In that place between wakefulness and
dreams, I found myself in the room. There were no
distinguishing features except for the one wall
covered with small index card files. They were like
the ones in libraries that list titles by author or
subject in alphabetical order. But these files, which
stretched from floor to ceiling and seemingly endless
in either direction, had very different headings.
As I drew near the wall of files, the first to catch my
attention was one that read "Girls I have liked." I
opened it and began flipping through the cards. I
quickly shut it, shocked to realize that I recognized
the names written on each one. And then without being
told, I knew exactly where I was.
This lifeless room with its small files was
a crude catalog system for my life. Here were written
the actions of my every moment, big and small,
in a detail my memory couldn't match.
A sense of wonder and curiosity, coupled with
horror, stirred within me as I began randomly
opening files and exploring their
content. Some brought joy and sweet memories;
others a sense of shame and regret so intense
that I would look over my shoulder to see if
anyone was watching.
A file named "Friends" was next to one
marked "Friends I have betrayed." The titles ranged
from the mundane to the outright weird
"Books I Have read,"
"Lies I Have Told,"
"Comfort I have given,"
"Jokes I Have Laughed at."
Some were almost hilarious in their exactness:
"Things I've yelled at my brothers." Others
I couldn't laugh at:
"Things I Have Done in My Anger",
"Things I Have Muttered Under My Breath at My
Parents." I never ceased to be surprised by the
contents.
Often there were many more cards than I
expected. Sometimes fewer than I hoped. I was
overwhelmed by the sheer volume of the life I had
lived. Could it be possible that I had the time in my
years to fill each of these thousands or even millions
of cards? But each card confirmed this truth. Each was
written in my own handwriting. Each signed with my
signature.
When I pulled out the file marked "TV Shows
I have watched", I realized the files grew to contain
their contents. The cards were packed tightly, and yet
after two or three yards, I hadn't found the end of
the file. I shut it, shamed, not so much by the
quality of shows but more by the vast time I knew that
file represented.
When I came to a file marked "Lustful
Thoughts," I felt a chill run through my body. I
pulled the file out only an inch, not willing to test
its size and drew out a card. I shuddered at its
detailed content.
I felt sick to think that such a moment had
been recorded. An almost animal rage broke on me. One
thought dominated my mind: No one must ever see these cards!
No one must ever see this room! I have to
destroy them!" In insane frenzy I yanked the file out.
Its size didn't matter now. I had to empty it and burn
the cards. But as I took it at one end and began
pounding it on the floor, I could not dislodge a
single card. I became desperate and pulled out a card,
only to find it as strong as steel when I tried to
tear it.
Defeated and utterly helpless, I returned
the file to its slot. Leaning my forehead against the
wall, I let out a long, self-pitying sigh.
And then I saw it..
The title bore "People I Have Shared the Gospel With."
The handle was brighter than those around it,
newer, almost unused. I pulled on its handle and
a small box not more than three inches long fell into
my hands. I could count the cards it contained on one
hand. And then the tears came. I began to weep.
Sobs so deep that they hurt.
They started in my stomach and shook through me. I
fell on my knees and cried. I cried out of shame, from
the overwhelming shame of it all. The rows of file
shelves swirled in my tear-filled eyes. No one must
ever, ever know of this room. I must lock it up and
hide the key. But then as I pushed away the tears, I
saw Him.
No, please not Him. Not here. Oh, anyone but Jesus. I watched helplessly as He began to open the
files and read the cards. I couldn't bear to watch His
response. And in the moments I could bring myself to
look at His face, I saw a sorrow deeper than my own..
He seemed to intuitively go to the worst boxes.
Why did He have to read every one? Finally He turned
and looked at me from across the room. He looked at me
with pity in His eyes But this was a pity that didn't
anger me. I dropped my head, covered my face with my
hands and began to cry again. He walked over and put
His arm around me. He could have said so many things.
But He didn't say a word. He just cried with me.
Then He got up and walked back to the wall
of files. Starting at one end of the room, He took out a
file and, one by one, began to sign His name over mine
on each card. "No!" I shouted rushing to Him. All I
could find to say was "No, no," as I pulled the card
from Him. His name shouldn't be on these cards. But
there it was, written in red so rich, so dark, so
alive. The name of Jesus covered mine. It was written
with His blood. He gently took the card back. He
smiled a sad smile and began to sign the cards.
I don't think I'll ever understand how He did it so
quickly, but the next instant it seemed I heard Him
close the last file and walk back to my side.
He placed His hand on my shoulder and said,
"It is finished." I stood up, and He led me out of the
room. There was no lock on its door. There were still
cards to be written.
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."-
Phil. 4:13
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life."
John 3:16
If you feel the same way forward it
so the love of Jesus will touch their lives also.
My "People I shared the Gospel with" file
just got bigger, how about yours?
A little boy was selling newspapers on the corner,
the people were in and out of the cold.
The little boy was so cold that he wasn't trying to sell
many papers.
He walked up to a policeman and said, "Mister, you
wouldn't happen to know where a poor boy could
find a warm place to sleep tonight would you ?
You see, I sleep in a box up around the corner
there and down the alley and it's awful cold in there
for tonight. Sure would be nice to have a warm place
to stay."
The policeman looked down at the little boy and said,
"You go down the street to that big white house and
you knock on the door. When they come out the door
you just say John 3:16, and they will let you in."
So he did. He walked up the steps and knocked on the
door, and a lady answered. He looked up and said, "John 3:16." The lady said, "Come on in, Son."
She took him in and she sat him down in a split bottom
rocker in front of a great big old fireplace, and she went
off. The boy sat there for a while and thought to himself: John 3:16...I don't understand it, but it sure makes
a cold boy warm.
Later she came back and asked him "Are you hungry? "
He said, "Well, just a little. I haven't eaten in a couple
of days, and I guess I could stand a little bit of food,"
The lady took him in the kitchen and sat him down to
a table full of wonderful food. He ate and ate until he
couldn't eat any more. Then he thought to himself: John 3:16...Boy, I sure don't understand it but it sure
makes a hungry boy full.
She took him upstairs to a bathroom to a huge bathtub
filled with warm water, and he sat there and soaked for
a while. As he soaked, he thought to himself: John 3:16 ...
I sure don't understand it, but it sure makes a dirty boy
clean. You know, I've not had a bath, a real bath, in my
whole life. The only bath I ever had was when I stood in
front of that big old fire hydrant as they flushed it out.
The lady came in and got him. She took him to a room,
tucked him into a big old feather bed, pulled the covers
up around his neck, kissed him goodnight and turned out
the lights. As he lay in the darkness and looked out the
window at the snow coming down on that cold night,
he thought to himself: John 3:16...I don't understand
it but it sure makes a tired boy rested.
The next morning the lady came back up and took him
down again to that same big table full of food. After he
ate, she took him back to that same big old split bottom
rocker in front of the fireplace and picked up a big old Bible.
She sat down in front of him and looked into his young face.
"Do you understand John 3:16 ? " she asked gently. He
replied, "No, Ma'am, I don't. The first time I ever heard it
was last night when the policeman told me to use it,"
She opened the Bible to John 3:16 and began to explain
to him about JESUS . Right there, in front of that big old
fireplace, he gave his heart and life to JESUS. He sat there
and thought: John 3:16 -- don't understand it, but it
sure makes a lost boy feel safe.
You know, I have to confess I don't understand it either,
how God was willing to send His Son to die for me, and
how JESUS would agree to do such a thing. I don't
understand the agony of the Father and every angel
in heaven as they watched JESUS suffer and die.
I don't understand the intense love for ME that kept
JESUS on the cross till the end.
I don't understand it, but it sure does make life worth
living.
John 3:16:
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
This story was written by a doctor who worked in South Africa.
One night I had worked hard to help a mother in the labor ward;
but in spite of all we could do, she died leaving us with a tiny
premature baby and a crying two-year-old daughter. We would
have difficulty keeping the baby alive, as we had no incubator
(we had no electricity to run an incubator).
We also had no special feeding facilities. Although we lived on
the equator, nights were often chilly with treacherous drafts.
One student midwife went for the box we had for such babies
and the cotton wool that the baby would be wrapped in.
Another went to stoke up the fire and fill a hot water bottle.
She came back shortly in distress to tell me that in filling the
bottle, it had burst (rubber perishes easily in tropical climates)
"And it is our last hot water bottle!" she exclaimed As in the
West, it is no good crying over spilled milk so in Central Africa
it might be considered no good crying over burst water bottles.
They do not grow on trees, and there are no drugstores down
forest pathways.
'All right,' I said, 'put the baby as near the fire as you safely
can, and sleep between the baby and the door to keep it
free from drafts.
Your job is to keep the baby warm."
The following noon, as I did most days, I went to have
Prayers with any of the orphanage children who chose to
gather with me.
I gave the youngsters various suggestions of things to
Pray about and told them about the tiny baby. I
explained our problem about keeping the baby warm
enough, mentioning the hot water bottle, and that
the baby could so easily die if it got chills. I also told
them of the two-year-old sister, crying because her
mother had died.
During prayer time, one ten-year old girl, Ruth,
Prayed with the usual blunt consciences of our
African children. "Please, GOD' she prayed, "send us
a water bottle. It'll be no good tomorrow, GOD,
as the baby will be dead, so please send it this
afternoon."
While I gasped inwardly at the audacity of the
Prayer, she added, 'And while You are about it,
would You please send a dolly for the little girl
so she'll know You really love her?"
As often with children's Prayers, I was put on
the spot.
Could I honestly say,'Amen'.? I just did not
Believe that GOD could do this. Oh, yes, I know
that He can do everything, the Bible says so.
But there are limits, aren't there?? The only
way GOD could answer this particular
Prayer would be by sending me a parcel from
homeland.
I had been in Africa for almost four years at
that time, and I had never, ever received a
parcel from home. Anyway, if anyone did
send me a parcel, who would put in a hot
water bottle?? I lived on the equator!
Halfway through the afternoon, while I
was teaching in the nurses training school,
a message was sent that there was a car
at my front door.
By the time I reached home, the car had
gone, but there, on the veranda, was a
large twenty-two pound parcel. I felt
tears pricking my eyes. I could not open
the parcel alone, so I sent for the
orphanage children.
Together we pulled off the string,
carefully undoing each knot. We folded
the paper, taking care not to tear it...
Excitement was mounting. Some thirty
or forty pairs of eyes were focused on
the large cardboard box. From the top,
I lifted out brightly colored, knitted jerseys.
Eyes sparkled as I gave them out.
Then there were the knitted bandages
for the leprosy patients, and the
children looked a little bored. Then
came a box of mixed raisins and sultanas -
that would make a batch of buns for the
weekend Then, as I put my hand in again,
I felt the.....could it really be? I grasped
it and pulled it out - yes, a brand-new,
rubber hot water bottle.
I cried. I had not asked GOD to send it;
I had not truly believed that He could.
Ruth was in the front row of the children.
She rushed forward, crying out,
"If GOD has sent the bottle,
HE must have sent the dolly too!'
Rummaging down to the bottom
of the box, she pulled out the
small, beautifully dressed dolly.
Her eyes shone! She had never doubted!
Looking up at me, she asked:
"Can I go over with you and give
this dolly to that little girl, so she'll
know that JESUS really loves her?'
That parcel had been on the way
for five whole months.
Packed up by my former Sunday
school class, whose leader had
heard and obeyed GOD's prompting
to send a hot water bottle, even
to the equator And one of the girls
had put in a dolly for an African child -
five month's before, in answer to
the believing prayer of a ten-year-
old to bring it that afternoon.
"Before they call, I will answer"
(Isaiah 65:24)
This Awesome Prayer takes less than a minute,
to read.
Prayer is one of the best free gifts we receive.
There is no cost but a lot of rewards.
A Blessing Prayer For You!
Let's continue praying for one another Father, I ask you to bless my friends reading this right now. I am asking You to minister to their spirit at this very moment. Where there is pain, give them Your peace and mercy. Where there is self doubting, release a renewed confidence to work through them.?
Where there is spiritual stagnation, I ask You to renew them by revealing Your nearness, and by drawing them into greater intimacy with You. Where there is fear, reveal Your love, and release to them Your courage.? Bless their finances, give them greater vision, and raise up leaders and friends to support and encourage them. Give each of them discernment to recognize the evil forces around them, and reveal to them the power they have in You to defeat it.? I ask you to do these things in JESUS' Name.
"Do not ask the LORD to guide your footsteps if you're not willing to move your feet".
“If GOD is for us, who can be against us”
(Romans 8:31)?
As a Believer in JESUS and a Child of HIS,
GOD is on your side today!
If you haven’t thought about it yet today,
remember, you are created for Greatness.
You have the Seed of Almighty GOD inside of you.
There is no obstacle that can stop you.
There is no disadvantage that can hold you back.
You’re in the palm of GOD’s Hand, and HE
has Equipped and Empowered you for Everything.
When GOD is on your side, HE sets the Right
People in your path. In fact, HE’s already
released Favor into your Future.
HE’s planning for you to come in to new
seasons of Increase.
Have you given up on a dream?
GOD is on your side, and HE wants to Resurrect it.
Have you given up on a family member?
GOD is on your side, and HE wants to
Restore that relationship.
GOD is on your side, and HE has a
plan for Victory in every area of your life.
Let that sink down into your Heart today.
Begin to expect HIS Favor.
Expect HIM to Work in your life.
Focus on the fact that GOD has Equipped you.
HE has Anointed you.
Your Best days are still out in Front of you!
If GOD is for you, no one can rise against you!
As you Meditate on this Promise,
it will become Real to you.
A Prayer for You Today
Heavenly Father, Thank You for being on my side today. Thank You for Equipping and Empowering me to Accomplish Everything You’ve called me to. Give me a Deeper Revelation of Your Love for me today so that I can live the Abundant life You have Prepared for me. In JESUS’ Name. Amen.
Responding To Those Who Attack You
"LORD, have Mercy on me. See how I suffer at the hands of those who hate me. Snatch me back from the jaws of death. Save me, so I can Praise you publicly at Jerusalem's gates, so I can rejoice that You have rescued me… Arise, O LORD! Do not let mere mortals defy You! Let the nations be judged in your presence. Make them tremble in fear, O LORD. Let them know they are merely human".
Psalm 9:13-14, 19-20 NLT
Asking GOD To Relieve Our Suffering
"Life is difficult enough without people seeking to attack
us in one way or another. But as David quickly learned
when he became king, the more Responsibility and
Power we are given, the more enemies oppose us.
When we are being attacked by our enemies, we
instinctively fight back. But as this Prayer shows,
our first response to opposition should be to bring
the situation to GOD in Prayer. Instead of plotting
how he could destroy his enemies, David identified
how his current predicament could bring Glory and
Honor to GOD.
What difficult and troublesome situations have
you gone through?
Submit those Situations to GOD, and ask HIM to
Save you so that you may Rejoice in HIM.
An expression taken from Galatians 5:22-23, the fruit
of the Spirit refers to the evidence that the Spirit of
God lives and reigns in a person's life. The fruit of the
Spirit, as listed in Galatians 5:1, is Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-Control.
“Love” is that self-giving kind of action,
not necessarily emotion, that GOD HIMself showed
when HE loved the world so much that HE
gave HIS only Son (John 3:16). “Goodness” is the translation of a Greek word that
suggests the idea of generosity.
The word “faith” refers usually to Trust or
Confidence in someone or something.
However, the word can also mean Faithfulness
and Reliability, the things that cause
people to have faith. Both meanings are suggested
by the word used in Galatians.
Another fruit, translated “temperance” in
the King James Version, is the Greek word for
Self-Control, that ability to hold oneself in.
Since these Qualities are the Fruit of the Spirit,
Legalism and Obedience to Law cannot create them.
1. Your thumb is nearest you.
So begin your prayers by praying for
those closest to you.
They are the easiest to remember.
To pray for our loved ones is, as C. S. Lewis
once said, a "sweet duty."
2. The next finger is the pointing finger.
Pray for those who teach, instruct and heal.
This includes teachers, doctors, and ministers.
They need support and wisdom in pointing
others in the right direction.
Keep them in your prayers.
3. The next finger is the tallest finger.
It reminds us of our leaders.
Pray for the president, leaders in business
and industry, and administrators.
These people shape our nation and
guide public opinion.
They need GOD's Guidance.
4. The fourth finger is our ring finger.
Surprising to many is the fact that this
is our weakest finger, as any piano teacher
will testify. It should remind us to pray
for those who are weak, in trouble or in pain.
They need your prayers day and night.
You cannot pray too much for them.
5. And lastly comes our little finger -
The smallest finger of all which is where
we should place ourselves in relation to
GOD and others. As the Bible says, "The least shall be the greatest among you."
Your pinkie should remind you to pray for
yourself. By the time you have prayed
for the other four groups, your own
needs will be put into proper perspective
and you will be able to pray for yourself
more effectively.
As you read this, I challenge you
to really let it's meaning sink in.
This eloquently answers one of
the profound questions of life.
Did God Create Evil?
The university professor challenged
his students with this question: "Did God create everything that exists? "
A student bravely replied "Yes, he did!"
"God created everything?" the professor asked.
"Yes sir," the student replied.
The professor answered, "If God created everything, then God created evil since evil exists, and according to the principal that our works define who we are, then God is evil."
The professor was quite pleased with himself and
boasted to the students that he had proven once
more that the Christian faith was a myth.
Another student raised his hand and said,
"Can I ask you a question professor?"
"Of course," replied the professor.
The student stood up and asked, "Professor, does cold exist?"
The professor replied "Of course it exists.
Have you never been cold?"
The students snickered at the young man's question.
The young man replied, "In fact sir, cold does not exist.
According to the laws of physics,
what we consider cold is in reality the absence of heat.
Everybody or object is susceptible to study when it has
or transmits energy, and heat is what makes a body, or
matter, have or transmit energy.
Absolute zero (- 460 degrees F) is the total absence of heat.
Cold does not exist.
We have created this word to describe how we feel if
we have no heat.
The student continued. "Professor, does darkness exist?"
The professor responded, "Of course it does."
The student replied, "Once again you are wrong sir.
Darkness does not exist either.
Darkness is in reality the absence of light.
Light, we can study, but not darkness.
In fact we can use Newton's prism to break white light
into many colours and study the various wavelengths
of each colour. You cannot measure darkness.
A simple ray of light can break into a world of darkness
and illuminate it. How can you know how dark a certain space is?
You measure the amount of light present. Isn't this correct?
Darkness is a term used by man to describe what happens
when there is no light present."
Finally the young man asked the professor. "Sir, does evil exist?"
Now uncertain, the professor responded,
"Of course, as I have already said. We see it every day.
It is in the daily example of man's inhumanity to man.
It is in the multitude of crime and violence everywhere
in the world. These manifestations are nothing else but evil."
To this the student replied, "Evil does not exist sir, or at least it does not exist unto itself. Evil is simply the absence of God.
It is just like darkness and cold,
a word that man has created to describe the
absence of God.
God did not create evil. Evil is the result of
what happens when man does not have
God's love present in his heart.
It's like the cold that comes when there
is no heat or the darkness that comes
when there is no light."
The professor sat down.
Are You Wearing The Full Armor of GOD? Be Strong with the LORD's Mighty Power.
"Put on all of GOD's armor so that you will be able to
stand firm against all the strategies and tricks of the Devil.
For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood,
but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world,
against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world,
and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms.
Use every piece of GOD's Armor to resist the enemy in the
time of evil, so that after the battle you will still be standing firm.
Stand your ground, putting on the sturdy belt of Truth and
the body armor of GOD's Righteousness. For shoes, put on
the Peace that comes from the Good News, so that you
will be fully prepared. In every battle you will need Faith
as your Shield to stop the fiery arrows aimed at you by Satan.
Put on Salvation as your Helmet,
and take the Sword of the Spirit,
which is the Word of GOD.
Pray at all times and on every
occasion in the power of the
Holy Spirit. Stay alert and be
persistent in your Prayers for
all Christians everywhere".
Ephesians 6:10-18 NLT
This is perhaps the Bible's most comprehensive teaching about the Resources Believers have to overcome evil. Spiritual forces lurk behind many of our conflicts. Therefore, you should not attack the people manipulated by evil but focus directly on the evil itself. Rely on Truth, Faith, the Power of your Testimony, the Wisdom of GOD's Word, and the Power of Prayer. When these are Mobilized, evil succumbs, GOD WINS, and YOU WIN.
1..God won't ask what kind of car you drove; He'll ask how many people you drove who didn't have transportation.
2...God won't ask the square footage of your house, He'll ask how many people you welcomed into your home.
3...God won't ask about the clothes you had in your closet, He'll ask how many you helped to clothe.
4...God won't ask what your highest salary was, He'll ask if you compromised your character to obtain it.
5...God won't ask what your job title was, He'll ask if you performed your job to the best of your ability.
6...God won't ask how many friends you had, He'll ask how many people to whom you were a friend.
7...God won't ask in what neighborhood you lived, He'll ask how you treated your neighbors.
8..God won't ask about the color of your skin, He'll ask about the content of your character.
9...God won't ask why it took you so long to seek Salvation, He'll lovingly take you to your mansion in heaven, and not to the gates of Hell.
10..God won't ask how many people you showed this to, He'll ask if you were ashamed to show it on to your friends.
----------------------------------------------- MY SON This is great, take a moment to read it, it will make your day! The ending will surprise you.
A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art. They had everything in their collection, from Picasso to Raphael. They would often sit together and admire the great works of art. When the Vietnam conflict broke out, the son went to war. He was very courageous and died in battle while rescuing another soldier. The father was notified and grieved deeply for his only son.
About a month later, just before Christmas, there was a knock at the door. A young man stood at the door with a large package in his hands. He said, "Sir, you don't know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son gave his life. He saved many lives that day, and he was carrying me to safety when a bullet struck him in the heart and he died instantly. He often talked about you, and your love for art." The young man held out this package. "I know this isn't much. I'm not really a great artist, but I think your son would have wanted you to have this."
The father opened the package. It was a portrait of his son, painted by the young man. He stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured the personality of his son in the painting..
The father was so drawn to the eyes that his own eyes welled up with tears.. He thanked the young man and offered to pay him for the picture. "Oh, no sir, I could never repay what your son did for me. It's a gift." The father hung the portrait over his mantle. Every time visitors came to his home he took them to see the portrait of his son before he showed them any of the other great works he had collected. The man died a few months later. There was to be a great auction of his paintings. Many influential people gathered, excited over seeing the great paintings and having an opportunity to purchase one for their collection. On the platform sat the painting of the son. The auctioneer pounded his gavel. "We will start the bidding with this picture of the son. Who will bid for this picture?"
There was silence. Then a voice in the back of the room shouted, "We want to see the famous paintings. Skip this one."
But the auctioneer persisted. "Will somebody bid for this painting. Who will start the bidding? $100, $200?" Another voice angrily. "We didn't come to see this painting. We came to see the Van Goghs, the Rembrandts. Get on with the real bids!" But still the auctioneer continued. "The son! The son! Who'll take the son?"
Finally, a voice came from the very back of the room. It was the longtime gardener of the man and his son. "I'll give $10 for the painting." Being a poor man, it was all he could afford. "We have $10, who will bid $20?" "Give it to him for $10. Let's see the masters." "$10 is the bid, won't someone bid $20?" The crowd was becoming angry. They didn't want the picture of the son. They wanted the more worthy investments for their collections. The auctioneer pounded the gavel. "Going once, twice, SOLD for $10!" A man sitting on the second row shouted, "Now let's get on with the collection!" The auctioneer laid down his gavel. "I'm sorry, the auction is over." "What about the paintings?" "I am sorry. When I was called to conduct this auction, I was told of a secret stipulation in the will. I was not allowed to reveal that stipulation until this time. Only the painting of the son would be auctioned. Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including the paintings.
The man who took the son gets everything!" GOD gave HIS Son 2,000 years ago to die on the cross. Much like the auctioneer, His message today is: "The son, the son, who'll take the son?" Because, you see, whoever takes the Son gets everything.
A Covenant is an arrangement between people who commit to do certain things for each other. A Covenant is an extremely serious promise that requires trust, faithfulness, and loyalty in order for the covenant to be kept. When each person involved in the covenant does his part to keep it, he or she is blessed with a deep and wonderful relationship. But when covenants are not kept, the consequences are extremely severe.
Covenants are a major theme in the Bible. God’s first Covenants were made with Old Testament people like Noah, but covenants appear in all parts of the Bible. In fact, another way to say "Old and New Testament" is to say "Old and New Covenant." God made covenants with Abraham, King David, and the Israelites. However, the most important covenant in the Bible is God’s covenant with all people through the work of his son, Jesus Christ. God’s Covenant gives everyone the opportunity to have a close relationship with him. It gives meaning to our lives and provides us with guidelines about how we should act. If we accept God’s covenant with us, he will bless us here on earth, and we will live with Him in heaven for eternity.
THE NEW COVENANT The words "New Covenant" are mostly found in the New Testament and they refer to the redemptive work of Jesus Christ in his death and resurrection. While the Old Testament covenant only included the Israelites, the new covenant extended God’s grace to all people.
THE PREDICTION OF THE NEW COVENANT Even though the Old Testament covenant was a wonderful gift from God, it was still dependent on the Israelites’ obedience to God. Each time the Israelites disobeyed God, they had to offer burnt sacrifices in order to restore their relationship with God. Many of God’s prophets knew that the Israelites, because of their sin, would never be obedient enough to earn the grace of God. Because of this, God gave these prophets the message of a new covenant that would offer his grace unconditionally to all people.
The story of the prophet Hosea is a wonderful parable of the new covenant God was planning for Israel. God commanded Hosea to marry a woman named Gomer. Soon after they were married, Gomer was unfaithful to Hosea. Their marriage covenant was broken, and they divorced. Eventually, God commanded Hosea to return to Gomer and their marriage was restored. In the same way, God’s relationship with Israel, which had been broken because of the Israelites’ disobedience, would eventually be restored and blessed by the new covenant.
The prophet Jeremiah also spoke of God’s new covenant. Jeremiah was a witness to one of the worst periods of Israel’s history. During his life, Israel was conquered by Babylon and forced into slavery. Israel no longer owned the land God had granted to them with the covenant at Sinai, and God’s blessing on them seemed a thing of the distant past.
In the midst of all this, God sent Jeremiah the message of the new covenant. "The days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the people of Judah" (Jeremiah 31:34). Despite Israel’s constant disobedience to God, he was promising a new covenant that would provide complete forgiveness for all sins. When the new covenant arrived, God would offer all people eternal protection and comfort.
THE FULFILLMENT OF THE NEW COVENANT When Jesus Christ came to earth, he came to implement God’s new covenant. His death and resurrection brought radical changes to the covenant in the Old Testament. The old covenant was written on stone tablets; the new covenant was written in peoples’ hearts.
The old covenant required animal sacrifices; under the new covenant, Jesus’ death provided the perfect sacrifice for all sins all the time. God offered the old covenant only to the Israelites; the new covenant made God’s grace available to everyone. Under the new covenant, all people are able to have an intimate relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
The book of Hebrews talks extensively about God’s new covenant. The writer of Hebrews attempts to explain why the new covenant involving Jesus Christ is better than the Old Testament covenant God set up at Mount Sinai. The writer gives numerous reasons why the new covenant is far superior.
1. The new covenant needs only one priest, Jesus Christ, who is the eternal mediator between God and man.
2. Because Jesus’ death was the perfect sacrifice, there is no need for the repeated animal sacrifices God required of the Israelites. Jesus’ death and resurrection provide an eternal and perpetual sacrifice for all people’s sins.
3. The new covenant provides all people with a direct and intimate relationship with God. Through this relationship, God can purify our hearts and minds.
4. The new covenant promises the guiding power and comfort of the Holy Spirit for all people who believe. Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of all of God’s Covenants throughout history.
Because of Jesus’ work on earth, all people are invited to be a participant in God’s community of believers. Each person has the opportunity to either accept or reject this Covenant with God. We cannot change it. If we decide to reject God and live for ourselves, he will not keep his promise to care for us. But if we believe in God’s promises and are faithful to him, God tells us he will forgive our disobedience and no longer remember our sins (Jeremiah 31:34).
"Rejoice and be glad, because you have
a great reward waiting for you in heaven".
MATTHEW 5:12
In the Sermon on the mount,... what JESUS
promises is not a gimmick to give you goose bumps
nor a mental attitude that has to be pumped up
at pep rallies. No, Matthew 5 describes God's radical
reconstruction of the heart.
Observe the sequence.
First,
we Recognize we are in Need
(we're Poor in Spirit).
Next,
we repent of our Self-Sufficiency
(we Mourn).
We quit calling the Shots and
Surrender Control to GOD
(we're Meek).
So grateful are we for HIS
presence that we yearn for
more of HIM
(we Hunger and Thirst).
As we grow closer to HIM, we
become more like HIM.
We Forgive others
(we're Merciful).
We Change our Outlook
(we're Pure in Heart).
We Love others
(we're Peacemakers).
We Endure Injustice
(we're Persecuted).
It's no casual shift of attitude.
It is a demolition of the old structure
and a creation of the new.
The more radical the change,
the greater the joy. And it's worth every effort, for this is the JOY of GOD!!
"HE gives strength to those who are tired and
more power to those who are weak".
ISAIAH 40:29
An example of Faith was found on the wall of
a concentration camp.
On it a prisoner had carved the words:
I believe in the Sun, even though it doesn't Shine,
I believe in Love,
even when it isn't Shown,
I believe in GOD,
even when He doesn't Speak.
I try to imagine the person who etched those words.
I try to envision his skeletal hand gripping the broken
glass or stone that cut into the wall. I try to imagine
his eyes squinting through the darkness as he carved
each letter. What hand could have cut such a conviction?
What eyes could have seen good in such horror?
There is only one answer: Eyes that chose to see the Unseen!!
Everything we do is based on agreements we have made -agreements with ourselves, with other people, with GOD, with life. But the most important agreements are the ones we make with ourselves. In these agreements we tell ourselves who we are, how to behave, what is possible, what is impossible. One single agreement is not such a problem, but we have many agreements that come from fear, deplete our energy, and diminish our self-worth.
"In these agreements we tell ourselves who we are, how to behave, what is possible, what is impossible."
1. Be Impeccable With Your Word Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.
2. Don't Take Anything Personally Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won't be the victim of needless suffering.
3. Don't Make Assumptions Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.
4. Always Do Your Best Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse and regret.
Don't undermine your worth by comparing yourself with others.
It is because we are different that each of us is special. Don't set your goals by what other people deem important. Only you know what is best for you.
Don't take for granted the things closest to your heart. Cling to them as you would your life, for without them life is meaningless.
Don't let your life slip through your fingers by living in the past or for the future. By living your life one day at a time, you live all the days of your life.
Don't give up when you still have something to give.
Nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying. Don't be afraid to admit that you are less than perfect.
It is this fragile thread that binds us to each other. Don't be afraid to encounter risks.
It is by taking chances that we learn how to be brave. Don't shut love out of your life by saying it's impossible to find.
The quickest way to receive love is to give love.
The fastest way to lose love is to hold it too tightly; and the best way to keep love is to give it wings. Don't dismiss your dreams.
To be without dreams is to be without hope; to be without hope is to be without purpose.
Don't run through life so fast that you forget not only where you've been, but also where you're going.
Life is not a race, but a journey to be savored each step of the way
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