So, what is Frankincense?
Frankincense is the gum or resin of the Boswellia tree, used for making perfume and incense.
It was one of the ingredients God instructed the Israelites to use to make the sacred incense for the Holy place
Frankincense, itself, was also used in offerings to the Lord
Today, as we look at Frankincense, it is clear that it represents Jesus' status as a priest
He is our High Priest and the only one eligible for that role due to His holiness
In all His holiness, Jesus grew up and suffered for you, in order that you might have life
It has been said that these tears represent the torture Jesus suffered during His crucifixion
The sweet aroma of the Frankincense was pleasing to God as an offering
Jesus was a sweet sacrifice, pleasing to God
Today, Frankincense is no more
Oh wait, that is not true! You can even purchase Frankincense in an essential oil
It is used to promote relaxation, peace, and overall wellness.
As you consider today how God’s perfect plan unfolded so long ago, have you considered why?
It was to make a way for you to receive salvation.
This is the Christmas gift, will you receive it?
- Dec 19, 2021The Christmas Gifts – Frankincense
The Christmas Gifts – FrankincenseSo, what is Frankincense?
Frankincense is the gum or resin of the Boswellia tree, used for making perfume and incense.
It was one of the ingredients God instructed the Israelites to use to make the sacred incense for the Holy place
It is clear that this specific blend, including Frankincense, was to be used for Holy purposesFrankincense, itself, was also used in offerings to the Lord
Frankincense was mainly used by priestsLast week we discussed the gift of Gold, representing Jesus' kingshipToday, as we look at Frankincense, it is clear that it represents Jesus' status as a priest
He is our High Priest and the only one eligible for that role due to His holiness
In all His holiness, Jesus grew up and suffered for you, in order that you might have life
Frankincense tears are collected and ground up to make the incense and perfumeIt has been said that these tears represent the torture Jesus suffered during His crucifixion
The sweet aroma of the Frankincense was pleasing to God as an offering
Jesus was a sweet sacrifice, pleasing to God
We are to be imitators of Christ, that same sweet smell, as we serve GodToday, Frankincense is no more
Oh wait, that is not true! You can even purchase Frankincense in an essential oil
It is used to promote relaxation, peace, and overall wellness.
The wise men came to worship Jesus and to announce His priesthood to the worldAs you consider today how God’s perfect plan unfolded so long ago, have you considered why?
It was to make a way for you to receive salvation.
This is the Christmas gift, will you receive it?
- Dec 15, 2021Bible Study – Ezra Chapter 8:1-23
Bible Study – Ezra Chapter 8:1-23
- Dec 12, 2021The Christmas Gifts – Gold
The Christmas Gifts – Gold
Many times people wonder about the gifts the wise men brought Jesus
Each of the gifts had specific meaning, and the wise men knew this
Today we are going to look at the gift of Gold.Gold, as a gift, was only given to those in a royal line
Kings were given gold, and this was a symbol of their royalty
Today, we know that Jesus is king of kings, but how did the wise men know this?
These magi were not from Jerusalem or Bethlehem or anywhere close by
Scripture says they were from the east. This is talking about the far east sometimes referred to as the orient
This area included the lands of Babylon and surrounding areas
Prominent Jew with much influence lived there and his name was Daniel
Daniel had been given the vision concerning the Messiah, so certainly he would have taught that
The magi were part of a group that Daniel would have had influence over
It is important to know that Jesus was born to be King
This prophecy clearly shows Jesus taking the throne of David and ruling forever
Jesus, Himself, during His earthly ministry, said He was King
Timothy reminds us in 1 Tim 6:13-15 about Jesus’ kingship.You see, the wise men, who learned from Daniel, knew that Jesus was a King; so they gave the appropriate gift
For us today it is important to remember that, as Timothy said, Jesus is King of Kings
Our world is so crazy sometimes to stop and remember that God is still in control and Jesus is still King brings peace
Remembering that Jesus is King also helps us as we are faced with many things that want our attention
Matthew 6:24 says no one can serve two masters
This means for us to keep Jesus’ Kingship in mind and serve Him alone is paramount
We see Jesus as King in Revelation as well
When the end comes and the battle is over, Jesus is still King of Kings
The wise men knew this and celebrated this with the gift of Gold
Do you call Him King today?
You can!
- Dec 8, 2021Bible Study – Ezra Chapter 7
Bible Study – Ezra Chapter 7
- Dec 5, 2021The Miracle Called Christmas
The Miracle Called ChristmasJesus coming to save us from our sins wasn’t an afterthought
The prophecy of a coming Messiah had been passed down for centuries before Jesus’ birth
While it may not have been an afterthought, it was truly a miracle
God chose to provide a sacrifice to pay the price of sin for every person
He provided His Son Jesus through a virgin so that all would know this was a miracle
He provided an earthly father to look after Jesus until His time had come
It was a miracle that Joseph listened to the angel instead of saving face with people
I want you to understand that every part of this familiar story is a miracle
A young woman’s miracle conception that she probably didn’t really understand
The fiancé that went against his instincts to protect them both and became an object of ridicule
All of this was done as God had designed
He made the preparation for man’s salvation from the moment He decided to give us free will
We say the words “From the manger to the cross” but sometimes it is hard to really grasp that reality
What if you were told you were going to have a child and that child’s purpose was to die
That would be unimaginable
But God
He loved the world so much that He gave His only Son
This miracle that we call Christmas is the celebration of the most important gift to the world
So I’m begging you all, this year, please don’t let the miracle of Christmas become an afterthought in your celebration
We decorate our homes, we buy wonderful gifts, we make delicious food and all these things are good
But what if the true miracle of Christmas becomes lost in the celebration
I saw a scene once that had all these giant secular objects to celebrate and off to the side a tiny manger scene
That is how the world sees Christmas if the manger exists in the celebration at all
The miracle that will never be repeated has been pushed into the background
By Christians
If we don’t actively celebrate the Miracle of Christmas the world will forget it was even a thing
The question for you today is, do you believe in the miracle called Christmas
If you believe, the scripture says you shall be saved by this miracle
Will this be the year that you truly celebrate the miracle of Christmas?
- Dec 1, 2021Bible Study – Ezra Chapter6
Bible Study – Ezra Chapter6
- Nov 28, 2021Thankful For God’s Protection
Thankful For God’s Protection
- Nov 21, 2021Thankful For God’s Blessings
Thankful For God’s Blessings
Today we will celebrate our Thanksgiving together after the service
What, exactly, are we thankful for each year at this time?
Many answers to that question may come, but, let me say, the greatest reason to be thankful is God’s blessingsWe looked at this verse last week when we talked about God’s Grace Today, I want to look at it through the lens of blessings The first part of this verse says “all things are for your sakes” Understand, that this means the things that are good and the things that we call bad are for our sakes In other words, blessings can come in heartache as well as happiness We need to realize this and thank God for all the blessings I know that it is really hard to give thanks in everything because some things feel so bad Sometimes things happen to us and, at the moment, we can’t see how it is a blessing But God uses these things to change our direction or reinforce our trust in Him When we finally understand that God’s plan for us is never to hurt, but always to bless, it is an amazing revelation God’s blessings in every form give us peace, if we look for them Are you thankful for God’s blessings today?The greatest blessing we can be thankful for is found in Romans 5:8The KJV says while we were still sinners Christ died for us. The greatest blessing to be thankful for is that Jesus paid for our sin on the cross and He overcame the grave Prior to Jesus death He gathered His disciples together for the Passover meal During this time, He told the disciples that the bread represented His body and the wine His blood He told them to take this supper and remember Him until He returns Thanksgiving is all about being thankful for the blessings God has given us Have you ever received the blessing of salvation? - Nov 17, 2021Bible Study – Ezra 5
Bible Study – Ezra 5
- Nov 14, 2021Thankful For God’s Grace
Thankful For God’s Grace
We celebrated Veteran’s day last week, so you would think that is what we would talk about today;
Instead, I want to talk about something even more powerful.
America, America! God shed His grace on you.God’s grace. What a wonderful thing to think about. It is only by the grace of God that we can have salvation As we spend November to Remember, think about how great the grace of God is in your life If God withheld grace and only gave us what we deserve, every single one of us would receive damnation But God! God gives us His incredible grace, and it is the thing we should be thankful for every day.Just to get a great picture of God’s grace, look at Psalm 103:1-12 NASBIf you took all the rest of this passage out and only focused on verse 12, it is the most amazing thing But you can’t take the rest of the passage out because God’s grace is all over us every day What should we do with the knowledge of God’s grace in our lives? Praise Him and thank Him daily. Live our lives graciously, remembering His grace To realize how much God’s grace has done for us and not live thankful is beyond comprehension Knowing God’s grace has covered us in our shortcomings should make us thankful to God for eternity What grace should really do is cause His people, who are called by His name, to extend grace to others in this world Reality is, the very people who are so blessed with God’s grace are the same people who rarely extend grace to others The slave whose debt was forgiven, refused to give that same grace to those who owed him Christians are some of the most brutally judgmental people in the world, but we should give the most grace Understand that as God gives us so much grace, when we also give it to others it spreads When grace is spread, God is glorified In modern day language we would say “Pay it forward” As God gives grace to you, give it to all those around you. “Grace, Grace, God’s Grace, Grace that is greater than ALL our sins” Have you ever experienced God’s grace? Have you trusted Him and realized that, because of His grace, your sins are cast as far as the east is from the west? You can experience the Grace of God that is available today Once you do….pass it on! - Nov 10, 2021Bible Study – Ezra 4
Bible Study – Ezra 4
- Nov 7, 2021Thankful For God’s Love
Thankful For God’s Love
Welcome to Fall! When the weather turns cool and foliage changes, I’m blown away by how Great God is!
This is when the world seems to look toward Christmas
November is a great time to remember to be thankful to God for everything
Over the course of 4 weeks we are going to see how to use November to RememberProbably, most of us could quote John 3:16, but have you ever dwelled on it? “For God so loved the world” Think about the most loved you have ever felt, isn’t that wonderful? God’s love makes that look tiny. God SO loved, meaning a love that was everything He has And He gave it to ALL! Understand that God’s love is not withheld from anyone Yes! God loves even what we call “bad” people. He loves every person! That is a love that is amazing, right? I’m thankful that God loves me, even when I know I’m not a perfect person. I’m thankful that God loves even the “bad” people, because it is so easy to become one. Now that we are all feeling thankful for God’s love, let me ask you something; What do we do with that Love? You see being thankful means we live graciously. If we live graciously, then we follow the example given to us in our Savior and love EVERYBODY I know “that’s impossible!”, right? It is, in the flesh, for certain. We all struggle to love, when we can’t even like everyone. For believers, one stumbling block to loving everyone, is when people are blatantly living in sin. Think of it this way, those are the people who need God’s love most urgently. If we don’t live the love God gave us, then how will they see it? You see, being thankful means it actually changes your life. You live thankful every day. God’s love is the most amazing gift that anyone can receive. Have you experienced God’s Love and the Salvation it brings? Are you ready to live that love everyday?
The Prophecy:
