Vol. 37, N0. 5 May, 2013

THE LORDSHIP OF JESUS CHRIST
By Dr. George Mills

“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.”
(Phil. 2:9-11).
The Lordship of Jesus Christ is a subject far too vast to try to cover in such a short space as we have. Today, we can only touch the hem of His garment, so to speak. Recently I was listening to someone give testimony about the time he had trusted in Christ to be His Saviour. He made the statement that I have heard many others make. He said, “I made Jesus the Lord of my life.” Many of the Television preachers say, “Make Jesus the Lord of your life.” Now, that sounds good, but isn’t that a faulty statement? JESUS IS LORD! No matter what I may think about it, JESUS IS ALREADY LORD! I cannot make Jesus anything. Whether we want to acknowledge it or not, JESUS IS LORD! “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both LORD and CHRIST! (Acts 2:36). Today, let’s see some of His LORDSHIP from the pages of the Holy Bible

1. CHRIST IS LORD IN SALVATION. Salvation is His. He bought it with His own blood. “Forasmuch as ye know ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver or 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.” (1Pet. 1:18-19). Christ alone is the Divine Sacrifice for sin. “God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself.” (2Cor. 5:19). ALL of the SIN of ALL of the world of ALL ages was placed upon the Sinless Son of God. He is the SIN BEARER. If we are to be saved, we must acknowledge the fact that CHRIST IS LORD. “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth THE LORD JESUS, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” (Ro. 10:9).
“Believe on the LORD JESUS CHRIST and thou shalt be saved.” (Acts 16:31). We begin our Christian life as a new born babe. We do not understand everything. We have to learn. We grow IN Salvation after we have received Christ. But we began with the acknowledgment that JESUS CHRIST IS LORD! We believe what the Bible (KJB) says about Christ. We receive Him by faith, (Jn. 1:12). And we are born into the family of God. We cannot come to God any other way, or through any other Name, CHRIST IS LORD!
Recently I listened to another testimony. The speaker said something like this…”My life was in such a mess. I did not know where to turn. Then I said. ‘God, IF you are real, show me, and suddenly there was a calmness and peace.’ Now I am nobody’s judge, but there was no hint of a confession that “Jesus Christ is Lord,” there was only a big “IF.” The Bible says, “He that cometh to God MUST believe that He is and that He is a rewarder to them that diligently seek Him.” “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). CHRIST IS LORD IN SALVATION! Accept no substitutes, accept no experiences, none of the various modes of baptism, there is no other way!

2. CHRIST IS LORD OVER DEMONIC FORCES.
While Christ was here on earth, demons confessed and feared Him, “Art thou come to torment us before the time?” Please take a few moments and read the passage in Mark 5:1-17. The legion of demons that possessed this helpless man were powerless at the voice of the Son of God as He cast them out of the man and into the herd of swine. Christ faced the devil from the night of His birth all the way to Mount Calvary. Satan tried in three temptations in Mt. 4:1-12 and Satan found there was no weakness, there was no place found in Christ that could yield to temptation. Christ is Lord over every demon. Christ won every battle with satanic forces. Christ bruised the serpent’s head in His victory at Calvary! CHRIST IS LORD OVER THE DEMONIC WORLD!

3. CHRIST IS LORD OVER EVERY DISEASE.
He is the Great Physician. I have no faith or trust in these so called, “faith healers.” I have all confidence in our Lord Jesus Christ. He displayed His power over disease many times while He lived among men. He spoke, and some were healed. He touched, and some were healed. A woman with an issue of blood had tried everything to heal her infirmity all to no avail, and when she touched the hem of His garment, she was healed. Countless times through the ages, saints of God have prayed and Christ exercised His Lordship over disease. He did that very thing for me, and I praise Him for that. May I add this that He did not have to suffer the pains of Calvary in order to heal anyone. He did that before Calvary. He IS Lord!

4. CHRIST IS LORD OVER THE ELEMENTS.
Read the account in John 6:5-13 about a boy with a lunch of five loaves and two fishes. “How can such a small lunch feed so great a crowd?” was the great question. As a little boy surrendered his lunch, watch as the elements break down and begin to multiply. Twelve basketsful were left over after the crowd was fed because of His Lordship over the elements. Even the elements obey Him.

5. CHRIST IS LORD OVER NATURE.
In Matthew 21:18-22, the fig tree withered away at the voice of Christ. He speaks to a raging, stormy sea, and the winds and waters obey His voice as He says, “Peace, be still.” The waters hold Him as He takes a stroll on the sea. Yes, at the sound of His voice, there was a great calm. “What manner of man is this that even the wind and the sea obey Him?” He is Lord! Nature obeys Him.

6. CHRIST IS LORD OVER THE ANIMAL KINGDOM.
Our Lord told the apostle Peter to cast his hook into the sea. Somehow, in the life of a fish down there, he felt the sudden urge to pick up a coin on the ocean floor with his mouth and then go bite a hook…all in response to the voice of the Lord. Christ told His disciples to loose a colt whereon no man had ever sat and bring the colt to Christ.(Mk. 11:1-7). Did you ever try to sit on a colt that no man has ever ridden? If you try that, you are in for a ride, if you can stay on. When I was just a boy at age 7 or 8 years, on the farm in south Georgia, every morning the cows were let out of the corral and they went through the woods to feed themselves. One of those cows was a yearling, white face. I could picture myself proudly riding that little cow. After pestering my older brother, he caught the calf, fixed a harness, placed me on the back of that calf and off we went through the woods. I had been thrown off immediately and was holding on to the rope and yelling for my brother. I believed he enjoyed watching me. No, you can’t ride on a colt (or calf) whereon no man ever sat. But our Lord can. The colt obeyed His voice, simply because He is Lord over the animal kingdom!

7. CHRIST IS LORD OVER THE NATIONS.
There is a great growing anti-Christ, anti-God to get the Name of Christ out of the public, out of education, out of this nation. Remove “In God we trust” as our motto, and “One nation under God” is the cry of may organizations today. The Bible says, “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 have them in derision. Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, and vex them in His sore displeasure.” (Psa. 2:1-5). Man looks up into the face of God and says, “get out of our lives, we can handle things down here.” Little does man realize just how frail and fragile he is in the sight of God. In Daniel’s prayer of thanksgiving, he blessed the God of Heaven saying, “Blessed be the Name of God for ever and ever, for wisdom and might are His. And He changeth the times and the seasons, He removeth kings and setteth up kings He giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding.” (Dan. 2:20-21). Little does man realize that he is just a tool in the hands of God. God has a plan for the nations, and where He does not rule, He overrules. The nations of the world are marching toward Armageddon just as God said. Read Revelation, Ch. 19 and see the King of kings, and Lord of lords return to earth and march through the armies of the anti-Christ and set up His own kingdom. Christ is LORD OVER THE NATIONS!

8. CHRIST IS LORD OVER DEATH.
While Christ was here on earth He exercised His Lordship over death. In Mark 5:22-43 we read about Jairus’ daughter, a young girl whom Christ raised from the dead. The widow of Nain, (Lk.7:11-16 was about to bury her only son. again Jesus exercised His Lordship over death and interrupted a funeral. Jesus’ friend Lazarus had died, (Jn 11:1-44). Jesus again, in His Lordship said, “Lazarus, come forth,” and in obedience to the voice of Deity, Lazarus came forth from the dead. In reply to John the Baptist’s inquiry, Mt. 11:1-5. Jesus said, “Shew those things which ye do see and hear and see. The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk,the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the DEAD ARE RAISEDUP…” And one day in His Lordship, He, Himself walked away from the grave, victorious! Any day now, once again, He will exercise His Lordship over death. The trumpet will sound, the dead in Christ will rise, living believers will be changed, and together be caught up in the clouds ever to be with Christ, all in obedience to His Lordship.

9. CHRIST IS LORD OVER YOUR LIFE.
Admit it or not, like it or not, He is still Lord. He has power to give life, and He has power to take it away. You may say, “I will never bow to Christ.” Oh yes you will1 One day, every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Philippians 2:10 says “that every knee SHOULD BOW to Him.” That’s what every person in the world SHOULD DO. Have you done that? Don’t wait too late because one day “Every knee SHALL BOW to me.” (Ro. 14:11. He is Lord. He numbers our days and sets up boundaries we cannot cross.
There is no question about it, JESUS CHRIST IS LORD!. Let everyone do these things…

Surrender to His Lordship. Don’t try it your way, that will not work. “Believe on the LORD JESUS CHRIST and thou shalt be saved.” (Acts 16:31).

Serve His Lordship. Satan is a hard taskmaster. Billions of lives have been wrecked, wasted, and ruined because they left Christ out of the picture, followed the crowd, and my, my, what a price to pay. I have been trying to serve Him for over 50 years. I have not regretted a day. HE IS LORD! That’s His position. We can’t make Him anything! We just surrender to what He already
is!

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            JESUS CHRIST IS LORD
“God hath made Jesus both LORD and CHRIST”
By Pastor George Mills

Christ is LORD of every life,
He is LORD of every day,
He is LORD, above all strife.
He is ordained that way.

When demons had their victim bent,
With no hope from day to day,
Into the herd of swine they went,
When Christ sent the demons away.

“Cast your line into the sea,
The fish, my voice, obey,
And open his mouth and there will be,
A coin for the tax to pay.”

“The storm around is raging so,
Each moment threatens harm.”
“Peace, be still.” the winds do know,
He is LORD of every storm.

“Loose the colt and bring to me,
The Lord hath need of him,
For he will yield to Deity,
At the voice of Diadem.”

Death, oh death, once filled with fear,
And always one breath ahead.
Now face the grave without a tear,
The LORD has risen from the dead.

One day mankind will bow the knee,
And every tongue will say,
That Christ is LORD, then willingly,
Oh friend, do that today.

LORD of all, to bow to none,
He fulfilled the Father’s Word.
All power belongs to God’s own Son,
Christ is forever LORD!

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HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY, MOM!

May twelfth has been set aside this year to honor our MOTHERS. This is a blessed day! To be a real MOTHER is a most difficult calling, but a high and holy calling! Almost any healthy female can give birth to a child, but that does not make her a MOTHER. It takes someone very special to be a MOTHER. And the same thing can be said about men. It takes a real man to be a father. Some MOTHERS are left alone to raise the family. Some husbands have been taken away in death, and some husbands are just “away.” So Mom has to fill the roll of both parents…and some are doing a fantastic job! My MOTHER was left like that. She was left with four children to raise, alone and that without income, and without welfare programs of today. But somehow, by the Grace of God, we made it! MOTHER brought us through some very hard times. I love the memory of my MOTHER. My MOTHER has been in Heaven since 1969. Today, many years later, I can still hear her singing…

“Does Jesus care, when my heart is pained
Too deeply for mirth or song,
As the burdens press, and the cares distress,
And the days are weary and long?
Oh yes, He cares, I know He cares,
His heart is touched with my grief,
When the days are weary, the long night dreary,
I know my Saviour cares.”

It would be so wonderful to hug that sweet, warm, lovely person once again, but I can’t, at least, not now. But one day, around the Throne of God, at that Heavenly reunion, what a time we will have when, after we see and greet our Loving Saviour, we will all greet again that dear one we call MOTHER!

“My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy MOTHER, for they shall be an ornament of GRACE unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.” (Prov. 1:8-9).

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FROM MY HEART
By Mildred Mills

HOW WONDERFUL TO BE A CHILD OF THE KING!
My sister, Mary Ann, came down from her beautiful home in Georgia to visit for a few days and we had a fun time talking about the “good ole days” back when we were kids. We decided to “visit” the old neighborhood, the place we were raised, and so we did. The house is no longer there and the few houses that are still there don’t look the same. We could have looked at our old home place, the place where the house once stood and had feelings of sadness but we didn’t, we chose to think about all the happy times we had there when Mama, Daddy and all the kids were there. We reminisced, laughed awhile, circled the block several times, saw the “fallen tree” the place where we all went to play and then we left the old neighborhood REJOICING!! My how far the Lord has brought us! He replaced the old house with a home in Heaven for our Mama, our Daddy, and two of our brothers who have gone on before us. We have been blessed more than words can say! God is so very good to His children and I thank Him. It’s nice to look back just to see where God has brought us from and where we might have been. We have been blessed! Same is true as Christians in our walk with the Lord. When we are tempted to grow weary in well doing, when the world tugs at us and Satan tries to convince us that “everything is beautiful in this old world,” when we are tempted to look back and ask “what if” and “why this” just remember where God has brought us from and where we might have been. My sister, Mary Ann and I went to the old neighborhood, we looked, we saw and we left thanking God for all His blessings…
“The Cross before us, the world behind us,
No turning back, no turning back.”

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY MAMA!
Our Mother, the sweetest, most caring and loving Mother ever is in Heaven! We love you Mama!

How beautiful Heaven must be,
Sweet home of the happy and free,
Fair haven a home for the weary,
How beautiful Heaven must be.

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TEEN TALKS THAT MATTER
By Ashley Stevens

BOLDNESS TO SERVE

“And when they had prayed the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the Word of God with boldness.” (Acts 4:31).
The Holy Spirit was given to reveal who Jesus is to us. We can tell through this scripture that they were filled with the Spirit while they were in prayer and after they prayed they proclaimed the Word of God boldly. As Christians we need to be encouraged daily to pray and ask God to fill us with the Spirit. We need to faithfully study the Word of God so we can be knowledgeable of it and we can proclaim it boldly just like this group of early Christians. When we proclaim the Word of God boldly it will help us stay connected with other believers and together we can help lead the lost to Christ. This scripture shows us the real power that a group of Christians, filled with the Spirit and gathered together in prayer, can have.
Let us pray and strengthen one another. My prayer is that every one of us will spend time with God each and every day so that we can be filled with the Holy Ghost and the Glory of the Lord will be shown through us.
May God bless your life each and every day.
Until next time, Ashley Stevens

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AND THE WORLD IS A WILDERNESS…It is no friend to the Christian. “And the world passeth away and the lust thereof, but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.
(1Jn 2:17).
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BLESSED ASSURANCE, JESUS IS MINE
Pastor Mills

We love the old hymn written by Fannie Crosby;
“Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine,
Oh what a foretaste of glory Divine,
Heir of salvation, purchased of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His Blood.”

It is a real joy to have down deep inside that wonderful BLESSED ASSURANCE! Many ask, “How can I know for sure that I am saved?” “Can I know?” “Do we have to wait until we die in order to know?” If you have doubts you are not alone. The best of God’s servants, from time to time have had doubts. This is not to offer an excuse, this is a reality. Doubting is not good. Doubt is the opposite of faith. Satan can find or invent ways to make you doubt, if you open that door. You cannot enjoy your salvation, and you cannot be a consistent soul winner while you have doubts. Doubts will rob you of manifold blessings. Jesus said, “If ye continue in my Word then are ye my disciples indeed. And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.” (Jn. 8:32), FREE! Free from worry, free from doubt. Today, let us look into His Word and find that freedom. The little Book of First John was written for us, THAT WE MAY KNOW! “These things have I written unto you that believe on the Name of the Son of God that ye may KNOW that ye have eternal life.” (1Jn. 5:13). The word KNOW appears 26 times in First John and most times it is written for our assurance. Let’s follow the Apostle John as he leads us to that BLESSED ASSURANCE…

1. YOUR ASSURANCE IS IN A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST.
“And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and the life is IN HIS SON. He that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” (1Jn. 5:11-13). The question then is simple, “Do you have Jesus Christ in your life?” Have you, by faith alone, received Jesus Christ as your Saviour? You must believe that He died on the Cross in full payment for your sin, and that He was buried, and that He arose from the dead to be your living Saviour. How then, do I receive Christ? The Bible is clear; :Ask, and ye shall receive.” Christ will never come into your life unbidden by you. He will not knock down the barriers and barge into your life, you must ask Him in. If you have not done that, then today, NOW is the time for you to do that. Your assurance is in a personal relationship with Christ.

2. YOUR ASSURANCE IS IN THE WORD OF GOD.
“These things have I written unto you.” The Bible, (KJB) is trustworthy. Now, don’t fall for the flood of “versions” on the market today. Many more are coming. Get the old Bible, the one your parents, and grandparents used. There you will find assurance. And the many “How To” books are many times misleading. The Bible that told you of your need for Christ will give you assurance if you will just believe it. Read great promises, John 1:12, John 3:16-18, John 5:24, John 6:37, John 10:27-29. If Jesus were there telling you these things, no one would doubt. That same Jesus told His disciples to write these things that we might KNOW. Your assurance is in the Book.

3. YOUR ASSURANCE IS IN THE INDWELLING HOLY SPIRIT.
“Hereby know we that we dwell in Him and He in us, because He hath given us of His Spirit.” (1Jn. 4:13). There is much fanaticism about the Holy Spirit. So much, in fact, that many dare not mention the Holy Spirit. Let me say that the Holy Spirit came into your life the instant you received Christ. That’s a matter of fact, and not a matter of feelings, or emotions, utterances, or a thousand other things. “In who ye also trusted, after that ye heard the Word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, in whom after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise.” (Eph 1:13). We hear about Christ, we believe what the Bible says about Christ, we receive Christ by faith, and the Holy Spirit comes to live in us and He is in our lives to stay until God calls us home. It is His mission to take the things of Christ and teach them to us. Your assurance in in the presence of the Holy Spirit in your life.

4. YOUR ASSURANCE IS IN YOUR LOVE FOR HIS CHURCH.
“We KNOW that we have passed from death unto life because we love the brethren.” (1Jn. 3:4). John is very dogmatic with the word “KNOW. We love the church. We love to attend all services. We love singing the beautiful hymns. We love the fellowship, we love the prayers, we love the preaching of the Word of God. Now, there was a time in my life when the church meant very little to me. I very seldom attended any church. But one day in August 1960, I met Christ, (in church) and my attitude changed. Now, I love the church. Now get this; your assurance will NOT come while you are fishing, golfing, or picnicking on Sunday! Your assurance will not come if you attend a Sunday here, then miss six, then attend, etc. Now if you are sick, or have some infirmity that keeps you away, I am not speaking to you. Pray for your church. Pray for your pastor, Pray for the salvation of others. Love your church.

5. YOUR ASSURANCE IS IN YOUR OBEDIENCE TO HIS COMMANDMENTS.
“And hereby we know that we know Him if we keep His commandments. He that saith I know Him and keepeth not His commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him. (1Jn. 2:3-4), We are not saved by keeping His commandments. We are saved by Grace through Faith plus and minus nothing. But after we are saved there is a desire to keep His commandments and do those things pleasing in His sight. The Bible says His commandments are not grievous, (1Jn 5:3).Are you trying to do His will? If you have that desire to please, and to serve Christ, that’s a pretty good sign. By serving Him I mean making that public profession of your faith in Christ, following Him in baptism, attending church, reading His word, giving of your finances and using your talent for Christ and witnessing to others. God wants us free from all doubts. He wants you to know for sure that you are saved. He wrote a Book just for you. Now, if these things have not helped you and you still have doubts, and you do not have that Blessed Assurance, perhaps you need to be saved. Take the truth of this message and ask Christ to come into your heart. Tell Him in your own words that you believe that He died for you, and that He was buried, and that He arose from the dead, for you. He will come in when you ask Him in. Do that today. And begin today to live forever.

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“WHAT HAPPENS WHEN JESUS RETURNS FOR HIS CHURCH?”

The answer to this question covers a lot of space. I will try to get the main thoughts together for you. The event is called the rapture. The word rapture does not appear in the Bible. It means “a catching away.”

First. The Lord Himself descends, not to earth, but in the air above the earth. No one knows the day or time, or season for this event. (1Thess 4:13-18).

He descends with a SHOUT. That shout will penetrate the grave of every believer who has died.

The dead IN CHRIST shall rise first. Christ brings these with Him. They will be reunited with their glorified resurrected body in the air. Old Testament saints will be resurrected at the end of the tribulation period, (Daniel 12:1-4).

Living believers in Christ will suddenly be changed. (1Cor. 15:51-52). This change is in the “twinkling of an eye.”

All believers then will be caught up (raptured) to forever be with The Lord. Little children from all over the world who have not reached the age of accountability will be changed and caught up.

Unsaved dead will be left in the grave. Their soul is in hell. They will be resurrected at the end of the millennial, (Rev. 20:11-15).

Unsaved living at the rapture will be left behind. Some will suffer under the rule of the antichrist. Some will want to die but cannot die. These left behind will fall for the antichrist. Some will unite with the army of the antichrist to fight against Christ at His coming back to earth to begin His thousand year reign. Because they would not receive the Lord, there came a time when they could not receive Him. Oh dear one, Today, while you have these moments, if you are not saved, don’t put this off for another moment. Receive Christ today….

BE READY..You are ready for the rapture when you have received Christ.

BE WORKING. The harvest is ripe. Let’s reach as many as we can, while we can

BE PRAYING. John prayed, “even so, come Lord Jesus. This should be our constant prayer.

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AND THE WORLD IS A WILDERNESS…It is no friend to the Christian. Speaking of the LORDSHIP OF CHRIST, these new “versions” are no friend. “The word, “LORD” as it relates to Christ has been eliminated in thirty nine places in the NASV and a similar number in the NIV.”

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MAY I SAY AGAIN, THANKS FOR YOUR PRAYERS, SUPPORT, CALLS, AND KIND EXPRESSIONS CONCERNING THIS WORK OF FAITH, AND LABOR OF LOVE!

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