newsletter
Servant Ministries, Inc.
Issue No. 119 Ira & Judy Milligan Apr 1, 2008

The Branson Conference

I have to complete this before I leave for Branson so I won’t be able to give you a report on how everything went until next month. But, if you are one of the ones who registered in time, you’ll get to be part of the report instead of just reading about it!. If so, I’ll See you in Branson!

The Prophet’s Perspective
A False Gospel

When Pilate asked Jesus if He was a king, Jesus replied, “To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world...” (John 18:37). Although Jesus was born to be King, He wasn’t born into that position. He had to earn it. It was with this knowledge that Satan entered the picture. When Jesus was in the wilderness Satan offered Him a shortcut the same way he’s offering the Church a shortcut now: “Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world... And the devil said to Him, ‘All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours’." (Luke 4:5-7).

One can paraphrase Satan’s offer like this: “Jesus, you know you really don’t have to suffer the agony of crucifixion. There’s an easier way. God doesn’t require all that sacrifice and suffering. All you have to do is worship! In fact, you can have all the glory and honor that God gave Adam right now. You don’t even have to work for it!” Of course, Jesus didn’t fall for it but many who claim to be Christians in this day and time have. All you have to do is go to church on Sunday and worship. The cross isn’t necessary! But that’s not the whole of this deception. There’s more.

Another tactic Satan used was to try to convince Jesus that the Father gave Him unlimited authority to use at His own discretion: “And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread. And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God” (Luke 4:3-4). It’s important to note that Jesus said “every rhema of God”, not “every Logos”. This deceptive doctrine – that we have authority by reason of our position with God rather than through our relationship with God – was introduced to the Church as “the Believer’s authority”! Like most of the devil’s lies, this one takes God’s Word and perverts it just enough to make it attractive to the flesh, tempting man to put himself into God’s position.

Satan’s final deception is also found in today’s liberal church, and one doesn’t have to look far to find it. Satan tempted Jesus to tempt God! Don’t worry, he told Jesus, just cast yourself down. God has made full provision for your safety. Those in high positions who commit adultery and other such sins show no fear of God. Ignoring the consequences, they tempt God and bring His wrath down upon themselves. That’s disastrous!
Many things have changed since Christ first introduced His Cross to the world, but one thing hasn’t – no one likes its message! Even the disciples had a problem digesting it. When Jesus first introduced the concept Peter’s instant response was, “not so, Lord”! (see Matt. 16:21-25). Why? Because the Cross is repulsive. It is an instrument of death – and not a very peaceful one, at that. Its potent message can be summed up in three words: service, suffering and sacrifice.

When Paul wrote about the Gospel’s many wonderful benefits, he said, “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” (Rom. 8:32). And we have every reason to rejoice because of Christ’s being “delivered up” for us so that we can freely receive “all things”. The problem arises when it comes our time to “ante up” so that others can receive the fullness of His benefits – then it’s another story altogether. In fact, many of today’s church goers would just as soon not hear too much about that part of the Gospel but, be assured, giving is just as much a part of the Gospel as receiving.

When Jesus sent the disciples out to minister, He said, “Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give” (Matt. 10:8). Jesus said, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me” (Matt. 16:24). Anything less than that is a false gospel.

“Helping Hands”

I really appreciate the sacrifice some of you are making to help finance our upcoming mission trip to Scotland. We’ll be finalizing the plans shortly and as soon as we do I’ll let you know exactly what countries we are going to be ministering in. Thanks, friends!

Prayer Partners’ Update

We need your help in praying for two specific things – new doors for ministry and for our mission trip to Scotland to be successful. God is faithful. We’ve already been invited to several new churches since we announced our commitment to began traveling again. I know this is a direct result of both your prayers and mine. God bless you, and thanks!

The Ministry of Angels, II

Psalm 103:19-21 gives us an insight into what is going on behind the scenes in the Kingdom: “The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom rules over all. Bless the Lord, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word. Bless ye the Lord, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.” First, God issues the command, then the angels carry out “His commandments, harkening unto the voice of His word” as His ministers “do His pleasure”. The hidden part of this is process is this – angels are actually the ones doing the works, but angels are invisible! Without His ministers manifesting what they are doing no one knows to give God the glory!

Jesus reveals this mystery in John 5:2-20. In this passage, an angel came to the pool of Bethesda (the “house of kindness”) each year and made his presence known by disturbing the water. Then he healed the first person who stepped into the pool of “whatsoever disease he had”. When Jesus came to the pool and discerned the angel’s presence, He asked an impotent man there if he would like to be healed. When he answered in the affirmative Jesus told him to take up his bed and walk. Instantly, the man was healed.

Then Jesus denied healing the man, saying “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner” (John 5:19). Remember, the angels are the ones who are actually doing “his commandments, harkening unto the voice of His word”, but we must speak the commandment before they can perform it.