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

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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

<))))><