A Precious Gem Part II

Today, we begin our study on the different gems found in scripture. In preparing for this study, I have found that there are many people who have looked into it. And I have also found that not everyone agrees on the meaning behind the different gems. So for the purpose of this study, we are going to be doing what every person who follows Jesus Christ should be doing, seeing what scripture says. This means that we will be comparing not only what scholars say is the meaning behind the gems, but also looking at the verses that describe these gems and seeing what we can learn. Often, the answer is simple if you only look to what scripture says. This is because, “16 All Scripture is inspired by God and beneficial for teaching, for rebuke, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man or woman of God may be fully capable, equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17. When the Bible says “all scripture” it truly means “all scripture” even ones that seem to go off one rabbit trails. I fully believe that in studying the meaning behind the gems, we will be able to see more of our Heavenly Father. So with that, let us dive into the first gem: sapphire!

The first mention of this stone is in Exodus 24, and ironically was the first that made me first look into the meanings of the stones. “9 Then Moses went up with Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, 10 and they saw the God of Israel; and under His feet there appeared to be a pavement of sapphire, as clear as the sky itself. 11 Yet He did not reach out with His hand against the nobles of the sons of Israel; and they saw God, and they ate and drank.” Exodus 24:9-11. Based on this description, we can determine that the sapphire mentioned here is what we would think of today- a bright blue stone that matches the color of the sky.

However, when you look at the original Hebrew word for sapphire, you get, “properly to score with a mark as a tally or record, that is to inscribe and also to enumerate; intensively to recount, that is to celebrate and declare”. So already we can see that this gem has a meaning to it, which is used to record. This is ironic when you consider what had occurred from Exodus chapter 20 to chapter 23- the chapters where Moses is tasked by God to record the ten commandments, ordinances, and the sundry laws.

But what does it mean that Moses, Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu saw underneath God’s feet a pavement of sapphire? This is where I believe that we can find the meaning behind the gem. We have already seen that this gem is associated with recording, but the fact that these men saw it underneath the feet of God shows God’s authority over the law. Which is why I believe that using sapphire is a symbol of beauty, authority, and promise. God’s word is truly multifaceted and needs to be continually examined!

Seek the truth and encourage on another,

Alex

Pray for the Hostages!

The Bible is very clear on the Christian’s role in praying for the peace of Jerusalem and our eternal support for the Jewish people. However, due to the unprecedented times we live in and the historical events that are proceeding right before our eyes, we thought it would be important for us to remember that we need to be praying for not only the hostages, but their families and post-rescue. These brave souls have been in a hell for two years, the perpetrators being the vile Hamas terrorists who will one day have justice bestowed on them by God through His own power or through His own design and human hands. We as believers need to be praying that these hostages find their true Messiah and come back to Jesus Christ. Pray for the Israeli people and seek ways to share the gospel with not only the Israeli’s, but also those in the Gaza Strip. Now is not the time for Christians to be silent, but dutifully praying for them and sharing the gospel when possible.

As for other believers who are in Replacement Theology and flirting or outright propagating antisemitism in the Church, they must be confronted and lovingly shown the Biblical truth. If they refuse to listen, treat them as an outsider. If they are Church leadership, move away and do not tithe to such a Church.

This might sound harsh, but God is clear on this subject, and we cannot afford to be on the sidelines. We need to be about His work as good servants of our loving Heavenly Father. Come follow us on our Genesis study to understand the granular details on why Israel is such an important part of our Christian faith and Christian dedication to Christ.

Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming,

JL

Re-Post Friday

Which of these spiritual habits do you need to improve on? Find out HERE!

A Precious Gem

At Millhouse Ministries, we often encourage our readers to look deeper into God’s word to find the hidden gems that He has placed there. Proverbs 25:2 is often our most quoted scripture in regard to this: “It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings.” Well, today, I am here to share with you my most recent “gem” to find, and ironically enough, it is a physical gem.

All throughout scripture, we see different gemstones being mentioned.

“17 Then mount four rows of precious stones on it. The first row shall be carnelian, chrysolite and beryl; 18 the second row shall be turquoise, lapis lazuli and emerald; 19 the third row shall be jacinth, agate and amethyst; 20 the fourth row shall be topaz, onyx and jasper. Mount them in gold filigree settings.”

Exodus 28:17-20

19 The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. 21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass.

Revelation 21:19-21

13 Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding, 14 for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. 15 She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her.

Proverbs 3:13-15

These are just a few verses that reference gemstones found in scripture. At this point, you may be wondering why I am bringing this up. Well, what if I told you that each gemstone has a meaning behind it, and through this meaning, we can grow to understand more of God’s attributes?

At this point, I want to put out a word of caution. Over the next couple of weeks, we will be looking into what the Bile says about these gemstones. However, this is not the same as crystal healing. There is nothing found in scripture that holds to the theory that gemstones hold mystical/healing/protection attributes. Instead, what we will be doing is examining what scripture verses state in regards to gemstones and see that we can learn more about God when we take His word seriously.

When we take into consideration the care that God put forth when allowing infallible man to transcribe His word, we can begin to understand that even the simplest things that seem to just be thrown in there can, in fact, have incredible meaning. This is why over the next couple of weeks, we will be looking into what the Bible says about these precious stones.

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex

A STUDY IN GENESIS

Today, we start Genesis chapter 15, and we see something rather marvelous and critical for us to understand. We see a promise of a future salvation, and that promise comprises the very salvation that we have today. We today have faith that Jesus Christ’s actions were enough for us, that we are saved purely because of what He did on the cross. Abram does the same thing, but with future respect. He is promised that a savior would come. He is promised it would come through his very own lineage.

Genesis 15:1-6 “Some time later, the LORD spoke to Abram in a vision and said to him, “Do not be afraid, Abram, for I will protect you, and your reward will be great.” 2 But Abram replied, “O Sovereign LORD, what good are all your blessings when I don’t even have a son? Since you’ve given me no children, Eliezer of Damascus, a servant in my household, will inherit all my wealth. 3 You have given me no descendants of my own, so one of my servants will be my heir.” 4 Then the LORD said to him, “No, your servant will not be your heir, for you will have a son of your own who will be your heir.” 5 Then the LORD took Abram outside and said to him, “Look up into the sky and count the stars if you can. That’s how many descendants you will have!” 6 And Abram believed the LORD, and the LORD counted him as righteous because of his faith.”

Let’s break it down!

God initiates the relationship. Let not this little thing slip past you. God is the one who initiates, not us. We can do nothing, whereas He can do all and is the only one who can initiate our salvation. God promises a blessing and to protect him. There are those who might see this in a physical sense only but fail to recognize that God is talking to Abram in the eternal spiritual realm. Chapter 14 already revealed that Abram was a capable warrior and able to protect himself and his family; however, God was going to provide more than just physical protection but the eternal security that only He can provide. Abram needed a savior and knew this; God was promising to protect him and save him. We see the sign of such a promise through his lineage. I find it interesting that God takes Abram outside to help him understand the magnitude of such a promise. Abram would be the father of the Jews and other people groups. Yet, Abram, through the lineage of Jesus Christ, is the father of us who are saved. The stars are this count. But what makes this even more incredible is that this is when Abram places his faith in God in the redemptive power. Abram was already listening to God, he was already following God, in fact, he was already being a Godly man in his actions with his family and even those he did not like. Abram was a good man, but to God this was nothing. God counts Abram righteous when Abram believes Him about protecting him. What an incredible moment of showing salvation is not by works, but by placing your faith in Jesus Christ. Nothing has changed in the Old Testament and the New Testament; only Jesus Christ can save you. As we continue in the book, we will see more eternal promises made by God to us. Let us rejoice and know He is pure and unchanging in how He deals with you and I.

Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming,

JL

Re-Post Friday

A look back on our study into 1 John. Read it HERE!

Politics and Responsibility

There is a misconception that plagues Christians today, and it is one that prevents Christian values from being more prevalent in our world today. This misconception is that Christians have no place in politics, but this cannot be further from the truth. In fact, there is a passage of scripture that shows that Christians need to be involved in the day-to-day aspects of not only their individual lives but also as a nation as a whole.

“13 The next day Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood around him from morning till evening. 14 When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he said, “What is this you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand around you from morning till evening?” 15 Moses answered him, “Because the people come to me to seek God’s will.16 Whenever they have a dispute, it is brought to me, and I decide between the parties and inform them of God’s decrees and instructions.” 17 Moses’ father-in-law replied, “What you are doing is not good. 18 You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone. 19 Listen now to me and I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must be the people’s representative before God and bring their disputes to him. 20 Teach them his decrees and instructions, and show them the way they are to live and how they are to behave. 21 But select capable men from all the people—men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain—and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. 22 Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves. That will make your load lighter, because they will share it with you. 23 If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied.” 24 Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said. 25 He chose capable men from all Israel and made them leaders of the people, officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. 26 They served as judges for the people at all times. The difficult cases they brought to Moses, but the simple ones they decided themselves.”

Exodus 18:13-26

In this passage, we see that Moses alone had been handling the disputes of a nation. His father-in-law pointed out that this would not only wear Moses out but also those who are waiting for judgments for their disputes. So what is the advice that Moses receives? To be the representative of the people to God, but to select men who are wise (and show the qualities required for a pastor/elder described in the New Testament) who can handle the smaller disputes. In doing so, the burden on Moses would be lighter because others would share in it.

So, how does this relate to Christians being involved in politics? This passage of scripture outlines the roles of God’s chosen people in how a dispute should be handled, and there is nothing causing more disputes than politics. In this scripture, we see that individuals are to bring their disputes to an elected person who would know God’s word and be able to judge accordingly. How many of our issues today would be solved if we had lawmakers standing for what Scripture says? We also see that when a dispute is something outside the realm of what the elected individual is capable of discerning, then it would be brought to Moses, who would represent the people to God and receive the judgment. How many of our issues today would be solved if pastors stood at the pulpit without shying away from the difficult topics? We as believers need to stand up and acknowledge that we have a role to play in politics; we cannot sit idle and allow those who do not follow Jesus Christ to continue to deny what God has given us.

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex

Wake Up Church

I have tried several ways to write this post, and I keep sending it back to the shredder. However, I believe upfront honesty is best. The last several weeks have been difficult due to the violence we have seen against Christians. From Charlie Kirk to the attack on a Church in Michigan, it appears to be an outright attack by evil against righteousness. However, what I find strange and dumbfounding is the lack of pastoral discussion at the pulpit of such things. Pastors saying its too edgy or political while church leadership do not even care that Israel is not mentioned in years! I am pleased to say the American Church is dying and the real Church is starting to flex. We are beginning to see those who are strong in the faith wake up and realize we cannot sit on the sidelines anymore! While those who are cowards are starting to once again hide from the role that God has placed them in.

Some might say that I am speaking too harshly, but there comes a point when you must offend someone, and I would rather offend someone who then repents and comes to know Jesus Christ as their savior, than keep silent and offend a righteous and living God who has placed me in this moment of time to be His ambassador. We need to be loving more, and to do that, we need to be telling the gospel and how God’s Word is applicable in these very scenarios we find ourselves in. I believe the body of Christ will soon be pushed underground, and our first persecutors will be those who claim to be Christian and are not. For those who are looking for any Bible reference to back up what I am saying, examine Jesus’ own words in regard to the falling tower in Luke 13:4. Here we clearly see Jesus use current events. John the Baptist talked openly against the government to make politicians change their ways. The Bible is applicable in every moment; this is why 2 Timothy 3:16-17 is vital for us to understand! “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.” You can quickly tell which pastors believe and which do not believe this verse, because they are silent when the opportunity presents itself. This is why we, as the body of Christ, need to be what Acts 17:11 states and be about being in God’s word daily!

Church family, I do not know how much longer we have to openly pray and be about God’s Work. Be sure to find brothers and sisters who are strong in the faith before it is too late. Dare I say the days are growing darker, and we need to be ready to be the light to the world and share the true and living light Jesus Christ with everyone who is willing to listen. No longer fret about those who refuse to listen, move on, the time is too short, let us be about those who need to hear God’s Word and drive forward on to Heaven. Let us be like Jude and snatch those who are headed to hell, let us be like any of the apostles who, for the sake of the call, stood up to the religious elite and said, “Christ or nothing.”

For those who are saved but do not wish to participate, I encourage you to join in and get involved. If you sit behind a pulpit and are not seeking the Lord and finding ways to bring the current events of today that are rightfully scaring people into church, and you say and do nothing, just know that it is on you!

Next week, we will jump back into Genesis and see God’s amazing work in the lives of those who listened and obeyed Him.

Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming,

JL

A MOMENT TO ENCOURAGE

Over the past several months and weeks, there has been a divided camp amongst the Bible believing Christians who examine all of God’s Word and study eschatology (the study of end times). This group recognizes the truth of Jesus’ promise of a pre-tribulation rapture. For those who do not believe in the pre-tribulation rapture, please read John chapter 14 and Revelation chapter 2-5. Jesus’ own words indicate this event is a promise we can place our trust in.

For the past several months and weeks ,the division has been over examining dates and certain “high watch days” verse being watchful everyday. The one group says this is dangerous and should not be done, others examine facts and other circumstances to see if this is when the Lord is coming for His bride.

Both groups examine God’s Word and have come to take two different approaches to the “No Man Knows the Day or the Hour” declaration by Jesus. I am not here to define the arguments for either side, but rather remind those on both sides that we are to be Christ like. I would rather have believers eager and examining every day to see if the Lord will come back, then not looking at all. However, we need to have caution and be wise in what we say. For those who argue that this is leading people away from the Christ, I believe this couldn’t be more incorrect. If a person says, “Based on certain facts, I believe September 23, 2025, is a high watch day for the rapture” that this is leading people away from Christ, certainly not! Those who are not His, are not His and we should continue on. Those that want to leave, will leave for any reason they can identify. Those who say that we should be vigilant everyday, do not realize that the naysayers of the pre-trib rapture are actually using the same argument. That the pre-tribulation camp is pushing people from Christ which is not true at all.

We should be focused on examine the signs of the times and know that the days are short and we are going home soon. However, if someone thinks it will happen on a certain day and it does not happen, let us lovingly encourage them and keep pressing forward. God is awesome! God is good, and I see nowhere in scripture where God says, do not get excited about His coming. If we are the Bride of Christ, let us be excited about His snatching us away to be with Him forever. Until that day, let us have our hands to the plow here on earth with a heavenly gaze, a joyful heart, and vigilance that reflects what we are as watchmen, pilgrims, and ambassadors of the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Jesus Christ. He is coming back, let us encourage our brothers and sisters to stay the course and allow those who are not of us to leave.

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex

GOD’S PEOPLE AND LAND

Yesterday the nations of Australia, the United Kingdom, and Canada did the very thing that God warned all nations not to do. They cursed Israel. Genesis 12:3 “I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” God clearly gave a set boundary of land to the people of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, a place that for thousands of years was known to the world as the land of the Jewish people.

Today, Israel only holds a small sliver of the land they are to hold and it appears that these foolish antisemitic evil political leaders of Australia, the UK, and Canada are furthering their father Satan’s goal by trying to rob God’s chosen people, Israel, from their promised land. Palestine has never been a nation, in fact, the word ‘Palestine’ was something orchestrated by the Romans to humiliate the Jewish people. In the early 19th century, the first Jews returning to their homeland were called Palestinian. There has never and will never be a Palestinian person. The only true “Palestinian” is in fact the Jewish people. Israel is the perfect example of reverse colonialism. Israel once taken over and colonized by others, stolen from the Jewish people is now theirs again. And yet, the United Kingdom, with Canada and Australia, have sided with the lies and a deceitful agenda to further their own antisemitic agenda.

But what does this mean? This means you can expect a worsening in these countries where God will curse their leadership and possibly even the nations themselves. Let us pray for their leadership and ask God to provide mercy and that they might change from their wicked agenda.

What does this mean if you live in a nation where they have not taken such an evil action? Pray for your leaders and do whatever is legal to proclaim to them the necessity to bless Israel so that your nation will be blessed.

God does not take His promises lightly, He will be acting soon. Be watchful and see what God is doing now that these nations rage against Him.

Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming,

JL

Re-Post Friday

A look at the different “Let us” statements. Read it HERE!

A Call To Prayer, A Call To Action

While the events of this last week have left many reeling, there are two actions that born-again believers must take in the coming days. Charlie Kirk was truly a born-again believer whose life affected many, in the wake of his assassination, we can learn from his example.

Right now, there are many who are angry, upset, fearful, and unsure. This is why as members of the body of Christ we need to come together and pray. We need to pray for our leaders in the local government and national government, that they will turn and follow God. “14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14.

Pray for our church leaders that they will stand for what the Bible says, that they will not shy away from the hard topics in order to keep numbers in their church. “9 He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.” Titus 1:9

Pray that nations turn to Him and place their faith in Jesus Christ. “God be gracious to us and bless us, And cause His face to shine upon us— Selah 2 That Your way may be known on the earth, Your salvation among all nations. 3 May the peoples praise You, God; May all the peoples praise You. 4 May the nations be glad and sing for joy; For You will judge the peoples with fairness And guide the nations on the earth. Selah 5 May the peoples praise You, God; May all the peoples praise You.” Psalm 67:1-5

However, prayer is not the only action that we as Christians can be doing. Right now, there are more people raising questions regarding Christianity due to Charlie Kirk. As believers, we are called to action. “54 Now as for the centurion and those who were with him keeping guard over Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the other things that were happening, they became extremely frightened and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!” Matthew 27:54.

Let us be like this centurion who, moments after His death, proclaimed Jesus Christ as the Son of God. Let us be courageous to speak out to those who now have questions. Let us take this time to reap a harvest. “36 Seeing the crowds, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and downcast, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then He *said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. 38 Therefore, plead with the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.” Matthew 9:36-37.

Let us live now without fear, so that we may one day hear “21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter the joy of your master.’” Matthew 25:21.

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex

A STUDY IN GENESIS

We now come to our second interaction in this section of scripture that we need to review. We come to Abram’s interaction with the King of Sodom.

Genesis 14:18-24 “18 And Melchizedek, the king of Salem and a priest of God Most High, brought Abram some bread and wine. 19 Melchizedek blessed Abram with this blessing: “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. 20 And blessed be God Most High, who has defeated your enemies for you.” Then Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of all the goods he had recovered. 21 The king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give back my people who were captured. But you may keep for yourself all the goods you have recovered.” 22 Abram replied to the king of Sodom, “I solemnly swear to the LORD, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, 23 that I will not take so much as a single thread or sandal thong from what belongs to you. Otherwise you might say, ‘I am the one who made Abram rich.’ 24 I will accept only what my young warriors have already eaten, and I request that you give a fair share of the goods to my allies--Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre.”

I want to point out that the king of Sodom and the king of Salem are not interacting. It is as if the two kings are not even in each other’s presence. However, it is likely that they are, since King Melchizedek is bringing refreshments to Abram, and the king of Sodom is finishing up their affairs. Now what does this mean? It means that both kings represent two different sides. Melchizedek is a king of righteousness, while Sodom, as we will eventually find out, is a king of wickedness. Abram and Melchizedek stand for righteousness, whereas the king of Sodom was given a reprieve in which to seek the Lord, but we know he does not. I find it ironic that the king of Sodom just had a horrible event against the Nephilim, and yet in a few chapters, his city will be destroyed by God for wanting to breed with angels. What does all this mean? The king of Sodom wanted to have the power of the Nephilim instead of trusting the Lord. He did not want to have Abram save him again.

It is here we start to see a theme that will be developed much further on of the two cities, one of righteousness and the other of wickedness. This has not changed today. We still have the same choices. Abram understood this and did not want to give the king of Sodom any reason to be angry with him. He did not take anything when he could have. It is important that we, as the body of Christ, recognize moments to do good deeds for anyone and everyone, but be smart if someone wants to repay you. It might be simpler to just decline the request and allow the Lord to bless you in His timing. This interaction also points to us seeing God for who He truly is. He will provide chance after chance for the unsaved to get saved. This is a merciful God. This is the same God as in the New Testament. Nothing has changed; God is still using Abram to administer the Savior of the world to us. However, the time has not yet come for Issac to be born; for now, Abram is defending others living in his promised land.

Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming

JL

Re-Post Friday

A plan for the new year. Read it HERE!

SLOW DOWN AND SPEED UP

We are entering a time in Christian interaction that needs us to refocus on what is important. Christ said the first warning sign of the end times coming was deception. Matthew 24:4 “Jesus told them, “Don’t let anyone mislead you,” It is apparent that this is happening right now in the Bible prophecy scholarly world. Let’s examine the camps. First, we have the group that says they had a dream, or a vision and God personally told them the day. We can ignore these people because we have no basis for judging what they say about scripture. You might notice that I am not saying they did or did not have an “experience,” I am only saying that we cannot measure what they say off of scripture. Thus, let’s stay silent on it and move forward.

Today, we are going to focus on the next two groups.

The next group is those who claim to watch high and watch moments; many examine specific days based on a plethora of reasons. The facts that they point to is scripture and creation itself. This group is those who claim we will never know the day or the hour and shun those who are in these other groups.

This final group claims the second group is emotional or tired of waiting, so they create dates to keep them going. Even amazing pastors whom I look up to have made this mistake and claimed this as the second group’s argument. However, when you read, listen, and watch the second group, you find out that they are just actively looking for when the Lord comes back. Are they incorrect in looking at specific dates? I see no Bible verse saying this is wrong. I see plenty saying for us to be watchful and to see the day approaching.

So we now come to an impasse on what we should do. I believe we need to slow down before saying silly things and accusing other brothers and sisters who are on the same team of being Biblically accurate and following the Pre-tribulation rapture. I think we need to pick up our pace in studying scripture.

Let us take God’s Word seriously. Let us be vigilant in looking at when He is coming back for us. For those who claim we will never know the day or the hour, slow down and recognize that not all who are looking at dates are wrong. We have seen many look at dates, and those dates pass yet they still eagerly served the Lord and continued. In short, we need to do what Titus tells us in chapter 2:12-13 “And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, 13 while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed.” So if you do not believe September 23rd is the rapture, listen to those who believe it is and encourage them to seek the Lord. If they are wrong, do not laugh, but jump right back in and study God’s word together in fellowship. If you believe September 23rd is the rapture, continue to serve the Lord, and if it is not the day of His return, let us continue to serve him.

Finally, let us hope and pray that the Rapture is today.

Alex

A STUDY IN GENESIS

We now come to the second part of chapter fourteen, which I believe is paramount for us to understand. We see another glaring glimpse into how the Old and New Testaments are technically one interwoven, beautiful account of God saving the world. Let’s read!

Genesis 14:18-24 “18 And Melchizedek, the king of Salem and a priest of God Most High, brought Abram some bread and wine. 19 Melchizedek blessed Abram with this blessing: “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. 20 And blessed be God Most High, who has defeated your enemies for you.” Then Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of all the goods he had recovered. 21 The king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give back my people who were captured. But you may keep for yourself all the goods you have recovered.” 22 Abram replied to the king of Sodom, “I solemnly swear to the LORD, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, 23 that I will not take so much as a single thread or sandal thong from what belongs to you. Otherwise you might say, ‘I am the one who made Abram rich.’ 24 I will accept only what my young warriors have already eaten, and I request that you give a fair share of the goods to my allies--Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre.”

This section of scripture can be divided into two parts. First with Melchizedek, and the second with the king of Sodom. Any student of the Bible knows that Melchizedek is directly connected to Jesus Christ. In Hebrew, Melchizedek comes from two Hebrew words: Melek, meaning king, and sadeq, meaning justice or righteousness. Thus, we have a King of Righteousness. One must only look at Psalm 110:4 and see a connection that this King is also a priest. To the Jewish people, this would be a huge taboo. The Kings came from the tribe of Judah, and the priests came from the tribe of Levite. Examine Hebrews 7:14, “For it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood.” And yet, we have a conundrum that is only answered thousands of years later with Jesus Christ. This answer comes about in Hebrews chapters 5-7. In this, you will see a connection that is foreshadowed by the King of Salem’s revelation of Jesus Christ in the future. We see a conundrum emerging with priests and kings coming from the body of Christ, as described in Revelation 5. For Israel, this separation is very real and can only be connected through a different priestly line; this is where the Order of Melchizedek comes into play. This is why we need to understand both our Old and New Testaments; this is why the Old is paramount to understand the significance of the New. We see the king give Abram a blessing and a reminder of what God has done. This is an outside source providing evidence beyond just Abram that God has intentions for Abram that are more than what might appear right now. This is why we must be careful to assume something today that people might claim or find resolute when, in fact, it might be built on a lie that is easily discernible when we have God’s Word at our hands. The father of the Jewish people was fighting to protect people long before his descendants would be there. The Jewish people have been saving others in their own land since the beginning. However, and more importantly, a foreshadowing of Jesus as the High Priest and King of Kings was represented and was blessing Abram.

Next week, we will discuss Abram’s interaction with the king of Sodom.

Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming,

JL

Where Are Your Priorities?

Fall is fast approaching. While it seems that this is the time of year that nature slows down, leaves are soon to be changing, animals are preparing for the winter, and even the breeze seems to be blowing softer. Yet, for most humans, fall is the beginning of the busy season. School is starting, work projects are ramping up to prepare for the holiday sales, and people are already making plans for the holidays. With how fast paced we can get, it is good to take a lesson from nature and remember to slow down. Now is the time that we need to make sure our priorities are aligned correctly.

“42 At daybreak, Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were looking for him and when they came to where he was, they tried to keep him from leaving them. 43 But he said, “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.” 44 And he kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea.”

Luke 4:42-44

This may seem like a strange verse when discussing priorities, until you take a closer look at it. This section of scripture occurs not long into Jesus’ ministry, and He has recently healed a multitude of people. Because of this, He has had quite the following of people seeking Him out. Yet, this passage shows that Jesus goes to a secluded place, away from the crowds and all the craziness. While not directly stated, we know from Jesus’ behavior in the garden before He is arrested, that He would remove Himself in order to spend time speaking to His Father; this is something that I believe that He is doing here. Before interacting with His responsibilities, Jesus is ensuring that He has that one on one time with God the Father. Only then does He go about the purpose that He was sent for.

This is something that you and I need to keep in mind. Before getting bogged down with all of our responsibilities, we need to ensure that we are spending time with God. We should be aiming to have our relationship with God be our top priority, before anything else.

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex

A Day Free From Labor

For our United States readers, today is a day meant to honor the social and economic achievements of those who are working, and for many, it is celebrated by a day of rest. However, it does not mean that we can’t apply the concept of Labor Day to the born-again followers of Jesus Christ. Which is why today, we are going to pause our study of the book of Genesis and see how all followers of Jesus Christ can benefit from understanding where we find our rest.

It is important to understand that when we are constantly trying to work to deserve our faith, we will never measure up, and this will mean that we are always physically and spiritually exhausted. The only way to find true rest is to place the faith of our salvation onto Jesus Christ. Matthew 11:28 “28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” We cannot work to make ourselves “good enough” for God; the only one who can do that is Jesus Christ.

This is not to say that our faith will not be acknowledged because of our works. In fact, works are what allows the world to see that we are set apart because of Jesus Christ. James 2:17 “17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” However, the difference is that our works no longer benefit ourselves; they are meant to glorify God. Colossians 3:23-24 “23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”

So today, I ask that you take a moment and examine two things. First, examine if you are truly receiving rest in your works or if you find yourself more and more tired. Second, examine who the works are for. How you answer these two questions will determine how you are walking with God.

Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming,

Jl

Re-Post Friday

Remembering the deeds of this “nameless” woman. Read it HERE!

What To Say

There has always been one concept when I do my Bible study that I have found interesting. And that is how truely alive God’s word is! To think that the Bible was written throughout so many different authors and years, and yet, it still provides relevant information for believers now. Scenarios that are presented in Scripture, are still being experienced by believers today, and I am sure believers will continue to face them.

I think the best example of what I am saying can be found in Matthew 10:19-20.

“19 But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, 20 for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.”

Often when this passage is discussed, the focus is on the fact that the follower of Christ has been arrested and in a time of conflict God will provide them what to say. I am not saying that this is wrong, however, I believe there is more to it. And the answer can be found in Acts 4.

“7 They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this? 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people!”

Acts 4:7-8

Again, when people read this passage the focus is on that Peter and John are presenting their argument before a crowd. I think it is often overlooked that it was the Holy Spirit that gave them the words to say.

What is interesting when you connect these two passages, is that Jesus was telling those around him, including Peter, that when they are in front of the leaders of the day; they should not worry about what to say, God will give them the words to say. And we see this played out in Acts 4. Jesus, being all-knowing, knew that Peter was going to one day be in this scenario and was already advising him on what to do, which is to not worry. This is true for us today. God’s word is alive, what He stated for a disciple walking with Him is true for us now. God is not placed inside of time, He is capable of knowing the scenarios what we find ourselves in today and has already provided us with advice just as a loving Father would. This is why all born-again believers must be active in studying God’s word, by knowing His word, we know His voice.

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex