Daily Devotions David H. Horner, Senior Pastor

Transcription

1 Day 1 Called to be a Covenant People When Abram was ninety-nine years old the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless, 2 that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly. (Genesis 17:1-2) Of all the promises ever made to you in your entire life, none of them will compare to the promises of God. When He cares enough to make you a promise, blessed are you to whom it is given. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed. (Genesis 12:2-3) We are people of the covenant, called not by merit or goodness, but by God s mercy and grace. In today s culture, many people are reluctant to make a commitment. They value independence more than relationship, even a relationship with our Creator and Lord! When you understand the nature and motivation of the covenant God wants to make with you, your heart cannot push Him away or continue to be reluctant to His loving initiatives. As your heart changes, your behavior will follow. Your covenant promises to the Lord will take on new life. Your life priorities will be realigned to His priorities for you, and your relationship to Him and His church will no longer be treated as just an option. God has called us to be a covenant people. Let us gratefully embrace it, gladly rejoice in it, and give ourselves freely and fully to it. Consider what God s grace and mercy have meant in your life, and give thanks for His call for you to be part of the covenant community, eternally sealed by the blood of His own Son.

2 Day 2 God s Promises Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, And to offsprings, referring to many, but referring to one, And to your offspring, who is Christ. (Galatians 3:16) God s promise to Abraham included a plan to offer a promise to you and me, a promise of everlasting life, forgiveness for sin and everything pertaining to life and godliness. It s all contained in His covenant promises, sealed by the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ. His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. (2 Peter 1:3-4) We are called to a covenant commitment that we cannot ignore. It is a promise made to us by God Almighty, that if we come to Him by faith, all His promises will be ours in full measure. We did not initiate the relationship, nor did we dictate the terms. We must shed any reluctance we may have about commitment and accept His invitation to enter into covenant with Him and promise to be faithful to the commitments we make to Him. If promises are so important to God, how much more His covenant, His shared promises between Him and His people. None of us can improve what God has prepared and required. His promises leave nothing out but take everything into consideration, if we will only trust Him and do things His way! Confess and surrender to the Lord any reluctance you may have to a covenant relationship and commit to loving and serving Him, giving thanks for His eternal promises.

3 Day 3 God s Covenant Initiative Abraham entered into a covenant relationship with God on His terms, trusting Him by faith to keep His promises. God has steadfastly remained true to His promises, which continue to pour forth from generation to generation. No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21 fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. 22 That is why his faith was counted to him as righteousness. (Romans 4:20-22) God makes it possible for us to come into a relationship with Him and calls us to embrace His promises by faith and live as a people set apart, chosen to be conformed to His image in Jesus Christ. Through the Son we enter into a new covenant, which offers forgiveness and the promise of eternal life. In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me. (1 Corinthians 11:25) God initiated the covenant relationship in order to have a people for His own possession out of all the peoples on earth. He promises to always love us, as children s book author Sally Lloyd Jones describes the covenant promise, it is written in blood the blood of His Son. When we choose to follow Jesus Christ, we become part of the body of Christ, the church, the covenant community of faith. By His grace we are called, and we should continually be grateful for a covenant-making God who is merciful toward us and promises to love us eternally. Commit yourself to the new covenant found in Jesus Christ, asking Him to set you apart and to become like Him as you grow and live in the covenant community of faith.

4 Day 4 A New Covenant Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant. (Hebrews 9:15) Jesus Christ seals the new covenant, written in His blood that was shed for us on the cross. We must never forget that our covenant relationship with the Lord is founded on His initiative to save us from the death we deserve for our sin. In Him we are made alive to the life He prepares and promises for those who love Him. For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me. 25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me. 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord s death until he comes. (1 Corinthians 11:23-26) By His grace we are called, and we should cherish the privilege of being His chosen people, set apart to serve and worship Him forever. Through His mercy and forgiveness, we are no longer isolated because of our sin. Through Him we have been made members of a new covenant community, the church. We should always remember that we are betrothed to the Lamb of God! Consider the price Jesus Christ paid to establish a new covenant relationship with you, redeeming you from your sins and allowing you to be with Him forever!

5 Day 5 Treasuring the Covenant When God is gracious enough to bestow on you His name, blessed are you who treasure it! If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14) As followers of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, we live to honor His gracious name. We are a covenant people, and we are betrothed to the Lamb. The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29) Jesus Christ sealed the new covenant with His blood shed upon the cross. Like His promises, God holds dear his covenant with His people, and He desires that we too share what is dear and important to Him. Behold, I establish my covenant with you and your offspring after you, (Genesis 9:9) How are you treating the covenant God has made with you? Is it a treasure to you and kept as something of highest value, or treated indifferently and dismissively? What would be different about your commitment to God s plans for your life if you understood the powerful love behind his covenant commitment to you? When we failed to live up to the covenant because of our sin, God himself paid the penalty, in Jesus, who died instead of us. His nail-pierced hands and feet reveal His deep, abiding love for us. He gave His life for you and me, and offers us new life in Him. Blessed indeed are those who treasure the New Covenant in His blood. What will you do in remembrance of Him? When you seek His forgiveness, Christ offers you an eternal covenant that can never be broken, written in His blood and available to anyone willing to commit his or her life to Him.