Monday the 27th

Psalm 118: ¹³ I was pushed back and about to fall, but the LORD helped me. ¹⁴ The LORD is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation.

 

 

It has been a tough year for most. Even those who have what many consider to be an “easy” life have had many pitfalls, close calls, times of struggle this year. As David writes, I so feel as this year draws to a close….I was pushed back and about to fall, but the Lord Helped me. I have stumbled, I have tripped, stubbed my toe, and maybe even knocked to my knees a time or two this year, but I have not fell. The Lord has helped me. Time and time again I have called on the Lord, and He has answered. As this year comes to an end most find themselves looking towards the future, the bright new year awaits on the horizon, full of promise, full of hope, full of expectation; but before we cross that threshold, before we cross into the new year, let us take time to recount the year that has passed. Let us give thanks to God for being our strength, and our defense. I find it no surprise that we celebrate the birth of Christ a week before we start a new year. By Giving the world His Son, God once again answered the call of His people. A world that was on the brink, was pulled back form the edge with the birth of the Christ Child. He gave Strength to the weak, defense to the helpless, and salvation to a world that was heading to death. Let us thank God for all of the joy, all of the triumphs, all of the edge walking, gorge jumping, cliff hanging days that we have survived with Him by our side…..but let us too give thanks for the defeats, the pain, the dark days, and the storms of life that have tossed us around this past year. For the defeat is only temporary, so that God can prepare us for the next season, the pain only serves to make the joy of the Lord deeper, and sweeter than anything we might experience, the dark days, and the storms serve to remind us that with the Lord the darkest night is still full of shadow less light, and the most sever storms are calmed with a simple word from the Lord. Yes we have all been close to falling in this past year, as we remember those times let us also remember that the Lord is always there to help. Let us resolve to make this coming year a year where we walk more closely with the Lord, where we depend on Him more, and ourselves less. Let us place all of our fears, our apprehensions, our doubt, and our hate at the cross of Christ. Let next year be the first year that you allow yourself to live fearless. Trusting in the Lord to help you with His strength, defend you with His power, and save you with His grace. Happy New year to all let’s make it one to remember!

 

 

God Bless,

Brian Thetford

<((((><

 

www.thenewcovenantchurch.com

 

www.theworkweekwithchrist.blogspot.com

 

Merry Christmas

Luke: ¹¹ Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. ¹² This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Today we remember that Christ was born as a human into this world. He did not come into this world with trumpets blaring. He was not born into a royal family, nor was his birth shouted from the rooftops by the masses. No, Christ came into this world just like most of us, with little fanfare, with little worldly glory, and very little acknowledgement. His family, some of the common town folk, and a few men who traveled great distance. If anything our savior had less that what we had at our birth. Some rags, a hay manger, and a drafty barn. Christ came into this world with very little, but He came with everything He needed. He came with His Fathers love, His peace, His blessing, and His grace. What more could one ask for? We come into this world just the same. We have all of the that available to us, plus we have Christ our brother, and the Holy Spirit. In many houses, under many trees there will be many gifts. Do not let this day slip by without sharing the story of the one gift that rises above all others. Gather your family, your friends, and your neighbors. Read and share the story of the Christ child. The child that was born to lowly beginnings, but rose to defeat even death itself, so that all might have eternal life. Merry Christmas to each and everyone of you, and your families. May the wonder of this joyous day fill your hearts with joy, and fill your mouths with words of kindness, love, forgiveness, and peace. Rejoice, for Christ is born!

 

 

God Bless,

Brian Thetford

<((((><

 

www.thenewcovenantchurch.com

 

www.theworkweekwithchrist.blogspot.com

 

Merry Christmas

Luke: ¹¹ Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. ¹² This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Today we remember that Christ was born as a human into this world. He did not come into this world with trumpets blaring. He was not born into a royal family, nor was his birth shouted from the rooftops by the masses. No, Christ came into this world just like most of us, with little fanfare, with little worldly glory, and very little acknowledgement. His family, some of the common town folk, and a few men who traveled great distance. If anything our savior had less that what we had at our birth. Some rags, a hay manger, and a drafty barn. Christ came into this world with very little, but He came with everything He needed. He came with His Fathers love, His peace, His blessing, and His grace. What more could one ask for? We come into this world just the same. We have all of the that available to us, plus we have Christ our brother, and the Holy Spirit. In many houses, under many trees there will be many gifts. Do not let this day slip by without sharing the story of the one gift that rises above all others. Gather your family, your friends, and your neighbors. Read and share the story of the Christ child. The child that was born to lowly beginnings, but rose to defeat even death itself, so that all might have eternal life. Merry Christmas to each and everyone of you, and your families. May the wonder of this joyous day fill your hearts with joy, and fill your mouths with words of kindness, love, forgiveness, and peace. Rejoice, for Christ is born!

 

 

God Bless,

Brian Thetford

<((((><

 

www.thenewcovenantchurch.com

 

www.theworkweekwithchrist.blogspot.com

 

wed the 22nd

Psalms 37: ⁷ Be still before the LORD  and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.

 

Be still before the Lord, wait for Him…..boy that is a tough one. I do not like waiting on my wife, my daughters, my co-workers, red lights, traffic, matter of fact I can’t think of many things I do like to wait on. But wait we must! It was 500 years from the time the last Old Testament book was written until the coming of Christ. That is some patient waiting! 500 years, of greed ruling the day, wicked schemes running at full speed…..500 years waiting on the Lord…..and the wait was well worth it! Christ came into the world, the people had waited and waited, and God changed not just each individual life but the entire world. I think of the magi when they got to the meager stable. I can hear them now “Finally!!, we have waited for the savior, and here He is.” “all of the evil in the world, all of the wrongs, all of the wickedness has been leading to this very moment” We too have to wait, we too have seen many wicked schemes carried out, many successful people lifted high because of their deceitfulness. We are reminded here to be still before the Lord, or as the KJV reads “rest in the Lord” The worldly might get their riches now, however those riches will fade, and rot, just as their lives will fade and end in death. We live in the devil’s playground, not the land of the Lord. Wait patiently for the Lord, this life is simply the precursor, the beginning, the prelude to a life of eternal peace, and love. We do not have to wait 500 years for the Lord to intervene in our lives, He does that daily. We do not have to wait 500 years for Christ to give us the protection, and the direction we need, we only have to wait the length of time to pray. The Savior is among us, giving more than we deserve, and more than we can return. Now we only have to wait for His light to cast away the shadows, and we only have to wait one lifetime to enter His eternal rest. Rely on the Lord. The world waited 500 years between the last promise, and the promise becoming a reality, I believe we can each muster the patience of one lifetime. Live a patient life with the Lord in your heart today, and prepare to spend eternity beyond contentment.

 

 

God Bless,

Brian Thetford

<((((><

 

www.thenewcovenantchurch.com

 

www.theworkweekwithchrist.blogspot.com

 

Tuesday the 21st

Matthew 6: ²⁵ “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?

 

I want o really just look at the first part of this scripture, Christ is saying do not worry about your life. Did you know that Christ is recorded talking more about not worrying, being courageous, and letting go of fear, than He does about loving our neighbor. We know that Love is the most important law. Love for God, and love for each other. Yet Christ spend more time talking about letting go of fear. Stress, anxiety, worry….call it what you want, it is all fear. Christ knew it would be, and honestly, still is, a hurdle for most, and a brick wall for the rest. Fear is something that we all must deal with. Christ gave us the answer….He actually gives the answer several times. He tells us the key is to set aside fear, and replace it with faith. Faith in Him, and faith in His Father, fear of nothing. Living fearlessly, what a concept. That is not to say that we will no longer feel that pang of fear, that knot of worry, or that ball of anxiety that shows up in moments of distress, however what we do with it after the acknowledgement will make all the difference. The feeling of fear strikes us all, however those who replace it with faith carry on forward, confident of the fact that God will be there to take care of us. For those that hold on to that fear, well…..they become paralyzed by it. Fear will cripple you if you let it. It can bring the strongest man down, and stop even the most driven person. Fear is the devils best weapon. What starts off as just a simple little fear of the unknown, can quickly turn into fear of the impossible, fear that God will not do it, so you have to do it yourself, fear that you will never achieve, never pass, never obtain, never live, never rise, never……how much more can we add to that list? It is quiet endless if you think about it, and with each new entry, the heart beats a little faster, the palms get a little sweatier, the pupils dilate. Life can go from looking pretty good, to pretty hopeless in a short amount of time, and the next thing you know that confident child of God, is now cowering in the corner, so sure that they have been abandoned. There is no room for fear in the lives of the God’s children. There is no need for fear with Christ as your brother. Does that mean that our paths will be lined with roses, and the sky’s will always be blue? No, I wish I could say that was the case but we all know it is not. There will be storms, they will come out of know where and toss us around like a cork on the water, we are just like the disciples in the boat with Christ we will call on Christ, and I can hear Him already, “you of little faith, why do you doubt?” With that He will calm the storm, just like He has for all of those who will call on Him, and have faith in Him. So I ask each of you why do you doubt? Christ has told us time and time again, do not worry, take heart, fear not,  be courageous….He is with us, replace the fear with faith. 

 

 

God Bless,

Brian Thetford

<((((><

 

www.thenewcovenantchurch.com

 

www.theworkweekwithchrist.blogspot.com

 

Thursday the 16th

Matthew 18:  ²¹ Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”  ²² Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.

 

What a friend we have in Jesus…it is an older hymn that most everyone knows or at least recognizes. Many country artists will drop it into their song somewhere…”Jesus is my friend”. We tell each other that Jesus is our friend, and many people will use that phrase when recounting their testimony. We like that term, we love the implication, we know that with a friend like Jesus we have nothing to fear. Yet, as with any phrase, we have used it so often, that I fear the power of that phrase might be lost on some. This scripture gives us insight into what type of friend Jesus is. You see when we think of a friend , we often think of the type if friend we are as well. We tend to become friends of convenience. We are friends when the circumstances work for both parties. We become friends that while we might be friends, there might come a time when we cannot be friends any longer. As my father used to say about most friends “they are friends through thick, and thin….but when it gets thick, they thin out.” As a result many people, because of phrases like this,  think of Jesus as just their friend, not their friend and Savior. The difference is that Christ is a friend that a friend would like to have. Jesus is there for you all of the time, not just when it suits Him……or maybe it is when it suits Him, He just loves us so much that all the time is the time that suits Him! You know what the best part of Christ’s friendship is? It is His forgiveness. You see while most friends will put up with you for a while, you slip up one time to many and you are out. Jesus on the other hand knows you better than you know yourself, He was there when you were created, HE was there before you were created. He knows that you are going to stumble and fall…..many times….and over the same rock! While the world might leave behind those who repeat the same mistakes, Christ knows that you will eventually succeed, and He does not mind waiting, helping, and encouraging you to get that foot a little higher on the next pass. With each stumble, Christ simply stands by your side, giving you a shoulder to lean on, and the words of encouragement, you can hear Him whisper “it’s ok, next time, you got it!” He does not damn you for your transgression, He forgives it, and readies you for the next run. Jesus is a friend to each on of us, but do not make the mistake of humanizing Him to the point of thinking He is anything like your best human friend. e He is well above that! He forgives, not until He is tired of you failing, but until you are successful. He loves not until you fall one to many times, but for an eternal lifetime. He is with you through thick and thin, and when it gets thick, He gets thicker into your life. The tricky part of this relationship is two fold first, you have to let Him be that friend, and second, you have to work to be as good a friend to Him.

 

 

God Bless,

Brian Thetford

<((((><

 

www.thenewcovenantchurch.com

 

www.theworkweekwithchrist.blogspot.com

 

Tuesday the 14th

Hebrews 12: ¹ Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

 

Here we are at the run up to the next year. Christmas is upon us, and as quickly as you can blink, the ball will be dropping in Time Square. While this time of year is always exciting, the remembrance of the birth of Christ, the family, the friends, the gifts given and received, the fresh start of a new year…….it is truly a joyful time. If I am being honest though, it is a struggle for me as well at this time of year. I am tired, I am out of money, out of time, running out of patience, and just all around tired. During these times I wonder why I bother sometimes, why write, why spend the time studying, why crack open the Bible?….. I am tired, it has been a long year, and I just want to lie down for a little while. I know I am not the only one that feels that way, the holidays bring outright dread for many people. It is why I want to share this scripture with you, for it is one of the verses that keep me going when my gas tank, my bank account, and my will-o-meter all seem to be running low. Throw off everything that hinders… everything…. You see, that tired feeling, that feeling of despair, that feeling of failure, those emotions are put in your head by the devil. He wants you to slow down, he wants you to take a break, he wants you to lose your will. So you have to decide to throw off what hinders you, and choose to run the race with the perseverance that is poured into you by Christ Jesus. It is times like this that we must  look to Christ. This scripture goes on to say, ³ Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. ⁴ In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood……And there it is, the driving force in my life now, the life giving force that fuels my engine….Oh I am tired, but am I more tired than Christ was? I think not. Are there forces trying to slow me down and wear on me? Of course! But they pale in comparison to the resistance Jesus met! Have I put forth effort and skinned a knee or elbow in my journey, sure we all have, but have we gone to the point of shedding blood, or putting our life on the line? I think not! Am I running out of material resources to complete my goals, sure, but I can’t help but think of the Man who went to His death for each one of us with nothing more than some tattered rags on his back, yet left behind an empire for His Father, and those who would call Him Jesus Christ, the Son of God.  So yes there are many reasons to feel tired, there are many reasons to feel helpless, and I know that we all have barriers that we have to come up against at this time of year, but do not take that break, do not give up hope, and let no opposition slow you down, choose to run the race, press forward to the goal. Our opposition, our road blocks, our fight from sin, is but a small speed bump when compared to the fight Christ put up. As Christ drew to the end of His earthly race, he did not slow down….if anything he doubled down, He found another gear, He pressed harder, and went further. Look to Christ, there you will find your replenishment, look to God, there you will find peace, and hope, look to the Trinity, and see the finish line. Now is not the time to slow down, now is the time to find your kick. May you find that in Christ today.

 

 

God Bless,

Brian Thetford

<((((><

 

www.thenewcovenantchurch.com

 

www.theworkweekwithchrist.blogspot.com

 

Monday the 13th

Matthew 11: ¹⁹ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proved right by her deeds.”

 

People love to talk, the one thing people like to talk about more than themselves, is how they are better than someone else. The best way to do that is to do just what many people did to Jesus. They lied about Him. I am sure that the irony is not lost on you that a lot of the people doing the lying were “good, well studied, respected, Jews”. Don’t we face the same thing in our daily lives? The “good people” of the world are typically waiting for the chance to kick a little dirt in the direction of the one who would stand against the darkness. The first thing they will do is lie. Funny thing about lies, they spread fast. Winston Churchill said it best. “A lie will make it halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to put it’s pants on”. To make things even more difficult, people seem more apt to believe the lie, than the truth. Christ knew this, He dealt with it, and He knew it was something that we would have to deal with. Sadly, it is part of growing up, and it is part of choosing between being of this world, and being from this world. Jesus said it best; wisdom is justified by her deeds. The lie eventually will come out, it will be exposed, the liar will be seen for what they are, and the subject of the lie will gain more credibility.  This is what made Jesus so successful; live the truth, speak the truth, and leave the liars to their own devices. Did you ever notice that Jesus did not spend a lot of time “taking on “ liars? He let His life set the record straight. The nay-sayers, the liar, and those who would distort the truth did not know how to handle Him. They lied about Him, and He continued on. They tried to stop Him, and he went right through, never distracted, never faltering, eyes on the goal, not the obstacles…. His deeds proved Him right, and the liars were seen as the children that they were. So it must be with us. People will lie about you, they will distort the truth, they will run interference, so that you might stumble, or you might fall. However with the strength of Christ inside of you, with Him walking next to you, with His Father above protecting you…you will not falter, you will not fall, you will be successful.   Lean on Him, depend on Him, trust in Him, and you will find you too will go right through, never distracted, never faltering, your eyes set on your salvation, not the obstacles that the world will place in your path.

 

 

God Bless,

Brian Thetford

<((((><

 

www.thenewcovenantchurch.com

 

www.theworkweekwithchrist.blogspot.com

 

Wednesday the 8th

John 17:11  And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.

 

Jesus prays for His followers. He does not ask His Father for riches, fame, or even an easy life for them. Christ asks His Father for unity, for protection, and for blessing for those that follow Him. Christ knew before He came, all the while He was here, and after He had given up His earthly body, that mankind would struggle. He knew we would be, and still are bombarded by the enemy. We live in the devil’s playground. Knowing this Christ asked His Father for the most important thing…..unity. A unity that was desired to be so solid that Jesus compared it to the united bond between Him and His Father. As we draw closer to remembering the day of Christ’s birth (our family kicks it off this weekend) let us all reflect on the bond that Christ wanted us to have with each other. Let us strive to find that love in our heart that Christ has for each one of us, the Love that God showers on us daily. Let us find a way to allow that love to overflow out into our daily lives. Let us work towards the unity that Christ desires for us. A unity that bonds us shoulder to shoulder, hand to hand. We are the remnants of Christ’s life here on earth. We are meant to be woven together into a tapestry that covers this world in a blanket of peace, grace, forgiveness, and love. Let’s work this holiday season to set aside our petty differences. Brush aside the barricades, and tear down the walls that have kept you from becoming fully united with your fellow Christian. From the guy begging change on the corner, to the person in the high rise penthouse, we are all bound together by Christ. May we all get a little closer to loving each other, as He loves us.

 

 

God Bless,

Brian Thetford

<((((><

 

www.thenewcovenantchurch.com

 

www.theworkweekwithchrist.blogspot.com

 

Tuesday the 7th

My wife sent this to me today, I thought it was worth passing on. Live, love and laugh.....today!

 

 

 

A friend of mine opened his wife's underwear drawer and picked up a silk

paper wrapped package:

 

'This, - he said - isn't any ordinary package.'

 

He unwrapped the box and stared at both the silk paper and the box.

 

'She got this the first time we went to  New York  , 8 or 9 years ago. She

has never put it on , was saving it for a special occasion.

 

Well, I guess this is it.

 

He got near the bed and placed the gift box next to the other clothing he

was taking to the funeral house, his wife had just died.

 

He turned to me and said:

 

'Never save something for a special occasion.

 

Every day in your life is a special occasion'..

 

I still think those words changed my life.

 

Now I read more and clean less.

 

I sit on the porch without worrying about anything.

 

I spend more time with my family, and less at work.

 

I understood that life should be a source of experience to be lived up to,

not survived through.

 

I no longer keep anything.

 

I use crystal glasses every day...

 

I'll wear new clothes to go to the supermarket, if I feel like it.

 

I don't save my special perfume for special occasions, I use it whenever I

want to.

 

The words 'Someday...' and ' One Day...' are fading away from my dictionary.

;

If it's worth seeing, listening or doing, I want to see, listen or do it

now....

 

I don't know what my friend's wife would have done if she knew she wouldn't

be there the next morning, this nobody can tell.

 

I think she might have called her relatives and closest friends.

She might call old friends to make peace over past quarrels.

 

I'd like to think she would go out for Chinese, her favorite food.

 

It's these small things that I would regret not doing, if I knew my time had

come..

 

Each day, each hour, each minute, is special.

 

Live for today, for tomorrow is promised to no-one...

 

If you got this, it's because someone cares for you and because, probably,

there's someone you care about.

 

If you're too busy to send this out to other people and you say to yourself

that you will send it 'One of these days' , remember that 'One day' is far

away... or might never come.....

 

 

Life is short! Forgive quickly, kiss slowly, love truly,

laugh uncontrollably. And never regret anything that made you smile.

 

 

God Bless,

Brian Thetford

<((((><

 

www.thenewcovenantchurch.com

 

www.theworkweekwithchrist.blogspot.com

 

Monday the 6th

1 Timothy 6: 6-7

 

⁶ But godliness with contentment is great gain. ⁷ For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.

 

This sums up the great race of this world. We brought nothing in, and we take nothing out. Yet it is easy to get sucked into the game of trying to build the biggest pile of toys while we are here! Timothy gets some great advice here. God is not a piggy bank, a loan officer, nor is He a “sugar daddy”. Many people set out to honor God with the expectation of “if I honor Him, He will bless me with riches” I hear a lot of preachers spout this concept often. They drive expensive cars, and they live in exclusive neighborhoods. The same can be said for many laypeople. They quote Malachi 3:10, and pour money into the Church, yet sit in unbelief when the check from God does not show up. God will bless you, He will provide the way, the strength, and the materials for you to succeed……just don’t be surprised to find out that God does not care much about money. He cares more about what is done with it, and why it is done. So people that set out to Glorify God as a way to serve themselves here on earth will be disappointed. However, Godliness with contentment is great gain. It all starts with being content with what we came into this world with……our souls. Paul talks of learning to be happy in all circumstances. In other words, recognize that we start each day with what we need to survive in this world. Rich or poor, strong or weak, gaining it all, or having nothing…..we come into this world, and leave with the one singular, most precious, treasure in the world, our soul. We obtain the only prize that matters with a simple request, our salvation. If we chase after the Lord, and work to foster our soul, and the souls of those around us, we will find that we are truly rich beyond our need or our desires. We will find blessing, and pure joy in knowing that godliness for the glory of God, will outlast, out perform, and sustain us well beyond godliness for earthly gain. We come in with very little, and we leave with very little, but godliness with contentment is great gain.

 

 

God Bless,

Brian Thetford

<((((><

 

www.thenewcovenantchurch.com

 

www.theworkweekwithchrist.blogspot.com

 

Thursday the 2nd

Romans 15: ⁷ Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.

 

How have you been accepted by Christ? Have you felt that loving, sweet embrace of forgiveness wash over you? The cleanliness that comes form being washed in the blood of Christ? It is a feeling like no other, the moment you realize that Christ has given you forgiveness, a feeling of peace, hope, and  love, yet charged with excitement, intensity, and power. You are calm, yet electrified at the same time. That my friends is complete acceptance, that is complete forgiveness, and that is the power of true unconditional, unyielding, undying, love. That is how we are accepted by Christ. The next question is a little harder….how do we accept others? One might be inclined to say well we do not get the same satisfaction from human acceptance, and we certainly cannot give that pure of acceptance to someone else…..we are after all, human. I would say that we can get close, a lot closer than we do now. Think of the first time you told your significant other that you loved them. Remember that look in their eyes? Remember the love that flowed, remember the feeling of true acceptance? How about the time that you achieved something and the acceptance you felt by your family? The outpouring of joy, love, and hope? The feeling of true acceptance…..was that not electrifying as well? Better yet, what about your last failure, did you not meet with that same love and acceptance from those that love you? We are capable of accepting each other just as Christ accepted us, we are capable of giving others that same security that we find in Christ. How is that possible? Simple……Christ lives in each one of us. We are the body of Christ, we are the Church. Not bound by religious doctrine, or some affiliation, but the true, living, breathing, manifestation of Christ here on earth today. He has given us each the capacity to love just as he does, to forgive just as He did, and to accept others, just as He did. So why struggle to accept not just those around you, but everyone? As this scripture reminds us, it brings praise to God. So if we do not accept then what do we bring to God? Nothing…..We cannot praise God in one breath, then despise our brother in the next. We cannot carry the banner of Christ out into the world, then use that banners pole as a spear. We must have open hearts to all, and when we are shunned, we leave, not hate. Is it hard? Yes. Does it hurt sometimes? Yes. Will you be turned on, and ridiculed? I can almost promise you that yes you will. But these are not reasons to withhold, they are all the more proof that we must push ahead. Christ never backed down, or ran when people persecuted Him. He did not hide when they searched for Him. He hung on the cross in the ultimate show of commitment to the cause of Love for His Father, and love for us. As we enter in to the Christmas season, let us all stoke the fires of Christ in our hearts, let us commit to accept, not just a few, but all who would come to us. Let us make this Christmas season a season or giving praise to God. Let that praise be reflective of our acceptance of each other.

 

 

God Bless,

Brian Thetford

<((((><

 

www.thenewcovenantchurch.com

 

www.theworkweekwithchrist.blogspot.com

 

Wednesday the 1st

Hebrews 4: ¹³ Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

 

We spend a lot of time on our looks, how we act, and what people see. We want to impress, we want to fit in, and we want to be thought well of. We hide our bad spots, and exaggerate our strengths. It is a dance we can get caught up to the point we know no other way to live. Making sure that we make a good impression becomes more important that being the unique, perfect, beautiful person God created. That is the key you know. Nothing is hidden from the Lord. You might be a ray of sunshine at work, but when you get home if you are a tyrant, well God sees that as well. You may speak great things, and quote scripture from memory, but if you have to lie to get by, cover your tracks, and pretend to be something you are not…..well the Lord sees that as well.  What would happen if we all just decided to be ourselves? What if instead of trying to make a good impression on those around us, we just worried about bringing our best forward, even if that means that some of our weaker points would be exposed? What would happen, if we allowed ourselves to be all that God intended. I often wonder what the Lord must think of us humans. He gave us perfection, yet we cover that perfection up in exchange for acceptance. I think of my own life, and how I used to try and hide my background, or hide my shortcomings. I think of How many times I have lied in an effort to be something to someone that I am not. How often have I hurt someone in an effort to make myself temporarily happy? All of these things the Lord has already seen, the One that matters has not been fooled, even if the person in front of me has been.  We will all give account, and at that time all of our actions will be laid bare. I know for myself today will be another struggle, as it is for us all. A day of choices, a day of deciding which face to show, which mask to wear….it is my hope, it is my prayer, it is my quest, to try and make today the day that I have nothing to hide. In the end why should I try and hide any of it? As soon as it is done, it has been seen. The difference between the Lord, and the world, is that God loves you, warts and all. He created you… you were His before you were born. He knew that perfection that would reside in each of us, because He placed it there. I often tell my daughter before she leaves the house “don’t do anything you can’t explain to God” Maybe a better phrase would be don’t do anything that would embarrass God, for there is no need to explain, it is done, it is seen, and if requested, it is forgiven. He loves us, it is my prayer that we all find a way to show that love, by living a life with nothing to hide.

 

 

God Bless,

Brian Thetford

<((((><

 

www.thenewcovenantchurch.com

 

www.theworkweekwithchrist.blogspot.com

 

Tuesday the 30th

Act 17:27  that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us,

 

In the hope that they might feel their way, the KJV reads to "feel after" The Bishops bible from 1568 reads "that perhaps they might have felt and found Him". The Greek word used to capture that phrase is:  psēlaphaō that is, verify by contact; figuratively to search for: - feel after, handle, touch.

To feel after God, to search Him out through the sense of touch…..We have all been in the dark. The power has gone out, the lights get turned off, or it is so dark at night that you just can't see. What is the first thing you start looking for? Light. You have to find the light, your body craves it, your eyes strain for it, and your hands search out the surroundings looking for the flashlight, the switch, or the door knob. I went down into a cave once on a tour. When the group was well into the earth, they asked us to stand still, and they turned out the lights. It was the darkest I have ever seen…or I guess I should say have not seen. All I could think, was please turn the lights on, thanks! When the lights came back up, the tour guide pointed to the ceiling. You could see black circles of stained limestone. The guide explained that is where the original people who found the cave came down and their candles burnt the roof of the cave. Sometimes the candles would go out. Sometimes the people would get lost in the cave, and with no light they would wander in the darkness. If they were lucky enough to be found, it was not uncommon for the people to have gone insane. Driven insane by the darkness…… How dark is it in your world? Has your candle gone out, and you are wandering in the darkness? I know I feel that was sometimes. And it is this scripture that comes to mind. Feel your way towards God, and find him. You have to find the light, your body craves it. That empty feeling you get sometimes…..it is your body crying out to be filled with the love, and peace of God. Your eyes strain to see God in everything around you…..and if your eyes are opened, and you allow yourself to see, you too will find that He is not far form each one of us.  The Lord is always close by, it is just that our world is so dark, that we have to reach our hands out and feel our way to Him. If you will do that, if you will search for Him, feel for Him, you will find Him, and your world will be washed in the Light. We all venture into caves every now and then….and every now and then our candles do go out. Feel your way, search for him, and choose to never live in the darkness again!

 

 

God Bless,

Brian Thetford

<((((><

 

www.thenewcovenantchurch.com

 

www.theworkweekwithchrist.blogspot.com

 

Monday the 29th

Luke 8:24  And they went and woke him, saying, "Master, Master, we are perishing!" And he awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging waves, and they ceased, and there was a calm.

 

1Cointhians 14:33  For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints,

 

When I read these passages I am reminded that the Lord works in a setting of peace and order, and we live in anything but. I am also reminded that when we find ourselves in chaos, or in troubled times, all we need to do is call out for the Lord. He will bring the peace that is needed. Christ will provide the calm. How often each day do we find ourselves in a situation where the world seems out of control….or more to the point out of our control. It is those times that serve to remind us that we never really had control in the first place. It is during those times that we can see that God does not deal in confusion God provides peace. So how do we get that, how do we lock on to that peace? I am convinced that it takes a lifetime to develop, but I can tell you this, a good place to start is with the Lord riding in your boat! You can start by calling on the Lord daily, not just when the storms start to brew. You can grab a part of that peace by simply asking for it. You can remove the confusion in your life by getting God into it. God is not a God of confusion, no matter how hard the devil tries to make Him out to be. God is perfect peace.  The storm does not have to get worse before it gets better, Christ will intervene on your behalf, and there will be a calm. You ,as so often in life, have to choose. Who is in control? Who is directing your steps? What type of environment do you want to live in; confusion, or peace, a storm, or a calm? Your life is yours to live, God will not force you to live for Him…..but when the storms get to rough, and the confusion becomes a roar…it is then you will realize, how could anyone want to live without Him?

 

 

God Bless,

Brian Thetford

<((((><

 

www.thenewcovenantchurch.com

 

www.theworkweekwithchrist.blogspot.com

 

Happy Thanksgiving

Colossians 3: 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

Happy Thanksgiving! Family, friends, my job, my house, my health….there are a ton of things that I could list here, and it would fill the page. However the one thing I am most thankful for is my salvation. Thanksgiving is not celebrated in Ireland, or in Britain. Head over to the USSR and you will miss out on Turkey today. Today is America's holiday. It was started because a group of people set out to worship God, and build a country on their terms. After hardship, and struggle…... Through hunger, sickness, and even death, this group of people finding themselves victorious and alive, gathered a feast to give thanks to God for their good fortune. It was a celebration to say thank you God for seeing us through. Let us not lose that very important point today. God has blessed this country; He has blessed each one of us. His hand of protection, and love hold us, and keep us. So today as we are hugging family and friends, as we gather to eat too much,
watch some football, and gear up for a shopping spree tomorrow, let us remember that small group of Americans the ones who never quit, the ones who never gave up, the ones who knew that God is a loving God, and in an outpouring of joy, and a show of gratitude they gathered to be thankful, thankful for their lives, thankful for their family, and thankful for the fact that God will always provide the way.

So Happy Thanksgiving, and thank you God for your faithfulness, your love, and the gift of your Son. Many of us have been going through our own tough times, let us give thanks to God for pulling us through!

God Bless,
Brian Thetford
<((((><

www.thenewcovenantchurch.com

www.theworkweekwithchrist.blogspot.com

Monday the 22nd

James 1: Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

 

The one who does not change like the shifting shadows, the one who holds true.  Time does not change God. I have spent a lot of time thinking about time here lately. A quick glance at my calendar reminds me that time is no friend of mine. I have much in my life, but if I lack two things, it would be time, and money. One I can change, the other is constant. So as I think of the busy schedules that we all must keep, the sacrifices that we must make, it leaves me wondering how much do we change? How often are we like those shifting shadows? Trying to elude time, and manipulate our schedule. What do we drop, what do we add on? What can we squeeze in, and what gets pushed out? How we respond to this, will tell us exactly how much we will change, and if that change will be beneficial, or damaging. God does not change, yet if anyone has a busy schedule it must be God right? So how does He do it all without changing who He is on a daily basis? Well I am convinced God does not run His life out of a day planner. He starts with one goal each day, Show the world His love, and then He works from there. As a result He does not get bogged down, He does not run out of time (as if that could happen, what is a day to God) He does not change. We could learn a lot from that simple process. What is the goal that you start each day off with? Could you imagine that goal being to show the world the Love of God? Oh wait, that is supposed to be our goal….right? How often though does that goal get pushed aside, as we cram so much into our day, that love is the last thing that we show? I talked to a friend (and actually I have heard many people say it) “I can’t sleep at night because of all of the things I have to do running through my head”, or “as soon as I wake up in the morning, I am already stressed about how much I have to get done.” In this busy world, we are leaving off the main goal, and getting focused on all of the items on our check list. As a result we do often change, sometimes for the better, but sometimes for the worse. We should write at the top of each page of our planners LOVE. Not For one day, but at the top of everyday, whatever else we can get in that day, great, but make sure it is filled with love. That is how we too can remain unchanging, giving off the light, and the love of the Lord. Instead of changing like the shifting shadows, let us strive to fill our day with love, and cast the shadows away forever.

 

 

God Bless,

Brian Thetford

<((((><

 

www.thenewcovenantchurch.com

 

www.theworkweekwithchrist.blogspot.com

 

Heads up

Most of you that have been with me for a while know that once or twice a year I will take a week off to really reflect, and focus on my personal relationship with the Lord. That is what I will be doing this week. I will be back and running strong on Monday.

 

God Bless,

Brian Thetford

<((((><

 

www.thenewcovenantchurch.com

 

www.theworkweekwithchrist.blogspot.com

 

Thursday the 11th

Romans 5: ⁷ Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. ⁸ But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

 

It is no secret Christ did die for our sins, He defeated death for our salvation. Because of that we receive the grace of God daily, not because we deserve it, as much as because He loves us.  There is another group of people, they too will lay their life down, As Paul says in the scripture it is rare for anyone to die for righteous person, yet this group pledges their life for the righteous, and the unrighteous, they protect us all and just as Christ died to cover our sin, this group of men and women will give their very life to cover our freedom. They will live in holes they dug in the ground, they will go into place most want to run out of, they will push back their own fears so that they might calm yours, they will go without, so that we might have more than we need. They are the men and women of our armed forces. They stand on walls, they go sleepless nights on borders, they patrol the darkness, so that we might live in the light. They are often brushed aside, taken for granted, and forgotten about. Today is Veterans day, make sure you give them your thanks. Many serving today on the other side of the world will never see our faces, or shake our hands. We will never meet them at a party, or a company mixer. Yet they are there. It is because of them, and all of those just like them that came before, that we enjoy this Country.  It is from the sacrifice of every man and woman that have worn, and do wear our country’s uniform that we have so many freedoms to enjoy today.  Today is the day to remember these fine men and women. Christ gave us our salvation, and it is the American Soldier that gives us the freedom to worship God today. 

 

 

The Soldier

I WAS THAT WHICH OTHERS DID NOT WANT TO BE.

 

I WENT WHERE OTHERS FEARED TO GO, AND DID WHAT OTHERS

FAILED TO DO.

I ASKED NOTHING FROM THOSE WHO GAVE NOTHING, AND
RELUCTANTLY ACCEPTED THE THOUGHT OF ETERNAL LONELINESS . . .
SHOULD I FAIL.

I HAVE SEEN THE FACE OF TERROR; FELT THE STINGING COLD OF FEAR;

 

AND ENJOYED THE SWEET TASTE OF A MOMENT’S LOVE.

 

I HAVE CRIED, PAINED, AND HOPED . . . BUT MOST OF ALL, I HAVE

 

LIVED TIMES OTHERS WOULD SAY WERE BEST FORGOTTEN.

 

AT LEAST SOMEDAY I WILL BE ABLE TO SAY THAT I WAS PROUD OF

 

WHAT I WAS . . . A SOLDIER.

George L. Skypeck

 

Vietnam Veteran

 

 

God Bless,

Brian Thetford

<((((><

 

www.thenewcovenantchurch.com

 

www.theworkweekwithchrist.blogspot.com

 

Wednesday the 10th

Proverbs 16: ³ Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.

 

Commit to the Lord whatever you do. This scripture is fairly straight forward, it seems easy enough. However what we tend to do is commit our plan to the Lord so He can establish our will. Lord, let me get this raise, Lord let me get this promotion, Lord let my relationships work out. The scripture reads commit what we do, not what we want. That is the cycle that is so hard to break. I have heard many people form lay people up to Pastors tell folks, “if that is what you want then pray for it.” We do each other a disservice when we give that advice. We don’t pray for it, we pray about it. We don’t demand that God fulfill our dreams, we ask that our dreams align with the will of God. I bring this up because I hear time and time again “why would God not give me this” or “why would God not allow this to happen” It becomes a huge stumbling block to many people’s faith. As a result they start to feel that they are serving a God that does not care about their happiness. God does not see what man sees. We see the outside, God looks to the inside. He does care about you, He does love you, however, we are here to serve Him, not the other way around. If you want your plans to be become established, if you want to move form the phase of dreaming about things happening, to the dream building phase, you have to commit, not what you want, but what you do to the Lord. God is the planner, we are the labor. The Lord will give you all the building materials that you need to get His plan moving, but you have to commit that action to the Lord. As I often say. It starts as soon as you open your eyes, who are you going to live for today? Who are you going to serve? If that answer is the Lord, then expect to start breaking ground today. When we spend our time living for others, helping others, building up others, you can rest assured that God is working to establish your plans. I hear a lot of people say well I know a lot of people who commit nothing to the Lord, yet their plans are fulfilled, and established. TO that I would say, I know a lot of people who live on junk food, and they are doing ok….for now. I know a lot of people who only worry about themselves and they are doing ok…..right this second. Know that people around you will lie, they will steal, and they will commit nothing to the Lord, and they will be successful…..for a time. But the person who lives on Junk food, will learn to live with stomach pains, they will become overweight, and unhealthy. The selfish will be fine until they have to rely on others, and they will find themselves alone, unable to continue forward. Those who do not want to commit to the Lord, eventually they will need the Lord to intervene, they will need His help, and when that time comes. Like any good parent, the Lord will let those people fail. Established plans are plans that do not change, they do not falter, they do not fade. These are the plans established by God in the lives of those that commit what they do. They are the plans that are established in the lives of those who commit everything they do to the Lord. Those plans will carry you not only through this lifetime, but well into Eternity. And Eternity, is the plan we all want established.

 

 

God Bless,

Brian Thetford

<((((><

 

www.thenewcovenantchurch.com

 

www.theworkweekwithchrist.blogspot.com