OUR PROMISES
The Bible speaks of promises from God. We see it in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. These promises are made to three general categories:
1. People of Isreal
2. Body of Christ
3. God’s children in general
THE OLD COVENANT (HEBREWS 9:19-22)
When Moses had proclaimed every commandment of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves, together with water, scarlet wool and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people. He said ”This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep.” In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies. In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleanses with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
THE NEW COVENANT (LUKE 22:20)
In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.”
With Jesus came a New Covenant that changed a few things. With the Old Covenant of the Old Testament, blood sacrifice was necessary to cleanse and purify and result in forgiveness. With the New Covenant, Jesus’ blood ("in my blood") was the sacrifice. Following are some examples of the differences:
OC laws on stone tables vs. NC in our hearts
OC animal sacrifice vs. NC living sacrifice
OC physical prosperity vs. NC spiritual (and physical) prosperity (lives bearing fruit)
OC physical captivity vs. NC spiritual captivity
OC invite to mountain vs. NC 24/7 availability
OC part the Red Sea vs. NC walk on water
OC weapons of the world vs. NC weapons are not of this world
OC ‘NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE’ VS. NC ‘EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE’
Jeremiah 32:17 vs. Mark 9:23
According to Hebrews 8:10, “I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts”, therefore, the New Covenant changes from external to internal. With Jesus and the New Covenant, God’s focus and priority changes to preparing people from the inside so that we have the opportunity to get our hearts right. He is preparing the bride of Christ for her groom. The purpose is to purify and change the depraved hearts of man (includes woman).
Hebrews 8:7-13
A New Covenant
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. 10 "For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 11 "None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD, for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them. 12 "For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more." 13 In that He says, "A new covenant," He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.
God is the same God, Old Covenant or New. God can do the same things, Old Covenant or New.
Believe God to be huge. When a supernatural miracle is needed, you can expect Him to come through. The miracle may not be specifically what we ask for but you can be certain it is the best thing to fulfill His purpose. And you can know, since God’s priority is on our heart and internal being, that if we don’t see the results on the outside, we can know He is working on us on the inside. Regardless He is coming through. Thank him in advance knowing He knows exactly what we need. He is a God who performs miracles and is working, even when we don’t see the results on the outside.
Primary object of God’s New Covenant is to prioritize the internal work over the external work. God’s work moves inside of man. God still does plenty around us but under the New Covenant is preparing the bride of Christ for her groom.
Ephesians 3:20
The Bible speaks of promises from God. We see it in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. These promises are made to three general categories:
1. People of Isreal
2. Body of Christ
3. God’s children in general
THE OLD COVENANT (HEBREWS 9:19-22)
When Moses had proclaimed every commandment of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves, together with water, scarlet wool and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people. He said ”This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep.” In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies. In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleanses with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
THE NEW COVENANT (LUKE 22:20)
In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.”
With Jesus came a New Covenant that changed a few things. With the Old Covenant of the Old Testament, blood sacrifice was necessary to cleanse and purify and result in forgiveness. With the New Covenant, Jesus’ blood ("in my blood") was the sacrifice. Following are some examples of the differences:
OC laws on stone tables vs. NC in our hearts
OC animal sacrifice vs. NC living sacrifice
OC physical prosperity vs. NC spiritual (and physical) prosperity (lives bearing fruit)
OC physical captivity vs. NC spiritual captivity
OC invite to mountain vs. NC 24/7 availability
OC part the Red Sea vs. NC walk on water
OC weapons of the world vs. NC weapons are not of this world
OC ‘NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE’ VS. NC ‘EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE’
Jeremiah 32:17 vs. Mark 9:23
According to Hebrews 8:10, “I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts”, therefore, the New Covenant changes from external to internal. With Jesus and the New Covenant, God’s focus and priority changes to preparing people from the inside so that we have the opportunity to get our hearts right. He is preparing the bride of Christ for her groom. The purpose is to purify and change the depraved hearts of man (includes woman).
Hebrews 8:7-13
A New Covenant
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. 10 "For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 11 "None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD, for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them. 12 "For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more." 13 In that He says, "A new covenant," He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.
God is the same God, Old Covenant or New. God can do the same things, Old Covenant or New.
Believe God to be huge. When a supernatural miracle is needed, you can expect Him to come through. The miracle may not be specifically what we ask for but you can be certain it is the best thing to fulfill His purpose. And you can know, since God’s priority is on our heart and internal being, that if we don’t see the results on the outside, we can know He is working on us on the inside. Regardless He is coming through. Thank him in advance knowing He knows exactly what we need. He is a God who performs miracles and is working, even when we don’t see the results on the outside.
Primary object of God’s New Covenant is to prioritize the internal work over the external work. God’s work moves inside of man. God still does plenty around us but under the New Covenant is preparing the bride of Christ for her groom.
Ephesians 3:20
20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,
If we would start using our shields of faith and swords of the Spirit, our “nos” would be far fewer and our “yes’” more abundant. The more I seek the mind of Christ, the more his word abides in me. (John 15)
Mark 9:14-24
14 And when He came to the disciples, He saw a great multitude around them, and scribes disputing with them. 15 Immediately, when they saw Him, all the people were greatly amazed, and running to Him, greeted Him. 16 And He asked the scribes, "What are you discussing with them?" 17 Then one of the crowd answered and said, "Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit. 18 "And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast it out, but they could not." 19 He answered him and said, "O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to Me." 20 Then they brought him to Him. And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth. 21 So He asked his father, "How long has this been happening to him?" And he said, "From childhood. 22 "And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us." 23 Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes." 24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!"
So, what to do now:
-keep believing God for a miracle;
-give Him every opportunity through your faith to perform the one you desire;
-don’t argue with a Pharisee (unbeliever);
-seek the mind of Christ so His word abides in us!
If I err, let me err on the side of faith. Let me have made a fool of myself by believing. I would rather make a fool of myself than get there and wish I had used the God-given faith He designed for us and realize the blessing I missed because of it.
If we would start using our shields of faith and swords of the Spirit, our “nos” would be far fewer and our “yes’” more abundant. The more I seek the mind of Christ, the more his word abides in me. (John 15)
Mark 9:14-24
14 And when He came to the disciples, He saw a great multitude around them, and scribes disputing with them. 15 Immediately, when they saw Him, all the people were greatly amazed, and running to Him, greeted Him. 16 And He asked the scribes, "What are you discussing with them?" 17 Then one of the crowd answered and said, "Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit. 18 "And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast it out, but they could not." 19 He answered him and said, "O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to Me." 20 Then they brought him to Him. And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth. 21 So He asked his father, "How long has this been happening to him?" And he said, "From childhood. 22 "And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us." 23 Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes." 24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!"
So, what to do now:
-keep believing God for a miracle;
-give Him every opportunity through your faith to perform the one you desire;
-don’t argue with a Pharisee (unbeliever);
-seek the mind of Christ so His word abides in us!
If I err, let me err on the side of faith. Let me have made a fool of myself by believing. I would rather make a fool of myself than get there and wish I had used the God-given faith He designed for us and realize the blessing I missed because of it.