THE FEAR OF THE LORD!

The Old Covenant:  was a conditional covenant. If kept, it would bring blessing – if disobeyed it would bring cursing!

 We see this oft-repeated cycle in the history of the nation of Israel. When the people obeyed God, He was pleased with them and would bless them, when they disobeyed Him, He would often allow them time to change, but if they persisted in their sin, He would become angry and judge them and visit them with a curse in the form of punishment!

 This produced in the people a fear of God

 We can see this very clearly in this vision of the prophet Isaiah:

Isa 6:1-8  In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above it stood seraphim, and one cried to another and said: “ Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!” And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke. So I said: “ Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips,  and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The Lord of  hosts.” Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth with it, and said: “ Behold, this has touched your lips; Your iniquity is taken away, And your sin purged.”

 Isaiah was completely undone and his sin exposed when in the presence of God. He was in great fear and expectant that God would punish him. Thankfully God relented and instead cleansed Isaiah of his sin!

 The New Covenant:  is an unconditional covenant in the sense that Jesus as man’s representative fulfilled all of God’s law completely to every jot and title!

 Mt 5:17  Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfil.

 He took the punishment upon Himself that should have been upon mankind so that sin could not only be forgiven but taken away.

Isa 53:4-5 Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.

 On the cross, Jesus exhausted completely the fiery judgment and anger of God against all sin, past, present and future!

 It is Christ’s obedience as a man who now frees God to visit man with His salvation. The only work for man to do is receive the salvation that God offers!

Rom 5:19 For as by one man’s disobedience (Adam) many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience (Christ) many will be made righteous.

 As a believer, when we sin, fall short or make mistakes, we no longer need fear God’s punishment because we know Jesus exhausted that punishment on the cross 2000 yrs ago.

 Our only response is to point to Jesus obedience and say, “Thank you lord that Jesus took the punishment for all my sin. His blood has washed all my sin away,  therefore I now receive your forgiveness. I no longer need fear you but revel in your unconditional love!”

Meditation Point: Jesus has exhausted all of God’s judgment and anger against sin upon the cross. I can now enjoy a relationship with God that is free from fear or punishment!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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‘THE GOOD NEWS‘

Question: Why is Jesus Christ the greatest gift ever given to mankind?

Answer:    Because the cross is the greatest demonstration of God’s love towards mankind!

 Old Covenant Gospel:

 The Church traditionally has preached a gospel of bad news not good news. We’ve made the message condemning by preaching an Old Covenant application that highlights man’s sin and God’s judgment to follow unless man repents!

 Then and only then can man receive Christ and experience His forgiveness.

 We’ve painted a picture of an angry God wielding the stick of judgement towards naughty boys and girls!

 We’ve made the gospel conditional: You can only have the gift of Christ if you do this, this and this.

 Instead of attracting people towards God, such preaching has made the gospel repellent, turning many away from God!

 How can this be ‘GOOD NEWS!’

NO! — A free gift is a free gift without strings attached! All a person needs do is receive it with gratitude and thankfulness.

 New Covenant Gospel:

 This gospel proclaims that God (motivated by love) took the initiative to save mankind even though we had already turned our backs on Him.

 Rom 5:8  But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (NKJV)

 God first dealt with sin by judging and punishing it in His Son on the cross. He then removed sin completely from His sight, buried it in the deepest ocean, and forgot about it! (Mic 7:19,Heb 10:17)

 2 Cor 5:19  God was reconciling the world to himself through Christ, by not counting people’s sins against them. He has trusted us with this message of reconciliation. (CEB)

 God no longer counts man’s sins against him! And our role as ambassador’s for God is to now proclaim:

 God has not come to condemn or make you feel guilty about your sin, mistakes, failures or addictions! He’s not come to point the accusing finger at you!

 He’s come to tell you that all your sin, weaknesses and failures have been punished

in His Son Jesus Christ, and He offers to you the free gift of salvation.

All that remains is for us to receive Christ into our life with thankfulness for His sacrifice!

 This my friends IS ‘GOOD NEWS’

 The gospel continues to be the Good News from the day of our salvation until Christ returns or we depart this earth. That is, we must continue to receive God’s forgiveness in the same way we received it at salvation!

 Col 2:6,7As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. (NKJV)

 Thus, when we sin, we no longer have to:

Confess our sin, ask God for forgiveness, show God evidence that we are mourning over our sin etc.

 All we need do is receive His forgiveness and praise and thank Him for it!

 Christ has removed the burden of sin completely so we can live an everyday life of peace, joy and rest!

 What a great God we serve!

Meditation Point: There is no judgement in the gospel of Christ. If i will receive Christ into my life, there is only forgiveness and acceptance from a loving God!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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‘GRACE WAVES DEVOTIONAL’

Heb 3:5-6 Moses indeed was faithful in all His house as a servant, but Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are.

Under the Old Covenant of law, Moses was a servant in God’s house. A servant has no say in what they do; they are there to obey the commands of their master. They have to serve whether they like it or not!

Under the New Covenant of grace, Christ is a son over God’s house. He gets to say what goes on in the house because He is (so to speak) the inheritor of the family business; and as a son, Christ still serves, but He serves because He wants to not because He has to.

As sons of God, believers belong in the house. They share the inheritance of the family business. They still serve, but they serve because they want to, not because they have to.

There are many believers today who although they are sons, still have the mentality of servants. Why are they like this? They are still living under the law. They still see the Christian life as a performance

Their watchword is ‘obedience.’ They think they have to ratchet up the brownie points in order to earn God’s blessings

Let us of the grace community; pray that God will give them a revelation of sonship!

Meditation Point: We no longer serve as a slave, we serve as a son. We serve because we want to, not because we have to!

Phil 4:8 Meditate (think) on these things.

 

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The Holy Spirit Convicts The Believer of Sin

Does the Holy Spirit convict the believer of sin. Let’s look at this from the Old and New Covenants and see what they teach us:

 OLD COVENANT: Under the O.C. The Holy Spirit convicted people of their sin.

 David who lived under the O.C. said: (Ps 139:23,24) Search me, O God, and know my heart;Try me, and know my anxieties;And see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (NKJV)

 The blessing of God upon the people was conditional on them living a holy life which necessitated them removing sin from their lives.

 2 Chron 7:14 If My people who are called by My name will 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. (NKJV)

 If people didn’t confess their sin, they didn’t prosper: Prov 28:13 He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy. (NKJV)

 So, the responsibility to live a pure, holy life lay with man.

 NEW COVENANT: Under the N.C., God turned around His relationship with man. He sent His Son Jesus Christ to take the punishment of sin upon Himself and die for the whole world, past, present and future.

 God has now taken the initiative to make man right with Himself.

 This He did when He dealt with sin ONCE, FOR ALL TIME AND ETERNITY UPON THE CROSS.

 Christ dealt with mankind’s sin and removed it once and for all.

 2 Cor 5:19 God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

 Now that man’s sin has been dealt with and removed, the only sin God convicts of is the sin of unbelief in Jesus Christ as Saviour.

 John 16:8-9 And when He (Holy Spirit) has come, He will convict the world of sin: of sin, because they do not believe in Me.”

 Once man repents of his unbelief in Christ and comes into relationship with Him, the Holy Spirit no longer convicts man of His sin, He convicts him of his righteousness in Christ!

 Jn 16:8-10 When He has come (Holy Spirit), He will convict the world of righteousness; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more;

Meditation Point: The only sin that the Holy Spirit convicts the world of, is unbelief in Christ.

 

 

 

 

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Ps 110:1 “Sit here until I put your enemies under your feet.”

Read Mt 14:22-33  V24 The boat was being tossed about by the waves. For the wind was against them.

When the wind is for us (in our back), it’s ‘plain sailing.’ The momentum is with us, we have the advantage; people, events, goals, fall neatly into place. When the wind is against us, (in our face) we meet opposition, enemies, problems and pressure!.

Such was the case with the disciples in the boat on Galilee. The wind was not only against them, it had stirred up great swelling waves.

When Jesus came walking on the water and Peter expressed the desire to do the same, Jesus said one word, “Come!” Peter got out of the boat and walked on water. As long as he kept his eyes on Jesus, the wind (opposition) no longer held him back. The waves (problems) were under his feet.

The moment he took his eyes off Jesus and looked at the wind (opposition), fear, anxiety and insecurity became a burden pressing him down, and he began to sink!

What opposition, what problems do you face today. If you will only keep your eyes fixed on Jesus, He will take you through what is against you.

Instead of problems crushing you, they will be under your feet, and you’ll find yourself walking on water!

The things against us are not stumbling-stones but stepping-stones to higher levels in God.

Rom 8:31 If God is for us, who can be against us!

Phil 4:8 Meditate (think) on these things.

 

 

 

 

 

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GOD JUDGES INDIVIDUALS AND NATIONS THAT COMMIT SIN!

This teaching states that when nations or people sin against God, He allows them to go so far, then draws a line in the sand and says, “Thus far and no further!”

 Subsequently He releases His judgment upon them in the form of earthquakes, tsunamis, famine, terrorism and all kinds of general mishaps.

 To arrive at a correct understanding of this issue we will look at God’s judgement under the Old and New Covenants.

 Old Covenant: When nations and people’s turned their backs on God, He first sent a prophet to warn them of the dire consequences of continuing in their sin. If they failed to heed the warning, He would send judgement upon them in the form of catastrophe’s, foreign invasion etc.

 Read Isa 14:22-32. Isa Ch 17.

 Babylon: Isa 14:22-26 “For I will rise up against them,”says the Lord of hosts,“and cut off from Babylon the name and remnant, and offspring and posterity,”  says the Lord.  “I will also make it a possession for the porcupine, and marshes of muddy water;I will sweep it with the broom of destruction,”says the Lord of hosts. (NKJV)

 Israel:Isa 17:4,10,11  “In that day it shall come to pass that the glory of Jacob will wane, and the fatness of his flesh grow lean.  Because you have forgotten the God of your salvation,  and have not been mindful of the Rock of your stronghold, therefore you will plant pleasant plants and set out foreign seedlings;  In the day you will make your plant to grow,  and in the morning you will make your seed to flourish;  But the harvest will be a heap of ruins in the day of grief and desperate sorrow.

 New Covenant: When God sent His Son to die on the cross, He accomplished a number of things:

 a)    He offered His Son as a sacrifice to take the punishment of sin for the whole world, past, present and future. (Heb 7:27)

 b)    He forgave the sin of the whole world, past present and future.          (Col 2:13)

 c)    He removed the sin of the whole world  past, present and future.       (1 Jn 3:5)

 d)    Because sin no longer exists (from God’s point of view), God no longer counts sin against the whole world  past, present and future.      (Rom 4:8)

 e)    Because sin no longer exists, past, present and future, God has chosen to forget man’s sin.    (Heb 9:17)

 2 Cor 5:19  It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favour with Himself, not counting up and holding against [men] their trespasses [but cancelling them], and committing to us the message of reconciliation (of the restoration to favour). (AMP)

 We can see through these scriptures that God judged all sin, past, present and future in His Son Jesus Christ, 2000 yrs ago!

 Today, God is not judging nations and people for their sin – on the contrary He is demonstrating His love to them:

 John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

 So we see that the law covenant judges sin but the grace covenant has (past tense) forgiven all sin.

 Instead of Christians holding up placards proclaiming God’s judgement against homosexuality – They should be placarding the good news that Jesus loves the homosexual!

Meditation Point: In the New Covenant God forgave all sin, past, present and future at the cross. God no longer judges the world, He loves it!

 

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