Vol. 32, No. 12 December, 2008

All of us here at the WILDERNESS, and here at The Yukon Baptist Church want to take this time to wish for you and your family a Very MERRY CHRISTMAS, and a CHRIST CENTERED NEW YEAR! As we enjoy the fun and fellowship of the Christmas Season, let us remember that Christ is Christmas, Christmas is Christ. He came to die for us that we might live. That’s the Christmas story.
        Have a Blessed Christmas!

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              REDEMPTION
         By Dr. George Mills

“In Whom we have REDEMPTION through His Blood, even the forgiveness of sins.” (Col. 1:14). Now, if you just happen to have one of these new “versions,” you will not find, “Through His Blood” in that verse. Why?  Satan hates the blood. He attacks the blood in any way he can.

I am always happy to preach about, and to write about the Finished Work of

Redemption through our Lord Jesus
Christ. But how can we possibly cover such a subject? God had been preparing
Redemption in the eternal ages past. He even wrote a Book with one central theme; REDEMPTION. I am just happy to share a few thoughts with you about REDEMPTION. Trusting that these things will be a help and a blessing to all readers of the WILDERNESS.

REDEMPTION;

1. THE FATHER’S PLAN
2. THE SON’S PERFORMANCES
3 THE SPIRIT’S POWER.

All three of the God-Head had a part in the plan of REDEMPTION. These worked together in Creation, (Gen. 1:2, 1:26). One God in three distinct persons.
All three work together in Re-Creation.

1. THE FATHER’S PLAN. His plan of REDEMPTION was seen in…

(A) PREDESTINATION. First of all, as I have stated before, I am NOT a Calvinist. That is, I do not believe that some are predestined for Heaven and some are predestined for hell and there is nothing we can do to change anything.

I do not believe that.  I believe that
REDEMPTION is for “Whosoever will let him take the water of life freely,” (Rev 22:17). I have heard and have read those who say that they believe that doctrine. When I finished listening to them, or reading their message, I still had no idea what they were saying, and I do not believe that they understood what they were saying either. I am well aware of the Foreknowledge of God, and the Free Will of man. Both are in the Bible. And I believe both. In THE FATHER’S PLAN, He had already prepared for REDEMPTION in ages past. When Adam and Eve sinned against God in the Garden of Eden, this was no surprise to God. Before there was anything created, before there was the first grain of sand, there was already a Saviour to die for the sin of man. “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not REDEEMED with corruptible things as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers. But with the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you.” (1Pet. 1:18-20). Just think about that. Before there was anything, God knew about the sin of man, about my sin, about your sin,  and He made provision for our REDEMPTION in ages past.
And REDEMPTION was seen in

(B) PROPHECY. Through the Scriptures you can read about the Crucifixion of Christ prophesied centuries before He came to earth on that Christmas Morning some 2000 years ago. Read the 22nd. Psalm. The Psalmist painted a very detailed picture of the sufferings of Christ. And of course, the 53rd Chapter of Isaiah, “He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our Iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and with His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned everyone to his own way, and the LORD hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” (Isa 53:5-6).
As you read the Bible, (KJB) you read about REDEMPTION. If you fail to see REDEMPTION in the Bible, you missed the whole point of the Book.
And REDEMPTION was seen in

(C) PICTURES. Like an artist painting a beautiful picture, God painted for us PICTURES of REDEMPTION. There are so very many. Just to mention a few:

(a) In Egypt land, the Israelites were held captive by Pharaoh. You can read this account in Exodus1-15. In His PLAN of REDEMPTION, God told Moses to tell the people to select a lamb without blemish on the tenth day of the month. The lamb had to be proven for the next three days, and on the fourteenth day of the month the chosen lamb is to be slain and the blood of that lamb was to be applied to the two side posts of the door and above the door of their dwelling. God said that He, God, would pass over the land at midnight and where He saw the blood, He would pass over that dwelling, but where the blood was not applied, the first born of that household would die. The firstborn of Egypt did die that night when God passed over the land. Of course, this is the setting for the celebration of PASSOVER which was to be observed annually, on the 14th day of April, (one day only). What a PICTURE of the Work of Calvary where Jesus Christ shed His Blood for our REDEMPTION. There is so much more. I praise Him for His blood shed for me, and for you.

(b) Abraham was commanded to take his son Isaac to the land of Moriah, and there offer him for a burnt offering. In obedience to God, Abraham “went unto the place of which God told him,” and there he prepared his son Isaac for a burnt offering. When Abraham “stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. The angel of the Lord said, “Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou anything unto him, for I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.”  You will find this account in Genesis 22. “Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him a ram caught in a thicket.” Abraham offered the ram for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. Another beautiful PICTURE of our Lord Jesus Christ dying in our place. As the ram was innocent, so was Christ innocent. The innocent for the guilty, PICTURED throughout the Holy Bible, (KJB).

(c) Another PICTURE, another one of so many. Jesus said, “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up. That whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:14-15). This is taken from the Book of Numbers, Ch. 21. The people had again murmured against God. “And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, and much people of Israel died.”  When they confessed their sin to Moses, and asked him to pray for them. God told Moses to “Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole, and it shall come to pass that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it he shall live.” That serpent lifted high on a pole, for all to see is a PICTURE of Christ and His Cross. There, He was lifted up for the entire world to see. Like the people bitten by the serpent, we have the poison of sin in our entire being. We either look to the Cross in faith, or die in our sin. There is no other way. I know, people try thousands of ways, but in Israel, there was no other way to escape the impending death from the serpent’s poison, and there is no other way to escape the result of sin. The message of the brazen serpent was LOOK and LIVE. The message of the Cross is LOOK and LIVE! “Too simple,” some say. Have you found a better way? I think not. Just believe what the Bible says.

2. THE SON’S PERFORMANCES.  “I came to do my Father’s Will.”
When Isaac, as an obedient son, lay on the alter of sacrifice before his father, He was a PICTURE of the Son’s PERFORMANCES. There are so many passages that tell of our Saviour’s obedience to the Father’s Will. But which one can I use in this brief message? I believe the Book of Philippians, Ch 2:5-11 gives vivid detail of the SON’S PERFORMANCES. Just look with me at the steps downward in His humiliation…

“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus. Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God. But made of Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men. And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given Him a Name which is above every name. That at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in Heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth. And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the Glory of God the Father.” The world itself could not contain the commentaries that could be written on these seven verses, all of which tell of the PERFORMANCES OF THE SON.

(a). He did not think it robbery to be equal with God. As we have said, He was there in the beginning with God, and John 1:1-3 says that He was God. (Not “a” god, but “The God”) (Col. 1:14-19).

(b) He did not cling to that position. The greatest, most important issue in the heart and mind of God was the REDEMPTION of fallen man.  And for our REDEMPTION, Christ freely left that Position and came to this earth. He was born of a Virgin and placed in a manger. His first breath of air was the stench of a stable. That’s a long, long journey downward from that lofty position.

(c) He assumed the place of a man. As a man He “was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” (Heb 4:15).
He knows every trial every pain every burden we bear. He knows you better than you know yourself.

(d) He assumed the position of a servant.
“And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant. Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many.” (Mt. 20:27-28).
In John 13, He assumed the place of a servant when He bowed down at the feet of the Disciples and washed their feet. This was the servant’s duty, but He came to fill that position.

(e) He became obedient unto death. “I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair. I hid not my face from shame and spitting.” (Isa 50:6) In the Garden of Gethsemane He prayed, “Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me.” The cup He referred to was all of the sin of all of the world. Think of the agony of the sinless Son of God as He faced taking into Himself all of the vileness of this world, and becoming sin for us. But in obedience to THE FATHER’S PLAN, Christ further prayed, “Nevertheless not as I will, but as Thou wilt.” (Mt 26:38-39).

(f) “Even the death of the Cross.” Not just any death, but the worst possible death, the death of the Cross. The most horrible, painful death was that of crucifixion. Read the 22nd Psalm. “My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?”  There was none to help Him.  “Bulls” (Jews) and “Dogs” (Gentiles) had nailed Him to the Cross, and there, in an awful loneliness, Christ died for our sin. As I write this, I find it very hard to find adequate words. I just want to thank Him for His PERFORMANCES IN REDEMPTION. I Praise Him for His cross, without which, no one could be saved.

As I write this message, my heart is moved, so greatly moved as I consider these things about Christ.  But I must go to the third section of the message.

3. THE SPIRIT’S POWER. What has been said in this message would be as nothing if the Holy Spirit had not finished what God started in the beginning. As the subject of
Redemption could never be fully examined, so it is with the HOLY
SPIRIT. All three Personalities of the God-Head played an equal part in the Plan of Redemption.

(a) His Power in Creation.  “In the beginning GOD created the heavens and the earth.” (Gen 1:1). The Bible also says, “For by Him (CHRIST) were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible.” (See Col. 1:16). The SPIRIT was equally involved in Creation. “And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” (Gen. 1:2) “By His Spirit, He hath garnished the heavens.” (Job 26:13). “The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.” (Job 33:4).

(b) His Power in Conviction. Jesus said to His Disciples, “And when He is come, He will reprove the world of Sin, and of Righteousness, and of Judgment. The Holy Spirit takes the Word of God and reproves, convicts the sinner of his/her condition before God. I cannot do that. I can give out the Word, that’s as far as I can go. The work of the Holy Spirit is getting that Word down deep into the hearing of the lost person. He alone can speak to the sinner’s heart. He uses the Word of God, that’s our part.

(c) His Power in Conversion.  We are Born of the Spirit. (John 3:8) When the lost sinner believes the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and with a repentant heart calls upon the Name of Christ, the Holy Spirit Births that one into God’s Family. He is “Born again” of the Holy Spirit. That Same Holy Spirit seals the new believer, (Eph 1:13) and Baptizes him/her into the Body of Christ, (1Cor. 12:13). This is all a matter of fact, and not feelings. The Holy Spirit lives in every believer and seeks to empower every believer to live a happy, victorious Christian life.

(d) His Power in Consecration. Living every day for Christ. Getting to know Him better every day. Learning about the Power of the Holy Spirit in Prayer, in witnessing, in living for God. Without Him, we could do nothing.
“For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, MUCH MORE being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.” (Ro. 5:10).
There is so much more about REDEMPTION to share with you, but I must close this message for now.
Are YOU one of the REDEEMED ONES? Have you trusted the Finished Work of Christ alone for your Salvation? If this is true in your life, then rejoice in GOD’S REDEMPTION. If this is not true, my dear friend, call upon the Name of Christ today. Wherever you are, the Holy Spirit is there. If there is a desire in your heart to know God, then God put that desire there. Believe Him with your heart, call upon Him with your mouth. (Ro. 10:9-10) He will hear the cry of your repentant heart.
You can begin TODAY to live FOREVER!  God bless you.

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THINK ABOUT IT… The world’s worst ingrate is the one who looks at the Cross of Calvary, and walks away in unbelief. He does not walk away a better person, but a worse person. The worst way to die is to die with a hardened heart. To walk away from Calvary without receiving God’s Redemption is the first step to that end.

       A CHILD IS BORN
      By Pastor George Mills

“For unto us A CHILD IS BORN, unto us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder. And His Name shall be called;
WONDERFUL COUNSELLOR.
THE MIGHTY GOD.
THE EVERLASTING FATHER.
THE PRINCE OF PEACE.
Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon His kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and justice from henceforth, ever forever. The zeal of the LORD of Hosts will perform this.”

As I write this, I cannot help but be concerned about our own government here in our homeland. It seems that those in high places, in the financial markets, banks, in industry have lied and with fraud and deception swindled the American people out of billions of dollars for their own selfish gain. Today industries, banks, etc, are looking to our government to “bail them out.” When I find myself in financial trouble, I have to “Bail myself out,” Let these institutions do the same. I trust that our elected officials will stop this spending of our tax dollars. Anyway, this is a critical time in our nation, and it affects the world markets. There is one coming that the Bible calls Anti-Christ. He will fool the financial institutions again, and nations will become bankrupt. But the Bible says that there is a Government in the future that will be a Government of Judgment, and Justice. This will be a RIGHT GOVERNMENT, ruled by the RIGHT KING. This passage of Scripture describes this coming King. Notice His Titles…

1. WONDERFUL COUNSELLOR. Think of the advisors that those in high places have listened to. Every new administration enters office with it’s own plan that is “for sure to solve the economical problems of the nation.” Unfortunately, their term ends, and the debts are higher. THIS CHILD born on Christmas day, born to reign, but rejected of men, will one day, in the not so distant future reign. His Advise, His Counsel will be with the Wisdom of the ages. May I add that He is on the job today. He is at the Right hand of the Father, ever listening to our prayers. People pay large sums of money to visit some earthly counselor. Talk to Christ today. Tell Him your problem. He always gives wise counsel. The Title,
WONDERFUL COUNSELLOR SPEAKS OF HIS WORK TODAY, IN THIS DISPENSATION.

2. THE MIGHTY GOD. I believe that this Title speaks of His Work in ETERNITY PAST. He is the Great Creator. He is the Great I AM. “Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer, the LORD of Hosts, I am the first and I am the last, and beside me there is no God.”
(Isa 44:6). Think about it…The MIGHTY GOD HIMSELF came down to this earth, and took the form of a servant for us. “And they shall call His Name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, GOD WITH US.” (Mt. 1:23).

3. THE EVERLASTING FATHER. I believe this Title speaks of His Work IN THE ETERNAL TOMORROWS. “Of the increase of His government there shall be no end.” All human governments have failed. Think of our own government. Have you ever seen such corruption? The government of this nation is supposed to be the very best that man with all his wisdom can come up with. But the best of mankind is frail. Human governments do not want God involved. Just think of how our country began just 232 years ago. Look at where we are now. God is not welcome in government, in education, or in the courts. This is not what our founding fathers had in mind.
But, THE EVERLASTING FATHER shall reign, and the earth will be filled with the knowledge of God as waters cover the sea.

4. THE PRINCE OF PEACE. I believe that this Title speaks of HIS WORK IN REDEMPTION.  Peace is now possible because of Calvary. Peace with God, Peace with man, and Peace with self. In the midst of a hostile society, where kings fail, a society of corruption, crime and violence, anyone can have peace because of Christ’s Work of redemption. He broke down every barrier. Now we can go to God through THE PRINCE OF PEACE; our Blessed lord Jesus Christ. How about you? Do you know Him personally” He is there, wherever you are, just waiting at your heart’s door. He will never come into your life unbidden. You must open your heart and by faith receive him. I hope that you will do that now. How do you receive Him? The Bible says, “Ask, and ye shall receive.”
THIS CAN BE THE BEST CHRISTMAS YOU EVER HAD. CHRIST IS CHRISTMAS, CHRISTMAS IS CHRIST

“A SON IS GIVEN,”  “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Begotten Son..” (John 3:16).

  BEHOLD, THE LAMB OF GOD
         By Pastor George Mills

“Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world.” (Jn 1:29)

Behold the Lamb, who takes away,
  The sin of all the world.
On Him all sin, there God did lay,
   And from East to West He hurled,
The sin of all of Adam’s race,
   To be remembered never,
By trusting His Sufficient Grace,
   Man will live with Christ forever.

Behold the Cross where all the sin,
   Upon the Lamb was laid.
Behold the Lamb, such suffering,
   As all our debt He paid.
Behold the tomb where He did lay,
   It’s empty, not a trace,
Redemption’s price, the Lamb did pay,
   Behold, that empty place.

Behold the Lamb of God, who died,
   Behold the Lamb, who lives.
Behold the law, now satisfied,
   Behold how He forgives;
All sin that ever came between,
   All mankind and the Lord,
Behold the Lamb, His Glory seen,
   Behold, the Lamb of God.

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                MANNA

Your kind words, your mail, your gifts and thoughtful expressions for this Ministry are received with MUCH GRATITUDE. Thank you so much. Pray for this Ministry as we face the New Year. We are trusting that our Lord will open new doors for us in the New Year.

    HAVE A GREAT NEW YEAR!

Vol. 32, No.11  November, 2008

  GREAT PEACE HAVE THEY
         By Dr. George Mills

“Great Peace have they which love Thy Law and nothing shall offend them.”      
               (Psa. 119:165)

Nothing shall offend them, nothing shall upset them, and nothing shall cause them to stumble.
I suppose that the one thing the world needs most is PEACE. The Bible says that in the last days, “Men’s hearts failing them because of fear.” (Lk 21:26)
Fear of world war 3, fear of recession, fear of the stock market. Fear of financial failure. Fear of failing health, fear of the future, fear of death. Men fear a thousand things. Fear is a good thing. It is given by God. Just suppose how bad things might be if no one had any fear. Fear, like all of our God-given attributes, is designed to help us through life. However, not one thing is to control us. Fear, or worry, or any one of our emotions should never control us. When fears seem to get the best of us, that’s bad. Man needs peace. And peace is available today. If your heart is troubled, and you need peace may I have

your attention for a few minutes? Let us first of all consider…

1. THE SEARCH FOR PEACE.
 The Bible says, “But the wicked are like the troubled sea when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. There is NO PEACE saith my God to the wicked.” (Isa 57:20-21).  The same Prophet said, “Thou wilt keep him in PERFECT PEACE whose mind is stayed on Thee because he trusteth in Thee.” (Isa 26:3) Between “NO PEACE” and “PERFECT PEACE” there is a wide gulf that only a Holy God could cross. God came down in the Person of Christ and bridged that great gulf. “For He, (Christ) is our PEACE and hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us.” Between Jew and Gentile, and between God and man, (Eph. 2:14). “And came and preached PEACE to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.”
Man without Christ is like the “Troubled Sea when it cannot rest.”  The troubled sea can toss about large vessels as though they were just toys. The troubled sea gives us a vivid picture of the unsaved man, or woman. The Lord Jesus stood on the deck of a vessel and said to the storm “PEACE, BE STILL.” And there was a great calm, (Mark 4:35-41)

I am so very grateful that He said to my storm tossed life, “PEACE, BE STILL.” And my search for peace was over.
But let us take a look at man and see the various ways and places he looks for peace.

(A) POSSESSIONS. Somehow, many have convinced themselves that peace comes with possessions. Now there is nothing wrong with possessions. They just can’t give that inner peace. King Solomon is the writer of the Book of Ecclesiastes. He lists some of his possessions in Ch. 2. He lists houses, vineyards, gardens, orchards, pools, servants, maidens, “And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them,” v10. When Solomon had accumulated all these possessions, he said, “All was vanity and vexation of spirit,” v11. Solomon found that there was no real, lasting peace in all of his possessions.

(B) PROSPERITY. Again, there is nothing wrong with prosperity. It cannot give that inner peace. Solomon said in Ecclesiastes 2:8, “I gathered me also SILVER and GOLD and the peculiar treasure of kings..” In fact, Solomon was one of the wealthiest men who ever lived. Solomon also said of riches, “Vanity and vexation of spirit.” All of the treasure he owned could not buy the peace that his inner spirit longed for. In recent years several of the world’s richest men have died. What a miserable lot they seemed to be. Some people have won the lottery only to find that riches were more of a curse than a blessing. No, there is no inner peace in prosperity. Man’s search here is in vain.

(C) POPULARITY. There is nothing wrong with popularity, it just does not give what people really need, down deep inside.

I love the old Hymn,
 “Oh the Peace that Jesus gives,
   Never dies, it always lives.”

Many today have achieved popularity. We know them at a glance. Some are so popular they are recognized simply by using their initials; MM, OJ, EP, etc. Their popularity did not bring them inner peace.

(D) PHILOSOPHY. Some choose to adopt a religious saying, or slogan written by one of the ancient philosophers, you know, like the sayings of Plato, or Socrates, or Aristotle. Slogans are fine until the need for real help arises, then wise sayings seem so empty, and offer no help. Oh yes, these “sayings” seem so good when everything is going good, but you need something more than Philosophy in the storms of life. There is no peace in Philosophy…and so the search for peace continues..

(E) PHILANTROPHY. You know, giving, benevolence, The Red Cross, various charitable organizations, the Church, or other needy groups. Certainly we are to give of our finances. We should be happy to share with those who have need. But some give large sums of money thinking that this will bring them real peace. Doing so may bring some happiness, but happiness is not real inner peace. Happiness is fleeting, real peace is lasting. Dear reader, apart from Christ, there is no real lasting peace.

2. THE SETTING OF PEACE. The problem with man is not “PEACE OF MIND” but it is “PEACE WITH GOD.”
There is no peace until the Prince of peace lives in the heart of man.
Consider…

(A) MAN IS A SINNER. Romans 1-3 makes the case, and the verdict is clear; “For all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God.” (Ro. 3:23). The Bible is very clear. Man is a sinner.  “The way of PEACE they have not known.” (Ro. 3:17).

(B) CHRIST IS THE SAVIOUR. He is THE Saviour. He is not one of many. He is “The Way, the Truth and the Life.”
Again, the Bible says, “For He, (Christ) is our PEACE” (Eph 2:14).

(C) FAITH IS THE SUBSTANCE. “Therefore being Justified by FAITH we have PEACE with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Ro. 5:1). The enmity between God and man is forever settled in Christ.  The ONLY way that one can have peace with God is by FAITH in Christ.

The SETTING of PEACE is simple. Christ took all of the burden of sin
 in Himself. The SINNER, who will acknowledge his condition before God, that he indeed is a sinner, and who will, by FAITH alone look to the Finished work of the Cross of Jesus Christ, and with a repentant heart call upon the name of Christ, Immediately, the issue of PEACE is settled. “And having made PEACE through the Blood of his Cross, by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself.” (Col 1:19). I trust that this is a reality in your own life. And if not, TODAY, Call upon the Lord while He is dealing with your heart. “But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His Name.” (Jn. 1:12). The Holy Spirit is there, where you are. God will hear your cry of FAITH.

3. THE SETTLING OF PEACE.  As I have stated, PEACE with God is a settled thing, (Ro. 5:1) You can never be separated from the finished Work of Redemption. The deep inner peace is to be maintained. We must adopt the Biblical lifestyle in order to have that daily peace. REMEMBER, the issue of peace with God is settled; however, Things come into our lives that hinder peace, that rob us of our joy. Constant Peace for the Christian involves;

(A) GREAT PEACE HAVE THEY WHO LOVE THY LAW. The source of all peace is God. God speaks through His Word. Begin your day by looking into His Word. “My son, forget not my Law, but let thine heart keep my commandments. For length of days, and long life, and PEACE, shall they add to thee.” (Pr. 3:1-2) The Word is like Good News from afar. Like medicine for the soul.

(B) GREAT PEACE HAVE THEY WHO PRAY. “Be careful for nothing, but in everything by PRAYER and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the PEACE of God shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
(Phil 4:6-7) Peace WITH God comes by the way of the Cross. The Peace OF God comes through Prayer. Our daily communication with God through prayer is an avenue of peace we must maintain. “Evening and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud, and He shall hear my voice. He hath delivered my soul in PEACE from the battle that was against me, for there were many with me.” (Psa. 55:17-18). Have a meaningful prayer life.

(C)  GREAT PEACE HAVE THEY WHO ARE LED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT. “For to be carnally minded is death, but to be Spiritually minded is life and PEACE.” (Ro. 8:6) “For the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink but Righteousness, and PEACE and Joy in the Holy Ghost.” (Ro.14:17) Your best Friend is the indwelling Holy Spirit. He is there to guide you through life. He will guide you through the Word, and He will constantly be that PEACEFUL inner voice. Bid Him good morning and seek His guidance early.

(D) GREAT PEACE HAVE THEY WHOSE MIND IS STAYED ON THEE. “Thou will keep him in PERFECT PEACE whose MIND is stayed on Thee.”(Isa. 26:3) This is the renewed mind that Paul wrote about in Romans 12:1-2. Daily our minds are bombarded with the philosophies and ideologies of this world system. The world system is anti-God, anti-Christ, anti-Bible. There must be a daily renewing of our mind. Satan’s target in the beginning was the MIND. God’s target is the MIND. Let each one of us keep our Minds on Christ and His Cross. The Psalmist said, “I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto Thy Testimonies.” (Psa 119:59). The great problem today among Christians is that we do not take time to THINK.

(E) GREAT PEACE HAVE THEY WHO LOVE OUR LORD JESUS. He is the Prince of PEACE. He loved us with an “everlasting Love.” We have found our PEACE in Christ. “Having made Peace through the Blood of His Cross.”  Jesus said to His disciples, “PEACE I leave with you, My PEACE I give unto you; not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (Jn 14:27). The more you learn of Christ, the more you love Him. The more you love Him, the greater will be that inner Peace. I have tried to serve Him for almost 50 years. I have never regretted a moment. As the old song says, “The longer I serve Him, the sweeter He grows.”  
I must close this message. I have enjoyed preparing it. There is so much more. Paul said in Phil. 4:6-9 that the peace of God will guard our HEARTS and MINDS.
The HEART is the center of our emotional being.
The MIND is the center of our mental being.
The Peace of God will not allow you to have a Mental breakdown, or an Emotional breakdown. The Peace of God will constantly be on guard. Praise God for His Great Love for His own.
Peace is to be maintained. These brief points I trust will help each of us.

This, our home Church; Yukon Baptist Church here in Jacksonville, Florida is located just west of the Jacksonville Naval Air Station. All day long Navy Jets are taking off and landing. They fly very low over the roof of this Church. These aircraft fly daily patrolling our coast. They are watching for enemy aircraft, or ships, or storms.   These planes are not looking for war, they are just maintaining peace. Peter warned us to “Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour.” (1Pet. 5:8). Remember this:
Peace WITH God will never change. The Peace OF God must be maintained. These things will help us in that.

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           GREAT PEACE
       By Pastor George mills

“Great Peace have they who love Thy Law.” (Psa 119:165).

Great Peace have they who love Thy Law,
   And nothing shall offend.
For those who use the Spirit’s Sword,
   Great Peace without an end.

In perfect Peace our God will keep,
   The mind that’s stayed on Thee.
In Peace I lay me down to sleep,
   Peace reigns constantly.

Great Peace through Holy Spirit power,
   Indwelling every heart.
Peace to guard thee every hour,
   Great Peace, God does impart.

Great Peace with God through Calvary’s Cross,
 As His Blood poured on the sod.
Great Peace because He bore our loss,
   Great Peace with man and God.

Great Peace have they who love Thy Word,
   And nothing shall offend.
Great Peace flows from our Blessed lord,
   Until the very end..

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WELCOME NEW READERS

Every Month new names are added to our list of readers. We welcome you to our ever growing list of readers. Please note the purpose for this Publication on the back page. This is a work of faith and has been since our first edition back in June, 1976. We make no solicitation for funds. Free-will gifts are always needed and appreciated. Gifts help to send this Ministry across the nation and in foreign lands by way of the Internet. We ask that friends of this Ministry everywhere keep us in their prayers.

WANDERING THROUGH THE WILDERNESS.. Answers, and comments.

1. KNOW YOUR BIBLE! The most important issue of our time is the issue of the Bible. Don’t be fooled into thinking that the flood of new “bibles” are simply up-dated versions of our King James Text. THEY ARE NOT.  There are two texts from which we get our Bibles.

 (A) The Received Text, from which we get our King James Bible. There are some 5,600 existing manuscripts.

(B) The Critical Text, from which the flood of new versions come. There is basically only two manuscripts in this text.  From this “Critical Text” vast changes in the scriptures have been made with many additions and deletions.
Some ask, “What’s the difference?” “Does it really matter?” Of course it does. Satan’s attack has always been against the authority of God and his Word. In the very beginning, Satan only changed ONE WORD. He added one three letter word; “Ye shall NOT surely die.” (Gen 3:4)  He only added “NOT.” The world is in the shape it is because of one three letter word added to God’s word. 

The Bible (KJB) says, “For the Son of Man is come to save that which was lost.” Mt. 18:11.
If you look for that same verse in one of these new “versions” you will not find it, or it will be bracketed to a foot-note.

This verse in Matthew’s Gospel tells us why Christ came. Why leave out such a verse? There are hundreds of other examples.

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THE BLESSING OF ABRAHAM.
I have covered this subject in past issues of the WILDERNESS. Let me re-say what I have said on this subject.

“That the Blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” (Gal 3:14)
Some, (especially TV preachers)  are teaching that this verse in Galatians that since we are saved, we are children of Abraham and heirs of his promise, that is, heirs of the covenant that God made with Abraham in Genesis 12, 15, and repeated to Isaac, and to Jacob. This is not true.
God made a covenant with Abraham and his descendants. God said that He would bless Abraham, and he did, that Abraham would be a blessing, and he is, and that in his seed (Christ) all the families of the earth would be blessed, and we are. God fulfilled His promise to Abraham, and will continue to fulfill, and will ultimately fulfill during the millennial reign of Christ. The seed of Abraham, (Israel) failed in their part of the covenant, time and time again. Now, as a nation, God has set them aside, Romans 9-11. For the last 2000 years, God has been calling from all nations a people of faith called the Church. After the Church is completed and taken out of this world in the rapture, God will continue to work his plan with the seed of Abraham, and will fulfill every word of His covenant. The Abrahamic covenant God made has nothing to do with the Church. They are not the same. What then, did He mean when He said that “the blessing of Abraham might  come on the gentiles through Jesus Christ” The subject, or theme of the Book of Galatians is; JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH ALONE. The blessing of Abraham is that Abraham was saved by Faith alone, See Romans 4:1-8. And so is everyone, Jew and Gentile saved the same way, by Faith alone. To place the church under the Abrahamic covenant is “another gospel.” The blessings God promised the Church by far exceed the promises God made to Abraham and his seed. See the “much more’s” of Romans, ch.5. Let’s not put the Church under Law, or under the Abrahamic covenant, or the Palestine covenant. The Church, the Born Again Blood Washed Church is the Heavenly Bride of Christ and citizens of the Heavenly city, Phil 3:20-21. Now there is no doubt that God will supply all our NEED according to His riches in Glory, (Phil. 4:19). Should God choose to bless you with money or riches as He did Abraham, so be it. But let us not wrest the Scriptures to make them say what they do not say. The Church is the Spiritual seed of Abraham and NOT the natural seed.

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MANNA…

My sincere THANK YOU to each of you who take time to write. Every letter, every gift is received with much gratitude. Some of you help distribute this Publication in various ways. Again, thanks very much.
If this Publication has touched your life or has caused you to examine your life before Christ, of if we have had some influence in your Spiritual life, in your growth, in your witness for Christ, then we are glad. That’s what we are here for.

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KJB: “The God of our Fathers hath Glorified His Son Jesus.” (Acts 3:13)

NIV: “The God of our Fathers has glorified His servant Jesus.”

Why change “Son” to “servant?”
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 “DO YOU BELIEVE IN A DELIVERANCE MINISTRY?”

Yes, I most certainly do…(2Cor 1:10)

1. We WERE delivered from death by the Sacrifice of Christ.

2. We ARE delivered daily by the Life of Christ.

3. We WILL be delivered from the tribulation period by the Coming of Christ.

NOW, THAT’S DELIVERANCE!
<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>> 

And again… “Do you have a prayer language?”

Yes, I most certainly do. I pray in the language my Mother taught me to speak, and God answers me in that same language, which is ENGLISH. God has no problem with the English language.

<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>> 
“Do you know who the Anti-Christ is? Do you have an idea?”
“I do not know, nor does anyone else know. He will be made known AFTER the Church has been raptured, or caught up, or caught away, (2Thess 2:6-8). If someone says that he knows who the Anti-Christ is, he is only showing his ignorance.

<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>> 

“Is Israel back in the land to stay at this time?”

“This is something we can only guess about. God said of Israel; “I will scatter them among the nations.” He also said, “Fear not for I am with thee. I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west. I will say to the north, give up, and to the south, keep not back, bring my sons from far and my daughters from the ends of the earth. (Isa 43) The gathering of Israel in her homeland is encouraging, but this, to me, does not appear to be what God promised. This is only a shadow. What is happening in Israel today is man’s doing. Today, men get together to vote on what is best for Israel. Israel is back in the land because of a vote of men. I have seen a copy of President Harry Truman’s declaring Israel as a nation. I am for Israel. I am for helping them all we can. I am for their defense.  But, in the meantime, God said “I WILL BRING YOU BACK TO THE LAND.” What man does falls short of what God will do when He calls ALL of Israel home. I think perhaps the preaching of THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM after the Church is gone is what will bring ALL of Israel home. (Mt. 24:14).

<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>> 

THINK ABOUT IT…The Bible (KJB) is not the BEST BOOK on Salvation, it is the ONLY BOOK on Salvation.

The Christian life is not the BEST life, it is the ONLY life.

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WHAT MUST I GIVE UP IN ORDER TO BE SAVED?

Being saved is GETTING, Salvation is RECEIVING. I know that many have the idea that in order to be saved, we must first do something and then Christ will save us. We must stop this or that, or start doing this or that, etc.  The problem then is, Salvation becomes part of our works. This could never be. I have no way of knowing if I stopped enough, or started enough.
Salvation is receiving Eternal Life by Faith alone, and NOT by our doing something.
WHAT MUST I GIVE UP IN ORDER TO BE SAVED?
You must give up any hope or trust in any other than Christ. That includes your works, your religion, your thoughts on Salvation, or anything other than Christ.  You receive Him, By Faith alone as your Saviour. He paid the full price for your sin by His death on the Cross and his resurrection from the dead. We must GIVE UP any hope for Salvation other than Faith in Christ alone. “But as many as received Him to them gave He power to become the sons of god, even to them that believe on his Name. Call upon him Just Now.
Begin TODAY to live FOREVER!

Vol. 32, No. 10  October, 2008

ATTENTION, FLORIDA VOTERS.

Amendment 2, the MARRIAGE PROTECTION AMENDMENT will be on the November 4 voting ballot. I urge all of our Florida Pastors, readers, and friends of this Ministry to rally behind this Amendment. Let everyone be aware of the importance of this amendment.  Notify and encourage as many as you can to vote for (YES) on this amendment. The courts of the land have done this nation no favors in upholding “same sex marriages.” This amendment must pass by at least a 60% majority vote. Every vote is important. The passage of this amendment will send a strong statement to this nation.  As we, here at the WILDERNESS have stood in the past, so stand we today. We are for the RIGHT TO LIFE, and for the SANCTITY and DIGNITY of MARRIAGE and the HOME as ordained by God. VOTE YES, ON AMENDMENT 2, on November 4.

At this time, I see no other choice than to support John McCain and Sarah Palin as our next President, and Vice President.  Thanks,     Pastor Mills

      LET US REASON TOGETHER
              By Dr. George Mills

“Come now and let us reason together saith The LORD. Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow, though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land. But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword, for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.” (Isa. 1:18-20).

Wise men have stated, “If we do not learn from the past, we are destined to repeat it.” And, “I know of no way of judging the future but by the past.” (Patrick Henry).
Please take a few minutes and carefully read the entire first chapter of the Book of Isaiah. The indictments against the Land of Judah very well describe the condition of our nation today.  Today, let me share with you some things that so amazingly parallel our time in history.

1. THE CONDITION OF A GREAT     
    LAND
2. THE CALL OF A GREAT LOVE
3. THE CERTAINTY OF A GREAT     
     LOSS

1. THE CONDITION OF A GREAT
    LAND.
The message of Isaiah is primarily to the southern kingdom of Judah.  The condition of this once GREAT LAND had deteriorated.   The northern kingdom of Israel had suffered greatly. The Assyrians had invaded the land.  We see that in v7-8, “Your country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire, your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate as overthrown by strangers. And the daughter of Zion is left as a cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers.” Isaiah is saying that what has happened in the northern kingdom will happen in the southern kingdom if the nation does not heed the warnings of God as spoken by the Prophet(s). He reminds the people that God is always ready to REASON WITH THE NATION.

FIRST, He brings the witnesses to testify against the nation.

“Hear O Heavens.” (v2) Probably refers to the Angelic hosts that have witnessed God’s working with the nation.

“And give ear O earth.” Seems to refer to the various acts of God that witness to His judgment upon those who forget God. The condition of the northern kingdom would be a witness to these truths. “Your cities are burned with fire.”

A.  THE MORAL CONDITION. A nation cannot rise higher than its morals. The indictments against Judah are many…

“The Ox knows his owner and the Ass, his master’s crib,” (v3). “Crib” meaning the corn crib, or feeding trough. The nation had sunk below the level of animals. The animals were smarter than the human population, they recognized their owner. They should have known that everything they had came from God. He had showered the nation with His blessings.

“Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evil doers,” Sinful nation, meaning “missing the mark, or falling short.” They most certainly fell short of the plan of God for the nation.  (v4). Laden with iniquity  pictures the pulling of a cart with a heavy load. Sin is a heavy load, a heavy burden to bear. We recall the cry of the Saviour as He said, “Come unto Me all ye that labor and are heavy LADEN and I will give you rest.”

“Children that are corrupters,” (v4). Meaning “to cause to putrefy that which was wholesome and pure.” “Tainted,” “Putrid.” I am reminded of the purity of the Word of God, and how it had been abused, and misused in that day.  Paul wanted the Corinthians to understand that He was not “As many, which CORRUPT the Word of God.” (2Cor 2:17). My, how His Word has been CORRUPTED today. It has become lost to a new generation.

“They have forsaken the LORD.” (v4)
They have joined forces with the enemy. “They are gone away backward.”

The condition of the land in that day so long ago reflects the condition of our own homeland today.
Here are some facts from my files that are dated several years ago…

“We can’t have morale without morality. Rome lost her soul in a saturnalia of ‘wine, women and song,’ America is doing the same. In America, over 15,000,000 sex magazines are sold each month. There are 100,000 lured into prostitution each year. Heroin addiction and other drug abuse cost the nation from 10 to 20 Billion annually and are linked to over 15,000 deaths each year. One hundred students and staff are murdered each year in U.S. Public Schools. 70,000 teachers are injured from attacks by students. Chicago spends over $3 million annually to repair damage by vandals. Washington D.C. spends over $625,000 to replace broken windows. Nationwide, school boards spend as much money on repairs as on text books. A survey of New York City High School Juniors and seniors indicates that 75% of the students drink alcohol. Ten percent are potential, or confirmed alcoholics. Another survey reported that one quarter of U.S. High school students get drunk at least once a month. One driver out of every four coming at you between 10 PM and 3 AM has been drinking. One in eight has been drinking enough to impair driving ability.
At the time of this survey, only 40% church members attended church in a typical week.” The latest poll indicates that only 17% attend church. When will we learn the lesson that “Whatsoever a man (or nation) soweth, that shall he also reap.”
History teaches many things, even the future.
As I stated, these facts are a few years old. No doubt, many of these numbers have drastically grown.

In v9, the Prophet compared the land to Sodom and Gomorrah.  Had they really sank that low? Oh yes, They had become “A seed of evil doers.” Unchecked, unconfessed sin becomes an accepted lifestyle. May our homeland take warning from the “Mouth of the LORD.” (v20).

B. THE SPIRITUAL CONDITION. “They have forsaken the LORD. They have gone away backward.” (v4)  Israel and Judah had turned from the Living God to trusting in idols. Religion? Oh yes, they had religion, but no heart. God said, “To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? Saith the LORD. I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts, and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, and of lambs, or of he goats. When you come to appear before Me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts? Bring me no more vain oblations, incense is an abomination unto me, the new moons and Sabbaths and the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with, it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. Your new moons and appointed feasts, my soul hateth, they are a trouble unto me, I am weary to bear them. And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you, yea, when ye make your prayers I will not hear you, your hands are full of blood.” (v11-15). Religion without heart is just that; RELIGION.
When they opened their hands to God, their hands were full of innocent blood.
History has a strange way of repeating itself. Today, there is much “RELIGION” but I am afraid that we, believers, all stand before God with bloody hands, when we fail to warn the wicked, of their wicked ways. (Eze 33:8).

C. THE POLITICAL CONDITION. No longer the powerful nation. V5-8 Picture the northern kingdom of Israel as the victim of a brutal invasion. Their wounds had not been closed, or cleansed, or mollified with ointment.  Internally, and externally, the nation was in great distress. The Whole Head is sick. (externally) The Whole Heart is faint. They had no heart. The heart of the people had just melted away.

2. THE CALL OF A GREAT LOVE.
    God had shed His Great Love upon this nation. Time and time again, He restored them, and still they would backslide. The people had promised their love and devotion to God, but in their ingratitude, they turned to idols.
Hear the cry of the prophet in v10, “Give ear unto the LAW of our God.”
“Come now, and let us reason together saith the LORD. Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. Though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” (v18).

The colors Scarlet and Crimson speak of two differing kinds of sin.

Scarlet is symbolic of riches, (Rev 17:3-4, ch.18:12, 16) There is nothing wrong with riches. But many times riches are made by fraud, and cheating. I am quite sure that in the land in that day, the rich got richer, and the poor got poorer.

Crimson is the color of blood. And of course, the land was filled with blood.
All of this sounds so much like today’s headlines.
Crimson and Scarlet are colorfast. They cannot be re-dyed. But the Grace of God was able to cleanse them and restore them to whiteness, no matter how bad their sin might have been.
And you, my dear reader, it matters not what your life might have been. There is hope. The same Merciful God invites you to just Reason with Him. He is able, and He will forgive and make you whole, if you will just trust Him.
3. THE CERTAINTY OF A GREAT
    LOSS.
“If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land. BUT if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the Sword. For the Mouth of the LORD hath spoken it,” (v19-20).
(A) God would favor them in material blessings, and prosperity.
(B) God would favor them in deliverance from invading forces.
 But they did refuse, and they did rebel.

This GREAT LOSS was fulfilled in two installments…

1. By the Assyrian invasion in 701 BC.
      2Kings 18.

2. By the Chaldean invasion in 586 BC.
      2Kings 24.
They were devoured by the sword. Just like God said.

God could not just stand by and do nothing. “THE MOUTH OF THE LORD HATH SPOKEN.” He cannot falter on His Word. What He has said will surely come to pass.

Our Great Nation needs help. We need to “Call upon Him while He is near.” There MUST be a Spiritual awakening in this land. Let’s begin with “ME” Search MY heart, forgive MY sin, have Mercy upon ME. If that simple prayer would just catch on to the next, and the next, I believe that the ear of God is always listening for the cry of the repentant heart. And, today, if you are not saved, God is there, where you are. Tell Him that you receive the Gift of His Love, the dear Lord Jesus Christ. “But as many as received Him to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His Name. Call upon Him today. Begin TODAY to LIVE forever!
           <<<<<<>>>>>>

“BRETHREN, PRAY FOR US.”

It is indeed a blessing to share this Ministry God has given us with so many out there. We love, and appreciate this great opportunity. We need the prayers of friends out there. Some of you we will never meet until the Dawning of that Great day. So, meanwhile, PRAY FOR US…
1. YUKON BAPTIST CHURCH. This is a loving, caring, giving Church. We love to share the Word with everyone we can.
2. WILDERNESS MINISTRIES, Which include…
(A) WILDERNESS Monthly Publication. This Publication was born in 1976. My, how God has blessed. This Publication has been offered free since the first edition.
(B) WILDERNESS Bible Tracts. We have never kept up with the number of Tracts we have printed. Folks at home and in foreign lands have used WILDERNESS Tracts to help spread the Gospel. We have offered our Tracts free to all who would prayerfully use them.
(C) WILDERNESS Booklets, helps, to get the new believer get started right.
(D) WILDERNESS Internet Ministry. We began posting the WILDERNESS on the Internet in 2001. Due to some “glitch” we lost several years of posting, however, if you visit our website home page and click on “PUBLICATION ARCHIVES” you will find several years of messages on various subjects.
(E) WILDERNESS Broadcast Ministry. Pray for this outreach. The Church In The Wildwood Broadcast began in 1966,
which has been Mostly Missionary radio.

(F) WILDERNESS Prison Ministry. It is a privilege to send our monthly Publication, in bulk to many Prisons, jails, and other institutions. We try to assist inmates with Gospel helps, etc.
(G) WILDERNESS Bibles for Africa. Due to the gifts of faithful friends of this Ministry, weekly, we are able to send Bibles and Gospel literature to Western Africa.

“BRETHREN, PRAY FOR US” Pray God’s blessings upon these, and for new doors of opportunity to open for us.
           <<<<<<>>>>>>

    IS ABORTION MURDER?
A Mother stepped into the Doctor’s office carrying a bright and beautiful baby, a year old. Seating herself near her family Physician, she said, “Doctor, I want you to help me out of trouble. My baby is only one year old, and I have conceived again and I do not want to have children so close together.” “What do you want me to do?” asked the Physician. “Oh, anything to get rid of it for me,” she replied.
After thinking seriously for a moment the Doctor said, I think I can suggest a better method of helping you out. If you object to having two children so near together, the best way would be to kill the one on your lap and let the other one come on. It is easy to get at the one on your lap, and it makes no difference to me which one I kill for you. Besides, it might be dangerous for you if I undertook to kill the younger one.”
As the Doctor finished speaking, he reached for a knife, and continued by asking the Mother to lay the baby out on her lap and turn her head the other way. The woman almost fainted away as she jumped from her chair and uttered one word; “MURDERER!”
A few words of explanation from the Doctor soon convinced the Mother that his offer to commit murder was no worse than her request for the destruction of the unborn child. In either case it would be murder. The only difference would be in the age of the victim.
…the WILDERNESS, February, 1977.

WANDERING THROUGH THE WILDERNESS….Answers to questions

Question: “In Exodus 20:13, the bible
     Says, “Thou shalt not kill.”
In Ecclesiastes 3:3 the Bible says there
    is “A time to kill.”
There seems to be a conflict. Can you explain…?

Answer. Exodus 20:13 deals with premeditated murder. “Thou shalt not kill.” The same Law of God made provision for accidental killing, for self defense, etc.  Cities of refuge were in convenient locations for one to find help from an avenger. Numbers 35:6.

A TIME TO KILL would include, for instance, killing the invading enemy in a time of war, or in self defense.

A TIME TO HEAL. When the battle is over, the time for the healing of the wounds of war.

Chapter 3 of the Book of Ecclesiastes is very interesting. It is very simple and does not need very much interpretation.
Just to mention a few things…

1. God has set BALANCES in our lives, and in earthly cycles.

A time to be born.
A time to die.  No comment necessary.

A time to plant.  No planting, no harvest.
A time to pluck up. Time to reap the harvest, or there will be no food for winter.
A time to break down.
A time to build up. Commonplace mending and repairs.

A time to weep. Some things cause us to shed tears.
A time to laugh. The time for laughing is not while one is weeping. That would only add to their hurt.

A time to cast away stones. Perhaps to remove stones from a field for plowing.
A time to gather stones. Perhaps to build a stone foundation, or wall.

A time to rend. To tear a garment as a sign of bereavement.
A time to sew. To mend the garment when the grief has ended.

A time of silence. At a time of deep emotions, or anger, silence is needed.
A time to speak. When the emotions are in check.

This chapter is just filled with common sense.

2. “He hath made everything beautiful in his time; also He hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.” (v11).  Everything at the right season and time is beautiful.  No one can explain all the ways God works. We know only in part.

3. “And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.”(v13).  Man is to accept and enjoy the things of life that he has.

4. Solomon sums the teaching of his book in Ch 12:13-14, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter. Fear God, and keep His Commandments, for this is the whole DUTY of man. For God will bring every work into judgment with every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evil.”

         <<<<<<>>>>>>

GOD HAS AN IMAGE IN MIND
      By Pastor George Mills
“…to be conformed to the image of His Son.” (Ro. 8:29).

I love art. I love to paint, that is, to paint landscapes, trees, mountains, etc. I am not very good at it, but occasionally, when I can find time, I will paint something. Recently, I painted a scene, and perhaps it was the worst painting that I have ever seen. It was NOTHING! It is colorless, or at best, it was all green. It had no balance to it, and nothing about it catches the eye. I plan to put it in the trash can.
Now, the reason why my painting turned out so bad is simply because I did not have an image, or a pattern to go by. I just started painting. “Now, let me see, a tree here, a bush there, but no, a rock would be better there, no, another tree, and no, that doesn’t look right, then another bush, and no, that’s not right, and so on. It turned out awful, and the reason is simple; I DID NOT HAVE AN IMAGE OR PATTERN TO GO BY.
And so it is with so many lives today. There is no image or pattern and things are just turning out awful. That’s the way my life was before I met Christ. God began a wonderful work in me. But as the little song says; “He’s Still Working On Me.” Sometimes I do not understand the way, or the why He does. Sometimes it seems to me like He should do this, or that, or do it in another way. Perhaps a little color here, or some brightness here, or less shadows, but He knows. He’s the Artist. He has an image in mind. So He works, He moves, He rearranges things, that we, as Christians may be “Conformed to the image of His Son.”

AND THE WORLD IS A WILDERNESS…It is no friend to the Christian. The world, the flesh, rob us of joy and peace. God moves in wondrous ways to show us our REAL FRIEND, and to make us more like Him.
            <<<<<<>>>>>>

THINK ABOUT IT…Since God knows what He is doing in my life, (your life), It seems to make more sense for me to YIELD my life completely to Him. I wonder how much my stubborn will has cost me in knocks, bumps, and bruises. Oh well, we grow old so soon, and smart so late!

             <<<<<<>>>>>>

SOME THINGS GOD WANTS YOU TO KNOW…
        By Pastor George Mills

God wants you to know,
   That your sins are forgiven.
God wants you to know,
   You’ll be with Him in Heaven.

God wants you to know,
   From His Blessed Old Book,
To Calvary you’ve been,
   By a simple look.

God wants you to know,
   That in Heaven, so Fair,
In the Lamb’s Book of Life,
   Your name’s written there.

God wants you to know,
   That while ages shall roll,
In His Great Arms of Love,
    He will keep every soul.
May I ask you, what will you do with our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ? He who took your sin in Himself, paid your debt of sin, and can justify you and make you as though you had never sinned in the first place, and can give you a new start in life.  What will you do with Him?

FIRST, Receive Him today. He is there, wherever you are, in the Person of the Holy Spirit. He will hear the cry of your repentant heart. “But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His Name.”

SECOND, Determine in your heart to live for Him. I made that decision many years ago. I have never regretted a moment living for Jesus Christ. I sure have regretted those years when I did not know Him. Give Him your time, your talents.

SHARE HIM with the world about you. Most do not know Him. Oh yes, they may know ABOUT HIM, but do not know Him personally.

Begin TODAY, to Live FOREVER!
 
 

Vol. 32, No. 9 September, 2008

CHRIST, THE SAVIOUR OF SINNERS. (Romans 1-5)

By Dr. George Mills

1. Man is a SINNER.
2. Christ is The SAVIOUR.
3. Faith is the SUBSTANCE.

As I have stated before, I believe that the Greatest Book in the Bible is the Book of Romans. We have been going through this wonderful Book on Sunday mornings here at Yukon Baptist Church. I trust that we are learning much. Three great truths stand out in these verses:

1. Man is a SINNER.

We do not like to hear that, but the truth is, we do not have a skin problem in the world, we have a SIN problem. We are sinners in Character, in Conduct, and in Credibility.
The first three Chapters, (1:1-3:23) are like a court scene with the prosecuting Attorney presenting his case. In Ch. 1, the gentiles are guilty. “They are without excuse.” (1:20. We are reminded that the list of repulsive sins

 in Ro. 1:21-32 began with “They knew God.” And then the focus turns to
the Jews in Ch. 2. The verdict; “Therefore thou art inexcusable O man.” (Ro 2:1) The Jews and Gentiles are without excuse. Then in Ch. 3, he turns to the entire world and lists the indictments. There is a long list of sin recorded there. What is the verdict of
this trial? Can the Judge of all the earth find in His heart to be lenient with His creation? Not at all, “For ALL have sinned and come short of the Glory of God.” (Ro. 3:23)…

(A) MAN IS A SINNER IN HIS CHARACTER, Speaking of his INWARD ATTITUDES. This is not a new doctrine or something new that Paul has thought up. Time and time again Paul states, “IT IS WRITTEN,” Or “WHAT SAITH THE SCRIPTURES?” meaning, the Old Testament Scriptures.  In Ro. 3:10, “As it is written, there is none righteous, no not one.” He is quoting Psalm 14:1-3. Notice in that Psalm that man says “IN HIS HEART there is no God.” Man, without God, may not be a Professing Atheist, but IN HIS HEART he is a Practicing Atheist. Some men are practicing Atheists on Monday through Saturday, and on Sunday, well, that’s a different story. The HEART is deceitful

 above all things, and desperately wicked, who can know it?” (Jer. 17:9). “For out of the abundance of the HEART the mouth speaketh.” (Mt 12:34). “Their throat is an open sepulchre, and with their tongues they have used deceit, the poison of asps is under their lips. Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.” (3:13-14). That is a quotation from Psa. 10:7

(B) MAN IS A SINNER IN HIS CONDUCT. Speaking of his OUTWARD ACTIONS. “Their feet are swift to shed blood. Destruction and misery are in their ways. And the way of peace they have not known.” (Ro 3:15-17) That is a quotation from Isa 59:7-8. This is a description of man from the beginning.
Some ask, “What’s wrong with man? It seems like he gets worse every day.” You are right! And man will proceed on his downward walk away from God. “Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against His anointed saying; let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh, and the Lord shall have them in derision. Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath and sore displeasure.” (Psa 2:1-5). God is not wanted in our governments, our educational institutions, our Courts, in fact, He is not welcome in most homes across our land. Sad, but true. Man tries to replace God with Humanism, or one of the many other “gods of this world.”  And, as we have stated, man gets worse. Will he ever learn? I think not! There is a restless spirit within man that only the Prince of Peace can change.

3. MAN IS A SINNER IN HIS CREDIBILITY. Speaking of his UPWARD AFFECTION. Man has no fondness for God. “They did not like to retain God in their knowledge.” (Ro 1:28). Again, let us be reminded that the road that ended in the depths of depravity of Romans 1:21-32, began with, “They knew God.”  and “Neither were they thankful.” (Ro 1:21).
If we really want to know what’s wrong with man, it is recorded that “God gave them up.” (Ro 1:24) God gave them up, to uncleanness through the lusts of their own HEARTS,” (Ro 1:26) “God gave them over to a reprobate mind to do those things which are not convenient” (Ro 1:28), as listed in v29-32. Thank God that He is a Loving, Kind, Merciful, forgiving God. He has provided for us a full and free salvation.

2. CHRIST is the SAVIOUR.

He is not “A” Saviour as one of many, He is THE Saviour. Recently, I was listening to the reading of a “religious poll.” The fact that stayed with me is that 57% of Evangelicals believe that there are other ways to God, that is, other than Christ. Other groups mentioned in the poll were about on the same level with their belief.  More and more people are beginning to adopt the idea of “other ways to God.” Oprah Winfrey stated that “there are more ways to God than Christ alone.” I am a Fundamentalist. I do not recall where we ranked on that list. On the Catholic channel, a priest stated, “Mary is equal to Christ in redemption, but on a lower level.”(Whatever that means.)
CHRIST IS THE SAVIOUR. “There is none other name under Heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12). A forsaking of sound doctrine, and the acceptance of some Hollywood “stars” with their ideas, and some high profile sports figures, etc, and of course, liberal “preachers” without any regard as to their doctrinal position has helped in opening the flood gate of new doctrines. KNOW YOUR BIBLE! Some things sound good, but will not hold up under Biblical scrutiny. The Bible is very clear. There is ANOTHER SPIRIT, ANOTHER GOSPEL, ANOTHER JESUS. (2Cor. 11:4). There is not another who gave himself for the sin of the world. There is not another who came forth bodily from the tomb. There is not another sacrifice for sin. There is not another who pleased the Father in all things. Many “gospels” are being preached today, but ONLY the Gospel of Jesus Christ can save the poor sinner from the PENALTY and POWER of sin. “For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for IT is the power of God unto Salvation to everyone that believeth, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” (Ro. 1:16).

3. FAITH is the SUBSTANCE. “The basic ingredient of anything.”  “Now Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Heb. 11:1) I realize that in the WILDERNESS, I have referred to the Salvation experience of Abraham, (Gen. 15:6) many times.  Paul asked the question in Romans 4:1-2, “What work did Abraham do in order to earn his Salvation?” That work could not have been circumcision, for that would be about 17 years later. That work could not have been in keeping the Law, because the Law was still 430 years later. The answer, NO WORK saved Abraham. Abraham was saved BY FAITH WHEN he believed God, (Gen 15:6, Ro 4:3,8,22,  Gal. 3:6-8, James 2:23).  Paul knew that he would face Jews wherever he traveled. The Jews would boast that they were children of Abraham.  Paul also knew that the issue of salvation had to be settled once for all, for Jew and Gentile. In his statement, “Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness.” (Ro 4:3) Paul is telling us that everybody who is saved, are all saved the SAME WAY.  When Abraham believed God, he was saved. NOT when he believed IN God, or believed ABOUT God, but when he BELIEVED GOD! We are saved when we believe the message about the Cross, the burial, and the Bodily Resurrection of Christ.
Now, as I have stated, there are many doctrines, many ideas, new doctrines born every day, new “bibles” philosophies, humanism, baptisms, works, various “ways” to Heaven, etc. But “Salvation is of the Lord” And if Salvation is the Lord’s Salvation, then we must receive Salvation the Lord’s way, that is, BY FAITH.  The Lord’s way of Salvation in Abraham’s day, and any day in history, up to and including this day, is Salvation by Faith alone. God saves the lost sinner WHEN he/she believes God. FAITH is the SUBSTANCE. God hears the faintest cry of the weakest heart that believes Him. He honors that simple cry of Faith. Some say, “That’s too simple.”  May I say unto you that Jesus took in Himself all of the sin, all of the hurt, all of the labor, all of the trying, He took these in Himself, died on His Cross, walked forth from the grave and said unto man, Salvation is offered, as a free gift, receive it by Faith alone.  “But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on Him that raised up our Lord Jesus from the dead. Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised for our justification.” (Ro 4:25-26).

Now, let me, for a moment, re-say what I have said…

1. MAN IS A SINNER. It matters not
    what our race, creed, color, nationality, moral, or social standing, very poor, or very rich, educated, or illiterate, it matters not who we are, or where we came from, MAN IS A SINNER.

2. CHRIST IS THE SAVIOUR. He is
    NOT “A” Saviour, as one of many, He is THE SAVIOUR. We cannot invent our own, or substitute another. He said, “I am THE Way, THE Truth, and THE Life. No man cometh unto the Father but by me.” (Jn 14:6).

3. FAITH IS THE SUBSTANCE. We must believe what God has said, and receive His Gift of Salvation by Faith. The wonder of it all is, that the Faith God honors is, IMPUTED FAITH. When we hear and believe the Message of the Gospel, God gives us that Faith. “For by Grace are ye saved through FAITH and that not of yourselves, it (Faith) is the gift of God. Not of works lest any man should boast.” (Eph 2:8-9).

Are you saved today? If not, you can be. Just tell God in your own words that you receive Christ as your own personal Saviour. I cannot tell you words to say. God will hear the cry of your Repentant HEART. “But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His Name.” (Jn 1:12).
     Begin TODAY to live FOREVER!

BY GRACE, THROUGH FAITH       
               ALONE
  By Pastor George Mills

“For by Grace are ye saved through Faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the Gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Eph 2:8-9)

It is by Grace, through FAITH alone,
   To pay for sin?  God’s only Son.  Forever settled, the Work is done.
   It is by Grace, through Faith alone.

Not a merit wrought by me,
   The Blood of Christ, my only plea.
Not by a race that I have won,
   But by the Work of God’s own Son.

Not by a work of my own hand,
   But only by Salvation’s Plan.
Not by a sorrow that I may show,
   Only Faith can make me know;

My Sin forgiven, the stain is gone,
   The Work is finished, Christ alone!
For no one else could sin atone,
   It is by Grace, through FAITH alone.

            <<<<<<<>>>>>>>

THINK ABOUT IT… In His silence as the Sacrificial Lamb of God, Christ silenced every other mouth. “That every mouth may be stopped, and all the world become guilty before God.” Man can say nothing. Man has no reply, no argument that will stand.

<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>> 

Christ died for me, that I might Live through Him!

THE PURITY OF THE WORD OF GOD.
         By Pastor George Mills

The Ministry of the WILDERNESS Evangelistic Association has always been dedicated to the cause of Christ in reaching as much of the world as we can, and at the same time, maintaining our firm stand or position on separation from apostate religion or anything that is not of sound Biblical Doctrine. I am convinced that the Bible (KJB) stands, and will withstand every test as in the past, and will remain as the Monarch of books. I trust that we can help sound an alarm in opposing the flood of new “bibles” being offered today. As we have stated, “There is nothing wrong with your Bible.
Now, what should our attitude toward the Bible be? Just to list a few things…

1. LOVE IT. “O how I love Thy Law. It is my meditation all the day. Thou through Thy Commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies.” (Psa 119:97-98. Love your Bible. Just think of the sacrifices that were made to get the Bible to us. I think of William Tyndale who gave his life in getting the Bible to the next generation. He was burned alive praying, “Oh God, open the eyes of the King of England.”  By the way, his death was not over the modern CRITICAL TEXT from which this flood of “bibles” come from. That was still 300 years in the future.  Tyndale’s death was over the RECEIVED TEXT. The text passed up through the centuries, and on to us.
Love your Bible. Great men paid the supreme price to get it to us. I once heard about a young blind girl who loved her Bible. Her Bible was a Braille Bible. She read it with her finger tips. She began to notice that the nerves in her finger tips could no longer sense the raised dots in her Bible. One day she picked up her Bible, she thought, for the last time. She placed her Bible against her lips to kiss it goodbye. She noticed that her lips were very sensitive, and that indeed, she could read the raised dots with her lips. Now, as she reads her Bible, it is as though she is kissing Her Bible. What a beautiful picture of the believer loving and feasting on the Word of God. Love your Bible.

2. LEARN IT. “Thy Word have I hid in mine heart that I might not sin against Thee.” (Psa. 119:110). Don’t just read it, LEARN IT! Study it. There are many pleasant hours in store for the believer who will develop a systematic study of the Bible. “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” (Mt 4:4). Now, we cannot learn the Bible if we do not know what and where the Word is. Get this issue settled in your life. We have God’s Word in the King James Bible. God has confirmed that. We do not have to look for it, or refer to some “modern version” The Bible situation today reminds me of the days of young King Josiah. He sent Shapan the scribe to Hilkiah. The High Priest with instructions to clean out the Temple. This Great Temple that once glistened had become a warehouse for storage of junk the priests of Baal used. While they were cleaning out the Temple, they uncovered a copy of the Law of God under all that junk. And so it is today. The Bible (KJB) has become lost under all of this ‘religious junk” of today. (2Kings 22).  Take your Bible and develop a systematic Bible study. Don’t get into the habit of reading a verse here, and another verse over there. While that may be good, you will not be able to learn much in using that method. Begin a study in the Book of Romans. What a wonderful Book. Begin reading Chapter 1. Read a few verses, and then re-read until you have a good basic understanding of those verses. Work your way slowly, prayerfully through that wonderful Book. Learn it. I do not recommend that you get one of these new “study bibles.” They are produced by a man, and echoing that man’s opinion. Now, I am not selling bibles. We have nothing to sell. We have offered our literature, Tracts, etc, at no cost.  I have found that Dr. D.A. Waite. Of The Bible For Today, Collingswood, N.J.  has produced a fine Bible; THE DEFINED KING JAMES BIBLE. Dr. Waite offers no footnotes. He DEFINES uncommon words. Each Book of his Bible ends with a page to help the reader with verbs and tenses, thee’s and thou’s and words ending with “eth” (believeth) etc. Very helpful.
Learn your Bible. You will learn about yourself, about human nature, and about God and His plan for the ages. In the Bible, you have the Mind of God. Learn to know Christ better. The Bible says, “In whom (Christ) are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Col. 3:2)

3. LIVE IT. Plan and pattern your life by what God says in His Word. If you try to live like this group, or try to please that group, you will get nowhere but confused. The Bible says, “Be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.” (Ro 12:2). The more we learn of Christ, the less attractive the “dazzle” of this world becomes.. We are not to be “holier than thou,” but we are citizens of Heaven. Now, live like it. Let each of us ask, “Does my life please Christ?” If Christ is reigning on the inside, the outside will bear witness to that fact.

4. LOYALTY TO IT. “Earnestly contending for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” (Jude 3). Defend it, Contend for it, Preach it, proclaim it. Since I first got saved so many years ago I have not changed one iota about the Word of God, nor do I plan to change. These who follow the path of the CRITICAL TEXT from which these new “versions” come from, can’t seem to be able to find the Bible. They keep looking for it. “Maybe this verse in the N.I.V., or that verse in the N.A.S.V, or perhaps the AMP, or the Holman Bible, or the C.E.V. or the N.K.J.V.” The keep looking, but they can’t find it. There’s more coming. There are just too many to mention. Some pastors cannot come to their pulpit except they being several “versions with them. Don’t fall for this junk. BE LOYAL TO THE BIBLE. (KJB).

5. LOOSE IT. Meaning “to let loose” “to set free” “to release” Send it out. Send it to your family, to the neighbors, to everyone. Loose it. Send it to the world. That’s what we’re trying to do here at the WILDERNESS Ministries. Let us be reminded that the “Gospel of Christ is the power of God unto Salvation to everyone that believeth, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” (Ro. 1:16). There is nothing wrong with your Bible. A few years ago, someone sent me a photograph of my Great Grandfather. The Photo was taken, I believe just after the civil war. Perhaps around 1870.  In that photograph, my Grandfather was sitting in a chair, and on his left knee he proudly displayed a large Bible. “HOLY BIBLE” can be clearly seen. I understand that my Grandfather was a lay preacher. The one thing that I want to point out is this; If I had the Bible that was on my Grandfather’s knee to compare it with my Bible today, these Bibles would agree, word for word. The Bible does not change. “Forever O Lord, Thy Word is settled in Heaven.” (Too bad men can’t settle it down here.)

“Now preacher, don’t you think that you’re just trying to stir up trouble among believers?” Not so. I was minding my own business, loving and preaching the Bible, until some began to tell me that the Bible is faulty. My Bible is just fine. If there is fault with the Bible, then we have problems. Thank God, I have no problem!

<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>> 

           WHAT LACK I YET?

“And behold, one came and said unto Him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?  And He said, Why callest thou me good, there is none good but one, that is God. But if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. He said unto Him, which?
The young man said “All these things have I kept from my youth up, WHAT LACK I YET?” (Mt 19:16-26)
This young man went away from Christ sorrowful, for he had great possessions.  Let me share with you some things right, and some things wrong with this young man.

1. Keeping the commandments will not save anybody. The commandments reveal the knowledge of sin.

2. A good moral life will not save anybody. This young man confessed that he did not commit adultery, or lie, or steal. He honored his parents. This is good, but not good enough.

3. Some knowledge of the Scriptures will not save anybody. This young man was evidently very familiar with the Scriptures. The Scriptures lead us to Christ.

Christ’s answer to this young man revealed his problem…He had great possessions.

1. There is nothing wrong with possessions, they must not possess us. His possessions were his god.

2. This young man had the idea that Eternal Life depended on something he did, or was able to do.

3. This young man addressed Christ a “good master” He saw Christ as just another teacher. We must see Him as Lord. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.”

He went away sorrowful. No one walks away from Christ happy. The worst thing he could have done was to walk away. We are never better when we walk away. Our heart just becomes harder. Each time Christ is rejected, that heart becomes harder. “Today, if you will hear His voice, harden not your heart.”

WHAT LACK I YET? The one thing he was missing, he walked away from. THAT ONE THING IS CHRIST.

Vol. 32, No. 8 August, 2008

THE UNSEARCHABLE RICHES OF CHRIST.

        By Dr. George Mills

“Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this Grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the UNSEARCHABLE RICHES OF CHRIST.” (Eph. 3:8).
Unsearchable means; “Not capable of being searched or explored.” His riches are past our understanding or finding out. I understand that Bill Gates is the richest man in America. His reported wealth ranges from 40 to 60 Billion dollars. We cannot comprehend just one billion let alone scores of billions. It takes computers working around the clock, calculating and keeping up with all of that money, interest earned, and spending. However, accountants can provide his EXACT wealth. There is no computer, or system of computers that can calculate the Riches of Christ. According to Psalm 45:8, Christ came from Ivory Palaces. In Rev. 21:10-22:7, the City of God that we know as Heaven is a place on unsearchable wealth. The combined wealth of the richest men on earth cannot buy a glimpse into that fair

City we call Heaven. I am afraid that if we are not careful we will confuse wealth and riches. They are not the same thing. “There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing; there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches.” (Pr. 13:7) One man has spent his life in making money and has made a fortune; but his money did not buy him contentment. Another man spent his life in giving to others, and at the end has no finances, but in his heart, great contentment. The emphasis today is on money. Evangelists are making fortunes off of promises with no foundational truth. Some have learned how to tap into the generosity of God’s people, and become very rich. “Jesus was rich, and He wants you to be rich,” they say. People who have become very rich overnight have found that money for them was a curse. Some of the wealthiest people in America seem to be so unhappy. So, in our brief message today, the riches we are speaking about have nothing to do with money. Please do not misunderstand me. There is nothing wrong with money and nothing wrong with us having money. Some of God’s choicest servants have been very rich, and some have been very poor financially. There is nothing in the Bible, rightly divided that teaches us that Jesus was rich while He lived among us. Born

 in a stable. His first breath of air was the stench of a stable. From His first breath in that stable until His last breath on Calvary, there is nothing that shows us that Jesus was rich while He lived here for 33 years. Through the centuries, Christian people have been persecuted, arrested, and starved. Paul received offerings from Churches to send to the “poor saints at Jerusalem.” Paul could tell the sum of his financial wealth in just a few words; “Even unto this present hour we both hunger and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace.”(1Cor.4:11).
Jesus spoke of the poverty of the Church in Smyrna. Even today I receive requests for helps from Africa. They have no Bibles, or Christian material. One Pastor stated that one village had only one New Testament in the entire village. Churches and Christians outside America still suffer.  Many are falling for the “name it, claim it” doctrines that are being preached today. Many are falling for the “get rich quick” schemes of religious charlatans.  Religious “CLUBS” and NETWORKS promise vast returns for investments. “God will pay you back with rich rewards,” is their promise. Don’t fall for the “get rich” schemes of today. I believe that God is more glorified in our paying our honest debts. Let each of us be careful with our finances. Plan your finances. Stay away from credit card debt. And be careful about the many charlatans of today.
 God’s people have been rich and poor financially. If God so chooses to make you rich, so be it. Christianity is not the place where we get rich. If this were the case, we would have few problems attracting a crowd. Lines would be formed around every church just waiting to get inside. God Blesses His people in His own way. And I have never heard it preached that “God wants you poor.” But now, on to our message about the UNSEARCHABLE RICHES OF CHRIST.

1. THE RICHES OF HIS GOODNESS.  “Or despisest thou the RICHES OF HIS GOODNESS and forbearance and longsuffering, not knowing that the Goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?” (Ro 2:4).
The first chapters of the Book of Romans are like a trial in a court room, with all of the evidence and witnesses. Ch. 1 tells how the gentiles got into sin…

(A) “They knew God.” (v21) Man did not evolve from a swamp, or from the sea. Man is the creation of God. “I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” What a wondrous design. And if a design, there has to be a designer. I am well aware of the school systems today, and that our children are forced to listen to some agnostic teach our kids that we evolved for some lower existence. They say that man evolved from nothing into the wonderful thing he is today. NOT TRUE! Man began with a glorious revelation of God and fell from that position to what he has become today.

(B)” They Glorified Him not as God”  (Ro. 1:21). “They did not like to retain God in their knowledge.” (1:28). From the Glorious revelation, notice the steps downward.

INGRATITUDE. “Neither were they thankful.” I am convinced that the base of all sin is ingratitude.

INDIFFERENCE. “They became vain in their imagination.” (Ro 1:21)

IGNORANCE. “Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.” (Ro 1:22).

IDOLATRY. They turned to the worship of “birds. And four-footed beasts, and creeping things.” (Ro 1:23)

IMMORALITY. “God gave them up to vile affections.” The sin of homosexuality may be promoted and glorified by many today, but read the Book of Romans 1:24-32.
God gave them over to a reprobate mind.”  (Ro 1:28). A mind that only produces that which is unapproved, (Ro 1:28-32).

Paul had seen the power of the Gospel at Corinth, and many who had chosen this lifestyle had been saved. “And such were some of you.” (1Cor 6:9-11).

The gentiles could not see the GOODNESS of God. They are without excuse.  Paul looks to the Jews in Romans 2. The religious Jews in all of their piety utterly failed their test. They too are without excuse. “The GOODNESS of God should have led them to repentance. The Jews only became religious judges. (Ro 2:19-29)

When we walk away from the Goodness of God, we never walk away but that our hearts become hardened. (Ro 2:5).

God’s GOODNESS and MERCY are like Siamese twins, they are always together.
“Surely GOODNESS and MERCY shall follow me..”
Now, we are not saved by God’s Goodness, we are saved by His GRACE.
His GOODNESS leads us to His GRACE
Man had his trial and was found guilty, “All have sinned and come short of the Glory of God.” …But the GOODNESS of God.

2. THE RICHES OF HIS GRACE.
 “That in the ages to come He might shew the exceeding RICHES OF HIS GRACE in His Kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.” (Eph 2:7) Like Goodness and Mercy, Grace and kindness are forever linked. In the small Book of Titus, Paul reminded us of our condition before God. “For we ourselves WERE sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.”(Ti 3:3) But after that the Kindness (Grace) and Love of God our Saviour toward men appeared.”
“That being Justified by His GRACE we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” (Ti 3:7). The GRACE of God can reach down to the depths of depravity, and lift up that sinner and save him/her and make that one and heir and a trophy of GRACE. The Hymn writer rightly called it “AMAZING GRACE.” Since the day I called upon Him to save me so many years ago, He has displayed before me the RICHES OF HIS GRACE. He saved me, He has kept me. He has covered me, He has fed me, he has changed my life, He has given me Eternal Life, and the promise of a home in Heaven, and Oh, so much more.  The Apostle Peter referred to Grace as the Manifold Grace of God. Manifold means, “many sided.” There is a side of the Grace of God that will meet whatever your need may be. There is Saving Grace, Serving Grace, and Sanctifying Grace. The strongest, sweetest word in the language of man is GRACE.
His Goodness leads us to his GRACE,
His GRACE leads us to the …
3. RICHES OF HIS GLORY.
 “That He would grant you, according to the RICHES OF HIS GLORY to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man.” (Eph 3:16). Not according to the riches of the Nation’s Treasury, but according to the RICHES OF HIS GLORY. I wish that I could find words to describe this great Truth. I do not believe they are in the language of man.

(A) THE GLORY OF HIS PERSON.
There is no other Name like His Name. “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

 I love Art. I love to paint. I am not very good at it. I paint landscapes, mountains, lakes, flowers, etc. I love to try. I admire artists with their great talents. I could never stand among these with my feeble efforts. But could an Artist ever Portray the Glory of this Person? I think not. Think of the millions of great works of Art concerning Christ. All of man’s talents fail to glorify His PERSON.  That Portrait has not yet been painted.

I Love Music. I love all kinds of music. Music, that is, which is performed with quality. I have no use for this modern “clang, clang, crash, crash, bee-bop” stuff some labeled as music and being brought into churches today. I love the beautiful Hymns of the Church that have brought hope and comfort through the centuries. I have tried to write several songs about Christ. But my efforts are so feeble when I think about His PERSON.. The most beautiful music about Him has not yet been written.

I Love Poetry.  As with music, I can make no claims in this field. I have written scores and scores of poems. I still cannot explain when people ask me how. I don’t know. I have received kind letters from folks stating that a certain poem helped them. When the WILDERNESS was started some 32 years ago, we wanted to be as original as possible in everything we published. I thought that I should include a poem or two in each edition, so I began looking. Then it dawned on me that if I wanted to be original, I had to write a poem of my own, and so I did. And so on with the next editions. Now, 32 years later still writing poems. Poems help make reading easier and help illustrate. Think of the millions of beautiful Poems about the PERSON of Christ. But the most beautiful poem about Him is yet to be written.

I Love Writing and enjoy writing for this publication. I have loved writing the Tracts, the booklets, etc. When I start writing each new edition, I remind myself that every word I put on paper must be to help someone know this PERSON of Christ. I love the study of Scriptures, (KJB).  When I started preparing for the ministry years ago, I thought about the many sermons I would have to prepare. “Two sermons for Sunday, and another for Wednesday. I can never do that.”  But over 40 years later, by God’s Grace, still at it. I have yet to come up with that message that would somehow describe the GLORY OF HIS PERSON. That message has not yet been written.

Won’t it be wonderful when at last we behold the RICHES OF HIS GLORY when the Church is at last home with Him!

(B) THE GLORY OF HIS PERFORMANCES. “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His Glory, the Glory as the only Begotten of the Father, full of Grace and Truth.” (Jn 1:14)

 I see His Glory in a stable as The Christ Child was born on time, in time. After centuries of the battle between the seed, (Gen. 3:15). Satanic forces had done their best to stop the Birth of the Saviour.

I see The Glory of His Performances in His sinless Life. Satan tried his best to discredit Christ. Satan tried to cause Him to sin in the temptations on the Mount. But there was nothing in Christ for Satan to reach. Pilate summed it all up for us in his statement, “I find in Him no fault at all.” (Jn. 18:38)

I see the Glory of His Performances on the Cross as He cried aloud, “It is finished.” The price for sin was paid in full by His sacrificial death on the Cross.

I see the Glory of His Performances as He stands outside an empty tomb. The Angel announced, “He is not here, for He is risen, as He said. Come see the place where The Lord lay.” (Mt. 28:6)

I see the Glory of His Performances as He is there at the right hand of the Father as our Eternal High Priest.

(C) THE GLORY OF HIS PARDON.

This Glorious PERSON paid an awful PENALTY for our PARDON. As we view the list of indictments against the human race in Romans 3:10-23, we have to raise our hands in surrender. We can pay the price for our sin if we so choose;  “For the wages of sin is death.” (Ro 6:23) Death is both physical and eternal separation from God, (Rev 20:15). Or we can accept His Promise of Eternal Life as a free gift. “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.” (Isa. 55:7)

The RICHES of His GOODNESS lead us to,
The RICHES of His GRACE. The RICHES of His GRACE leads us to The RICHES of His GLORY.
“But as many as received Him to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His Name.” (Jn 1:12). You receive Him by Faith alone. Tell Him that you receive Him. He will hear the cry of the Repentant heart. And now that you have received Him, His Goodness made us Heirs with Christ. We can begin TODAY to live FOREVER, and to FOREVER Behold His GLORY.

God Bless you. Jesus Loves You!

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THINK ABOUT IT… He was rich, yet He became poor, that we may be rich in Him!

He who died thirsty offers living water.

He who had no place to lay His head offers a Heavenly mansion.

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THE UNSEARCHABLE RICHES OF CHRIST
             By Pastor George Mills

“That I should preach among the gentiles the UNSEARCHABLE RICHES OF CHRIST.” (Eph. 3:8)

The Riches of Christ are Greater than,
   All riches owned by any man.
Real peace of mind, and peace of heart,
   Cannot by wealth of man impart.

The Goodness of His Gracious Plan,
   Is reaching low, to rescue man.
The Grace of all His Riches show,
   A plan for all mankind to know.

His Glory rich, His Pardon free,
   His Grace sufficient, to satisfy me.
His Goodness, Grace, and Glory mine,
   Can I do less than to refine;

My will conformed to His Great plan,
   To tell the news to every man,
Of riches free to one and all,
   Who on His Name will freely call.

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TRUTH AND LIBERTY BIBLE COLLEGE
 HURRICANE, WEST VIRGINIA
  Dr. Art Hage, Pastor, President

On May 4, 2008, This fine Bible College graciously conferred upon me

the Degree of;

                         DOCTOR OF DIVINITY

I am very grateful. I do consider this a badge of Honor

that I will wear with much Gratitude and Grace.

Thank you so much, in Jesus’ Name,

                              Pastor George Mills

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AN OLD TESTAMENT PICTURE OF THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH.
 By Pastor George Mills

“Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtain of thy habitations, spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes.” (Isa 54:2)
The Church is not in the Old Testament. The Church is referred to as a “Mystery” (Eph 3:1-6). The text in Isaiah pictures Israel’s return and fruitful restoration. It also gives us a beautiful picture of what the New Testament Church should be doing.

1. ENLARGE THE PLACE OF THY TENT.  I believe this alludes to the Local Church building. Make it larger. Have goals. Tear down walls. Build more classrooms. Let each of us have a vision of what can be done on the Church property. Begin a needed Christian school. Some Churches have large, beautiful facilities that are unused except on week-ends. If we cannot do these things right now, they must be in our vision of what can be done, what needs to be done. I stopped by a church and spoke to the Pastor. His building was small and located to one side of the Church property. I asked him about his plan of growth, or the enlargement of the Church building. He said to me, “As we grow, we plan to knock out that back wall, extend our auditorium, and add more to the back, then turn to the right with more building, and finally, we will build our auditorium in the middle. He was describing a “”U” shaped facility, with the auditorium in the middle. It looked great. He did not have much, but he had a vision of what he could do. Every Church should have some kind of a vision like that.
2. STRETCH FORTH THE CURTAINS OF THINE HABITATIONS.  In other words, “claim more territory.”  So many times we have invisible boundaries and dare not go beyond them. Let us not just claim our neighborhood for Christ, let us claim our entire city. “Ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you, and ye shall be witnesses unto me BOTH in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” (Acts 1:8) BOTH in Jerusalem and Samaria, or, at the same time. The boundaries of the Church are not limited to the street on which we are located, south to the railroad crossing, then west to the interstate, then north to the shopping mall, back east along the parkway, and back to our street. Claim more territory.

3. LENGTHEN THY CORDS. These are the cords, or lines that go out from the corners of the tent to be tied to stakes to hold the tent in place. This alludes to the outreaches of the Church. Lengthen them, set them further out. Do more to get the Good news of the Gospel to the nations. Add to the mission budget. Restock the supply of Gospel Tracts. Send out the Water of Life. Send out the Bread of Life, Send out streams of Mercy. Send out the Good News of the Gospel. Send out Hope for the Hopeless. Send out waves of compassion.  Send out Good literature. Begin a radio ministry, or add another station. This is the greatest time in history for getting the Gospel to the world. People walk around with cell phones, and various other means of communication. This is the electronic age. Any Church can reach many places of the world each day. Lengthen thy cords. Go further than ever before.
4. STRENGTHEN THY STAKES. This is what holds everything together. I well remember the Korean War. At times we had to live in squad tents. I believe 8 men tents. Believe me, it gets cold in Korea. We had to hammer these tent stakes down quite often. If we did not, the snow would weaken the ground and the tent would fall. So we had to make sure that we hammered the stakes often. This alludes to Doctrine. Doctrine holds the entire work of the New Testament Church together. So, while we are busy with the first three points of this message, we had best take care to hold to sound doctrine. We cannot compromise. This is the day of forsaking sound doctrine. Winds of various doctrines are blowing today. People are being carried away with new doctrines.  Let us go to these stakes and hit them again…

(A) The Inspiration of the Bible. Of course I mean the King James Bible. The greatest issue of today is the issue of the Bible. New “bibles” hit the stores almost daily. I can assure you that if you make your stand on the Purity of this Bible, it will cost you something. But HIT this stake again, and again. Don’t let your tent fall.

(B) The Person and Work of Jesus Christ. His finished work of Redemption.

(C) Christ’s ascension into Heaven by His own Blood and His High Priestly Ministry

(D) Justification By Faith Alone.

(E) The Pre-Tribulation rapture of the Church.

(F) Biblical separation from modernism, and liberalism.

(G) Music. Yes, I place Music in this section of doctrines. Some may disagree with me, but you have the right to be wrong. The largest Book in the Bible is a Music Book. (Psalms) “Speaking to yourselves in Psalms and Hymns, and Spiritual songs..” (Eph 5:19) The Church Music program is so very important. I do not call this stuff that is invading the church today “music.” This “praise and worship team” is supposed to be attractive to our young people. Churches today are having “gospel rock concerts” and the music and beat of this world is having it’s affect on many young people today. You can gather a crowd of thousands of teens in a concert, and get them hypnotized on the beat and sound, and call for a decision from them. They will make any decision you want them to make. Let us be reminded that there is ANOTHER GOSPEL, ANOTHER JESUS. ANOTHER SPIRIT.

Doctrine holds everything together. We had best Hit these stakes again and again. Recently, a well known Hollywood, TV personality stated that, “Doctrine divides. Experience unites.”
Doctrine does divide the True from the false.  Hit these stakes AGAIN!