1 June 2021 | Dear Aunt Sevvy, Recently the adult son of one of our congregation’s leading families was arrested for propositioning a minor for sex. The family bailed him out of jail pending a trial, but they all insist that he did nothing wrong. It was the girl’s fault, they say—this teenager “seduced” him. But […] Source: https://atoday.org/70290-2/
We Shall Be Dead to Our Sins
Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye are healed. 1 Peter 2:24.
The one thing essential for us in order that we may receive and impart the forgiving love of God is to know and believe the love that He has to us. Satan is working by every deception he can command, in order that we may not discern that love. He will lead us to think that our mistakes and transgressions have been so grievous that the Lord will not have respect unto our prayers, and will not bless and save us. In ourselves we can see nothing but weakness, nothing to recommend us to God, and Satan tells us that it is of no use; we can not remedy our defects of character. When we try to come to God, the enemy will whisper, It is of no use for you to pray; did not you do that evil thing? Have you not sinned against God, and violated your own conscience? But we may tell the enemy that “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” When we feel that we have sinned, and can not pray, it is then the time to pray. Ashamed we may be, and deeply humbled; but we must pray, and believe…. Forgiveness, reconciliation with God, comes to us, not as a reward for our works, it is not bestowed because of the merit of sinful men, but it is a gift unto us, having in the spotless righteousness of Christ its foundation for bestowal.
We should not try to lessen our guilt by excusing sin. We must accept God’s estimate of sin, and that is heavy indeed. Calvary alone can reveal the terrible enormity of sin. If we had to bear our own guilt, it would crush us. But the sinless One has taken our place, though undeserving, He has borne our iniquity.—Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 115, 116.
With God at Dawn p. 147
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Prayer Requests
—-Please continue to pray for Johanna. She had a pacemaker put in but her blood pressure is still very low. Rose
—-I have to say Praise the Lord! I went for an oral cancer screening today because I had two spots inside my cheek (including ulcers on the back of my throat)that didn’t look good. . . . No cancer and the ulcers are viral. So grateful for having our prayers answered. Sally
—-Please pray that Oliver can regain the use of his left side after an operation for epilepsy. Kim
—-Please pray for Buddy who had a stroke and is in rehab. Kay
—-Report is in on my shoulder. surgery is recommended. I’m dealing with some other issues too so prayers are appreciated. Connie
—-Please pray for Brian as he travels back home and also for Esther, the children, and me as we may be travelling across country to see Ronnie Jay either this week or next. Rose
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Dear Friends,
Over the years, Ron and I have enjoyed canoeing. Our favorite memories seemed to center around Bad Medicine Campground which is on John Bull Lake. We liked to go there the week of my birthday because other than the campground host, we were the only campers, so all was peace and serenity. (An added bonus was the mosquitoes had not yet hatched.) Once during a canoe ride, we had a beaver swim alongside of us, slapping the water with his tail which drenched us. It seemed like he was enjoying Esther’s screams as she got very wet.
We got to see many interesting animal behaviors whenever we camped there such as osprey youngsters peeking over the edge of the nest high above us while the frantic parents were trying desperately to lead us from the nest. On one canoe ride that Ron and the children went on, an eagle and an osprey were fighting above the lake. The one was upside down with his talons pointing upwards, while the other was right-side-up with his talons bared to finish off his opponent. (Sadly, I didn’t go canoeing that time, so I missed the spectacular sight.)
On another canoe ride Ron and I had taken on that same lake, Ron spotted an animal swimming ahead of us. At first we thought it might have been the beaver again. Quietly, he sculled our craft closer to get a better look. We discovered that it was not a beaver. It was a muskrat. Because of Ron’s skill in paddling a canoe, Mr. muskrat didn’t know that we were there. We followed him as he swam to a protected spot along the shoreline. Overhanging tree branches and a dead tree lying parallel with the shoreline made a secluded cove for the muskrat family’s home. From their burrow under the bank, Mrs. Muskrat, along with four or five little ones, emerged and greeted him happily. We sat motionless and watched the proceedings.
Suddenly, another muskrat face appeared at the entrance of their den. This creature spotted us and gave a warning whistle. Instantly our muskrat family disappeared. As we looked at the spot where they had been a moment before, we spotted one baby looking at us with fear-filled eyes. In his fright, he had forgotten where the entrance to his home was and had run in the opposite direction. Realizing that he was discovered, he flattened himself against the shore under an exposed tree root and hoped for the best. We watched to see what he would do. Moments later, one of this terrorized baby’s parents came to the entrance and whistled softly. That terror-stricken youngster did not need a second invitation. Instantly, he made a dive for the burrow.
Just as that little muskrat became confused and disoriented, so we sometimes find ourselves in a similar situation. We have lost our way. Trouble is all around. We know not which way to turn. We are as a sheep who has wandered away from the flock. Our dear Saviour assures us, ”What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.” Luke 15:4-7 “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.” John 10:11-15
Praise God! We have a Good Shepherd, Who left the glories of Heaven, endured all of the hatred that the evil one could heap upon Him, and gave His life for His perishing sheep. What love: what wonderful love! Just as that muskrat parent gave his child direction to his home, so our Loving Father promises, “And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.” “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.” Isa 30:21; Ps 32:8 Precious promises! We do not have to wander any longer! We do not have to stay confused, disoriented, lost! There is a Way of escape! Our Dear Saviour is the Way the Truth and the Life! John 14:6 We can safely follow His leading!
“Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and for ever. Amen.” Jude 24,25
Rose
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Wednesday: “A Better Covenant”
Hebrews 8:6
Yesterday we saw that regarding the basic elements, the old and new covenants were the same. The bottom line is salvation by faith in a God who will forgive our sins, not because of anything worthwhile in us but only because of His grace. As a result of this forgiveness, we enter into a relationship with Him in which we surrender to Him in faith and obedience.
Nevertheless, the book of Hebrews does call the new covenant “a better covenant.” How do we understand what that means? How is one covenant better than the other?
Where did the fault lie with the “failure” of the old covenant? (Hebrews 8:7-8).
The problem with the old covenant was not the covenant itself but with the failure of the people to grasp it in faith (Hebrews 4:2). The superiority of the new to the old lies in that Jesus — instead of being revealed only through the animal sacrifices (as in the old covenant) — now appears in the reality of His death and high-priestly ministry. In other words, the salvation offered in the old covenant is the same offered in the new. In the new, however, a greater, more complete revelation of the God of the covenant and the love that He has for fallen humanity has been revealed. It is better in that everything that had been taught through symbols and types in the Old Testament has found its fulfilment in Jesus, whose sinless life, His death, and high-priestly ministry were symbolized by the earthly sanctuary service (Hebrews 9:8-14).
Now, though, instead of symbols, types, and examples, we have Jesus Himself, not only as the slain Lamb who shed His blood for our sin (Hebrews 9:12) but who stands as our High Priest in heaven ministering on our behalf (Hebrews 7:25). Though the salvation He offers is the same, this fuller revelation of Himself and the salvation found in Him, as revealed in the new covenant, make it superior to the old.
Read Hebrews 8:5 and Hebrews 10:1. What word does the author use to describe the old covenant sanctuary services? How does the use of that word help us to understand the superiority of the new covenant?
Think about this: Why would knowing about Christ’s life, death, and high priestly ministry on our behalf give us a better understanding of God than one would get merely from the earthly sanctuary-service ritual of animal sacrifices? |
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Ephesians 6:11
Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.
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Tuesday: Old and New Covenants
“And the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD, to minister to him, to love the name of the LORD, and to be his servants, every one who keeps the sabbath, and does not profane it, and holds fast my covenant — these I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples” (Isaiah 56:6-7, RSV).
Jeremiah states that the new covenant is to be made with “the house of Israel” (Jeremiah 31:33). Does this mean, then, that only the literal seed of Abraham, Jews by blood and birth, are to receive the covenant promises?
No! In fact, that was not even true in Old Testament times. That the Hebrew nation, as a whole, had been given the covenant promises is, of course, correct. Yet, it was not done in exclusion to anyone else. On the contrary, all, Jew or Gentile, were invited to partake of the promises, but they had to agree to enter into that covenant. It is certainly no different today.
Read the above texts in Isaiah. What conditions do they place on those who want to serve the Lord? Is there really any difference in what God asked them and what He asks of us today? Explain your answer.
Though the new covenant is called “better” (see Wednesday’s study), there really is no difference in the basic elements that make up both the old and new covenant. It is the same God, who offers salvation the same way, by grace (Exodus 34:6, Romans 3:24); it is the same God who seeks a people who will by faith claim His promises of forgiveness (Jeremiah 31:34, Hebrews 8:12); it is the same God who seeks to write the law into the hearts of those who will follow Him in a faith relationship (Jeremiah 31:33, Hebrews 8:10), whether they be Jew or Gentile.
In the New Testament, the Jews, responding to the election of grace, received Jesus Christ and His gospel. For a time they were the heart of the church, the “remnant, chosen by grace” (Romans 11:5, RSV) in contrast to those who were “hardened” (Romans 11:7, RSV). At the same time, the Gentiles, who formerly did not believe, accepted the gospel and were grafted into God’s true people, made up of believers, no matter to which people or race they belonged (Romans 11:13-24). So the Gentiles “at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise” (Ephesians 2:12, RSV) were brought near in the blood of Christ. Christ is mediating the “new covenant” (Hebrews 9:15, RSV) for all believers, regardless of nationality or race.
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