RE-POST FRIDAY

Today we are continuing our look back into the series on the Armor of God by revisiting our post on the Shield of Faith! Read it HERE!

Prayers of Thanksgiving

The next type of prayer that needs to be discussed is a prayer of thanksgiving. Often times, this prayer gets lumped in with prayers of adoration and it is true that they have similarities. However, a prayer of adoration is designed to express our faith and reverence for God, while a prayer of thanksgiving is designed to praise Him for something that He has done. There are many examples of prayers of thanksgiving, look at Exodus 15 to see Moses’ thanksgiving for deliverance from pharaoh’s army. However, my favorite prayer of thanksgiving is actually found in 1 Samuel 2,

“2 Then Hannah prayed and said,

“My heart rejoices in the Lord; My horn is exalted in the Lord, My mouth speaks boldly against my enemies,Because I rejoice in Your salvation. 2 There is no one holy like the Lord, Indeed, there is no one besides You,Nor is there any rock like our God. 3 Do not go on boasting so very proudly, Do not let arrogance come out of your mouth; For the Lord is a God of knowledge, And with Him actions are weighed. 4 The bows of the mighty are broken to pieces, But those who have stumbled strap on strength. 5 Those who were full hire themselves out for bread, But those who were hungry cease to be hungry. Even the infertile woman gives birth to seven,But she who has many children languishes. 6 The Lord puts to death and makes alive; He brings down to Sheol and brings up. 7 The Lord makes poor and rich; He humbles, He also exalts. 8 He raises the poor from the dust, He lifts the needy from the garbage heap To seat them with nobles, And He gives them a seat of honor as an inheritance; For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, And He set the world on them. 9 He watches over the feet of His godly ones, But the wicked ones are silenced in darkness; For not by might shall a person prevail. 10 Those who contend with the Lord will be terrified; Against them He will thunder in the heavens, The Lord will judge the ends of the earth; And He will give strength to His king, And will exalt the horn of His anointed.””

1 Samuel 2:1-10

  From the very beginning we can see the attitude that Hannah has when approaching God. We can clearly see the helplessness in her prayer. This prayer is said when she is dedicating her only child, the one she had prayed she would one day have, to the service of God. Instead of being upset, Hannah keeps her prayer focused on God. She not only keeps her focus on Him, but rejoices and speaks boldly. She is reminding us that when we have nothing else to be thankful of, rejoice in the Lord. This is echoed with Paul when he is imprisoned, “4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.” Philippians 4:4. To have nothing, or more specifically to have nothing as the world deems it, but to still be able to rejoice in the Lord is a marker of a faithful follower of Christ. In Hannah’s time, for a woman not to have a child was something to be seen as a failure as we see with Peninnah’s response to Hannah, “6 Because the Lord had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her” 1 Samuel 1:6. In the eyes of the world, Hannah was giving up the one thing that gave her honor, her child.

  This is so important for us today, we often measure our success or failure by the world’s standards. Because of this, we fail to keep our focus on God and lose our connection with Him. It is why prayers of thanksgiving are so important. They remind us of what God has done and we see His power. We then begin to measure our situation based on the power of God and not the limitations of this world. Hannah was so easily able to bless God in her helplessness by keeping her focus on the only thing that mattered, God and His promise of salvation.

  Hannah continues her prayer with an attitude of awe. She states the simple fact that there is no one like God. She boldly speaks about His knowledge, strength, and capability to provide for those who call upon Him. We can easily see the respectful attitude that she has but also see the strength that she has in this prayer. I am often reminded of the verse in Titus, “15 These things speak and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. No one is to disregard you.” Titus 2:15. When we speak of our God, we speak with all authority because we have been given a spirit of strength. “7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” 2 Timothy 1:7

  Finally, we see an attitude of faithfulness in her prayer. In verses 8-10, we see her continually bless the Lord and recognize that all things are at His disposal. Through her prayer, Hannah is able to show her faithfulness in God’s promises. After all, He had already shown that He was faithful by opening the womb that He had closed and giving her a child. 

  Hannah’s prayer is a great example of a prayer of thankfulness. We see that she opens with an attitude of helplessness, continues with an attitude of awe, and closes with an attitude of faithfulness. Prayers of thankfulness are important today because they remind us of what God has done.

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex

The Basics: A Brief Overview of Nehemiah

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:

Nehemiah 

 INTRODUCTION: 

“To tell the truth, he felt a bit sore. First there had been the long tip across the desert. Then, during the previous night, he had identified around the area. Unusual activity for a professional politician. Now, in the light of the rising sun, he could fully view the ruins. What he saw was not encouraging, to say the least. Enemy soldiers and the revenges of time had utterly devastated all that had once stood tall and strong in the beloved city. He realized God called different men to different tasks. Moses was commissioned to lead, David to rule, and men like Amos to form. But his assignment was unique. Dismounting somewhat stiffly from his horse, the rider entered a room filled with men he had personally summoned. The rider was Nehemiah, the city was Jerusalem, the ruins were its walls, and the assembled men were key Jewish leaders. But what was the reason for all of this? In the words of Nehemiah himself, ‘Nehemiah 2:18 And I told them of the hand of my God which had been good upon me, and also of the king’s words that he had spoken to me. So they said, “Let us rise up and build.” Then they set their hands to this good work.’”[1] Imagine, it had been 70 years and finally the Jewish people were returning to their home. Persia, the world superpower of its time, was supporting not only the return of the Jewish people but the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the temple to the LORD. God had called unique men to the greatest calling a person could find themselves in, God’s calling. 

WHO WROTE IT: 

The author is thought to be Nehemiah based on the characteristics of the book and what the author focused on. Nehemiah, who was a businessman, focuses less on the Temple and religious side of the return then Ezra, who was a priest, wrote about. Nehemiah focuses more on the political and economic return of the people. 

 WHEN DID THEY WRITE IT: 

Biblical scholars like John MacArthur attempt to detail the writing of Nehemiah in the late year 446 B.C., the 20th year of the Persian king, Artaxerxes (464–423 B.C.).[2]

KEY TOPICS:

The book of Nehemiah shows the reader several topics. Including, society, government, religion, prophecy, Prophets, man, woman, children, family issues, promises, war, God, love, and finally preparation for the stage of Jesus Christ.

 KEY SECTIONS: 

Chapters 1-2 depict Nehemiah’s grief and God’s answer. Chapter 3 describes the rebuilding of the walls. Chapters 4-6 show Political, religious, and construction issues. Chapter 7 details the census of those who had returned. Chapters 8-13 is the revival and reform of the Jewish nation.  

BOOKS THAT INTERACT WITH EACH OTHER: 

The book of Nehemiah is closely connected to the book of Ezra. However, because of Nehemiah the entire New Testament could be written. Ultimately, this book is about the restoration of Israel to the land and preparation for the arrival of the King of Kings. 

 ANALYSIS OF THE BOOK: 

Nehemiah is not the longest book, but neither is it the shortest. At times it is missed by everyone, except historians who desire to review the intricate details of how the nation of Israel has lived over the thousands of years. However, do not let this fool you, Nehemiah is a book that can radically change a Christian’s life today if taken seriously. Nehemiah shows believers two things, first that if the Word of God is taken seriously and we hold Jesus to His promises we can be rest assured He will answer. Second, this book goes beyond the historical value and answers the spiritual and practical truth many believers fail to recognize. God can transform the lives of anyone no matter where we have been. No matter where you were before, God can change you, no matter what you had done before, God can heal you, no matter the evil that has come upon you or done by you, God is merciful and just to forgive you of your sins and restore you. Nehemiah is a declaration of what God can do in your life today, all we need is to take His Word seriously, seek Him, and have the faith to know that He is in control. 

Hold until relieved our Blessed Hope is coming,

 JL

[1] Survey of the Old Testament An Overview of the scriptures from creation to Christ Harold L. Willmington Pg 584

[2] https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/macarthur_john/bible-introductions/nehemiah-intro.cfm

RE-POST FRIDAY

A look back for those who want to learn more about our writing process and how to answer God’s call. Read it HERE!

Prayers of Adoration

After our look at how Jesus Christ taught His disciples to pray, we saw that there are two things that are often overlooked. The first is that we need to make sure we are in a place free from distractions and second that we need to set an example for others as we pray. We also saw Jesus Christ approach God the Father with reverence, He held His name in honor. Through His example, Jesus taught us that we need to pray for God’s will do be done, not our own; as well as to be content in the situation that we are in. Christ ended His lesson with a prayer of forgiveness.

Now that we have seen a guideline on how to pray, the next few posts will review different types of prayers that are found in the Bible. The first of which is a prayer of adoration. Most likely the idea of adoration is something to be admired. While this is true, the actual definition of adoration has a deeper meaning. Adoration means to worship, glorify, and revere. Prayers of adoration at times can be seen as declarations of God’s majesty, work, and presence. They can be perceived as worship, and at times in their own right they are worship to the Lord. The Bible is filled with prayers that show adoration to God, there is not enough time to discuss them all. However, there has always been one that stood out to me.

“1 Praise the LORD! Praise, O servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD! 2 Blessed be the name of the LORD from this time forth and forevermore! 3 From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the LORD is to be praised! 4 The LORD is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens! 5 Who is like the LORD our God, who is seated on high, 6 who looks far down on the heavens and the earth? 7 He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap, 8 to make them sit with princes, with the princes of his people. 9 He gives the barren woman a home, making her the joyous mother of children. Praise the LORD!”

Psalms 113:1-9

  Prayers of adoration often seem to be mistaken for prayers of thanksgiving. However, Psalm 113 clearly shows that a prayer of adoration is simply worshiping God. As stated before this can be done simply by reflecting on verses that show who God is, and His character. Verses like, “My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge; My savior, You save me from violence.”2 Samuel 22:3, “6 and he said, “Lord, God of our fathers, are You not God in the heavens? And are You not ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and might are in Your hand so that no one can stand against You.” 2 Chronicles 20:6, “20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.” Romans 1:20, or “20 Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us,” Ephesians 3:20

  Prayers of adoration are our response to what God has done for us. Remember, God only gives good things, “17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.” James 1:17. This is true even in difficult times, sometimes it just takes us to get out of the situation to realize what God was doing through our difficult times. What is important to remember with prayers of adoration is that they glorify God, even when we are struggling we have things that we can glorify God for because if we maintain our faith in God and His promises we will make it through our trials. “For the Lord will not reject forever, 32 For if He causes grief, Then He will have compassionIn proportion to His abundant mercy.” Lamentations 3:31-32

  Reflection upon these verses and the multitude of others in Scripture all lead a sense of awe. We learn more about God and His attributes when we reflect upon Him. Prayers of adoration are also important because it strengthens our faith. When we pray with adoration we see what God has done and have hope in what He will do. To reflect and speak to God in a way of adoration is to pray for His mighty works to be done. 

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex

A Lesson From Tolkien

I have always been a fan of the Lord of the Rings books and movies, since being a little boy they have captured my imagination. Yet, there is one scene in particular that has always moved and reminded me of a lesson which Christian’s ought to keep on the forefront of their mind today. The scene comes from the end of the Lord of The Rings: Fellowship of the Ring. Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli have just had one of their friends die; and they have come to the realization that two of their friends, Marry and Pippin, have been captured by the enemy. The scene starts with Gimli stating, “Then it has all been in vain. The fellowship has failed.” Aragorn, recognizing the dire situation they are in and the need to encourage and guide his friends, responds, “Not if we hold true to each other. We will not abandon Merry and Pippin to torment and death. Not while we have strength left. Leave all that can be spared behind. We travel light. Let's hunt some Orc.”

  If you didn’t know, J.R Tolkien was a huge believer; as well as one of the instrumental people in C.S Lewis’s life who helped lead him to the Lord. The Lord of the Rings is filled with both subtle and not so subtle hints to Christian lessons and Biblical truths that Christians would do well to recognize and know today. 

  Critics might say this scene comes mainly from the movie, but I would argue for them to read the books and see the closeness to the fictional tale given. Nevertheless, this scene has a great lesson that I want to quickly remind believers about today. 

  Many believers have seen the status quo of the Christian world fall apart, before there were places one could go and still be in a welcoming community, we now find ourselves in an hostile environment. To hold to a Christian world view today is to be considered a prime target by the world. Many believers see what is going on and have acclaimed, “Then it has all been in vain.” They have bought into the lie that the enemy is going to win. The enemy believes that they have won, they discard that God will one day rise up for His name sake and deliver what He has promised. Just look at what the Psalmist says the enemy declares, 

  Psalms 10:3-11 “3 For the wicked boasts of the desires of his soul, and the one greedy for gain curses and renounces the LORD. 4 In the pride of his face the wicked does not seek him; all his thoughts are, “There is no God.” 5 His ways prosper at all times; your judgments are on high, out of his sight; as for all his foes, he puffs at them. 6 He says in his heart, “I shall not be moved; throughout all generations I shall not meet adversity.” 7 His mouth is filled with cursing and deceit and oppression; under his tongue are mischief and iniquity. 8 He sits in ambush in the villages; in hiding places he murders the innocent. His eyes stealthily watch for the helpless; 9 he lurks in ambush like a lion in his thicket; he lurks that he may seize the poor; he seizes the poor when he draws him into his net. 10 The helpless are crushed, sink down, and fall by his might. 11 He says in his heart, “God has forgotten, he has hidden his face, he will never see it.”

  What arrogance! In research for this post we even found an entire site dedicated to the rejection that Jesus will ever come back. The enemy believes they have won! For some Christians, this will seem catastrophic, what preconceived ideas have failed.

  Yet, for those who understand the times, who know that things are not falling apart but are falling into place for the final act of this age. We must be vigilant! Now is not the time to lament for our preconceived ideas, but to firmly stand on the Word of God. We need to look at our brothers and sisters who are crying out, “Then it has all been in vain. The fellowship has failed” and answer back “Not if we hold true to each other.” God has not abandoned us, why should we abandon each other? In fact God’s Word tells us in these times to encourage one another. 

1 Thessalonians 4:9-18 “9 Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another, 10 for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more, 11 and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, 12 so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one. 13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 15 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, 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 encourage one another with these words.”

  He is coming back for us, we need to keep the love, live for God, and in how He has instructed us to. We need to encourage one another knowing that the time is coming for the end of the age, our adventure might seem bleak but this is only the first act! 

  However, there is more for us to be doing, Matthew 28 clearly states we have our marching orders from God and we are to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ to all who will listen. Matthew 28:18-20 “18 And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’”

  Just like Aragorn, we need to remind those around us that we have family and friends who still need Jesus, “We will not abandon Merry and Pippin to torment and death. Not while we have strength left,” and we need to be about our Lord’s business. The book of Jude states in verses 20-23, “20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. 22 And have mercy on those who doubt; 23 save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.” Older and more mature believers need to seek out those who are new to the faith and help establish them in what the Word clearly states. Seek out those who do not know the Lord and share the gospel so they can see how they can be saved from eternal torment and death. This adventure we are on has eternal consequences which requires our utmost for His highest. 

  Believers need to shed what this World has to offer, “Leave all that can be spared behind. We travel light.” If you are focused on this world you will be focused on worldly things, yet if you are focused on God you will be focused on what He desires. Romans 8:5-6 “5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.” It has become more apparent as the world that Christian’s once knew transforms, the more those who were solidly attached to it struggle to find a solid foundation. Instead of being ready for the Lord’s work, they have thrown weight after weight on their backs and are burdened by the daily struggles and worries of this world. If only they would rely on Christ and see how liberating He is, then they would truly know the truth behind what Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-30, “28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

  The final statement that encourages our hero’s to save their friends is, “Let's hunt some Orc.” As stated before, while not scripture it is founded firmly on principles that Christian’s would do wise to recognize. Our Heavenly Father has already told us we are the victors and that when we are about the Father’s business and in the God’s will, nothing will prevail against us. We need to be active and without hesitation. We can see this foundational truth in Matthew 16:13-18, “13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

  Believers need to be encouraging our brothers and sisters that now is our time to shine, so later others can look back and be encouraged by our heroic stories and how God was able to use us for the noble cause of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all people. Our enemy will flee at the slightest sound of God being on the move, let us go back and look at Psalm 10 and see what the enemy doesn’t realize. Psalms 10:12-18 “12 Arise, O LORD; O God, lift up your hand; forget not the afflicted. 13 Why does the wicked renounce God and say in his heart, “You will not call to account”? 14 But you do see, for you note mischief and vexation, that you may take it into your hands; to you the helpless commits himself; you have been the helper of the fatherless. 15 Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer; call his wickedness to account till you find none. 16 The LORD is king forever and ever; the nations perish from his land. 17 O LORD, you hear the desire of the afflicted; you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear 18 to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, so that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more.”

  In conclusion, I hope this post has helped to lift your spirits, knowing that we have a God who loves us and very much wants what is best for us. And even though Lord of The Rings is fictitious, the real life principles are not. All is not lost, Christians need to hold true to each other in encouragement and love, we need to be seeking to save those around us from torment and death, and we need to discard the worldly desires for our Heavenly perspective. We have a job to do “Let’s hunt some Orc!”

Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming 

JL

RE-POST FRIDAY

We review what it means to have righteousness as we continue our study in the Armor of God. Read it HERE!

Lord Teach Us To Pray

Last week we discussed the attitudes that accompany different types of prayers. These included, awe, helplessness, faith, persistence, earnest, and boldness. Not every prayer will have all of these attitudes but some can be seen in different prayers. After reading about the attitude that prayer needs, you might be wondering “Well how do I pray?” Maybe this is something that is out of the ordinary for you, maybe you are a new believer and are struggling with prayer, or maybe you have been a believer for a while but don’t see the power in prayer anymore. I am not saying that there is a certain way to pray, or a certain step by step process in order to fulfill this aspect of the Christian walk. After all, we saw last week that prayer is how we speak to God. I think of all the different types of conversations that occur on a daily basis. There are conversations of joy, encouragement, hope, fear, sorrow, anger, and pain just to scratch the surface. All of these types of conversations also occur when we pray as well.

To be honest, when I first became a believer prayer was difficult for me. At first it was getting through the lies that I had no right to pray, then it was the fear that I would do it wrong, finally it was uncertainty in what to say. Thankfully, I had someone alongside me who patiently waited while I struggled with all of this. Perhaps that is why I am writing this now, I want to help pass on the encouragement to our readers that I received and to remind us all that prayer is our greatest weapon. You do not need to be worried about saying the wrong thing, God already knows what is on your heart. He simply wants you to speak to Him, He cares for you and wants to build a deeper relationship through prayer.

This is why I think the passage in Luke 11 is so important.

“One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” 2 He said to them, “When you pray, say: “‘Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. 3 Give us each day our daily bread. 4 Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.’””

Luke 11:1-4

Jesus Christ is giving us a great example on how we should pray, but to be clear this is not what He was praying before the disciples came to Him. The prayer in Luke 11 is an example that He is giving for you and I. In a future post we will discuss the Lord’s real prayer which can be found in John chapter 17.

Here, in Luke 11 we see that Jesus was praying and it was not until after He had finished did the disciples speak to Him. Christ was praying in a place where He knew He would not be interrupted. This is an aspect that a lot of us have difficult time with, there are so many distractions now that it seems difficult to set aside time to pray. However, we should not allow these distractions to get in the way of our time with God. We should not be sacrificing our time with the Lord for the things that distract us. That may mean that we get up a few minutes early or lock ourselves away in a room for a few minutes so that we can simply pray. Our prayer life cannot consist of only at meals or worse only at church. In order to grow in our walk and our relationship with God we need to spend time with Him. He does not care for quantity, only quality. Ensure that your time with Him is spent dissecting His Word in order to learn His voice, and spend time talking to God. Yes, talking, we have already established that prayer is our way of communicating with God and that means talking. Find little things in your day to say thank you for, and don’t be afraid to ask why certain things are occurring.

A further explanation on why we need to be spending quality not quantity time in prayer can be found in the book of Matthew. “5 “And when you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they will be seen by people. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 6 But as for you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.” Matthew 6:5-6 we should not be praying to gain the attention of others. To do so is to show an unfruitful faith, those who make public performances of prayer are doing so to bring attention to themselves. Not to honor God. It is why Christ states that we need to go into a room and close the door, place yourself in an area where it can be only you and God for your prayers.

The next point that is often overlooked is the disciples asking Christ to teach them to pray. While it is important to ensure that we spend time in prayer away from distractions, we cannot forget that we need to be teaching fellow believers how to pray. For parents, this includes your children. Encourage them to pray and let them see you pray, they learn from you how to approach God. “18 “You shall therefore take these words of mine to heart and to soul; and you shall tie them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets on your forehead. 19 You shall also teach them to your sons, speaking of them when you sit in your house, when you walk along the road, when you lie down, and when you get up. 20 And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates,” Deuteronomy 11:18-20

For those without children, I am sure there are others around you that you can set an example for. It could be unbelieving family members, friends, or coworkers. It is important to remember that we are called to present the gospel which at times could be our relationship with Christ to others. Paul boldly declares this, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.” Romans 1:16.

For those who are reading this, and who are still stating, “But I don’t know how to pray!” I was one of you. I had no clue what to do and thought that I would surely mess it up. I ask you to look at the disciples for guidance in this. They came to Christ and asked Him to teach them to pray. In a quiet moment, away from any distractions, ask God to show you how to pray. Just like Jesus answered the disciples here, He will answer you and teach you.

Since it is in God’s nature to answer those who ask Him, He follows through on the disciples request to teach them to pray. He begins it first by stating, ““‘Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come.” Luke 11:2 here we see a reverent attitude in prayer. Christ as God’s Son was coming before Him, while still being wholly God Himself, with awe and respect. He was not referring to God as His best bud or any other informality. He recognizes that the name of His Father is hallowed and sacred. When we are praying we need to come forward in this same manner of reverence and recognize who we are speaking to. This does not mean we cannot cry out to our Father when we need to, but realize who He still is.

To pray for God’s kingdom to come is to pray that He reigns on earth as He is in heaven. Remember, God created the universe. He is the maker of all things, there is nothing that can be done that can surprise Him, He has not lost control of this world. He is simply waiting for His appointed time to come and rule on earth. Christ is reminding us here that we ought to be praying that God uses us to complete His purpose. God’s will shall be done no matter what, but He wants to use us and has placed us in this moment in time for a reason. We need to pray that He puts us to work to accomplish His kingdom.

I do want to make a brief note here, by saying that we can accomplish His kingdom is not saying that we can usher in God’s kingdom on our own timing. We have no control over when God will come to reign on earth. To believe so is a false and unbiblical idea. What I am saying here is that we need to remember that we are servants of the Most High God and should be working to accomplish His plan of discipleship and spreading the Gospel.

Christ next states, “3 Give us each day our daily bread.” Whenever I hear this passage I am reminded of, “Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. 9 Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.” Proverbs 30:8-9 when you look at these two passages, Christ is teaching the disciples to pray for contentment. We should not be looking at what others have and pray for similar, nor should we pray that we lose what God has given us. Pray for the tools necessary for what God wants you to do. We need to be content with what God has given, anything else is to dishonor Him.

Christ closes out His lesson on prayer with this, “4 Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.” When we pray we need to remember forgiveness. Not just that we have been forgiven by the blood of Jesus Christ, but that we need to forgive those who sin against us.

There is one important thing to mention here, and it is an aspect on how we should not pray. Which can be found in Matthew, “7 “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.” Matthew 6:7. Do not use empty words when you can pray, this can be described as a repetitive phrase or unrecognizable vocalizations. Again, God wants quality not quantity. This goes for our words as well as our time with Him. God judges the heart, a person who desires to know the Lord and spends 15 minutes earnestly seeking the Lord is better than the person who desires to make sure everyone knows they are doing a 3 hour Bible study at the local coffee shop. One has their heart in the right place while the other is misguided.  

Finally, I encourage you to look at another passage found in Luke 11.

“9 “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. 11 “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!””

Luke 11:9-13

In this passage we see that Christ is reminding those around Him of what type of God our Heavenly Father is. He loves us enough to give us what we ask for in His will. Prayer needs to be done with the intent of wanting to be in God’s desired plan. We might not always know what He wants and when He says no, it means He has a plan for us. His intentions are better than our best intentions. We need to make sure our prayers are in line with His plans, and this can only be done when we are in His Word and eagerly lean on Him for our daily bread.

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex

Give Attention to My Words

In the 21 century, we are locked in a battle for the attention of our minds and what our minds should be focused on. As we see the world fall into even more chaos, there are those who claim to know the facts while others declare what is truth. This has caused the believer, who is in the middle, to wonder what they can believe or not. The first sign of a Christian in need of help from their brothers and sisters is one who is failing at being focused on the Word of God. 

  Unfortunately this is becoming the norm, 

  Christian Today reported that Bible reading has finally dropped into the single digits. “A decrease of 5 percentage points in a single year was unprecedented in the annual survey’s 10-year history; between 2011 and 2019, daily Bible readers had basically held steady at an average of 13.7 percent of the population. But the decline continued during the initial months of the coronavirus pandemic, and by June, the percentage of daily Bible users had dropped to 8.5 percent….Sixty percent read the Bible four times per year or less.”[1]

The Christian living today is losing the Christ in Christian, we are becoming less potent for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I am not saying a person can lose their salvation. Rather we are losing the source of what makes us different in our capacity to be used by Christ, in a positive way right now in this world. I believe this is becoming such an issue in the Church that I wanted to write on it today. Additionally, Mill House Ministries is not and should never be your Bible study time! We are here as an additional tool and place of encouragement for the believer. A resource firmly founded in Titus 2:11-15. 

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds. These things speak and exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one disregard you”

As a fellow believer in the Church I would be remiss if I did not point to my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ the very danger we face when we do not stay focused on our Lord and Savior’s words. If you need guidance on what we should be doing, seek no further than Proverbs 4:20-27 “20 My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. 21 Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; 22 For they [are] life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh. 23 Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it [spring] the issues of life. 24 Put away from you a deceitful mouth, And put perverse lips far from you. 25 Let your eyes look straight ahead, And your eyelids look right before you. 26 Ponder the path of your feet, And let all your ways be established. 27 Do not turn to the right or the left; Remove your foot from evil.”

These seven verses break down a simple, but firm and resounding declaration by our loving Heavenly Father who is eagerly wanting us to stay safe in His arms. In the book of Matthew, we are given a great understanding of what believers look like when they lose their focus on Christ for the things that surround us in this world. In Matthew 14, Peter eagerly wants to join Jesus on the water but as he comes out of the boat he takes his sight off of Christ, Matthew 14:30  “But when he saw that the wind [was] boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”

We as believers need to keep our eyes solely fixed on Jesus and His words. The Bible must be our source each and every day for our firm foundation. Remember we have a God who is not in a distant far off land, who does not know what is going on. Our Lord and Savior is very near and understands what is happening right now, both around the world and personally in our own lives. Remember what is said in Proverbs 5:21, “For the ways of a man are before the eyes of the Lord and He watches all his paths.” Many people know that God cares, but few recognize that He knows what is going on and is still telling us to keep focused on Him. All we need to do is give attention to His words and be fixed straight on Him. Remember the easily looked over promise that God makes in Proverbs 4:26 “Watch the path of your feet and all your ways will be established.” God is making a promise to you and I. If we stay focused on Him and make sure our walk is based solely and adamantly on Him, than our ways will be established. 

Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming

JL

[1] https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2020/july/state-of-bible-reading-coronavirus-barna-abs.html

RE-POST FRIDAY

A look back on what it means to have a spiritual triage and what a Christian needs most in today’s world! Read it HERE!

Dissecting Prayer

Last year when we discussed the Armor of God, we went over the topic of prayer. From there we saw prayer is the artillery fire in a Christian’s life, it is an offensive weapon. However, it is also an area that lacks in many Christian’s lives. Simply put many Christians really do not understand or know how to pray, some even are scared to pray based on the idea it will go unanswered. Part of this problem is that many Christian’s are only spending time in the Word during church service. Which means they only ever hear their Pastor pray, so it may feel that there is a certain way to pray and if it does not follow that guideline then it cannot be right. The other issue is Christian’s feel as if we need an immediate answer to our prayers or if they are not answered the way we expected then there is no point in praying.

All of these issues prevent someone from praying, which as discussed above; prevents us from using our most powerful weapon. Satan loves to make Christians feel useless, it means that we stop spreading the Gospel and these issues with prayer are no different. When a Christian stops praying, they are not utilizing the fullness of the unique relationship we have with God. This unique relationship is the solid foundation in which the Christian is to stand upon. When we are not standing on the foundation Christ has laid out for us, we can easily be swept away by the world. However, the Bible is filled with different types of prayers, all of which set an example to a Christian to keep praying. Over the next couple of weeks, we will be discussing different examples of prayers in the Bible. This is not an exhaustive list, but is meant to encourage those who are wondering how to pray or why their prayers aren’t answered.

Before we get into the different types of prayers, I want to review a little more about what prayer is and what the Bible says about prayer. In her book, “On Our Knees” Susan Heck describes prayer as “The desire, opportunity and privilege of talking to God. Prayer is the expression of man’s dependence upon God for all things. Prayer is an absolute transfer of my will to God. Prayer requires sincerity, repentance or contrition, purpose of amendment and a good life, the spirit of consecration, faith, and submission to the will of God.” No other religion has the opportunity to talk to God, only the born again believer. Most other faiths require another human to “act” as mediator for us to confess our sins or even to talk to God. But because of Jesus Christ’s work on the cross, we have the freedom to come before God unhindered. “51 And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split.” Matthew 27:51 the veil discussed here is the veil that separated the two sides of the room in the Tabernacle. On one side was the Holy Place which held the Alter of Incense, the lamp stand, and the table for the bread. The other side was the Holy of Holies which held the Arc of the Covenant. The veil was placed in between to keep sinful man out of the place where God resides. “31 “You shall also make a veil of violet, purple, and scarlet material, and fine twisted linen; it shall be made with cherubim, the work of a skilled embroiderer. 32 Then you shall hang it on four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold, their hooks also of gold, on four bases of silver. 33 You shall hang up the veil under the clasps, and bring in the ark of the testimony there within the veil; and the veil shall serve as a partition for you between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place.” Exodus 12:31-33. The only way that a priest could approach the Holy of Holies was to offer a sacrifice, the blood of a lamb. When Jesus Christ died on the cross, the veil was torn, this meant that the final sacrifice had been made and sinful man now had the ability to approach God through His Son.

Having this freedom to approach God means several things. First, we need to accept that we cannot do it on our own. We need to acknowledge Jesus Christ’s sacrifice in order for our prayers to be heard. This comes at the moment of repentance when one recognizes that they are a sinner and have fallen short of what God had planned. The individual repents of their sins and expresses their dependence upon God. Knowing what it cost to have this freedom, it also means that we need to take prayer seriously; not only is it our greatest weapon, but it came at a great cost.

This means that there should be a certain attitude that is found when you pray. This is not to say that there is a guideline you have to follow when you pray, but you should be taking it seriously. As we will see in our study, the different prayers that we will discuss will show different attitudes present. Not every prayer will have each of the attitudes discussed, but the attitudes show how seriously we need to take our prayer life. This includes an attitude of awe: with reviewing the Scripture on the veil and what it meant when it was torn, we need to approach prayer with an understanding of the seriousness of it. We have freedom in prayer and we need to have an attitude of awe that shows respect when we talk to God.

The second attitude that can be found in some prayers is an attitude of helplessness. Again, prayer is an expression of our inability to handle things on our own, it is an expression of our dependence upon God. If you feel that God is incapable or unwilling to listen to your prayers, or you feel that you can handle things on your own; then your prayer life will be affected. 

The next attitude is one of faith. “6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Hebrews 11:6 it would be difficult to pray if we doubt that God is who He says He is. If we doubt that He can fulfill His promises, then taking the time to pray seems impossible and the ideas that it would be simpler to take matters into our own hands become prevalent. When we pray we need to have faith in God and His characteristics that we see in the Bible, we know then that God is faithful.

Prayer also includes an attitude of persistence. Don’t fall into the trap of believing that if you pray for something once, that is enough nor that the number of times increases your odds of getting what you ask. Jesus gives a great lesson on persistence in Luke 18 simply to teach the disciples, “And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.” Luke 18:1. Repeatedly pray to God about a matter, He will not tire of it! This is not to say that if you continually ask for something if will be done in the way that you will wish, but to be persistent in a matter shows your seriousness. “Pray without ceasing” 1 Thessalonians 5:17

Finally, there are prayers of earnest and boldness. We should come before God with excitement, not half-heartedly. Hebrews gives us a great example of the boldness we should have when approaching God with our prayers, “16 Therefore let’s approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace for help at the time of our need.” Hebrews 4:16 it is true that there is nothing that God does not know, and that includes our prayers. He knows what we are going to ask before we do. This should not be a hinderance to prayer though, we should come before Him pouring our heart out with sincerity because through prayer, we see the workings of God and come to have a deeper relationship with Him.

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex

The Basics: A Brief Overview of Ezra

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:

Ezra 

 INTRODUCTION: 

For 70 long years, the Jewish people were held captive with the majority of them living outside of the Promised Land. Instead of following the Lord, they had rejected His commandments and forsook the statues He had given them. Yet, God promised that they would return to their own land after the 70 years. The book of Ezra describes how the Jewish people returned.  

 WHO WROTE IT: 

The book of Ezra was written by Ezra, the grandson of the High Priest Hilkiah who in 2 Chronicles 34:14 finds the book of the Law of the Lord given by Moses. Like his grandfather, Ezra is helps lead the people in seeking the Lord. His name even means “helper” in Hebrew. Ezra, with the support of the Lord, is able to lead the return of the Jewish people back to their original calling in the Promised Land.

 WHEN DID THEY WRITE IT:

The book depicts the return of the Jewish people and the rebuilding of the temple, thus we can conclude it could not have been written earlier than 450 B.C. 

 KEY TOPICS: 

Forgiveness, love, honor, duty, faith, death, life, temple, God, man, Jewish Nation, Gentile Nations, chronology of the Jewish people, and foreshadowing of Jesus Christ. 

 KEY SECTIONS: 

Chapter 1 shows Cyrus’s proclamation for the Jewish return and rebuilding of the Temple. Chapter 2 is the faithful count of those returning. Chapter 3 is when the Temple restoration begins. Chapter 4 shows enemy distractions. Chapters 5-6 is the return to God’s work. Chapter 7 Ezra leaves Babylon for Jerusalem. Finally chapters 8-10 show Ezra leading the Jewish people in the Promised Land. 

 BOOKS THAT INTERACT WITH EACH OTHER: 

Ezra is connected to Nehemiah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. Each depicts this time period and the interactions of certain people that can be read about in these specific books. However, the book of Ezra does draw significantly on 1stand 2nd Kings as well as 1st and 2nd Chronicles. 

 ANALYSIS OF THE BOOK: 

Ezra is a rich book for those who are willing to take the deserved time to read and study what God’s Word says. Ezra was the first book in which I personally realized that not only do the names in the Bible have significance, but also the order in which they are written. Ezra is a foreshadowing of the Jewish nation coming back again, which occurred May 14th, 1948. Ezra is a declaration of God’s character and His promises being reliable. For the Church today, Ezra is a good reminder that if God is faithful to the Jewish people, than we can be at peace knowing that He is faithful to us as well. If you are wanting to study this book, break the book up into three readings. First read the book for its historical value of the Jewish people. Second, in connection with the other books of the Bible that interact with Ezra. Finally direct each name, number, and sequence to determine the majestic declaration that only God could ordain and declare. 

Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming, 

JL

RE-POST FRIDAY

As we continue to look back on the Armor of God, we review the importance of knowing the truth! Read it HERE!

A Talk About Salvation

Throughout the last year that we have been writing Millhouse Ministries, there is a phrase that we have often used. For most of our readers, it should be a phrase that is easily understood. However, since our goal is to help spread the Gospel Message, today I want to make sure that the phrase “born-again” is understood by all who have made their way to our page. The phrase “born-again” is something that has been questioned even when Jesus Christ was completing His ministry, He was even questioned about the meaning by a man named Nicodemus.

“3 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.””

John 3:1-8

In order to understand what it means to be “born-again”, we need to first understand who Nicodemus was and who he represented. We see in verse one that he was a ruler of the Jews, this meant that he was actively practicing the Law. Yet, he acknowledged that Jesus was sent from God. Here Nicodemus is a representative of all mankind. 

I am not sure what response Nicodemus was expecting from Jesus, but I am sure that it was not the response he got. At the time, many Jews believed it was their Abrahamic heritage or their reliance on the Law that would earn their way into heaven. They thought their salvation was assured as God’s chosen people. However, Jesus tells this man a surprising outcome. “3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” One thing to point out here, is that any time you read the words “truly, truly” that is a sign something important is about to be said. For us nowadays, it would be similar to us using phrases like “seriously” or “pay attention” before we make our point. In verse three Jesus is making the all-important point of how one is to reach the kingdom of God. He does not assure Nicodemus that it is his works or his heritage that will allow him to reach the kingdom of God, it is if he is born-again.

The word that Jesus uses for “again” is “anothen” which means “from above”. Jesus was point blank stating that unless Nicodemus, who is a representative of all mankind, is born from above he will not reach the kingdom of God. Nicodemus failed to recognize the importance of what Jesus was stating. Instead of realizing the spiritual connection, he focused on the physical; even asking Jesus if it was possible for a grown man to return to the womb of the woman who bore him. 

Jesus doesn’t leave him wondering for long however, and again starts His next sentence with the phrase “truly, truly”. “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”” John 3:5-8. Jesus is making it clear that it is not a simple reformation to be born-again; but it is a radical conversion that can only be brought on by the Holy Spirit when one accepts Christ as the reigning King of their life. Scripture is filled with evidence that all “works” that are done will not be enough for someone to earn their way into the Kingdom of God ““Does the Lord have as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices As in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than a sacrifice,” 1 Samuel 15:22-23. This verse is talking about a sacrifice, but the same principle is applied to works. It is better to obey the voice of the Lord than to have acts that do not bring Him any glory. Works without Christ are works of the flesh, and Jesus is saying that works of the flesh only belong to the flesh; not to God.

I am sure that Nicodemus was quite taken aback by this idea as well. The fact he continues to ask questions shows his eagerness to find the truth. Yet, to be told that all the works that he was doing would not win him the right to heaven was not an idea that was being taught at that time. This is still an issue today with many man made religions preaching ideas of works first rather than Christ first, and for those who follow those false teachings I am sure would be just as shocked as Nicodemus to learn that their works are considered no more than filthy rags. “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 It is only through a Spirit filled life can one’s work be seen as righteousness, and that is because what is “born of the Spirit is spirit”, a Spirit filled life belongs to God and the works belong to God not man.

Jesus points out something that has always been interesting to me. “8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.””It is true that we feel the wind on our skin, we see it moving the leaves on the trees and as it pushes the sails on a boat; but while we can sense what direction it is blowing we do not know where it started. We accept the fact that there is wind without ever fully understanding the concept of it. And yet, there are many who cannot accept that they simply need to accept Christ in order to be saved. The idea that through accepting Him allows one to be born-again makes no sense, they are exactly like Nicodemus. But for those who have understood that it is not through any works that they can do themselves, they understand that to be born again means to accept Christ and be made a new creation. “17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 The old self has passed away, we become a new creation when we accept Christ because He reigns on the throne in our hearts. God is wholly perfect, He cannot abide in sin. “5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.” 1 John 1:5 While we are still capable of sinning, it holds no pleasure for us because that aspect of our being has passed away. “ 9 No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God.” 1 John 3:9 those who are born-again will mess up and sin, but they do not make a habit of it; therefore they do not continue in their sin.

The fact of the matter is, in order to be born-again we need to accept that we are sinners. We cannot hold to false ideas that it is our works, or traditions, or heritage that will cause us to become saved. This was the idea that Nicodemus had that Jesus quickly pointed out was wrong. Instead, we need to recognize that we cannot earn our way into heaven through anything that we can do ourselves, we need to recognize our need for a Savior. We need to recognize our need for Jesus Christ to make us new creations through the Holy Spirit. When we become new creations in Jesus Christ, we have become born-again and then have a living hope that God will fulfill His promises that are found in the Bible. “3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,” 1 Peter 1:3

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex

Hidden Treasure

I wanted to take a quick break from THE BASICS COURSE where we are summarizing each book of the Bible. For those who have been enjoying the series, do not worry we will be back next week. However, I wanted to take a moment and share what I have been learning in my personal Bible study time. 

  It might come as a surprise to you, but my personal Bible study time and what I write on with Mill House Ministries are typically vastly different topics. I love writing to you all, but I am jealous for my time alone with Jesus Christ and to learn at my King’t feet. Proverbs 16:20  states, “He who gives attention to the word will find good, And blessed is he who trusts in the LORD.” Nevertheless, I believe He has placed it on my heart to shed some light on a subject that I recently learned. 

  For the past several months, I have been reading through the Bible in the pursuit of finding out more about God’s Personhood. Strange isn’t it to say that God has a personality. Yet, today I want to talk about how I came to study this topic, not the topic itself (if you all want a study on the personhood of God just ask and we can tackle that another day). 

  Years ago I was reading through Proverbs, and I stumbled across Proverbs 25:2 “It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.”  This startled me because of what I knew about how God viewed the Church! According to God, those who are of the Church and are born again will reign with Jesus Christ one day during the 1,000 year reign described throughout the Old Testament and outlined in Revelation 20. For those of us who are saved in this present age, we are considered Kings and Queens, 2 Timothy 2:12 states, “If we endure, we will also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us,” it is even declared in Heaven and written down in Revelation 5:10 “And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.” 

I am naturally an inquisitive person; and when I connected the dots that God saw me as a King and that it was the glory of God to conceal a matter but the glory of me to search it out, I took the challenge personally. Sitting there early that morning, I realized that the God of all creation had made an open declaration basically stating, “I dare you to come find my wonders.” While I do not want to sound poetic, my answer back to Him was as soft as a snowflake, “Here I am, I will search for what you have hidden.” Looking back I can tell you that snowflake was just what was needed to cause an avalanche. My desire to search out all the wonders of God have eclipsed all of life’s pleasures. 

  However, over the years this eternal search of God’s hidden wonders has caused me to come to the real life understanding that God has a personality and He is quite more alive than dare I say you and I ever have been. We can only search for Him with His help, it was John Bunyan who famously declared, “God is the only desirable good, nothing without Him is worthy of our hearts… The life, the glory, the blessedness, the soul-satisfying goodness that is in God is beyond all expression” yet do not be fooled into thinking it is impossible for us to find and understand Him. He very much is eager for us to seek Him.  Life was designed for us to come to a better and more complete understanding of who God really is, “Difficulties afford a platform upon which He can show Himself. Without them we could never know how tender, faithful, and almighty our God is” Hudson Taylor. God promised to us that if we seek Him He will allow Himself to be found, Jeremiah 29:12-14  “12 Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you,’ declares the LORD.” While Jesus Christ is the exact representation of the Father, Hebrews 1:2-3 “in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. 3 And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.” Jesus declared to the disciples this very lesson John 14:7-10 “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.” 8 Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 “Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works.” Yet, we have been given more than just the testimonies about Jesus Christ’s short time on earth! We have been given His very Word to you and I from Genesis to Revelation, with each letter, name, number, sentence, paragraph, chapter, and book declaring the wonders of God. If that is not good enough, just walk outside and ask God to reveal Himself to you and watch what happens. 

  In closing, John Arrowsmith once adequately stated, “a heathen philosopher once asked, “where is God?” The Christian answered: ‘Let me first ask you, where is He not?’” His divine personhood and personality is declared in creation and we need only to open our eyes to His Word for the outside world to finally come into focus and light. Just like the movie Wizard of Oz, when the black and white turned into color the world went from living to utterly thriving. The same is for us who study the Bible, seek the hidden treasures of God and see that life is an adventure that Christ has made for us to be with Him. We need not wait for Heavens Gates to walk and talk with the Lord, we can have that intimacy right now. If you are desiring this realness with Christ, all you need to do is ask Him and He is willing. A great example of this is in Matthew 8:1-3 “When Jesus came down from the mountain, large crowds followed Him. 2 And a leper came to Him and bowed down before Him, and said, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” 3 Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.” There is no magic formula or religious zealotry that will open this deep understanding that God has declared, all you need to do is ask and He will do the rest. Remember He is daring you and I to seek after Him and find His wonders, it is about time Christians take Him up on this calling. 

Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming,

JL

RE-POST FRIDAY

Today we continue our look back with the Before His Humble Arrival series, join us as we explore who Jesus Christ is to us personally! Read it HERE!

Getting Plugged Into God

There is a growing problem in today’s world among the believers in Jesus Christ. Many believers simply do not know what the Word of God says. Often times Bible studies are no more than reading a verse or relying on our Pastors to give us our Biblical knowledge. Without a firm foundation in the Word of God, these individuals allow for other’s understanding of the Word to become an authority rather than allowing the Holy Spirit to guide them in their own studies. For the believer, this is a dangerous problem. By not having a firm foundation in the scripture themselves, they are naïve and at risk of being swept away by false teachings all on the premise of “sounding” Biblical. 

This is not a new issue to the Church, although it is one many have failed to confront. Paul discusses this issue in his letter to the church in Colossae. “8 See to it that there is no one who takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception in accordance with human tradition, in accordance with the elementary principles of the world, rather than in accordance with Christ.” Colossians 2:8. Paul uses very convicting language in this passage. He is warning the church not to allow anyone to take them captive, be taken prisoner, to the ideals of man. Just as it was in that time, there were some in the church who spoke against the Biblical ideology of faith based salvation. Instead they claimed that works needed to be done in order for one to be saved. This false teaching caused many to be swept away then, just as many are being swept away now. “19 holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith. 20 Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.” 1 Timothy 1:19-20

Man-made traditions are tricky. They have enough of a biblical foundation to sound correct. I love how Paul describes this in Colossians 2:20-23, “20 If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— 21 “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” 22 (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? 23 These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.” Man-made religions have the appearance of wisdom but they hold no real wisdom or a way to stop one from sinning.

All man-made religions do is distract the individual from where their foundation truly lies. “6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, 7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” Colossians 2:6-7. Since man-made religions often have the appearance of a Biblical faith, it is important to study the Word of God so we can “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,” 1 Peter 3:15b

So how are we to stand firm in our foundation? The first thing we need to do is be strong in the Lord, not own our own strength. When we are confronted with these man-made religions we need to understand that it is not in our own strength that we can retaliate but through God. It is why the Armor of God in Ephesians 6 is so important. 

Without a firm foundation in Jesus Christ, it is easy for the man-made religions to convince you that a faith based foundation does not bring salvation and so they, “keep defrauding you of your prize by delighting in humility and the worship of the angels, taking his stand on visions he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind,” Colossians 2:18b. The main aspects of this verse is that without a firm foundation in Jesus Christ you can be convinced that your prize, your salvation, is wrong. Instead they lead you to worship visions that have no Biblical basis but instead came about only through the deception of their minds. This is why we must be actively studying the Word, it is the only way that we can build our strength in God.

The second way that we can stand firm in our foundation is to stand on truth. We cannot combat the lies without knowing the truth. This can only be done by studying the Word. If we know what the Word says then we grow in understanding of our faith. Through the knowledge of the Word we can then apply it in our lives and not be swept away by aspects that appear wise. This is not to say that we will always know everything, but when we are actively seeking the knowledge of the Word, God will teach us to understand His Word more.

We also need to surround ourselves with fellow believers. We need people alongside us who can support us. Again, we are not to take what someone else tells us over the Word of God. However, having a community of believers around will help answer questions you may have as long as you take it back to the Word of God. Even the Apostle Paul was questioned when he was preaching, “10 The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. 11 Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.” Acts 17:10-11. Remember, we are called to be in a community, “24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” Hebrews 10:24-25

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex

The Basics: A Brief Overview of First and Second Chronicles

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: 1 and 2 Chronicles

 INTRODUCTION: 

If you are reading each book of the Bible you might be mistaken into thinking that 1st and 2nd Chronicles is the same as 1st and 2nd Kings. The stories are almost the same, and yet the timelines are a little different. The same characters are present, and yet the narrative looks like it is coming from a different point of view. While 1st and 2nd Kings is written through the eyes of God with the Kings, 1st and 2nd Chronicles (here after Chronicles) is written through the eyes of the Kings. For those wanting to study any of the Chronicle books, you would be wise to read parallel to the books of 1st and 2nd Kings as well. The books are written for a Jewish audience needing to know their past and how they had ended up where they were. 

 WHO WROTE IT: 

While the author is unknown, some scholars have noticed that Ezra could be the author based on similarities in writing style. Ultimately, while we do not know who wrote the books of Chronicles, we do know that they are recognized as part of the Bible and should be studied nonetheless.

 WHEN DID THEY WRITE IT: 

According to Insight for Living “Archaeological evidence supports this premise. Fragments of an actual manuscript of Chronicles found at Qumran makes a date in the Persian period (538–333 BC) almost certain.”

 KEY TOPICS:

The book of Chronicles shows the reader several topics such as genealogy, society, government, Religion, prophecy, Prophets, man, woman, sex, children, family issues, promises, war, witchcraft, God, love, and finally Jesus Christ foreshadowed.

 KEY SECTIONS: 

Because the book of Chronicles has been divided into two books we will tackle the first division and then the second division. 

 Division (1) 

Chapters 1-9 are the genealogies of the Jewish people. Chapter 10 is about King Saul and his death, chapters 11-29 are about King David.  

 Division (2)

Chapters 1-9 is about King Solomon and his reign, chapters 10-36 the nation is divided into two separate nations with Israel having no good Kings and Judah having both good and bad Kings. 

 BOOKS THAT INTERACT WITH EACH OTHER: 

Chronicles interacts with 1st and 2nd Samuel, and 1st and 2nd Kings. The timelines of many of the events regard some of the same people or even the same historical accounts from different witnesses. 

 ANALYSIS OF THE BOOK: 

The accounts written in Chronicles should be given as much respect as any other written work in the Bible. God wanted the readers during the return of the Jewish people from exile knowing what had transpired and went out of His way to make sure everything they needed to know, and ultimately us was there. Chuck Swindoll tackles this issue, “Archaeological evidence supports this premise. “Fragments of an actual manuscript of Chronicles found at Qumran makes a date in the Persian period (538–333 BC) almost certain.” Dr. J. Vernon McGee further expounds on this by stating, “Many treat Chronicles and Kings as if they were “Cabbages and Kings.” Are the Chronicles a duplication of Kings? Although they cover the same ground from Saul to Zedekiah, they are not duplications. Greek translators gave Chronicles the title of “Things Omitted” — there is more here that does not occur in the other historical books. This is another instance of the law of recurrence or recapitulation, seen previously in Genesis 2 and Deuteronomy, by which God goes over previously covered ground in order to add details and emphasize that which He considers important. This is exactly the case in Chronicles.” 

  If you are looking for books that will help you understand why and how witnesses in the New Testament act a certain way, Chronicles will help shed light. If you are wanting to parallel lessons for children that are applicable even today, Chronicles is ripe for the picking. Chronicles is truly written for anyone who is wanting to learn. Be them young or old, educated or not, the book can be applied to all generations and time periods. While it can be seen as a daunting read, it shouldn’t be. Yet, the scripture must be given the respect it deserves. There are real truths that if applied in our lives today, a Christian would have a better knowledge and a deeper understanding of the interdependence that the New Testament has to the Old Testament, and in particular Chronicles. 

Nevertheless, Chronicles gives a clear and rather large overview of all the Kings of the Jewish people up to their coming final one, there is hidden treasures found throughout the two books that any careful reader, with the help of the Holy Spirit, will uncover. One in particular is the desire for the Jewish people to have their Messiah come. Just take the first King of the Jewish people (King Saul) and the final King of the Jewish people (King Zedekiah) and see what their names mean together. The name Saul means “Asked for” while Zedekiah means “the righteousness of God” and with their final King, King Jesus, they will have that answer. Chronicles ends abruptly because it is the story of the Jewish people, which has not finished being told, May 14th 1948 is proof their story is not over. 

 Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming,

 JL

RE-POST FRIDAY

As we begin our look back on the Armor of God, we review the feet of peace. Read it here!

At The Proper Time

Dear reader,

Last week with our Call to Stand post we saw that God is a God of order, nothing is done without His say. The Bible is filled with verses backing this statement up, but there is another verse that stood out to me as I was reading the book of Titus.

“2 in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago, 3 but at the proper time revealed His word in the proclamation with which I was entrusted according to the commandment of God our Savior;”

Titus 1:2-3

These two verses are filled with promises of assurance and encouragement for believers. There were many during the time that Paul was writing this who were convinced that Christ would return in their lifetime, a hope that we still share. From a human perspective, it may appear as if God is taking His sweet time and it can be tempting to walk away and become one of those who are mentioned in 2Peter 3:4 “4 and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue just as they were from the beginning of creation.””

However, these verses in Titus remind us of two things. First, God cannot lie. This is a characteristic that is a result of sin, and as such God is incapable of lying. God is holy perfect, in Him there is no sin, “5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.” 1 John 1:5. He cannot go against His characteristics, “If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.” 2 Timothy 2:13

So because God cannot lie and He has promised to return for us, then we have hope in an eternal life because it is promised to those who place their faith in Him. ““Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many rooms; if that were not so, I would have told you, because I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I am coming again and will take you to Myself, so that where I am, there you also will be. 4 And you know the way where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going; how do we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:1-6

Which leads me into the next point that we can be reminded of when we read these two verses from Titus. “3 but at the proper time revealed His word in the proclamation with which I was entrusted according to the commandment of God our Savior” Titus 1:3 what stood out to me in this verse is “at the proper time”. We have not yet reached the proper time for the Rapture and for us to be where Christ is, in the place that He has prepared for us. However, because we know that God does not lie, this does not mean that we are to fold under the pressure. We need to continue fighting the good fight, “7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith;” 2 Timothy 4:7

I encourage you to continue on, be like the Sons of Issachar. Study the Word intently to know where you need to be when God calls you to stand. Continue on in the faith, share the Word knowing that God has promised to return for us at His proper time. This is not a time that we can hurry forward, and for that we should be thankful. To us it may seem as if God is delaying, but He is simply waiting for His proper time when the last of His sheep will accept Him. “8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:8-9 When life gets discouraging remember this, first there were those who mocked Noah building the Arc but understood when the day of wrath came. Second, remember the joy the Magi had when they came to see the promised King, they knew He was coming because they intently studied the Word of God. We should be like the Magi! King Solomon said it poetically when stated, “There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every matter under heaven” Ecclesiastes 3:1

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex