Re-Post Friday

Come see the difference in responses between Zachariah and Mary when in front of an angel! Read it HERE!

The Smallest Muscle

I don’t believe there is a person out there who hasn’t said something and immediately regretted it, and it has always struck me how one of the smallest muscles in the human body can both be a salve but also cause so much harm. In fact, I think James description of the tongue is probable the best there is.

“Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. 7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12 My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.”

James 3:5-12 

If you remember from last week, I had mentioned that James chapter three is a double edged blade. In review of the first four verses, we saw that James was talking directly to those who wish to become leaders. He wanted it to be clear that they would be held to a higher standard and so should not take these positions lightly. We saw clearly that those who are in leadership roles direct the path of the church body, which is why it is important that the individuals be Biblically based. Now in the passage above, James is continuing his thought to the would-be leaders. However, this is something that can and must be applied to the church body and anyone who claims to be a follower of Christ.

“Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. 7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.” 

In the true nature of James, he certainly doesn’t leave any room for argument. The tongue is indeed a small part of the body and often seems inconsequential. However, Luke 6:45 describes our speech this way: “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” How we speak reveals our nature, this also means that how we speak to others about God reveals how we see Him. For the would-be leader that James is warning against at the beginning of the chapter, the one who seeks a leadership role for their own glory, their words will lead those around them astray. For the Christian who speaks carelessly, their words reflect to nonbelievers who God is. I once had a Christian tell me a story, she was frustrated with her teenage daughter and told her to shut up. The young girl’s coach was there and asked the mother not to speak that way to her daughter even commenting that he thought she was a Christian. The mother replied that she was just being real and in telling this story to the woman’s ministry was not ashamed to be called out by a nonbeliever but instead frustrated that he didn’t understand that this was how a Christian believed. Now the ramifications of that scenario are two-fold. This woman left a nonbeliever with the impression that God is someone who is easily frustrated and will lash out in anger and she also lead a group of women who were in various ages of childrearing that this was a biblical thing to do. This is why James describes the tongue as a fire. A small comment has great consequences. 

9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12 My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.”

Our speech reveals where our walk with God is. A person who is not following God will not be able to produce the fruit of the Spirit, 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23. Someone who claims to follow God will speak in terms that is Biblical. For the individual in a leadership role, that is to teach that the Bible is the ultimate authority, they will not impose their own ideas upon the word of God. In short, they will not teach heresy and will be able to back up their words with scripture. For those who claim to follow God who are not in leadership roles, we should be able to be set apart from the nonbeliever by our words. We should keep our speech in a way that is honoring God so as to leave the individual with a clear image of who God is. If you are someone who is being asked if you are a Christian based off of your words, I would ask that you reflect on how you speak. We should not be people who during church sing songs praising God but then go out and have road rage leaving the parking lot. We should not be people who claim to love God but then rant about how much we hate our coworkers. We are all made in the image of God and as such, we need to remember that God loves all of us. Jesus died on the cross for you just as much as He did for the neighbor who keeps you up at night with loud music. I challenge you to take some time over the next couple of days and truly reflect upon your words, are they fresh water which offers healing? Or are they salt water that is undrinkable?

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex

Characteristics of Love 1

As the old saying goes, “Actions speak louder than words.” It is a simple but paramount statement that identifies required action of the person to prove their desire, mere words will not suffice. Jesus recognized this truth and made sure that it was not only talked, about but further expanded upon by His apostles. Jesus first gives the new commandment while in the upper room right before the crucifixion.

John 13:34-35 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” Jesus wants His children to know that we are to not only to love our neighbor as Leviticus 19:18b “you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the LORD” describes but so much more. We are now told to love one another. This means we are to cross oceans and borders and rivers and streets and still love the people we meet. It is easy to say to love a person, but what does it mean? Jesus gives a hint to upcoming teaching through His apostles by identifying the actions associated with loving on another. Examine what He says at the end, “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” If we love we will be known as His! This means love is not something for each person to make up their own definition of, rather love has already been defined! Love has characteristics that point to Jesus Christ. How ironic the world today has taken the meaning of love and translated it into something it is not. Sin always perverts what God has made. Actions speak louder than words, so to true love will identify us appropriately. Next week we will dive into the characteristics of love and see how Christ had a plan all along. But never forget, the greatest reflection of love came from Jesus Christ in His own actions for us.

Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming,

JL

Re-Post Friday

A look back at the meaning behind some of the titles given to Jesus Christ! Read it HERE!

True Wisdom

There are many books and individuals out there who all claim to know what true wisdom is and if you only buy into their way of thinking then you can be truly wise as well. Most of the time, when these so called experts actually start speaking, it becomes clear that their brand of wisdom is simply foolishness. The Bible offers a clear description of what wisdom is, “10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” Proverbs 9:10 wisdom comes when we have knowledge of God and what His word says. In fact, the Bible is filled with many wise topics; from finance, relationships, to how to deal with bosses and coworkers. Every situation that we face day by day is a topic that is discussed within God’s word. This is why James offers a test to see if the advice that we are given is truly wise.

13 Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial, free of hypocrisy. 18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

James 3:13-18

As we have already stated, true wisdom comes from the knowledge of God. Of knowing that we are sinners and can only be reconciled to Him through the free saving grace of salvation through Jesus Christ. So for those who claim to have wisdom, it will be seen by their actions. They will possess the fruits of the Spirit, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23.

It is interesting to note that James states that those with wisdom will be gentle, and he immediately points out that those who are bitter, jealous, with selfish ambition have a form of “wisdom” that is earthly. That is lowly, not true wisdom, and demonic. If true wisdom is the knowledge of God, then false wisdom denies Him. Therefore, anything and anyone claiming to be wisdom but denies the power of God is false and will have the characteristics that God hates. “16 There are six things that the Lord hates, Seven that are an abomination to Him: 17 Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, And hands that shed innocent blood, 18 A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that run rapidly to evil,19 A false witness who declares lies, And one who spreads strife among brothers.” Proverbs 6:16-19.

As James closes his third chapter, he compares and contrasts the differences between true and false wisdom. False wisdom causes disorder. It is the lie that Satan told Eve, “He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” Genesis 3:1b. False wisdom is the belief that your sins won’t catch up to you. “10 You felt secure in your wickedness and said, ‘No one sees me,’ Your wisdom and your knowledge, they have led you astray; For you have said in your heart, ‘I am, and there is no one besides me.’” Isaiah 47:10. This world today pushes a lot of false wisdom, and when we follow this advice we often find ourselves in situations that are more difficult then where we were before.

  However, if we take the time to study what God’s word says about wisdom we can see that true wisdom allows us to look at the troubles of the world with a peaceful mind. We can respond to tough situations with the full knowledge of God and be able to give mercy to those who would wish to cause us trouble. In doing so, we plant seeds in those around us who are wishing to seek wisdom. When we respond to situations as God wishes us to, then we accurately show the world the free gift of salvation that comes from knowing what true wisdom is. True wisdom only comes when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex

Difficult Scripture

Two weeks ago we discussed how to help someone who is wanting to know what book of the Bible they should read, last week we discussed topics and how to have a topical study. Today, I am wanting to bring to light a challenge that you will discover no matter if you choose a book study or topical study. This challenge is the dreaded “Difficult Scripture.” This is a term that has been tossed around by some when the scripture is discussing something that is convicting for us, goes against the culture, is unpopular, and even at times just outside of our cultural understanding. Unfortunately weak scholars, teachers, and others will skip these verses or read them so quickly that you might think you are at an auction. Others will say things like, “We really don’t know what this means, so I would tell each of you to look inside and come to your own conclusion.” Well scripture helps us deal with this challenge and it is why today I thought I would bring this up. No matter if you choose a book or a topic, sooner or later you will come across scripture that will be difficult to understand or apply in our life. But what do we do when we come across this scripture? We need to go to 2 Peter.

2 Peter 3:11-18 “Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! 13 But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. 14 Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, 15 and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, 16 as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. 17 You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness, 18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.”

Peter brings us to a point of recognizing the difficult scripture. However, there is a process on how we should handle such scripture.

First, Peter reminds us we need to have our heavenly view point. “Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,” Peter reminds us we need to be reflective of God in our thoughts and our actions. Not thinking of this world, but on Him. When we do this, we look at scripture in its proper place. Instead of interpreting scripture in the eyes of this world, we examine it as it was designed.

When we do this, we naturally want more of God thus verse 12 is our second principle. “looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat!” Some might say this is morbid or grave thinking, but we should look at sin’s corruption and see that the world needs saving which can only come in God’s actions. Jesus, not man, will heal and cleanse the world. These two principles must be recognized if we are ever to understand God’s scripture let alone the difficult passages in the Bible.

The third principle we need to recognize is to understand God’s work is not done. Many people mistaken God’s work for only salvation but that is only the foundation. God wants to do more! He is going to create again! “But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.” When we understand this, we can evaluate our own perception to what He is doing. This is important when we read scripture and it feels like it is out of place, unless we are willing to look at the big picture and understand that God is not done. When we do this we finally are able to come to grips with tackling the difficult scripture.

“Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, 15 and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, 16 as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand. which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.”

We need to break this section of scripture down. Examine the words used, “look for these things” what things? The principles we talked about above. Peter uses “diligent” we need to be continually in the word. Acting on the word being peace, spotless and blameless which naturally results in patience from our Lord. Peter identifies Paul as one of the key instruments of God bringing diffficult scripture, but does not leave out the opportunity for the rest of God’s Word to be found difficult based on the location and time of the reader. Peter helps us further understand by making a comparison. Those who are untaught, unstable, and distorted identifies what we need to be doing, we need to be taught, stable, and not distorting the word. For those that remain untaught and unstable are headed for destruction.

We must educate ourselves through the scripture and with God the Holy Spirit as our guide. We need to be stable in carefully taking apart God’s Word and handling it with proper principles of study. Finally we are to allow the scripture to be the scripture and not distort it for our own ideas and agenda. If something in God’s Word is uncomfortable to you, it might be because it is speaking to you about sin in your life. This is why when Pastors and others skip difficult scripture, we are hurting the body of Christ. God’s Word is usable from Genesis to Revelation each and every day.

So no matter what season you are in your life, whether you are reading a book or are doing a topic study; when you come across difficult scripture take a moment and recognize the 2 Peter approach; and make sure your heart and mind are in the right place before you examine God’s Word.

Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming

JL

Re-Post Friday

A reminder that God loves the forgotten and lost! Read it HERE!

A Lesson For Mothers

Today, we are going to take a quick break on our study of James chapter 3 to honor those who have found themselves in the role of a mother. The older that I get, the more that I see that Mother’s Day is a day filled with mixed emotions. When I was younger it was a day that I was able to celebrate my own mother as well as women who stepped in that role as well. Now that I am a mother myself, I find that the role of being a mother is a difficult and rewarding one. To be responsible for molding the children that God has placed into mine and my husband’s care is a role that I do not take lightly. However, I am encouraged by the fact that the scriptures offers great insight into how a mother should be; and today I wish to discuss four scenarios that a woman can be placed in regarding Mother’s Day.

The first, to the new mothers. It was not all that long ago that I was in these shoes. I remember feeling uneasy and unsure when I found myself stepping into this newfound role. This may be some of you now, you may be holding a newborn or even still pregnant and find yourself feeling that there is no possible way that you can handle this responsibility. For you I offer this scripture,

“13 For You created my innermost parts;
You wove me in my mother’s womb.
14 I will give thanks to You, because I am awesomely and wonderfully made;
Wonderful are Your works,
And my soul knows it very well.
15 My frame was not hidden from You
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully formed in the depths of the earth;
16 Your eyes have seen my formless substance;
And in Your book were written
All the days that were ordained for me,
When as yet there was not one of them.”

Psalm 139:13-16

  The beginning of this passage is often quoted, however, the last verse is often glossed over. To those who are experiencing their first Mother’s Day, I hope you see that God has given you this child with a plan and a purpose, precisely for this time. Some new mothers may have tried for years to conceive, while for others it may have come as a surprise. I hope you take encouragement in knowing that God has given you this child and while the baby has not yet lived a day outside of the womb, God already has a plan for the baby.

For the mothers who are currently raising their child or children. This group is the most widely celebrated group during this time. So I wish to offer you some advice. Do not take for granted the opportunity that you have when it comes to raising the child(ren) that God has given you. It is in the home that children first receive an impression of God and His characteristics. So for the mothers who have been around the block a time or two, I offer you this scripture.

And she said, “Oh, my lord! As you live, my lord, I am the woman who was standing here in your presence, praying to the Lord. 27 For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition that I made to him. 28 Therefore I have lent him to the Lord. As long as he lives, he is lent to the Lord.”

1 Samuel 1:26-28

For our experienced mothers, I ask that you be like Hannah. Raise the little ones that God has blessed you with with such a dedication to the Lord. Pray over them daily, encourage them to seek the Lord, and above all else show your children how Christ loves us through your love to them.

The last two scenarios that a woman can find herself in often is overlooked, but this does not mean that you are forgotten!

First, to the stepmothers and adoptive mothers. I found myself searching the scriptures trying to find a situation that described this role or a woman in the Bible who became a stepmother; and I could not find one. However, there is a saying that I have been told that I wish to tell you. “Where there is no intelligence, there is intelligence” sometimes a glaring gap means something all on its own. What I am trying to state, is that since there is no definitive mention of a stepmother in the scripture it means that God sees no difference between the woman who is raising children who are not biologically her own and the woman who is raising children that are biologically her own. So for the the women who find themselves in this situation, I ask that you look at the verses already described and place them in your own life. You have come into the child’s or children’s life at this time. Show them what it means to be a woman who follows the Lord. You were placed in this role for such a time as this.

Finally, to the mothers who have lost children. It is unfortunate that this occurs, and as someone who has experienced this loss herself, I sympathize with you. Mother’s Day is difficult for those who simply wish to hold their child or children that have gone. For you, I offer this verse of encouragement,

“32 For if He causes grief,
Then He will have compassion
In proportion to His abundant mercy.”

Lamentations 3:32

While the world celebrates the groups mentioned above, you have not been forgotten by the Heavenly Father. For the mothers who have lost children, I ask that you turn to Him. God also lost a Child and He understands the grief that goes with it. But through His abundant mercy, He will show compassion. Use your situation to help those around who are struggling. God cares for each and every one of His children, and that includes those who are struggling with the loss of a child. Cast your fears and all other emotional turmoil to Him and watch as He shows you how deeply He does care for you.

So Happy Mother’s Day and remember that God has placed us in this special role. We are more than mothers but children of God given a custodial role to help the next generation come to know Jesus Christ as we know Him. What an amazing opportunity to serve the Lord.

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex

Topical Study 101

Last week we discussed giving advice on helping people pick their first book in the Bible to read, today I thought we should look at topical studies. Topical studies help us understand and build on connecting the whole of the Bible. Each book of the Bible points to Jesus, and each topic helps us understand the applicability of Jesus in our own life, John 5:39 “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me.” Topical studies can help us better understand specific challenges and also expound on comprehending how God has not changed. Malachi 3:6 “For I, the LORD, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed.” When we examine what topical studies do, we can better understand the applicable nature of God’s Word. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 “16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”

This doesn’t mean that a book of the Bible is not applicable, but rather a topical study gives us the liberty to have our curiosity. I will use myself as an example. I have just finished Ecclesiastes in my personal Bible study, but I read each of the gospels continuously. While in the first chapter of Luke I thought it was interesting regarding verse 66 “All who heard them kept them in mind, saying, “What then will this child turn out to be?” For the hand of the Lord was certainly with him.” I wanted to know any other times the Bible said “For the hand of the Lord was certainly with him.” So now I am examining any of the times in the Old and New Testament that God was with a person and if there is a difference based on the examples given. While I do not have an answer yet, this topical study should help me better understand God’s providence.

So now why do I bring this up? Last week we discussed giving Bible study advice regarding a book. At times we need to recognize that God has given us the entire Bible connected and perfect. Thus we can cross examine with as much scrutiny as we can to further build our understanding of God and also His will in our life. So please take some time and see that every now and then we should allow our God given curiosity to see what scripture tells us. When someone asks you what they should study in the Bible, take a moment to understand what is interesting to them and point them towards that. In the end it will all lead back to a better understanding of Jesus. The scripture points to Him no matter if you are doing a book study or topical.

So lets get studying!

Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming,

JL

Re-Post Friday

A reminder that God is still at work! Read it HERE!

A Warning to Leaders

Have you ever come across a section of scripture that at first glance you believe you understand what it means? However, upon further study and growth in the faith, when you come back to this section you find out that what you believed is not what the scripture is saying. For me, this scenario played out when I was preparing for our study on James chapter three. If you have studied this chapter before, you would most likely have been told or believed that this powerful chapter is a warning to simply keep your tongue in check. There is no doubt that this is true, however, James chapter three is a double sided blade. It has application for the born-again believer this is true, however, it is a chapter that I believe is to be directed towards those who wish and currently are in pastor/teacher roles within the body of Christ. Allow me to show you what I mean.

“Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. 2 For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. 3 If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. 4 Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs.”

James 3:1-4

  At the very beginning of this chapter, James the half-brother to Jesus Christ, offers a warning. This warning is for those who wish to step into a role in which they will be teaching the scripture. It is not a desire that one should take lightly, as James will go on to express by stating that those who teach will be held and judge to a higher standard. This is because of the outcome that their teachings will bring.

  For example, let us consider a pastor at a church. Now imagine that a pastor goes up to preach and either intentionally or unintentionally fumbles in their understanding of the word of God. For those believers who are weaker in the faith, they will take what the pastor teaches without question. They simply believe that the pastor has the knowledge and years of study to back up their claim so why should they search the scriptures further. Now imagine that same body of Christ going out and declaring what their pastor taught them to nonbelievers. For the sake of the argument let us imagine that what was taught was that Jesus was not eternal and existed before being born through the Holy Spirit by Marry. Unfortunately there are some cults who believe this heresy. If a pastor teaches false ideas, the people who listen to him go out and share it with others. This creates stumbling blocks for nonbelievers. False ideals being shared can cause some to turn away from God believing that He does not care, or even giving them a false sense of salvation without recognizing that in order to be saved they need to repent of their sins.

  This is why James is using descriptions of a bit or a rudder. Both items are small in comparison to what they control. A horse out of control can lead to injuries to those around it while a ship that has a broken rudder can crash and cause mass destruction. A pastor in a church holds great responsibility and it is a responsibility that should not be taken lightly. It is why we are offered examples of what a pastor should be in 1 Timothy 3:1-10.

 The key aspects that a man who is wishing to step into a pastoral role should have are:

1.     Must be above reproach; the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not addicted to wine or pugnacious (1 Timothy 3:2-3a)

2.     Must be gentle and peaceable, free from the love of money ( 1 Timothy 3:3b)

3.     Must manage his household well, keeping children under control with dignity ( 1 Timothy 3:4-5)

4.     Not a new convert ( 1 Timothy 3:6)

5.     Must have a good reputation with those outside the church ( 1 Timothy 3:7)

  While it is true that by God men are given the authority to teach and lead a church, do not be mistaken that women are free from the higher standard as well. For those women who wish to lead a woman’s study or a children’s ministry, you are stepping into a leadership role and as such will be held to a higher standard as well. It is why 1 Timothy 3:11 continues and states that a woman who follows Christ should be:

 1.     Dignified

2.     Not given to malicious gossips

3.     Temperate

4.     Faithful

If you are someone who is thinking of stepping into a leadership role, I pray that you do not do so lightly. James states that not everyone is called to this path. I ask that if you feel as if God is calling you to lead a Bible study to please take a moment and pray. Pray that He will bless your words so that you can teach His word accurately and be able to steer the group in God’s truth. I ask that you pray this for your pastor and the fellowship leaders in your church. Pray that they are always attuned to what God’s word states and do not stray from it.

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex

Be Ready

Recently I was asked a simple question, “Where should a new Christian start reading in the Bible?” It was a fascinating question, mainly because it is one that no person will ever hear the same answer. In my younger years I would have said Revelation, other times I would have said Romans or 1st and 2nd Samual, and even today I would have a different answer. However, this question got me thinking, and today I wanted to have that dialogue with you.

What book of the Bible would you recommend? Simply asked, but a loaded question. I cannot find one book of the Bible that gives any argument for “READ THIS FIRST” but rather each has it’s own uniqueness and is suited differently. God’s word is clearly ready for anything the human can find themselves in, 2 Timothy 3:16-17 “16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” Yet where do we start? When we observe three attributes of Christ, we are given direction on what we should answer when confronted with this question.

As always the answer is viewable in Jesus Christ.

Rule Number One: Jesus gave unique answers to each question asked of Him, all sounded in scripture. Thus we should recognize that we should never tell someone to read a commentary or a Bible study book or some “Christian Theologian book.” I personally love C.S Lewis, but I would never give out his book to anyone who was asking how to get closer to God. If someone asked me about how to study the attributes of God, I would not take them to A.W Tozer; I would take them to scripture. I believe both men mentioned would agree. We are warned in scripture about those who would ignore the Bible but in the guise of studying God’s Word, 2 Timothy 4:3-4 “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.”

Rule Number Two: Jesus observed before answering. Look at any of His interactions within the Bible, and you will see He observes the individual first. This might be by listening to them or watching them run up to Him or even allowing them to grab Him before He does anything. We likewise need to listen to the individual who is asking the question. Why are they? Is there a specific need that they are asking God to help with?

Rule Number Three: Jesus is to the point. Jesus goes deep in many of His interactions with people, but He is always to the point. If someone asks us for advise on where to start reading we should not tell them “Let me think and pray about it and come back tomorrow” or “I am not qualified to answer that you need to go to the Pastor.” If the person felt comfortable enough to come to you, then give them an answer. Even if you are a new believer tell them the parts you have read and go from there. Proverbs 14:23 states, “In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty.” We need to be ready to talk to about Christ at a moments notice, 1 Peter 3:15 “but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.”

If we follow Jesus’ example we will be ready to answer any question brought before us; but most importantly where to start reading. All we need to do is make sure it is the Word of God we recommend not a published book by man, identify where the person is in life, and finally be direct to the point by giving a reason. We need to be equipped with the knowledge of the Word to be ready to identify which book is needed for the moment we are to answer.

So let us be ready to answer such an amazing question at any point by following the actions demonstrated by our Heavenly Father Jesus Christ.

Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming,

JL

Re-Post Friday

While no longer the holidays, it is important to understand who your audience is. Read it HERE!

Introduction to James Chapter 3

We have slowly been making our way through the book of James; a very concise writer who does not shy away from difficult subjects. His writings are very much to the point and often require the reader to do some self-reflection. While some may find his writings hard to manage, it is actually one of my favorite books of the Bible. James truly gets to the heart of issues that are still prevalent in both the Church and the Christian individual.

In his first chapter, James discussed such topics as endurance in faith, the difference between a trial and a temptation, the dangers of doubting, and our reaction to the Word of God. We learned that we cannot simply be hearers of the Word of God, but doers (James 1:22). We also learned that God does not tempt us (James 1:13-14). We learned what it means to be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger when it comes to God’s Word (James 1:19).

The second chapter of James was as much of a reflection of the individual’s walk with Christ as the first chapter. In James chapter two, we learned that the outward appearance of an individual is not a mark of their faith, and to show partiality towards someone based on their appearance is wrong (James 2:9). We also learned that while we are not saved by works, our works will show the world who we belong to (James 2:17-18).

While chapter one caused the reader to reflect on their faith, and chapter two was a reflection of the church body, we come now to chapter three. In this chapter, James turns to a trait that is very difficult to control; the tongue. Chapter three embarks upon the task of encouraging the reader to reflect upon their speech as well as their behavior. This is by no means an easy thing to do. We will discuss how those who teach the word of God are held to a higher standard, how important it is to have control over your tongue, and where wisdom truly comes from.

I hope you are excited to join me as we learn from a man who lived with Christ and yet it was not until later did he come to acknowledge Jesus as his Lord and Savior. I would challenge you to prepare your hearts, spend time in prayer and read ahead as we start James chapter three. Remember that if you have questions, you can always reach out to the ministry on our contact page. This is going to be a marvelous time for us to examine what God has to say to us and I am excited to have you with me on this adventure.

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex

A God Of The Living

Jesus said, in Mark 12:26-27 “But regarding the fact that the dead rise again, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the burning bush, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I AM THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, AND THE GOD OF ISAAC, AND THE GOD OF JACOB’? 27 “He is not the God of the dead, but of the living; you are greatly mistaken.”

A God of the living! How easy to say, but do we truly know what it means? In fact the statement “I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob” implies present tense like they are alive and He is still their God! Yet, we know from history books these three men had been dead for over a 1,000 years. This is important for us to understand for several reasons which are backed up in other Bible verses. First, this statement implies that those who are saved in Jesus Christ and die are alive again, Ephesians 2:4-5 “But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)” Second, that He continues to be their God and there is nothing we can do to be ripped from His salvation, Romans 8:38-39 “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Third, it implies that God is greater than time and the laws that govern us and can place us in whatever time continuum that He so desires. Hebrews 1:8-14 “But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom. 9 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.” 10 And, “You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands; 11 they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment, 12 like a robe you will roll them up, like a garment they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will have no end.” 13 And to which of the angels has he ever said, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”? 14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?”

For Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, they are very much alive right now with a very real and living God. It does not matter that their bodies have died, because they live and one day will have new bodies. For you and I, this means we have a practical application that is very much needed today! We have a living God who cares for us in this stage of eternity we are in, as well as the future. For those who are saved there is no difference right now in how He views us then in a million years well after the pre-written events of Revelation 22. We have a Heavenly Father who sees us as alive because of His actions and thus we can start today to take that seriously and be participants in a relationship with our Heavenly Father. I know there are some people out there that might need to hear this, I know I was one! Remember who we can trust, the God who is of the living.

Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming,

JL

Re-Post Friday

A reminder that even in grief, God is with us. Read it HERE!

More Than A Closing

March and April always seems to be the time of year that I see God work in big ways. Which is fitting since spring has begun. While there is new growth outside, I see new growth in my own walk with God and how He has used me in this past year. This holds true within this ministry as well. April marks the beginning of our journey with Mill House Ministries and if you had asked me back in 2020 if I believed that I would still be writing, well to be honest my answer would probably have been “No”. Ordinarily I am not the type of person to speak a lot and at the beginning of this ministry I honestly did not know if I had enough knowledge to even write for a month. However, God did then and will continue to teach me and allow me to share with you all what He has taught me. So as we approach the three year mark of this ministry I want to say thank you to all of our readers from around the world. Seeing this ministry grow has been something that has uplifted me more than once in the past three years and I am excited to see what God does as we continue!

There is something that I would like to do however, and that is to remind our readers what this ministry is about. Today I am not going to talk about the big picture of Mill House Ministries, but instead focus on the Wednesday posts. When Mill House Ministries was just a thought, I took a moment to see where I felt that God was calling me within this ministry. And so I decided that I wanted to write to fellow sisters in Christ, in no way am I a Pastor, I simply wanted to come alongside fellow sisters in Christ to encourage them to grow deeper in their faith. I have not always had the best mentors in the faith, and so the Wednesday posts were designed to show women how to take charge of their faith, to grow deeper in their knowledge of the Lord and the love He has for us. It is why my signature has been “seek the truth and encourage one another”. However, I am wondering if any of you remember which verses I pulled my signature from.

The first aspect “seek the truth” comes from Ephesians 5:1-2, “5 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; 2 and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.” First and foremost, the focus of the Wednesday posts are on Christ. Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Light (John 14:6). Without Jesus Christ in our lives, we are not saved and have not been reconciled to God. And so our posts focus on Him with the ultimate authority being the Word of God, the Bible. My goal has always been to seek the truth that is found in Scripture. Without Jesus Christ, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, this ministry would not be how it is today. There are many false teachers out there today, and I wanted to provide a place were those who are seeking or have already placed their faith in Jesus Christ can be assured that the words that are written are based off of the ultimate authority, the Bible. I do not place my writings above the word of God and nor should you. Take everything that you read here and other places, back to Scripture to ensure that it measures up with what God proclaims. Follow the footsteps of those mentioned in Acts 17:10-15.

Now the second half of my signature “and encourage one another” comes from Titus 2:3-5, “3 Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good,4 so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored.” As I mentioned, I have not always had the best mentors and so I wanted to be more. I wanted to provide a ministry that allows Christian women to understand and own their own faith, while also encouraging women to behave as the great women of faith. Hebrews 11 is the chapter of those who possessed great faith, but it does not mention only men. There are great women of faith such as Sarah and Rahab mentioned, and the Bible is also filled with stories such as Ruth, Abigail, Hannah, and Mary. We need more women of great faith today to encourage the younger generations to hold fast to their beliefs and this can only be done if there are women around who can help to teach them what Scripture says. Not just on topics about how to be a Godly woman, but hard topics such as being in a marriage with a nonbeliever; signs of the times; and how to deal with those who have sinned against you. Remember Mary who sat at the feet of Jesus to learn, this needs to be every woman who claims to be a Christian; we need to own up to our faith.

Now to be honest, there are times where even I have forgotten the verses that my signature came from. After three years of writing it simply became a habit to sign off with “seek the truth and encourage one another”. But now, with these verses fresh in my mind and understanding what I had hoped God would use this ministry for; I am excited to see where He takes this ministry for my fellow sisters in Christ. Jesus Christ is who I serve, “But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15b and I know through Him this ministry will accomplish great things. So while my signature is still the same, I hope that you are just as excited as I am to see what comes next.

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex

Mill House Ministry Prayer Request

Every now and then, we here at Mill House Ministries take a moment and want to say thank you to our readers and ask for your prayers. While this blog and ministry has been going now for over two years, it was created out of a burning desire to encourage believers to keep their eyes on Jesus Christ and to call for those who are not saved to come to Jesus before it is too late.

While not a post about the ministry, today we want to ask for your prayers. We have two specific prayer requests. First, that the Lord will continue to teach us His word and give us that burning desire to share it. Second, that we can continue to reach those around the world with the Gospel of Christ. These two prayer requests are greatly appreciated and we ask that you continue to keep us in your prayers.

But I do not want to end there, if you have prayer requests and would like us to pray for you; we ask that you go to our contact page and send us an email. We love to hear from our readers and will keep you in our prayers. If you have questions, we are here to help you find the Biblical answer that God has given us in His word. Jesus is an amazing God, and we live in a technological age where believers in Jesus Christ can reach each other without ever being face to face.

I want to say thank you for being apart of the Mill House Ministry and spending your days with us as we go on this amazing adventure. Thank you for your prayers and know that our work here is not done until we hear God say “Well done my good and faithful servant.”

Thank you for keeping us apart of your life.

Mill House Ministries.

Re-Post Friday

A reminder that it doesn’t matter what time period we are in, God is active! Read it HERE!

Promises

We have all dealt with broken promises at one time or another. We have either made promises that we have not been able or willing to uphold or we have been on the receiving end of a broken promise. Maybe it is because human nature causes us to view promises as something that has the possibility of being broken that our human nature has such a difficult time in understanding that God’s word is finite and His promises will be kept. One section of Scripture has recently shown me how much God cares to keep His promises. 

“And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice 10 and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods. But he did not keep what the Lord commanded. 11 Therefore the Lord said to Solomon, “Since this has been your practice and you have not kept my covenant and my statutes that I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you and will give it to your servant. 12 Yet for the sake of David your father I will not do it in your days, but I will tear it out of the hand of your son.13 However, I will not tear away all the kingdom, but I will give one tribe to your son, for the sake of David my servant and for the sake of Jerusalem that I have chosen.”

1 Kings 11:9-13 

Let’s face it, when we are angry at someone the desire to break any promise made to them becomes stronger. Our sinful nature wants to get back at those who have hurt us and so we ignore any obligation to uphold what we have said we will do. However, right off the bat we see that this is not the case with God. God was angry with Solomon because Solomon, a King who possessed more wisdom second to only Jesus Christ, did not follow after God. Solomon took foreign wives and worshipped their gods/goddesses. However, God still upheld the promise that He made. This promise can be found in 2 Samuel 7:1-17; but for this purpose here I want to point out 2 Samuel 7:16.

“Your house and your kingdom shall endure before Me forever; your throne shall be established forever.”

You see, the promise that God is upholding here is not one that was even made to Solomon, it was made to his father King David. God kept a promise to a man who had his faults, but who turned to God and sought to live for Him. It is here that we see a characteristic of God, He is willing and capable to uphold His promise to a man long dead. God promised David that his throne will endure forever, because of this promise God made sure that one tribe stayed under the power of David’s line. This promise led to the bigger picture, Joseph the husband of Mary is from the line of David (Matthew 1:1-17) and we all know that Jesus will reign forever. So the next time that you feel as if God can’t or won’t keep the promises that are made in the Bible, remember that even though Solomon failed and turned away; God kept His promise to David which resulted in the salvation of the world.

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex