Joy in Trials

Now that we have a better understanding of who James was and why the book was written, we need to discuss some of the topics that the book of James contains. Since James is writing to encourage individuals to grow and be mature in the faith, it hits on some very confrontational topics. To mention a few, James discusses trials, wealth, temptation, works, the damage a tongue can do, and wisdom. These are all topics that come about as a person is growing in their faith. One thing that I have always appreciated about James is that he is very straight to the point. Right after his introduction, which as we discussed last week glosses over that he is the brother of Jesus Christ and instead is focusing on James being a bondservant to Christ, James goes right into the topic of trials.

“2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”

James 1:2-8

When I read this passage, there were four things that immediately stood out to me when we are faced with trials. First, we need to count our trials with joy. Second, we need to understand or know why we are faced with trials, then we need to let endurance work through us, and finally we need to ask God when we are in trials. Understanding these four aspects allow the Christian to grow in maturity in their faith, it is how we are to succeed in our trials.

The first point is to count our trials. This does not mean to physically count how many trials we have faced, instead we need to “2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,” Counting is an evaluation term, these means that when we are faced with trials we need to evaluate what God is doing through us and what He is trying to teach us.

To face a trial with joy is not something that comes easily. Too often people complain about whatever trial they are facing. The issue with this is that it does not allow for the Christian to grow, it keeps them stunted. There is one aspect of being a Christian that is constant, we are not promised an easy life. We need to understand that it is not “if” but “when” we will fall into trials. Many people have the idea that by being a follower of Christ they will somehow avoid the pains of this life. Nowhere in the Bible is this promised, in fact this verse alone shows that we will face trials. What makes the Christian unique, is that when we are faced with trials we have the undeniable hope in Jesus Christ. “33 These things I have spoken to you so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

One thing that facing a trial with joy does not mean is that we are not to put on a fake smile. When we are faced with a trial we should not act as if nothing is wrong or try to make ourselves a martyr, we need to keep our focus on Christ and what He could be doing through us. When reflecting on a trial I am reminded of our Lord and Savior on the cross. He had asked God the Father to remove this trial from Him if it was His will, Luke 22:42a. However, through His obedience to God the Father’s will by saying “Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” Luke 22:42b, Jesus Christ brought salvation to the world. We know that Jesus did not face the cross with a smile, but He faced it knowing that the end result would be something great. “2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2

Do not forget that God understands what we are going through! He isn’t a million miles away but rather He is with us. This is powerful for us to understand when it comes to encountering trials. What is so unique about God that James and others in the Bible display, is the incredible detail that God has placed in revealing His presence and support for us while we are in these trials. For those who are searching for how to count a trial as joy, just take into consideration that God is right there helping you and providing you with exactly what you need in order to come out on the other side.

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex

Acting On God’s Word

I wanted to write a quick post today regarding a small transition in my spring line up of posts. As you might know, in the fall we were doing the “Basics” a simple systematic study of the books of the Bible. We stopped for the Holidays to discuss the birth of Christ and have since started the book of 1 John. We will continue to do 1 John but will take the next few weeks to finish the Old Testament in the Basics course. After which we will continue in our study of 1 John. The reason I am wanting to do this is for three principles.

1)      As believers we should know the Bible in its entirety. “Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him” Proverbs 30:5.

2)      We need to recognize what is going on in the world and reflect on what God’s word says so that we can know how to interact with those who might not know Jesus. “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock” Matthew 7:24. This gives us the opportunity to reveal what God says in a practical manner. For those who listen to the Word and see how it can be applied in today’s circumstances will also find themselves with joy, peace, and an overall sense that God is in control of their life.  

3)      Many believers are being told things that are plainly not Biblical. We want to give you a road map to be able to review the material and see where God is calling you to go deeper. “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” Matthew 6:33.

God cares for the believer, and we are to be smart in the circumstances we find ourselves in. Jesus says this in Matthew 10:16, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” We as believers in Jesus Christ, are currently in a kingdom that is not of our heavenly Father’s. We are ambassadors in this foreign land. We are to be wise as serpents, knowing what to say and what not to say. We are to be as gentle as doves, knowing how to best help those around us and reflect God’s love to all. So, for the next couple weeks we will finish the Old Testament and then we will pick up 1 John in the summer. By doing this, when we reference something in 1 John you will know what book of the Bible we are talking about. As for the New Testament, we are currently praying about how best to do the Basics course and when we should. Nevertheless, I want to end on reflecting on the core principles on why we are doing this. Here at Mill House Ministries, we do our best to decide on posts, Bible topics, and ideas that are Biblical and Christ centered. Our goal is to equip you with the Word of God so that you can know Jesus Christ as we do and be eagerly awaiting on Jesus Christ.

Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming,

JL

RE-POST FRIDAY

A continuation of our study in the time that the church is in! Read it HERE!

Who Is James?

One thing that shocked me when I first became a believer, besides how wholly incompetent I was to be good enough to save myself, came when I realized that Jesus Christ actually had siblings. This was something that had never been taught to me the times that I did go to church and I had the assumption that He was an only child. However, when you look at Matthew 13:55 you clearly see that Jesus did in fact have half siblings,“55 Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is His mother not called Mary, and His brothers, James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas?” In fact, it was one of these half-brothers who wrote the book of James, which is where I am wanting to go next with our study. But before we begin the study into the book of James, I feel it is important to understand who exactly he was.

As mentioned above, James was the half-brother to Jesus, the child of Mary and Joseph. However, in spite of having the Son of God as his older brother, James did not at first believe that Jesus Christ was the Messiah, “After this, Jesus went around in Galilee. He did not want to go about in Judea because the Jewish leaders there were looking for a way to kill him. 2 But when the Jewish Festival of Tabernacles was near, 3 Jesus’ brothers said to him, “Leave Galilee and go to Judea, so that your disciples there may see the works you do. 4 No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.” 5 For even his own brothers did not believe in him.” John 7:1-5. James is a great example of those who have the head knowledge of how to be saved but have never had that personal relationship with Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. James lived with Jesus, was around for his ministry, and yet did not believe. Through James, we see that if we have godly parents, godly spouses, or godly friends it does not make us a Christian. Without personally repenting of our sins and asking Jesus Christ to forgive us, we will not enter the kingdom of God, we cannot get there based on our relationship to anyone or anything else.

Unlike with Saul, who became the Apostle Paul, we don’t have a record of when this disbelief moved to a saving faith in Jesus Christ. What we do know about James is after he received this faith, James became the leader of the church in Jerusalem once Peter was released from prison (Acts 12:17) and chaired the Council of Jerusalem (Acts 15:13). James was a deeply prayerful man who was on his knees so often that his knees grew calloused. And his introduction in James 1:1 shows more of his character, “James, a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ” James 1:1a. James does not mention that he is the brother of Jesus, showing his humility in acknowledging that he is a bond-servant meaning that he was devoting his obedience and loyalty to Jesus Christ.

Through reading the book of James, you can see that he was a man who desired for the church to grow in the Lord. He also did not sugar coat issues in the church, something we will see as we begin our study. He did not ask people to change, he demanded it. He was practical in his writing, James didn’t just tell people that they needed to be wise, but showed how to discern wisdom from folly.

Now that we understand a little more about who James was, I feel it is important to discuss why he wrote the book of James. “To the twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad: Greetings.” James 1:1b. James intended his letter for Christian Jews who were scattered outside of Jerusalem. James was writing to them because they were being tested and facing temptations to sin. In short, they were failing to live up to what they professed. The Jewish Christians were living for the world, not controlling their tongues, and were disobeying God’s Word. These are all issues that are still prevalent in the church today, this is why I believe that the book of James need to be studied. James was dealing with an issue then that is common today, spiritual immaturity. We do not have enough churches and church members coming together to grow one another. We either have churches who refuse to do Bible studies or small groups or we have individuals who believe that Sunday morning is the only amount of nourishment that they need for the week. Therefore, we have Christians who lack the ability to defend what they believe and are incapable of guiding others in their faith with Jesus Christ, they are failing to be as Proverbs states, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” Proverbs 27:17. As we begin our study in the book of James, I hope this study will highlight areas that need growth.

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex

The Real Source to the Conflict

There is no simple way to bring this up, but it is all over the news and it’s something we as believers need to be ready to discuss. The invasion of Ukraine is another prime example of why we need Jesus Christ on the throne in Jerusalem! Many have already discussed the politics of how this has come to pass, and many have started to point the position of blame at different groups. However, I am yet to see a person point to the source of the real issue. The Russian/Ukraine conflict is an indicator of why there needs to be Jesus Christ sitting on the throne in our lives and in Jerusalem. And one day He will, just look at what the Angel Gabriel said to Marry about Jesus, "And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. 32 "He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; 33 and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end." Luke 1:31-33.

Sin is a powerful thing, and without God in our lives, man will do wicked things. So, I would tell you to pray for the people in this conflict, pray for the leaders to find a peaceful resolution, and pray for God’s righteousness to shine.

 “First of all, then, I urge that requests, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made in behalf of all people, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. 3 This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” 1 Timothy 2:1-4.

Finally, I would call you to pray for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to come and take the Church away and proceed with the next stages of human history. There is still 7 years of Tribulation and then the glorious appearing of Jesus Christ which will have Jesus reigning in Jerusalem for a thousand years.

We should be praying for this! When asked by the disciples, Jesus even instructed them to pray for His kingdom! “Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven” Luke 11:2. The final prayer in the Bible is Revelation 22:20 which is a prayer asking Jesus to come! “He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming quickly.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.”

But finally, we should be acting on our faith. This has been abused by many so-called pastors and religious leaders today. Our faith needs to be a verb, where our actions proceed out and people know who we are based on God’s love that we show.

“What use is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone says he has faith, but he has no works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? 17 In the same way, faith also, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. 18 But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” James 2:14-18.

It is no doubt that things will get worse before they get better, but for the believer this is our time to shine. This is when our “A” game needs to be at its best. Pray more, love more, and most of all seek the Lord in His Word more than ever before. Do not stop meeting together, but rather seek all the more to spend time in worship and prayer for this darkening world. I will leave you with this, let us be the description of what Jude says in verses 20-25, “But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, looking forward to the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. 22 And have mercy on some, who are doubting; 23 save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh. 24 Now to Him who is able to protect you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory, blameless with great joy, 25 to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority before all time and now and forever. Amen.”

God has given us work to do, let us be about His business!

Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming,

JL

RE-POST FRIDAY

Join us as we look at the second warning found in the book of Hebrews. Read it HERE!

An Announcement: The Book of James

Persecution of Christians has always taken place, and as these days get darker this fact will not change. It is why believers before us, believers now, and believers after us have and will find solace in the pages of the Bible. There are many different passages in the Bible that offer words of encouragement for the born-again believer. However, one of my favorite books of the Bible that also offers an insight into Christian living is the book of James.

The book of James is written by the half-brother of Jesus Christ. This writing has taken place approximately 48-49AD. This book is a practical reflection for the Christian to see how they are living and how it matches with what God says. With verses like “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” James 1:22 and “6 And the tongue is a fire, the very world of unrighteousness; the tongue is set among our body’s parts as that which defiles the whole body and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell.” James 3:6 it is easy to see how the book of James reaches the heart of the issues that many Christians today face in regards to living out their faith.

Over the next several weeks, we will be discussing in detail the book of James. However, in order to do it justice, and to avoid burnout from the study, we will be regarding the book in sections. While this is a short book, only five chapters, I want to ensure that we are all accurately reflecting upon the words in this book that so often leaves the reader reflecting on their own daily actions. This is why we will be studying the book one chapter at a time over several weeks. I will also be adding in different topical posts before we begin a new chapter. I hope that by doing this, we can all sit and reflect what Jesus Christ has for us to learn in this self-reflection book, the book of James.

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex

Our Heavenly Advocate 1 John 2:1-2

It is no surprise that man fails more often than we succeed. As believers, this is also the case. Our very nature is defined by sinful action and imperfection. You might not want to hear this, but you are no different now than you were before you were saved. Believers in Christ are as guilty as a nonbeliever. The difference is we have an advocate and someone who we have allowed to pay the fine of our actions for us. This might sound hypocritical, and you would be right. However, it was God’s design set forth for us. The Apostle John helps us see this powerful reality, 1 John 2:1-2 “1 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.”

  John recognizes that there is danger of sin entering our life and distracting us from what God has planned thus, John goes to warn the reader “so that you may not sin.” This warning is to remind us that we need to abstain from sin. But we will eventually fail, miss the mark, and sin. When this happens, the Christian has an advocate in Jesus Christ, “And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” Dr. Jerry Falwell stated once regarding this passage, “but if any man sin, that is if any believer who has already acknowledged that he was a sinner, and has already been cleansed from his sin by the atoning sacrifice of Christ, if this person should be led off into sin, would he be eternally lost? He could sin, but he would not be hopelessly lost, because we have an advocate.” This is reiterated by Jesus Himself in the Gospel of John, John 10:28-29 “28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given [them] to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch [them] out of My Father’s hand.” Dr. Jerry Falwell would continue to identify this reality of Jesus’s role in a Christian’s life with reflecting on 1 John 2:1-3, “Advocate (Greek word parakletos) is the word John used four times in his gospel for the Holy Spirit as ‘Comforter.’ It is not so much ‘comfort’ as ‘encouragement’ or ‘help’ which is usually meant by this word, and the help sought is pictured as an advocate (which word comes from the Latin equivalent of our Greek word here) or ‘attorney.’” Jesus is our advocate and helper. He stands watch for us so that when we sin, He can “advocate with the Father” on our behalf. I can only imagine messing up and God sitting on His righteous throne saying, “JL has failed to be perfect” and Jesus steps up, “Father, I can vouch for my child, he is righteous through me.” When Jesus advocates with the Father, this means he is standing before the throne and is literally advocating on your behalf.

  But Jesus isn’t done there, and John is wanting to make sure the reader understands such a declaration of Jesus’s actions of love for us that He died for us. “And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins,” What does this word “propitiation” mean? Comes from the Greek word ‘hilasmos’ which means a price or a fine that must be paid. Jesus was the fine and the price for yours and my sin. But God grants free will, He grants the ability for people to choose, and John is wanting to make this evidently clear, “and not for ours only but also for the whole world.” This does not mean that there is universal application of this pardon and payment of our sin, for the sinner must be willing to recognize someone who is willing to make the payment. This is what makes a relationship with Jesus so amazing, there is nothing you can do to earn this payment, this advocate for your sin. All you can do is accept the person who is willing to pay and allow Him to be your advocate. John wants the reader to understand something that is surreal, our God is actively watching, comforting, and being there for us each and every step. It is why it is ridiculous for a person to state they can lose their salvation. How can you lose something you could never earn or hold onto yourself? How can you be capable of such a responsibility? Frankly you and I cannot, and John is wanting to make this truth known before he continues in the book.

  For us today, this means simply we try to not sin, not because of salvation’s sake, but for love’s sake. We follow the Lord’s commandments for the sake of following our blessed Savior and with the faith that He knows what is best for us in our own life. There is nothing to do with salvation in this picture, and rather keeping us growing in our faith. For those who are not saved, Jesus has died for you and rose again for you. He is sitting at the right hand of God the Father and wants to advocate for you, but you need to be willing to let him. Ask Him to be your advocate and ask for forgiveness and know that God made the way and is willing to give you this once in a lifetime opportunity. If you ever have questions, please reach out to Mill House Ministries and we would be happy to help you understand who Jesus is and how you can know Him as well.

Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming,

JL

RE-POST FRIDAY

A continuation on our review of our In What Time Are We In series. Read it HERE!

Understanding Scripture

When I first became a believer, the Old Testament was hard for me to understand. And I can even admit to this day, almost a decade after I have placed my faith in Jesus Christ, the Old Testament is still often confusing, at first I struggled with understanding why I needed to study it. After all we are no longer under the old covenant restrictions so why should we still be studying something that at first glance, no longer is applicable? The answer to this question is quite simple. We are no longer bound to the 10 Commandments and the sacrificial law that is prevalent in the Old Testament, however the Old Testament points to Jesus Christ and laid out the situations that the Messiah would accomplish. I once had it described to me this way, “The Old Testament points to Jesus Christ, while the New Testament shows how Jesus Christ completed the prophecies in the Old Testament.”

The entirety of the Bible shows how God has been in control of the world, its actions, the rise and fall of nations, and ultimately the plan for salvation from the very beginning. There is nothing that has taken place that has surprised God because He is in control of it all. It is for this reason that we must not only study the New Testament, but the Bible in its entirety. In his book, Experiencing the Cross, Henry Blackaby describes our Biblical knowledge this way, “His Word is not simply principles or concept to increase your head knowledge, but a vehicle for your relationship with the living God, a personal encounter that anchors His truth in the center of your being, equipping and encouraging you to live it from your heart.” To have a better understanding of God, then we must know His Word; to know His Word, we must study it.

That is my goal for today, I want to point out some of the Old Testament scriptures that have been completed in the New Testament. We simply don’t have the time to thoroughly discuss each and every one, after all there are 109 separate and distinct prophecies in the Old Testament regarding the first coming of the Messiah. Maybe you have seen these verses and the responses found in the New Testament. This list should hopefully allow you to view the Old Testament in a new way and hopefully you find yourself encouraged to read through the Old Testament again and see it in a new light.

The first set of scripture that I want to discuss is one that regards the Messiah’s place of birth. In the Old Testament, the description of the Messiah’s birth can be found in Micah 5:2, “But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Too little to be among the clans of Judah, From you One will come forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His times of coming forth are from long ago, From the days of eternity.” Here we see that God is stating that from Bethlehem will come from God a ruler who was there from long ago and will rule for eternity. We see in Matthew 2:1 that this is where Jesus Christ was indeed born, “Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem,”

The entirety of Isaiah 53 is a chapter that is devoted to discussing the Messiah and what He would go through on earth. I encourage you to read this chapter and then go through the gospels and see how Jesus Christ has fulfilled it. One example is Isaiah 53:4-6, “Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. 6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” In this passage we see that God will bring about one who will be a sin bearer for the rest of the world. This was answered in 1 Peter 2:24, “24 and He Himself brought our sins in His body up on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live for righteousness; by His wounds you were healed.”

The Old Testament even describes the exaltation at the right hand of God that Jesus Christ has accomplished. “The Lord says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.”” Psalm 110:1. Mark talks about Jesus sitting at the right hand of God in Mark 16:19, “19 After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God.” Mark 16:19.

As I have already mentioned, there are 109 separate prophecies regarding the first coming of Jesus Christ. However, the Old Testament does not only describe events that the Messiah would need to accomplish. In the pages of the Old Testament are also descriptions of historical events that have happened recently. God through the Old Testament even reveals how Israel would come back in a single day to be recognized by the international community at large.

“Before she was in labor, she delivered; Before her pain came, she gave birth to a boy. 8 Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Can a land be born in one day? Can a nation be given birth all at once? As soon as Zion was in labor, she also delivered her sons.” Isaiah 66:7-8.

May 14th 1948, the world came to a screeching stop when the little nation of Israel was born. After almost 2,000 years, the Jewish people were once again in their homeland under their own flag. In a single day a nation was born. The neighboring nations immediately invaded, their desire was clear: to kill the peaceful Jews. However, God granted an Israeli victory.

Even recently I have started a study on the minor prophets and have seen how the Old Testament points to the New Testament. Hosea chapter 2 describes how the Jewish nation will chase after anything but God, “Upon her children also I will have no mercy, because they are children of whoredom. 5 For their mother has played the whore; she who conceived them has acted shamefully. For she said, ‘I will go after my lovers, who give me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, my oil and my drink.’ 6 Therefore I will hedge up her way with thorns, and I will build a wall against her, so that she cannot find her paths. 7 She shall pursue her lovers but not overtake them, and she shall seek them but shall not find them. Then she shall say, ‘I will go and return to my first husband, for it was better for me then than now.’ 8 And she did not know that it was I who gave her the grain, the wine, and the oil, and who lavished on her silver and gold, which they used for Baal” Hosea 2:4-8 we see this taking place now as many Jews deny that Jesus is the Messiah. However, as we see in the end of the passage, there will come a day when they will return to God.

I hope these verses have given you a chance to see how the Old Testament is still as prevalent today and why it needs to be studied along with the New Testament. If we wish to know God more fully, we need to understand all of His Word, we cannot be focusing on the New Testament and ignore the Old Testament. The Bible in its entirety shows us how God is in control even now.

See the truth and encourage one another,

Alex

Examining the Infinite God 1 John 1:8-10

This week we are going in deep, so put on your thinking cap.

What is so unique about something that is infinite? It must always be reliably the same. If something can change, then there is a breakdown of the consistency. This means that if something is to be forever, it must be the same. Something that was, and is, and that will be, cannot have change. That would deny the very essence of it at any point in time. The laws of nature and physics demand such painstaking reflection of infinite. What does this mean for us today? It means that God’s declaration in Revelation 1:8 needs to be examined for His authenticity, “I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.’” He claims that He was always the same, is always the same, and will always be the same. This is powerful for it allows us to examine His characteristics and evaluate the declaration; because if it is true than it has a powerful dynamic for us. But what in the Bible could we review that would show God’s character, actions, personality, and standard to which would indicate His declaration of infinity? The answer is quite simple and can be found in 1 John 1:8-10.

“If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.”

Here we see a standard that God is portraying to the reader through His apostle John. God is laying out the foundation yet again for His standard and what He means by perfection is the only thing that will bring about eternal life. When a man believes they have no sin, they are deceiving themselves. Ironically Satan does not do the deceiving here, but man does it to himself. Genesis 2:8-17 being our downfall has given us the opportunity to know what is right and wrong, but also to fall away from what is right and choose what is wrong. Because of this we can deceive ourselves into thinking we are without sin. So far we have seen God is consistent with making absolute statements, which is by itself a character of only someone who is absolute. God has claimed His current state is without sin. Yet, He quickly continues to reveal His characteristic with the resounding absolute statement “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Here God does two things that reflect His infinite character. He first declares that He has a way for sin to be dealt with. This is huge because man has been trying since Genesis chapter 3 to be without sin and have failed each time. He is declaring that He has a way to change the circumstances we find ourselves in today. Second, God is promising permanent change. This is massive because man is naturally not infinite, if something that in its very nature is always adaptable to change and imperfection than there must be a constant to help facilitate change. The only way for something that is capable of change can be influenced into staying infinite at a specific standard, it requires to be stimulated by something that is already at that standard and unchangeable. This in “Christian” terms would be known as being “born again.” God, who is infinite, is promising infinitely that the individual with sin needs to be changed in order to provide the necessary attributes that derive what is “infinite.” Have I confused you yet? Let us break this down a little further. When God saves us from our sin and causes us to be born again and saved, He is in fact causing an action that only can describe God attributes. When God says, “If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.” We are rejecting the actionable traits of God.

But why go through this philosophical discussion today? What is the “So what?” for us today? Simply put, these three verses provide the necessary measurable, quantifiable, and accountable actions to hold God’s declarations as authentic and reliable. For only something outside of change can make infinite declarations. The fact that God provided the only way for sin to be removed, and that being Jesus Christ, indicates just who He is as God and represented to us in His Son the Messiah Jesus Christ.

In this letter, John is deliberately continuing to affirm to the reader just who is Jesus Christ. While today might have dug into the philosophical world, do not lose sight on the contextual reality of Jesus Christ and what He has done for you and I! John is wanting the reader to understand this because where he is going next in his letter will require someone who is infinite to be able to make such claims.

Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming,

JL

RE-POST FRIDAY

We begin our look back into the study of the warning passages found in the book of Hebrews. Read it HERE!

A Call to Prayer

Today I want to take a quick moment and step outside of our typical Biblical topics, in exchange I want to instead ask you all to take a moment a pray. With each passing month it is as if the standard for things that would never happen change. A few years ago the idea of government lockdowns was unheard of in certain areas in the world; now we have seen a worldwide shut down to various degrees. The idea of forced vaccination would have been laughable, but this has come to pass. The world is steadily growing more hostile and I can’t help but be reminded of Matthew 24:6-13“6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth pains. 9 “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. 10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.”

While we could write a post on just these verses alone, that is not what we are going to do today. Instead I want to ask our readers to carve out a moment today and throughout the coming months to pray for our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ around the world. Right now, our brothers and sisters in Ukraine are at the top of my list for prayers as the world is waiting to see who will blink first in the challenge that is facing them. Brothers and sisters in Taiwan are under severe threat of a Chinese invasion. Matthew 24 reminds me that these challenges would be prevalent in the last days, but this does not mean that we need to be frightened of the future. For us born-again believers, we have a greater future hope with Christ coming for His church. What I am asking you, our beloved readers, is to pray for strength and endurance for our fellow believers. We do not need to know each other’s names or situations to be praying for one another, we simply need to bow our heads and pray with an open heart. The Holy Spirit will guide our prayers, “26 Now in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; 27 and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” Romans 8:26-27.

Today I hope that you will take a moment and allow the Holy Spirit to guide your prayers, you may be surprised at what you find yourself praying for. I also hope that as you pray, you find comfort knowing that there are other believers who are praying for you as well. Christians today need to stand together and show the world that we are not frightened by what is occurring, use our prayers and the encouragement that we receive from them as a light to guide those who are lost to Christ.

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex

1 John 1:1-7

Now more than ever before, people are questioning the authenticity of Jesus Christ. As the days grow darker, many see themselves being swept away by the troubles of this world. Unfortunately, instead of running to Christ, they seek after answers that are pleasant to the ears and sought after confirmation bias tactics to make sense of what they see happening. However, God’s word is applicable each and every day of our lives and in any scenario. 1st John is a perfect example of such application with the Apostle John writing to today’s believers regarding the authenticity of Jesus Christ and how we can have assurance of Jesus Christ’s personhood, Godhood, and perfection. As we will see, if Jesus was not man than there was no sacrifice; if He is not the Son of God, then He is a lie; if He had sin, His sacrifice was meaningless. For Jesus to be all He claimed to be, He had to have all of what He claimed to be. The Apostle John wants the readers to understand such intricacies and so much more. I would like to encourage you to stay with us as we adventure into 1 John and see the wonders of God and how our relationship with Him is contingent on Christ alone. If you haven’t read the introduction to this series, after reading this go read last week’s post. Let us begin!

1st John starts much like how the Gospel of John ends, with a declaration of Jesus Christ’s account being true. “this is the disciple who is testifying to these things and wrote these things, and we know that his testimony is true. And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they were written in detail, I suppose that even the world itself would not contain the books that would be written.” John 21:24-25. John begins 1st John in like manner, wanting the reader to know that the Son of God is Jesus Christ. “What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life 2 and the life was revealed, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was revealed to us 3 what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. 4 These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete” 1st John 1:1-4.  

While the Gospel of John was for the purposes of salvation, “but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name” John 20:31, 1st John was written so that the believer would know they were saved, “These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete” 1st John 1:4, and 1st John 5:13, “these things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.”

The Apostle John is wanting the reader to understand that all of his work can be boiled down to this simple truth, man needs a relationship with Jesus Christ. Simply put, John wants you and I to know Jesus and have certainty in Jesus Christ’s salvation in our lives. John wants the reader to have fellowship with God, “we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.” 1st John 1:3 Here we see a true reasoning of why believers should be eager to share the gospel with their family, it is so that they too can have fellowship with God as we do and that our fellowship with each other can become that much richer.

As powerful as John’s statement is, he quickly pivots to a new topic; one regarding Christology (the study of Jesus Christ). Here John makes a powerful statement, “This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; 7 but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin“ 1st John 1:5-7. Dr. Ed Hindson helps identify the significance of the two verses, “John has made it clear that the purpose of his writing is that the believers might have true fellowship; he now proceeds to make some subtle philosophical implications about fellowship with God which will apply to the present circumstances of the believers. ‘God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all.’ Here are the two great symbols suggesting moral purity and evil; John says literally that there is not even one bit of darkness in God.”[1] For those who would declare God to not be perfect, nor to identify His perfect judgement, they are denying His deity.

Simply put, John is starting off wanting the reader to be firm in their salvation in Jesus Christ. The carpenter from Nazareth was in fact God’s Son and without Him we are destined for failure. Next week we will continue into the aspects of fellowship and see just how far God had to go to bring you back into love. To get to heaven, you need Jesus Christ, and the apostle John is laying this foundation in a basic understanding.

Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming,

JL

[1] Liberty University Commentary on the New Testament pg. 718.

RE-POST FRIDAY

A look back on the beginning of our series on where the church is in current history. Read it HERE!

Habits To Be Made

Today I want to take a brief moment and have us all reflect upon our spiritual walk. There are times when our growth as Christians seems stunted or that we are simply standing still. This is not a place that we need to stay in, we should constantly be striving to grow in our walk. While you have probably heard us mention that sin can be a cause for us to not grow, we also need to reflect upon our spiritual habits. Our spiritual health is built upon establishing spiritual disciple and habits and our daily habits can reflect our spiritual walk.

The first spiritual habit we should create is to meditate on God’s Word. We often hear that we need to empty our minds, that we should focus inward to find peace. This is not the case for a Christian. We are called to reflect on God’s Word, “6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” Deuteronomy 6:6-9 and again in Hebrews 10:16 ““This is the covenant which I will make with them After those days, declares the Lord: I will put My laws upon their hearts, And write them on their mind,””. If we wish to grow in our walk with God, we need to focus on His Word. Scripture needs to be inscribed on our hearts and minds so that we can easily recall them at any time. A.W. Tozer puts it this way “We were not given the Bible as a substitute for God until we get to heaven. Rather, the Bible is to lead us straight into the heart and mind of God.” The more we study His Word, the more we come to understand Him.

Another spiritual habit that is needed is to know when to sit still. This world if busy, there is always something going on; something to read, something to do, something to distract us. We often get so caught up in our busy schedules that we don’t sit still until we go to sleep, and sometimes not even then as our dreams are plagued by what we still need to get done. As Christians, we should not be busy for busy sake. Activity for activity's sake hinders us from really getting to know God as He desires to reveal Himself. We need to take time to sit and listen to what God is telling us. “He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10.

There is a warning here as well. While we are called to be still and listen to the Lord, this is not an excuse to be idle. In the end we still have the great commission to fulfill “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.”” Matthew 28:18-20. God does not view those who have opportunity to do work but choose not to in a positive manner. Be spiritual or in earthly work, God calls us to know when to work and to be active in it. “I passed by the field of a lazy one, And by the vineyard of a person lacking sense, 31 And behold, it was completely overgrown with weeds; Its surface was covered with weeds, And its stone wall was broken down. 32 When I saw, I reflected upon it; I looked, and received instruction. 33 “A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to rest,” 34 Then your poverty will come like a drifter, And your need like an armed man.” Proverbs 24:30-34 is just one such example. A healthy Christian walk will understand the times to be active and the times to wait upon the Lord for His guidance.

  There is also a habit of expectancy that should be involved in our Christian walk. Often times we believe that our walk and life is boring, this dull sense of the Christian faith poses itself with the issue of not being in the presence of God. When we believe that our walk is dull it is hard for us to seek after God and the Bible simply becomes words on a page. We then forget that we have a living God who provides for us and actively wants us to seek after Him. “I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me.” Proverbs 8:17. We are called to seek after God, “13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13 if we are not actively reflecting on how God has shown Himself to us daily, how can we become excited to continue to walk with Him? We must discipline ourselves to come to the Word with excitement and anticipation to meet with God. When we start each day seeking God’s presence and continue to search for Him throughout our day, we then are able to recognize when God is guiding us. When we do this our walk is no longer boring, but instead active and exciting as we learn more about our God. Examine the Bible and you will find not one verse declaring the Christian walk to be boring; but rather through Genisis to Revelation, you will see example after example of a walk with God being our greatest adventure on both sides of the grave.

  Hopefully as you reflect on your own Christian walk, you can see habits that are good to keep but also the ones that need to be corrected if you wish to grow in your knowledge of God. I know for myself whenever I reflect on my Christian walk, I see areas that I do well in as well as areas that I need to continue to work at. However, if we take these spiritual habits seriously, we will see that the Christian walk is not meant to be boring but instead filled with the anticipation of understanding our Lord and Savior better.

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex

A Study of 1 John: Introduction

If you have ever wondered or had doubts about your faith, I want to assure you that you are not the first Christian to have these struggles. If you have ever been the victim of false teaching, I want to encourage you that the Lord still loves each and everyone one of you. In fact, the Lord has written an entire book of the Bible just for you. 1st John is dedicated to those who are doubting their faith or who are victims of false teaching. In our present day, we are seeing more believers than ever doubt their faith and fall prey to the wilds of the devil and false teaching. While unfortunate, we are not without help and guidance. Through the Apostle John, God writes a letter directly answering these challenges and helps point us in the right direction with a solid foundation of assurance of salvation and the tools needed to measure and assess the teachings brought to us. Over the next few weeks, I want to do a verse-by-verse study of the book of 1st John and see the amazing confidence we can have not only in our salvation in Jesus Christ, but also in His continued work to help guide and advise us on the teachings that is brought before us.

Based on the writing and style of vocabulary, most scholars attribute the author of 1st John to the man it is named after, the Apostle John. The book is both a proactive and counter move by the apostle to answer issues that started to arise in the churches. Merrill C. Tenney, the Dean of Graduate school at Wheaton College, states rather eloquently, “The stated purpose of the First epistle, ‘These things have I written unto you, that you may know that you have eternal life…’ (5:13), carries the reader one step beyond the Gospel, which says, ‘These are written, that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.’ John 20:31. The Gospel was written to arouse faith; the First Epistle was written to establish certainty.’”[1] While we do not know when the exact time or place of the writing of 1 John took place, there is strong evidence that it was around 90 A.D.

The Church was transitioning into a new era, the large numbers of Jewish believers were being crowded out by Gentile believers. The Synagogue had separated itself from the Church, rejecting the Messiah. What Jewish believers that were still there, were now outnumbered. With the influx of Gentile believers outside ideas and predisposition to gravitate toward pagan teaching was creeping in. Gentile philosophical thought was now starting to influence doctrinal teaching. Naturally, the focus was centered on the person of Jesus Christ. “Who was He?” “If He was God, how could He die?” or “If He died, how could He be God?”[2] Unfortunately, instead of going back to scripture, people proposed new ideas and false teachings became rampant; an issue that is still present today. These errors in Biblical understanding and practical logic took root and spread, still influencing us now.

One such type of thinking is called Gnosticism, a heretical idea of religious philosophy based on a premise that spirit is good, matter is evil, and that the two are not enduring relation to each other.[3] Doubts of Christ’s person were becoming rampant, with many speculating His very existence. These Gnostics would later produce two views of thinking. First, was Christ being only a ghost and a vision of God and was not actually man. This view was more apparent during the first century while the second idea was that He was only a man. The first being called Docetism, and the second Cerinthianism. Why do I go in such detail? I want to help you understand that while we tackle 1 John, the writer is intentionally attempting to answer both these challenges about Jesus Christ. John asserts that Jesus Christ was not only audible, visible, and tangible; but 1 John 1:1 identifies those who would deny Jesus Christ’s reality was an antichrist. I do not want to go into too much detail just yet, but John directly answers such thoughts of man attempting to deny the Lord Jesus.

While the Apostle John does a marvelous job refuting these two ideas, I do want to add additional thoughts on why we can tell Docetism and Cerinthianism are false teachings. Traditional stories and other religions evolve the exact opposite way. The man or prophet is a normal person and after they die; they are thought of only as a man, only years and at times centuries later are they deified. With Jesus the exact opposite is done. There are those who attempt to immediately say He is a ghost or some spiritual being of God and not a man. This identifies that the stories are valid since no one could dare say the miracles He did were false. In fact, they would not start to argue that Jesus was only a man until generations later. This proves that during the time of His ministry on earth, no one would refute the events of His death and resurrection. Therefore, John is writing from personal experience. Having been one of the 12 disciples, he was in fact able to refute the silliness of the Gnostics and help the believers be fully settled on Jesus Christ as salvation.  

I would encourage you to read ahead in 1 John for yourself as we take on this amazing adventure. Two words of guidance for you as we take part in this study, first that 1 John is not written like our legal and philosophical friend the Apostle Paul does, but rather in a symphonic musical construct. A theme is seen throughout the letter with the reader needing to focus on the single line of thought. The second word of guidance would be for the reader to understand that John tackles issues that will cause conviction within the reader, this should not be shied away from but rather embraced. God, through His Apostle John, declares the rich mercies to the believer while bringing to light that sin has no place in the believer.

I am so excited to take this journey with you, as we study and learn more about Jesus Christ and our own walk with Him.

Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming,

JL

[1] Tenney, M. C. (1953). New Testament Survey. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

[2] Tenney, M. C. (1953). New Testament Survey. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

[3] Tenney, M. C. (1953). New Testament Survey. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

RE-POST FRIDAY

How can you make yourself a new person without waiting for the new year? Read it HERE!

Let Us…

The book of Hebrews is filled with instructional verses and gives great further explanations of Jesus Christ and His authority. This book is also filled with warnings and verses of exhortation. In fact, if you find yourself struggling in your walk with Jesus Christ, the book of Hebrews is one that will offer guidance on why this may be and how to fix it. However, there is one passage that offers three “Let us” statements that show us what we must do as followers of Jesus Christ.

“22 let’s approach God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let’s hold firmly to the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; 24 and let’s consider how to encourage one another in love and good deeds, 25 not abandoning our own meeting together, as is the habit of some people, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.”

Hebrews 10:22-25

The first “Let us” statement is found in verse 22, ““22 let’s approach God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water” By using the phrase “Let us” the author of the book of Hebrews is declaring that this is something that we must do. It is not optional, we must approach God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having been cleaned from an evil conscience, and been washed pure. The only way that we can further our walk with Christ is by drawing closer to Him. This is not a task that we can do on our own, we need Jesus to cleanse us from our sins. There are those out there who would tell you that you must make right with Jesus on your own, that you must remove sin from your life before you are worthy to approach God. This is not a concept that is found in the Bible, but instead is a false teaching. The only one who can remove our sins is Jesus Christ Himself. That is the good news of the gospel; because we cannot do it on our own, we need someone to step up for us. We place our faith in Jesus Christ, He washes our sins away making us new creations, and in doing so the gap between man and God is closed. We can now approach God wholly and without shame because Jesus removed our shame from us.

The second “Let us” exhortation is to “23 Let’s hold firmly to the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful;” In this verse, we are told that we need to old fast to our profession of faith. The book of Hebrews offers a list of warnings (2:1-4, 3:7-11, 5:11-6:3, 10:26-31, and 12:25-29). These warnings are in place to encourage the reader not to drift from the faith. The author of Hebrews was writing to believers who were tempted to return to Judaism in order to avoid persecution, they were wanting to let go of the hope found in Jesus until times were easier. This “Let us” statement acts as a reminder that we need to hold firmly to our hope in Jesus with the understanding that He is faithful to complete His promises. God does not change, “8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Hebrews 13:8 with this knowledge we can rest assured that He will remain faithful to His promises. “if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself.” 2 Timothy 2:13. This “Let us” statement is in direct response with the warning passage found in Hebrews against drifting away. “For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it.” Hebrews 2:1. When we pay attention to what the word says, we grow in our knowledge of it, and do not drift away. In other words, we hold firmly to our faith in Jesus Christ.

  The final “let us” exhortation is to “and let’s consider how to encourage one another in love and good deeds, 25 not abandoning our own meeting together, as is the habit of some people, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.” The first part of this exhortation is to encourage one another in love and good deeds. This means that we should be encouraging others to seek after Christ. We should not be shying away from spreading the gospel. As ambassadors of Christ, it is our responsibility to show others Christ and urge them on in their Christian walk. This comes from being knowledgeable ourselves in the Word so that we can help guide those around us. I do want to point out here that while this exhortation mentions encouraging others to good deeds, these deeds cannot replace actual salvation which is only found in placing our faith in Jesus Christ. In fact, the Bible makes it clear that even our best works are still worth nothing, “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags;” Isaiah 64:6. God does not want our self-claimed righteous acts, He wants our obedience to Him, ““Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.” 1 Samuel 15:22. The ‘good deeds” in this exhortation is to follow God’s Word.

The second aspect of this “Let us” statement is to not abandon meeting together. In the last two years this has been especially hard for the body of Christ. We have been told to stay indoors for our own good. However, the body of Christ is not meant to lock itself away, we are meant to be walking in this world as light to those who are lost. When we are not meeting with other brothers and sisters in Christ, and we are okay with not meeting, there is something lacking in our spiritual walk; we have cooled off in listening to the Holy Spirit guiding us. This world will never go back to the way it was before the lockdowns or before 2020. There will always be some measure of restrictions now and in the coming days there will be new challenges to face. The author of Hebrews is encouraging us here to not cower to this world, but instead walk amongst the lost and show them that with Jesus we have no need to fear the ruler of this world. This is not only beneficial for the nonbelievers, but for the believers as well. If we lock ourselves away we do not receive the encouragement that we would get if we were around other believers. By locking ourselves away it becomes much easier for someone to walk away from the faith entirely. As the body of Christ, we need to be in communion with other believers so that we do not become fearful of this world. As followers of Jesus Christ, it is paramount that we establish ourselves firmly in approaching God in sincerity, holding firm to our faith, while encouraging and not abandoning our own meeting together. Now is not the time for us to be swayed by the world; but all the more share the gospel, hold to what the Lord has shown us in His word and in His own self, we need to love more and be more outspoken to those who are willing to listen. In the end remember that each of the “Let us” statements are calls to action. As Christians we are not called to sit on the side line of life, but actively participate as key players. For believers are too important to Christ to not be part of His calling, it is why Hebrews is filled with so much instruction and guidance all backed in the authority of Jesus Christ. 

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex

Plans For This Year

Today I wanted to write you all and spend a brief moment revealing the future of Mill House Ministries this spring. As this year continues, we plan on incorporating some monthly programs and material to those who have our free subscription but also help bring about a greater understanding of the Bible as a whole. We will do a five part study continuing The Basics coming in March and part of April, with continued future small segments as the year continues. However, we want to transition our studies in two ways. First, with word by word studies of books of the Bible. Second, topical studies that need to be discussed pertaining to the body of Christ today. We plan to continue the Monday and Wednesday posts. By doing this, we desire to help build the resources no matter where you are in your spiritual life, 2 Timothy 3:16-17 states, “16 All Scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” Our monthly publication will return in February and are aimed to follow the first Saturday of each month following. Additionally, we plan on creating the opportunity for diverse special guest writers who are coming on board. Finally, as we get closer to the summer we want to encourage you to subscribe as we plan on providing more tools for believers in Jesus Christ, Philippians 4:9states, “What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me--practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”Ultimately, Mill House Ministries wants to be a tool for you to be encouraged as we see the day coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, as Titus 2:11-15 states, “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”So from Mill House Ministries to you, we hope you take this amazing journey with us as we continue to grow and empower the readers to see Jesus Christ as your personal savior, but also your living Lord right now.

Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming,

JL