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Sunday, February 19, 2012

The Covenant Keeping God


How great is the covenant of grace and truth! Thank God for His amazing plan of salvation!
The Covenant Keeping God


Acts 3:13  "The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go.  14  "But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you,  15  "and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses.  16  "And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.  17  "Yet now, brethren, I know that you did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers.  18  "But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled.  19  "Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,

Peter had just ministered to the lame man and he was healed; now Peter was preaching to the crowd that participated in crucifying Jesus.  Peter began his message with “the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob”.  The Jewish people knew well that Peter was speaking of a covenant keeping God.  The Jews knew well that the covenant of promise came specifically through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  Peter now points to Jesus as the Servant of God and the fulfillment of the promise.  From the time of Moses the Jewish people were looking for the servant Moses prophesied would come.  Jesus exclusively and wholly fulfilled every prophecy about the Messiah.  One of many promises is repentance and remission of sins would come through Him.  As Peter describe it here, times of refreshing would come from the presence of the Lord.  Jesus is Holy, the Just One, and the Prince of Life.

Luke 16:16  "The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it.

Jesus came with a new era; Jesus came demonstrating the kingdom of God .  The kingdom of God was prophesied but never understood.  The law and the prophets pointed to a coming Messiah; Jesus is the substance of truth they were looking for.

John 1:14  And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.  … 16  And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.  17  For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.  

Jesus Himself brought the covenant of grace and truth on our behalf.  One might ask does all that matter?  I am glad you asked.

Heb 8:6  But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.  7  For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second.  8  Because finding fault with them, He says: "Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah;  9  "not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, and I disregarded them, says the LORD.

The law came through Moses but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.  Here in Hebrews it identifies the covenant that Jesus brought as a better covenant.  It was brought in with a more excellent ministry and established on better promises.  Our opening passage gave the secret of  living in victory.  The object of your faith being in Jesus Christ.  Faith in His name brings deliverance, wholeness, and soundness!

Romans 1:16  For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.  17  For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith."

God gave the Apostle Paul the fullness of the revelation of this precious covenant.  The just shall live by faith.  It is a specific faith, a purposeful faith, a biblical faith.

1 John 4:14  And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world.  15  Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.

The object of our faith must  ever be Jesus Christ and Him crucified!  While some have taught a faith in your faith mentality, that is not the tenor of scriptural faith.  I have written it often, what you think of Jesus determines your destiny.  First your destiny for eternity and also the quality of life you live today.

Galatians 2:20  "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.  21  "I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain."

The object of your faith must ever be in the Son of God who loved us and gave His life as ransom for our liberty.  It can not be in how well you perform or in your achievements; it must ever be an all out trusting in the work of Jesus Christ at the cross.  The moment trust is in ones own performance of the law or even some man made tradition, the object of ones faith has been moved from Jesus Christ.  It was Jesus Christ sacrifice, when He poured out His Own soul as a sacrifice for sin, that the Father was appeased with.  The object of your faith should never be in anything less.  What a great covenant that provides for us to abide in Christ and Christ abide in us.

1 John 5:4  For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world; our faith.  5  Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

Where the object of your faith is, is imperative!  If it is centered in Jesus Christ you have a faith that is overcoming faith.  If you have your faith centered in anything else you are set up for defeat.  The covenant of grace and truth sets us up for total victory, abundant life, and God leading us into triumph.

Matthew 16:16  Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."  17  Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.  18  "And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.  19  "And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."

Peter was given the divine revelation of who Jesus is.  Peter’s object of faith became directed at Jesus Christ when the revelation from the Father was given.  Clearly if you want to walk with authority in the kingdom of God the object of your faith must be in Jesus Christ the crucified one.  This new covenant based on better promises puts the authority into the believers hands.

John 1:11  He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.  12  But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:

If the object of your faith is Jesus Christ Himself you are granted the right to become children of God.  This was not a benefit of the Old Testament; this is exclusive to the covenant of grace and truth.

John 8:34  Jesus answered them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.  35  "And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever.  36  "Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.

If the Son set you free from sin you are free indeed.  Freedom from sin could not be fully grant under the law of Moses.  It was a work temporal purifying of the flesh.  Jesus offered an once and for all offering for the sins of the world.  Yes a better covenant based on better promises. 

Hebrews 9:14  how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

Jesus sacrifice offers a purging in our conscience!  The purging is only found if the object of our faith is correctly founded in the work of Jesus Christ.  It is the exclusive way for man to be made righteous by God.

Romans 5:17  For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)  18  Therefore, as through one man's offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man's righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life.  19  For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous.

It is Jesus Christ’s obedience that brings justification of life.  The object of your faith must ever be in Jesus Christ alone.  The benefits of the kingdom are fully made available by the abundance of His grace.  It is a better covenant based on better promises.

1 John 5:11  And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.  12  He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.  13  These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.  

This New Covenant has brought us reconciliation exclusively through Jesus Christ!  The object of your faith must be in Jesus Christ alone.  When the object of your faith is correct the benefits of the abundant life will flow in you and through you.  Oh what a precious covenant the Father has qualified us to walk in!

Hebrews 13:20  Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,  21  make you complete in every good work to do His willworking in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

We have been offer peace (oneness with God) through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

Hebrews 1:1  God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets,  2  has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;  3  who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power,when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

This New Covenant calls us to hear the voice of Jesus and we can live abundantly!

Jesus Purpose Fulfilled In Us


Jesus fulfilled the pupose of the Father at the cross! Keep your eyes upon your redeemer!

Jesus' Purpose Fulfilled In Us

Revelation 1:3  Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.  4  John, to the seven churches which are in Asia : Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne,  5  and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood,  6  and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Some of the greatest promises of God are unveiled at the beginning of Revelations.  The heart of this Bible study is not studying the book of Revelation; however let it be said this is the only book of the Bible with a promise for a blessing upon the reading of the book.  So many times we see the word grace and look at it as a popular word of greeting in the New Testament.  However the covenant Jesus brings is the covenant of grace and truth.  Grace is the divine influence upon the heart; it is so much more than divine favor.  Jesus has brought us grace and peace.  Peace is oneness with God.  Jesus came and accomplished the will of the Father; this work is our blessing indeed.  Jesus loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood.  The blood of Jesus is the most valuable commodity on earth.  Jesus has always been the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.  In fact, He is the Lamb that was slain before the foundation of the world.  By the power of the blood of Jesus we have been made kings and priest to God the Father.  Yes, some of the greatest promises unveiled are in the opening verses of the book of Revelation.

Philippians 2:5  Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,  6  who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,  7  but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.  8  And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.  9  Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,  10  that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,  11  and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Because Jesus became obedient to the point of death at the cross, He has become highly exalted and given a name above every name.  Every knee will bow to the name of Jesus.  Our victory was secured by the death of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  I confess that Jesus Christ is my Lord.  I write it often, what you think of Jesus Christ determines your destiny.

Isaiah 53:4  Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted.  5  But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.

Jesus is the great sin bearer!  It was our transgression, our iniquities, and our punishment that brought the wounds, bruises, and stripes upon our Lord.  Our wholeness comes from His grief.  You have the right to trade your sorrows for the joy of the Lord!  Based upon the authority of the word of God you can walk in the abundant life the Savior provided.

Isaiah 53:10  Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, And the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand.  11  He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities.

God was pleased by the labor of Jesus soul; He knew His purpose would be fulfilled by bringing many souls to His kingdom.  Jesus is the one who brought us the opportunity to have justification.  Justification is losing the guilt and shame of sin and being made right with God through faith in Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 53:12  Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, And He shall divide the spoil with the strong, Because He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors.

I love this verse!  After Jesus bore our sin his job was not finished He became the great intercessor!  Jesus the intercessor!

Ephesians 2:14  For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation,  15  having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace,  16  and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.

Jesus is our peace!  Jesus has abolished the enmity that was against us.  Through the cross Jesus put to death the enmity between God and man.  Jesus is the reconciler between God and man.  Jesus is our great mediator!

Colossians 2:13  And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses,  14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.  15  Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.  16  So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths,  17  which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.

Look what the Lord has done!  He made us alive when we were dead in our sins.  Jesus has wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us.  Jesus has taken it out of the way nailing it the cross.  In the cross be our glory ever.  Oh the power of the cross.  Jesus Christ is the substance of everything the law shadowed.  Christ is the fulfillment we needed.  Our victory has been won exclusively through Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 1:21  For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.  22  For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom;  23  but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness,

Jesus Crucified is the exclusive way to salvation and those not preaching it should be called accursed.

1 Corinthians 2:1  And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God.  2  For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

Paul was determined not to know anything except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.  His crucifixion is the exclusive way one can be joined back to God.  Jesus purchased our freedom from sin.

Romans 6:6  knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.  7  For he who has died has been freed from sin.

Our old man (sin nature if you will) was crucified with Jesus.  Jesus came to set us free from the slavery of sin.  He who has died has been freed from sin.

Luke 14:26  "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.  27  "And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.

Salvation is a complete surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ; Jesus set the standard high.  True salvation denies self and follows Jesus fully.

Galatians 2:20  "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

Oh the depth of the sacrifice; now Christ lives in me!  How powerful is the plan of salvation!

Galatians 6:14  But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

Is it any wonder that God calls us to make our boast in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ!

1 Corinthians 1:17  For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.  18  For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Many people put their focus upon the wrong thing; the word narrows the focus down to the most essential element.  The message of the cross is exclusively where victory over sin lies!

Colossians 1:19  For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell,  20  and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross 21  And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled  22  in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight;

Peace has been made through the blood of His cross!  It is through the body of His flesh in death enabled Him to present us holy blameless and above reproach!  Oh the depth of the sacrifice of Jesus!

Colossians 1:23  if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.

Do not be moved from Jesus Christ and the accomplishment of the cross.  Let the object of your faith ever be Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

Hebrews 12:2  looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  3  For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.  4  You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin.

You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin; Jesus did it for you.  Turn your eyes upon Him!  He alone is the author and finisher of our faith.  His purpose fulfilled is your victory!

Jesus Christ Has Gained The Victory


Jesus Christ Has Gained The Victory

Colossians 2:23  These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.

From the beginning, Satan has tried to have men live according to the knowledge of good and evil.  The enemy of our soul does not mind if we have an appearance of wisdom with self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body.  The true measure of victory is not arrived with great will power or self-imposed traditions.  Man has devised many practices to find victory over the indulgence of the flesh.  God has made a way of victory over the indulgences of the flesh.  Victory over sin is not evasive or elusive!  Victory over sin is in Jesus Christ crucified.

Colossians 2:20  Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations;  21  "Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,"  22  which all concern things which perish with the using; according to the commandments and doctrines of men?

Here in Colossians 2:20 the truth is revealed.  If you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world you should no longer subject yourselves to regulations of the world.  Do not touch, taste or handle the commandments and doctrines of men.  Salvation is Christ centered.  The object of your faith must ever be Jesus Christ.  We start our scripture at the end of Colossians 2 lets back up.

Colossians 2:11  In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ

Our salvation is founded by putting off the sins of the flesh and putting on the circumcision of Christ.  Jesus came to save us from our sins.  Jesus said we must die to self and the work is completed by putting on of Jesus Christ.

Colossians 2:13  And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses,  14  having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us.  And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.  15  Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

Sin has been handled by Jesus Christ.  Jesus wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us.  That which was against you has been nailed to the cross.  It is time for you to believe that which was against you has been put away by Jesus.  Jesus disarmed principalities and powers; He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them.  Jesus has won the necessary victory.  You can trust in the provision Jesus has made!

Colossians 2:16  So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths,  17  which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.  18  Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,  19  and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God.

What you think about Jesus determines your destiny.  What you think of Jesus Christ determines your level of victory.  Jesus Christ is the substance of the new covenant.  All of the law and the prophets pointed to the coming Messiah.  The law was but a shadow, types, and pattern of things to come.  Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the shadows, patterns and types found in the old covenant.  False religions are many times based on the shadows, types and patterns found under the law.  As such, many errors in doctrine are surrounded by a portion of some truth and taken out of context promises victory.  Many wise sounding practices are not founded in the truth of who Jesus is and what He has done.  Colossians warns us to hold fast to our head- Jesus Christ.

Galatians 3:22  But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.  23  But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed.  24  Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.  25  But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.  26  For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

Faith in Jesus Christ is the exclusive way to victory and there is no other way to victory.  We are sons of God through faith in Jesus Christ.   After faith has come we are no longer under the tutor of the law.  Many men try and derive their victory through practice of the law or some kind of man made rule.  Victory over sin is found only through faith in Jesus Christ.  The only way to become a son of God is through faith in Jesus Christ and there is no other way.

1 John 5:1  Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him.

What you think of Jesus Christ determines if you are born of God!  Hold on to your confession of faith in Jesus.  It is the most valuable thing you possess.

Galatians 3:1  O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified?  2  This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?  3  Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?  4  Have you suffered so many things in vain; if indeed it was in vain?  5  Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

There is a bewitching factor that satan wants to draw the saints into.  It is the same deception he has practiced from the beginning.  A man receives the Spirit by the hearing of faith it is not by the works of the law or by being made perfect by the flesh.  We become victorious exclusively by our faith in Jesus Christ.  It is not the tree of the knowledge of good and evil we want to partake of; it is the tree of life He calls us to.

1 John 5:4  For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world; our faith.  5  Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

Our victory is found exclusively in the object of our faith ever being in Jesus Christ and Him crucified.  It not victory through faith for more stuff; it is victory by the faith we have in Jesus Christ.  He who believes that Jesus is the Son of God is the one who overcomes the world.  Jesus is the substance and the object of our faith.

Colossians 1:16  For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.  17  And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.  18  And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.

Jesus has been given preeminence.  Preeminence is better then first place.  If someone or something has preeminence it is the center of all activity.  What you think of Jesus will determine the level of victory you walk in from day to day.  Jesus the creator of heaven and earth has invested in you and if the object of your faith is centered in Him you have assurance of victory. 

Colossians 1:19  For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell20  and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.  21  And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works,yet now He has reconciled  22  in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight;  23  if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.

The Father has reconciled all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of Jesus Christ on the cross.  You have been promised by the authority of the word of God to be presented to God holy, and blameless and above reproach.  WOW!  What a promise!  The promise can not be taken away as long as the object of your faith continues in the crucified one.  Don’t trust in the false religious practices; trust in the One who loved you and gave Himself for your deliverance.

Ephesians 2:13  But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.  14  For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, 15  having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace,  16  and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.  17  And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near.

Jesus has abolished the enmity (hostility)!  Jesus put to death the hostility that is the law of commandments contained in ordinances.  Peace is exclusively in Jesus and the enmity is put to death.  Hostility is gone and the peace of God brought by the blood of the lamb.  What you think of Jesus Christ determine the level of your victory.  Trust exclusively in Him!

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Trusting God's Faithfulness


Count your God as faithful and you will see His promises come to pass in your life.

Trusting God's Faithfulness


Hebrews 11:11  By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised.

The word of God is so rich, and here in Hebrews 11:11 we find a secret of God revealed.  The story of Abraham & Sarah giving birth to the promised son is found in Genesis 12 through 25.  The secret revealed is Sarah judged or counted God as faithful.  What is it that God has promised you?  Have you come to the place as counting God as faithful?  Delighting in the faithfulness of God can unlock that which God has already given to you.

Romans 5:8  But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.  10  For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.  11  And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

My nickname for Romans 5 is the “Much more chapter”.  My attention is raised whenever the word declares much more.  The great love of God is demonstrated at the cross and as great is that is there is more truth revealed.  The first much more truth is if we were justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.  Another much more truth is if we were reconciled by his death we shall be saved by His life.  These are some of the greatest truths I know revealing the faithfulness of God.  Whatever the promise God has given you can be support by you judging God as faithful!  If He will reconcile you by His death what are the promises afforded to you by His life?  God is faithful!

Hebrews 2:16  For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham.  17  Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.   18  For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.

It amazes me when the will of God is so plainly stated.  God has a desire to come to your aid and He sets us up with a merciful and faithful High Priest.  Jesus suffered and it uniquely qualifies His to come to our aid even in the hour of our greatest temptation.  Our faithful and merciful High Priest is working on our behalf to bring us victory over every circumstance of our lives.  Count God as faithful; your victory is not elusive but sure. 

Hebrews 3:1  Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus, who was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was faithful in all His house.  3  For this One has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as He who built the house has more honor than the house.  4  For every house is built by someone, but He who built all things is God.  5 And Moses indeed was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which would be spoken afterward,  6  but Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.  7  Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: "Today, if you will hear His voice,

Stop and consider the faithfulness of God.  Jesus is called the Apostle and High Priest of our confession of faith.  He is watching over us!  There is a sweet truth revealed in this little passage.  Moses was faithful as a servant under the covenant of the law.  Jesus is faithful as a Son over His own house of grace and truth.  We are a part of that household if we hold fast the confidence and rejoicing of hope firm to the end.  Coming to the faithfulness of God will bring us to listening to the voice of Jesus.  Count God as faithful.

1 Corinthians 1:9  God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.  10  Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

God is faithful, God is faithful, God is faithful!  When we lean into the faithfulness of God we will find ourselves in the spirit of unity Count God as faithful.

Psalm 37:3  Trust in the LORD, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.  4  Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.  5  Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass.

Another nickname for another passage.  This is the “Trust, Delight, Commit” passage.  Trusting in God comes from dwelling in the land of Zion and feeding on His faithfulness.  Consider the children of Israel crossing the Red Sea , or the Daniel delivered from the Lion’s den, or Jonah being delivered from the belly of a fish.  Feed on God’s faithfulness.  Delight in God and He will fulfill your desires.  Commit your way to the Lord!!  Trusting in Him will bring it to pass.  Count your God as faithful!