Tag: covenant relationship

Setting Our Hearts to Please the Father

Psalm 40:8
I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.

When David spoke of his desire to follow God’s will for his life, he was patterning himself after Jesus. Jesus did nothing without giving full consideration to the will of the Father. Both Jesus’ and David’s hearts were set on pleasing the Father. Each complied cheerfully.

If we start a new exercise regimen because we want the quick body changes “guaranteed” in the rave reviews, we may find ourselves struggling to maintain the new regimen for any extended period of time. On the other hand, if we start the new exercise program because we have a passion for a happier, extended life to enjoy with our loved ones, we are more likely to get into the new regimen eagerly and consistently because of the higher purpose that drives our success.

When we seek to be faithful in following all of the commandments with the single purpose of avoiding sin, we are certain to struggle because our purpose is not high enough. We must find our passion in the higher purpose of establishing our covenant with Jesus not with the law.

Let us seek to know Jesus so intimately that we can enjoy His peace, His beauty, His mercy, His loving kindness and most of all share in His delight in pleasing His Father in heaven. Let us learn to count it as joy to give up the things of the world for the glory of Our Heavenly Father.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for loving us so much that You gave us Your Son to come down from heaven to fulfill the law. We bless the name of Jesus for His perfect obedience in doing Your will. We ask that the Holy Spirit will help us to set our hearts upon Jesus instead of upon the law. Oh Lord, we pray that we may take up our crosses daily with the same delight and pleasure that Jesus did when He fulfilled Your will for His life. We ask all these things in the name of the One who is faithful and true, Jesus Christ.

Trying to Define God with Logic is Fruitless

John 8:19
Then they asked him, “Where is your father?” “You do not know me or my Father,” Jesus replied. “If you knew me, you would know my Father also.”

During the time of Jesus, the collaboration of one or more witnesses was required to establish the truth in any matter. The Pharisees were taunting Jesus, insinuating that He had no witness to the truth that He was the Son of God. They were blindly calling for a testimony in the flesh to confirm a divine truth.

With pity and patience, Jesus convicted them of their own shortcoming. He pointed out to them that He was all the proof that they needed that He was the Son of God. He emphasized that if they could not see that He was who He said He was, they would never know His Father. This was a claim that enraged the self-righteous Pharisees.

If we try to have head knowledge of who God is and define our relationship with Him without a relationship with His Son, we will end up in the same place as the Pharisees. If we try to use our own logic and the testimony of what the world offers to determine our relationship with Almighty God, we will miss out entirely on having an intimate relationship with Our Creator.

Fortunately, Our Creator is completely aware of our weakness. Through His grace, His loving kindness and His mercy, He provides the Holy Spirit to leads us into an intimate relationship with His Son, Our Savior. If we follow the supernatural guidance and urgings of the Holy Spirit and surrender completely to a relationship with Jesus Christ, we will experience the unimaginable peace and joy of an eternal relationship with the Father and the Son.

Let us quit trying to define God by our own logic. Let us ask the Holy Spirit to help us dig deeply into our relationship with Our Creator. Let us truly discover who God is by developing an intimate relationship with His Son.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for allowing us to know You through Your Son, Jesus. May we learn to reject the need to define You and our relationship with You by the world’s standards. We pray that our minds will be transformed by the Holy Spirit so that we will come to know you intimately through our relationship with Your Son. We ask all these things in the name of the brightness of Your glory, Jesus Christ.

Discovering the Skills the Father Has Prepared for Us

1 Corinthians 9:16
For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!

Not everyone is called in the same manner that Paul was called. It is certain, in fact, that most of us were not called to stand in the pulpit to preach the gospel. It is just as certain, however, that every one of us has been called to live the gospel and to serve our Master in the manner in which He has called us.

There will be no peace in our hearts if we take a different direction than the one the Lord set aside for us. Just as Paul was compelled to preach, we are compelled to proclaim the gospel through our obedient response to Our Lord’s calling on our lives. To neglect the calling of God on our lives shows contempt for the divine will of the Father and opens us up to the torment of a wounded conscience.

If we are gifted with a beautiful singing voice, we should be using it for God’s glory. If we are gifted with organizational skills, we should be using them to help with the administration of the church. If we have been given teaching skills, we should be leading bible studies. The list goes on and on. There are no skills that cannot be used by God for the advance of His kingdom. We should search for guidance from the Holy Spirit to find out the skill or skills that God has planned uniquely for each of us. If we neglect the calling that God has placed on our lives, we may not face His wrath, but we are likely to lose the gifts that He has blessed us with.

Let us make certain that we are not neglecting the skills that we have been given. Yet, let us lean not on our own perception of our skills when we seek to serve God. Let us ask the Holy Spirit to help us discover the unique skills that God has prepared for each of us. Let us be surprised by our new abilities and improved capabilities when we enter into a covenant relationship with Our Savior.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for giving us unique skills so that we can be vital parts of the Body of Christ. We pray that You will help us discover and develop our identity in Christ. May Your Holy Spirit guide us and train us in our calling. May we find peace of mind and great satisfaction in our service to Your Kingdom. We ask these things in the name of the Head over all things, Jesus Christ.

Giving Full Consideration to the Will of the Father

Psalm 40:8
I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.

When David spoke of his desire to follow God’s will for his life, he was patterning himself after Jesus. Jesus did nothing without giving full consideration to the will of the Father. Both Jesus’ and David’s hearts were set on pleasing the Father. Each complied cheerfully.

If we start a new exercise regimen because we want the quick body changes “guaranteed” in the rave reviews, we may find ourselves struggling to maintain the new regimen for any extended period of time. On the other hand, if we start the new exercise program because we have a passion for a happier, extended life to enjoy with our loved ones, we are more likely to get into the new regimen eagerly and consistently because of the higher purpose that drives our success.

When we seek to be faithful in following all of the commandments with the single purpose of avoiding sin, we are certain to struggle because our purpose is not high enough. We must find our passion in the higher purpose of establishing our covenant with Jesus not with the law.

Let us seek to know Jesus so intimately that we can enjoy His peace, His beauty, His mercy, His loving kindness and most of all share in His delight in pleasing His Father in heaven. Let us learn to count it as joy to give up the things of the world for the glory of Our Heavenly Father.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for loving us so much that You gave us Your Son to come down from heaven to fulfill the law. We bless the name of Jesus for His perfect obedience in doing Your will. We ask that the Holy Spirit will help us to set our hearts upon Jesus instead of upon the law. Oh Lord, we pray that we may take up our crosses daily with the same delight and pleasure that Jesus did when He fulfilled Your will for His life. We ask all these things in the name of the One who is faithful and true, Jesus Christ.

Trying to Rush God’s Plans Will Prove to be Foolhardy

Galatians 4:22
For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave woman and one by a free woman.

Even though Abraham was approaching 100 years old and Sarah was approaching 90 years old, Almighty God promised that He would supernaturally open the womb of Sarah and upon the seed of Abraham He would build the nation of Israel. But Sarah and Abraham lost faith in the supernatural promise, so they sought natural, manipulated means to help God’s plan. Sarah allowed Abraham to sleep with their pagan slave, Hagar. Through the natural union of Abraham and Hagar, Ishmael was born. Thirteen years later, God supplied the supernatural birth of Isaac to Abraham and Sarah.

Because God promised Abraham he would raise up great nations through him, God had to allow Ishmael to be a great nation. But because Ishmael was the product of the natural process, there was no covenant with the nation of Ishmael. In fact, God told Abraham that “Ishmael will be a wild donkey of a man, His hand will be against everyone, and everyone’s hand will be against him; and he will live to the east of all his brothers.” The conflicts in the middle east today are the result of Abraham taking matters into his own hands.

The only covenant that God honored was the one that was of the supernatural process that He had revealed to Abraham. It was through the bloodline of Isaac that God built up the apple of His eye, Israel.

Let us take great care not to rush ahead of God when He has a plan for our lives. Let us seek the measures that God has set aside for our lives. Let us wait on the Lord for He will honor that which He blesses.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for the many promises that You have given us. We rejoice in knowing that You have a special plan for each of us. We pray, Lord, for the wisdom to wait on You. We ask for the Holy Spirit to guide us and instruct us in accordance with Your perfect will for our lives. We ask all these things in the name of the Keeper of Our Promises, Jesus Christ.

Responding to the Call of the Lord

1 Corinthians 9:16
For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!

Not everyone is called in the same manner that Paul was called. It is certain, in fact, that most of us were not called to stand in the pulpit to preach the gospel. It is just as certain, however, that every one of us has been called to live the gospel and to serve our Master in the manner in which He has called us.

There will be no peace in our hearts if we take a different direction than the one the Lord set aside for us. Just as Paul was compelled to preach, we are compelled to proclaim the gospel through our obedient response to Our Lord’s calling on our lives. To neglect the calling of God on our lives shows contempt for the divine will of the Father and opens us up to the torment of a wounded conscience.

If we are gifted with a beautiful singing voice, we should be using it for God’s glory. If we are gifted with organizational skills, we should be using them to help with the administration of the church. If we have been given teaching skills, we should be leading bible studies. The list goes on and on. There are no skills that cannot be used by God for the advance of His kingdom. We should search for guidance from the Holy Spirit to find out the skill or skills that God has planned uniquely for each of us. If we neglect the calling that God has placed on our lives, we may not face His wrath, but we are likely to lose the gifts that He has blessed us with.

Let us make certain that we are not neglecting the skills that we have been given. Yet, let us lean not on our own perception of our skills when we seek to serve God. Let us ask the Holy Spirit to help us discover the unique skills that God has prepared for each of us. Let us be surprised by our new abilities and improved capabilities when we enter into a covenant relationship with Our Savior.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for giving us unique skills so that we can be vital parts of the Body of Christ. We pray that You will help us discover and develop our identity in Christ. May Your Holy Spirit guide us and train us in our calling. May we find peace of mind and great satisfaction in our service to Your Kingdom. We ask these things in the name of the Head over all things, Jesus Christ.