Tuesday the 8th

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

 

Commit to the Lord, and He will establish. Two big words there commit, and establish. If we put the effort into our part, the Lord will come through in spades. But notice that the action, the work, the first step, comes from us. Commit what we do to the Lord. Commit. not promise, not think about, not intend to, or just associate with. Commit what we do to the Lord. Commit, as in "all in". When we commit something to memory, it is not just there for a day or two, it stays with us. When we commit to a project we sign up for the duration. It is very much like the chicken and the pig when it comes to breakfast…… The chicken is associated, the pig is committed. So we have to ask ourselves are we committing our tasks, our undertakings, our very lives to the Lord? If you want to be successful in this life and the next then the answer is a resounding yes! Now let me be clear here. Fully committing to the Lord will not make you perfect, it will not mean that you will do, or that you have to do everything perfect. You won’t, more to the point you can’t. The Lord knows that. Intent goes a long way with the Lord. Are you making the effort? And if you are, do you know what God will do for you? He will establish your plans. Here again that big word establish. Do you understand the difference between established plans, and new plans? The difference between establish, and prepare, or even hope? When God establishes something, it is done. It is fulfilled, it is permanent. The world cannot change it, the world cannot take it away. A plan that is established by God, already has all of the key players in place, lined out, and ready to roll. It is there for you to seize, in the name of the Lord. You will be successful, why, because when you are committed to the Lord, He is successful when you are successful! You are successful when you are with the Lord. See the connection? Your plans will not just be dreams, they will not just be hopes, they will be established. I want you to think of that just for a moment. Your plans will be established. Why would you not want that? Who would not want that? And here it is, just waiting for you to grab it, this is the moment, the point in time where you define the moment or it defines you. Will you commit to the Lord whatever you do? Grab the success, grab the promise, accept the grace and the peace. Commit to the Lord, and see His commitment to you overflow your cup.

 

 

God Bless,

Brian Thetford

<((((><

 

www.thenewcovenantchurch.com

 

www.theworkweekwithchrist.blogspot.com

 

Monday the 7th

1John 4: ⁴ You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

 

The One in you is greater…….You know…I think we all forget that time to time. The times when I am tired, the times when I feel weak, the times when life is looking pretty bleak. You know, you get down far enough, and you feel pretty alone….and when you are there…..well the devil has you just where he wants you. It is during those times that we start to think, “well why not, everyone else does it”…the easy way start looking like a pretty good path to follow. Maybe following that path is not such a bad thing, it is just my life right? I am only hurting myself……..That could not be further form the truth. It is in those moments that we must realize that there is far more at stake than just ourselves. We are now part of a family, we each have the Lord dwelling inside of us. We don’t just hurt ourselves, we drag our brothers, and sisters down with us, worse than that but did Jesus not tell us that whatever you do for the least of my brothers, you have done for me? Are we not siblings of Christ? If we allow ourselves to be dragged down by the world, then aren’t we letting the world try and drag Christ down as well? This attitude that tries to permeate our lives is an attitude of defeat. Folks, the Lord cannot be defeated, and if He dwells in each one of us, (and I assure you He does) then we cannot be overcome, as a matter of fact we share in the victory that the Lord already declared. So in that perspective, it is no longer a question of why me, but why not me? It is not a matter of what is everyone else doing, it is follow me I know the was! How can the victorious become the defeated? How can the One who has planned it all be expected to follow anything other than the master plan? Theses are things that cannot happen to the Lord, and if the Lord is in each one of us then it cannot happen to us…..unless we invite it! We have to give up, we have to give that power that lives inside of us away, we have to cover the candle with a bowl. Start to live a life of expectation! Seize the victory that has been given to you, declare that victory to the world. We are not of this world, but we must live here. Let the world know that you claim your rightful place within the family to the Lord. You cannot be overcome, you cannot be defeated, you cannot simply follow the heard. The One in you is far greater than the world, as a result, you overcoming the world is not a possibility, it is not a might happen, or a hopefully will happen, it is a guarantee, a promise form the most high God….it is a vow from a Father to His child. Lift your head to the heavens, and live like the child of God that you are, with the Lord at your side, you are unstoppable, and undefeatable. Live the victory that is Jesus Christ.

 

 

God Bless,

Brian Thetford

<((((><

 

www.thenewcovenantchurch.com

 

www.theworkweekwithchrist.blogspot.com

 

Tuesday the 1st

1 Samuel 17:  ⁴⁵ David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.

 

Everyone Loves the story of David and Goliath. Who wouldn’t really….The underdog wins right? What a deal! While the story is always lauded about how you can overcome any obstacle, and in the name of the Lord, I believe that yes, you can. The story that is often missed is how David did what no one else was willing to do. The taunting by Goliath did not go on for a couple of days. It went on for weeks on end. Yet not one man among Saul’s army could find the strength in themselves, or the faith in the Lord to step out there, and fight Goliath. Saul would have had a champion, it was common during those days for an entire battle to be decided by the outcome of the champions battle. Yet Saul’s was no where to be found. Could you imagine, this champion would have been afforded the best armor, the sharpest sword, the strongest shield….yet come the day of battle he was nowhere to be found. Yet David, a simple kid, steps out onto the battlefield. Yes we would all like to be like David…..but are we willing to step out onto a battlefield that not one of our friends is willing to tread? I know that it is much easier to be like the champion that never showed. When we look at our spiritual life, we amass the best in all of our gear, the highest quality. We go after the best education we can get, we spend our time in prayer, we do everything we can to show how faithful we are…….but when Goliath shows up, it is far easier to group up with the other well trained, well armed people and talk about how Goliath should be defeated, yet we don’t want to be the one to go out and do it. It is not a knock against any of us, it is human. That is what made what David did, so amazing. It was not the fact that he killed Goliath. It is the fact that all he took out there was his faith, a sling, and a few rocks. It must have looked very much like showing up to a gunfight with a knife. Yet David knew that the Lord was with him. Don’t you just love that phrase. The Lord was with him…….and he knew it. David prayed for rain, AND he carried an umbrella! David’s prayers were not prayed for religious purposes. David prayed expecting them to be answered. David did not step out onto the battlefield worried about the outcome, he stepped out knowing that the Lord was with him, and the he would be victorious. David did not step out to spite his brothers, or to show off for Saul. David stepped out because he could not comprehend any other thing to do. Nothing else made sense. That is what it is to be David. You live your life knowing that the Lord is with you, you will step out onto the battlefield each and everyday to face Goliath, not because you have to, but because that is what you are built for. It is not a matter of beating Goliath, that part is already taken care of. It is a matter of being ready to do what no one else will do. It is not a matter of getting to Goliath, it is a matter of getting past the other Israelites! People will always tell you it can’t be done, they will want to have long talks about all of the things that might be done instead, or all of the reasons why it should not be done. Pick up your sling and head out onto the field, for the Lord is with you. Today, tomorrow, and everyday.  Shel Silverstein said it well:  Listen to Mustn’ts, child, listen to the Don’ts. Listen to the Shouldn’ts, the Impossibles, the Won’ts. Listen to the Never Haves, then listen close to me. Anything can happen, child, Anything can be. 

With the Lord at your side nothing can stop you, nothing is impossible, even slaying the giant in your life.

 

 

God Bless,

Brian Thetford

<((((><

 

www.thenewcovenantchurch.com

 

www.theworkweekwithchrist.blogspot.com

 

Monday the 31st

Ecclesiastes 9: 7& 9   ⁷ Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for God has already approved what you do. ⁹ Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun.

 

When life is hard to understand, when I don’t know where to turn, when life has kicked me in the gut and I want to shout “why!!?” This is the verse that comes to mind. Right now is what counts. Today, this moment, this very breath that we draw….. right now. That is what counts. I think of how much time I have wasted on tomorrow, how much energy I have expended on yesterday, thinking about the “what if’s” the “could of’s” the “should of’s”, all or the “why didn’t  I’s”……….. I think of the relationships that have suffered, and how much love I have held onto waiting for the prize, waiting for the right time, waiting for the hurt to pass. I think of these times, and I see that this life has been approved by God. He made it, He gave it to me. It is not mine, and He will take it from me when the time comes…..and I can promise you that time will not fit into my schedule or the schedule of anyone that I love! Death waits for no man, it is a phrase we hear often, but guess what….life does not wait either. It is going on today whether we want to participate or not. Life will continue on today, despite our hurts, our fears, and our loss. We find ourselves left with two choices. We can live this life that God has given us. We can reach out through our pain, and our disappointment, and we can seize life by the throat, or we can slink back into our own little world, and be a shell of the person that we are destined to be. We are given one life. Will it be full of love, or remorse? Will it overflow with joy, or will it be a life of dwelling on the pain. This life we live, and the lives of those around us are but temporary. Yesterday is gone, tomorrow might never get here…..let our lives be defined by how we live today. We will face pain that we do not understand, but let us understand that God is in control, not us. We will be dealt disappointment, but let us remember that God works for the good in the lives of those who love Him. Life will not make sense, but let us lean, especially in our times of trial, on the One who has seen the end. This is our life, this is our day, this is our hour, our moment. Let us trust in God, and live the life He meant for us to have.

 

God Bless,

Brian Thetford

<((((><

 

www.thenewcovenantchurch.com

 

www.theworkweekwithchrist.blogspot.com

 

Thursday the 27th

Acts 9:  ¹⁹ ….Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. ²⁰ At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. ²¹ All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?” ²² Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.

There is a reason why God used Paul. It was for people like me, perhaps like yourself. You see Paul was not always Paul, he was at one time Saul. While Paul was a great man who gave his entire life to spreading the Word of God, Saul……well he gave his entire life to killing the Word of God, and anyone who would profess the be a follower of Christ. What Saul was, Paul was not. As a matter of fact they were the polar opposite of each other. I need that, maybe you do to. I need to see that Christ can impact your life on such a deep level that you can make the change that you thought was impossible……better yet, you can make the change that others thought was impossible. That my friends is the power of Jesus Christ, that is the power of the truth…..it is the power of our souls. I was not the best person in the world before Christ entered my life. No I was not out hunting down Christians, but I was sure not making great choices, I was not a great father, a great husband….really I was not even that good of a friend. A lot of bad choices, and a lot of encouraging others to come along for the ride. I would be the first to say that I was too far gone, and God really does not need, or want a guy like me…..He sure could not forgive me. How could he? I could not forgive myself. Oh but just like Paul….or should I say Saul, Christ showed up, and He made it quite clear that not only did he forgive me, but He needed me. Not someone else, but ME. He needed me not because I was perfect, but specifically because I was not. There are people out there that need to see the change is not just a possibility, it is an assured fact. They needed to see that a weak willed, misguided, off the path guy, while incapable of change on his own, can transform with the love of Christ. SO God needed, Saul, He needs me, and He needs you. Not because of your perfection, but your lack of it. He uses the weak to conquer the strong, and the foolish to baffle the wise. You might think you can’t change, but Christ knows you can. You might think you can’t be forgiven, but Christ knows your faults, and transgressions, and has more than enough forgiveness for you. You might think you are just a simple human, but the Lord KNOWS you are so much more.  We all can change, and with the Lord, it is a sure thing.

 

 

God Bless,

Brian Thetford

<((((><

 

www.thenewcovenantchurch.com

 

www.theworkweekwithchrist.blogspot.com

 

Tuesday the 25th

Mark 3:27 But no one can enter a strong man’s house to plunder his property unless he first ties up the strong man.

 

Christ is pointing out the obvious here, Evil does not combat evil, nor does good destroy good. If anything turns on itself then it is powerless to the outside, because of the turmoil on the inside.  What is often missed here is just what is meant by entering the house and plundering the strong man’s property. While many might see this as, us being the strong man and the devil being the plunderer, when we look at the story as a whole we see that what Christ is saying is He has come into the world (entered the house) and tied up the strong man (the Devil) and Christ is actively plundering the Devil’s property (freeing people of this world from the devil).  The important piece of information here is that Jesus has tied up the strong man! By His life, death, and resurrection, Christ has defeated sin, and death. We are no longer bound to the chains of this world nor the will of the devil…….however we forget that sometimes don’t we? Christ has declared victory over evil, so that we all might live in the light of His love; but just like a mafia boss that has been incarcerated, the devil is still sending out his minions. He is always looking for a way out of the ties that bind him. So just like the kid who pokes a stick at the cat in a cage, we too allow the devil to tempt us. We feel powerless to stop, we say things like I had no choice, I could not help it, there was no other way. These phrases loosen the binds that Christ paid such a high price to tie. We do have a choice, we have far more power than we realize. We forget that the battle is over and Christ has won. The devil is just looking to win a skirmish or two, and he is hoping that you will provide him with a big win today. Let us not forget that in Christ we find our refuge, and our strength. He has bound the strong man, and is actively using us to plunder the devil’s playground.   Christ has used people just like us to continue His work here on Earth, and make no mistake about it. The strong man is still bound, we can fearlessly carry out the Lord’s work, we can march victoriously through our lives knowing that Christ has made us, the unworthy, worthy.  We have been adopted into His family, and this house is now ours. Claim it!

 

 

God Bless,

Brian Thetford

<((((><

 

www.thenewcovenantchurch.com

 

www.theworkweekwithchrist.blogspot.com

 

Friday the 21st

Hebrews 9: ² A tabernacle was set up. In its first room were the lamp stand and the table with its consecrated bread; this was called the Holy Place. ³ Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place

 

The moment that Christ left His earthly body behind on the cross, it is recorded that the inner curtain in the tabernacle ripped from the ceiling to the floor. Before that happened only the appointed could go behind the curtain. The death of Christ marked the beginning of the New covenant, the end of Christ’s life marked the beginning of our new one. No longer would we be dependant on one person to make the sacrifices, and offerings on our behalf to God. No longer would we be separated from God, by a piece of fabric. Now, today, the only thing that keeps us from God, is ourselves. Christ will forever stand up, for and between us. He is our direct line to His Father. The perfect Priest, is our adopted brother. So what keeps us from utilizing this great gift we have been given? Guilt, shame, fear, doubt, and a healthy dose of self loathing will forever separate us if we fail to realize that the Lord just does not care about our past, He is far more concerned with our future. If you want to be a better spouse, parent, boss, employee, sibling…..whatever the case, you have to first be a better you. To do that you have to rip your own curtain that you have spent your life sewing. You will find Christ on the other side of that curtain, you will see that He has been waiting. Walk past the remnants of your curtain and accept the Lord fully into your heart, not as a part time, see you on Sunday then I have to run friend. Forge a partnership, and allow the battle to begin. That is what life is you know? A battle fought daily between the scourge of sin, and the righteousness of the Lord. Yeah, I know, it sounds a little dramatic, but it does not make it any less real. The curtain has been torn, so that we might have the ultimate ally in our fight. We have been adopted into a new family, one that will not let us down like so many people we know, one who will stand for us in our times of need, and shout for joy with us in our times of triumph. It is a family that will fill us with the peace, forgiveness, and the direction needed to improve not just our lives, but the lives of every person we come in contact with. Folks, God ripped the inner curtain, and invited us all in to the Most Holy Place. Do not allow this world to hang another curtain in it’s place. Accept the invitation, you are welcome, you are loved, and you are needed. Step in, and see the spectacular life that awaits.

 

 

God Bless,

Brian Thetford

<((((><

 

www.thenewcovenantchurch.com

 

www.theworkweekwithchrist.blogspot.com