Living in HIS Covenant

 

Still Brewing 

Philippians 1:6, 2 Corinthians 3:18, Romans 12:2, Hebrews 10:14, Colossians 3:10, 2 Peter 3:18

☕ Justified in CHRIST and continually being sanctified - we are still brewing! ☕

Still Brewing: Coffee #7

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。..・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。..・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

Happy Monday, friends! I know most people don't like Mondays, but I love the start of a new week! Each minute, hour, day, week, month, year, is a time to start fresh. As we go into this week together, here are some encouragements from Scripture 

"But I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall come into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you."

Genesis 6:18 ESV

"I will recount the steadfast love of the Lord, the praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord has granted us, and the great goodness to the house of Israel that he has granted them according to his compassion, according to the abundance of his steadfast love. For he said, “Surely they are my people, children who will not deal falsely.” And he became their Savior. In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them; in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old." 

Isaiah 63:7-9 ESV

Reading GOD's covenant with Noah was such a humbling and comforting reminder after church today (it is Sunday as I am writing this). In those Isaiah verses, my pastor reminded us that Israel was just as sinful and bad as Edom. Yet the difference on why Edom is gone is the difference of a covenant. It is because of the covenant GOD has with HIS people. If you are HIS and HE called you, feel the overwhelming forgiveness, love, mercy, and undeserved grace that JESUS has bestowed upon you. What a beautiful SAVIOR we have.

"And those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded him. And the Lord shut him in."

Genesis 7:16 ESV

I have always loved this verse on the LORD being the one to close them in the ark. Demonstrating HIS authority and protection. But I loved what my study Bible pointed out. That the safety of those in the ark depended on both divine and human action. It is like the balance of GOD's sovereignty and man's responsibility. The LORD is not only in control, HE is over all and ordains all. Yet, this is not a reason for us not to obey HIM and take action. Honestly, knowing the LORD is sovereign over all gives me more a reason to honor and obey HIM! Charles Spurgeon has a great quote on this balance:

"That God predestines, and yet that man is responsible, are two facts that few can see clearly. They are believed to be inconsistent and contradictory; but they are not. The fault is in our weak judgment... I do not understand it; I cannot comprehend it. I believe it and rejoice to confess it. I never expected to be able to understand the ways of God." - Charles Spurgeon

Continuing from the theme of HIS sovereignty, verses like Genesis 8:1 might be confusing if not understood properly. 

"But God remembered Noah and all the beasts and all the livestock that were with him in the ark. And God made a wind blow over the earth, and the waters subsided."

Genesis 8:1 ESV

The ESV Study Bible explains the wording of "GOD remembered." When the Bible uses this verbiage, it is indicating that the LORD is about to take action for that person's welfare. 

"Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and took some of every clean animal and some of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar. And when the Lord smelled the pleasing aroma, the Lord said in his heart, “I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of man’s heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done."

- Genesis 8:20-21 ESV

The first thing Noah did after 370 days stuck in the ark was build an alter to the LORD and offer HIM a burnt offering. What a beautiful reminder of praising JESUS before, during, and after whatever trials or situations (good or bad) in our lives! We also see the beautiful gospel in verse 21 as well. Though we are wretched sinners and our heart and flesh lust after this world, HE is abundantly merciful though we do not deserve it in the slightest. 

It circles back to the first thought on the comforting and humbling reminder of the covenant HE made with us. Let us mediate on this as we head into the week praising HIM and glorifying HIM! And know that the LORD delights in us glorifying HIM. The aroma of the burnt offering that Noah gave to the LORD was pleasing to HIM. The LORD takes pleasure in our relationship with CHRIST, hoping in HIM! Let spur us to praise HIM today!

"but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love. Praise the Lord , O Jerusalem! Praise your God, O Zion!"

Psalm 147:11-12 ESV

LORD willing, see you all for our next cup of coffee together! 

- Sabina