Thought for the Week - 18th October

Pastor Gareth Watkins

 

Romans 5:8

While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Over the past week, we have had teachings about the hunger for God and dying to self.  Both are part of the covenant of God – the agreement that God and man have through Christ Jesus.

This verse in Romans demonstrates God’s covenant, God’s promise and God’s agreement to us in 2015!

While you and I were still sinners, all those years ago God sent Christ to cover our sins, our distance from him, our selfishness, and our wrong behaviour, so we can enter into this new covenant.  How wonderful is it that not only is God interested in us and wants us to go into this new covenant, but it’s He who puts everything in place!

Before we were, so He was putting all this into place!

He sent Christ Jesus into this world to die for us.  This structure of eternal things has been put into place so you and I can become different people – chosen persons, Holy persons, special people unto Him, people who demonstrate the mercy of God.  Because while we were yet sinners, Jesus Christ died for us!

He died so we can walk into this new life.  Our selfishness can be wiped away and we can become this new people that God wants us to be.  Not only that, but there is something that comes for us with this covenant of God!  It comes back to the blessing of God upon us, back to the denial of self, and back to the covenant that God has put in place for us.  We are a privileged people!

The enemy will lie to you and whisper that this is not for you.  Stop the lie!  The bible describes you as a chosen person, a Holy person, a special person unto God.  If you believe that Christ Jesus died upon the cross in payment for your sins and to give you new life, then you are regarded inside the covenant and are special to God.  And that special person does things on this earth!

Go in faith and God will do the rest under this covenant.  Feel it, and don’t be robbed by the devil with wrongness in your mind.  There is so much in this covenant that makes you special!

The self is so strong – inside our hearts and our heads; the self-life is raging around.  But our self-life is the seat of sin and selfishness… and rips the blessing of God from us!

Denying ourselves allows us all these wonderful things that come from God.  Switch off the excuses and just follow what God tells you to do.  We are all the body of Christ, whatever part we play!

Exodus 19:5-6

Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. 

Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ 

These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”

You are a treasure of God, called to be separate!  If we want to follow after Him, we must deny ourselves, obey His calling and be that special person.

God bless!

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