How the Gifts of the Wise Men Are Significant to Our Lives Today

Earlier this week, we talked about the wise men and the barriers they had to overcome to worship Jesus. The wise men made it through every barrier they faced, and when they got to Jesus, they fell and worshiped Him! They also gave Him the three gifts they had brought for Him. These gifts aren't just any gifts! They each had great significance and honored prophetic unction.

When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them till it came and stood over where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. -Matthew 2:9-11

Do you know the significance behind the gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh? Let's look at what each give signifies and what it means for our relationship with Jesus Christ today.

1) Gold: A gift fit for a true king. It showed that the wise men truly believed that Jesus was a King.

GOLD signifies His DOMINION.

When was the last time you went before God and let Him know that He has dominion over your life? When was the last time you declared that Jesus is the King of your life? The wise men did this by bringing Jesus their wealth, a symbol of treasure. When we give Jesus our offerings and tithes today, we are blessing Him and aligning ourselves with actions of wise worship, just as the wise men exemplified. This action has great significance! Don't allow the barriers of discouragement, disappointment, distraction, or dismay to stop you from giving God dominion in your life.

2) FRANKINCENSE: The Old Testament reveals that God desires a sweet scent during worship.

Frankincense signifies His DEITY.

Through the gift of gold, the wise men said Jesus is King, but through the gift of frankincense, the wise men declared that Jesus is a God, and He is to be worshiped.

3) MYRRH: This gift is nothing like the other two. It conveys death, not life.

Myrrh signifies His DEATH.

The Gold signified we should give Jesus our wealth; the frankincense signified we should give Jesus our worship. But, the myrrh illustrated what Jesus would give for us -- His life!

You can't understand the cross without understanding the cradle. You can't appreciate Easter if you don't have a revelation of Christmas. The wise men had to overcome their barriers, but we also overcome modern-day obstacles. Maybe you are so discouraged that it's been a long time since you lifted your hands to worship Jesus. Perhaps you are so distracted that you can't remember opening your Bible last time. Maybe you're so dismayed by everything going on in the world that you've stopped honoring God with your treasure. I don't know what your barrier is, but it's time for you to start following the actions of wise men!

I invite you to view this message in its entirety at this link: https://youtu.be/WSQtN6GI4iU

We want to connect with you and help you take your next steps!

1. Do you have a relationship with Jesus? This decision is the first step in receiving peace in your life. If you are ready to give your life to Jesus, we would love to celebrate with you at 3trees.com.
   

2. Do you need to rededicate your life to Jesus? If yes, please connect with us at 3trees.com.
   

3. Do you feel God prompting you to take your next steps? If yes, BEGIN is waiting for you! You can walk through our ONLINE BEGIN class at 3trees.com/begin
   

4. Would you like to make a difference in our community? Join our captivate team! Visit 3trees.com to find out how you can participate in community outreach opportunities.

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4 Important Things You MUST Know About Living A Wise Life

1) BE CAREFUL WHO YOU TALK TO

Voices determine choices, and choices have consequences. The enemy will tell us whatever we want to hear, and he will use others to speak his deception into our lives. If you give too much time to the wrong conversations, some things may manifest in your life that is not of God. Did you know the snake, possessed by Satan, only spoke to Eve two times? It only took him two times to create distance, distrust, and disobedience between Adam and Eve and God. The enemy wrecks Adam and Eve's whole world with only two statements. So be careful who you talk to! Words have power.

2) DON’T LOOK FOR THE RIGHT THING IN THE WRONG PLACE

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. - James 1:5 (NKJV)

You can tap into the wisdom of this world, or you can tap into the wisdom of the Word. You can tap into the wisdom of Hell, or you can tap into the wisdom of Heaven. The choice is yours to make. But I would encourage you to be Kingdom-minded, look for wisdom in the Word, and bring heaven down.

Even the wise men realized that there was available through Jesus than books could offer them. They realized they had to seek wisdom through a relationship with Jesus.

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”-Matthew 2:1-2 (NKJV)

Consider this truth. Adam and Eve were in the image of God, and He had given them EVERYTHING they needed, but when they started speaking to the wrong personality -- the snake. Immediately, they began to desire something that God had told them was off-limits -- wisdom from the wrong source. They were looking for the right thing but in the wrong place. It is nothing short of amazing how effective the enemy is at making humanity give up what we already have -- Adam and Eve already had wisdom -- to get what we’ve already got.

So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. - Genesis 3:6 (NKJV)

3) YOU NEVER SEE IT ALL

Adam and Eve had it all. They were living in paradise. They were surrounded by nothing but GOOD. But they couldn’t see it. Never once did Mankind call God’s Creation good until they became fixated upon the one thing they were told they could not have. The enemy will blind you towards the goodness of God and all the provisions He has given you. The enemy will also blind you towards the destruction he is trying to bring to your life.

Look at the Scripture again:

So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. - Genesis 3:6 (NKJV)

Eve only saw that the tree of the good. But, it wasn’t just a tree of good. It was the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Eve only saw what the enemy wanted her to see!

Don’t allow the enemy to seduce you. He is coming to kill, steal, and destroy your life, and like Eve, you may not see it coming. Ask God to show you what you do not see. Invite God to show you how to avoid the evil in and around your life.

4) WISE MEN STILL SEEK HIM

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”-Matthew 2:1-2 (NKJV)

The wise men traveled for approximately two years to get to Jesus. They took risks, and they made sacrifices. Yet, they continued to follow God’s will for their lives, even when a snake in Jerusalem, named King Harold, started speaking things into their lives that did not align with God and tried to distract them with the riches of this world.

The wise men knew that they needed a relationship with the Son of God. They realized that this relationship was the true treasure.

God will put a star in the sky for you. Maybe it’s the simplicity of a blog post. He loves you. He wants to get your attention, just like He did the wise men. He will correct your course and place you back on the path He created for you. It’s time to stop talking to snakes. Stop looking for the right thing in the wrong places. Stop ignoring the things you have refused to see. God is seeking you out. He longs for a relationship with you.

Turn off the ignorance of this world, and seek the only relationship you genuinely need in your life - the relationship that will bring you the wisdom you need to live a good life. Seek God. He will give you everything you need. Seek His wisdom in your life. He is more than willing to give it to you.

I invite you to view this message from our new sermon series A Wise Christmas, “There’s Something You Don’t See,” in its entirety at this link: https://youtu.be/2Dm0_NyhsHE

We want to connect with you and help you take your next steps!

1. Do you have a relationship with Jesus? This decision is the first step in receiving the anointing in your life. If you are ready to give your life to Jesus, we would love to celebrate with you at 3trees.com.

2. Do you need to rededicate your life to Jesus? If yes, please connect with us at 3trees.com.

3. Do you feel God prompting you to take your next steps? If yes, BEGIN is waiting for you! You can walk through our ONLINE BEGIN class at 3trees.com/begin

4. Would you like to make a difference in our community? Join our captivate team! Visit 3trees.com to find out how you can participate in community outreach opportunities.

WATCH IT | DISCUSSION GUIDE| MESSAGE NOTES

Why You Must Build A Culture That Looks Again

This post is a follow-up to the blog, TWO WAYS YOU CAN BE CERTAIN SOMETHING GOOD IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN. I encourage you to review that post here. But, also recognize that Elijah’s story has even more to reveal.

Scripture is loaded with the truth regarding how God speaks regarding what we hear. He commands us in the last book of the Bible to be sure and keep an ear in tune with the Spirit so that we may listen to God’s voice. Throughout a broader context of the New Testament, we are reminded that “faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.” Likewise, we can not walk by sight, but we must walk by faith. So, we settle upon Hebrew 11’s foundation that faith is the evidence of things not seen. Why? Because faith starts with what you hear.

Do you hear something that you don’t see? Then, you are operating in faith.

I believe that God is starting a revival and an awakening in our nation and beyond! I realize, right now, we may not see it in its full glory. But we are in the stages of God repairing the altars. People are starting to review their relationships with God. They are beginning to give what is meaningful. They are beginning to allow God to remove the coincidence from their lives. And in return, God is setting the stage for something good to happen!

That is why you must build a culture that looks again. Allow me to explain…

Then Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain.” -1 Kings 18:41

And said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.” So he went up and looked and said, “There is nothing.” And seven times, he said, “Go again.” -1 Kings 18:43

Again, I ask, have you ever heard something that you didn’t see?

Maybe you’ve heard you're going to be free… but you don’t see it.

Maybe you’ve heard you’re going to be healed… but right now, you don’t see it.

Maybe you’ve heard you’re going to be restored and reconciled… but right now, you don’t see it.

This reality is why you have to build a culture within your life, family, and relationships that says LOOK AGAIN!

Seven times Elijah told his servant to look again. Seven times! And God is looking for someone, somewhere, that will build a “look again culture.” So many times, we give up too soon, and we MISS it. If you can hear it, you can see it...in due time.

You have to be willing to put something meaningful on the altar, allowing God to remove the opportunity for coincidence simultaneously. Then allow God to speak to you. The result: something good is going to happen in your life!

Be willing to hear and obey. Perhaps, even allowing time to pass. But, all along the way, keep your eyes on the horizon. If you hear the rain, then rain is coming.

Keep looking!

Don’t give up when it gets difficult or when frustration occurs because you will hear God long before seeing His movement.

Keep looking!

And one day, you will not only hear the sound of rain, but you will see the ground getting wet. Something good WILL happen!

I invite you to view this message, “Something Good is About to Happen,” in its entirety at this link: https://youtu.be/nu8UpjkgdQM

Here are a few things to evaluate in your life:

1. Do you have a relationship with Jesus? This decision is the first step in receiving the anointing in your life. If you are ready to give your life to Jesus, we would love to celebrate with you at 3trees.com.

2. Do you need to rededicate your life to Jesus? Is it time to go back to the basics and renew your relationship with Jesus Christ? If yes, please connect with us at 3trees.com.

3. Do you feel God prompting you to take your next steps? If yes, BEGIN is waiting for you! You can walk through our ONLINE BEGIN class at 3trees.com/begin

4. If God finds our time and energy valuable, are you ready to make a sacrifice and donate a little of both to your community? Join our captivate team! Visit 3trees.com to find out how you can participate in community outreach opportunities.

WATCH IT | DISCUSSION GUIDE| MESSAGE NOTES