Summer Challenge to Answer Uncertainty and Worry

July is in full swing, and we can already see fall is fast approaching. However, I wanted to take a moment and give a mid-summer challenge for all of you as we start to prepare for the months ahead. Recently, in my own Bible study, I learned when life’s struggles get you down and the pressures of this world start to circle you, the best thing we can do is reflect on God’s promises to us. This allows us to bring into perspective the challenges we face. Everyone does this even if they do not know it. When challenges arise, people find peace in getting physically away and temporarily being in the mountains or beach, someplace where nature can calm us. Ironically, nature is pointing to the source of that calming presence, which is the Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 1:20 “For since the creation of the world His invisible [attributes] are seen, being understood by the things that are made, [even] His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.”

Nevertheless, there will be times we are not going to be able to run to the woods or escape to the waves in order to find peace. Dare I say God has ordained this scenario to happen in our life so that we would look to the source of where the peace comes from. God’s Word is a direct love letter to you and I. It is His intimate words of encouragement to help us in times of trouble and doubt. This is why when life brings forth its challenges, we can be assured in God’s promises that He will help us through them. Just look at what Jesus says in the book of Matthew. Matthew 11:28-30 “28 Come to Me, all [you] who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 “For My yoke [is] easy and My burden is light.”

My challenge to you is to take a moment and reflect on God’s word specifically regarding His promises with uncertainty and worry and see how comforting He is. To help get you going, check out these verses in scripture.

John 14:27

Ephesians 4:3

Philippians 4:4-7

Philippians 4:8-9

1 Timothy 1:2

Titus 1:4

1 Peter 5:7

  Finally, we at Mill House Ministries are always wanting to help and encourage people to seek Jesus Christ and see how much He loves and cherishes you and I. We need only ask and we can see how much He cares for us. We are here for prayer requests and to help answer any Bible questions you might have.

Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming,

JL

Re-Post Friday

A look back at what Peter can teach us about trials. Read it HERE!

A Kingly Entrance

If you have been a born-again believer for any amount of time, you have no doubt read about Jesus’s entrance into Jerusalem before the Passover. Often times when we read the Gospel accounts of this entrance, we tend to skip over the importance of it to read about the trial and crucifixion of our Lord and Savior. Today I want to point out something that unless you knew the culture of the time, the importance of how Jesus Christ entered Jerusalem would escape you.

“29 When He approached Bethphage and Bethany, near the mountain that is called Olivet, He sent two of the disciples, 30 saying, “Go into the village ahead of you; there, as you enter, you will find a colt tied, on which no one yet has ever sat; untie it and bring it here. 31 And if anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you shall say this: ‘The Lord has need of it.’” 32 So those who were sent left and found it just as He had told them. 33 And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?” 34 They said, “The Lord has need of it.” 35 And they brought it to Jesus, and they threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. 36 Now as He was going, they were spreading their cloaks on the road. 37 And as soon as He was approaching, near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the miracles which they had seen, 38 shouting: “BLESSED IS the King, THE ONE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD; Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” 39 And yet some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples!” 40 Jesus replied, “I tell you, if these stop speaking, the stones will cry out!””

Luke 19:29-40

This passage has a minor detail that is often overlooked but this detail packs much significance into why the Pharisees were so upset with those in the crowd. You would think that it would be the crowd calling Jesus King is the reason why the Pharisees are so upset, and while this is part of the reason it is also with how Jesus came into Jerusalem. However, in this passage we see Jesus Christ completing one of the prophecies made about Him in the Old Testament, “Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” Zechariah 9:9

In our culture today, a donkey doesn’t really hold much significant value or meaning. However, in the time of Jesus’s ministry a donkey is what kings would ride when they were declaring peace after war or on their coronation. Needless to say, a donkey held high significance during this time frame, the fact that Jesus was riding one as He came into Jerusalem He was declaring both an end to the war with sin (upon His crucifixion and resurrection) and announcing that He was King.

I believe that this is the reason why the Pharisees were so upset and demanding that Jesus rebuke the crowd, they knew that Jesus was announcing Himself as king. This was an issue because the Jewish community at that time was looking for a savior from Rome, not the Savior from sin that Jesus is. Before this moment, others had been recognizing Jesus’s power and authority; even demons recognized Him, “28 When he arrived at the other side in the region of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men coming from the tombs met him. They were so violent that no one could pass that way. 29 “What do you want with us, Son of God?” they shouted. “Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?”” Matthew 28-29. However, it was not until Jesus rode into Jerusalem that He was announcing to the world that He was King.

It was not long after this that Jesus would be arrested, tried, and crucified. It is with His death that Jesus won the war against sin, because of His death we are made new when we place our faith in Him “17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17. Because of Jesus Christ’s resurrection we are freed from sin, “17 But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were entrusted, 18 and after being freed from sin, you became slaves to righteousness.” Romans 6:17-18. Jesus’s resurrection allowed Him to claim the deed for earth and one day everyone will announce Him as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, “10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:10-11.

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex

The Basics: A Brief Overview of Habakkuk

The Basics course is designed to help brothers and sisters in Christ, who have a desire for a brief study over each of the books of the Bible. While being more than just a timeline, it is designed to give a person a more realistic overview of the entire Bible. As well as pointing out different highlights along the way. Imagine riding in a car and seeing exit signs for a town. Each sign gives a brief glimpse of what is inside, while if you wanted to thoroughly investigate the town you would have to take the exit. This series is a collected work of the books of the Bible while continuing to drive past each of the exits. I would encourage you to take any exit and allow the Lord God to direct your path to where He would guide.

The Bible is written in 66 different books. Each one is unique on its own but designed to be with its other collected works.

Cautionary Note: This work is not to argue for the authenticity of the Bible nor is it to argue over the mechanics of how God used man to write His Words. This is designed as an overview for someone to review the book in passing. Nevertheless, we here at Mill House Ministries believe that the Bible is without error and was written by God, through His divine attributes, through man.

These overviews are sequenced in the below fashion. Each overview is designed to flow in unison.

1.) Introduction

2.) Who wrote it

3.) When did they write it

4.) Key topics

5.) Key sections

6.) Books that interact with each other

7.) Analysis of the Book

As previously stated, if you find yourself drawn to one of these books, please take the time and see what God is wanting to show you in that book.

BASICS COURSE:

Habakkuk

INTRODUCTION:

The book of Habakkuk describes the immediate judgement of God against the Jewish people, however the book also describes the future judgement of God on a larger scale during the seven year tribulation.

WHO WROTE IT:

The book of Habakkuk is authored by Habakkuk. Dr. Chuck Swindoll helps shed some light on Habakkuk, “We know little of Habakkuk beyond the two mentions of his name in this book of prophecy. Both times, he identified himself as “Habakkuk the prophet” (Habakkuk 1:1; 3:1), a term that seems to indicate Habakkuk was a professional prophet. This could mean that Habakkuk was trained in the Law of Moses in a prophetic school, an institution for educating prophets that cropped up after the days of Samuel (1 Samuel 19:20; 2 Kings 4:38). Habakkuk also could have been a priest involved with the worship of God at the temple. This assumption is based on the book’s final, psalm-like statement: “For the choir director, on my stringed instruments” Habakkuk 3:19.

WHEN DID THEY WRITE IT:

Biblical scholars and historians place Habakkuk’s book being written around 609-598 B.C. This was during the time of King Jehoiakim.

KEY TOPICS:

The key topics of Habakkuk is judgement on Judah and God’s judgement in the end times.

KEY SECTIONS:

The book can be separated into three parts. First, a discussion of Habakkuk and God regarding the current state of Jewish people and how God was going to deal with them in the soon future. The second part describes later years judgement that will come, and the final third section is a hymn to remind us to have faith.

BOOKS THAT INTERACT WITH EACH OTHER:

When quickly looking at Habakkuk, a reader might think to assume Habakkuk does not interact with other books of the Bible. However, Revelation, Chronicles, Kings, and Daniel are all books that interconnect with God’s work through Habakkuk.

ANALYSIS OF THE BOOK:

This book is a treasure of end times prophecy and significant understanding on how God has orchestrated events. If you have ever wondered how the Babylonian empire rose to prominence so quickly, Habakkuk would be a book to read. If you are doing a study on eschatology (the study of last things), this would be on the syllabus. But most importantly, at its fundamental core, Habakkuk sheds light on a relationship we need to have with Christ. Habakkuk talks to the Lord. This is hard for many of us to comprehend. Habakkuk is not only praying, but conversing with the Lord. He is asking questions, He is explaining observations and even mourning to the Lord. What is the end result of such dialogue and relationship? A worship of the Lord as seen in verses 17-19. You see we were never meant to experience life alone. God wanted to have a relationship with us, and in Jesus Christ we can have that restored relationship. Habakkuk shows just how real this relationship can be.

Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming,

JL

Re-Post Friday

As we continue our look at the threat within the church, we come to the effect of music. Read it HERE!

FELLOWSHIP

Time and time again, you have heard us at Millhouse Ministries state that we are not to go along this walk with God alone. While it is true that if we are born-again, we are never truly alone in our walk because we have the Holy Spirit with us, we also need brothers and sisters in Christ walking alongside us. This is something that I was reminded of recently when I was reading through the book of Ecclesiastes.

“9 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. 10 For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! 11 Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? 12 And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

You see, we are not meant to walk the path of Christianity alone; we are called to be with fellow believers repeatedly. The reason is that it is much harder for an individual to be swayed by the world if they have first a strong foundation in Christ, and second, they have a network of people standing beside them. Verse nine also points out that when two are working, their reward is more significant than when one is working. This is because if one of the individuals falls, the other can pick them up. This is why Jesus sent His disciples out in pairs, “7 And He summoned the twelve and began to send them out in pairs, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits; ” Mark 6:7. When working together, we can play off each other’s strengths. This means that if one individual is faced with a question that they do not know how to answer, the other should be able to answer. This is also why we are called to disciple one another; we need to raise each other up in the Word so that we all have a strong foundation in Jesus Christ.

The result of having a community together is simple; it allows a weaker individual to stand firm in the faith; after all, a cord of three strands is not easily broken. When we are with fellow believers, we form a cord of two strands; when we are keeping our focus on Jesus, we create a strand of three cords that cannot be broken.

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex

The Purest Symbol of Freedom

Today I hope I can provide a thought-provoking challenge for you, whether you are an American or reading this from your own country. In the United States, we celebrate the 4th of July Declaration of Independence, which brings us to a time of reflection and celebration of what those before us have done for our nation and what our founding fathers fought for. It is a time to celebrate the moments of men and women who have done heroic acts to help protect our nation, and it is a time to self-reflect on the solemn calling Americans have to this cause. But this is also a time to reflect on the Biblical principles for Christians on what it means to have liberty in Christ Jesus. I would challenge you to reflect on Christ’s words on what He is trying to free you from.

“So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly My disciples; 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33 They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, ‘You will become free’?”

34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. 35 Now the slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you really will be free.” John 8:31-36.

This is our declaration of independence from sin! In Christ, we are free from the bondage of sin. I would encourage you to reflect on Hebrews 11-12 and see the resounding actions and testimony the author of Hebrews gives to the brave men and women who embraced Christ’s declaration and sought Him for their freedom and acted upon such a gospel.

Only in Christ are we capable of being truly free. He is our blessed hope, “let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-2.

Whether you are from New Zealand, Norway, Ghana, India, or elsewhere; Jesus Christ is our future and hope. For the born-again believer, our declaration of independence is the empty tomb. Our freedom relies solely on this and this alone! Look at what Paul says to the Corinthians, “16 For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. 17 And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! 18 Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable. 20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.” 1st Corinthians 15:16-22.

Only in Jesus do we have freedom from death. It is the purest truth there shall ever be, in Jesus alone we are saved. So, shouldn’t we celebrate that? I would think so. Whether you are an American and you are celebrating today, or whenever your country celebrates a day of freedom; I hope you take a moment to reflect on the most authentic symbol of freedom humanity can see.   

Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming,

JL

Re-Post Friday!

A lesson from Job in regards to how we handle trials. Read it HERE!

A Prayer Life

  If you are looking for a way to increase your prayer life, as well as have a physical reminder of how effective prayer truly is, I have a suggestion for you. This isn’t a new suggestion by any means, however, it is one that only recently have I truly seen the impact in. I am talking about a prayer journal. Perhaps you are already writing down your prayers, and if so that’s great! However, if you are like me, you may have not seen how this can have an impact on your walk with Jesus Christ.

To be honest, I have tried for years to write out my prayers, sometime it would go well and I would keep track of what I was praying to God for. But it never failed that I would either forget to write my prayers out or I would ultimately feel as if I was just asking God for things without getting an answer. I began to feel as if I was only asking God to supply what I wanted, and this showed in my prayer life. I felt like a child writing out a list of birthday presents. I would ask for what I wanted, but I did not feel as if I was getting what I was asking for, so I would stop writing out my prayers. This does not mean that I stopped praying, I did continue to do that, but it felt as if I was going through the motions and that was because I could not see how God was answering my prayers.

Recently, however, I have decided to actively write out my prayers again but I decided to try something different with it. Instead of more or less writing out a list of things, I wrote how I was praying. This meant that I would begin with an introduction to God, I would state that I know God hears my prayers and that I want to see the power behind prayer. Then I would write out the main things that I am praying for that day, followed by a conclusion that is pretty similar to my introduction. Even though I am writing my prayers in a bullet point list, I do not feel like that child writing out a list of presents. The reason for the change is that by having a physical copy of what I am praying for, I can later go back and see when I began to pray for something and what God’s answer is. This allowed me to build a deeper connection because I would go back and write out the date God answered and what it was. I began to see the power of prayer by having something tangible to look at! I was reminded that God wants us to ask Him for things and that He wants to give us good things! “9 “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, it will be opened. 11 Now which one of you fathers will his son ask for a fish, and instead of a fish, he will give him a snake? 12 Or he will even ask for an egg, and his father will give him a scorpion? 13 So if you, despite being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?” Luke 11:9-13

This does not mean that I always got things exactly as I would pray for the; after all, sometimes God will answer with a “Yes,” “No,” or “Not no.”. The yes’s are always easy to accept and praise God, it’s harder with the not now’s, and even more so with the no’s. But with this process, I was truly able to see how God was working in my life! So if you find yourself struggling with prayer and seeing its effectiveness, I would recommend taking time and writing out your prayers; not a wish list, but a full-out prayer to our Lord and Savior!

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex

The Basics: A Brief Overview of Nahum

The Basics course is designed to help brothers and sisters in Christ, who have a desire for a brief study over each of the books of the Bible. While being more than just a timeline, it is designed to give a person a more realistic overview of the entire Bible. As well as pointing out different highlights along the way. Imagine riding in a car and seeing exit signs for a town. Each sign gives a brief glimpse of what is inside, while if you wanted to thoroughly investigate the town you would have to take the exit. This series is a collected work of the books of the Bible while continuing to drive past each of the exits. I would encourage you to take any exit and allow the Lord God to direct your path to where He would guide.

The Bible is written in 66 different books. Each one is unique on its own but designed to be with its other collected works.

Cautionary Note: This work is not to argue for the authenticity of the Bible nor is it to argue over the mechanics of how God used man to write His Words. This is designed as an overview for someone to review the book in passing. Nevertheless, we here at Mill House Ministries believe that the Bible is without error and was written by God, through His divine attributes, through man.

These overviews are sequenced in the below fashion. Each overview is designed to flow in unison.

1.) Introduction

2.) Who wrote it

3.) When did they write it

4.) Key topics

5.) Key sections

6.) Books that interact with each other

7.) Analysis of the Book

As previously stated, if you find yourself drawn to one of these books, please take the time and see what God is wanting to show you in that book.

BASICS COURSE:

Nahum

INTRODUCTION:

The book of Nahum describes the judgement of Nineveh and God’s actions towards nations that rebel against Him.

WHO WROTE IT:

The book of Nahum is written by an Elkoshite named Nahum.

WHEN DID THEY WRITE IT:

We know that the book was written after the book of Jonah and prior to the fall of Nineveh, thus scholars and historians have given a possible date between 660 B.C - 612 B.C. This would place him during the reign of King Hezekiah.

KEY TOPICS:

The key topics of Nahum is judgement on Nineveh and God’s justice to repay the wicked for their actions.

KEY SECTIONS:

The book can be sectioned into two themes which are found throughout the book. First, God is Holy and will act in a manner of Holiness. Second, God does what He says He will do.

BOOKS THAT INTERACT WITH EACH OTHER:

When quickly looking at Nahum, a reader might think to assume Nahum does not interact with other books of the Bible. However, Jonah, Chronicles, Kings, and Daniel are all books that interconnect with it.

ANALYSIS OF THE BOOK:

Nahum is a book that helps those who are or have been oppressed to remember God’s protection. God will not forget to bring justice to those who act wickedly. Nahum 1:3 , “the Lord is slow to anger and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked.” This means that people do not get off the hook for what they have done. This can be frightening for you and I, because we know from Romans 3:23 that we have all sinned and fallen short of the expectation that God has placed for us. Does this mean we are doomed to God’s wrath? Certainly not. This is why the Son of God came to die and rise again for us. Nahum is a not so subtle reminder to the reader that God’s actions are the same in Old Testament and New Testament. He wants to help everyone, no matter our past, but it is through Jesus that our help comes from. Nahum reminds us that God is sovereign over all things and His actions are there to help those who are His.

Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming,

JL

Re-Post Friday

Our third look at the threat within the church. Read it HERE!

Taking Charge of Our Faith

In today’s world we have information literally at our fingertips, we are presented with new facts and new ideas on a daily basis. Despite this information overload, we are less informed then before. I believe that it is part of the human condition, we tend to be too trusting sometimes when we are presented with information. We automatically assume that what is being told to us is the truth without taking time to fact check it ourselves. This is dangerous in today’s world in and of itself, however, it is even more so when you are to consider Biblical ideals.

We are in a time where I do not believe many born-again believers take ownership of their faith. They simply follow blindly with what they have been taught by family, with what is being taught in church or their favorite Bible podcast. This is dangerous logic because then the individual can be swept away by unbiblical teachings. This is not to say that everything that we have been taught by family or pastors was presented to us in a malicious manner with the intent to steer the individual into false teachings, often times we fall into a sense of “Christianese” in which we believe something simply because that is how it has always been done. This train of thought oddly enough proves my point however. As born-again Christians we should not be relying on mankind to be the sole teacher of the Word of God. We must step up and dive into the Word ourselves so we can identify false teachings.

Proverbs 20:25 makes this very clear, “It is a trap for a person to say carelessly, “It is holy!” And after the vows to make inquiry.” We need to take everything that is presented to us back to the Bible to deem if it is true or not. We must not simply say that it is Biblical without checking first. When we automatically assume that something is truth simply because of who is presenting the information to us, we are not taking ownership of our faith. We are allowing others to steer us, which can be dangerous since there are those who would wish to cloud the truth of God’s Word.

We see Proverbs 20:25 acted out for us in Acts 17. “10 The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11 Now these people were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.” Acts 17:10-11. Here are men and women who were being told of the Word by Paul. The same Paul who wrote a large portion of the New Testament, and yet they still took what he was teaching them back to the Word of God to ensure that it was accurate. This is the attitude that we as believers need to have, this is how we take charge of our faith! We must always be taking what is being taught to us back to the holy and unchanged word of God! If there is anything that was taught to us that is not scripturally based, it needs to be removed. We must lean on the Word of God as our strength!

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex

Up Our Game

Father’s Day is typically designed to recognize fathers’ hard work every year. Many times the job is thankless, with late nights and early mornings. Yet, when Father’s Day comes about, we might forget that this is a perfect opportunity to “up our game” as fathers. First, I need to recognize the hard truth; many men are in fatherly roles. This also applies to you, Grandpa’s, uncles, stepfathers, adopted fathers, and those men who have taken the call and become the father figure someone needs. This challenge is for you as well.

We need to use this moment to help define what a father truly is for our families. The uniqueness of the holiday being solely focused on fathers allows an enormous opportunity to direct the proper honor to the Heavenly Father and to thank the people in our lives. I know that I wouldn't have this holiday if not for my loving wife and two amazing daughters. I wouldn’t have the honor and privilege of being the father in the house. So, take this time and recognize how proud you are of them and what accomplishments they have done. For a father to use his role to identify others is not only essential but Biblical. Look at the book of Matthew, chapter 3. Here we see the Heavenly Father publicly recognize His Son, Jesus Christ.

“After He was baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and settling on Him, 17 and behold, a voice from the heavens said, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” Matthew 3:16-17.

This is a moment where Jesus Christ is submitting to the Father’s will. Here is an opportunity for the Father to bask in His own glory but instead, He loves His Son and recognizes the amazing work He has done. The Father is continuing His work even at a time He is not expected to.

Fathers should be vigilant in using their position for righteousness and empowering those they serve. I can see no other perfect time to reveal the character traits of the Heavenly Father than by showing how proud we are like fathers to be helping those in our lives; what an honor to inform the actions like Jesus did when washing the disciple’s feet. As fathers, we must utilize every opportunity to strengthen and equip those we serve. I can think of no better day to have this as a topic than a day celebrating fathers. So with that said, as one father to another. Happy Father’s Day. Now let’s get back to work!  

Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming,

JL

Re-Post Friday

There is much we can learn when we are faced with trials. Read it HERE!

The Importance of Fathers

There is no doubt that fathers play an important role in the lives of their children. I know my own father was someone who helped to shape the person that I came to be. Fathers help to guide their children, teach them, encourage them, and be active in the lives of their children. For those men that are born-again believers raising sons and daughters it is important to have a baseline on how they should interact with their children. For a Christian father, it is important for them to lean on God for guidance in how to raise the children that He has given to these earthly parents.

For today’s post, as we come upon the day that Americans celebrate their fathers, I feel that it is important to look at some of the characteristics that God the Father has that earthly fathers should strive to emulate.

“Just as a father has compassion on his children, So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.” Psalm 103:13. The very first thing to discuss is that God is compassionate. This is seen over and over again in the Bible as God shows compassion on the town of Nineveh who repented their ways (the book of Jonah), God showed compassion on Lot and sent angels to tell him and his family to leave Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19), and the most important way that God showed compassion is by sending His Son to die for us so that we may be reconciled to Him (John 3:16).

There are many traits within the word “compassionate” that can be seen throughout God’s actions in the Bible. These traits include, slow to anger (Exodus 34:6), gracious (Psalm 103:8), loving (Lamentations 3:22), and merciful (James 5:11) to only name a few traits that describe our Heavenly Father’s compassion. These are traits that earthly fathers should show to their children as well.

Matthew 6:25-32 is probable one of my favorite descriptions of the characteristics of our Heavenly Father, “25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.” In this passage we see that God is aware of what we will need and will provide for us. We do not need to be worried about challenges that we face because God is with us and will give us the things that we need. For earthly fathers, do not withhold good things from your children but understand that sometimes the good things are not material possessions. Be there to advise your children and show them how a life spent leaning on the Lord is lived.

One thing to keep in mind however, is that God the Father while compassionate and giving good things to His children is also a God of discipline. “My son, do not reject the [a]discipline of the LORD Or loathe His rebuke, 12 For whom the LORD loves He disciplines, Just as a father disciplines the son in whom he delights.” Proverbs 3:11-12. Earthly fathers do not stand idly by if you see your children walking down a path that you know will only lead to them getting hurt. Step in and correct them, and that includes disciplining them. No one likes being disciplined, but as a father it is your responsibility to correct the behaviors in your children. Do not shy away from this responsibility.

I do want to point out one thing here. I have been referring to fathers all throughout this post, however, do not believe that these traits are only seen in biological fathers to their biological children. The Bible has a great example of how a stepfather can still play a role in the lives of the children that have been entrusted to him. For those men who are stepfathers or even in a fatherly role for a child, these traits should still be seen in you. Remember, Jesus Christ had an earthly stepfather who took on a fatherly role to Him. Joseph was not Jesus’s biological father, and yet he was still an active part in raising the Son of God. We can see how much Jesus cared for His earthly father in that He eventually took on the same career as Joseph, a carpenter. For those men who have been entrusted with children either biological or not, you still hold an impact on the lives of those children. I hope that you will lean on the Heavenly Father and strive to show the same characteristics that He shows to all His children.

Seek the truth and encourage one another

Alex

2022 Part 2 Challenge

So I want to do something a little different. Today I have a challenge, something for you, the reader, to take with you to put your faith into action.

There is no simple way to put this, but today we need to talk about the BIG elephant in the room! Today people have more information at their fingertips than at any time in human history. However, with the world asking for what is going on, we are not stepping up. Instead of listening and giving advice when necessary, we are keeping our distance when we should be investing more into those around us. God’s word tells us we need to listen to advice, Proverbs 12:15 “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.” Yet, God’s word tells us to help those around us by giving advice, Proverbs 12:18 “There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” I bring this up, so that lives and see how we are doing. In the second half of this year, my challenge to you is to listen more and when presented with the opportunity to help, give advice. However, our actions need to be more than just listening and sharing of advice, but also being more involved with the people around us. Paul states in 1 Thessalonians 5:15-18 “15 See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” So as we move into the second part of 2022, let us recognize the real application of God’s word in our life right now. So if someone wants to give you advice, listen to it. If you see the chance to give advice, give! If you see the chance to do good and pray for those around you, do just that. Finally, I would love to know how this challenge goes, remember you can reach us on our contact page. If you have a story of how God was able to use you or you learned something we want to know!

Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming,

JL

Re-Post Friday

Our second review of the threat found within the church. Read it HERE!

A Testimony of Transformation

There is no doubt that Jesus has performed many miracles, the Bible is filled with them, and we even hear stories today of what God has done in the lives of those who place their faith in Him. As part of my personal Bible study, I read through each of the four gospels, and I am always astounded by the miracles that Jesus performs and what we can learn from them. To be honest, each time I read through the gospels, I learn something new, or see something that I hadn’t noticed before. Today’s post is the result of one of those times.

  When reading through Luke, I read again the account of Jesus healing the demoniac in the land of the Gerasenes. Until recently, I had always been drawn to notice how Jesus sought after the demon possessed man, how the man was possessed by multiple demons, and the result of when Jesus removed the demons from him. I never took the time to consider the words that the man and Jesus exchanged after the demons were sent out.

“35 Then people went out to see what had happened, and they came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had gone, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. 36 And those who had seen it told them how the demon-possessed man had been healed. 37 Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned. 38 The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, 39 “Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.” And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.”

Luke 8:35-39

I feel it is essential to look at this passage starting from verse 35 because we need to understand the state of the man and those who had lived near him while he was still possessed. Luke 8:27 describes the man as someone who was not in their right mind, basically living like an animal, unclothed and living in tombs. This man was hidden away from the rest of those who lived in this area, yet everyone knew of him. This is why the people came out to see what had happened to him. Instead of a wild beast of a man, they found him clothed and sitting at the feet of Jesus. While the people were afraid, I believe that it has to do with the sudden change in the man. It would be a shock to have someone who behaved one way suddenly change into a whole new person, but this is honestly the power of Christ. When we place our faith in Him, He makes us a new creation, “17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. ” 2 Corinthians 5:17. This passage perfectly describes 2 Corinthians 5:17.

The next aspect of the passage in Luke 8 that I feel is interesting to point out is the man’s response after the demons had been removed from him by Jesus. This man wished to go with Jesus; he wanted to be wherever Jesus was. This I feel, is the reaction that many new believers have. When we understand the cost of our sin and have been freed from it, we wish to follow Jesus Christ. We have a hunger to know Him and be in the Word so that we may understand Him more. Then we want to share what Jesus has done for us. This is where I find Jesus’s response interesting; Jesus tells the man to return home and declare what God has done for him. Remember, the others who lived there were frightened enough to want Jesus to leave. While Jesus did not stay to personally tell these people of the kingdom of God, He left someone in whom they had seen a drastic change take place. Gone was the man who haunted the tombs, before them was someone who had the grace of God bestowed upon him. And this the villagers could not ignore. They had seen a new creation be made, and he wasn’t going anywhere.

In short, the interaction between Jesus and the man after he had been freed from his demons is a reminder to us that sometimes God wants us to stay and witness where we are. Many born-again believers who had a rougher past than some would be just like this man. They would have friends and family around them who would see the sin in their lives, the metaphorical demons that they coped with. But when that individual turned to Christ, and He removed these issues from their lives, the friends and family (or villagers in this case) would see no longer the individual in the tombs but the person clothed and in their right mind. They would constantly be reminded that Jesus Christ brought about this change; there is no better testimony than that for those who have seen us at our absolute worse.

Seek the truth and encourage one another,

Alex

The Wind In Our Sails

Proverbs was once said to be the wind in the sails of a Christian’s walk. It was here that God would directly advise and instruct the believers on where, when, and how they were to act. How we were to see the world and even help shape it. This remarkable book, however, can be misunderstood, misused, and even downright weaponized against the very people it was designed to aid. With this in mind, we need to understand the foundation and pillars that make up the book. The foundation can be found in Proverbs 9:10, “The fear of the LORD [is] the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One [is] understanding.” Here we see that the entire book is predicated on understanding both our place and God’s rightful place. Only from here are we able to move forward. At this point, we see that knowledge of the Holy One (Jesus Christ) is the beginning of understanding. His understanding is uniquely designed to withstand anything that life might bring upon us. Jesus says in Matthew 7:24-27, “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25 “and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. 26 “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: 27 “and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”

From here we can clearly see the foundation is laid and ready for the pillars of which Proverbs monumental structure is built on. Once we have the fear of the Lord and knowledge of the Holy One, we can see that our instruction does not stop. The four pillars are typically missed and is one reason why I decided to point them out today. Proverbs 1:2-3 “2 To know wisdom and instruction, To perceive the words of understanding, 3 To receive the instruction of wisdom, Justice, judgment, and equity.” Let us break this down into bites size pieces, “to know wisdom and instruction, to perceive the words of understanding” is to have what Proverbs 9:10 stated. But we see this is just the beginning, we now see four categories for the Christian. Wisdom, Justice, Judgment, and Equity. Don’t be confused with seeing wisdom revealed as one of the pillars. Chapter 9:10 was in fact revealing the beginning of wisdom, for us to better understand and grow in the word we need to see it in relation to the other pillars. Understanding this process is key in the maturing of a believer. Paul describes this maturity in Hebrews 5:12-14 “12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need [someone] to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes [only] of milk [is] unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. 14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, [that is,] those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”

In conclusion, in our life we need to be focussed on Christ and Christ alone. His Word is the wind in our sails as we traverse this world. For those who venture into Proverbs, do not be surprised to find yourself understanding what many in the world today are questioning. Much of what people are missing is blatantly revealed to the student of Christ, it is why Proverbs 2:6-12 states, “6 For the LORD gives wisdom; From His mouth [come] knowledge and understanding; 7 He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; [He is] a shield to those who walk uprightly; 8 He guards the paths of justice, And preserves the way of His saints. 9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice, Equity [and] every good path. 10 When wisdom enters your heart, And knowledge is pleasant to your soul, 11 Discretion will preserve you; Understanding will keep you, 12 To deliver you from the way of evil, From the man who speaks perverse things.”

Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming,

JL

Re-Post Friday

Looking back at our discussion on where your perspective needs to be. Read it HERE!