Friday, May 4, 2012

Choose to Covenant with the Lord

Scripture: Joshua 24:25
So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and made for them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem.

Insights:  Joshua called the children of Israel to enter into a covenant relationship with God.  A covenant is more than just a legal contract.  Especially today, we see legal contracts broken all of the time.  A covenant on the other hand is weightier.  It actually affects the heart and is eternally binding.  Covenants are not to be entered into lightly or haphazardly.  To enter into a covenant with God is always to our best interest.  The reason for that is God NEVER fails to uphold His end of the relationship.  God is offering the children of Israel this great covenant relationship and the best part is His offer still stands today.  Will you enter into a covenant relationship with God?  God is offering you this free gift of eternal life.  A gift you do not deserve and cannot earn.  The reason for your inability to do anything about your eternity is because you are a sinner and you can’t save yourself.  But God IS love and therefore does not want to punish you.  At the same time, however, God is just and must punish sin.  He solves this apparent problem in the person of His Son, Jesus Christ.  He is the infinite God-man.  In other words, He is fully God and fully human at the same time.  Jesus came to this earth and lived among us.  He died on a cross for the payment of your sins.  He was buried, but on the third day He rose again.  And now, by faith, you can receive and enter into a covenant relationship with this merciful God with which Joshua is telling you to covenant.  Faith is not just head knowledge of facts about Jesus.  Faith is not temporary either.  In other words, you can’t let Jesus “fix” your present problem and then walk away from Him and think you really belong to Him.  Faith is an eternal heart change where you trust in Him alone for eternal life.

Questions:
  1. Have you entered into a covenant relationship with the Lord?
  2. If not, why not today?
Prayer: Lord, I sense You are drawing on my heart to enter a covenant relationship with You.  Thank You for offering me this free gift of eternal life found in Jesus.  Forgive me of my sin because it is impossible for me to save myself.  I am so grateful You are a God of love, but I understand You are a righteous and holy Judge Who must punish sin.  It is for that reason I receive Your Son Jesus by faith into my heart.  He alone can bear the punishment my sin deserves and requires.  Thank You for allowing me to enter into this covenant relationship of new life.  Thank You for forgiving me of my sin.  I am now Your child.  I ask all of this in Jesus name, Amen.

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