Monday the 31st

2 Corinthians 12: ⁹But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.

Happy Memorial Day, I hope everyone is enjoying their day. I love having Mondays off. Not because I am glad that I do not have to start the work week, but because I get to hang on to that Sunday buzz. All day Sunday is beautiful. The batteries are recharged, and it is very easy to let God grace wash over me, and strengthen me. I can see the best in everyone and everything, and the day is just a little brighter. Sort of like when you were a kid, and you put new batteries in your remote control car. It never ran as fast or was as responsive as the first few moments when the batteries are new. SO on Mondays that I am off, I still have that supercharged refreshment of God’s grace. As I sat this morning drinking my coffee reflecting on this I realized just why it is so hard to go into work. My batteries start draining. See, I start trying to run on my own power instead of the Lord’s. As a result I get a little sluggish, I don’t always see the best in people, sometimes, if I am to be honest, I even go so far as to look for the worst! The grind of the week, does weaken me, but not in the way I need it to. The world grinds on us, but it grinds on our ability to trust in God. Instead of recognizing our weakness, we try to double down, and make ourselves stronger. Truth be told, it is one of the reasons I write so much. It keeps me tied to the Lord. It reminds me that it is not through my strength that I will be successful, but through the strength of the Lord. It is by His grace that I make it though the week victoriously. Each morning is a chance for us to reconnect with the Lord. It is a chance to get a mini recharge of God grace. If you think you are strong, you could be stronger, if you think you are wise, you could be wiser, but it all starts with understanding that the weaker you are the stronger that God will be in you. His grace is sufficient. In short, we need to get over ourselves, get out of the way and let God work. Oh the work week will start, it may be one day later, than normal this week, but it will arrive, and our batteries will start to be taxed. Allow yourself to run with a supercharger, replace the batteries that the world gives you, with the batteries of the lord. Boast in your weakness, for you will never rise to the heights intended for you on your own strength. Choose instead to replace your strength with the strength of the Lord. We might think we are good, but if we will clear out the room, He will show us what it is to be great!

God Bless,

Brian Thetford

The New Covenant Church

http://www.thenewcovenantchurch.com/

<))))><

Friday the 28th

Luke 6: ⁴⁵The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.

 

I have heard you can tell a lot about a person by the way he treats books, or the way they treat their spouse. Here we see Christ telling the world that if you want to know about a person, listen to what comes out of their mouth. I have heard men that I thought were great, speak some of the most vile garbage I have ever heard, and I have heard people I thought to be weak speak of strength, honor, and love to the point that all around them wanted to be a better person. Your stature will only take you so far in life, but your words carry miles beyond your reach. You can do good works, you can go to church every Sunday, but your words can erase all confidence in the matter of one sentence. Our words are a reflection of not just what we think, but who we really are. They can cut like a knife, or repair the deepest, most painful injuries. In our ongoing effort to live a Christ like life, we should all take heed to this. When we look to Christ, we see He had no malice in His words. He did not walk this earth to destroy those around Him. He came to repair, and rebuild hearts and souls. We are commissioned to carry out that work, and the place that it will start will be our mouths. Christ is the champion of the scorned, the mender of the broken, and the caretaker of us all. Many bibles make it a point to print His words in red because they are so important, that we do not want to miss one. What are our words like? Are they worth printing in red? When we speak, do we honor Christ, or do we tear down His work? We know that the Lord is always working in our lives and the lives of those around us. Are we helping Him in His task, or are we the wreaking ball of life that destroys what He has built? It comes down to your heart. What you fill it with, will be what overflows out of it. We choose what goes in, and what is thrown out. I know, because I can speak from personal experience, that it is easy to fill your heart with evil. Harsh words, envy, malice, retribution, the heart can hold a lot of this, and when it overflows it is almost uncontrollable. You are in a hurry to lash out, and in a hurry to hurt others, before they can hurt you……but there stands Christ, the one who took the worlds hate, yet still returned love. The One who stood through the harsh words, the beatings, the mocking, and instead of returning malice, returned love. There is our model, and there is the way to peace. Choose to fill your heart with the love of the Lord. Cast aside the insults, and the hatred, and fill your heart with love. When you do, you will find that the feeling that comes form the overflow is one of peace, one of joy, and of the Lord. We are earthen vessels, we choose what we a filled with. Will it be the sludge of evil, or the light golden honey that is the Word of God? Will we be known as the dark horse, that carries pain and unhappiness, or will we be know as a builder of people and a winner of souls? Whom will you serve with your words?  To quote Dylan, it might be the devil, or it might be the Lord, but you are gonna’ have to serve somebody.

 

 

God Bless,

Brian Thetford

The New Covenant Church

www.thenewcovenantchurch.com

<))))><

 

 

 

Thursday the 27th

Psalm 22:  ⁵ They cried to you and were saved; in you they trusted and were not disappointed.

Isaiah 49: ²³ Kings will be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. They will bow down before you with their faces to the ground; they will lick the dust at your feet. Then you will know that I am the LORD; those who hope in me will not be disappointed."

Jeremiah 2: ³⁶ Why do you go about so much, changing your ways? You will be disappointed by Egypt as you were by Assyria.

Romans 5: ⁵And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

Disappointment is a tough emotion, it is one that no one likes to deal with, it is one that people try to avoid. We don’t want to disappoint our family, or our friends, and most importantly we do not want to be disappointed. What if I were to tell you that you never have to suffer disappointment again? It is a useless emotion that the devil depends on. Disappointment leads to self doubt, doubt leads to inaction, and inaction leads to death. The devil does not have to win you over, he only has to hold you back! If we read through the scriptures above we see that we are given the keys that release us from disappointment. The Psalmist tells us the that those who trust in the LORD are not disappointed, Isaiah reminds us that those who hope in the Lord are not disappointed, and Paul reminds us that hope does not disappoint because the Holy Spirit dwells within each of us. OK great Brian, I can read, but I still get disappointed….what is the point? I find Jeremiah giving us the missing piece. Why do we go about changing so much? We will be just as disappointed by Egypt, as we were by Assyria. See, disappointment is an emotion of failure, we have failed, or someone has failed us, we feel ashamed, duped, or let down. So, what do we do? We find something else to count on, we find the next bigger, and better deal. Yet we never seem to find the answer. We are disappointed yet again. If you want to quit the disappointment shuffle look to where you are putting your trust. People will always fall short, you will always fall short. There is no need casting out hope like a net into the water, hoping to catch something that will feed and sustain you. It has already been given to you. If you don’t want to be disappointed, then place your trust, and your hope in the One who never fails. You might think well I do place my trust in the Lord, but nothing seems to work out. Well I would ask who are you working for? Are you working for yourself, or the Lord? That my friends is the key. You can hope, and you can trust, but if you are not putting in the work on God’s plan then you will be disappointed. Each morning I wake up and pray, among the things I pray for daily, I ask for guidance to carry out His plan. I cannot fail if I am pursuing God. Does that mean that my life is all rosy and full of flowers? No, not by a long shot! It does mean that I have no reason to feel disappointment, because while I might get it wrong during the day, I have faith, and I trust that the Lord will redirect my steps, after all I am out trying to do the work of the Lord, He will not leave me to stumble in the darkness. When people fail me, why should I feel disappointment? Do I not fail as well? Does the Lord not pick me up and place my feet back on the path? Will He not do the same for each and every person? It is ok to fail, it is not OK to give up! We can leave behind the shackles of disappointment by trusting in, and working towards the One thing this life that will never fail. Many felt disappointment when Christ died on the cross, yet that disappointment was turned to joy! Choose to side step the disappointment. The Son has risen, and the sun will continue to rise! Trust in God, Work with Christ, and follow the Holy Spirit, there is no disappointment in that life, and that is the life that will take you on to the next.

 

 

God Bless,

Brian Thetford

The New Covenant Church

www.thenewcovenantchurch.com

<))))><

 

 

 

Wed. the 26th

Luke 4: ⁵ And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, ⁶and said to him, "To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. ⁷If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.

 

Jesus knows a thing or two about temptation (He was offered the world, and then some), He understands the desire to sin, and, the assault that the devil hit us with daily. He has walked in our shoes. It is one of the great things about Christ, and it is something that makes Him such a perfect partner in life. He looks at our life, and understands us. So that got me to thinking (a dangerous thing sometimes)…I wonder what it is like to be my wife…the demands that are put on her daily, the trials, the successes, the failures, what about my kids….my friends….my co-workers…..How much time have I spent trying to know them versus just expecting them to know me. How much time do any of us spend looking at the lives of others before we jump in to “help” better yet, how often do we assume that all is good in everyone else’s world, because no one can have problems like mine? What if Christ had the same attitude towards us? Well…..we would think Him to be quite a jerk. SO where does that leave us? Could you imagine going to Christ with your worries, and frustrations, only to have him look at you and say “uhhhh yeah, that is a tough one….have I told you about the problem I have going on over in Africa?” We would be floored! Yet don’t we often treat those around us just like that? We are mirrors of Christ to the world. We all know that we will never attain the perfection of Christ, but should we not still make the valiant effort to get as close as possible? I made a comment the other day to my wife about a friend who is in a tough situation right now, I told her that he needed to love others more, and love himself less……When I looked in the mirror this morning all I could think was “hey Mr. high and mighty…..maybe you should do the same” Christ knows us so well, because that is where His time is spent, not loving Himself, but loving us……. walking in our shoes.  I believe a good place for each of us to start is by trying on the shoes of those around us. Some might be too small, but I suspect that we will find that most are quite a bit larger than we anticipated. When we start to look at others temptations, their trials, their failures….well, we start to see a very human, very clear picture of the true person…..we start to see others as Christ sees us, and when we see that picture….we will have nothing but love to give, for we will have tried on their shoes, and found them to be just the same as our own.

 

 

God Bless,

Brian Thetford

The New Covenant Church

www.thenewcovenantchurch.com

<))))><

 

 

 

Tuesday the 25th

Luke 11: ³⁴Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are good, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are bad, your body also is full of darkness.

 

What are you looking at? We take in a lot from our senses of touch, taste, and hearing, but the main way we process is through what we see….or more importantly how we process what we see. So I ask again, what are you looking at? I can say without a doubt the one thing we all could use work on is our spiritual eyesight. What are we letting in? When we see the bum on the corner, is he a worthless bum, or a person who has lost their way, the young man with his pants sagging down, and bandanna around his head, is he a thug, or a soul crying out for family, acceptance, and salvation? The person in the mirror, are they the best that they can be, so there is no need to work on anything, or are they much like the bum, and the thug, and searching for the best they can be, and working on it daily? What are you looking at? This passage states that when our eyes are good our whole body is full of light, but what light, where do we get it? The light that we search for is the light of the world. The light of life that is Jesus Christ, the light that cannot be overtaken by darkness. So we if we are to be full of that light, then we must set our gaze on Christ. Christ sees no bums, thugs, or perfect people, He sees brothers, and sisters one and all, the first no better than the last. Christ never has and never will focus on the negative, He knows that all things are possible, Christ does not look to tear down, but looks for way to build up. If we are to be a continuation of that light we must work to see things as Christ sees them, so that we might carry out His work, in His light. I know, I know…..the world does not like the light, the world knows it is easier to tear down, it is easier to point out the negative, and it is easier to hide in the shadows. The shadows will not last in the presence of the light. nothing is hidden from the sight of God, all things are laid bare before the One that we must all give account. Choose to live in the light, set your eyes on the cross of Christ, and choose to see world as He does, Love, Compassion, Faith….these are the things that should taint our sight. Let us see the good, and disregard the negative. Let us cultivate the love, and leave the hatred on the shelf. Let us all see the world through the lamp light of Christ, so that our eyes are always clear and burning brightly.

 

 

God Bless,

Brian Thetford

The New Covenant Church

www.thenewcovenantchurch.com

<))))><

 

 

 

Monday the 24th

Psalm 118:  ⁶ The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? ⁷ The LORD is with me; he is my helper. I will look in triumph on my enemies. 

It is hard to find a partner in life. It is difficult to find an assistant, someone who knows what you need before you need it. Someone who knows you well enough to save you from yourself. It is rare to find someone in this life who not only meets those qualities, but to find someone who does all of that and will make you triumphant…..well that is impossible. Yet we spend a lot of time looking for that person. Be it in our business life, in our personal life, emotionally, and spiritually, we seek out someone who we can count on. Time and time again we think we have found that perfect assistant, only to be let down once again. The problem is that no matter how good you are, another person can only be as good, or maybe a little better than you are. Oh they might excel in one area, but you will have to pick up the slack in another. While that is indicative of a great relationship, it will still leave something to be desired when it comes down to looking for someone to fill the void in your life. In our search for the perfect person (and we know that there is no such perfect human out there) we should give the opportunity to the One who applied for the job before we were born! By allowing God to be your helper, you have the opportunity to see perfection in your life, not by your hand, but by the hand of God. When the Lord is at your side you have no reason to fear, He will save you from yourself, He will show you the best path, and He will protect you from those that would plan against you. If you want to place your trust in someone, if you are looking for someone who can help you defeat your enemies, then turn to the One who defeated death. If we take that step, if we fill that space in our life with the only applicant who is truly qualified, then we too might shout The Lord is with me! What can man do to me? He is my helper, I will be triumphant!

 

 

God Bless,

Brian Thetford

The New Covenant Church

www.thenewcovenantchurch.com

<))))><

 

 

 

Friday the 21st

Colossians: 2:  ⁹For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, ¹⁰and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.

 

You know…..who leads you has a lot to do with your attitude. It has a lot to do with how you approach the day, and how you interact with others. Think of how many people that you talk to who can’t stand their boss, oh you hear it time and time again….”man, I can’t believe I have to work for that guy” or “who does he think he is”…..Or “I could do such a better job, if he was not holding me back” You know what all of those have in common? They are words spoken by people who are defeated. They are words spoken by people who look to a person who has authority over a very small, very limited part of their world, as if that person controls everything…..I guess in some ways they do control everything, because we give them that permission. As a result, we start our day off negative, and we carry that through the day. Even the weekend holds little comfort, for you know Monday is right around the corner. My thought on the matter? Quit messing around with lower management! There is but one who has head of every power and authority. There is only one who we have to answer to. You might have someone in your life who thinks they are the second coming, but I promise you the one that counts is the one who was first to come, and will be the last to come! We must make it a point to live our lives in joyful celebration. Our fullness is in Christ. He is the one who we will answer to. It is Christ who is the head of our lives here on earth. It is Christ we are working for. I know….how does that change your work week? You still have a difficult boss, sibling, spouse…….I say take them to God. Ask the Lord to handle those problems for you. Get that off your plate so you can get the tasks done that your true boss, your eternal boss has in store for you. If you will let Him, the Lord will work in your life, He will get you through the rough parts, He will change the hearts of those around you. Don’t believe me? I can think of a couple of Pharos that would back me up on that. Start your day looking at the to do list of the big boss. The one who we all will ultimately answer to. Do not allow a limited person to have unlimited control over your life. Let the Lord lead the way, let Him direct your steps, and turn your problems over to Him. Depend on the One who has power over everything to control those that seek to have power over you.  

 

 

God Bless,

Brian Thetford

The New Covenant Church

www.thenewcovenantchurch.com

<))))><

 

 

 

Thursday the 20th

James 4: ¹⁷Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.

 

It has been said, and I have to agree, that “the greatest evil known to man, is the indifference of good men”.  Apathy is the one thing that we must work to overcome in our lives, but it is also something that the world fosters. If we spend less time looking to help those around us, then we have more time to focus on what is important….us, our lives, what we have, where we are going……sound familiar? How often during the day do we hear the words whatever, or  it is none of my business, or there is nothing I can do, or no one will listen to me…….While it is true that there are things….many things, that are beyond our control, there are just as many right in front of us that we would rather overlook. The friend in need, the person struggling with their life, the outcast, the beggar, the children that have been emotionally abandoned by their parents, the brother in crisis, or those deemed unlovable that in fact do need love the most.  All too often we look at these situations and think “well someone else will take care of that, they must have family”, or “they will be ok”, yet we can’t say how, or my favorite…”they deserve it”. These are times that scream for us to get involved. It is so easy to walk on by, or act as if we do not notice, but I can’t help but think….what is Christ did that to us? What is He was indifferent to our suffering. What if when we fell or stumbled, the Lord looked the other way and said ohhhh they will be fine…..would that not break your heart…..would that not break your faith? That is not the God we serve, and as a result that is not the expectation that we are trying to live up to! You are someone’s angel today. There is someone in your life that needs your help, needs your guidance, and needs to see your faith in action. It might be something as simple as a hug, or as involved as clearing off half your day, but you are needed. The Lord needs you so that His work might be complete for the day. Think of the times that someone has shown up at the right time in your life. Have you ever found yourself saying “wow, that was just what I needed” That my friends is a perfect example of the Lord using us to bring His Joy to others. This is why the passage reads that to not do good when we know it needs to be done is a sin. We fall short, and miss the mark when we fail to do the good, joyful work that the Lord has put in front of us. You are someone’s miracle today, you are someone’s hope, their life raft, or maybe even their deliverance from the hell of the day. The Lord needs everyone of us, so that His life, His love and His joy, might be experienced, and glorified by all. Don’t walk by today, don’t turn your head, choose to get involved. Christ never left a person in need, may the same be said for each of us.

 

 

God Bless,

Brian Thetford

The New Covenant Church

www.thenewcovenantchurch.com

<))))><

 

 

 

Wed the 19th

John 17: ¹⁵My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. ¹⁶They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. ¹⁷Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. ¹⁸As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.

 

 

We are meant to be here. We have a life to live, and a path to follow. Christ understood that. He loves everyone of us. Yet He did not pray for His Father to take us. He prayed that we would be protected form the evil one. Why not just pray for us to be taken with Him, right then and there? Verse 18 answers that, we are sent into the world, to do the work of God, just as Christ was sent here to start the work of God. Let me say that again, we are here as ambassadors of the Lord, we wear His signet ring. Christ does not call us servants, He calls us friends, He calls us brothers, and sisters. We are here to carry on the family business. I know…..I think the same thing sometimes….I can’t, I am not worthy, I am not strong enough, or smart enough, or I have made too many mistakes. But Christ reminds us in verse 16 we are not of this world. We adhere to a different code. The law saves from sin, but we strive for sanctification. What sanctifies us? The truth, and what is the truth? The word of God. SO how are we sanctified? By living a life in God’s word. Immerse yourself in the truth, and you will see that  your past does not matter, nor does your strength, your intelligence, or the value that this world places on you. The TRUTH will set you free, allow it to sanctify you, and live with the strength, intelligence, and worth that God almighty gives you through His Son Jesus Christ. We each are a key player on this stage of life, no one is here just to get by. We are given protection for God above, we have a calling from Christ himself, we have the direction of the Holy Spirit, and the unstoppable force of the Holy Trinity combined. Will you seek out your calling today? Will you allow the truth of God to sanctify you today, and each day here after? Will you recognize the simple yet sometimes incomprehensible truth that you are no longer of this world? You are sanctified by the truth, and that truth will take you to the life that you have been called to, not the one that the world would lead you to. Live the truth today.

 

 

God Bless,

Brian Thetford

The New Covenant Church

www.thenewcovenantchurch.com

<))))><

 

 

 

Tuesday the 18th

Acts 17: ²⁶From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. ²⁷God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.

 

Remember when you were a kid and you played blind mans bluff? That is what I think of when I read this passage. The phrase "reach out for him" in the original text was one word : psēlaphaō  it is a Greek word meaning , that is, verify by contact; figuratively to search for: - feel after, handle, touch. So we are groping for the Lord, just like when we were a kid and we flailed our hands searching out the person closest to us. All to often we feel blindfolded and in the dark, but look how the passage ends. "Though He is not far from each one of us." That is the point we must remember…the Lord is never far from us. Unlike our childhood friends who worked so hard to elude us, God is always close by. So while we struggle, and try to make sense of this world, and where we have found ourselves, remember; As this scripture tells us, He has determined the times set for us, and the exact places we should live……so where are you at right now? Exactly where you should be, why are you there? For the opportunity to reach out and find God! Oh I know you are thinking, "there is no way the God put me in this terrible situation that I find myself in right now for any good purpose" But I would remind you that God's grace is sufficient. It might just be that it is your darkest hour turns out to be your hour of  the brilliant light of the Lord. Sometimes it is when the world drives us to our knees that we finally allow the world to fall away, and it is then that we can hear that the Lord is right next to us. Take the blindfold off, refuse to play the worlds game. Know that you are exactly where you need to be so that you might draw closer to God, and fill your life with His joy. Ask, seek, knock……………..he is never far.

 

 

God Bless,

Brian Thetford

The New Covenant Church

www.thenewcovenantchurch.com

<))))><

 

 

 

Friday the 14th

Romans 8: ³⁷No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

 

I had a conversation with a friend yesterday, and we were talking about making big life changes. As I was praying for them this morning, this verse and thought popped into my head. You have to know your limitations…..it is something we are told all throughout our lives. You just have to accept that there are some things that are just out of your reach. So I really want to drive that point home today. You have to understand your limitations if you are to achieve anything, knowing your limitations are a key factor in any of us being a success at making any changes in our life.  SO what are our limitations? Are they different for each of us? I want you to know and understand one thing when it comes to Children of God….how it effects brothers, and sisters of Christ……limitations here on this earth………..there are no limitations for you. You look in the mirror every morning at the only thing that stands in the way of you accomplishing anything! We are not created to merely get by, Christ did not die on the cross and give us everlasting life so that you can resign yourself to drudgery. Each one of us is more than conquerors. We have an unfair advantage against all odd in this world, and that is Christ Jesus. Who was it that told us that is we had faith the size of a mustard seed we could make a mountain move? Are we not reminded that God always works for the good in the lives of the people who love Him? Is it not true that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us? Were we not told that we would never be forsaken?  Do not let this world fool you….. You have no limitations when Christ is at your side. You want to change? All you have to do is quit trying to do it by yourself! You want to rise above the challenges of the day? Then quit relying on your own strength, and start relying on the Lord’s. If you think you will never achieve your goal, you are 100% right, but there is no goal that is unattainable for a child of the Most High God. You think you can’t take the challenge on all by yourself? Well you are correct, but the truth is you were never intended to fight it alone! There is nothing that you cannot accomplish with Christ at your side, there is no goal that is unattainable, there is no challenge to big….You through the power of Christ have no limitations in this world. I challenge each and everyone of you to live your life as such! We are all more than conquerors.

 

 

God Bless,

Brian Thetford

The New Covenant Church

www.thenewcovenantchurch.com

<))))><

 

 

 

Thursday the 13th

2 Corinthians 4:  ⁷But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.

 

You know, jars of clay are not the sturdiest things in the world. They chip, they crack, and ultimately they fall apart and become useless. As I read this scripture this morning I was reminded of a program I was watching this week about biblical discoveries. I am sure you have seen the sort of program, where the archeologists find all types of relics form the times of Christ. As I was listening to this man talk of the different things he had found on his various trips, I noticed in the background a clay jar. It was really pieces of a jar that was held together with tape. It looked like he was trying to piece it all back together, so that he might know what it looked like before, or that he might discover what it’s use was. All I could think about was what happened to the stuff that was inside of the jar? Think about it, what was in that jar when it finally broke? Was it empty? Had the owner recognized that the jar was getting old, so before it broke to pieces did he transfer the contents? Did the vessel just break spilling out the contents all over the floor? What about our vessels? We know what ours look like…. they are us; and we know the treasure that they hold; it is the spirit of the Lord. It is from here that we draw our strength, it is this contents that supplies us with the power, the drive, and the conviction to go out and profess the word of God. So what are we doing with our contents? Just like all clay vessels ours too will become old and brittle. It will crack, chip, and start to leak. We might work very hard to patch and mend our vessels, but in the end, like all things of this world, our vessels will become useless. How full will your vessel be when it’s usefulness runs out? Funny thing about our vessels, it seems the more we pour out on to the world, the more that it is replenished. If our job is to empty our vessel, that is to share, and inspire the Joy of God in all of those around us, how much will be left when the jar breaks? I for one pray that on the day I expire there is just enough left in the bottom of my jar to take me into the eternal with the Lord. For that to happen, we have to get busy pouring out that love from our vessel onto the world. I can think of nothing more tragic than to have a vessel come to the end of its usefulness only to break and spill it’s entire contents out onto the floor. What a waste! So I urge everyone, work to empty your vessel everyday. Yes each morning it will be full again, but do not let a day go by without trying to empty it out. This way when we stand before the Lord, we might e able to honestly say, “Lord as you have freely given to me, I have freely given to those around me. The countless blessings that you have filled my vessel with, have been poured out daily onto others.” May the world never have to wonder what was in our vessels. They will know because we have given them some of the treasure that was in it!

 

 

God Bless,

Brian Thetford

The New Covenant Church

www.thenewcovenantchurch.com

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wed the 12th

Isaiah 46: ¹⁰ I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.

 

 

God has a plan….I know that sometimes it might not seem like it…but make no mistake about it, He has had it for quite a while now, and He shows us bits and pieces as He reveals His power and Glory through His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. Now we know that God works for the good in the lives of those that love Him and have been called to His purpose (Rom 8:28), but does that mean that all of our lives will be pain free? No most certainly it does not. We go through many seasons in our lives as we navigate this plan of the Lord’s. Maybe right now in your life you are going through a hardship, maybe you are being treated unfairly, or a loved one is being treated poorly. Does that mean that you have fallen out of God’s Grace, or  that God has quit working on your behalf? Absolutely not! I have no choice but to believe that these seasons are given to us as opportunities to trust in God. God is a promise keeper, he is not a liar, and He does not make half hearted promises. These challenging times in our lives are our chance to give glory to the Lord, not just in the days of sunshine when even the flippant opportunist might sing God’s praises, but in our dark stormy days, when the light is dim, the path is rough, and the storms of life have soaked us to the bone. It is then that we have the hard choice to make, will we allow the times to drive us into hiding, looking for worldly shelter, or will we let the season drive us to our knees where we will cast our cares onto the Lord, and sing his praises as we wait for His spectacular intervention on our behalf? These are the times that will try your faith. These rough patches are the perfect opportunity to step back and let God’s power shine through the rain clouds! He is working right now to turn things in your direction, nothing hides form the sight of God, all is laid bare before His eyes. Just as His hand was on Nehemiah, Moses, David, and Paul, His hand is upon you and your family now. Let God almighty right your wrongs, allow the Lord to lead you along the path, and He will clear the hurdles, and lay ruin to those who oppose His will. His plan will stand, and He will do as He pleases. Give Him the praise give Him the faith, and He will give you the strength.

 

 

God Bless,

Brian Thetford

The New Covenant Church

www.thenewcovenantchurch.com

<))))><

 

 

 

Tuesday the 11th

Proverbs 11: ²⁴ One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. ²⁵ A generous man will prosper;  he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.

 

We were standing in line waiting to rent a movie. My daughter had just won a stuffed animal out of one of those claw games where you have to snare the animal and rescue it form a sea of stuffed animals. In front of us was a little girl and her mother, there we all stood patiently waiting in line minding our own business. For no apparent reason my daughter holds out the stuffed animal and ask the little girl “ do you want it, here you can have it, I don’t need it.” Well, as you can imagine all the adults just kind of looked at each other, but right then and there my daughter taught those around us more about being a Christian than I could teach in a month of Sundays. There was no “reason” to give. There was no proclamation heralded that we should at this time freely give……it was just two kids, one seeing something that they wished they had, and the other who realized that the child would be happier than she was to have the stuffed animal……What a lesson! How much do we have that we do not really need? How much time have we selfishly held on to in front of the TV or computer? How much kindness have we withheld as if we have a limited supply that might no be replenished? How much money have we blown, that could have fed someone in need? See….the kids get it (at least more than we often do) You can’t get more, if you have no room to fit it into your life. The only logical thing to do is get rid of some stuff! Have you noticed that the tighter you hold onto something the less attractive it is? The possessions will eventually become a burden because you end up spending so much energy maintaining what you have. Try something liberating today, give something that you have (especially if it is owned in excess) away. Give up that extra 5 min to help someone out, show kindness to someone who you normally would overlook, give some extra money to someone who needs it. Do these things and see if more does not flow into your life. Is this not how our heavenly Father treats you? Do you only get blessings in your life when you deserve them? Of course not! A lot of times you are standing in line minding your own business. Make room in your life for all that the Lord has to give you. You might just find that handing the blessings out is far more enjoyable that when you get them yourself!

 

 

God Bless,

Brian Thetford

The New Covenant Church

www.thenewcovenantchurch.com

<))))><

 

 

 

Monday the 10th

Romans 12: ⁹Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. ¹⁰Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.

 

Sincere love, clinging to good, devoted to one another, and putting everyone else above yourself. That is a big jagged pill to swallow this morning….. no? It sounds delightful to read, wonderful to imagine, but MAN is it hard to actually do! I know I can’t get there under my own power, I am betting that you are thinking the same. That is just another reason God gave us His Son. Who sincerely loves you? Who always clings to the good? Who is devoted to you, and puts you as an individual above all else on this planet? God; three letters, one name, but unbelievable patience, forgiveness, devotion, and love. For me, realizing this truth is my only hope for trying to display this type of behavior to others. Are there days where I wake up and feel hateful? You know it….. I know selfishness can be a hard one to overcome some days. You can tell me all day that I should do this, or I should act this way, but what drives me to my knees, what cuts me to the bone, is the times that I stop and ask how I could ever think of treating others any other way. My God, the One true living God, shows me more love than I deserve, at times when I can’t even bear to love myself. If my heavenly Father, pours out His love and blessings so undeservingly onto me, how can I even consider treating others with the same outpouring? As God loves us, may we each love those around us!

 

 

God Bless,

Brian Thetford

The New Covenant Church

www.thenewcovenantchurch.com

<))))><

 

 

 

Thursday the 6th

John 18:  ²³"If I said something wrong," Jesus replied, "testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me?"

 

The truth is a hard thing to hear sometimes. We don’t like it, we don’t like the way it makes us feel, and we don’t like the way it makes us think about ourselves. So we strike out at whatever is close by, and typically it is the person who is speaking the truth. There is a couple of things to learn form this encounter that Christ had with the high priest. The truth is a concrete thing. There are not shades of the truth, there is just the truth. Everything else that we put out….we like to call it, ”sugar coating” it is just is just a diminished version of the truth. While we do that to save others feelings, there are times when we cannot sugar coat the truth because we cannot afford to have the point missed. This is how it is when it comes to our faith…..or our lack of it. The truth must be spoken, and once you do that a few times it becomes easier to do. Christ never had a problem speaking the plain and simple truth. Yes you might upset some people but it is that emotion that well evoke change. But then we have the flip side, see, we are not perfect, we will make mistakes, we will get it wrong…..and we will be called out on it. How do we handle that? Yes being a good Christian is certainly looking out for your fellow Christian, and searching for the lost, but it is also recognizing our own short comings, and not just accepting them, but working to change them.  You want to see a surprised look? The next time someone calls you out for one of your shortcomings, if it is in fact something you did, don’t defend yourself, just say “I know, I am working on that”. In short own it. Our knee jerk reaction is to strike back, to inflict pain as quickly as possible, typically at a rate of two hurts to their one! Don’t fall into that trap of the devil! It chips away at your soul, It keeps you from growing as a Christian. How will we reach our potential if we are not willing to work on half of the equation? That emotion that you understand others need to feel sometimes to bring about change, cuts both ways, and when we feel it, we should recognize it, and if it is honest criticism, then we should own it. I will be the first to tell you, it is not fun, and I will concede that it is a hard thing to do; but if we work on ourselves as hard as we work on others, we will see in the mirror a glimpse of the person that God sees when He looks at us.

 

 

God Bless,

Brian Thetford

The New Covenant Church

www.thenewcovenantchurch.com

<))))><

 

 

 

Wed the 5th

John 15: ¹⁶You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last.

 

 

We are all just regular people, we are broken, and imperfect. We spend a lot of time trying to fix our cracks, and our imperfections, so that we might fit into what the world calls perfect. Yet we will never reach perfection, our perfection comes from Christ, and it is that perfection through Christ that we must strive for…..and do you know what? The Lord loves your cracks, and your imperfections. He will use your strengths and your weaknesses, that is why He chose you…and He did, He chose YOU. I am reminded of the story of a man who lived in a village that their only water came from a stream nearby. Each day, the man would put a clay pot on each end of a pole, put the pole over his shoulders, and walk down to the water to fill the jars so that he might have water for the day. Both of the jars looked the same, but the one on the right had a crack. Each day the man would fill the jars, but by the time he got back home the jar on the right was only half full. This imperfection really bothered the jar. He wanted to be perfect so that he might serve his master well. Every day he would admire the perfection in the jar that hung on the left. Finally not being able to stand it any longer he cried out to his master, “why will you not fix me?” “Why do you allow me to be broken, and only do half the job I was designed for”? To that the master replied as we come home tomorrow look not at the other jar on the pole, but onto the ground underneath you. On the trip home the cracked jar did not understand at first, so the master asked, do you see all of the flowers along your side of the path on the way home? It is because of your imperfection that these flowers are here. You see, I do not need two full jars of water, and because of your imperfection, you have helped bring life where there was none before, I fill you with life giving water, and that life passes out through you onto the world. I did not choose you in spite of your imperfection…..I chose you because of your imperfection.

Each of us are that cracked pot. God is using us now, and we do not even realize it. Imagine the things we could accomplish if instead of trying to be perfect in the eyes of the world, we paid attention to where the Lord was using us. He chose each of us for our unique qualities that only we have. Do not be in such a hurry to fix what you think might be broken, it might be the very thing that the world around you needs to live. We want more, we want better, we want bigger, but we already have what we NEED. Let us use that to our masters pleasure. We will never be perfect, but we are perfect in Christ. 

 

 

God Bless,

Brian Thetford

The New Covenant Church

www.thenewcovenantchurch.com

<))))><

 

 

 

 

God Bless,

Brian Thetford

The New Covenant Church

www.thenewcovenantchurch.com

<))))><

 

 

 

Monday the 3rd

1 Corinthians 10: ¹²So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!

 

I was asked this weekend if I knew I was going to heaven. My answer was, today….yes. If we go today, I am going. Of course the next  question was what do you mean? Something might happen that would change that? Yes, something could happen that would change that. Am I saying that God will withdraw His  love? Never, nothing can separate us from God’s love….but we can choose not to accept it. We can become so sure of ourselves that we forget who we are and where we come from. I think of the Sanhedrin, and Pharisees, all of the “holy Men” of Christ’s day. Were they not sure of themselves? They had become so involved in their religion, they lost their faith. That is my fear, and that is why I will always answer that question the same….today yes….you see today I know that I am nothing without Christ. Today I know I am a recovering sinner. Today I remember just how lost I was, and how sinful my life was. Everyday is a struggle. The sin addiction is a tough one indeed, and much like a drug addict the battle is fought one day at a time. This warning was not for the people new to the faith. No it was for those that knew the word, had heard the truth spoken, and were living the new life with Christ. This warning still applies today. It is easy to become so sure of yourself that you become what you despised. The gossip, the people who are more than happy to condemn you while forgetting about themselves….these are the modern day Pharisees. These are people who have fallen, and do not even realize it.  Yes we can all fall, we can all transgress, but let us be aware, let us be present, let us never allow ourselves to become so sure of ourselves that we don’t realize the ground is no longer under us. So yes, today I am good, but tomorrow the sun will rise again, and the struggle will resume. Stand firm, don’t fall.

 

 

God Bless,

Brian Thetford

The New Covenant Church

www.thenewcovenantchurch.com

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