey”. Nevertheless, the book can be outlined in the following format. Chapters 1-2 God and Satan’s dialogue, and Job’s initial events. Chapters 3-37 is Job among men having almost a duet of dialogue where they discuss in a philosophical way the intricacies of the described key topics. Finally, chapter 38 through the end of the book, we see God directly converse with Job. God’s opening line is a thought provoking warning to any reader that God is about to outline His majestic power as only God can, “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Now gird up your loins like a man; and I will ask you, and you instruct Me!” Job 38:2-3.

BOOKS THAT INTERACT WITH EACH OTHER: 

Job is mentioned in several books of the Bible, both Old and New Testament. However, there is no key specific book that gives direct interaction with Job. That does not mean this book should be quickly skipped, Job gives dogmatic examples of the perfection of God and the absolute imperfection of man. Job subtlety, but overwhelmingly, helps create a fantastic argument for the divinity of God, which is argued for in the rest of scripture. 

ANALYSIS OF THE BOOK: 

As previously stated, Job might not be the most quoted book of the Bible, nor the most read. However, the book of Job helps reveal the nature of God and His creation like no other book in the Bible. Science is still trying to keep up with the proclamations that God makes of His creation and the natural laws that He ordained to define. Some would state that Job is a book of suffering, in its simplest form this would be correct. However, for those who are willing to seek out its depths, they will find the richness of God that only He can reveal in His word. Job is a book for the broken hearted and the curious, who want to see why God does what He does and how nature, life, and society is set on this particular path we are destined to be on.

Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming ,

JL

RE-POST FRIDAY!

A look back on the two choices we have when God calls us. Read it HERE!

The Good Doctor

Doctors, nurses, and physicians have always been held in high esteem. Last week in our discussion on the body, soul, and spirit we saw that the spirit is dead until we accept Jesus Christ’s free gift of salvation. So it goes without saying that God is the greatest physician that has ever and will ever exist. I have always loved Jesus response to the Pharisees after He had been healing individuals.

“12 But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Matthew 9:12-13

This is such a short response but it is a very powerful one indeed. Even in today’s world, we do not go to a doctor unless we are sick. What the majority of people fail to realize is that underneath their good or poor health, is a much deeper sickness. Unless you have accepted Jesus Christ’s free gift of salvation, your spirit is dead. In order for your spirit to be brought to life you need a doctor. None other than Jesus Christ.

Those who view themselves as righteous, who fail to grasp the significance of sin, and who believe that their works are what makes God pleased with them, fall into the group that Jesus is talking about here. They view themselves as “well” and have no need for a physician. It is the same group that Jesus describes in Luke 18, “9 Now He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood and began praying this in regard to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, crooked, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’ 13 But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to raise his eyes toward heaven, but was beating his chest, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other one; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” Luke 18:9-14. Those who lift themselves up have no need for a physician because they believe that they are well. Until these people recognize how dead their spirit is, there is unfortunately no hope for them. They cannot be saved because they don’t recognize that they need to be saved in the first place.

The second group of people that Jesus describes in Matthew 9:12-13 are the ones that have recognized that their spirit is dead, and they need someone to revive it. These are the people that recognize that they can do nothing more to add onto salvation than to just accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. They understand what Jesus meant when He said, “13 Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’” Matthew 9:13a. This quote comes from Hosea 6:6, “For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.” To break down the “meat” of this passage you would see that it means that God does not want your works, they will never be enough. Instead God wants you to simply recognize and acknowledge Him. He wants you to understand that your spirit is dead and only the greatest physician could bring it to life. 

Today’s society has placed a lot of emphasis on physicians, but no matter what these earthly doctors do they cannot fix one important issue. They cannot bring the spirit to life. Jesus Christ’s simple three sentence response to the Pharisees holds so much more value than people realize, and He has not changed. He is still calling to those who realize that they are dead and it is only through Him can they gain life. “24 “Truly, truly, I say to you, the one who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.” Matthew 5:24. This was done so that no one could boost on their own righteousness, only the righteousness of Jesus Christ, “8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9. For those who are reading this who are like the Pharisees and believe that they are righteous on their own, I ask that you take a deeper look into the scriptures and see that God does not want your sacrifices or your “good deed”. He simply wants you to acknowledge Him. For those that have reached this point, I ask that you call out to God and know that He hears you, He will answer you, and you will see how once you were dead but now you are alive.

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex

The Basics: A Brief Overview of Genesis

The Basics course is designed to help brothers and sisters in Christ, who have a desire for a brief study over each of the books of the Bible. While being more than just a timeline, it is designed to give a person a more realistic overview of the entire Bible. As well as pointing out different highlights along the way. Imagine riding in a car and seeing exit signs for a town. Each sign gives a brief glimpse of what is inside, while if you wanted to thoroughly investigate the town you would have to take the exit. This series is a collected work of the books of the Bible while continuing to drive past each of the exits. I would encourage you to take any exit and allow the Lord God to direct your path to where He would guide. 

The Bible is written into 66 different books. Each one unique on its own but designed to be with its other collected works. 

Cautionary Note: This work is not to argue for the authenticity of the Bible nor is it to argue over the mechanics of how God used man to write His Words. This is designed as an overview for someone to review the book in passing. Nevertheless, we here at Mill House Ministries believe that the Bible is without error and was written by God, through His divine attributes, through man. 

These overviews are sequenced in the below fashion. Each overview is designed to flow in unison. 

1. Introduction

2. Who wrote it

3. When did they write it

4. Why did they write it

5. Key topics

6. Key sections

7. Books that interact with each other

8. Analysis of the Book

As previously stated, if you find yourself drawn to one of these books, please take the time and see what God is wanting to show you in that book. 

BASICS COURSE: GENESIS (Pentateuch) 

INTRODUCTION

The first book in the Bible was written by the Prophet Moses. You could say he is the oldest, most well known, and well written historian to ever be published. Pentateuch is the collected work of the first five books of the Bible. The term Pentateuch literally means “Five Books.” Jewish scholars identify this book as one of the five books of “The Law.” 

WHO WROTE IT

Moses is the son of Amram and Jochebed, he lived as an adopted son to Egyptian royalty. After murdering an Egyptian, he fled to the wilderness. There God called to him in a burning bush. He was than commissioned to lead the Jewish nation out of Egypt and into the promised land that God had ordained. He would lead them until his death, but unfortunately never into the promise land. He talked with God like a friend. Exodus 33:11a “So the LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend.” Moses is considered to be one of the greatest people in the Bible, and is even mentioned in Hebrews chapter 11 as one of the greats in the faith. 

WHEN DID THEY WRITE IT

While Moses lived years after the events of Genesis, God called him to write down the events of the creation of man. According to famed author and Bible theologian Don Stewart, Moses lived during the Late Bronze Age around 1550 to 1200 B.C. We know that Genesis was written during this time frame. 

WHY DID THEY WRITE IT

This book was written to explain the beginning of where we are today. In short, we owe everything we have today to the events of Genesis. Dr. J. Vernon McGee identifies Genesis as literally meaning “origins.” It is where we derive what we understand with the 7 day week, creation, man, woman, sabbath, marriage, family work, sin, murder, sacrifice, races, languages, nations, culture, civilizations, angels, satan, DNA manipulation, demons, first global events and most importantly, redemption. Naturally the first book of the Bible is the first book mentioning a promised savior. 

KEY TOPICS 

Genesis is diverse in its topics, and undoubtedly is one of the greatest written documentations of the initial age of man. The key topics in Genesis range from creation, man’s origins, Satan, prophecy, murder, death, rapture, Nephilim (Angel/Human halfbreed), judgement, current earth environment, family tree of the Jewish nation as well as how God preserved His promised bloodline for a coming Savior, Globalism, Nationalism, religion, war, slavery, architecture, Feudalism, and agriculture. Doctrines you can find in Genesis are the following, Theology, Christology, Pneumatology, Anthropology, Soteriology, Angelology, and Eschatology.

KEY SECTIONS 

The Book can be divided into several key sections, which you can pinpoint generally speaking where a topic lies inside of Genesis. Chapters 1-2: Creation, Chapters 3-4: Fall of Man, Chapters 5-9: The Pre-flood world and the flood, Chapters 10-11: The first original attempts at Globalism, the rise of Nationalism, religion, race, civilizations, and cultures. Chapters 12-23: The origins of the Jewish nation, and others, through the seed of Abraham. Chapters 24-26: Describes Isaac, the son of Abraham, Chapters 27-36: Jacob and the origins of the name “Israel.” Chapter 37-50: are about Joseph, the son of Jacob, and the origins of how the Jewish nation came about in its unique characteristics and its initial time in Egypt. 

BOOKS THAT INTERACT WITH EACH OTHER 

While there are several books that either quote or take part in supporting the evidence and statements found in Genesis, only one book truly holds weight to be called a book that interacts with Genesis. This book is the final book of the Bible, the book of Revelation. Both involve similar aspects that at times mirror each other. One book starts with the origins of creation, man, Satan, and sin; while the final book concludes how these topics are going to end. Revelation leans heavily on the book of Genesis to show God’s perfection in ultimately crushing Satan, and the sin that has been brought onto creation. However, Genesis leans heavily on Revelation to reveal the answers to the many questions that Genesis produces for the reader. One great example is when in Genesis we see Jacob bless Judah and state, 

Genesis 49:10-11, “10 The scepter will not depart from Judah, Nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes, And to him shall be the obedience of the peoples. 11 ‘He ties his foal to the vine, And his donkey’s colt to the choice vine; He washes his garments in wine, And his robes in the blood of grapes.’” We know that this ruler is Jesus Christ. However, this is not fully drawn out for us until we get to Revelation Chapters 19-20, and see how Jesus will have the obedience of the nations when He rules in Jerusalem for the thousand years and His robes are bathed in the blood of the enemy, Revelation 19:13, “He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called the Word of God.” 

ANALYSIS OF THE BOOK

The first three chapters of Genesis are undoubtedly some of the harshest battles of skeptics and deniers of the faith. Dr. J. Vernon McGee states a great comparison to refute those who would say creation is inaccurate, 

“One of the harshest and most frequently heard criticisms of the Bible concerns the creation account. It is pointed out that other nations of antiquity had such a story. This is true, but a comparison of the Genesis record with one of the best of a secular nation, the Babylonian tablets of creation, will show the superiority of the Genesis record. Here all is a contrast:”

Babylonian Tablets begin with chaos, Bible begins with cosmos, perfection

Babylonian tablets state heavenly bodies are gods, Bible states Heavenly bodes are matter

Babylonian tablets argue Polytheistic theology (many gods), Bible argue Monotheistic truth (one God)

Babylonian tablets reiterate the work of a craftsman, Bible says God spoke

Babylonian tablet states characterized by puerility and grotesqueness, Bible states grand and solemn realities of the creator God who is holy and a Savior

Babylonian tablets are out of harmony with science, Bible rendition is in accord with science (many scientists are believers).

Page 3

  Matthew Henry so accurately summarized Genesis as being more than just the “origins” of everything, but argued Genesis should be looked at as the “generation” of everything. In his Commentary Volume 1, he argued that the word “origins” did not reflect the cosmic importance of the work of Genesis. He believed “generation” from where things were nothing, God produced something in which God had to invoke the energy to sustain. Harold L. Willmington argued that Genesis helps identify the group of people who would channel and be part of the creation of God’s Word to man, and also a channel for the fruition of God’s Eternal Son Jesus Christ coming down to earth as our salvation. Willmington identifies the very first verse as being instrumental in understanding the character, nature, and divine attributes of God, “In the Hebrew, the opening verse of the Bible contains a grammatical discord-a plural subject with a singular verb: ‘In the beginning God [ Elohim, a plural noun meaning ‘Gods’] created, [bara, a singular verb meaning ‘creates’] the heaven and the earth.’ This grammatical discord refutes two heresies: 1) Unitarianism, which denies the Trinity, and 2) Polytheism, which denies the unity of the Godhead. The doctrine of the Trinity is confirmed-the truth of the unity (there is only one true God) and tri-unity (One God eternally coexisting in three Persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit).” Page 28

In the end, Genesis is as unique as it is original. As science develops, we see the signature of God throughout Genesis. As we live, we can see the origins of how we came and the need for God through Genesis. It must be pointed out that the attributes of a symphony reflect the design of Genesis. Genesis being the first book of the Bible can be compared to a sonata, which is the opening of a symphony. A composer has two themes in the beginning sonata of a symphony, the first is loud and thunderous, much like Genesis with creation and God’s first interactions with man. The second theme in the sonata is characterized with its more subtle theme, this one grows in importance but at times can be missed. For Genesis, this is the need for a savior for all of mankind and how God would have to provide such salvation. If not studied with precision and recognizing the unique but similar characteristics of Genesis to a sonata, one might miss the importance of what God is subtlety pointing to, “Man needs a savior.” A composer ends the sonata and the beginning of a symphony with a focus of the second theme, desiring to highlight its importance to the observer. Genesis ends with God through Moses identifying how the Savior would come about. God as a composer, using Moses as a musician, creates the grandest and most spectacular sonata of humanity, and we call it the book of Genesis. 

Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming 

JL

References Briefing the Bible by Dr. J. Vernon McGee and Survey of the Old Testament by Harold L. Willmington

RE-POST FRIDAY!

We begin our look back into the appearance of Jesus Christ before His humble arrival! Read it HERE!

Aspects of Being Human

There is a common misunderstanding of what it means to be a human being. We tend to think that it is only our brain and perhaps the fact that we have thumbs to grab tools is what separates us from the animals. However, anyone who has spent any amount of time around animals can see that there are many who can figure out simple tasks. For example, my dog has figured out how to lock doors. A trait that becomes quite irritating when she locks you out of the house in the rain all because she is mad that you took the trash out instead of her. So what then is it that separates us from the animal kingdom? The answer is found in 1 Thessalonians 5:23.

“23 Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

From this verse, we see that there are three aspects of belonging to the human race. That is to possess a body, spirit, and soul. The body is the easiest to deal with. After all, we all have a physical appearance. Our bodies are our earthly home, this allows us to recognize one another and the world around us. It is the spirit and soul that often gets lumped together in many people’s understanding. However, this verse makes it clear that they are two separate aspects.

The soul is your personality, how you think, how you feel, how you interact in the world. In his book The Mystery of Godliness, Major W. Ian Thomas describes the soul as “That man is an animal goes without saying! We eat and drink the animal way; we breath and breed and bleed - and die - the animal way! That man is not only animal will I trust become equally clear, but animal he is! Furthermore, as ‘fallen man,’ he is perfectly capable of behaving though spiritually destitute and completely ‘alienated from the life of God’ (EPH 4:18). His spiritual condition determines not whether he can behave, but only how he will behave.” This means that our soul directs our behavior/personality. Before we accept God’s free gift of salvation, we are spiritually dead and alienated from God. “18 being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart;” Ephesians 4:18. Those who do not know God have a hard heart, this is seen in the life of Pharaoh during the Jews exodus from Egypt. Moses continually came to Pharaoh asking that he let the Jews go, each time Pharaoh hardened his heart against the will of God and received more and more calamity (Exodus 8). When we are spiritually dead we can behave good and/or bad but the end result is still a dead spirit. 

The soul can be broken up into three aspects in itself; will, emotions, and mind. These aspects all direct our daily behavior. What makes this aspect unique is that your inward behavior can be hidden by the outward behavior that you show to everyone else. I don’t think there is a person among us who hasn’t had an argument with someone who wasn’t even there, or been listening to someone talk but all the while daydreaming of what the weekend will hold. There is only One who can truly know and understand the thoughts that we have. God who is omniscient knows our thoughts and actions before we even think through them. This is seen clearly in proverbs 15:26, “The Lord detests the thoughts of the wicked,”

The third aspect of being human is the spirit. As mentioned above, the spirit and the soul are separate. The spirit is what allows us to live eternally with or separate from God. Major W. Ian Thomas describes the spirit as “the human spirit is this unique capacity which God has given to man, which enables him both to receive and be motivated by the very life of God Himself.” The spirit is the pinnacle difference between man and other created beings. This can be hard to understand, but is important nonetheless. All men have Body and Soul, but only born-again believers in Jesus Christ have a Spirit. This is why a born-again believer is identified as being a “new creation.” This is the very reason why the Christian is inwardly yearning for the complete renewal that will only come with the Rapture. We have a living Spirit, an imprint of the very living God in us. However our sinful nature which has lost its permanency on us is still not vanquished entirely until that glorious day we are called home. Only then will the believers finally have all three in perfect unity with how we were designed. 

However, there is hope for those whose spirit is dead, if one only recognize and come to Christ asking for His mercy and forgiveness, God would grant a new life. Major W. Ian Thomas describes this as such “when you act in obedience to the Truth, revealed through the Word, the truth behaves, and the end effect is righteousness.” Even though we are not fully restored until our new bodies, we who are saved have real power! We have the living God who made the universe living inside of us; He created us, designed us, molded us, and is now actively guiding us. Dear reader, that is power, it means we can do what the unsaved could never fathom. The believer can look at a difficult situation or even a minor annoyance and respond according to the Word. They know the Word and can therefore act upon it, it is how we as believers shine for the Lord in difficult times. The unbeliever does not have this capability, instead they can only respond in a way that reflects what is inside of them. It is why we as Christians, born-again followers of Christ, need to keep our focus on Him. “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. ” Colossians 3:1-3. 

So recapping I want to make this perfectly clear. The body is our earthly tent, it is the most tangible aspect that we can understand. Our soul is nothing more than our personality and how we “tick”, it is your characteristics. Yet, our most valuable human prospect is whether or not the Spirit is living or is dead. On our own we cannot make the Spirit living, but are in need of Jesus Christ to ignite in us what is only He can and has done. Remember, our very design is based on pointing us back to the cross and on what Christ has done for us. 

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BASICS COURSE

Have you ever been lost in the woods? Many have described it as a terrifying experience, never knowing if you are going the right way or if you are headed further into danger. There are many who have come to a saving life in Jesus Christ who have realized that they are lost in the woods of Christianity, this is a terrifying experience. To combat this, Jesus commanded the disciples in Matthew 28 to help those who would find themselves lost and direct them onto the proper path.

Matthew 28:16-20, “16 But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated to them. 17 And when they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some were doubtful. 18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. 19 “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to follow all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

This commandment from Jesus Christ was a predestined answer to what many Christians would say over the years, “I just don't know where to start” or “Where would I find information on that?” It can be disheartening when this these questions are asked, and there is silence from others in the body of Christ. This was not the plan that Jesus had put into motion, Jesus Christ being fully omniscient knew the dire predicament and provided the body of Christ with the tools to understand and train each other. 

This series that I would like to venture with you on, is nothing more than a detailed map of the Bible. Over the next several weeks, I want to help you understand each book of the Bible in a small easy to read summary that will help you understand the 101 basics of that book. We at Mill House Ministries cannot compare to the vastness and unimaginable depth of the mind of Christ, His Word is God breathed and incomparable to any other work. Yet, Christ has called us to disciple and we want to help contribute in your personal walk. Proverbs says, “It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.” Proverbs 25:2. It is so unfortunate that many today are disconnected from a church community, the forces of darkness have celebrated in the false belief they have shut down the churches. However, this is not the case, those who are proclaiming the Lord have now become even brighter as the world grows darker. 

For those who are lost in the woods, God is providing a way. We at Mill House Ministries want to contribute to your personal studies, and possible discipleship of others. This study will be simplistic and at times considered rudimentary, however this is so that we can make the basics that much more assured. There is an old saying, “slow is smooth, and smooth is fast.” This series will help you understand the “who, what, where, why, how, so what, and specific topics” found in each book. We also plan to give you a synopsis that you can quickly collect each week and see how God’s master plan has been laid out over the ages. The Holy Spirit is willing to help those who are wanting to know more, John 16:13 “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.” This truth is still very much prevalent today, God cares for our own understanding of His Word, and He will not leave us to wonder aimlessly. This is not to say that we are to sit and just randomly flip through pages of the Bible and expect Him to answer us, instead we are to carefully study His Word and seek the truth. You might not have every answer when confronted with a question or problem. With this basic study of the books of the Bible, we hope to encourage and arm you with the knowledge needed to have the Word of God speak to you on where you need to go to venture forth. Not as lost sheep, but as a good and faithful servant searching out others who are lost.  

Welcome to the Basics Course! 

Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming.

JL

RE-POST FRIDAY!

Today’s RE-POST FRIDAY asks a question on if you are prepared? We are looking back at the parable of the ten virgins, which group do you belong in? Read it HERE!

Fear of the Lord

During my daily Bible study, I will read a chapter of Proverbs with my other readings. This is something that I highly encourage you to do if you are not already. The book of Proverbs is filled with so much financial advice, words of encouragement, and advice for all stages of life. This last month as I was reading I began to notice something that caught my attention. Throughout the book of Proverbs you will read many “fear of the Lord” statements, as I began to notice these I was curious about what they would all say. So I wrote them down in a list and want to share them with you.

The first statement is found in Proverbs 1:7, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” This is a stage that we have all been in at one point. When we begin to understand our own sinfulness, our own lack of not being good enough to be called righteous, we begin to realize how short we have fallen from what God wants. But in this fear of the Lord there is grace, and that grace allows us to have the knowledge to understand His saving plan. Before reaching this point, we have all been fools who do not wish to understand what the Bible says. We despise wisdom and instruction and instead wish to try to accomplish life on our own accord.

Chapter one in Proverbs speaks of what wisdom is. It describes wisdom as a woman who is lifting her voice for all to hear so that they will turn to her and find all kinds of precious things. This is where we find our next “fear of the Lord” statement. “Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently but will not find me, 29 Because they hated knowledge And did not choose the fear of the Lord.” Proverbs 1:28-29. Here we have a warning. For those who do not heed when God calls to them, they will search for wisdom but be unable to find it. And the reason for this is because they hated the instruction that comes with the fear of the Lord. No one likes to be corrected, but if you refuse correction then you cannot refuse the consequences that will come. The last verse of chapter one shows what happens to those who do listen when the Lord calls. “but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm.” Proverbs 1:33. When we listen to the instructions we find in the Bible, we can live without fear because we know the promises of God.

Our next statement is found in Proverbs 2:4-6, “if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, 5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. 6 For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;” Whenever I read this verse, it always brings to mind James 1:17 “17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” We know that all good things comes from the Father, it is within His character to shower those who belong to Him with good things. And this includes wisdom. When we come before Him in prayer, we need to be asking for wisdom. Not as the world defines it, but we need to be asking for wisdom to understand what God wants for us to do. I am reminded of King Solomon who asked God for wisdom over riches. God was so pleased with this request, that He granted Solomon the ability to be wise beyond his years. When he was faced with the task of deciding who was the true mother of a child Solomon was able to lean on this wisdom and came up with, albeit an unorthodox, solution (1 Kings 3:16-28). When we are spending time in the Word and meditating on it, we need to be asking God for wisdom as only He can give. This is what it means to seek wisdom like silver. Humans are often looking for things that can hold a monetary value, it is how we can survive through buying and selling goods. This “fear of the Lord” statement shows that without wisdom, we cannot survive.

Chapter 10:27 holds the next statement, “The fear of the Lord prolongs life, But the years of the wicked will be shortened.” This verse goes beyond the benefits of living a righteous life and not having sinful consequences shorten our lives. Instead it goes further and means that when we die we will not parish. We will live on with our Lord. This is different for those who are not born-again believers, their hope is gone when they pass away. “The hope of the righteous brings joy, but the expectation of the wicked will perish.” Proverbs 10:28. The born-again believer can have hope because we know what the Bible promises and our hope is in the everlasting God, the unbeliever will place their hope in a world that will only perish.

Chapter 14 holds two statements, but I wish to look at them separately. The first is from 14:26, “Whoever fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for their children it will be a refuge.” I can personally attest that this is a very true statement. Whenever I am faced with a trial, it is my hope in Jesus Christ that gives me the strength to carry on. This is true for small things such as a move across the country, to large things such as a loss. When we are leaning on the Lord, He gives us strength and refuge to make it through our trials. He is our fortress when we are faced with the challenges of life. The second statement in chapter 14 is, “The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, that one may turn away from the snares of death.” This statement ties back into the one from Proverbs 10:27, we see that the fear and knowledge of the Lord gives life and through this we will not face eternal death away from our Lord.

“Better is a little with the fear of the Lord Than great treasure, and turmoil with the treasure.” Proverbs 15:16. Chapter fifteen is a comparison of those who are upright, compared to those who are wicked. In this statement we can see that even though we may only have a little, if we have the fear and the knowledge of the Lord we are happier than those who have much but face turmoil for not wanting to follow after the Lord. This is again because our hope is in greater things then what this world possesses.

“Wisdom’s instruction is to fear the Lord, and humility comes before honor.” Proverbs 15:33. Wisdom comes when we fear the Lord. But before we can understand what He is calling for us to do, we need to humble ourselves to allow Him to work through our lives. When we humble ourselves then we receive honor because we have been redeemed by Christ’s righteousness. This then allows the Holy Spirit to work in us to understand the Word of God more.

“By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the Lord one turns away from evil.” Proverbs 16:6. It is only through our Father’s love and faithfulness that we are redeemed through the blood of His Son. When we accept this fact and study the Word of God we have a guiding light to steer us away from what could lead us into temptation. “Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.” Psalm 119:105

“The fear of the Lord leads to life; then one rests content, untouched by trouble.” Proverbs 19:23. Here we see again that when we have the knowledge of God and His Word, we will be able to rest content. This is not saying that we will have an easy life, but it is instead saying that when we place our trust in God we are able to rest in Him during hard times. “He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.” Psalm 23:2

“The reward of humility and the fear of the Lord Are riches, honor, and life.” Proverbs 22:4. Here we see that we are rewarded when we have the fear of the Lord. I do not believe that this verse is talking about physical riches, although that can definitely be the case. Instead, I believe that this is talking about the rewards that we will have when we reach heaven by following after God. We know that when we accept Jesus Christ as our savior that we will have eternal life, it is entirely possible that we will have other rewards as well. Paul throughout his letters gives evidence for us to look forward to the Bema Seat Judgement. 

“Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always be zealous for the fear of the Lord. 18 There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.” Proverbs 23:17-18. I think the placing of this statement is interesting. This is the last of the “fear of the Lord” statements and has always stood out to me because it is a reminder not to be jealous of the world. We as believers have no hope in the world. Our hope is in the Lord and that is something that will never be cut off.

I hope that this list has helped open up a little more into the awesome power of our God. Jesus Christ is more than just love, He is also all powerful, His attributes are beyond anything we can handle or fully understand. However, we have the promises of God to embolden us to seek the Lord, this path must first start with the fear of the Lord which only comes from being humble and knowing that we are sinners. The fear of the Lord will lead to knowledge of the Holy One which is Jesus Christ. If you are here now thinking of salvation, know that it is only possible for those who are willing to admit that they are not capable and are in need of a savior. No works, no religious acts, no good deeds will get you to Him. Proverbs clearly indicates that the fear of the Lord is the first steps in an amazing adventure for those who seek the Lord. 

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex

A Heavenly Mic Drop

It is probably of no surprise that there have been many posts regarding this Sunday. You might have heard “Happy Resurrection Sunday,” or more commonly known as “Happy Easter.” Others might tell you “Happy First Fruits” and you might even have someone say, “Happy Passover Sunday.” In the end, for those who understand what this Sunday marks, it is a specific sign in the cosmic arena of what God did for you and I. In layman’s terms we celebrate the day Jesus “dropped the mic.” It is no simple statement to say God, who holds the entire universe, came down and held our sins on the cross while still holding the very atoms that keep the universe in existence.

The doubters are many, and the outright deniers are too large of a number to count. Yet, today I am not wanting to argue of the existence and reality of this day, but rather to encourage those who have come to realize what this day really means to keep focused on Christ.

Our God knowing that we could not save ourselves, provided Himself for our sacrifice so that our guilt could be paid for. There is no following the commandments, there is no being good that will get you what He accounted for. Simply put, Jesus Christ was able to fulfill the requirements needed to rescue you and I. 

We need at times to remember the simplicity of what God is telling us by making such an unmovable declaration. His entire life on earth was preordained to establish a rescue for those who would be willing to listen. However, His destiny was to permanently establish the verdict against all those who were not found in Him. We have no excuse to not listen. John 1:9-12 states, “9 This was the true Light that, coming into the world, enlightens every person. 10 He was in the world, and the world came into being through Him, and yet the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and His own people did not accept Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.”

Many people miss the duality of why Jesus came. He came to save John 3:16, but also He came as in verse 9, “to enlighten every person.” Some have taken this as to say “save every person.” However, this statement goes further than just salvation, He was also making a statement to those who do not believe. Christ coming to earth and dying for you and I was to bring every person to a point in their life where they will have to acknowledge and accept, or acknowledge and deny what Christ did on the cross. The essence of His resurrection afterwords shows His authenticity of what He declared on the cross “It is finished.” John 19:30. Many false religions have declared much and promised heaven, but only Jesus Christ proved He could make good on that promise. 

It was once told to me if the cross was God signing the check to say our debt was paid for, the resurrection was the bank statement of a good transaction. Everything in Christianity is pointing towards Christ, everything in the Old Testament is pointing to Jesus and everything in the New Testament is pointing to Jesus. We as believers need to understand that in everything we do. Our actions, thoughts, and decisions need to reflect this very nature of the Bible and what this holiday signifies. 

Never take for granted the crucifixion and the resurrection, for the same man who says “Come follow me,” Matthew 4:19, is also the same man who will say to those who are not saved “Depart from me.” Matthew 7:23. Jesus said this plainly in Matthew 10:28, “And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Resurrection Sunday is a yearly declaration of Jesus Christ, “enlightening every person.” This is important because as Matthew 10:28 shows, those who do not accept what He did on the cross will certainly know one day that Jesus Christ is risen. 

For those of us who are saved and born again, we can reflect on this time in excitement and eager opportunity to share the good news of Jesus to anyone who is willing to listen. For those who are not saved I would eagerly tell you to ask Jesus to forgive you of your sins and accept Him into your life. We need His forgiveness and He is willing to give it for those who accept it. If you are questioning and want to know more, ask Jesus to find you. For those who ask, God moves Heaven and Earth to find them. Finally, if you have questions and want to know more about Jesus Christ, please feel free to contact Mill House Ministries and we will happily help answer any questions you might have. 

Belated Happy Resurrection Sunday! 

JL

RE-POST FRIDAY!

Today we take a look back why we need to be encouraging younger and new believers. Read it HERE!

The Wonderful Cross

We are now just a couple days out from Easter. It is a time when many gather together in remembrance of what Jesus Christ did on the cross for the sake of the whole world. While this year may still look a little different than previous years, there is an aspect of the Christian life that remains the same for the majority of believers. This post is not meant to remind the reader of the actions that Jesus Christ did. That He was crucified on a cross, died, and was raised to life again should be a well-known fact for anyone who claims to be a born-again believer. What I am asking you is what have you done since accepting these facts?

The majority of Christians after accepting Jesus as their Savior will have made some changes, after all sin holds no joy for those who are filled with the Holy Spirit. We now feel conviction when we are faced with sin in our lives, but beyond this many Christians don’t truly understand what the cross meant. We fail to see that there is more that God would want for us, other than just to rectify us to Him through the blood of His Son.

To understand more deeply what the cross means, not only for those who profess to be born-again believers but also for the unsaved, we need to look at why the Son of God had to be slain. The Old Testament is filled with examples that all point to a coming savior, Jesus Christ. Perhaps the most obvious is the Passover Lamb. When Moses was trying to convince Pharaoh to let the Jews go Egypt was faced with many different plagues, the last of which was the death of the firstborn of any house that did not have the blood of a lamb over its doorway. “13 The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you live; and when I see the blood I will pass over you, and no plague will come upon you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.” Exodus 12:13. But why did blood have to be used? Couldn’t it have been as simple as a carved symbol over the doorframe? Or even a clever little catch phrase to show that the house followed God and not Pharaoh? Well the answer for the need for blood is found in the New Testament. “23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23 “22 In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” Hebrews 9:22

In his book, Experiencing the Cross, Henry Blackaby describes the need for Christ to shed His blood as “That’s how the cross makes a difference in your life. Apart from the shed blood of Jesus, all of us would face an eternity in hell, without hope, without recourse, and forever banished from the presence of God. And why is this? Because there is nothing else in all the universe, in all of time, that can cleanse us from sin.” You have heard us say it before, but I will say it again. We have all fallen short of the glory of God, and there is nothing that we can do that can rectify ourselves to Him. That means there is no act that we can do, it doesn’t matter what we pray to him, what we refuse to eat, or things that we give up during this time of year that can bring us to Him. All of these are actions that we do to try and make something godly. I am going to tell you something that most pastors are shying away from right now. All of the actions that you do now claiming to do for God, are worthless. In fact, they are beyond worthless. “For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; And all of us wither like a leaf, And our wrongdoings, like the wind, take us away.” Isaiah 64:6.

We have now reached the heart of the issue in this post. For many Christians are still trying to do things their way to make themselves righteous with God. They have accepted Jesus Christ’s sacrifice, but beyond that they have not thought what the actions of the cross truly represent. We are like Peter, we make the step of faith out into the water when we accept Christ, but we quickly get distracted and attempt to do things our way. As we saw with our post last week, this mentality will only allow for the Christian to sink. 

The fact is, many Christians still think that it is their actions that can make God pleased with them. What they don’t realize is that when we behave this way, we are allowing Christ to have died in vain. “21 I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!” Galatians 2:21. When we believe that we can gain God’s approval through our own actions, our own religious behavior no matter how well intended, we are simply stating that the actions that Christ did on the cross mean nothing. We believe that we can put our actions over those of the Son of God who lived a perfect life and died for the sins of all who have fallen short.

This may seem like a strange post to put out right before Easter, but it is an issue that I see in many and at times have seen in myself. This weekend as we celebrate the resurrection of our Savior I ask you to reflect and see what the cross really means to you. Have you accepted that Christ died for you but are still trying to do things your way? Well then I will remind you that such actions are seen by God as filthy rags. If you are someone who is reading this post and are wishing to see how the cross can mean more to you, know that if you don’t want Christ to have died in vain for you, then allow God to have full control over your life. Hold nothing back from Him. Christ has more planned for you than the life that you are living if you are not living it for Him. If you want to be everything that God intended you to be, then understand one thing. Christ is living in you! “20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20. Allow Christ to live through you, let your life be a representative of the Lord of Lords and King of Kings, Jesus Christ.

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex

The Threat Within (V)

The American Dictionary of The English Language by Noah Webster in 1828 states, “Universalism in theology is the doctrine or belief that all men will be saved or made happy in a future life.” 

This incorrect belief did not originate in 1828, but rather much farther back. Prior to Jesus Christ’s humble birth, death, and triumphant resurrection; farther back the the King David, and even the Prophet Moses. This goes back to a time right after the global judgment of the flood. A time when man was no longer new, but turning a new chapter in its history. Here we are able to see the root of this ideology and how it has manifested today. 

As stated in the previous week’s, I want to again bring about our advisory note. 

If you have followed along with us, I want to take this time to say thank you! This discussion is not an easy one and one that I do not take with quick words. I want to strain a point to you that must be taken seriously. Here at Mill House Ministries we are not in the business of attacking, and/or attempting to cut down any part of the Body of Christ over areas to which the Lord has been silent on. 

When discussing an event from thousands of years ago, in a different age of the world, you might be wondering how this has anything to do with the threats within the church today. The simple answer can be found in Ecclesiastes 1:9, “What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun.” What was done before will once again be found, and is now evident today. 

When the flood waters had subsided, Noah and his sons were told in Genesis 9:1, “and God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth.’” However, within just a few generations we see the people decided not to listen to God and seek their own way. 

Genesis 11:1-9 “1 Now all the earth used the same language and the same words. 2 And it came about, as they journeyed east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. 3 Then they said to one another, “Come, let’s make bricks and fire them thoroughly.” And they used brick for stone, and they used tar for mortar. 4 And they said, “Come, let’s build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top will reach into heaven, and let’s make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered abroad over the face of all the earth.” 5 Now the LORD came down to see the city and the tower which the men had built. 6 And the LORD said, “Behold, they are one people, and they all have the same language. And this is what they have started to do, and now nothing which they plan to do will be impossible for them. 7 “Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, so that they will not understand one another’s speech.” 8 So the LORD scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth; and they stopped building the city. 9 Therefore it was named Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of all the earth; and from there the LORD scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth.” 

Here we see that the Lord’s commandments were not only ignored, but man attempted to do something that many scholars, critics, and nay-sayers have misunderstood for years. The Tower of Babel was in fact a real place, and just south of Baghdad are the ruins for what they were building. This post is not about the specifics of the Babel initiative, but rather their agenda. However, the Babel initiative can be put simply that they wanted to revert back to what their ancestors were able to accomplish before the flood. Their agenda to have a universal belief, a singular cause of thought, all established around the idea that man is capable of governing himself was successfully brought to fruition. The man who orchestrated this rebellion against God was named Nimrod, who is first stated in Genesis 10:8-9, “Nimrod; he became a mighty one on the earth. He was a mighty hunter before the Lord; therefore it is said, ‘like Nimrod a mighty hunter before the Lord.’ The beginning of his kingdom was Babel.” Biblical scholars have speculated over the years, but research suggests Nimrod was determined to orchestrate the successful resurgence of the pre-flood society described in Genesis 6, the Babel initiative. While God put a stop to the initiative, the agenda was successfully established. 

“7 ‘Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, so that they will not understand one another’s speech.’ 8 So the LORD scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth; and they stopped building the city.”  Genesis 11:7-8

We now race forward and see that man has attempted to bring the world under one authority since God scattered the people and the nations were made. We can also conclude that since Babel, man has been desiring for a universal system of religion and governance. Leaders have come and gone who have all have tried, yet we know from scripture that there would not be a unification until the end. 

Today, man has been pressed into believing that we are a global community. That man needs to shake off his preconceived ideas of nationality and embrace a one faith, one world agenda. There has never been one person who has championed this Babel agenda more than Pope Frances, and many critics have called him the antichrist. I have decided not to go too deep into the “weeds” and not present his statements. Not only do I not want to give his poison any more publication, but also I have seen his capacity to “wiggle” out of responsibility for his beliefs, statements, and actions. He is the crowning achievement of a system that has been increasing in power, sway, and the intent to prevail over God. While previous Popes have done atrocities that are clearly shown in scripture as being sin, the world has embraced him as the “vicar of Christ.” He is the self proclaimed authority in Christianity. Even though Hebrews makes it clear that Jesus Christ is our High Priest and we, as believers, need no person to intercede for us but Christ Himself.

Hebrews 3:1-6  “1 Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession: Jesus; 2 He was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was in all His house. 3 For He has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, by just so much as the builder of the house has more honor than the house. 4 For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God. 5 Now Moses was faithful in all God’s house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken later; 6 but Christ was faithful as a Son over His house--whose house we are, if we hold firmly to our confidence and the boast of our hope.” 

Today however, we are not going to examine the unbiblical characteristics of the position of the Pope, but rather the specific person. Pope Frances has pushed the Babel agenda to the point that, I believe, it would be accurate to connect him directly to Nimrod, who facilitated the construction of the tower, the Babel initiative, and agenda. Nimrod was a fierce hunter before the Lord, he sought after the things that were God’s. Pope Frances has sought after replacing Jesus Christ as being the High Priest for those of us who are saved. Pope Frances has pushed for the world to come together in universalism, all praying to one God in their own faiths. Nimrod wanted everyone to help in his pursuit of reaching heaven. Pope Frances has made statements claiming his beliefs are correct, even when it goes directly against what the Bible says. Nimrod went directly against what God had ordained. 

However, their strongest connection is that they are both globally recognized as being champions of faith and reform of the current status. In Nimrod’s day they were told to go across the whole world and worship only God, Nimrod championed against that. Today, the Bible makes it clear we are to worship only Jesus Christ who is the Son of God, and yet Pope Frances has declared all prayers and other forms of worship are acceptable. Both have aimed at bringing together the world in hopes of creating something as one. 

Now you might be reading this and wonder how this is applicable to Christians who are not in the Catholic movement? What many fail to see, is that Pope Frances has had an impact on many of the church leaders outside of Catholicism. Every person we have discussed over the past several weeks all listen and have worked with Pope Frances to unify the Church behind this Babel agenda. I believe this entire movement is defined perfectly by Pastor Andy Woods from Sugar Land Bible Church, who accurately identified Babel as being the root of the globalist ideology and the mother of harlots as described in Revelation 17:5, “and on her forehead a name was written, a mystery, ‘BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER O HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.’” Pope Frances is the sole, globally recognized leader of this movement that is championing what God has called an abomination. Satan is using this man and other wolves in sheep’s clothing to misguide, lead, take, and even destroy those who would seek to follow the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Now how are we to combat this? Just like I have stated each week, our mission is simple yet difficult. We need to refocus our attention on what is eternal and what is valuable. Jesus Christ is our blessed hope, Titus 2:11-15 “11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. 15 Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.”

This is why Mill House Ministries was started, this is why we as believers need to keep our attention on the Lord. We need to be praying for those who are threats in the Church, we need to not listen to them, and we need to examine what anyone says back to the Word of God. We need to be making disciples of all nations, baptizing, and helping people see the love of Jesus Christ. We do this by being Christlike, by loving others and allowing our actions to be identified with who is living inside of us. 

For those who have gone on this study, I want to thank you! This has not been an easy journey, but it has been one that has been heavy on my heart as one that needed to be declared. God makes it clear that those who are considered watchmen are to warn others of the dangers that are coming. Ezekiel 33:1-6 states the following, “1 Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2 “Son of man, speak to the sons of your people and say to them, ‘If I bring a sword upon a land, and the people of the land take one man from among them and make him their watchman, 3 and he sees the sword coming upon the land and blows the horn and warns the people, 4 then someone who hears the sound of the horn but does not take warning, and a sword comes and takes him away, his blood will be on his own head. 5 ‘He heard the sound of the horn but did not take warning; his blood will be on himself. But had he taken warning, he would have saved his life. 6 ‘But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the horn and the people are not warned, and a sword comes and takes a person from them, he is taken away for his wrongdoing; but I will require his blood from the watchman’s hand.’”  I have warned you, I have declared to you that there is a threat inside the Church. We must be aware of it and stand against it. You now know, and have the duty set forth by God to warn others and take a stand against such threats who would declare such blasphemy against the Lord. 

However, I want to leave you with hope. When I was a child, I loved to read the stories in the Bible and see the heroic acts of those who followed the Lord. I always imagined what it would be like to be on my own adventure, my own journey with Christ. Yet, now I realize that we are living in the days Jesus warned about. Our adventure is very much alive right now. The days seem to be getting darker, but that is just because the light is preparing to shine, we who are of the Church will one day be called home as in 1 Thessalonians 4:17-18, “17 Then we who are alive, who remain, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore, comfort one another with these words.” Then God will deal with a rejecting world, and specifically with Israel. We will then come back triumphantly with the Lord to rescue those who, during the Tribulation, have come to be known as Tribulation Saints and believing Israel. At that point there will be a thousand years of Jesus Christ literally reigning in Jerusalem. Then God will make a new world and a new heaven, and we who are in Christ will be with Him forever. 

Our story is not ending, it is just beginning. The enemy believes that he has us pinned, but in reality he has already lost. Our King is reigning and we who are saved can personally go to Him in triumphant glory because of what Jesus Christ did on the cross for us. We need not fear our enemy, instead look our adversary in the eye and confront them with the backing of our Heavenly Father. 

If you are not saved, I would implore you to seek reason and come to know Jesus Christ, for who He is, He is the I Am. Only through Him can you be saved, only through Him can you spend eternity with those who have taken their refuge in Him. Only in Him will you be able to sway through the threat inside the Church.

Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming,

JL

RE-POST FRIDAY!

This RE-POST FRIDAY shows how we can be freed from sin. Read it HERE!

Learning From Our Trials (III)

Have you ever been in a situation that seems hopelessly over your head? One that no matter what you do you simply can’t get out of? Or perhaps there is an issue in your life that seems like no matter what you try, you can’t get out of? If you have been following along with our posts regarding why we face trials, you should know that sometimes trials come so that we can help others. We may also face trials because God has allowed them even when we have done nothing to merit it In some instances, like Job, we may never know why we go through these trials. Joseph was someone who faced trials due to jealousy of others which lead to the saving of a nation, Job was a righteous man that the Bible never tells us if he was ever made aware of the reasoning behind his trials and tribulations. He never knew Satan himself was in fact the originator of his challenges. The commonality between these two men is that they both gave their situations up to God, and through His will both men prospered.

The passage that we are going to look at today shows what happens to those who do not turn to God when they face a situation that is beyond them.

“22 Immediately afterward He compelled the disciples to get into the boat and to go ahead of Him to the other side, while He sent the crowds away. 23 After He had sent the crowds away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone. 24 But the boat was already a long distance from the land, battered by the waves; for the wind was contrary. 25 And in the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea. 26 When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”

28 Peter responded and said to Him, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” 29 And He said, “Come!” And Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water, and came toward Jesus. 30 But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and when he began to sink, he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” 31 Immediately Jesus reached out with His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 When they got into the boat, the wind stopped. 33 And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, “You are truly God’s Son!””

Matthew 14:22-33

This passage occurs after the feeding of the five thousand, this number was just the men it does not include the women and children there as well. The disciples had quite literally seen Jesus feed this large crowd from five loaves of bread and two fish. Anyone who has ever hosted even a small gathering would know that five loaves of bread and two fish would not be enough, and yet Jesus was not only able to satisfy the gathering but there was enough left over to fill twelve full baskets. Despite seeing this, they still doubted that God would be able to do the impossible. So when they were in the boat in the middle of the storm, they were taken by surprise to see a man walking on the water. Not believing that Jesus was able to do the impossible, the disciples could only understand what they were seeing as that of a ghost.

However, Jesus called out to them and upon recognizing His voice, even though he still could not believe his eyes, Peter called back to Him. With faith Peter took that first step out into the waters and by faith began to walk towards Christ. He did not make it far however, when Peter became aware of the wind and the waves his faith wavered and he began to sink. Calling out to the Lord, Jesus immediately came to him but still admonished Peter for his lack of faith.

This scenario still applies to us today. While we may not be asked to walk on water in the middle of a storm, we do face challenges that will either cause us to keep our focus on Christ or to sink. Most Christians today have a tendency to believe that their problems are either too big or not important enough for God to handle. We want to handle it on our own. This mentality places the issue on the shoulders of the individual instead of where it should be. The truth of the matter is, there is nothing that God cannot handle. He has already won every challenge that we face by His actions on the cross.

When we compare our responses to challenges with that of Peter walking on water, we can see two unique points. The first is that when he stepped out of the boat Peter had the faith that he would be able to walk across and reach Jesus, he had no doubt that God would allow him to be victorious in this impossible situation. The second is that when Peter got distracted by the waves and wind, he lost sight of Christ and began to sink. For us today, when we come to God with every situation we face we need to have the faith that He will pull us through it. When we try to succeed on our own we will sink, and it is only when we cry out to the Lord will we be saved. Peter was only able to walk on water because he had placed his trust in the Lord. This is what we must do with every challenge we face, when we get distracted by the fears and worries of this world (the wind and waves) then we take our eyes off of Christ. When we give every situation over to the Lord we recognize our own inability to handle the challenges, instead we recognize that God can handle the impossible. When we doubt that He can handle any situation, we will only ever sink.

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex

The Threat Within (IV)

For those who are new to this series, we are discussing the threats inside the church. Each post can be read independently however, each post is dedicated to a different type of threat inside the church. We would encourage you to go and read the previous posts as there is some progressive development within each. For those who have been keeping along with our series, thank you for staying each week with us as we go through this eye opening review of those who claim to be Christians and yet are nothing more than imposters of the faith. 

I want to again bring about our advisory note. 

“If you have followed along with us, I want to take this time to say thank you! This discussion is not an easy one and one that I do not take with quick words. I want to strain a point to you that must be taken seriously. Here at Mill House Ministries we are not in the business of attacking, and/or attempting to cut down any part of the Body of Christ over areas to which the Lord has been silent on.”

This does not mean we are to keep silent when we see a present danger that is pulling people away from the truth of Jesus Christ. We are to be vigilant and warn others when a threat arises. This series is aimed at warning believers of what is amongst us right now.

Now imagine that it is Sunday and you have just left church. The sermon was on point, the pastor was teaching the Word of God, and everyone left ready to start a new week keeping Christ as the center. If you go to a western church (United States, Canada, Australia, Western Europe, South Africa, etc) chances are you helped financially support a group that has been literally snatching young adolescences and indoctrinating them to believe false realities. This group creates fake memories to distort innocent children into trusting only them, in order to manipulate and spiritually destroy. They teach New Age practices such as “soul sucking” and even support the practice of tarot cards. This group pressures young adolescences into their worship of demons and they support directly what God in His Bible not only told us not to do, but forbid it to the point of death. 

By now you might be wondering who is this group or you might already have an idea. This false group is Bethel Church in Redding, California. They are well known for their massive influence in worship music. If you turn on any Christian radio station you will without a doubt hear one of their songs. Their massive influence has been financed through the unwittingly ignorant, and at times willful pawns, who play their music at church or listen to their music. Each time this happens, they get financial support and their beliefs are proclaimed and sang. 

Unlike previous weeks with one Biblical example to compare, this week I want to provide core warnings found in scripture regarding the actions of this group. I can tell you there have been many articles written about such a church. Faithful brothers and sisters in Christ have taken direct issues with the church and their false teaching. 

Bethel is known for supporting the practice of divination, pagan practices, worship of an alternative Jesus Christ, worship of self, and even the worship of demons. If you want greater details regarding the specifics of Bethel Church, please look into Pastor Billy Crone at getalifemedia.com and Jan Markel at olivetreeviews.org. Both have written and discussed numerous times the issues and concerns any Bible believing Christian should have with Bethel Church. 

Nevertheless, while there has been a plethora of articles, radio shows, documentaries, and postings regarding Bethel Church; we have almost nothing on calling out churches who support them. I must confess, for months I went to a church that each Sunday would have the worship director get up and lead the church in worship music. This music would be directly from Bethel. For me I was not yet fully aware of Bethel and the issues concerning what they were doing, but I quickly recognized that some of the worship songs either did not have the glory going to Jesus Christ or they were blatantly singing false doctrine. The Worship leader was confronted by some of the Church and he adamantly defended the music, the Pastor was notified and he strongly defended the worship leader. Those who were wanting to accurately worship the Lord were being thrown to the side for those who wanted their ears tickled. The pastor explained this is what the people wanted while the worship leader threatened to quit if he was not given the liberty to seek music to his style of worship. The result of this situation? Born again believers started to leave. 

Why do I tell you this? I tell you because it is important to see what Bethel Church is doing to churches all around the world. 2 Timothy 4:3-4 states, “3 For the time will come when they will not tolerate sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance with their own desires, 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth and will turn aside to myths.”

By allowing anyone who can play an instrument lead the worship music, we have handed over the power of one of the most important roles in gathering believers. Some Pastors have no idea what is going to be played until Sunday during the service. Other pastors encourage their worship teams to play what people want to hear. Instead of directing our worship and the focus onto Jesus Christ, we have turned it into a worship of self. What a shame! Those who play Bethel music are supporting such beliefs. 

Some pastors have even started to duplicate Bethel beliefs into their own church. One church, which started off on fire for God, now has eastern mythical walk ways where you are able to collect spiritual guidance and reflect on what you are enlightened with. These churches follow the Bethel example of self over God. But do not take my word for it, just look at what Bill Johnson’s book “The Supernatural Power of a Transformed Mind,”

“For many years I misunderstood the biblical concept of desire. Psalm 37:4 tells us: ‘Delight yourself in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.’ Like many pastors, I foolishly taught that if you delighted yourself in the Lord, He would change your desires by telling you what to desire. But that’s not at all what this means. That verse literally means that God wants to be impacted by what you think and dream. God is after your desires. The word desire is made up of the prefix ‘de’ meaning ‘of,’ and sire meaning ‘father.’ Desire is, by nature, of the Father.”

This week the threat within can be identified as nothing more than the laziness of Christians to stand firm on the Word of God. How abhorrent it is that we are not only supporting this with our own finances, but we allow pastors and worship leaders to do this. One pastor was reported to our ministry as responding with, “Get over it and just enjoy the music” when confronted by the Biblical inaccuracy of a specific worship song. What a shame! What a sad day for the Christian Church. We have people asking for songs that are so unbiblical that you have to wonder if you are singing anything that was ever created with the purpose to be played inside a church. But what is worse is we are giving our financial support to the very group that is helping to produce this abomination on a global scale. Every time these songs are played in church and on the radio, these groups get royalties that allow them to make more unbiblical music that draws the focus away from Christ. How unfortunate, how sad. 

However, I do not want to end on a sad note but rather on what we as believers can do regarding this. We must first examine our own life and see if we have any abominations that we are hiding. Before we go up to church leadership and demand change, we must first make sure we are spiritually Christ centered so that we do as Matthew 18:15-17 states, “15 Now if your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that ON THE TESTIMONY OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES EVERY MATTER MAY BE CONFIRMED. 17 ‘And if he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, he is to be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.” We must have a clean heart, which only comes from Jesus Christ. 

Worship leaders need to be helped, guided, and taught to use their talents wisely. They should not have the burden alone to see what music we take to the Lord and glorify Him with. We need to make sure that our local Christian radio stations are petitioned to play music that is Biblical. And finally most importantly, we need to encourage those faithful believers to learn how to play musical instruments so that we can benefit the local body of Christ. 

We need to keep our focus on Jesus Christ. We need to make sure that Biblical councilors, discipleship teams, Bible study groups, worship leaders, sunday school teachers, teachers, parents, and dare I say pastors are armed with the precious Word of God so that the ministry of Jesus Christ can continue. For one of the greatest threats inside the church is lazy, non vigilant Christians who take their role as Bereans without the solemn duty that it deserves. 

Next week, as we tackle our final threat to the Church we will see that there is an individual who has been identified by the world as the figurehead of Christianity. This man misleads billions of souls away from Christ who is the true leader of the Church.

Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming 

JL

RE-POST FRIDAY!

This RE-POST FRIDAY offers up a challenge for Christians! Read it HERE!