Re-Post Friday

Do you know the answer to the second most important question a person can ask? Read it HERE!

More Than A Saving Faith (II)

Last week we had the opportunity to discuss what it means to have a sanctified life. We are all born-again into the saving grace of God once we accept Jesus Christ’s perfect life, His death on the cross, His resurrection, and that He is reigning today; however, there is a time when a Christian truly looks at the Word of God and says “I want to know more, I want to be 100% God’s”. This is that moment when the believer takes their faith a step further into a sanctified faith.

  Last week we discussed the royal official who became saved when he acknowledge that Jesus Christ had the authority and power to heal his son. However, it was not until he was met on the road home by his servants that the royal official took that step into a sanctified faith (John 4:46-53).

  Today, I want to discuss a similar circumstance of a different individual who had already made that step to further his faith. This man would prove that man’s outward appearance does not reflect the spiritual maturity of the person.

“7 After he had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum. 2 Now a centurion had a servant who was sick and at the point of death, who was highly valued by him. 3 When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his servant. 4 And when they came to Jesus, they pleaded with him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy to have you do this for him, 5 for he loves our nation, and he is the one who built us our synagogue.” 6 And Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. 7 Therefore I did not presume to come to you. But say the word, and let my servant be healed. 8 For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me: and I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 9 When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” 10 And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant well.”

Luke 7:1-10

  What is surprising about this passage of scripture is the man’s faith allowed for a greater understanding of Jesus Christ than anyone else in Israel. Christ not only healed the servent but also eternalized in the Holy scriptures a gentile. The centurion’s faith established an understanding that the Son of God’s authority was limitless. The centurion had already taken that step in his faith to acknowledge that Jesus Christ is capable of even healing from afar, as long as it is within His will. The centurion did not need Jesus to come to his home because he knew that as a Man with authority, Jesus could command it to be done just as the centurion would command those around him to complete his tasks.

  It is also this great faith that amazed Jesus Christ who notes that not even the Jewish people, God’s chosen people, had the same amount of faith; a fact that is seen by how often Jesus is asked to perform miracles in front of the religious leaders. While Jesus may have been going to the centurion’s home based on the plea of the elders, it was the centurion’s faith in Him that ultimately caused Jesus to heal the servant. We should also acknowledge that the centurion’s faith had works, he was obeying the Old Testament and blessing Abraham’s descendants, and even knew the customary laws of the Jews regarding interactions with the gentiles. This mans faith is manifested in works.

  While last week we saw an official who needed to take that step in being sanctified, this week we see a man who had taken that step without ever being in front of Jesus. Despite this, the centurion was aware of Jesus’s actions and had already came to the conclusion that He had authority greater than his. I hope this helps to encourage you to take that step yourself and see what Jesus will do in your life!

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex

Read the Credits

When was the last time you watched a movie and thought there might be something after the credits? To no surprise movies that are a series are more susceptible to having all the audience wait until the end looking for any sign of what could come next. However, while waiting for that hoped scene we preoccupy our time looking at the credits. The names, positions, and all the people that are necessary to create the movie. It is here that I want to bring our attention to today. Some people are quick to leave the theater and miss not only seeing the hidden scene, but also appreciating those behind the scenes who made the movie.

We at times do this with the end of books of the Bible, this is especially true with Paul’s letters to the different churches. I have seen people speed read the second Paul starts to name people, as if the credits had come up and they wanted out. This is unfortunate, for just like a movie, we can still learn a great deal about what we have just gone through. Let’s look at a wonderful example, please go to 1 Corinthians 16:19-24, “19 The churches of Asia greet you. Aquila and Priscilla greet you heartily in the Lord, with the church that is in their house. 20 All the brethren greet you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. 21 The salutation with my own hand--Paul’s. 22 If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed. O Lord, come! 23 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ [be] with you. 24 My love [be] with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.”

Many people might not understand the significance of what is given here. How this is applicable right now in 2023 to you and I? Without this section of scripture, we wouldn’t have the examples of Christian application.

Verse 19, “The churches of Asia greet you. Aquila and Priscilla greet you heartily in the Lord, with the church that is in their house.” This couple was previously expelled from Rome as seen in Acts 18:1-2. “1 After these things Paul departed from Athens and went to Corinth. 2 And he found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla (because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome); and he came to them.” These two no matter where they moved, made sure to open their home for the local Christians; look at Romans 16:3-5, “3 Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, 4 who risked their own necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. 5 Likewise [greet] the church that is in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia to Christ.” Dr. Ed Hindson with Liberty Commentary on the New Testament states when studying these two, “Apparently, wherever this couple went they made their home a sanctuary where Christ was honored and believers gathered to share the Word together and worship.” No matter what happens in life, we as believers can provide something to the local Christian community. Priscilla and Aquila were both wanting to serve and provide a place for the gospel to be preached. This doesn’t mean we as believers have to give over our house to be used, but rather allow what God has given us to be used as we are called. For these two believers, God always provided a suitable home and they intended to use it for Him.

The next part Paul wants us to know is found in verse 20, “All the brethren greet you. Greet one another with a holy kiss.” As Christians it doesn’t matter where we come from, what is our past, nor any other born aspects of diversity; we are to be united in Christ. Dr. Ed Hindson also helps us understand this command, “In the custom of the day, this was an expression of mutual affection and friendship. In other words, they were to put away their divisive spirit and unite in the bonds of love.” This is very important today for us to understand, Christians must be united under the Lord Jesus Christ. We can be different in every other way, uniquely drawn to cross, but firmly founded in God’s Word. This is how you can have people from all over the world, different times, classes, and experiences are all united. Look at an example of this in Revelation 5:9-10, “9 And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, 10 And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.” The Church is unique and we are to uphold to those values as Christians.

So far, we have learned in just two verses so easily skipped, that the gifts from the Lord should be utilized with great earnest, that we should be flexible with what challenges the world throws at us, and utilize what Christ has given. Secondly, we are to be united as believers under Christ. We are to not be swayed by the hatred and divisiveness brought about. Next week, we will continue with the last three verses and learn what else is applicable in these simple but forgotten texts.

Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming,

JL

Re-post Friday

How important is salvation to the armor of God? Read it HERE!

More Than a Saving Faith

We are now almost halfway through January, and I am sure there are many who are slipping in their new year’s resolutions. While this typically happens, I want to encourage those who have made a resolution to understand the word of God better this year to not slip. Do not allow the hustle and bustle of the world allow you to sway from this task because out of every resolution you may have made; this one is the most important. Today I want to encourage you to not only strive to have a better understanding of God’s word, but a deeper relationship with Him. One passage that I would ask you to look at to understand this is John 4:46-53.

“Once more he visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. And there was a certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum. 47 When this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death. 48 “Unless you people see signs and wonders,” Jesus told him, “you will never believe.” 49 The royal official said, “Sir, come down before my child dies.”50 “Go,” Jesus replied, “your son will live.” The man took Jesus at his word and departed. 51 While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living.52 When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, “Yesterday, at one in the afternoon, the fever left him.” 53 Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” So he and his whole household believed.”

This brief passage offers a glimpse into the difference between a saved life and a sanctified life. Everyone who places their faith in Jesus Christ, the works that He did, and His promises will have a saved life. “that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;” Romans 10:9. However, there is a difference between a saved Christian and a Christian who has become sanctified. To be sanctified is to be set apart. We are already separated from the world when we become born-again, but a sanctified Christian is one who abandons their own desires to fulfill what the Lord is calling them to do. They have turned every desire into solely being focused on God, this is a trait that many Christians struggle with but I believe that the man in John 4 can show us the difference.

We see in verse 50 that the royal official believed Jesus when He said that the man’s son would live. The royal official had enough faith in Jesus and what was being said of Him to understand that He had the power to heal his son. This to me speaks of when we place our faith in the saving grace of God. We have heard and seen enough to know that there is a God and to know that He died for our sins. We take Him at His word that He loves us and will rectify us to the Father. “Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.” Romans 8:34.

However, we see the royal official take his faith to a whole other level. Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” So he and his whole household believed.” The royal official already believed that Jesus was able to do what He said He would, however, it was not until the royal official was told when his son was healed did he truly understand the magnitude of Jesus’s authority. It was here that the royal official came to truly know the power that Jesus had, for He had healed the man’s son without ever stepping foot into his home. For the believer today, this is sanctification. It is the process of truly understanding the magnitude and depth of God’s love for us that we want to be completely sold out for Him. The desires that we once had, including a sin that we are struggling with, now hold no desire. The sanctified believer only wishes to complete the tasks that God has laid out before them. The thought of going into situations that once would have frightened the born-again believer, now there is no fear. The sanctified believer wants to speak as Jesus did “Not my will Father, but yours”.

If you find yourself struggling with the idea of connecting deeper to God, I hope today this post encouraged you. I hope that you do not give up on this desire to grow in your faith this year. But if you are already finding yourself struggling, I ask that you pray. Ask God to help you organize your day in such a way that you can have more time devoted to Him. Ask God to help you with your Bible study, to grow in your knowledge and understanding. Believe me, He will answer. If you are looking for an additional book to help with the idea of sanctification, please consider “They Found the Secret” by W. Raymond Edman. It is a book of believers from different backgrounds who have all made that step into a sanctified life,

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex

One Last Happy New Year Lesson

With the new year arriving and snatching us from the bliss of the holiday season, I thought I would let you know a little secret about myself. Our joy doesn’t need to end! When we continue into God’s word we find that His joy becomes our joy. Psalms 119:161-162  “Princes persecute me without a cause, But my heart stands in awe of Your word. 162 I rejoice at Your word As one who finds great treasure.” You see, God understands us better than we understand ourselves; because of this we need to recognize when He explains what will and will not help us. Let’s examine Psalm 100.

Psalm 100:1-5, “1 A Psalm of Thanksgiving. Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands! 2 Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before His presence with singing. 3 Know that the LORD, He [is] God; [It is] He [who] has made us, and not we ourselves; [We are ]His people and the sheep of His pasture. 4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, [And] into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, [and] bless His name. 5 For the LORD [is] good; His mercy [is] everlasting, And His truth [endures] to all generations.”

Verse one makes it clear that it does not matter where we are or what the circumstances are, God needs to be our sole focus “Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands.” Verse 2 expounds on this focus “Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before His presence with singing.” We are to come to His presence. Now you might be wondering what does this mean? Well it has two applications, first is that during His 1,000 year reign discussed in Revelation 20 we need to physically go to Him. Second, this focuses on the current age we are in and meditate and spend time with Him spiritually.

God hates pride, pride brought about the fall of a third of the angels and is continuesly found as a root source to many sinful situations. This is why God calls us to be humble. When we are humble we see things that pride would blind, we can learn things that were unreachable before. This is why verse 3 is monumental for us to understand. “Know that the LORD, He [is] God; [It is] He [who] has made us, and not we ourselves; [We are ]His people and the sheep of His pasture.” God made us, God saves us, and God is Lord over us. Simple but a hard truth for many to grasp. This is why Proverbs 9:10 identifies fear of the Lord as the beginning of wisdom and understanding as the knowledge of the Holy One. Without humility to recognize our own faults, how can we ever be able to learn?

If there is any other reason to start this year off with joy, I can think of no other reason than verses four and five. “4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, [And] into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, [and] bless His name. 5 For the LORD [is] good; His mercy [is] everlasting, And His truth [endures] to all generations.”

In Christ we can go before the Lord, like verse two there is different application depending on the age we live in. However, as believers we can triumphantly go before the Lord knowing we are His children. We can regonize His mercy is everlasting and His truth endures to all generations.

So as 2023 gets really going, do not trip at the starting line with falling into dispare that the holiday season is over or worried as to what this year might bring. In Christ, we have an ever loving and righteous God. It’s a simple lesson that has monumental influence in how we start this new year.

So with that said, I will give you one last Happy New Year!

JL

Re-Post Friday

In order to understand who Christ is to us, we need to be able to answer three questions. Today we look back at the first of these questions. Read it HERE!

Where Is Your Focus In 2023?

The start of the new year is always a time of hope with many looking forward to plans for the future. However, if the last couple years have been any example, we know that the future is something that is not certain. Things that previously thought could never happen have occurred in the last couple of years, and this can often cause the born again believer to lose focus and be swept away by the fears and worries of the world. Today I want to remind you all of a verse to meditate on over this year.

“2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”

Hebrews 12:2-3

It may seem a simple thing to remind the Christian to keep the focus on Christ, but as I walk more in the faith I see those who have lost this basic fact. Jesus is the author of our faith, and yet there are those who place man’s definition of His word over what Jesus Himself says. They will try to deny some of His words and actions or they will go so far as to change His words to make it fit their own narrative. They forget that Jesus is the author of salvation and sad to say these individuals often lose the joy in Christ that is prevalent to those who follow after Him daily.

You see my friends, when we keep our eyes focused on Christ, we find the joy in hardships. For when we keep following after Him who the author of Hebrews states found joy in the cross, a horrible death, we can find joy in what we face this coming year. It is because we have the promises of His word and His actions that we are able to face what comes this year, it is why we should have no fear in trials. As a quick reminder, there is a difference between a trial and a temptation. God will not tempt us (James 1:13-14) but we will go through trials to strengthen the faith of the believer.

So today, as we begin to plan out this next year, I ask that you consider what the author of Hebrews describes perfectly, “let us run with endurance the race that is set before us” Hebrews 12:1b. Keep your eyes focused on Christ this year, in doing so you will have joy even in trials as described in the book of Phillipians. When you do so you will not grow weary this year.

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex

Old Lessons For a New Year

While it is a new year, it is important to understand that the lessons of yesterday are still prevalent today. The Bible is applicable no matter the year we live in, one such lesson is the observable signs of a fool. No doubt 2023 will be a year of people bloviating and speaking out of line. The Bible identifies these people as fools.

Proverbs 18:6-7 “A fool’s lips enter into contention, And his mouth calls for blows. 7 A fool’s mouth [is] his destruction, And his lips [are] the snare of his soul.”

The fool is quickly identified through their words, here we can clearly see that a fool first and foremost will cause contention. The word contention here comes from the Hebrew word “Riyb” which means this person causes strife and arguments amongst others and themselves. This person cannot help but let their mouth be wild and untamed.

Naturally, this leads to issues that will result in adverse action against the person. This person will be identified as having their mouth cause them continues problems. “And his mouth calls for blows.”

Ultimately, the fool is identified as being their own worst enemy. Their own mouth has caused their own destruction. Nothing will save them since they cannot help themselves. I must admit that I have seen people like this before; who cannot help but vomit whatever comes out of their mouth. This has caused more strife in their life and has virtually destroyed their professional career. “A fools mouth is his destruction.”

Nevertheless, the most insidious aspect of a fool is their own self destruction regarding their eternal state. “And his lips are the snare of his soul.” The fool’s mouth reveals their salvation is still not found in Christ. Instead of accepting the Lord and receiving salvation, the fool is more inclined to be a legend in their own mind. They are the most philosophical, the most enlightened, and believe they are above any correction. Like in everything else, the fool brings about their own destruction even at the cost of their own soul.

So as we start 2023, be vigilant to look at those around us and even ourselves to make sure that our actions do not resemble what the Bible calls a fool. Let our words be uplifting, loving and gentle. Always bringing people the truth and recognizing the need for Jesus Christ to be in our life. 2023 will be an amazing adventure, let us remember that the Bible is applicable right now to give us daily advice. Happy New Year from Mill House Ministries to you!

Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming,

JL

Re-Post Friday

Today we review the importance of the shield of faith. Read it HERE!

What’s In A Name?

As born-again followers of Jesus Christ, we know the importance of the inspired word of God. We understand that the Bible is meant to be studied and reflected upon, we also know that the Bible has more to teach us then we can ever know. Now as we come to the season where many are making resolutions for the New Year. Just as I am sure there is more than one of our readers who state that this year they want to go deeper in their Bible studies, I am sure that there are those who simply don’t know how to look past the surface level of what the Bible can teach us. Today, I want to offer you one way that you can have an understanding that every word and name in the Bible is there on purpose, none of it was by accident or a mistake. Today I ask that you look at Genesis 5:25.

“25 Now Methuselah lived 187 years, and fathered Lamech.”

You may be wondering why we are looking as such a short verse and one that does not seem to hold any meaning whatsoever. That is until you look at the meaning behind the name of Methuselah. Before we get to that however, I want to remind you of some events that were occurring during this time. Genesis chapter five reveals the dependents of Adam. This includes Enoch who is arguably a man who had the greatest relationship with God besides Jesus Christ the Son of God. “Then Enoch walked with God three hundred years after he became the father of Methuselah” Genesis 5:22a. The reason why I bring up Enoch being the father of Methuselah, is because for a man with such great faith to give his son a name that means “When He Is Dead It Shall Be Sent”.

The fact is that Enoch was prophesizing the event that would occur in chapters six and seven. “17 I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish.” Genesis 6:17. However, this flood only occurred after Methuselah had died. We can see that Enoch was warning the people of the day about a coming disaster. Even the small things can be huge when looked at through the right focus.

So this year, as you strive to grow in your understanding of the word of God, know that there is nothing in the Bible that does not have meaning behind it. We simply need to ask God to teach us and take the time to dive into His word.

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex

A Look At Our Relationship

Each and every day, the believer is faced with a choice to walk according to the flesh or according to the Spirit. The Bible being God’s perfect word is designed to help us along the way. Yet, today I wanted to highlight a small portion of scripture to help facilitate this walk. Let’s examine just one small part of Psalm 119.

Psalms 119:17-24 “Deal bountifully with Your servant, [That] I may live and keep Your word. 18 Open my eyes, that I may see Wondrous things from Your law. 19 I [am] a stranger in the earth; Do not hide Your commandments from me. 20 My soul breaks with longing For Your judgments at all times. 21 You rebuke the proud--the cursed, Who stray from Your commandments. 22 Remove from me reproach and contempt, For I have kept Your testimonies. 23 Princes also sit [and] speak against me, [But] Your servant meditates on Your statutes. 24 Your testimonies also [are] my delight [And] my counselors.”

Here we have a saint who is wanting their relationship with the Lord to be ever more. They are not settled for the status quo but rather with enriching the relationship they have with Christ.

“Deal bountifully with Your servant, [That] I may live and keep Your word.” They know their relationship is built on both God and themself. I want to quickly iterate this has nothing to do with salvation, but rather our walk after salvation. The believer recognizes God’s part in our lives, but also in the blessing of His word.

The more we focus on Christ and walk in His commandments, the more we will see the wonders of His word; but also have tribulation today. This is why the believer in this passage identifies the wondrous things within God’s law, but also the feeling of being a stranger. It is no surprise that Jesus in John 14 says we will expirence tribulation and Paul explains in 2 Corinthians 5:20 that we are ambassadors.

“18 Open my eyes, that I may see Wondrous things from Your law. 19 I [am] a stranger in the earth; Do not hide Your commandments from me. 20 My soul breaks with longing For Your judgments at all times.” Jesus states in John 15:2 “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every [branch] that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” Discipline signifies that we are saved. When there is no discipline, this can be a sign that an individual is most likely not saved. This is why the psalmist identifies discipline within the relationship.

“21 You rebuke the proud--the cursed, Who stray from Your commandments. 22 Remove from me reproach and contempt, For I have kept Your testimonies.”

Each chapter of proverbs points the reader to the liberating philosophy regarding wisdom and how to apply it in our life. What is truth and when people attempt to malign our actions to follow Christ, He teaches us how to act accordingly. The Psalmist sees this and understands the relationship that God has in our lives with the daily interactions with mankind.

“23 Princes also sit [and] speak against me, [But] Your servant meditates on Your statutes. 24 Your testimonies also [are] my delight [And] my counselors.”

You see for the believer, their relationship with Christ should be paramount. We need only to recognize that God is more than our salvation; but rather our foundation, our denominator, our motivation for all progression forward. He loves us too much to abandon us to the way side after purchasing us with His blood. We are His children, and like any good relationship it takes two.

Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming,

JL

Re-Post Friday

As we bring gifts to others, it is important to remember the gift we have been given. Read it HERE!

Looking Beyond the Birth

“Joy to the world, the Lord is come Let Earth receive her King Let every heart prepare Him room And Heaven and nature sing And Heaven and nature sing And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing” We hear these lyrics and many others quite often during this time of year. These songs are uplifting and remind the believer that God has always had a plan of salvation. In fact, I am sure that many will be hearing sermons regarding the birth of Jesus Christ on Christmas and many of these sermons will feature the same verses regarding Christ’s birth. While this is all wonderful and needs to be taught on, I feel that there is a passage that is often discussed during Christmas but has a deeper meaning then what is taught.

“For a Child will be born to us, a Son will be given to us;
And the government will rest on His shoulders;
And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.”

Isaiah 9:6

This is a very common verse to be discussed now and it is a wonderful verse full of the promise of God to send a Son who will rule the whole earth. However, it seems like verse six is where the discussion ends. I would argue that the next verse holds as much, if not more, importance.

“There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace
On the throne of David and over his kingdom,
To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness
From then on and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of armies will accomplish this.”

Isaiah 9:7

Christmas is an important time to look at the birth of Christ, however, we need to remember that His birth is not the end. We need to look beyond the birth and realize that one day there will be no end to His government. If we believe that God promised to one day send a savior as is promised in verse six, then the promise in verse seven is just as important. Christ will reign forever and this is something that we can be reminded of as we remember Christ’s birth.

However, I do want to leave a reminder here. Christ will reign forever, but only those who know Him as Lord and Savior will know His peace. If you have not come and confessed your sins to God, I encourage you to do so now. If you allow God to work in your life, you will see that we have a hope for the future kingdom that is one day coming.

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex

An Applicable Christmas Present

There are many lessons that Christmas offers to us, but there is one that is easily missed that I would like to share with you. This lesson is a great reminder for the believer to reflect on God’s word and to see how serious we take His intentions. You see, there was a previous generation that had a wonderful opportunity to be present when Jesus Christ arrived in His first coming.

From Genesis to Malachi, the Old Testament is a declaration of Jesus Christ.

Luke 24:44 “Then He said to them, “These [are] the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and [the] Prophets and [the] Psalms concerning Me.”

The scripture points to Jesus Christ. Unlike with His first coming, there have only been signs given for Jesus Christ’s second coming. Matthew 24:36 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.”

We know that His first coming is very much set in stone, to the very day! For a better understanding of this, please read Daniel chapters 9-12. Nevertheless, while they knew the time of His arrival in Jerusalem, they did not know the exact date of His birth in Bethlehem. But there would be signs found in scripture indicating the time. Likewise today, we are in a similar manner. God has given His scripture and we have two choices. We can take Him seriously or ignore His word.

Let’s examine both groups and see the blessing one received.

Our first group are the wise men from the east. These men knew the word, knew the scripture, and even studied the nature looking to better understand God who was the creator of it all.

And when they saw the sign, they acted upon it with seriousness!

Matthew 2:1-2 “1 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, 2 saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”

These wise men, understood that Jesus would go from being 100% God, to 100% God and 100% man. They knew He would be born in Israel, knew that nature itself would give signs of His arrival, and even expected the government to be waiting for His arrival. They studied and took God’s word seriously.

Now the second group also read the word but did not take it seriously. They spiritualized and turned God’s word into a self-help practice for themselves.

Matthew 2:3-6 “3 When Herod the king heard [this,] he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: 6 ‘But you, Bethlehem, [in] the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.’ ”

Because they did not take God’s word seriously, they did not understand that He was coming. They missed out on being there for the birth. They missed out on being there to witness and help prepare a more suitable place for His birth. The official religious leaders, the experts of the law and public standard missed the mark. They had failed. But do they learn from their failure? NO! They quote where Jesus would be born and do not go. They fail to even acknowledge their mistake. The greatest danger a person can be in, is in belief of self righteousness. To believe you are good enough on your own accord is a very dangerous place to be in. It clouds your judgement, takes fear of the Holiness of God away from you, and snatches understanding from within your grasp. Like smoke it keeps you from preserving what is needing to recognize your need of a savior. It fails to allow you to find the Christ.

Sounds harsh? Well just look at what happens next. The wise men are rewarded to meet Jesus as a toddler, while the others miss the opportunity to see the child who will be King of Kings and Lord of Lords, they also miss the opportunity to help the family of Jesus in a moment of coming danger.

Matthew 2:7-12 “7 Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found [Him,] bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.” 9 When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. 11 And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.”

Because they took God’s word seriously and acted upon it, they were able to meet Jesus and help serve Him by providing for the family in their quick departure from Egypt. The gifts given were what was needed to help the financial challenge coming for Joseph and Mary and their new son Jesus. What an amazing opportunity, all because they took God’s word seriously.

So my Christmas challenge to you, are you taking God’s word seriously in your own life? Are you being a wise man studying and applying His word? Or are you being one of those who are missing out? This is a personal question to you. Christmas is a wonderful time to recognize the love that Christ has for you. He came to save you, and He has already paid the price. All you need to do is accept that and ask for Jesus to come into your life. What a Christmas present then to have eternal life with a God who loves you more than you could possibly imagine. There is nothing else like it.

For those who are saved, I ask you if you are taking God’s word seriously and seeking to do what He asks? Are you reading all His word? Are you seeing the signs of the times? There is a Christmas present to believers as well. For when we study God’s word we are able to see how much God loves us, and how much His word comes to life for us. It is applicable in the same way as it was in Jesus Christ’s first coming as it is today. So this Christmas, take the time and see what this Christmas lesson is for you and see that God has a present for you that no one can wrap and give you like He can. All you have to do is accept and open it.

Merry Christmas!

JL

Re-Post Friday

Today we look back on why Mill House Ministries began. Read it HERE!

A Strange Direction

It is no doubt that we are faced with choices when we follow God. Some of His directions are easy to do, some are harder and require a more active focus to complete. However, often it seems as if these are the only two ways that God’s direction occurs for the believer. It is either an easy choice to follow or a challenge. But what about the directions that may seem impossible or even ridiculous? One such example comes to mind and can be found in Joshua 6.

“ Now Jericho was tightly shut because of the sons of Israel; no one went out and no one came in. 2 But the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have handed Jericho over to you, with its king and the valiant warriors. 3 And you shall march around the city, all the men of war circling the city once. You shall do so for six days. 4 Also seven priests shall carry seven trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark; then on the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. 5 It shall be that when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city will fall down flat, and the people shall go up, everyone straight ahead.””

Joshua 6:1-5

God’s people were told to walk around a city in a circle for seven days, if they did this then after the seventh day the city would be handed over to them. To anyone else, this command might seem as if God was attempting to make a mockery out of His people. How could simply walking bring down a wall? And yet, through their faith that God would hold to His promise, Joshua and the people followed through with this strange direction.

If you are not familiar with this event, the result can be found in Joshua 6:20, “So the people shouted, and the priests blew the trumpets; and when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted with a great shout, and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, everyone straight ahead, and they took the city.”

The people had nothing to go off of except for the fact that God upholds His promises, even the strange ones that at the time seem as if they will result in nothing. So why is this reminder important? While we might not be asked to walk around a city, God may still be leading us in strange paths. What He wants us to do, might seem impossible. If you are faced with God asking you to do something that seems as if it is impossible, I ask that you remember this event. If God can bring down a wall, He will accomplish the task He has set before you. All you need to do is keep moving and see how God will uphold His promise!

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex

A Christmas Publication

Last week we went over how the Holy Spirit could be considered the most quoted God-Head in the Bible, because of His involvement developing the Holy Scriptures. While there are several wonderful topics regarding the Holy Spirit, His reality, His role in the Trinity, His role with Man kind, and many others; today we are specifically looking at His role in regards to the creation of God’s written Word. Ironically, the best evidence of His role is actually found in His involvement with Christ’s birth. It should be noted that some scoffers who doubt the capability for the Holy Spirit to use man to write the Bible fail to recognize the full and tangible example of this being displayed in the work of the Holy Spirit about to bring Jesus Christ as a God-Man. The Holy Spirit uses Jesus Christ’s birth as a living example of what He was doing with the publication of His written word. When you evaluate the necessary actions for both, you can compare the similarities and see how Christ’s birth was a declaration of the Holy Spirit’s ability to be more than most understand and appreciate. Christ’s birth reveals the Holy Spirit’s ability to overshadow mankind for the creation of His perfect, pure, and unalterting Word. This is further expounded upon when Jesus Christ claims to be the Word of God! Christ’s perfection validates the Bible’s inerrancy which in turn validates the Holy Spirit’s role.

Some might argue symantec’s of the words “overshadow” or “guidance” but this only identifies limitations of man’s vocabulary within written languages rather than God’s capacity to properly utilize man and Himself in writing His scripture. While creation exhibits God’s existence, His Word exhibits the Holy Spirit’s role as being His true and only word. For those who might say God had to write the entire word and man had no part, I would point once again to how Christ came about. He was indeed a blood relative of Mary and an ancestor to King David, thus physically influenced. In comparison, the different books of the Bible each have their own unique characteristic of those who “penned” the book. The Holy Spirit appears to thrive on bringing out our unique attributes to set forth His perfect craftsmanship, in this case both the Holy scripture and the Son of God.

So as we celebrate the Christmas season, know that Christ’s birth also exemplifies the power of the Holy Spirit to bring about a completed message from God Himself to you and I, the sixty-six books of the Bible. I hope you have enjoyed this small study into a rather marvelous role of the Holy Spirit. I would encourage you to look into the scripture identified in the table and see where else God proclaims His roles in His word and in your life! We have a wonderful God in the Holy Spirit who brought to us not only His scripture, but also a living breathing Son of God who died and rose again for you and I. Let us not take this with indignant hearts, but rather meditate and ask the Holy Spirit to continue to teach us and reveal more of His master piece in His written word and in His final revelation in Jesus Christ.

Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming

JL

Re-Post Friday

A review of the breastplate of righteousness and the importance it has! Read it HERE!

A Living Faith

We have now come to the end of James chapter two. Just as James makes sure to cause the reader to reflect on their faith, he also wants to leave them with an encouragement. That is why in the second half of this chapter, James leaves his brothers and sisters in Christ an example of what a true and living faith is.

“20 But are you willing to acknowledge, you foolish person, that faith without works is useless? 21 Was our father Abraham not justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called a friend of God. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 In the same way, was Rahab the prostitute not justified by works also when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.“

James 2:20-26

Last week we discussed that a dead faith is one that provides no fruit of a changed life. The person continues to behave the same way as before they “professed” to know Christ. Now James offers a comparison of what a living and fruitful faith is by providing two examples. James begins with Abraham. To understand the magnitude of James remarks about Abraham, I ask that you go back and read Genesis 15. In this chapter God makes a promise that Abraham’s descendants will be as numerous as the stars (Genesis 15:5). At the time, Abraham was childless and believed that he would not have any children. Yet God would later provide Abraham two sons. For the purposes of this post, we are going to focus on Abram’s second son, Isaac who the promise that God made Abraham was intended for.

  Now I would ask you to go and read Genesis 22. In this chapter we see that Abraham is being tested by God. Abraham is asked to go and sacrifice his son, Isaac. We see a hint of Abraham’s faith in verse 5, “5 Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.” Abraham knew what was being asked of him, and yet he still told and believed that both he and his son would return to the men. This faith continued even up to the point that he nearly sacrificed Isaac (Genesis 22:10). Abraham did not know how God would uphold His promise if Isaac was killed, and yet Abraham submitted wholly to the will of God. He showed his faith by his willingness to listen to God.

The second example that James provides of a living faith is that of Rahab. To understand how Rahab lived I ask that you read Joshua chapter 2. The first thing to note here, is that Rahab is not Jewish. In fact, considering she identified as a harlot (Joshua 2:1) she is the last person that many would assume to have a life changing faith in God. Yet this woman had heard of God and knew that He has authority in heaven and on earth (Joshua 2:11), she recognized God’s authority and through her faith that God’s servants would keep their promise to her, she assisted them in escaping. Rahab’s story continues in Joshua 6 were we see that all of her city was destroyed except for her family and their home (Joshua 6:17).

Through both Abraham and Rahab, as well as the others that are mentioned in Hebrews eleven which I highly encourage you to read for encouragement, we see that a true faith in Jesus Christ results in a changed life. We do not remain the same as we were before we accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior, through the Holy Spirit we produce fruit. It is through the fruit of our works that we are then identified by others as followers of Jesus Christ. I ask you to look back now through your own walk with Christ, are you simply going through the motions and living out a dead faith? Or is your faith producing works that point others to the Man who came to serve others, Jesus Christ?

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex