2014-03-28
Good Morning Dear Ones,
I’m hoping you saved last week’s devotion, and that you took the time to look up each of the citations in it with which you are not already familiar. My reason is that they were designed to convey what a true Covenant Partner has been doing all along, as an example to each of us. Here’s a list of the points made about what a covenant partner should do for his friends: grant eternal forgiveness; choose friends over material wealth and power; keep one’s mind on things of heaven and not just earthly things; reach out to others with the truth of Christ; acknowledge the gift that Christ’s Atonement has given believers in Him; destroy or overcome shared enemies; set example of love and devotion; never abandon people; share wisdom of God; acknowledge that God limits evil work of the adversary; love others beyond measure. If that list isn’t impressive enough, we must understand that God does all of this for us and more. Once again, I will share ZEPH 3: 17, “For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a Mighty Savior, He will take delight in you with gladness; with His love, He will calm all fears. He will rejoice over with joyful songs.”
H. Clay Trumbull in his book, The Blood Covenant, describes the faithfulness of a Scythian’s commitment to friendship that arose in a Scythian’s debate with a Greek. “We see a good man and one capable of great deeds…we make the greatest of all oaths to live with one another and to die, if need be, the one for the other. And this is the manner of it: Thereupon cutting our fingers, all simultaneously, we let the blood drop into a vessel, and having dipped the points of our swords into it, both holding them together we drink it. There is nothing that can loose us from one another after that.” [Impact Christian Books, 1975, p.58]. Of course the Scythians and the Greeks didn’t realize that the roots of these actions were from God’s heart, but nonetheless, they remained as the ultimate act of committing to friendship. Why write about this? It’s because we need to examine our attitudes and behavior toward God, most especially in view of Christ’s Atonement.
I’ve often written that God loves for us to rehearse our history with Him. It is because we are forced by this to look at the blessings and lessons He has showered on us throughout it. That’s something we don’t do often enough! Let’s begin by looking, both individually and corporately, at how much do we trust God? Tough question; you bet it is! Because an honest answer isn’t easy to come by. In comparison to the friendship between the Scythian and the Greek above, or even Jonathan and David [1 SAM 18: 1-3], how much more can we trust the friendship we have with God, Who sacrificed the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ, on the cross as a perfect offering for all eternity for our sins? Remember RO 3: 24-25, which reminds us that Christ is the perfect Propitiation [Substitute Sacrifice] for our sins, and JN 3: 16, which explains what this means to us. When push comes to shove, do we really place our trust in God? Each of us must in all honesty answer that question for himself. I know that even as much as I serve God, there are times when I forget or don’t take the time to pray first at a crossroads where I must decide about something. There are times when I don’t take the Lord’s advice from the Bible, because I would rather take the “easier way.” Pride, stubbornness, and other sinful attitudes are given the lead, instead of the gifts of the Holy Spirit [GA 5: 22-23]. The Lord has told us to think first, then act, but I don’t always do this. However, I will say that my life is so much better now that I am a believer than it ever was beforehand. At least now, I know what I should be doing, and I do try to remember these things and do them. I do know how hard breaking old habits is, but can’t use that as an excuse for my sinfulness. A sign of maturity is taking responsibility for one’s own actions. It is my hope I’m doing this.
We are reminded of God’s love for us in an important way in RO 5: 8, “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Think about whether or not we are wasting the blood He shed for us. Our Covenant Partner gave us His only Son’s physical life on that cross. Imagine how we would feel if our only child was killed on a battlefield. Think of the grieving that we would go through. This devotion isn’t designed to make us guilty, but instead, to bring us to the place where we give ourselves an honest appraisal of our covenant relationship with our Lord and with other people. This battlefield that our Lord has been on is one for our very souls, our very chance at eternal life over spiritual death. Our Lord’s Atonement on the cross has given us the opportunity to have a second chance, to make our lives meaningful in a godly way, to gain an eternal life of blissful covenant friendship with the Lord Himself and others who have gone to heaven before us. God works good things for “those who have been called according to His purpose”[RO 8: 28]. He has sent Christ to heaven “as the First among many brothers” – a real hope of the resurrection [RO 8: 29], and He promise to glorify those He has justified by their faith in Him [GN 15: 6; RO 8: 30]. RO 8: 31-32, “What, then, shall we say in response? If God is for us, then who can be against us? He Who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all—how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?”
PRAYER: O Lord, we bow our heads in reverence and awe of You. We come before You humbled by what You do for us and how You intervene in our lives. We thank and praise You for Who You are, as well. We are grateful, and our hearts are open to Your advise. It is our desire to learn and do all necessary to make You our first Priority, to turn to You first rather than just when we come to the end of ourselves. Our history with You conforms to PS 40: 1-3, “I waited patiently for the Lord; He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the quicksand and mire; He set my feet on a Rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and hear and put their trust in the Lord.” Despite all of that, we still are sinners in need of Your out-stretched hand in our lives. We want to listen more, turn to You sooner, and make decisions/take actions that You direct. PS 86: 5-7, “You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to You. Hear my prayer, O Lord; listen to my cry for mercy. In the day of my trouble I will call to You, for You will answer me.” We want to be teachable. PS 86: 11-13, “Teach me Your ways, O Lord, and I will walk in Your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may have reverence for Your name. I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify Your name forever. For great is Your love toward me; You have delivered me from the depths of the grave.” With thanks and praise we offer this prayer in the holy/mighty name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
NEXT WEEK: We’ll begin looking at some of the different ways that people commit to each other, sealing covenant friendships. Then, I have been led to analyze EZK 17: 1-24, “Two Eagles and A Vine,” a metaphorical chapter which rehearses some important history with long-term repercussions that even impact us, as God’s covenant partners. We will be able to see the Lord’s hand in this history and on us. In the meanwhile, let’s consider the importance of being teachable. IS 50: 4, “The Sovereign Lord has given me an instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught.” Each of us faces challenges, losses, and disappointments---often brought to us at the devil’s hand. And yet, we don’t face them alone, without the help of our Covenant Partner. IS 50: 8-9a, “He Who vindicates me is near. Who, then, will bring charges against me? Let us face each other. Who is my accuser? Let him confront me! It is the Sovereign Lord Who helps me.” Isaiah knew this, and so should we! Trusting God is the most important thing we can do when faced with spiritual warfare. Submitting to God’s wise advice and His will is the smartest thing we can do in such situations. In doing so, we will learn capabilities He created in us that we never knew we had. Our God is so much wiser and more compassionate that we imagine. PS 62: 7-8, “My salvation and my honor depend on God. He is my mighty Rock, my Refuge. Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to Him for God is our Refuge.” Let me end this devotion with the comforting message we find in PS 119: 151-152, “Yet You are near, O Lord, and all Your commands are true. Long ago I learned from Your statutes that You established them to last forever.” Join me in offering our God the thanks and praise He so richly deserves. With thanks and praise to God!
Grace Be With You Always,
Lynn
JS 24: 15
© Lynn Johnson 2014. All Rights Reserved.
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