Wed the 10th

Acts 5: 11

 

¹¹Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, "We have heard Stephen speak words of blasphemy against Moses and against God."

 

There will always be people out there who will speak out against you. If they cannot find something in your past to drag up, then they will just make something up that suits their need. A lie always spreads quickly. I hear people question that if they are following the Lord, if they have given their lives to Christ, then why is their life still so difficult. Our lives here on earth have never been promised to be easy. We will face tragedy, pain, heartache….all types of trials will be found along our path. A great many of these will be carried out by the hands of others. It is our life beyond this one that we are working for. Our reassurance, our life raft, our sustenance, comes from the rock of Jesus Christ. Lies being spread about you? Yes it will happen, people working to tear you down, absolutely, do not let these things wear you out, don’t waste your precious time on them. We are each given 12 hours of daylight, that day is lit by the light of Christ. The relationship that counts, is the one you have with Christ. He is well aware of the trials you are going through, and He is looking to see how you will handle them. Will you get down with the pigs, wallow in the mud, and focus on your problems, or will you walk by these distractions, and focus on your God? Will you stoop to the level of the world, and spread lies in return about those who hurt you? Or will you rise to the challenge of the day, and realize that God works for the good in the lives of those who love Him, and trust that He is working in your life right now to bring you into a better season. Hardships will arise, it is your choice how you handle them, I for one will trust in my heavenly Father. I will rely on His Son, and my brother to guide me, sustain me, and protect me, come what may.

 

 

God Bless,

Brian Thetford

The New Covenant Church

www.thenewcovenantchurch.com

<))))><

 

 

 

Tuesday the 9th

Acts 5:8

 

⁸Peter asked her, "Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?"
      "Yes," she said, "that is the price."    

 

 

When this story is read so many people hear that money was held back, and that was the sin. While that was the action that started it off, it was not the action that led to their demise. It was the lie that stopped that stopped their hearts. It is the same situation that we find ourselves in time and time again. How often do we say well, I am not lying……I just did not tell the whole truth……that is what happened to Ananias and Sapphira…they did not lie…….they just told a modified version of the truth………a lie, just by another name. In all aspects of our life there is only one way to give, totally. We give all we have. Why? Because that is what Christ gave each one of us. When we offer anything to the Lord, the only thing worthy to give is 100%. By giving less than what they had, then lying about it Ananias, and Sapphira said here God this is what you are worth to me…..less than everything I have.  They were saying “hey, I am going to talk about being a Christian, I am going to talk about giving everything I have, but when it comes to doing it….well what you don’t know won’t hurt you” This is the attitude that many of us go through life with. We lie to ourselves, and we lie to the Lord by saying “Lord, I want everything that you have to give, all of the hope, all of the love, all of the forgiveness, but I am only going to give what I see fit back to you”. We treat people in our lives the same way, we want it all from them, but hold back when it is our time to give….all the while telling them this is all that I have to give. I cannot stress this enough, this life is not the prize, the finish line is not found in the grave. Think of it like this. We start off our life with a bag full of goodness. It is brimming with all types of blessings form the Lord, as we live our life, we hand out what we have in our bag. You find along the way that the more you give, the more the Lord puts back in the bag. If you are thinking that you need to get a bigger bag you are missing the point…... You don’t monitor the bag to make sure you still have something left, you just keep reaching in and giving all that you have. It is my hope and prayer that we can all find a way to give enough so that the day we stand before the Lord, there is not one thing left in our bag. I want to be able to hold it upside down and shake it, and tell the Lord, I have given all that I had Lord, because you were all that I ever needed.

 

 

God Bless,

Brian Thetford

The New Covenant Church

www.thenewcovenantchurch.com

<))))><

 

 

 

Friday the 5th

John 1: 40

⁴⁰Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. ⁴¹The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, "We have found the Messiah" (that is, the Christ). ⁴²And he brought him to Jesus.   Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas" (which, when translated, is Peter^[j]).

 

I was talking with a friend about yesterday’s scripture that I had selected, and among many things, we talked about how with the Lord in your life anything really is possible, and how Peter met Christ. That got me to thinking (which can be a dangerous thing sometimes) Yes, the Lord uses us to accomplish amazing things in His name, there is no limit to His greatness…..so that begs the question, well why am I not famous, why am I not preaching in front of thousands of people, or why has God not used me in such a way that I can see the impact I have made……..whenever that question is asked I always think of Andrew, or as I and most people remember him……Peter’s brother. While Andrew did go out and accomplish great things after the earthly death of Christ (He brought the gospel to the Ukraine, and is their patron saint for one), the single most important thing he did, and what he is known for in the Bible, he brought his brother Simon to meet Christ. You see, while we all might strive to do great things in our life to advance the kingdom of the Lord, often it is the things we don’t put much thought into that can have the greatest impact. Andrew brought Simon Peter to Christ, something he put no thought into. We would all do the same thing ….but look at the impact it had on Christianity, look at the relationship that developed between Christ, and Peter, without Andrew bringing his brother, things would have been very different. That is the role that many of us play, for some it might be the greatest thing they accomplish…..I could think of worse things to be known for than bringing someone to meet Christ…..So often we miss the opportunity given to us, because we are so focused on what we think we are supposed to be doing. All the while all the Lord really needs us to do is bring our brother. It is the little things, the off the cuff comment, the missed chance to witness, the poor treatment of an unknown person, these things are the missed opportunities for God. You might never be known to the world, that might not be your role, perhaps the single most important thing you do for Christ could be something as simple as raising your children up in the Word. Maybe it is a chance encounter that brings someone to Christ, we just never know what God has placed in our path. That is why it is all important. When you think God is not using you, when you think you have not accomplished anything, when you feel like you are unimportant….think of Andrew. History might not record your name, but know it is etched into the heart of the Lord. You might not think twice about helping someone out, or encouraging someone, or doing any number of things that you do everyday, but take notice of them all, they all matter. It might just be that one little thing is your part to play in this huge production we call life!

 

 

God Bless,

Brian Thetford

The New Covenant Church

www.thenewcovenantchurch.com

<))))><

 

 

 

Thursday the 4th

Acts 4:13

¹³When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.

 

Normal everyday people, that had an extraordinary gift. Was it public speaking? Maybe the power of the written word…….no that was not their gift. These men came form a humble background, they were fishermen. They were just two common fellas that had one truth that they were compelled to share with the world. That truth, that gift, that source of power, authority,  and brilliance, was Jesus Christ. Think about that. People of unassuming, uneducated backgrounds, through the power of Jesus Christ, were transformed into men who the world took notice of. Noting held them back because Christ was with them to help propel them forward. The Holy Spirit gave them the knowledge that they needed when they needed it, just as Christ promised them. Folks, this is a testament to your life! This shows that it is not the height of your education that matters, it is the depth of your faith that counts! These men lived a life that shows all of us the power of Christ! The world might tell you that you are not smart enough, they might say that you don’t have the right piece of paper to hang on the wall, you don’t have enough experience, you don’t know the right people, or run in the right circles of influence… the world always has a reason to put you down, kick you and rough your up, but know this……..when the Lord is ready to move a person of faith……..there is no ocean to deep, wall to high, or obstacle to big for the Lord to overcome. Ordinary men have been changing the world for a long time. Noah was not a ship builder, Daniel was not a lion tamer,  Peter did not know how to levitate on water…..yet with the Lord firmly in their life they all took the world by storm in their day! Where do you find yourself today? Will you allow yourself to continue to listen to the world? Will you continue to believe the lies that the world tells you when they say you are not good enough? Or will you reach deep inside of your being, and open the door of your soul to Christ? No one is ordinary to the Lord, your credentials do not matter to God. The only thing you are scored on is your faith, and it is that very faith in Christ that can give you strength, courage, knowledge, peace, safety, or a sword, whenever you need it. You are extraordinary in the eyes of the Lord, so live your life as such.

 

 

God Bless,

Brian Thetford

The New Covenant Church

www.thenewcovenantchurch.com

<))))><

 

 

 

Wed the 3rd

Acts 3:6

 

 ⁶Then Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk."

 

Here we find Peter coming upon a cripple man, a man that has physical limitations, and is looking for the world to help him out. Instead of looking for a way to better this his life, this man is content to sit and let others come to him. When he sees Peter, he is expecting money….a quick fix, something that might make him feel better for a short time, but will not serve him well in the long run. What does Peter tell the man? I don’t have any money, but you can have what I do have to give! See God is not a banker, the Lord is not into giving quick fixes, or band-aid solutions. The Lord is into transformations. The Lord focuses on the eternal, not the temporal. How many of us approach our lives like the beggar? How many of us treat our spiritual life like some type of barter town? Just like the beggar we too are crippled, we too are faced with a choice. We can sit on the ground, and hope that someone comes by and fixes us for a short while, or we can search out the eternal fix, we can find the compass that will take us home, the light that will cast away the shadows of this dark world. No, Jesus will not finance your love of this world, but he will freely give you the keys to the kingdom! If you want to start fixing your life, then start with fixing your heart. Quit begging from crumbs, and start feasting on the promises of the Lord. It’s a funny thing I have noticed, people that are happy, people that have their life together, they don’t spend their day looking for a way to fix their life. They spend their day looking for where the Lord is leading them……and it is no surprise that path they follow is smoother (not perfect), and straighter (though not always easier). God uses each one of us as a testament to His Love, and His grace. Which are you looking for today? The quick fix, or the eternal gift? Shut out the world, and listen to your heart, don’t search for silver or gold. Take firm hold of the truth found in Jesus Christ. Place that in your heart first, search out His will. You might be surprised to find that all you have been worried about, all that you have been searching for, the Lord is more than happy to handle. Leave the begging lifestyle of this world behind you, resolve to let the Lord work for you, allow yourself to receive what is freely given. The Lord will take care of the rest.

 

 

God Bless,

Brian Thetford

The New Covenant Church

www.thenewcovenantchurch.com

<))))><

 

 

 

Tuesday the 2nd

Acts 2:39

 

³⁹The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call."

 

For all the Lord our God will call. God calls out to people daily. Who hears it, and what is done with it is a very different story. I want to highlight the first part of this passage “this promise is for you, and your children” You have an invitation to be part of the Holy Family, a part of a group of people that make up the body of Christ, this invitation is not just for you, but for everyone in your family……I have talked to people who, while they go to church, they feel like they are just there because that is what they do….always have…always will. Third seat second row on the left, that is their spot. Folks, those people are not accepting the invitation as it is extended. They suffer, and their family suffers. Why? Because this promise, the promise of the Holy Spirit, the promise of forgiveness of sins…it is meant to be shared, it is meant to be modeled, and it is meant to be a Monday thru Monday event. It is meant as a group activity, starting with each one of us. The Lord made this promise to all that would be called, are you taking God up on that invitation? Do you extend that invitation to all in your house? Do you find that your house is a house that celebrates all that God has done, or is it a house where everyone is wanting more of the world? This is a huge part of utilizing that invitation.  Take God up on His promise. Bring that promise into your house. Place the Lord at the center of your home, and you will see that the Holy Spirit will work, not just in you, but in your entire family. Allow your house to accept the forgiveness, and the love that comes form the promise of God, and watch as that love spreads throughout your house. God has called you, and He has called your family, will you hear it? Will you allow it in…not just yourself, but inside of your home, your family, your world? God made the promise, Christ fulfilled it, now it is up to each of us to accept it,  to utilize it, and to pass it along. This promise is for you, what you do with it……well that is up to you.

 

 

God Bless,

Brian Thetford

The New Covenant Church

www.thenewcovenantchurch.com

<))))><

 

 

 

Monday the 1st

John 21:25

²⁵Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.

 

Jesus is still doing amazing things all around us every day. The books continue to be written. They are written by people like you and me, and likewise the things that Jesus accomplishes now, depend on you and me as well. That is our purpose here in this world. We are to carry on in the name of Christ so that all might come to know His name. Just like the disciples that left out of the upstairs room so many years ago, they went out and set the world on fire, it is now up to us…..up to you. You play a huge role in God’s plan. Whether your role is up front leading or in the background making sure it all comes together, the Lord needs you so that His Word will continue to live. Christ enters into the heart and lives of every person that will call on His name. He will transform your life so that you might go out and transform others. Christ’s blessing is not something to be kept to yourself, just like the candle Christ spoke of, you do not put it under a bowl, you set it out so that all might see the light, and come see the truth. Christ is the way, the truth, and the life. How many hear about that, how many will be touched by that is up to you. John is right when he says that the world does not have room for the books that would be written, because Christ cannot be contained by this world, nor can you. Unleash the power of the Lord that is inside of you this week, Start the next chapter, find your place in the history of the Lord, and go to work. There is room for all of us, and you might not believe it, but if you don’t show up…..you will be missed. Christ continues to work in this world, He does it through me and through you. Resolve to write your book….the book that Christ calls your life.

 

 

God Bless,

Brian Thetford

The New Covenant Church

www.thenewcovenantchurch.com

<))))><